| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08454444B2 |
Gaming cabinet constructed from connectable components
A gaming machine cabinet or housing is constructed from a plurality of connected components. In one embodiment, the cabinet is assembled from base, side, top, back and door components or sections. The housing may have a basis configuration constructed from a base, sides, top, back and a first door. The housing may have a plurality of modified configurations constructed from various of the basic configuration components, such as the base, sides and back, and an extension and modified door. In accordance with the invention, the gaming machine housing may be manufactured in one location and then conveniently shipped in unassembled form to another location for assembly and use. The gaming machine housing may also be constructed in a variety of configurations utilizing a small number of components. |
| US08454442B2 |
Player assistance system for a video game
According to an embodiment, in an online video game various features permit characters to render assistance to other characters, and to advertise offers to help other characters. In an embodiment, the game tracks the amount of helpfulness of each character and permits rewards to be received based on the amount of helpfulness. |
| US08454440B2 |
Open architecture communications in a gaming network
Open architecture communication systems and methods are provided that allow flexible data transmission between gaming machines and other devices and nodes within a gaming machine network. The gaming machine and other devices employ a communication interface that sends and receives data via a common communication protocol and via common communication hardware. The communication interface and common communication protocol allow data transfer between gaming machines and other network nodes such as gaming service servers, despite the presence of different proprietary gaming machine functions and proprietary communication protocols and despite the presence of various proprietary hardware and proprietary communication protocols relied on by the servers. |
| US08454437B2 |
Systems and methods for portable exergaming
In a first aspect, a system for playing a video game is provided that includes (1) one or more sensors adapted to monitor one or more biometric parameters of a user and communicate the one or more monitored biometric parameters (MBPs); (2) a computing device adapted to communicate with the one or more sensors and to receive the one or more communicated MBPs; and (3) a video game having an avatar adapted to move an object on an incline, the video game adapted to execute on the computing device. The video game is adapted to control the avatar to perform an action in the video game based in part on the received one or more communicated MBPs. Numerous other aspects are provided. |
| US08454435B2 |
Storage medium, game apparatus, game controlling method and game system
A game apparatus includes a CPU, and the CPU acquires character information data from another game apparatus by executing communication processing. Furthermore, the CPU calculates character information data from image data obtained by imaging a QR Code with a camera and acquires the same. The CPU generates a character on the basis of the character information data, and displays the generated character on a second LCD. |
| US08454434B1 |
Gaming system and method for providing an offer and acceptance game with progressive awards associated with a quantity of progressive tokens
A gaming system for providing a progressive award in association with an offer and acceptance game. Upon an occurrence of a triggering event, the gaming system initiates a multiple round offer and acceptance game, wherein each round is associated with a progressive award token. After either accepting a final offer or participating in a selection game for a final round of the offer and acceptance game, based on the player's total quantity of accumulated progressive award tokens, one of a plurality of progressive awards is provided to the player. |
| US08454433B2 |
Read/write device for information data storage medium
A device for reading information data recording medium, which is capable of reducing failure to take an IC card that is ejected from a gaming machine, is provided.When it is determined that the information data recording medium exists at an eject position and when it is determined that a player does not exist, the information data recording medium is carried from the eject position to a housing position by means of a carrying device. |
| US08454430B2 |
Systems and methods for distributed gaming voucher control
An input/output (I/O) device for use with a gaming machine includes a communication interface communicatively coupled to the gaming machine, a memory area, and a processor coupled to the communication interface and the memory area. The processor is configured to generate a code based at least in part on a unique machine identifier of the I/O device and store the code in the memory area. The processor is also configured to receive a verification request of the code from the gaming machine via the communication interface, and transmit a response message to the gaming machine via the communication interface, wherein the response includes a number of available credits available to a player. |
| US08454423B2 |
Products and processes for gaming with points
Methods of tracking points among participants in various wagers. An indication of a wager may be received, including point distributions, participants, an event, etc. An indication of an outcome of the wager may be received. Points may be allocated among participants in accordance with a desired point distribution based on the outcome of the wager. An indication of a point adjustment may be received, and points may be adjusted accordingly. The point adjustment may be associated with an external exchange between participants in a wager. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08454422B1 |
Slot machine and method of use
A slot machine and method of conducting a wagering game is disclosed. The slot machine incorporates a topper having a display unit corresponding to each primary game reel. Depending on its current state, the display units turn on and turn off in response to pre-established game indicia aligning along a payline. A payout is awarded when all the display units are turned on simultaneously after a game play. In other versions, a bonus display comprises a grid of display units or a segmented display unit in the form of a gaming symbol. With the grid, once a winning pattern of display units is illuminated, a bonus award is provided. Similarly, with the segmented display units, once all segments of one or more display units are illuminated, a bonus award is provided. |
| US08454419B1 |
System and method for optimizing learning by correlating structured knowledge and learning techniques with physical metaphors in an educational computer game
A system and method for optimizing learning and retention of items learned over time maps bodies of knowledge to physical metaphors in an education computer game or simulation. Entire structured curricula or curriculum frameworks are mapped to isomorphic physical metaphor hierarchies. Recommended sequences through subject matter are mapped to sequences in the physical metaphor of the game or simulation. Various algorithms for computing the well-known Ebbinghaus “spacing effect” for reviewing items that are about to be forgotten by a student to optimize his or her retention of subject matter are mapped to physical metaphors in the game or simulation. The use of a “predator-prey” computer algorithm to find students' subject matter knowledge weak points is mapped to a physical metaphor in the game or simulation. Similarly, devices to enhance the student's learning curve, such as to induce perseverance, or raise motivation via competition, or via praise from an authority figure, are mapped to physical metaphors in the game or simulation. |
| US08454415B2 |
Supply channel comprising an air distribution system for vehicles, aircraft having such a supply channel, and method for producing a supply channel
A supply channel is provided with an air distribution system for vehicles, in particular for aircraft. The supply channel includes, but is not limited to an elongated housing, a hollow profile extending in longitudinal direction of the housing, and at least one air shower that includes, but is not limited to an air inlet and at least one air outlet. A generated surface of the hollow profile includes, but is not limited to a multitude of perforation openings. The at least one is designed such that in a region of the air inlet it rests tightly against the generated surface of the hollow profile. Perforation openings that do not lead to an air inlet of an air shower can be sealed off by an adhesive film or foil that has been applied. The supply channel makes possible variable positioning of air showers along the longitudinal direction of the supply channel. |
| US08454412B2 |
Handheld power tool
The invention is based on a handheld power tool, in particular a right-angle sander (10), having a gearbox (12), a flange neck (14) with a guard device (20), which device is receivable on the flange neck (14) and forms a receptacle region for a tool (18) and is rotatable in the circumferential direction (22), and having at least one detent device (24) for locking a rotary position of the guard device (20).It is proposed that the detent device (24) is at least partially integrated with the flange neck (14) of the gearbox (12). |
| US08454410B2 |
Polishing apparatus
Provided is a polishing apparatus comprising a lower stool (12), a motor (18a) and a speed reducer (19a) for driving the lower stool, and a box (17) for covering at least the portion of the lower stool below the working action face. The polishing apparatus polishes a wafer by forcing the wafer to contact the lower stool and by rotating the lower stool. The box has its inside separated by partitions (31a and 31b) into a plurality of regions, and the motor for driving the lower stool is arranged in a region other than the region containing the lower stool. The polishing apparatus can manufacture a wafer of a stable shape, irrespective of the time elapsed from the running start and the presence/absence of the stop of the polishing apparatus. |
| US08454407B2 |
Polishing method and apparatus
A polishing method polishes and planarizes a substrate. The substrate is pressed against a polishing surface on a rotating polishing table. During polishing, the polishing table is rotated, and the surface, being polished, of the substrate is scanned by an eddy current sensor provided in the polishing table. An output of the eddy current sensor is monitored, and substrate damage is detected from a change in the output of the eddy current sensor. Further, an output of an end point detecting sensor obtained by scanning the surface of the substrate is monitored, and the polishing end point is detected from a change in the output of the end point detecting sensor. After detecting the polishing end point, an output of the end point detecting sensor or another sensor is monitored, and detecting a film left on a part of the substrate is performed. |
| US08454406B1 |
Chorusing toy system
A chorusing toy system includes multiple sound-generating devices. The sound-generating devices each include a storage module, a sound-generating unit, and a circuit module. The storage module stores a role-related datum, an ID datum, and at least a play datum. The circuit module is connected to the storage module and the sound-generating unit, and includes a starting switch and a playing switch. Once the starting switches are turned on, the circuit modules will execute a connection procedure whereby one of the sound-generating devices is defined as a master. Once the playing switches are turned on, the circuit modules will execute a playing procedure whereby the play datum are played by means of a playing unit of the sound-generating devices. |
| US08454403B2 |
Methods of manufacturing an organic electroluminescent device
A manufacturing method for an organic electroluminescent device that includes an effectively optical area including display pixels for display and a dummy area surrounding the effectively optical area, the dummy area including dummy pixels not for display is provided. The manufacturing method includes coating a first composite material on a first portion in the effectively optical area, the first portion corresponding to one of the display pixels, and coating a second composite material separately from the coating of the first composite material, the second composite material being coated on a second portion of the dummy area, the second portion corresponding to one of the dummy pixels, the first composite material including a first organic electroluminescent material that is dissolved or dispersed in a solvent and the second composite material including a second organic electroluminescent material that is dissolved or dispersed in a solvent. |
| US08454401B2 |
Outboard motor
An outboard motor has an engine, an engine cover forming an engine compartment for holding the engine therein, a ventilation system with an outer outlet ventilation space through which air in the engine compartment flows to the outside of the engine compartment, and a generator. The ventilation system includes a case disposed in the engine compartment and forming an air discharge passage leading to the outer outlet ventilation space. A fan is placed in the air discharge passage to deliver air by pressure from the engine compartment to the outer outlet ventilation space. The air discharge passage has an inlet ventilation passage formed in an upper space in the engine compartment and opening upward. The engine compartment holding the engine therein can be efficiently ventilated, and ventilation air can effectively cool the engine and can effectively suppress temperature rise in the engine compartment. |
| US08454399B1 |
Amphibious vehicle
An amphibious vehicle that may be driven directly between land and water includes a vehicle with an opposed pair of flotation side hulls and a rear hull. The side hulls are movable between a stowed position above the vehicle and a lowered deployed position outboard thereof. Each side hull is mounted by arm assemblies including an upright bracket fixed to the vehicle and an arm pivotally connected to the bracket that can be extended or retracted linearly by actuators to raise and lower the side hulls. A locking mechanism prevents the extended side hulls from moving laterally but allows vertical adjustment thereof. The side hulls may be horizontally adjusted between compact contracted and extended protracted positions. The rear hull assembly is pivotally mounted to the back of vehicle permitting raising and lowering thereof and includes jet drives providing propulsion for water operation. |
| US08454397B2 |
Anti-wicking terminal and connector
An electrically conductive terminal includes a solder tail configured to be soldered to a contact pad of a circuit member and at least one deflectable contact arm. Each deflectable arm is configured to engage a counterpart terminal of a mating electrical component. A body having a pair of side edges and oppositely facing side surfaces is provided between and connects the solder tail and the contact arm. Each side surface has a pair of non-parallel channels therein with at least one of the channels extending between the pair of side edges. |
| US08454394B2 |
Terminal fitting having an auxilary resilient piece
A terminal fitting (A) has a rectangular tubular terminal connecting portion (10) into which a tab (T) is to be inserted. A resilient contact piece (15) is folded to cantilever back from an end edge of a supporting plate (11) of the terminal connecting portion (10). A contact (20) is formed on the resilient contact piece (15). An auxiliary resilient piece (21) is formed by cutting a part of the resilient contact piece (15) and bending the cut part into resilient contact with the supporting plate (11) to increase a contact pressure between the contact (20) and the tab (T). The auxiliary resilient piece (21) is at a position before the contact (20) in an inserting direction of the tab (T) and closer to the supporting plate (11) than the contact (20) in a direction crossing the inserting direction of the tab. |
| US08454393B2 |
Device and method for the captive accommodation of a screw in a terminal
The invention relates to a terminal having a housing and a duct for accommodating a screw, wherein a securing device is provided that has a holding unit configured on the housing in order to enable the captive accommodation of the screw in the duct. The securing device enables an insertion of a screw into the duct in the base state, wherein a secured state is achieved after insertion of a screw by a plastic deformation of the holding unit into the free cross-section of the duct in which a screw is captively accommodated. |
| US08454391B2 |
Power electrical connector with improved metal shell
An electrical connector includes a metal shell, an insulative housing and at least one terminal retained in the insulative housing. The metal shell defines a front-to-rear direction and a lateral direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction and includes a pair of elastic arms extending rearward from a rear edge thereof and a pair of latch portions extending along the lateral direction from free tips of the elastic arms. The insulative housing comprises a base portion and a mating portion extending forwardly from the base portion. The base portion defines a pair of protrusions extending along the lateral direction. The terminal includes a contact portion disposed on the mating portion. The metallic shell is assembled to the insulative housing in the front-to-rear direction. The latch portions of the metal shell lock with the protrusions of the housing so as to secure the shell to the insulative housing. |
| US08454383B2 |
Self gauging insertion coupling coaxial connector
A self-gauging electrical connector for coaxial cables with outer conductors of varied diameters is provided with a clamp ring coupled to a connector body with a bore. A mechanical grip and an electrical contact are retained within the bore. The mechanical grip and the electrical contact engage the outer conductor upon insertion of the outer conductor into the bore. The mechanical grip is displaced radially proportional to an outer diameter of the outer conductor. The electrical contact is displaced radial proportional to the radial displacement of the mechanical grip. |
| US08454381B2 |
Cable connector having a housing with an engaging portion and a restricting portion on its top surface
A cable assembly includes a PCB, a rear housing, a front housing assembled with the rear housing and a locking member. The printed circuit board includes a mating end formed with a plurality of first conductive pads and rear end formed with a plurality of second conductive pads. The rear housing is over molded around the rear end of the PCB. The front housing encloses a part of the PCB. The front housing defines a receiving slot and an engaging portion. The locking member is assembled to the engaging portion. The front housing further has two restricting portions extending upwardly from the upper surface thereof, each restricting portion has a supporting portion, an extension portion forwardly extending from a rear end of the supporting portion and spaced from the supporting portion so that a receiving groove is formed between the supporting portion and the extension portion. |
| US08454376B1 |
Electrical connector with sacrificial component
An electrical connector assembly includes a housing body that includes a cable receiving end having a first bore extending therethrough and at least one equipment end projecting perpendicular to the cable receiving end. The at least one equipment end includes a second bore extending therethrough that communicates with the first bore in the cable receiving end. A sacrificial bar is configured to be received within the cable receiving end and includes a first end for coupling to an end of a prepared electrical power cable and a second end configured to project into the second bore and conductively couple with an electrical device received within the at least one equipment end. The housing body and sacrificial bar are configured to be cut through to confirm that the electrical connector is de-energized. |
| US08454375B2 |
Closure device for an electrical plug-in coupling means arranged on a motor vehicle or a charging station
A closure device for an electrical plug-in coupling arranged on a motor vehicle or a charging station. A locking arrangement is provided for locking the plug coupled to the plug-in coupling. The locking arrangement can be operated via a gear mechanism between the drive motor and the closure flap. The locking arrangement has a locking element which, when the closure flap is transferred from an intermediate open position, in which the plug can be coupled to the plug-in coupling, into the final open position, can be brought into a locked position which prevents the removal of the plug from the plug-in coupling. |
| US08454367B2 |
Reading game
An apparatus and method to improve reading, particularly the reading of young children. The game objective is to score points by answering questions posed by sets of cards. The card set is determined by a spinner. This game is designed to help children to read fluently. |
| US08454365B2 |
Digital dentistry
The systems and methods disclosed herein employ a scanning system for capturing highly detailed digital dental models. These models may be used within a dentist's office for a wide array of dental functions including quality control, restoration design, and fitting. These models may also, or instead, be transmitted to dental laboratories that may, alone or in collaboration with the originating dentist or other dental professionals, transform the digital model into a physical realization of a dental hardware item. |
| US08454359B2 |
Method of forming an orthodontic transfer tray
An orthodontic bracket having an opening for receiving a wire, but without a base to create a lever arm when the bracket is oriented in free space at a customized angle relative to a tooth surface. The bracket can be embedded into or encapsulated by an adhesive that is bonded to the tooth. A clip is provided for holding the bracket in position and occluding the opening while the adhesive is applied. And indirect methods of attaching the brackets to teeth are provided wherein the brackets can be attached to the lingual side of the teeth in a low-profile arrangement. A first method includes the step of positioning the brackets on a physical model of the teeth by using a positioning machine. A second method includes the step of positioning virtual brackets on a virtual model of the teeth using software, then generating a physical transfer try using rapid prototyping. |
| US08454358B2 |
Tooth positioners, method of making the same, and method of positioning teeth using the same
A method for forming a tooth positioner for repositioning at least one tooth of a patient includes providing a dental arch cast of a patient, separating at least one tooth from the dental arch cast, fixing a pin in a stump part of the at least one separated tooth, and in any non-separated teeth, reconstructing the dental arch cast of the patient by aligning the separated teeth to correspond to the alignment in the patient's mouth and holding the pins in a material that may be softened by heat, heating an area to soften an area, applying force to the pin fixed in the at least one tooth to be repositioned to move it in a desired direction to obtain a realigned arch, and forming a tooth positioner corresponding to the realigned arch. The tooth positioner is used by having the patient wear it for a period of time. |
| US08454356B2 |
Systems and methods for supporting a workpiece during heat-treating
An apparatus for supporting a workpiece during heat-treating includes a support plate having a non-planar upper surface, and a support system. The support system is configured to support the workpiece above the support plate during heat-treating of the workpiece, such that a lower surface of an initial shape of the workpiece is supported at a non-uniform spacing above the non-planar upper surface of the support plate, said non-uniform spacing including an edge gap beneath an outer perimeter of the workpiece, and a central gap at a central axis of the workpiece. |
| US08454353B2 |
Method for evaluating the state of a fuel/air mixture
The invention relates to a method for evaluating the state of a fuel/air mixture and/or the combustion in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, with sample signals of flame light signals, preferably the flame intensity (FI), with associated mixture states being saved to a database, with flame light signals, preferably the flame light intensity (FI), of the combustion in the combustion chamber being detected and thus being compared with the saved sample signals, and with conclusions being drawn on the state of the mixture in the combustion chamber in the case of coincidence between measured and saved signal patterns. In order to enable a simple and precise monitoring of the mixture state and the combustion it is provided that a pressure measurement is also performed in the cylinder simultaneously with the detection of the flame light signals. |
| US08454351B2 |
Staged combustion method using a preheated oxidant
The invention relates to a method for the combustion of a fuel and an oxidant, in which at least one jet of fuel and at least two jets of oxidant are injected. According to the invention, at least one first oxidant is injected at a distance I1, at most 20 cm, from the fuel injection point and at least one second oxidant is injected at a distance I2 from the fuel injection point, I2 being greater than I1. The aforementioned oxidants are injected in quantities such that the sum of the quantities thereof is at least equal to the stoichiometric quantity of oxidant necessary in order to ensure the combustion of the injected fuel. Moreover, the first oxidant is oxygen-enriched air having a temperature of at most 200 DEG C. and the second oxidant is air preheated to a temperature of at least 300 DEG C. |
| US08454346B2 |
Mold for forming a product with a through hole
A mold includes a female mold defining a receiving space and a male mold including a body and a core protruding from the body. The male mold and the female mold cooperatively define a molding cavity for forming a molding product. The core includes a distal end portion inserted into the receiving space. The distal end portion is configured for forming a through hole of the molding product. The female mold includes two protruding ribs arranged at a parting line between the female mold and the core. The protruding ribs of the female mold is located on opposite sides of the distal end portion, and extend around the distal end portion. The core includes two protruding ribs formed on the distal end portion at the parting line between the female mold and the core. The protruding ribs of the core extend around the distal end portion. |
| US08454343B2 |
Blow mold design
A blow mold shell assembly includes a mold cavity insert defining a mold profile on an inner surface. A manifold insert is separately formed from the mold cavity insert and disposed outboard of the mold cavity insert. The manifold insert includes at least one coolant channel formed therein. The mold cavity insert is substantially solid throughout its cross-section and precluded from passing coolant. In one example, the coolant channels may be formed longitudinally through the manifold insert. A fluid inlet fitting and a fluid outlet fitting are both in fluid communication with the manifold insert. |
| US08454342B2 |
Modular clamp station
A modular mold clamp assembly for use in a molding machine. The assembly has a frame with a base member and oppositely-facing end members, with the oppositely-facing end members having mounting areas provided thereon. First and second platens are movably mounted on the base member between an open and a closed position. The platens are mounted on the frame and are movable relative to the frame without transmitting forces to the frame. The frame, containing the platens, can be mounted or unmounted to the molding machine by the use of mounting hardware cooperating with the mounting area of the frame. |
| US08454336B2 |
Sector mold with radial recoil
A vulcanizing mold (10) for a tire includes a frame (24), two lateral shells (26, 28), a plurality of segments (30), a lever (36), a pivot link with an axle (38) for linking the lever (36) to the segment (30), a pivot link with an axle (44) for linking the lever (36) to the driving shell (26), a slide ramp (46) for the axle (44) of the pivot link, the lever (36), the pivot link and the slide ramp (46) being arranged such that the axial displacement of the driving shell (26) with respect to the frame (24) causes a displacement of the axle (38) of the pivot link which is substantially exclusively radial with respect to the driving shell (26). |
| US08454330B2 |
Submersible pump
A bore-hole pump has an electrical drive motor (3) and a multi-stage centrifugal pump (4) which is driven thereby. A sensor housing (9) is arranged at the end of the pump, in which one or more sensors are arranged, and which is surrounded by fluid and through which fluid flows (FIG. 1). |
| US08454324B2 |
Pump
A pump that has a cavity (13) in which is located a non-elastomeric membrane (14). An inlet (24) opens into the cavity (13) and is associated with a valve (27). A valve (28) is likewise provided in an outlet (25). Also opening into cavity (13) is a port (22) to which a negative or positive pressures can be applied whereby the membrane (14) can be moved between its two stable states corresponding to completion of inlet and exhaust of a pumping cycle. |
| US08454323B2 |
Lubricant valve for oil pumps of internal combustion engines
A lubricant valve for oil pumps of internal combustion engines has a double piston in a piston guide of a valve seat of the pump housing, the double piston consisting of a cold-start piston which is arranged in a control piston and is arranged in a cold-start piston guide which is arranged in the control piston, wherein, lying opposite the cold-start piston guide, a piston rod is arranged on the piston head of the control piston, on which piston rod, spaced apart from the piston head of the control piston, a working piston is arranged which the piston rod protrudes beyond in the form of a spacer rod, wherein, adjacent to the working piston, inflow holes are arranged in the piston head of the control piston and, adjacent to the piston head, outflow holes are arranged in the cylinder wall of the cold-start piston guide of the control piston. |
| US08454320B2 |
Control process for a piezoelectric pump of an electric household appliance and an electric household appliance employing such a process
Control process for a piezoelectric pump (100) of an electric household appliance comprising a pump chamber (110) equipped with a mobile wall (111) displaceable under the action of a piezoelectric actuator (111A), characterized in that during a startup phase of the pump (100), the piezoelectric actuator (111A) is supplied during a plurality of alternations with an alternating supply signal having a voltage U bringing about a substantial deformation of the piezoelectric actuator (111A) for a maximum sweeping of the volume of the pump chamber (110) by the mobile wall (111), and further characterized in that the pump startup phase is followed by a normal operation phase during which the supply signal is modified so that the mean flow rate provided by the pump (100) is less than the flow rate provided during the startup phase. |
| US08454319B2 |
Pressurized-oil supply amount control device for vehicle-mounted crane
Disclosed herein are embodiments of a pressurized-oil supply amount control device for a vehicle-mounted crane which has a dual pump system and which is capable of further inhibiting possible noise from an engine and improving fuel consumption. A predetermined control function is set for a controller 2 for the pressurized-oil supply amount control device. Three regions R1, R2, R3 are set for the predetermined control function according to the rate of an operation signal input. Based on the predetermined control function, the rotation speed of the engine 6 is controlled, and the flow rate of pressurized oil is controlled by a flow rate control valve 5. This increases the total flow rate G of pressurized oil supplied to a control valve 3 in proportion to the rate of the operation signal input to the crane. |
| US08454318B2 |
Reinforced aerodynamic profile
The present invention relates to the prevention of deformations in an aerodynamic profile caused by lack of resistance to the bending moment forces that are created when such a profile is loaded in operation. More specifically, the invention relates to a reinforcing element inside an aerodynamic profile and a method for the construction thereof. The profile is intended for, but not limited to, use as a wind turbine blade, an aerofoil device or as a wing profile used in the aeronautical industry. |
| US08454317B2 |
Radial or diagonal fan wheel
The present invention relates to a fan wheel in a version as a radial or diagonal fan, of a baseplate and of a plurality of fan blades arranged so as to be distributed over the circumference of the inlet port and around an axis of rotation. The fan wheel has a shroud with an inlet port and the shroud and/or the baseplate have/has in this case a nonrotationally symmetrical geometry which in each case has a continuous and point-invariable profile, as seen in the axial or axially parallel direction. |
| US08454313B2 |
Independent variable blade pitch and geometry wind turbine
A variable blade pitch wind turbine and method of passively varying the blade pitch is presented. Each blade of the turbine rotor can individually and passively rotate about a respective blade axis to continuously vary the pitch of the blades to adjust to the ever changing wind speed and direction without active controls or other mechanical or electrical induced inputs to force rotational movement of the blades. Sections of each blade can respectively rotate to change the blade twist. In one example, a second rotor is used to increase the electrical generation and efficiency of the blade turbine. |
| US08454310B1 |
Compressor blade with tip sealing
An axial flow compressor blade with a cavity formed within the blade tip region and connected by an array of holes onto the pressure side surface of the blade in the tip region so that compressed gas will flow into the cavity, and the cavity is connected by a row of tip slots arranged along the blade tip along the pressure side tip corner to discharge the compressed gas from within the cavity out onto the blade tip toward the oncoming compressed gas flow over the blade tip to reduce or eliminate any boundary layer formation and to reduce blade tip leakage flow. |
| US08454303B2 |
Turbine nozzle assembly
In exemplary embodiments, a nozzle can include a first flow wall, a second flow wall and a vane disposed between the first and second flow walls, wherein the vane is mechanically coupled to the first flow wall and in contact with the second flow wall. |
| US08454300B2 |
Open-blade engine-cooling fan shroud guide vanes
To make manifest the above noted desire, a revelation of the present invention is brought forth. A fan assembly (7) is provided including a hub (10) with a plurality of projecting fan blades (12). A recirculating flow element (18) is provided which is generally forward adjacent an outer diameter of the fan blades (12). A plurality of guide vanes (22) are positioned within the recirculating flow element (18). The guide vanes (22) have an inlet angle (24) that is nearly tangential with an outer diameter surface (15) of the recirculating flow element (18). The guide vanes (22) have an outlet angle (26) which is nearly radial along an inner diameter surface (17) of the recirculating flow element (18). |
| US08454295B2 |
Detachable boom apparatus for fork trucks
A boom apparatus is provided for a fork truck having an elevator frame, a carriage movable via the elevator frame, and fork-supporting transverse members on the carriage. The apparatus includes a boom mount mechanically attached to the transverse members, and a boom mechanically attached to the boom mount. The boom mount includes a vertical plate, and top and bottom braces forming opposing hooks for engaging the transverse members. The top brace also includes a narrow section with horizontal hole that aligns with holes in brackets on the boom. A lock pin extends through the aligned holes to lock the boom to the mount. The mount includes a bottom T pin that fits into a slot at the boom's bottom to secure the boom in a vertical orientation on the mount. By this arrangement, the boom and boom mount can be securely and easily attached to a fork truck without welding. |
| US08454290B2 |
Bushing assembly
A fastener assembly includes a bushing having a flange configured to be urged toward a work-piece, and an isolation spring configured to be positioned between the flange and the work-piece. The isolation spring includes a metal core integrally formed with a rubber coating. |
| US08454288B2 |
Anti-wearing nut and bolt
An anti-wearing nut or bolt including a plurality of polygonal sides circumferentially formed on a head portion of the nut or bolt and; each polygonal side including: two inclined sub-sides respectively inclined outwardly convergently from opposite apexes of each polygonal side, each inclined sub-side extrapolatively defining a small biasing acute angle between each inclined sub-side and a corresponding socket side, and an intermediate sub-side transversely intersecting the two inclined sub-sides; whereby upon a clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation of the socket, one inclined sub-side of the nut or bolt will be planarly engaged with each socket side, without being linearly bitten or dogged, to thereby prevent wearing or damage of the apexes of the nut or bolt. |
| US08454287B2 |
Fastener
A fastener includes a post, a first and a second threaded portions extending from opposite ends of the post, a head portion extending from the first threaded portion opposite to the second threaded portion, a spring fitting about the post, and a nut screwed to the first threaded portion. |
| US08454286B2 |
Nut plate integral epoxy filled sleeve
A system includes a nut plate and a polymer sleeve passing through the nut plate. The polymer sleeve contains adhesive for attachment of the nut plate to a substrate. The interior of the sleeve includes an epoxy and a catalyzing agent initially separated from one another, but mixed by kneading the sleeve. A portion of the sleeve can be used to apply the adhesive to a bottom surface of the nut plate. |
| US08454284B2 |
Milling cutter coupling system
A coupling system for mounting a cutting apparatus to a machine tool having a cutting apparatus and an adapter. The cutting apparatus has a first mounting flange having either a central bore or a central boss. The adapter has a second mounting flange having the other of a central bore or a central boss. The central boss on one of the mounting flanges forms a mating engagement with the central bore of the other mounting flange to align the two mounting flanges at a common center when the cutting apparatus is connected to the adapter. Additionally, each mounting flange may have at least one of a post or a groove located between an outer perimeter of the mounting flange and the central bore or central boss. When the cutting apparatus is connected to the adapter, at least one of the posts forms a mating engagement with a corresponding groove. |
| US08454283B2 |
Motor-driven working spindle for a machine tool
A motor-driven working spindle for a machine tool has a casing in which a shaft is mounted for rotation. The shaft has a receptacle for a tool arranged at its front end. A spindle rotary drive is provided in the casing. Furthermore, a spindle advancing drive coupled with the shaft is provided in the casing. |
| US08454282B2 |
Fixture and method for mounting angled machine head on a machine tool
A fixture is used to mount an angled machine head on a machine tool. The fixture includes a base adapted to be mounted on the machine tool, and a collar for holding the angled machine head. The collar is mounted for rotation on the base and allows the angled machine head to be rotated to any of a plurality of rotational positions. The collar may be selectively locked to the base to fix the position of the angled machine head. |
| US08454281B2 |
Chamfer tool
An apparatus having a body, a pilot, a blade, a shaft, and a guide. The body may have a first end and a second end. The pilot may extend from the first end of the body and the blade may be attached to the body and positioned longitudinally on the body at the first end. The shaft may extend from the second end of the body, and the guide may be configured to receive the pilot. |
| US08454278B2 |
Eight-edged cutting insert, and tool holder for same
The invention relates to an eight-edged rotatable and reversible cutting insert having two opposite, substantially square base surfaces which are twisted relative to one another about a central axis running perpendicularly to said base surfaces, and having four identical side surfaces. A main lip is formed between each base surface and each side surface and extends only over part of the length of the side surface. Each side surface has two diagonally opposite corner edges which are of circular or curved design and form a secondary lip adjacent to the respective main lip. In addition, each side surface has two chip pockets which are drawn into the side surface and which, starting from the respective corner edge, extend along the main lip assigned to said corner edge up to a rear chip pocket end. |
| US08454277B2 |
Toolholder and toolholder assembly with elongated seating pads
A toolholder assembly has a pocket adapted to receive a double-sided on-edge cutting insert with wiper facets. A pocket has at least two sides and supports pads extending from each of the at least two sides, wherein the support pads contact the wiper facets of the cutting insert when the cutting insert is mounted within the pocket. |
| US08454273B2 |
Gabions
The invention provides a gabion which may be used to protect military or civilian installations from weapons assault or from elemental forces, such as flood waters, lava flows, avalanches, soil instability, slope erosion and the like, the gabion comprising side walls connected together at spaced intervals by partition walls, the side walls comprising at least one substantially closed side wall element panel, which acts in use of the gabion to prevent a gabion fill material from falling through the side wall, the said action of the substantially closed side wall element panel being effective without the aid of a gabion lining material. |
| US08454272B2 |
Jack-up platform
A jack-up platform (1) has a hull (2) and at least three longitudinally movable support legs (3) for the hull (1), at least one of the support legs (3) has at least one variable speed drive (8, 8A1 to 8F2) as a part of a leg driving mechanism, wherein the platform (1) has a closed-loop control unit (7) for the driving mechanism, the closed-loop control unit (7) being connected with the variable speed drive (8, 8A1 to 8F2) via a bi-directional electronic bus (16) for transmitting control parameters (M*,M,N,R). |
| US08454269B2 |
Flood barrier or the like and method of using the same
A flood defense or water-retaining device 8 comprises a hollow body of an elastomeric material having formations 30, 34 at opposite ends for sealing engagement with complementary formations on adjoining flood defense devices and having complementary formations 22, 24 on upper and lower sides for sealing engagement with complementary formations on lower and upper sides respectively of any similar devices disposed respectively above and below the first-mentioned device. The device 8 has at least one filling opening 40 through which water can be passed into the interior of the device to fill the same. |
| US08454267B2 |
Seamless, double walled sump
A seamless, double-walled sump is disclosed for collecting run-off materials and waste products. The sump includes a primary containment vessel and a secondary vessel, integrally molded into a single seamless unit. The sump includes a plurality of ribs that cooperate with surrounding concrete or other enclosing material to anchor the sump and prevent floating. The sump may also include a fabric outer layer that serves as an interface between the concrete and the sump to prevent corrosion. |
| US08454265B2 |
Apparatus for transferring loads between concrete slabs
An embodiment configured according to principles of the invention includes a plate defining a hexagon having a base parallel with joint between concrete slabs. Another embodiment includes a hexagon-shaped plate having a first portion and a second portion, and a form having a slot configured to closely receive the second portion. |
| US08454255B2 |
Reusable printing carrier assembly and method of making and operating the assembly
A device for retaining a print medium during printing according to various exemplary embodiments can include a print medium protector pocket having a front sheet, a back sheet, and an opening. The pocket may be adapted to receive therein through the opening a print medium. A plurality of retaining mechanisms may be cut into the back sheet for releasably attaching the print medium and holding the print medium relative to the back sheet during a printing operation. |
| US08454251B2 |
Printer bracket
A bracket for a printer includes a frame with first and second side supports. A print area is defined in part by the side supports. A plurality of web support members laterally extends between the first and second side supports. The plurality of web support members include a top web support member disposed adjacent a top portion of the print area and a bottom web support member disposed adjacent a bottom portion of the print area. A printer support is configured for supporting a printer adjacent the print area. A window assembly is hingedly attached to the frame adjacent the print area. The window assembly includes a platen support member extending laterally between the first and second side supports. The window assembly is movable to provide access to the print area. At least one platen is disposed on the platen support member, the platen adapted for lateral positioning along the platen support member. |
| US08454241B2 |
Rolling device
A rolling device in which rust development or damage on a raceway surface or rolling surface is hard to occur even if water and the like intrude is provided. A self-aligning roller bearing comprises an inner ring 1, an outer ring 2, and a plurality of rolling elements 3 disposed rotatably between a raceway surface 1a of the inner ring 1 and a raceway surface 2a of the outer ring 2. At least any one of the inner ring 1, the outer ring 2, and the rolling elements 3 is provided with a metal coating formed by shot peening of a powder of metal less noble than iron at least on a part of its surface. |
| US08454238B2 |
Spindle regions
According to various embodiments of the invention, a motor with a rotatable hub having fluid dynamic journal and thrust bearings can be assembled from four major components: a spindle, a hub, a thrust washer, and a base. The spindle can integrate journal bearing, axial limiter, and ring seal functions. The hub can integrate journal bearing, thrust bearing, ring seal, axial limiter, capillary seal, and bumper functions. The thrust washer can integrate thrust bearing and lubricant circulation functions. The base can integrate capillary seal and lubricant storage and circulation functions. Each function can be integrated as structural feature in its corresponding component. The spindle, hub, and thrust bearing can be preassembled. The base can be loaded with lubricant prior to assembly with the spindle/hub/thrust bearing combination. |
| US08454232B2 |
Plug-in sensor for measuring at least one property of a fluid medium
A plug-in sensor for measuring at least one property of a fluid medium, in particular for use in the coolant circuit of an air conditioning system of a motor vehicle. The plug-in sensor has at least one sensor for detecting the at least one property. Furthermore, the plug-in sensor has at least one sensor body having an external thread for threading the plug-in sensor into a threaded bore hole of a housing. Furthermore, the plug-in sensor includes a sealing surface for sealing an inner space of the housing against an outer space. The external thread has at least two threaded sections: a first threaded section including at least one continuous thread, and a second threaded section including at least one interrupted thread, at least one interruption of the at least one interrupted thread forming at least one blow-out groove. |
| US08454231B2 |
Mounting structure for a sensor
A mounting structure (34) for receiving a sensor (18) having a sensing portion (26) and a base portion (30) includes a substantially flat sheet of material (20) having a first surface (20a), a second surface (20b) opposite the first surface (20a), and an aperture (36). The aperture (36) is configured such that the sensing portion (26) of the sensor (18) is passable through the aperture (36), and the base portion (30) is not passable through the aperture (36), but instead rests on the first surface (20a). The mounting structure (34) also includes a pair of tabs (38) that extend in a downward direction away from the second surface (20b) of the sheet of material (20) and are configured to immobilize the sensor (18) within the aperture (36). |
| US08454230B2 |
Method and system for indirect determination of local irradiance in an optical system
The invention concerns a method for the indirect determination of local irradiance in an optical system; wherein the optical system comprises optical elements between which an illuminated beam path is formed and a measurement object which absorbs the radiation in the beam path at least partially is positioned in a partial region of the beam path selected for the locally-resolved determination of the irradiance and the temperature distribution of at least one part of the measurement object is determined by means of a temperature detector. |
| US08454229B2 |
Method for sensing a fluid in a compressor shell
Two vertically offset thermistors for sensing a fluid such as oil and refrigerant in a compressor shell are monitored by a method that takes into account rapidly changing conditions within the shell. The system can determine the fluid's sump temperature, high/low liquid levels, and can determine whether the thermistors are sensing the fluid as a liquid, gas, or a mixture of the two, such as a foam or mist of liquid and gas. For greater accuracy, thermistor readings can be dithered and filtered to provide temperature or voltage values having more significant digits than the readings originally processed through a limited-bit A/D converter. For faster response, limited microprocessor time is conserved by sampling thermistor readings at strategic periods that enable the microprocessor to identify certain conditions and temperatures via simple delta-temperature ratios and undemanding equations rather than resorting to exponential functions or lookup tables to determine time constants. |
| US08454223B2 |
Blender arm and food processor
A blender arm includes a body equipped at one end with a connection for a power unit. The blender arm further includes a rotary shaft having a tool at the end opposite to the connection end. A peripheral protection is provided around the tool. The rotary shaft with the tool is attached movably in axial direction to the body so that the tool may be positioned in a retracted position for operation or a protracted position for cleaning, without having to touch the tool with the hands. The blender arm may further include a resilient element, functionally connected to the tubular body and the rotary shaft, for moving the rotary shaft between the protracted and retracted positions. When the rotary shaft is releases, the tool automatically returns to the retracted position. |
| US08454216B2 |
Lamp assembly
It is provided a lamp assembly (10) for an automotive headlamp, comprising an LED (12) for emitting light rays, a housing (16), to which the LED (12) is detachably connectable, wherein the housing (16) comprises an entrance window (20) assigned to the LED (12), and a guiding element (22) for guiding the light rays passing through the entrance window (20), wherein the guiding element (22) is connected to the housing (16). Since the LED (12) is detachable connected to the housing (16) a defect LED (12) can by exchanged by only exchanging the LED (12) itself without exchanging the whole lamp assembly (10) including the housing (16) and the guiding element (22). Since the correct position of the bright/dark-cutoff may be provided by the entrance window (20) and/or the guiding element (22) only, a misalignment of a newly inserted LED (12) does not affect the correct position of the bright/dark-cutoff. The exchange of a LED (12) is facilitated and without affecting the correct position of the bright/dark-cutoff. |
| US08454205B2 |
LED devices for offset wide beam generation
A light source is combined with an optic and a reflector. Light incident onto to the reflector is reflected with a single reflection. The reflector occupies a portion of a solid angle around the light source to the exclusion of the optic at least with respect to any optical function. The reflector directly receives a second portion of light. The optic occupies substantially all of the remaining portion of the predetermined solid angle to directly receive a first portion of light from the light source. A reflected beam from the reflector is reflected into a predetermined reflection pattern. The inner and/or outer surface of the optic is shaped to refract or direct light which is directly transmitted into the optic from the light source from a first portion of light and/or reflected into the optic from the reflector from the reflected beam into a predetermined beam. |
| US08454204B1 |
Recessed LED lighting fixture
A recessed lighting fixture providing illumination from a light source including a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) wherein the fixture is placed within the ceiling space above a ceiling panel or wall. The fixture has a low aspect ratio heat sink. An interchangeable trim ring has an integrated light reflector and attaches to the bottom of the heat sink via rare earth or super magnets. A flange of the heat sink and a flat annular surface of the trim ring engage each other, providing a large contact surface to enable conductive heat transfer. The flange and flat annular surface are located below the ceiling panel, which is at room temperature to help cool the recessed LED lighting fixture through radiation and air convection. |
| US08454203B2 |
Discharge lamp unit with heat dissipation structure
In a discharge lamp unit, a casing member arranged such that the casing member holds a circuit board therein and holds a discharge lamp supporting section being exposed outside of the casing member. A thermal absorption protect layer is formed on the surface on the side on which the discharge lamp supporting section is exposed. The thermal absorption protect layer allows the casing member to inhibit absorption of radiant heat induced by the discharge lamp. Since the thermal absorption protect layer inhibits the casing member from absorbing the radiant heat from the discharge lamp, the amount of heat generated by the discharge lamp reaching the circuit board may be reduced. Therefore, the circuit board is not easily heated. |
| US08454202B2 |
Decorative and functional light-emitting device lighting fixtures
Lighting fixtures using light-emitting devices are disclosed with heat sinks that are both decorative and functional by providing heat dissipation for the light-emitting devices used therein. A luminaire can feature a base for attachment to a support and a driver positionable in the base. An electrical connector can extend downward from the base and have a proximal end and a distal end with the proximal end disposed in the base and engaging the driver. A heat sink can be disposed at the distal end of the electrical connector with the electrical connector extending through the heat sink. A light-emitting device can be mechanically coupled and attached to the heat sink while simultaneously electrically coupling and connecting the light-emitting device. A lamp shade can be secured to the heat sink proximal to the base with the light-emitting device disposed within the lamp shade and at least a portion of the body of the heat sink forming a decorative portion extending outward from the lamp shade. |
| US08454198B2 |
Stringed lights
A stringed light set having a pair of conductors for supplying electricity and at least one light electrically connected to the conductors for receiving electricity and providing luminance. The at least one light being adapted to move between a use position and a storage position relative to the conductors. |
| US08454195B2 |
Lighting device, lighting panel and circuit board thereof
A lighting device, a lighting panel and a circuit board thereof are provided. The circuit board comprises a substrate; a plurality of light sources disposed on the substrate and at least one circuit layer, being patterned onto the substrate to form a plurality of traces for electrically connecting the light sources. Therein, the circuit board is capable of being assembled with other circuit boards to construct the lighting panel. The lighting device is capable of having the lighting panel of a large size by assembling a plurality of the circuit boards and individually controlling each light source disposed on the lighting panel so as to provide the function of local dimming. |
| US08454194B2 |
Light emitting diode lamp
A light emitting diode lamp includes a lamp base defined a plurality of openings and a number of illumination modules located on the lamp base. Each illumination module includes a number of lamp holders separately located on sidewalls of the openings and a number of illumination units held by the lamp holders and apart from each other. Each illumination unit includes a hollow heat dissipating assembly, at least one lighting assembly contacting the hollow heat dissipating assembly, at least one printed circuit board, and two connection units connected to two opposite terminals of the hollow heat dissipating assembly. The printed circuit board controls a power supply through the lamp holders and at least one of the connection units to the lighting assembly. |
| US08454192B2 |
Strip lighting fixture with channel
Described are strip lighting fixtures having a channel defined by a base plate and two side walls, end plates located at each end of the channel, and a channel cover that snap-fits onto the channel. The channel side walls include at least one gripper indentation that releasably engages with at least one tong hanger hook via a snap-fit connection to attach the strip fixture to a support structure. As examples, the tong hangers include hooker clips that connect the tong hanger to a support structure, and the channel cover is contoured to provide additional spacing or relief areas to avoid pinched wires when the channel cover is connected to the channel. |
| US08454191B2 |
LED lighting device
An LED lighting device includes a lampshade, a plurality of LED light sources and a light guiding member. The light guiding member is arranged inside the lampshade, and includes a plurality of plates each having a connecting end, wherein the connecting ends of the plurality of plates are connected together. Each plate includes two surfaces, one or two of which includes a plurality of accentuated portions, and one of the plates defines a light incident surface opposing the LED light sources. After entering the light guiding member from the light incident surface, the light from the LED light sources is reflected between opposite surfaces of each plate of the light guiding member. Light reaching the accentuated portions is diffused and exits the light guiding member, to be finally transmitted outside through the lampshade. |
| US08454190B2 |
Induction rechargeable electronic candle system with motion sensor
A large plurality of artificial, battery-operated, electronic candles are arranged to be simultaneously recharged upon placement on a series of interconnected charging trays that include a transformer primary winding at defined locations thereon. The primary windings are driven by an AC signal whose duty cycle is controlled by a pulse width modulator IC to induce a voltage across secondary windings contained within the candle housing. This induced signal is rectified to produce the battery charging current and the delivery of the charging current to the rechargeable batteries is controlled by a microprocessor IC. |
| US08454189B2 |
Boundary/edge marker and related system
A boundary/edge recognition system for on ground vehicular traffic, especially airport runways and taxiways, is disclosed. The system uses multiple markers each mounted from a traditional base with a rigid structural support onto which is mounted an illuminated region with elongated, three-dimensional indicia extending outwardly therefrom. These indicia, which are self-lighting, reflective, or both, will serve as visual extensions of new or pre-existing runway/taxiway markers when oriented substantially parallel or tangential to respective runway or taxiway boundaries/edges. |
| US08454188B1 |
In-roadway warning light apparatus with moisture protection
An in-roadway warning light (IRWL) apparatus incorporates a dove prism in the light beam path to embed an air gap inside the IRWL signal head housing and ensure that light from the LEDs is projected in the desired direction, while simultaneously providing moisture protection for the LEDs and associated electronics in the housing. |
| US08454187B2 |
Modular lighted tree
A lighted artificial tree includes a first tree portion including a first trunk portion, first branches joined to the first trunk portion, and a first light string. The first trunk portion has a trunk connector and a first trunk wiring assembly, the first trunk wiring assembly is electrically connectable to the first light string and the trunk connector, and at least a portion of the first wiring assembly is located inside the first portion. The second tree portion includes a second trunk portion, second branches, and a second light string. The second trunk portion has a trunk connector and a second trunk wiring assembly, the second trunk wiring assembly electrically connectable to the second lighting string and the trunk connector. The second tree portion may be mechanically coupled and electrically connected to the first tree portion by coaxially coupling the first trunk portion to the second trunk portion. |
| US08454186B2 |
Modular lighted tree with trunk electical connectors
A lighted artificial tree includes a first tree portion including a first trunk portion, first branches joined to the first trunk portion, and a first light string. The first trunk portion has a trunk connector and a first trunk wiring assembly, the first trunk wiring assembly is electrically connectable to the first light string and the trunk connector, and at least a portion of the first wiring assembly is located inside the first portion. The second tree portion includes a second trunk portion, second branches, and a second light string. The second trunk portion has a trunk connector and a second trunk wiring assembly, the second trunk wiring assembly electrically connectable to the second lighting string and the trunk connector. The second tree portion may be mechanically coupled and electrically connected to the first tree portion by coaxially coupling the first trunk portion to the second trunk portion. |
| US08454178B2 |
Mirror adaptor mount
A mirror adapter mounting device formed of a substantially rigid mounting base portion with one surface thereof comprising a wedge-shaped receiver slot, and a different surface thereof comprising a wedge-shaped coupler; a part-spherical ball coupler; and an arm projected from the mounting base portion and presenting the ball coupler adjacent to an end thereof distal from the mounting base portion. |
| US08454175B2 |
Projector and method for adjusting projected image
In a method for adjusting projected images of a projector, a first image of a projection area is captured using an image capturing unit, and a second image of the projection area is capture after a predetermined interval. A background area of the second image is determined if the projected image of the projection area is determined as a static image by comparing the first image with the second image. The second image is divided into M pixel blocks, and brightness value of each pixel block is adjusted if a color of the pixel block is approximative to a color of the background area. A projection image is generated using the adjusted image of the second image, and the generated image is projected on the projection area. |
| US08454169B2 |
Illumination device and projector
An illumination device includes: a light source which emits a plurality of emission lights; a first condenser lens which stacks the plural emission lights emitted from the light source; a first fly-eye lens which divides lights stacked by the first condenser lens into a plurality of partial lights; a second fly-eye lens which converges the plural partial lights; and a second condenser lens which stacks the plural partial lights converged by the second fly-eye lens, wherein the first condenser lens stacks the plural emission lights emitted from the light source on the first fly-eye lens, and the second fly-eye lens stacks the plural partial lights on an illumination receiving area. |
| US08454158B2 |
Device for coupling a wireless headset to an eyeglass frame
An apparatus to facilitate wearing eyewear and a wireless headset at the same time is disclosed. The apparatus may include a first tubular element that may be configured to be slipped over a temple of the eyewear. The apparatus may also include a second tubular element that may be configured to receive an around the ear securing element coupled with, or included with, the wireless headset. |
| US08454155B1 |
Eyewear
Eyewear which is suitable for routine wear and within masks which are sealed against noxious environmental gases or penetration by water is provided by a frame made up of resilient metal parts including wires to provide the frame with a shape, which facilitates the placement of the eyewear on the head of the user while limiting the movement of the eyewear when in use so as to avoid breaking the seal of a mask inside of which the eyewear is disposed when the mask is donned by the user. The eyewear has a lens holding frame for holding lenses adjacent the eyes of the user's head and connected by a bridge across the user's nose. Flexible members bent arcuately around and in conformance with the sides of the head of the user have a kink whereby to facilitate acceptance between the sides of the head and the seal of the mask with sufficient tightness against the side of the head to limit movement of the frame and the space between the seal and the head thereby avoiding breaking of the seal when the mask is in operation. |
| US08454154B2 |
Ink jet recording device and method of conveying recording medium in the same
An ink jet recording device includes a recording head, a conveying member, a platen, a supporting member, and a driving member. The recording head ejects ink droplets onto a recording medium. The conveying member conveys the recording medium in a conveying direction. The recording medium has a leading edge and a trailing edge in the conveying direction. The platen is disposed in confrontation with the recording head to support the recording medium while keeping a predetermined distance from the recording head. The supporting member is disposed in the platen to slide in the conveying direction while supporting the recording medium. The driving member drives the supporting member to start sliding in the conveying direction at a starting timing corresponding to a position of at least one of the leading edge and the trailing edge. |
| US08454150B2 |
Printing method using ink jet recording and printing apparatus
A printing method that uses ink jet recording with a water-based ink set to form an image on a non-ink-absorbing or low-ink-absorbing recording medium, the method includes a printing step including recording with a color ink and recording with a resin ink performed after the recording with the color ink; and a drying step performed during the printing step and/or after the printing step. In the printing method, the water-based ink set includes the color ink containing a water-insoluble coloring agent and the resin ink not containing a coloring agent. The color ink contains the water-insoluble coloring agent, a resin component, a water-soluble solvent, and a surfactant. The resin ink contains a water-soluble resin solvent, a wax, and thermoplastic resin particles as a resin component that are insoluble in water but compatible in the water-soluble resin solvent. A content of the thermoplastic resin particles in the resin ink is 4% by mass or more and 12% by mass or less, and a content of the wax in the resin ink is 0.5% by mass or more and 6% by mass or less. |
| US08454142B2 |
Liquid carrying container and image forming device
A liquid carrying container which is removably mounted to a body of an image forming device is disclosed. The liquid carrying container includes a liquid containing bag which contains liquid; and a supply port section which has an elastically deformable portion through which a hollow nozzle member is pierced from the side of the image forming device, wherein the supply port section is directly held within a recess section formed on the liquid containing bag, and the hollow nozzle member penetrates through the supply port section and the liquid containing bag to face inside the liquid containing bag. |
| US08454133B2 |
Inkjet head, inkjet recording apparatus, liquid droplet ejecting apparatus, and image forming apparatus
An inkjet head is disclosed. In the inkjet head a vibrating plate is formed on a liquid chamber substrate on which multiple dedicated liquid chambers are aligned; a first insulating film and a second insulating film are formed between a dedicated electrode wiring and a lower electrode in an area in which the dedicated electrode wiring and the lower electrode overlap; a third insulating film and a fourth insulating film are stacked in an area which includes a forming area of the dedicated electrode wiring; in at least a portion of a forming area of the dedicated liquid chamber, there is provided a non-film forming area; and, in an area including a piezoelectric element forming section, either the first insulating film and the fourth insulating film are formed in the non-film forming area, or the fourth insulating film is formed in the non-film forming area. |
| US08454128B2 |
Printhead including alignment assembly
A printhead includes a printhead module and frame, and an alignment assembly including a base plate, locator plate, first set of locating elements, and coupling member. The locator plate, including through holes, is affixed with the base plate such that pockets are formed having a wall corresponding to a wall of one of the through holes and a base corresponding to a surface of the base plate. The first set of locating elements is positioned with an interference fit in one of the pockets. The walls of the pockets define positions of the first set of locating elements in a plane of the locator plate surface. The bases of the pockets define positions of the first set of locating elements in a direction normal to the base plate surface. The coupling member includes a second set of locating elements that contact the first set of locating elements. |
| US08454127B2 |
Multiple drop weight printhead and methods of fabrication and use
A printhead includes a chamber layer and at least two orifice layers. A first orifice layer is disposed on the chamber layer, and a second orifice layer is disposed on the first orifice layer. The second orifice layer has at least one counterbore formed therein. A first nozzle is formed through both orifice layers and produces droplets of a first drop weight. A second nozzle is formed through the first orifice layer, coincident with the counterbore, and produces droplets of a second drop weight that is different than the first drop weight. In one embodiment, the printhead is used in a stand-alone fluid-dispensing device. |
| US08454125B2 |
Wide format printer with datum features on printhead carriage
A wide format printer that has a print zone, a media path extending through the print zone along a paper axis, the media path being more than 432 mm (17 inches) wide, a printhead carriage for mounting a plurality of printhead modules adjacent the print zone such that the printhead modules collectively span the media path and are staggered with respect to the paper axis. The printhead modules each have nozzles arranged in parallel rows and a plurality of datum features for holding the printhead carriage such that the parallel rows extend normal to the paper feed axis. |
| US08454121B2 |
Liquid ejecting apparatus
A liquid ejecting apparatus including a liquid ejecting head which ejects liquid through nozzles, a liquid container with a sloped bottom surface which receives the liquid ejected from the nozzles, an absorber disposed in the liquid container which absorbs and stores the liquid ejected from the nozzles, and a suction unit which sucks the liquid held by the absorber and discharges the liquid from the liquid container. The liquid container includes a restriction portion which restricts the flow of the liquid in the absorber due to gravity, forming collection portions in the absorber where the liquid may be collected at a plurality of positions with different elevations when the liquid container is rotated so that the bottom surface is sloped away from the horizontal plane. |
| US08454120B2 |
Liquid ejection device
A liquid ejection device includes a liquid ejection head, a cap member and a cleaning liquid. The liquid ejection head has a nozzle face in which a nozzle is formed. The cap member is attached to the nozzle face such that a space exists in a region facing the nozzle. The cleaning liquid ejection port is arranged inside the space to eject a cleaning liquid toward the nozzle face. |
| US08454117B2 |
Liquid ejecting apparatus
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head which ejects liquid containing metallic particles from a nozzle with respect to a target, the liquid ejecting head being disposed so that the nozzle opens facing a direction higher than a horizontal direction, and ejects the liquid from the nozzle facing the direction higher than the horizontal direction, thereby attaching the liquid to the target. |
| US08454115B2 |
On-chip heater and thermistors for inkjet
A chip used for dispensing a fluid such as ink provides ink-dispensing ejectors having an ink cavity over a supporting substrate, and further provides a heater for heating the ink in the cavity. The heater can be interposed between the substrate and the ink cavity to provide direct heating of ink as it is being dispensed. Various embodiments further comprise the use of the heater structure as a temperature probe to measure the temperature of the ink in the ink cavity. Other embodiments provide a chip having both a temperature probe and a heater as separate structures interposed between the ink cavity and the substrate. Further described is a temperature probe and/or heater which traverses a majority of a width of a substrate, and surrounds each drop ejector on at least two sides. |
| US08454114B2 |
Applying bonding agent for supplemental ink
A method for applying a bonding agent for supplemental ink includes, with a control system of a printing apparatus, determining regions of an image corresponding to regions where a supplemental ink is to be printed, and with the control system, adding an amount of pixels of a standard color channel to portions of a bitmap representing the image, the portions corresponding to the regions where the supplemental ink is to be printed. The amount of pixels is sufficient to trigger application of a bonding agent at the regions. |
| US08454108B2 |
Printhead support structure including thermal insulator
A printing system includes a plurality of inkjet printheads for printing on a print media that is moved relative to the plurality of printheads and a support structure for locating the plurality of printheads relative to the print media. The support structure includes a face adjacent to the print media. The face of the support structure includes a thermal insulator. |
| US08454106B2 |
Continuous web printer for printing non-identical copies within a print run
A continuous web printer that has an inlet for receiving a web of media from a media web roll unwinder, an outlet for delivery to a media web roll winder, a media feed path extending from the inlet to the outlet, a plurality of pagewidth inkjet printhead assemblies positioned adjacent the media feed path for printing on both sides of the web and a central processor for inputting print data to the pagewidth inkjet printhead assemblies such that during a print run, the pagewidth inkjet printhead assemblies print many copies of a document The central processor is configured to selectively alter one or more of the copies to be non-identical to the remainder of the copies without interruption to the print run. |
| US08454101B2 |
Waterproof assembly for electronic device and watertight door thereof
A waterproof assembly for an electronic device includes a watertight door and a case. The watertight door includes a cover, a water absorbing ring, and a water blocking ring. The cover is provided for being disposed into an opening of the case. The water absorbing ring and the water blocking ring are disposed between an outer peripheral surface of the cover and an inner peripheral surface defining the opening. The water absorbing ring includes deformable material and water absorbent, such that the water absorbing ring expands by absorbing water and contacts the inner and outer peripheral surfaces. The water blocking ring is normally compressed and contacts the inner and outer peripheral surfaces. When water penetrating occurs, the water block ring blocks water preliminarily, and then the water absorbing ring block blocks fully water after completely expanding. |
| US08454100B2 |
Vehicle wheel disk
A vehicle wheel disk includes a plurality of spoke portions extending radially outwardly from a hub coupling portion with vent windows between the spokes. Each spoke includes a bottom wall and axially extending side walls, with a radially outer disk portion connecting the radially outer ends of the spokes. A connecting wall connects a pair of spoke side portions on opposite sides of the vent window in the circumferential direction of the wheel. The spoke bottom wall includes an axially extending inclined portion and a radially extending main portion. A spoke strengthening wall extends circumferentially from the axial end of the spoke side wall. The connecting wall includes a vent window surrounding portion, a vent window surrounding curved portion, and a crest wall portion of a radially inwardly protruding protrusion. |
| US08454095B1 |
Apparatus for unloading bulk materials
A system for treating biomass for the production of ethanol is disclosed. The system comprises an apparatus for unloading bulk material, comprising: a liner positioned against a wall and a floor; wherein the floor comprises an outer edge and an inner edge; wherein the wall comprises an upper edge and a lower edge; wherein the liner comprises an upper edge and a lower edge; wherein the liner can be in a first position or a second position; wherein the bulk material is loaded onto the liner in the first position; and wherein the liner is moved into the second position to facilitate the unloading of the bulk material. The apparatus for unloading bulk materials may comprise one or more cables to move the liner. The apparatus for unloading bulk materials may also comprise a mechanism to retract the one or more cables wherein the mechanism comprises a roller system. |
| US08454093B2 |
Mesh chair with open-end hoop
A folding or stacking chair has a seat and a backrest carried between opposite frame sides each with a backrest support, a front leg and a rear leg. One or both of the seat and the backrest has a continuous sheet of flexible and elastic knitted mesh or patterned open texture plastic held across and substantially covering an opening in an open-end hoop coupled between the frame sides. An open-end of the hoop faces in a front or a back orientation for the seat, or a top or a bottom orientation for the backrest, with sides of the hoop attached to the frame sides. The sheet of mesh or textured plastic has a finished edge spanning the open-end of the hoop. |
| US08454091B2 |
Chair adjustment mechanism
A chair adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of a chair component. The mechanism comprises a first adjustment shaft, a second support shaft, as well as a set of friction plates, each friction plate comprising an elongated slot and the friction plates being fixedly mounted on the second support shaft while being slideably mounted on the first adjustment shaft. A guiding structure directs movement of the second support shaft along a direction of travel of the chair component. An adjustment handle is provided to reversibly compress the friction plates together in a locked position for fixing position of the component of the chair through braking displacement of the second support shaft along the guiding structure. The plurality of friction plates provides greater braking pressure for locking the mechanism. |
| US08454089B2 |
Fastening device for a children's vehicle seat and children's vehicle seat
A fastening device for a child vehicle seat is provided. The fastening device includes two connecting elements which are suitable and formed to cooperate with an anchoring member arranged on a vehicle for fixing a child seat on the vehicle. The connecting elements are formed or arranged at the two ends or end regions of a bent connecting tube. The connecting tube has a portion between its ends, which is rotatably mountable on a child seat. |
| US08454087B2 |
Chair interconnection for a gaming machine
A gaming system includes a chair having an electrical connector and a gaming machine having an electrical connector, wherein the chair electrical connector is removably couplable to the gaming machine electrical connector. |
| US08454082B2 |
Vehicle
A protective vehicle body of non-metallic material comprises an integrally molded base (1) providing a floor and a lower body wall (5), the lower body wall having a lip (6) extending outwardly therefrom; and an upper part (2) providing a roof and an upper body wall, a lower edge of the upper body wall fitting within the lip (6) and being demountably attached to the base (1). The body forms part of a vehicle additionally having a front portion (8) including a front axle and a rear portion (9) including a rear axle, the front and rear portions (8, 9) being attached to the vehicle body by attachment means that are severable from the vehicle body by a blast wave. |
| US08454077B2 |
Headerless opposing hinged doors
A pair of opposing hinged doors includes a first door and a second door having a first window panel and a second window panel respectively. The first window panel moves along a first path that initially guides the first window panel away from the second window panel and then guides the first window panel vertically downward when moving from an extended position into a retracted position. Similarly, the second window panel moves along a second path that initially guides the second window panel away from the first window panel and then guides the second window panel vertically downward when moving from an extended position into a retracted position. The movement of the first window panel and the second window panel along the first path and the second path respectively allows for the first door and the second door to be independently openable relative to each other. |
| US08454076B2 |
Cover assembly
A cover assembly for enclosing a flatbed which generally comprises a support structure including a plurality of support assemblies. Each of the support assemblies has a pair of opposed support legs and a medial portion connected to and extending between each of the support legs. The length of the medial portion of each support assembly can be adjusted to allow the support structure to accommodate the widths of any number of industry-standard sized flatbeds. Each of the support legs can be secured to the flatbed, and at least one cross-member is connected to and extends between a first support assembly and a second support assembly from the plurality of support assemblies. A covering is also positioned over and secured to the support structure. |
| US08454075B2 |
Front portion structure of saddle-ride type vehicle
A front portion structure of a saddle-ride type vehicle which is constructed to install a combination lamp on a front cowl and improve visibility of a blinker of one of left and right sides of the vehicle from the other side, wherein Lens-side recess portions are formed as concavities which are recessed to the rear of the vehicle and extend in a vertical direction in front of the blinker lamps as well as on the inner side of a vehicle width direction. |
| US08454073B2 |
Closing screen device
The invention relates to a closing screen device for closing an opening (3) by a cover in a motor vehicle component, including a drive mechanism through which a closing screen (5) can be drive-displaced from an uncovered opening position exposing the opening (3) to a closed position closing the opening (3), and in said closing position, the closing screen (5) is located flush to the edge area of the motor vehicle component which surrounds said closing screen. |
| US08454072B2 |
Slide-room for recreational vehicle
A slide-room for installation in a recreational vehicle or other structure is disclosed. The slide-room comprises a shell, which can be constructed from fiberglass. The shell comprises an end wall, a ceiling, a floor, two opposing side walls, and a flange extending from the end wall, wherein the end wall, the ceiling, the floor, the side walls and the flange comprise a one-piece, unitary construction. Also disclosed are methods for molding composite components, such as slide-room. In one specific implementation, the shell for a slide-room is formed from fiberglass using a vacuum assisted resin transfer process. |
| US08454071B2 |
Installation and retention of sliding armrest components
A slide mechanism for use with a vehicle armrest includes a sliding plate and a stationary plate in sliding engagement with each other via a coupling that includes an elongated guide and a guide follower. The elongated guide defines a slide direction for the slide mechanism and is retained to one of the plates by guide retention features located at each end of the guide. Each retention feature is constructed to restrict movement of the elongated guide in all directions transverse to the slide direction. A spacer is disposed at one end of the elongated guide to hold the guide in place in the slide direction so that retention is maintained. The spacer can be interposed between a retention feature stop and an end of the elongated guide and/or can extend from a cover attached to the plate that includes the retention features. |
| US08454057B2 |
Threaded end connector attachment for an end of a tube
A threaded tubing end assembly having a tubing with a transverse first end, a tubing through bore, and a longitudinal weld seam; a threaded adapter having an adapter through bore, and an adapter body having a threaded first end having a male thread and an opposed second end with an external transverse shoulder surrounding a reduced diameter elongated shank with an external longitudinal slot; a circumferential weld; and a longitudinal weld. |
| US08454054B1 |
Active bolster with vented hermetic seal
An active bolster has a plastic-molded, expandable inner wall and a plastic-molded outer wall overlying the inner wall are joined around a closed perimeter region to form an inflatable bladder. One wall surface includes a plurality of upstanding, concentric ribs within the closed perimeter region for providing attachment between the inner and outer walls which is preserved during inflation of the inflatable bladder. The concentric ribs include an innermost rib and an outermost rib. Each concentric rib has a respective window, wherein the windows are respectively offset to provide a to serpentine path through the concentric ribs from the central volume to atmosphere outside the outermost rib. At least one of the windows is closed by a breakaway seal configured to prevent flow of the inflation gas through the serpentine path until it ruptures at a predetermined pressure during inflation of the inflatable bladder. |
| US08454052B1 |
Air bag inflation in high temperature conditions
A closure structure for the relief aperture of an airbag cushion inflator includes a closure core having outer and inner surfaces that is disposable into the relief aperture from the exterior of the inflator to fill the relief aperture. A sealing flange continuously secured to the periphery of the outer surface of the closure core abuts the outer surface of the inflator. A temperature-sensitive venting window formed in the closure core precludes the passage of pressurized inflation gas during a predetermined first ambient temperature condition and opens to emit pressurized inflation gas during a second hotter ambient temperature condition. The venting window includes a venting passageway extending between the inner and the outer surfaces the closure core sealingly traversed by a relatively thin venting membrane made of a temperature-sensitive material exhibiting less structural robustness at the second ambient temperature condition than at the first ambient temperature condition. |
| US08454051B2 |
Airbag module for a vehicle occupant restraint system and method for production thereof
An airbag module including an airbag, a gas generator introduced into an opening in the airbag, and a gas generator support on which the gas generator is fixed. The gas generator is arranged with respect to the gas generator support such that in case of activation the airbag pulls the gas generator onto the gas generator support. The gas generator support has an opening through which the non-inflated airbag is pulled such that a first region of the airbag, which does not surround the gas generator, is located on the one side of the opening and a second region of the airbag, which surrounds the gas generator, is located on the other side of the opening, and the opening is dimensioned such that the gas generator cannot be pulled through the opening. |
| US08454049B2 |
High chair
A high chair includes a foldable support frame, a chair, and a pair of positioning mechanism. The foldable support frame has a pair of rail struts and a pair of backup struts, the pair of backup struts being pivoted to the pair of rail struts and releasably locked in a use position by a spring-biased coupling sleeve. The chair has a pair of sliding sleeves being capable of sliding alone the pair of rail struts thereby hiding the chair under a dining table. The pair of positioning mechanism are mounted on the chair and associated with a pair of locking elements mounted in the sliding sleeves for releasably locking the sliding sleeves relative to the pair of rail struts, so as to adjust and fix the chair at a selected height. |
| US08454048B1 |
Folding wheelchair mechanism
Disclosed is a method and device for varying the width of a wheelchair. The disclosed embodiments utilize a plurality of vertical pivots and linkages to facilitate the manipulation of a pair of horizontally oriented “scissor” linkages in order to reduce the track of the wheels for use in close quarter environments, such as commercial airlines, or to collapse the chair for transport or storage. |
| US08454046B1 |
Platform assembly for a towed implement
A platform assembly for a towed implement comprises a bracket for securing the platform assembly to a vehicle; a frame connected to the bracket for supporting the towed implement; one or more wheels connected to the frame for contacting the underlying ground surface; and a biasing means for providing an upward force that counteracts a downward force applied to the rear of the vehicle by the platform assembly and the towed implement. |
| US08454039B2 |
Vehicle steering system
A vehicle steering system includes: a steering member; steered wheels; a steered shaft; a housing; a fitting bracket that has a first bolt insertion hole; a vehicle body-side member that has a second bolt insertion hole; and a bolt that is inserted through the first bolt insertion hole and the second bolt insertion hole. One of the first bolt insertion hole and the second bolt insertion hole is a long hole. When a reverse input equal to or larger than a predetermined value is applied from a road surface to the steered wheel, the bolt is displaced within the long hole in the lateral direction, causing the fitting bracket to displace with respect to the vehicle body-side member in the lateral direction. |
| US08454035B2 |
Sulky
The present invention pertains to a sulky for horse-drawn harness racing including a frame, a seat, and a pair of wheels. The frame comprises an arch, a fork assembly secured to each end of the arch, a pair of spaced-apart rails extending forwardly from the arch in a direction of travel, and a stirrup secured to each rail. Each fork assembly comprises a pair of spaced-apart legs and an axle. Each wheel is positioned between a respective pair of legs and rotatably secured to the axle. The frame may also include a support strut extending between a respective fork assembly and rail to provide additional strength to the frame. |
| US08454032B2 |
Self-propelled lawn mower and sulky device
A self-propelled lawn mower and sulky device. The self-propelled lawn mower comprises handle bars and an operator console that are positioned between the front end and rear end of the lawn mower. A securing bar and a placement bar are designed and situated an a angle to one another to appropriately position the handle bars and operator console. The sulky device comprises an operator platform, a pair of sulky arms, a pair of caster wheels, and a hitch bar. When the sulky device is mounted to the self-propelled lawn mower, a first hinge means is used for attaching the operator platform to the hitch bar, a second hinge means is used for attaching the hitch bar to the lawn mower, and a third hinge means is used for attaching the caster wheels to the sulky arms. |
| US08454030B2 |
Ice skate blade assembly
An ice skate blade assembly comprising: (a) an ice skate blade comprising first and second hooks projecting upwardly; (b) a blade holder having a bottom portion having a longitudinal groove extending therealong for receiving the upper edge of the ice skate blade and wherein the bottom portion further defines a recess extending upwardly from the longitudinal groove for receiving the first hook; and (c) a single actuator having a wall accessible by a finger of a user, a resilient portion having an end wall facing a section of the inner surface of the second pedestal and a base with an inner wall and a bottom wall having an upper surface, an end and a bottom surface, wherein the inner wall and the bottom wall define therebetween a channel opens to the bottom aperture for receiving the second hook. |
| US08454024B2 |
Seal ring
In a seal ring, first and second abutments that are opposed to each other at a cut-apart portion have first and second protrusions 3a and 3b and first and second recesses 4a and 4b that are juxtaposed to each other in the axial direction, and a radial gap 5a is defined between the first protrusion 3a of the first abutment 1a that is pressed against a side wall 13a of an annular groove 13 formed in a shaft member 12 near a non-oil pressure side 14b and the second recess 4b of the second abutment 1b, with the radial gap 5a and a circumferential gap 2 between the first and second abutments 1a and 1b forming a passage through which an oil pressure side 14a of the annular gap 14 communicates with the non-oil pressure side 14b. The abutments 1a and 1b are not complicated in shape, and still, foreign matter contained in oil in the oil pressure side 14a can be smoothly discharged into the non-oil pressure side 14b. |
| US08454023B2 |
Retractable seal system
The present application thus provides a retractable seal system for use between a high pressure side and a low pressure side of a turbine engine. The retractable seal system may include a seal positioned in a slot of a stationary component, a pressure balance pocket positioned about the seal, and a conduit in communication with the pressure balance pocket and the high pressure side. |
| US08454017B2 |
Partial-deck poker game with guaranteed royal flush opportunity
In a poker type game cards numbering less than those in a standard deck of card are used to form a field of cards and a set of dealt cards. The cards of the field of cards are displayed face down. The set of dealt cards are displayed face-up. The combination of the cards in the field of cards and set of dealt cards includes at least one Royal Flush combination. The player discards cards from the set of dealt cards and selects replacement cards to the discarded cards from the field of cards. The player's hand is formed from the set of dealt cards, less any discarded cards, plus the replacement cards. The player's hand is a winning hand if it is a predetermined winning combination of cards. At the conclusion of the game, the cards in the field of cards are displayed to the player. |
| US08454016B2 |
Sheet stacking apparatus and image forming apparatus
A sheet stacking apparatus includes a gripper configured to discharge a sheet, a plurality of stacker trays arranged in a row and configured to stack the discharged sheet, and a guiding unit configured to guide the discharged sheet to a predetermined position. The plurality of stacking trays are horizontally arranged so that a large number of sheets can be stacked without increasing the size of the sheet stacking apparatus. |
| US08454010B2 |
Method of aligning sheets
In a method of aligning a sheet on a tray, the sheet on the tray is transferred toward a stopper member in one direction by a transfer device. Then, the sheet is moved in a sheet width direction perpendicular to the one direction to align the sheet in the sheet width direction by an aligning device. Further, force is provided to the sheet on the tray to move the sheet in the one direction by the transfer device while the aligning device regulates the sheet in the sheet width direction. |
| US08454009B2 |
Bill storage and handling apparatus
A bill storage comprises: a plurality of bill receipt portions provided therein; a bill inlet-outlet, which is provided on an upper surface of the bill storage and through which bills are taken out or received from outside; and a taking-out and accumulating mechanism part provided on each of the receipt portions to perform actions, in which bills are taken out and in which bills are accumulated, wherein at least a first bill receipt portion and a second bill receipt portion are arranged in a state of being stacked in this order from a side of the bill inlet-outlet, the bill inlet-outlet is provided on a predetermined side, and the taking-out and accumulating mechanism part provided on the first bill receipt portion is arranged on another side opposed to the predetermined side. |
| US08454007B1 |
Sheet separation mechanism
A sheet separation mechanism adapted for being used in an automatic sheet feeding device includes a bearing supporter for positioning papers thereon, a sheet separation spring and a sheet separation holder. The bearing supporter defines a receiving groove. The sheet separation spring shows a rough outer periphery surface. The sheet separation spring is disposed in the receiving groove with an axis thereof being parallel to a bottom wall of the receiving groove. The sheet separation holder mounted to the bearing supporter defines an opening corresponding to the receiving groove. The sheet separation spring is restricted in the receiving groove by the sheet separation holder with a top of the rough outer periphery surface thereof being exposed through the opening beyond a top face of the sheet separation holder so as to separate the papers whereby and further ensure the automatic sheet feeding device transports the papers piece by piece. |
| US08454006B2 |
Printed material holding device and printer with the printed material holding device
A printed material holding device includes a printed material tray for receiving printed media, an adjustable mechanism and a transmission mechanism. The adjustable mechanism includes a driving device, a first gear assembly, a second gear assembly, a rotatable member, and a moving member engaged with the rotatable member. The moving member includes a roller engaged with the second gear assembly. The transmission mechanism includes a mounting plate and a stopper piece disposed on an edge of the mounting box. The first gear assembly meshes with the driving device and is engaged with the rotatable member, and the second gear assembly is engaged with the first gear assembly and secured to the moving member. |
| US08454004B1 |
Workholding apparatus having a movable jaw member
A device for holding a workpiece, the device comprising a base, a first jaw member, a movable jaw member, and features which allow the movable jaw member to be moved in large increments relative to the first jaw member in addition to features which allow the movable jaw member to be moved in smaller increments. The device can include a drive member operably engaged with the base and the movable jaw member such that the operation of the drive member can move the movable jaw member in small increments. The movable jaw member can include a connection member, or claw, which can operatively engage the movable jaw member with the drive member. The connection member can be moved between first and second positions to disengage the movable jaw member from the drive member such that the movable jaw member can be slid relative to the first jaw member in large increments. |
| US08454003B2 |
Clamping device
A clamping device has a hollow shaft (1) rotatably mounted in a housing with a clamping element fastenable to the shaft and includes a lever arm (2) as part of a toggle lever mechanism. An intermediate element is articulated on both sides by the lever arm (2) and an axially movable final control element (4) of a drive element, respectively. An inner shaft (6), connected to a hand lever (5), is arranged in the hollow shaft (1). The inner shaft has a pin element (7) that extends through a link guide (8) on the hollow shaft (1). The inner shaft (6) can be operationally linked to the toggle lever mechanism. A spring element (9) tensions the inner shaft (6) against the hollow shaft (1) in the main axial direction. The spring element (9) is arranged in the interior of the hollow shaft (1). |
| US08454002B2 |
Fluid filled vibration damping device
A fluid filled vibration damping device having an orifice passage formed in a partition member to connect a pressure receiving chamber and an equilibrium chamber, wherein a first end section of the orifice passage extends in along a plane of the partition member, and a communication hole is formed to bend at a right angle from the first end of the orifice passage and open towards the pressure receiving chamber to form a dead water region by orthogonal wall faces of a terminal end face and a bottom face of the orifice passage in a connecting corner section of the orifice passage with the communication hole. A shunt hole of smaller cross-sectional area than the orifice passage and the communication hole is formed in a bottom wall so that the pressure receiving chamber and the equilibrium chamber communicate through the shunt hole in the dead water region. |
| US08453999B2 |
High capacity water misting gun
A high-velocity water misting gun with a very high-speed radial inflow hydraulic turbine mounted on the same shaft with an axial flow air compressor wheel compressing air discharged at high velocities through an exhaust air nozzle. All of the water discharging from the hydraulic turbine wheel is channeled directly into a water misting nozzle providing a fine water mist discharging into a high-velocity air flow provided by the axial-flow compressor. Preferred embodiments utilize a manually operated ball valve to control water pressure supplied to the gun. A second valve is a manually operated turbine water bypass valve that is integral part of the preferred embodiment which allows for change of turbine power and air flow independently of water flow. With turbine water bypass valve open, most of the turbine flow is bypassed around the turbine and directly into the water misting nozzle, increasing the water flow and decreasing the air flow and air velocity. With turbine water bypass valve fully closed, hydraulic turbine power increases the power input into the compressor resulting maximum reach of the water-air mist jet. |
| US08453993B2 |
Post removal device
A post removal device (10), including a support (11), and a lever (12) which is rotatable about a fulcrum (13). The lever (12) extends on either side of the fulcrum (13) to define a first portion (14) and a second portion (15), whereby downward movement of the first portion (14) results in upward movement of the second portion (15). The second portion (15) is connected to a gripping arrangement (19) which includes a pair of post grippers (23), which are movable during rotation of the lever (12), from an open condition to a gripping condition. The extent of rotational movement of the lever (12) is sufficient for the grippers (23) to move from the open condition to the gripping condition and for the gripping arrangement (19) to be lifted with the grippers (23) in the gripping condition for lifting a post. |
| US08453987B2 |
Pan and tilt systems
Pan and tilt systems are provided. Pan and tilt systems illustratively include a pan hobby servo motor having a splined output shaft. The splined output shaft rotates about an axis of rotation. In an embodiment, an angular position of the splined output shaft is controlled based at least in part on a coded input signal and an external potentiometer. A pan auxiliary gear is illustratively rotatably coupled to the hobby servo motor splined output shaft. The pan auxiliary gear has an axis of rotation that is approximately parallel to the splined output shaft axis of rotation. In an embodiment, a tilt system is functionally engaged to the pan auxiliary gear such that rotation of the pan auxiliary gear is translated to the tilt system. |
| US08453984B2 |
Instrument stand for attachment to a wire grill surface or the like
The instrument stand, which supports an instrument on a wire rack or similar surface, includes a body, a biasing element and a hook member. The stand is capable of connecting to an instrument, and the biasing element, preferably formed by at least two legs, is also connected to the body, wherein when contacting a surface the legs bias the body in a direction opposite the surface. The hook member connects to one of either a leg or the body, such that the hook member is capable of engaging the surface to thereby oppose the bias by the legs. |
| US08453982B2 |
Utility corner shelf bracket
A utility corner shelf bracket which enables easy installation and removal, which are done quickly and without requiring tools, of a utility corner shelf bracket, and placing a shelf upon it, and which it based on bows which are capable of bending on one plane and durable to loads perpendicular to this plane and a tensioning system which enables adjustment to the wall corner prior to installation and fastening to the wall during installation. |
| US08453981B2 |
Multi-piece stand for mobile computing device
Some embodiments teach a computing device accessory for a computing device. The computing device accessory can include: (a) a base having: (1) a base plate configured to rest on a surface; and (2) a base rear support coupled to the base plate at a first angle; (b) a top support having: (1) a top plate; and (2) a top rear support coupled to the top plate at a second angle; and (c) a connector collar configured to removably couple to the base rear support of the base and the top rear support of the top support. The top support can be configured to support the computing device such that the computing device is operable by a user when the base plate rests on the surface, the base rear support of the base and the top rear support of the top support are coupled to the connector collar. Other embodiments and methods are also disclosed herein. |
| US08453979B2 |
Component fixing device and electrical device having the same
A component fixing device includes a holding portion for holding a component with a hollow portion while restricting a movement of the component; and a fixed portion elastically connected to the holding portion and to be fixed to an object. The holding portion is inserted into the hollow portion of the component for holding the component. The holding portion may have a center holding portion abutting against an outer surface of the component and a pair of arm portions disposed at both sides of the center holding portion and capable of bending relative to the center holding portion, so that the center holding portion and the arm portions sandwich the component. |
| US08453974B1 |
Flow channels
The present disclosure relates to flow channels comprising a channel length having a first portion approximately parallel to the maximum waterline thickness location of a body and at least a second portion non-parallel thereto, a leading edge at a first end of the channel length, the leading edge separated from a trailing edge by a free edge along the channel length, the free edge projecting a predetermined height from an attaching edge attachable to at least a portion of the surface of the body, and at least a portion of the free edge being arcuate. A method comprises providing the fluid channel attachable to a body, modifying resultant vortices and reducing or minimizing shock formations or separation regions of the freestream. |
| US08453972B2 |
Device for connecting movable parts with structural elements of airplanes or the like
A device for connecting movable parts with structural components of airplanes or other high-speed vehicles, including at least one fitting provided with at least one bearing. In order to provide such a device exhibiting low thermal stresses, a low weight, a high bearing capacity and a producibility as simple as possible, it is provided that the at least one fitting is made of a synthetic material and glued with the movable part. The resin transfer molding (RTM)-method is particularly suitable to produce the fitting. |
| US08453971B2 |
Composite structure power distribution
A particular method includes exposing a plurality of fibers of a composite skin of an aircraft component by providing an opening in a layer of a first resin overlaying the plurality of fibers at an interior surface of the composite skin. The method also includes bonding a conductive patch in electrical contact with the plurality of fibers of the composite skin at the opening using a second resin. The method further includes preparing the aircraft component to receive a connector in electrical contact with the conductive patch. |
| US08453969B2 |
Glare shield equipped with an emergency vision apparatus
A glare shield equipped with an emergency vision apparatus comprises a glare shield in a cockpit and a compartment recessed into the glare shield. A blower is disposed within the compartment. An inflatable first enclosure made of airtight material and having an expanded form when deployed and a deflated form when not in use is connected to the blower with a tubular air passageway. The first enclosure when in the deflated form is stored within the compartment. First and second clear members are disposed at respective first and second ends of the enclosure to enable a user to see through the first enclosure when expanded and observe a source of information at a distal end of the first enclosure while smoke or other particulate matter is in the environment. A switch operably is associated with the blower to activate the blower and thereby inflate the first enclosure when deployed. |
| US08453968B2 |
System for retracting and extending airborne sensors
A retractable optical sensor system includes a sensor body (e.g., an electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) remote sensor) connected to a sensor support structure that is actuated by an actuator. The sensor support structure accomplishes angular movement whose turning point is located in an end that is mounted to an articulation support. A bulkhead support is fastened to the aircraft structure. The actuator is electrically or hydraulically actuated and has an end united to a support member which is fastened to the aircraft structure. The opposite end of the actuator is connected for articulation to the sensor support structure so as to cause angular movement thereof. Articulation of the sensor support structure causes the sensor body to extend/retract while simultaneously causing the fairing door to be raised/lowered, respectively. |
| US08453961B2 |
Supersonic aircraft with shockwave canceling aerodynamic configuration
Disclosed is a supersonic aircraft design having a single structural component that simultaneously joins the wings to the aircraft fuselage, the engines to the aircraft fuselage, and the wings to the engines, resulting in an airframe planform, which, in combination aerodynamic shaping and structural morphing technologies within the aircraft fuselage, enables the aircraft to be optimized to reduce sonic boom. |
| US08453960B2 |
Wire guiding system
A wire guiding liner, in particular welding wire liner, has a plurality of roll holders which are displaceable with respect to each other, each roll holder holding a plurality of rolls. The angular displaceability of a roll holder with respect to the adjacent roll holder is limited such that when the wire is fed through the liner, it always touches exclusively on the rolls even when the liner is bent to its maximum curve, such that the wire while being inserted always hits the next roll at an angle that will push it towards and maintain it guided at the center of the liner. |
| US08453952B2 |
Electrostatic atomizing device
The electrostatic atomizing device includes a discharge electrode and an opposed electrode provided with an aperture. The opposed electrode has its inner surface opposed to the discharge electrode. The inner surface is a recessed surface which surrounds a tip of the discharge electrode. The inner surface has at least one part shaped into a spherical surface which is centered on the tip of the discharge electrode and has a constant radius. The opposed electrode is provided with a cylindrical electrode extending from a periphery of the aperture away from the discharge electrode. |
| US08453949B2 |
Multi-color paint application apparatus
Provided is a multi-color paint application apparatus, which includes: a paint storage portion having a number of paint containers in the inside of a storage body; a cover portion that can open and close the upper side of the storage body of the paint storage portion; a discharge portion which includes discharge tubes, and auxiliary containers paint discharge valves; a sensor portion having sensors which are respectively fixed to the discharge tubes, in which an alarm sound is produced by a buzzer if electric power is short-circuited; an air inlet portion including a 3-way valve which makes pressure of air selectively flow into the center of the cover portion; a dehumidification portion which is connected with an expansion tube where a drain plug that can remove moisture by adiabatic expansion of the compressed air is formed with the 3-way valve in the air inlet portion; and a spray gun which can selectively spray the compressed air through a switch formed in a handle lever. |
| US08453946B2 |
Front structure for a motor vehicle
With a front structure for a motor vehicle, a holding mechanism for connecting a bumper to a fender includes a fastening strip and a guide rail. The fastening strip spring-elastically supports itself on the fender and is screwed to the guide rail. The bumper is latched to the guide rail. |
| US08453944B2 |
Ergonomic spray can adapter and positioning apparatus
An ergonomic adapter for an aerosol spray can helps to reduce finger pain and hand fatigue. The ergonomic adapter has a collar that fits around a body of an aerosol spray paint can such that a front portion of the collar is facing in front of the can just below the interface between the body and the domed top of the spray can. An arcuate finger strip extends upward from the rear side of the collar and over the push-button nozzle on the spray can when the adapter is fitted onto the body of the spray can. The collar and the arcuate finger strip are made of a resilient, flexible material such as butyl rubber. The arcuate finger strip preferably has a concave upper surface. The collar has enlarged traction pads positioned to facilitate gripping by the user. When the user grips the ergonomic adapter, the user's index finger rests in the concave, arcuate finger strip. When the user presses down on the finger strip, the push-button nozzle is actuated to expel spray paint, but the pressure from the nozzle is distributed and cushioned so that it does not cause as much pain or stress in the user's index finger. In one embodiment, the front of the adapter includes a compartment that houses a polychromatic light source for lighting the surface and/or a laser guide for targeting and positioning the spray can with respect to the surface. |
| US08453943B2 |
Heating cartridge for thermostatic element and method for manufacturing same, as well as thermostatic valve comprising such a cartridge
This heating cartridge includes a thermally conductive tube (42) to be immersed in a thermo-expandable substance of the thermostatic element, electric heating means (6) arranged inside the tube, and a base (7) made of a plastic substance, integral with a terminal longitudinal portion (44) of the tube and adapted to support the electric connection between the heating means and an external current source. In order to make the connection between the base and the tube both resistant and precisely adaptable to various heating cartridge geometries, and to do so economically, the terminal portion of the tube comprises an outwardly flared free end (45), which extends protruding both radially and axially from the rest of the terminal portion and in which the base is attached by overmolding. |
| US08453939B2 |
Smart card supporting a plurality of interfaces and interface method thereof
A smart card that may include a first interface circuit to perform a first type interface with the outside using first and second pads; a second interface circuit to perform a second type interface with the outside using the first and second pads; and a mode selector to enable one of the first and second interface circuits according to whether a power supply voltage is supplied through a third pad. |
| US08453925B2 |
Method and system for performing two factor authentication in mail order and telephone order transactions
The method for authenticating a mail order or telephone order transaction according to the present invention includes receiving authentication information from a cardholder, providing authentication information to an issuer, and determining whether the authentication information is valid. If the authentication information is valid, the issuer informs the merchant that the transaction is valid. In an embodiment, the issuer may not supply a personal assurance message and/or other confidential cardholder information previously supplied by the cardholder in response to the authentication information. |
| US08453917B1 |
Wave soldering of surface-mounting electronic devices on printed circuit board
A system includes a device of the surface-mounting type having an insulating package provided with a mounting surface and a contact pin exposed on the mounting surface. The device is attached to an insulating board including a gluing surface and an opposite surface. The process for manufacturing the system includes forming through holes a contact region on the gluing surface. The mounting surface is glued to the gluing surface with the contact pin aligned with the contact region. Wave soldering is performed to electrically join the device to the board by hitting the opposite surface with a wave of soldering paste to form, by capillary action with the soldering paste ascending in the through holes up to the overflow on the gluing surface, a conductive contact electrically connecting the contact pin of the electronic device through a solder connection to the contact region of the electronic board. |
| US08453916B2 |
Thermal conduction device and method for fabricating the same
A thermal conduction device and a method for fabricating the same are disclosed. Firstly, arrange a plurality of diamond particles on a plane according to a predetermined pattern to form a diamond particle monolayer. Next, apply a forming process on a metal material such that the metal material forms a metal matrix wrapping the diamond particles to form a composite body including the diamond particle monolayer embedded in the metal matrix. Next, stack a plurality of the composite bodies and perform a heating process to join the metal matrixes to each other to form the thermal conduction device. The device is characterized in arranging diamond particles on a plane to form a two-dimensional monolayer structure and manufactured via assembling the two-dimensional monolayer structures to form a three-dimensional multilayer structure. By controlling the arrangement of the diamond particles, the thermal conduction device can have superior thermal conduction performance. |
| US08453914B2 |
Motor-driven surgical cutting instrument with electric actuator directional control assembly
A motor-driven surgical instrument having a control assembly for controlling a switch of the instrument. The surgical instrument may comprise a motor control circuit, a drive member, and a slider. The drive member comprises a first shoulder at a first position and a second shoulder at a second position. A first portion of the slider interfaces the drive member such that the slider is moveable in a direction of movement of the drive member when either the first shoulder or the second shoulder of the drive member engages the first portion of the slider. A second portion of the slider actuates a switch of the motor control circuit when the drive member moves the slider to a first position relative to the first switch. In various embodiments, the switches of the control circuit are not embodied as a part of an IC. |
| US08453901B2 |
Electric drive tool
The electric drive tool of the invention is configured such that a lock lever is provided to reliably prevent an erroneous operation of a trigger and an operating mode can be switched by changing an operational sequence of this lock lever and a contact trip. |
| US08453897B2 |
Laptop holding device
A combination carrying case and workstation platform for an electronic device such as a laptop computer. The present invention is worn as a backpack, and designed so that the case can be moved to the front of the user's body by means of straps that encircle the user. The straps serve as the tracks upon which the case is moved from the rear of the user's body to the front. When moved to the user's front, the case can be folded down to form a workstation platform on which the electronic device can be used. Because the present invention hangs suspended from the strap system on the user's body, the user's hands are left free to operate the electronic device. |
| US08453891B2 |
Pump-less toner dispensing cap
A valve assembly is disclosed comprising an elongate body comprising a lumen and an output aperture near a distal portion thereof, a plunger positioned in the lumen and movable to a first position and a second position, and a toner path formed at least partially within the lumen and extending from a toner input to a toner path end located proximate the output aperture. When the plunger is in the first position, the output aperture is not fluidly coupled to the toner path. When the plunger is in the second position, the outlet aperture is fluidly coupled to the toner path such that a toner in the toner path can exit the valve assembly. |
| US08453884B2 |
Diaphragm pump actuated liquid dispensing apparatus having dome shaped deformable membrane
A liquid dispensing apparatus includes a receptacle defining a chamber for containing a liquid material and having a top opening. A press mechanism includes a sealing valve disposed movably in the chamber and covering the top opening, and a press seat disposed above the sealing valve to move the sealing valve in the chamber. The sealing valve has a deformable membrane facing an interior of the chamber and adapted to press the liquid material. The press seat has a base plate, and a press rod projecting downwardly from the base plate and having a lower end connected to the deformable membrane. The deformable membrane deforms when pressed by the press rod, and produces a suction force when returning to an original shape. |
| US08453881B2 |
Bottle mounting assembly for refrigerated dispensers
A mounting system for securing inverted bottles to a refrigerated dispensing apparatus housing, which system includes a valve body with external locking splines and grooves to secure a bottle to which it is threadedly connected to a socket in the housing having mating splines and grooves. |
| US08453880B2 |
Process air-assisted dispensing systems and methods
Systems for dispensing heated liquids, such as hot melt adhesives, with the assistance of process air. The dispensing system may include a control operative to independently control a characteristic of the process air dispensed by a first dispensing module compared to the same characteristic of the process air dispensed by a second dispensing module. |
| US08453872B1 |
Trash container handle
An apparatus for facilitating manual movement of a trash container having an upwardly opening container component with a pair of handles, a set of wheels, and a lid, includes an elongated apparatus or “tool” for the user to attach to the handles. A mid section of the tool engages the handles, an upwardly extending upper section provides a lever arm for the user to grasp, and a downwardly extending lower section contacts the container component in opposition to pivotal movement of the object about the handle axis. Preferably, a lid-restraining section is included that restrains pivotal movement of the lid about its hinges when the trash container is tilted on the wheels and moved. One embodiment includes pivotable hooks that facilitate hook engagement of the trash container handles. |
| US08453859B2 |
Tamper-evident bottle closure
A tamper-evident bottle closure has a ring element affixable to a bottle neck and a cap unit manufactured separately from the ring element and being coupled with the ring element externally to a bottle. The ring element of a coupled closure is affixable to a bottle neck prior to a first time opening of the bottle to retain a contained product in a confirmed sealed condition, yet the cap unit is irreversibly separable from the ring element when unscrewed for a first time to indicate that the bottle has been opened. |
| US08453858B2 |
Cover for closing containers
A closure cap for containers has a cap mantle, a circular head portion with a central axis and a pivoting member (4). The cap mantle extends in the same general direction as the central axis, and in which, the cap mantle has a ripping-open-section extending circumferentially with respect thereto. The pivoting member (4) is attached to the ripping-open-section and extends in the same general direction as the central axis. Towards the head portion, the ripping-open-section comprises a thin region, which extends circumferentially with respect to the central axis and which forms a rotational axis. The pivoting member comprises a stop member, which extends in the same general direction as the central axis at least up to the rotational axis. The form of the stop member and its relative, spaced position with respect to the head portion are such that pivoting of the pivoting member around the rotational axis causes the stop member to lie against the head portion. |
| US08453855B2 |
Turning device for hoist
A turning device for a hoist is disclosed, in which a weight thing with a narrow width can be stably turned with a stable support. A rope end unit or an upper sheave unit is easily installed at a hoist frame. A rope end unit or an upper sheave unit is installed in a hoist frame and is freely movable in opposite positions. |
| US08453845B2 |
Screen system with tube-shaped screen and method for operating a screen system with tube-shaped screen
The invention is a method and system for screening materials with a tube-shaped screen. The tube that has at least one section with a plurality of screen openings, which are placed in the wall of the tube, and that form a screen frame which defines at least the length and the cross section of the tube, and a screen mesh, that is tensioned on the screen frame, to form at least a part of the wall of the tube-shaped screen. The system further includes at least one ultrasonic converter and at least one feed-line sound conductor placed between the ultrasonic converter and the tube, with the tube being configured, to be subjected to ultrasonic excitation so that the amplitude of the ultrasonic excitation transferred to the tube has a component in a direction perpendicular to, and a component in a direction parallel to, the central axis of the screen. |
| US08453844B2 |
Screening system
The present invention provides a vibratory screening apparatus (1) for use in removing solids from a liquid feed, and a basket (4) therefore. The apparatus comprises a static outer housing (2), and a floating basket vibratable by a vibrator device (10). The basket mounts a stack (7) of screen assemblies (8) provided with respective flow directing trays (9) for receiving filtrates from the screen assemblies. A flow distributor (15) divides the feed into at least first and a second feed streams and directs them onto respective screen assemblies, and receives from the flow directing trays, filtrates from respective screen assemblies. |
| US08453840B2 |
Packaging
A child-resistant package includes a support for supporting hazardous material in use; a structure for selectively blocking access to hazardous material supported by the support, with the support being movable between a secured position in which access to the hazardous material is blocked and an access position in which the hazardous material is accessibly clear of the structure; at least one latch member movable between an engaged state and a disengaged state in which the support is allowed to move out of the secured position toward the access position; and a tab member movable with respect to the structure in a second direction different to the first direction, the tab member being coupled to the support to effect movement of the support out of the secured position in the first direction when the latch member is in the disengaged state. |
| US08453839B1 |
Compact chewing gum disposal system
A compact and portable chewing gum disposal system for sanitary and responsible disposal of a chewing gum cud. The system has a generally cylindrically-shaped hollow container that has a hollow top member with a circular orifice on a top surface and a lid pivotally attached that fully covers the orifice. The hollow container also has a hollow bottom member that is sized to snuggly slide into and attach to the hollow top member. The hollow container has a fluted disposal wrap stack, consisting of a plurality of fluted disposal wraps, located inside with the circular bottom surface of the fluted disposal wraps facing upward. The top surface and a rim around the orifice retain the fluted disposal wrap stack inside the hollow container when the lid is in a first open position. The fluted disposal wrap stack is compacted by moving the lid into a second closed position. |
| US08453836B1 |
Mobile device protective case with slidable shutter
A mobile device protective case (10) includes a frame (20) and a slidable shutter (30) mounted on the frame (20) to function as a slidable component. After a mobile device (50) has been inserted into the frame (20), the slidable shutter (30) hides a touch panel (51) of the mobile device (50) to prevent the touch panel (51) from being scratched or scraped. To start using the mobile device (50), a user moves the slidable shutter (30), such that the touch panel (51) of the mobile device (50) is exposed and can be directly operated by the user. |
| US08453828B2 |
Conveying apparatus, image forming apparatus including conveying apparatus, and conveying method
A conveying apparatus that rotates a roller and conveys an object, the conveying apparatus including: a roller driving unit that rotates the roller; a first operation unit that operates a rotation amount of the roller corresponding to a target movement amount of the object, on the basis of the target movement amount and information of a roller diameter, and quantizes the rotation amount; a random number generating unit that generates a random number; a second operation unit that operates a corrected rotation amount of the roller obtained by correcting the rotation amount, on the basis of the random number generated by the random number generating unit, a quantization error obtained by the first operation unit and a quantization method; and a driving control unit that controls driving of the roller according to the corrected rotation amount. |
| US08453826B2 |
Conveyor chain
A conveyor chain and system includes a conveyor chain having of side link assemblies and flight arm assemblies to form an elongated chain. The flight arm assemblies include an opposing flight arm that has an elongated body and an integral base formed with the body. A vertical sprocket opening is formed in the integral base and extends vertically through the integral base to engage a tooth of a drive sprocket to drive the flight arm. The side link assemblies include opposing side straps that include a base and a pair of side strap bosses extending outwardly from the base. The side strap bosses engage a tooth of a drive sprocket to drive the side strap. A driving member includes a pair of sprockets to engage the link and flight arm assemblies from both sides of the chain. An alternative embodiment incorporates a third sprocket located between the other sprockets. |
| US08453823B2 |
Transporting apparatus for web products and related methods
Apparatus is provided for transporting a paper or film discrete object in a machine direction. A top engaging portion contacts a first side of the object and a bottom engaging portion contacts a second side of the object opposite the first side and respectively cooperates with the top engaging portion to grip and move the object in the machine direction. At least one of the top engaging portion or the bottom engaging portion includes a plurality of deflectable elements for engaging the object. |
| US08453819B2 |
Balanced clutch system
A balanced clutch system is provided for use in a transmission. The balanced clutch system includes a clutch assembly that has a clutch piston and a balance piston that cooperate with a clutch piston cavity and a balance piston cavity. Each of the clutch piston cavity and balance piston cavity receives a continuous supply of fluid and establishes a centrifugal head pressure therein, during use. The centrifugal head pressure established in the balance piston cavity contributes to a force that opposes a self-engaging tendency of the clutch assembly that is created by the centrifugal head pressure established within the clutch piston cavity. |
| US08453817B2 |
Hybrid drive train
A hybrid drive train (1) has an electric machine (15) with a stator (16) fastened to a clutch housing (18) and a rotor (20) that can be rotated relative to the stator (16) with a radial gap (22) therebetween. The hybrid drive train (1) also has a wet-running multiple disk clutch device (8) with an outer multiple disk carrier (24) that has at least one oil passage opening (41). The radial gap (22) between the rotor (20) and the stator (16) is shielded from the oil passage opening (41) of the outer multiple disk carrier (24) by an oil shielding device (50). |
| US08453814B2 |
Motor activation circuit for a rail vehicle and method for the operation thereof
A motor drive circuit for a rail vehicle has a step-up converter, which is disposed at the input of the motor drive circuit, and which converts a mains DC voltage, at the input of the motor drive circuit into an intermediate circuit DC voltage. A pulse rectifier, which is downstream from the step-up converter, can be connected at the output to a drive motor of the rail vehicle and it is capable of converting the intermediate circuit DC voltage of the step-up converter into a motor drive voltage for driving the drive motor. A control unit activates the step-up converter in operation such that the converter generates the predetermined rated intermediate circuit DC voltage for a mains DC voltage below a predetermined rated intermediate circuit DC voltage as the intermediate circuit DC voltage. The control unit is designed such that it activates the step-up converter for a mains DC voltage above the rated intermediate circuit DC voltage such that the converter generates an intermediate circuit DC voltage identical to the mains DC voltage or an intermediate circuit DC voltage, which is greater at most by a predetermined offset value, and feeds the intermediate circuit DC voltage into the pulse rectifier. |
| US08453813B2 |
Travel bag
A travel bag includes a bag body defining a front open side, a cover panel covered on the front open side of the bag body, a first zipper joining the cover panel and the bag body, a locating panel mounted in a center opening in the cover panel, a connection frame stitched to the locating panel, a sub cover panel hinged to the bottom side of the connection flap, a second zipper joining the sub cover panel and the locating panel, a partition panel set in a center opening in the connection frame, a third zipper joining the connection frame and the partition panel, and two fan-like expandable side flats bilaterally connected between the connection frame and the sub cover panel. |
| US08453803B2 |
Brake actuating apparatus using an electric motor
A brake actuating apparatus includes a caliper body with a cylinder. An electric motor is fixed to the caliper body. A pressing piston is installed in the cylinder. A rotational shaft is installed at the center of the housing to be rotated by the motor. A head is attached to the rotational shaft and defines a fluid-receiving space in cooperation with the housing. The rotation of head varies the volume of space, thereby moving the pressing piston. |
| US08453797B2 |
Method of servicing the outer components of a wind turbine such as the wind turbine blades and the tower with a work platform and work platform
A method of servicing a wind turbine generally comprises rotating a rotor of the wind turbine until a blade extends downwardly next to the wind turbine tower. A work platform is positioned next to the tower with at least one steering wheel in contact with the tower. The work platform is connected to an upper part of the wind turbine with at least one cable and then moved vertically and horizontally to a first position. A section of the blade within reach is serviced in the first position, and then the work platform is moved vertically and horizontally to a second position for servicing a different section of the blade. The steering wheel is in contact with the tower when the work platform is moved. |
| US08453795B2 |
Reconfigurable step
A stepping device is provided and includes a first step member having a first riser and a first tread; a second step member having a second riser and a second tread; and a third step member having first, second, and third panels oriented orthogonal to one another. The first step member is fixedly attached to the second step member. The third step member is rotatably attached to the second step member and is rotatable relative to the second step member to configure the stepping device between a two-step configuration and a three-step configuration. In the two-step configuration, The first panel is generally planar with the second tread. |
| US08453794B2 |
Anchor assembly
An anchor assembly releasably securable to a structure with a receiving hole therethrough. The anchor assembly permits an object or person to be anchored to the structure and comprises a longitudinal member for placement through the receiving hole of the structure, first and second end portions, means to draw the first and second end portions into contact with the structure about the openings of the receiving hole with the longitudinal member positioned therethrough to secure the anchor assembly to the structure, and a visual indicator associated with at least one of the end portions. The end portions are larger in size than the openings of the receiving hole through the structure and the first and second end portions are received on opposite ends of said longitudinal member when the longitudinal member extends through the receiving hole. The visual indicator presents a visual signal identifying when the anchor assembly is secured to the structure. |
| US08453792B2 |
Exhaust system and corresponding support structure
An exhaust system (3) of an internal combustion engine (2) is provided in a support structure (1), especially in a motor vehicle (1), with at least one exhaust pipe (8), which guides exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine (2) to the environment (4) of the support structure (1). At least one exhaust muffler (5) is provided which has at least one resonance volume (6) and at least one connection line (7), via which the respective resonance volume (6) is connected to the respective exhaust pipe (8) for transmitting airborne sound. A space-saving accommodation is obtained if at least one such resonance volume (6) is formed in a resonance chamber (9) arranged rigidly in or at the support structure (1) and if the respective connection line (7), with which the respective resonance chamber (9) is connected to the respective exhaust pipe (8), is designed as a flexible connection line and permits relative movements between the respective resonance chamber (9) and respective exhaust pipe (8). |
| US08453786B2 |
Front section for a motor vehicle
A front section for a motor vehicle body features a main frame that includes, but is not limited to an upper bumper carrier, a lower reinforcing element for the bumper that extends underneath the upper bumper carrier and a sub-frame that is elastically fixed on the main frame by means of a buffer. The buffer is held between an end piece of the reinforcing element and the main frame. |
| US08453783B2 |
Differential pressure control
A vehicle with a load sensing hydraulic control system is disclosed. |
| US08453780B2 |
Electrical component attachment structure for two-wheeled motor vehicle
An electrical component attachment structure for a two-wheeled motor vehicle includes a main frame supporting components of a vehicle body such as an engine, a center frame extending vertically behind the engine, and a pair of right and left seat rails detachably attached to the center frame, the seat rails being attached with a bracket which supports an electrical component, in which the bracket is formed in an approximate U-shape and is arranged with an opening section of the U-shape directed towards the front of the vehicle body, so that the bracket is configured to support the electrical component inside the approximate U-shape and to allow the electrical component to be taken out towards the front of the vehicle body from the opening section. |
| US08453777B2 |
Cooling fan duct assembly
A fan duct assembly is provided for a vehicle having an engine-driven main cooling fan. The fan duct assembly includes a hollow housing and a pair of duct members which communicate with the housing and extend from the housing and laterally in side directions. An auxiliary cooling unit is received in the housing. A pair of auxiliary fans is received in the housing. Each fan is positioned between the auxiliary cooling unit and a respective one of the duet members. The hollow housing and the duct members are positioned in front of the main cooling fan. The hollow housing is positioned above a fan drive for driving the main cooling fan. Each of the fans draws air from a different direction. |
| US08453776B2 |
Trapezoidal cooling package
A vehicle is provided having at least one swing-out cooling assembly. A method of assembling the at least one swing-out cooling assembly on the vehicle is further provided. |
| US08453775B2 |
Off-road vehicle having a cooling tunnel
An off-road vehicle is disclosed having a frame (32), at least four wheels (36, 38) suspended from the frame (32), a left seat (40B), a right seat (40A), an engine (48) mounted to a middle portion (62) of the frame (32), and a console (70) mounted on the middle portion of the frame (62) laterally between the left seat (40B) and the right seat (40B). The console (70) covers the upper portion of the engine (48) and defines a central cooling tunnel (88) extending forwardly and rearwardly of the engine (48) which tunnels air flow around the engine (48) for cooling the later. The off-road vehicle also features a passageway in front of the central cooling tunnel, and a fan aligned with the passageway to increase air flow through the central cooling tunnel (70) when required. |
| US08453774B2 |
In-wheel motor system for a steering wheel
An in-wheel motor system for mounting a direct drive motor to a steering wheel comprises a first knuckle 4 which is connected to the non-rotary side of a geared motor 3 by a connection member I0 having elastic bodies and direct-moving guides for limiting movement to a vertical direction and locked in a steering direction by upper and lower suspension arms 5a and 5b and a second knuckle 7 which is connected to a steering rod 8 and fitted with a brake unit 9 and a wheel 2 through a hub 6. This second knuckle 7 is connected to the above first knuckle 4 in such a manner that it can turn on a king pin axis J in the steering direction and to the output shaft of the above geared motor 3 by a connection shaft 20 having constant velocity joints 21 and 22 at both ends, thereby reducing an increase in steering torque. |
| US08453773B2 |
Vehicle battery systems and methods
The invention provides for a high occupancy or heavy-duty vehicle with a battery propulsion power source, which may include lithium titanate batteries. The vehicle may be all-battery or may be a hybrid, and may have a composite body. The vehicle battery system may be housed within the floor of the vehicle and may have different groupings and arrangements. |
| US08453772B2 |
Manually operated electrical control and installation scheme for electric hybrid vehicles
A hybrid vehicle system facilitates operator control over electric power generation and use. The system features a motor/generator that can be mounted to an output of a transmission of the vehicle. |
| US08453769B2 |
Compact pulling apparatus
The apparatus includes a watertight elongate housing extending along a longitudinal axis and defining an inner chamber, a track disposed around the housing on its longitudinal axis and enabling the apparatus to move when the track is rotatably driven around the housing, a handlebar connected to the housing and extending rearward, and a track-driving motor. The motor is located within the inner chamber of the housing and includes an output shaft mechanically connected to the track. The apparatus can also include a ventilation circuit for ventilating the inner chamber of the housing and a generator for producing electricity. |
| US08453768B2 |
Control of a transporter based on attitude
A transporter for transporting a load over a surface. The transporter includes a support platform for supporting the load. The support platform is characterized by a fore-aft axis, a lateral axis, and an orientation with respect to the surface, the orientation referred to as an attitude. At least one ground-contacting element is flexibly coupled to the support platform in such a manner that the attitude of the support platform is capable of variation. One or more ground-contacting elements are driven by a motorized drive arrangement. A sensor module generates a signal characterizing the attitude of the support platform. Based on the attitude, a controller commands the motorized drive arrangement. |
| US08453767B2 |
Angular offset PDC cutting structures
A drill bit with a drill bit body having a cutting structure face. A pin is formed on the drill bit body for attaching the drill bit body to a drill string. The pin has a first central axis to be aligned with the drill string when attached and the cutting structure face has a second central axis. The second central axis is misaligned relative to the first central axis. |
| US08453764B2 |
System and method for monitoring and controlling underground drilling
A system and method for monitoring underground drilling in which vibration is monitored by creating a model of the drill string using finite element techniques or finite difference techniques and (i) predicting vibration by inputting real time values of operating parameters into the model, and then adjusting the model to agree with measured vibration data, (ii) predicting the weight on bit and drill string and mud motor speeds at which resonance will occur, as well as when stick-slip will occur, so that the operator can avoid operating regimes that will result in high vibration, (iii) determining vibration and torque levels along the length of the drill string based on the measured vibration and torque at one or more locations, (iv) determining the remaining life of critical components of the drill string based on the history of the vibration to which the components have been subjected, and (v) determining the optimum drilling parameters that will avoid excessive vibration of the drill string. |
| US08453755B2 |
Coulter unit for high speed fertilizer application
A tillage coulter unit (22, 122) adapted for use with a farm implement (10) is provided which permits high speed tillage operations (e.g., field fertilization using liquid fertilizer such as ammonia, or seeding) without undue soil disruption or fertilizer vaporization. The coulter unit (22, 122) includes an upright, rotatable coulter blade (26, 130) with a gauge assembly (28, 132) operable to limit the depth of the coulter blade into soil and to minimize soil disruption. The gauge assembly (28, 132) preferably includes a pair of elongated, shiftable belt or chain loops (74, 212, 214) positioned in straddling relationship and astride the blade (26, 130). The loops (74, 212, 214) present lower runs (96, 212a, 214a) which substantially contact the soil as the unit (22, 122) traverses a field. |
| US08453752B2 |
Method of manufacturing fire-extinguishing agent and throw-type fire extinguisher
A method of manufacturing a fire-extinguishing agent for a fire extinguisher and a fire extinguishing apparatus is provided. The fire-extinguishing agent is manufactured by dissolving 55 g to 65 g of diammonium hydrogen phosphate in 300 to 350 mL of hot water at 70° C. to 90° C. to prepare a solution, dissolving 6 g to 8 g of ammonium sulfate in the prepared solution, dissolving 170 g to 190 g of potassium carbonate in the resultant solution, and adding, to the resultant solution, 25 to 35 mL of the undiluted solution of an aqueous film-forming foam fire-extinguishing agent. The total amount of the fire-extinguishing agent is adjusted to 600 mL. A throw-type fire extinguisher having a total weight of 700 g to 800 g is produced by charging a container with 600 mL of the fire-extinguishing agent. |
| US08453750B2 |
Well tools utilizing swellable materials activated on demand
A well tool includes a generally tubular mandrel with a flow passage extending longitudinally through the mandrel, and a flow controller which initially prevents a fluid from contacting a swellable material, but which permits the fluid to contact the material in response to manipulation of pressure in the flow passage. Another well tool includes a swellable material, a generally tubular mandrel, and a conduit wrapped circumferentially about the mandrel, the conduit containing a fluid which, upon contact with the swellable material, causes the material to swell. A method of actuating a well tool in a well includes manipulating pressure in a flow passage extending through a tubular string, thereby opening at least one flow control device of the well tool which selectively permits fluid communication between a reservoir of the well tool and a swellable material of the well tool, whereby a fluid in the reservoir contacts the swellable material. |
| US08453746B2 |
Well tools with actuators utilizing swellable materials
Well tools utilizing swellable materials. Actuators for well tools may incorporate swellable materials as force generating devices. A well tool includes an actuator which actuates the well tool in response to contact between a swellable material and a well fluid. A method of actuating a well tool includes the steps of: installing a well tool including an actuator; contacting a swellable material of the actuator with a well fluid; and actuating the well tool in response to the contacting step. A well system includes a well tool with a flow control device and a swellable material. The well tool is operative to control flow through a passage of a tubular string in response to contact between the swellable material and well fluid. |
| US08453738B2 |
Methods and systems for downhole active cooling
Subterranean oilfield high-temperature devices configured or designed to operate at elevated temperatures downhole in a well traversing a formation. A tool conveyance is configured for deployment in the well with a downhole cartridge comprising high-temperature sensitive components. A downhole cooling system includes a cooling fluid conduit having a first end configured for fluid connection with a source of cooling fluid and a second end configured for discharging cooling fluid in the well at at least an upper portion of a subterranean high-temperature zone such that cooling fluid circulates in the high-temperature zone. |
| US08453733B2 |
Method to control driving fluid breakthrough during production of hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir
A method for controlling driving fluid breakthrough caused by zones of pressure communication, i.e., a matrix bypass event (“MBE”) or a wormhole, having a void space and possibly areas of enhanced permeability (a halo region) associated with the void space, within a subterranean formation arising from use of a driving fluid in reservoirs where heavy/viscous oil is being produced. In embodiments, the method includes injection of a slurry of a cementitious material into the zone, which upon setting, provides a cement plug in the void space that reduces the pressure communication and flow of driving fluid within the zone. Another step injects a gel precursor within the zone, which upon setting, produces a gel plug that also reduces pressure communication and driving fluid flow through the halo region of the zone. |
| US08453731B2 |
Apparatus and method for estimating formation properties using nanoexplosive elements
In one aspect a method of estimating a property of interest of a formation is provided, which method in one embodiment may include: injecting nanoexplosive elements into the formation, detecting signals responsive to explosion of the nanoexplosive elements by one or more sensors, and processing the detected signals by a processor to estimate the property of interest of the formation. |
| US08453729B2 |
Hydraulic setting assembly
Novel hydraulic actuators and hydraulic setting assemblies are provided for use in downhole, oil and gas well tools. The novel hydraulic actuators include a cylindrical mandrel and an annular stationary sealing member connected to the mandrel. A hydraulic cylinder is slidably supported on the mandrel and stationary sealing member and is releasably fixed in position on the mandrel. The stationary sealing member divides the interior of the cylinder into a bottom hydraulic chamber and a top hydraulic chamber. An inlet port provides fluid communication into the bottom hydraulic chamber, and an outlet port provides fluid communication into the top hydraulic chamber. A balance piston is slidably supported within the top hydraulic chamber of the actuator. The piston includes an axially extending passageway. Fluid communication through the piston and between its upper and lower sides is controlled by a normally shut valve in the passageway. In the absence of relative movement between the mandrel and cylinder, the balance piston is able to slide in response to a difference in hydrostatic pressure between the outlet port, is which is on one side of the piston, and the portion of the top hydraulic chamber that is on the bottom side of the piston. |
| US08453725B2 |
Compliant packers for formation testers
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a base plate having a first aperture to receive an inlet in fluid communication with a downhole tool; a compliant outer cover having a first end terminating at the base plate and a second end terminating adjacent a forward opening of the inlet, the compliant outer cover having a first surface configured to engage a borehole wall and a second surface forming an inner cavity with the base plate; and a core disposed within the inner cavity and having a second aperture forming at least a portion of the inlet, wherein the outer cover comprises a first material and the core comprises a second material more compliant than the first material. |
| US08453720B2 |
Heat exchanger and condensing type laundry dryer having the same
A condensing type dryer uses a heat exchanger in which condensed water can be smoothly discharged through a water-discharging slot formed in a rear end portion of a rear cover of the heat exchanger. The water-discharging slot prevents an air flowing resistance which can be caused by condensed water pooling at the rear end portion of the rear cover. Also, leakage-preventing walls enhance the heat exchanging function by ensuring a uniform flow of cold external air through the heat changer. The leakage-preventing walls prevent external air from leaking around the lateral edges of the heat exchanger. |
| US08453718B2 |
Sintered heat pipe, manufacturing method thereof and manufacturing method for groove tube thereof
A sintered heat pipe, a manufacturing method thereof and a manufacturing method for a groove tube thereof are provided. The sintered heat pipe includes a groove tube, a sintered powder layer and a working fluid. The groove tube has a plurality of grooves and a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. Each groove extends along an axial direction of the groove tube. The first end and the second end are closed. The sintered powder layer is formed on an inside wall of the groove tube, and the groove tube is filled with the working fluid. The size of each powder in the sintered powder layer is greater than a width of each of the grooves. |
| US08453716B2 |
Heat dissipation device
An exemplary heat dissipation device includes a heat pipe and a fin unit. The heat pipe includes an evaporation section and a condensing section formed at opposite ends thereof, respectively. The fin unit includes plural stacked parallel fins. Each of the fins defines a through hole therein for receiving the condensing section of the heat pipe. A flange extends from a periphery of the through hole. The flange defines two slits to divide the flange into two separate portions. The slits communicate with the through hole. A compressible structure is formed in each fin at opposite sides of the through hole. The compressible structure is aligned with the slits such that when the fin is compressed along a direction transverse to the alignment, the compressible structure is compressed and the separate portions of the flange move toward each other and closely contact the condensing section of the heat pipe. |
| US08453715B2 |
Synthetic jet embedded heat sink
A system and method for cooling heat-producing devices using synthetic jet embedded heat sinks is disclosed. The cooling system includes a heat sink comprising a base portion and a plurality of fins disposed on the base portion and extending vertically out therefrom, the plurality of fins spaced to define a channel between adjacent fins. The cooling system also includes at least one synthetic jet actuator attached to the heat sink, with each of the at least one synthetic jet actuators comprising a plurality of orifices therein and being configured to generate and project a series of fluid vortices out from the plurality of orifices and toward at least a portion of the channels of the heat sink. |
| US08453711B2 |
Process and apparatus for a combined casting and rolling installation
An apparatus for producing hot-rolled products in a combined casting-rolling installation designed to bridge a planned or unplanned interruption in production downstream of the cutting-up and delivering device. The installation cuts off a strand portion of the continuously produced preliminary material using first shears; raises the tail part of the strand portion from the roller table using a raising device; breaks up the preliminary material passing the first shears into pieces of scrap using the first shears into pieces of scrap using the first shears; delivers the pieces of scrap and removes the strand portion unit the operational readiness of the combined casting-rolling installation is restored. |
| US08453710B2 |
Method for replacement of a filter plate of a core shooter
For saving of time and effort during replacement of soiled filter plate locked onto a seal cover of a core shooter, the filter plate is placed on a gas chamber after releasing the lock and by its lateral outward motion from the core shooter is engaged with a receptacle of a tilting plate holder. A subsequent retraction of the gas chamber without the filter plate into the core shooter clears the path for tilting of the plate holder and with it positioning of a second receptacle carrying a cleaned filter plate into the vacant position. A renewed to-and-fro motion of the gas chamber serves the acceptance of the cleaned filter plate and its retraction to the seal cover of the core shooter, in order to lock the plate to the cover. |
| US08453709B1 |
Jewelry with positive fingerprint impression
A method of providing a positive three-dimensional image of a textured object on metal jewelry, plates, or tags, etc. The textured object may be a finger, fingertip, or any object with a three-dimensional texture. A negative-impression mold is formed in a thermoplastic material, and a positive-impression model then obtained from the negative-impression mold. The positive-impression model is used in the lost-wax process to obtain a piece of metal jewelry having the positive, three-dimensional image of the textured object. The jewelry may be a ring, a pendant, a bracelet, etc., made of gold, silver, platinum, or other metal. |
| US08453708B2 |
Adjustable roller blind tube
In order to facilitate mounting of a roller blind one end of the roller blind tube is fitted with a spring-loaded insert (M). To prevent this from being pushed back a grub screw may be used, but it requires tools and precise alignment. According to the invention a releasable pawl-and-ratchet structure (2, 4) is provided in the end plug (1). The release is obtained by rotating the holder (5) of the pawls (2), whereby they are directed into axial grooves (3 or 3′). |
| US08453707B2 |
Two-motor drive arrangement for a roller curtain
A drive arrangement for a roller curtain covering an opening defined by a frame includes a drum mounted horizontally across one side of the opening, a pair of hollow drive shafts fixed against rotation in opposite ends of the drum, and a pair of coaxial tension shaft portions fixed to the frame and received through respective hollow drive shafts. At least one coil spring is associated with each tension shaft portion, each spring having a first end fixed to a tension shaft portion and a second end fixed to the drum. A pair of drive motors are operatively connected to respective hollow drive shafts for synchronously rotating the drive shafts in order to coil a roller curtain on the drum. |
| US08453705B2 |
Vertically movable door with safety barrier
A vertically moving door of a truck loading dock includes a disconnectable horizontal joint that provides the door with a barrier position, wherein an upper section of the door can be separated from a lower section to create a ventilation area between the two. The ventilation area allows fresh outside air to enter the building, while the lower section remains at its lowermost position for safety and security. More specifically, the lower section serves as a barrier that helps prevent someone or something from accidentally falling through the doorway when a truck is not present at the dock. A lightweight, resilient strap can be attached to the lower section of the door to help protect that section from an otherwise damaging impact. A lattice of straps or a mesh can be installed across the ventilation area to help secure the building against theft. |
| US08453704B2 |
Connection system for window blind treatments
An improved connection system for window blind treatments comprising tape having loops for retaining locking members. The treatment comprises a sheet member that hangs downward covering the blinds on the side away from the window. One or more strips of tape are vertically attached to the sheet member on the interior side closest to the blinds. The tape contains loops at predetermined intervals along its length. Locking members are attached to the loops of the tape and to the blind's ladders at the predetermined intervals to secure the treatment to the blinds. When secured, the treatment will raise and lower when the blinds are raised and lowered. Rods are inserted through the locking members and rod pocket and extend horizontally across the sheet member and blinds. The rods provide weight and support to the sheet member, such that when the blinds are closed, the rods and sheet member will rise with the blinds, thereby creating cascading folds in the sheet member. |
| US08453703B2 |
Self-storing vertical lift door system
A vertical lift, self-storing door system includes a plurality of panels supported by a first and a second single track guide rail which engages guide rollers associated with the panels. The guide rail has a vertical segment which defines a closed position of the door and a horizontal segment which defines an open, storage position for the door. When the door is closed, the individual panels are stacked in an edge-to-edge relationship so that their front faces are coplanar. When the door is in an open position, the panels hang vertically from the guide rails in a spaced apart, generally plane parallel relationship with regard to their front and rear faces. Bevels in the top and bottom edges of the panels accommodate panel motion and ensure a tight seal when the door is in a closed position, and these bevels may include connecting features such as notches or tabs. |
| US08453700B2 |
Continuous motion label transferring apparatus
Continuous motion label transferring apparatus includes a non-stick surface between a peel point and a pinch point. A label unwinder continuously passes a first web along a path towards the pinch point. The first web includes a series of spaced labels having pressure sensitive self-adhesive on a surface to which a liner of release material is releasably attached. As the release liner travels around the peel point, the labels continue to move toward the pinch point, passing over the nonstick surface as they approach the pinch point. A target mover passes a succession of spaced targets through the pinch point adjacent the self-adhesive surface of the labels, so that the labels are individually adhered to the targets. A control system for the label unwinder monitors the target mover, and synchronizes the labels and targets in a desired manner. The distance between the peel point and the pinch point is set so that the labels can be fed continuously into the pinch point in registration with the targets. |
| US08453698B2 |
Receptacle forming tool
A tool for pressing lower rim section of a receptacle wall and a receptacle bottom comprises an inner tool part and an outer tool part. The outer tool part essentially surrounds the receptacle at its lower end. The inner tool part comprises tool segments that are moveable relative to the outer tool part between a retracted and a pressing position, wherein in the pressing position the lower rim sections are pressed together by opposed pressing surfaces of outer tool part and inner tool part. To avoid any contamination of the pressing surfaces and also delamination of the lower rim section of the receptacle, at least one groove is formed in the pressing surface of the tool segment and/or of the outer tool part. |
| US08453685B2 |
Fuel transfer coupling
Provided herein are couplings useful in the transfer of liquid fuels from a remote storage reservoir to an on-board fuel tank of a motorized vehicle. There is provided a first coupling which is configured to be in fluid communication with the interior of a vehicle's fuel tank, and a second coupling which is intended to be in fluid communication with the contents of a remote fuel storage reservoir. The disclosure also includes a process for charging a fuel reservoir on board of a motorized vehicle from a remote reservoir, wherein the vapor in the fuel reservoir is displaced by an equal volume of fuel delivered from said remote reservoir, and wherein the vapor in said fuel reservoir is simultaneously caused to be transferred to said remote reservoir, thus permitting no escape of the vapor from said fuel reservoir to the surrounding atmosphere. Through use of the present disclosure, spills of fuel are essentially eliminated, and the escape of vapors from the vehicle's fuel tank are prevented, thus preventing atmospheric hydrocarbon pollution. |
| US08453684B2 |
Sealing fluid canister, and repair kit comprising such a canister
A canister for sealing fluid for repairing inflatable articles has a bottle defining an inner volume for the sealing fluid; a first inlet port and an outlet port connected fluidically by the inner volume; at least one non-return valve downstream from the inner volume and open to permit outflow of the sealing fluid from the outlet port; and a second inlet port connected to the outlet port, downstream from the at least one non-return valve. |
| US08453681B2 |
Flexible, stretchable, crush resistant hose well suited for medical applications
A flexible, stretchable, crush resistant hose particularly well suited for supplying breathing gases to patients in medical applications and the like has a helix defined by coils of thermoplastic material, and a web of thermoplastic material bonded or welded to adjacent ones of the coils, preferably along inner diameter portions of the surfaces of the coils. The web extends radially outwardly from between the adjacent coils to define a helical reverse-direction crease at a maximum outer diameter of the hose when the hose is in a normal minimal-length condition wherein the coils are situated side-by-side sandwiching portions of the web therebetween. The thermoplastic material of hose is stress relieved by an annealing process after the hose is formed, to enhance the flexibility of the hose and the ease with which the hose can be extended. |
| US08453680B2 |
Damping element for decoupling elements, in particular for membrane bellows
A decoupling element for a conduit includes an interior hose made of metal and a corrugated exterior hose surrounding the interior hose, with a hollow-cylindrical gap formed between the corrugated exterior hose and the interior hose. At least one damping element is arranged in the gap, with the damping element(s) constructed of a woven fabric made of a high-temperature-resistant material and having an outside surface with at least one bulge, wherein the bulge positively engages with a corrugation of the exterior hose. The exterior hose may be a membrane bellows. The woven fabric may be a metallic material. The at least one damping element covers, along the rotation axis, preferably a proportional length of at least 20% of the hollow-cylindrical gap and has preferably a static stiffness in the radial direction of less than 100 N/mm. |
| US08453674B2 |
Valve fault indication and control
According to aspects described herein, there is disclosed a method of and system for indicating a fault associated with a fluid valve moveable between an open and a closed operative position. The method and system compare a valve state indicator to a valve last command, wherein the valve state indicator represents a detected operative position of the valve and the valve last command being an operative command sent to the fluid valve. The method and system also initiate a fault indication after a predetermined time delay relative to the valve last command being sent and when the valve state indicator does not match the valve last command. After the time delay a fault indication can be initiated immediately upon receipt of a different valve state indicator. |
| US08453672B2 |
Passive valve for attenuation of low frequency noise
A passive valve assembly for an exhaust system is mounted within an exhaust tube. The exhaust tube has a bore that defines an exhaust flow path having a cross-sectional area. One end of the exhaust tube is to be connected to a first exhaust component and a second end of the exhaust tube is to be connected to a second exhaust component such that the exhaust tube forms a sole exhaust path between the first and the second exhaust components. The passive valve assembly includes a vane that is mounted within the bore, and which is moveable between an open position and a closed position. A resilient member biases the vane toward the closed position. When the vane is in the closed position, the vane covers 80% to 97% of the cross-sectional area. |
| US08453667B2 |
Cleaning water supply device
A cleaning water supply device contains a mixing unit including a channel assembly and a circular valve member, wherein the channel assembly includes an inlet channel, an outlet channel, a through channel between the inlet and the outlet channels, and at least one intake communicating with the through channel; the valve member is installed in the through channel and includes a flexibly circular wing formed therein to abut against and close the through channel so that the intake is stopped communicating with the inlet channel and the outlet channel, and when the vacuum attraction generates in the through channel, the inlet and the outlet channels are opened; a storing unit connected with the channel assembly of the mixing unit and including a chamber to receive a cleaning fluid and an output tunnel communicating with the chamber and the intake. |
| US08453666B2 |
Seal for pressure testing a plumbing installation and method of use thereof
A method for testing the integrity of a plumbing system. A first step involves affixing a seal with a releasable adhesive over a component of the plumbing system having a bore to occlude the bore. A second step involves charging the plumbing system with a fluid. |
| US08453665B2 |
Self-acting self-circulating fluid system without external pressure source and use in bearing system
The invention includes a method for continually circulating a fluid in a system, in the absence of an external pumping mechanism, by providing a fluid, an active space capable of generating a higher pressure zone and causing a contiguous lower pressure zone, a passive space, and a porous medium disposed between the active space and the passive space, and generating a pressure differential relationship between the active space and the passive space causing the fluid to circulate freely in both directions between the active space and the passive space, across the porous medium, without the aid of an external pumping system, such that the fluid circulation defines a self-acting self-circulating fluid system, and to the system created thereby. |
| US08453656B2 |
Integrated processing and critical point drying systems for semiconductor and MEMS devices
Processing and drying of a sample, such as a semiconductor or MEMS device, is achieved using a single pressure chamber. The pressure chamber holds the sample in a sealed interior volume throughout various process steps, such as, but not limited to, photoresist removal, sacrificial layer etching, flushing or rinsing, dehydration, and critical point drying. The pressure chamber is constructed of a chemically-resistant and pressure-resistant material to withstand the various chemicals and pressures that are encountered in the various process and drying steps. For example, the pressure chamber is constructed from a nickel-copper alloy. Automated release etching and critical point drying of a MEMS or semiconductor device is provided without removing the device from the sealed pressure chamber. |
| US08453655B2 |
Surface treatment apparatus
Inside a single apparatus main body (100), a surface treatment apparatus includes: a treatment cell (11); a vertical rotation shaft (12); an attachment/detachment device; a receiving tank (15); a cover body (16); a plurality of tanks (21); a plurality of surface treatment liquid supply devices (22); a cleaning water supply device; a drain device (3); and a first cleaning device. Upon operation of the surface treatment liquid supply device while the treatment cell (11) containing small objects is rotated by the vertical rotation shaft (12), a surface treatment is carried out on the small objects, upon operation of the cleaning water supply device, the small objects inside the treatment cell (11) are cleaned, and upon operation of the first cleaning device, the inner face of the cover body and the outer face of the treatment cell are cleaned, thus providing circulation use of surface treatment liquids in the tanks. |
| US08453653B2 |
Hollow/porous fibers and applications thereof
In one embodiment is provided a polymer blend of poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), wherein the poly(vinylacetate) is present in an amount ranging between about 20 wt % and about 80 wt %, and poly(acrylic acid) is present in an amount ranging between about 80 wt % and about 20 wt %, based on the total weight of the blend. In another embodiment is provided a fiber produced from this polymer blend, and which has cells therein. In another embodiment is provided a flavorant release material comprising the porous fiber disclosed herein, and one or more flavorants disposed in a longitudinally extending core within the fiber. In another embodiment is provided a polymer fiber membrane containing a hollow, porous fiber formed from the polymer blend disclosed herein. In another embodiment is provided a filter containing the fiber described herein. In another embodiment is provided a process for producing the fibers disclosed herein by addition of the polymers to an extruder or blender, and extruding or melt spinning the mixture into a fiber containing cells therein. |
| US08453652B2 |
Methods of using shape memory alloys for buttress attachment
A surgical stapling device includes a tissue contacting surface and a buttress attachment feature. The buttress attachment feature permits selectively securing a surgical buttress to the tissue contacting surface, which may be disposed on a cartridge assembly or an anvil plate of the surgical stapling device. The buttress attachment feature may include a shape memory alloy, such as a nickel titanium alloy, that is responsive to a temperature change to allow the buttress attachment feature to move between a first position where a free end of the buttress attachment feature is substantially spaced from the tissue contacting surface, and second position where the surgical attachment feature is approximated with respect to the tissue contacting surface. |
| US08453650B1 |
Mouthpiece
A mouthpiece includes a first body configured to be secured over one or more teeth of a user. The first body comprises a frame for location about at least one of a molar or a premolar of user, as a first bite pad between upper teeth and lower teeth. The first bite pad is molded in the frame while in situ in the mouth of the user and the first bite pad is formed by a PVS material. The first bite pad is in contact with at least one of a molar or a premolar of user, and the first bite pad defines an exterior shape of at least a portion of the teeth of a user. There is a similar second body with a connector between the first body and the second body and together these form the appliance for the user. |
| US08453641B2 |
Apparatus for measuring properties of gases supplied to a patient
The gases temperature supplied to a patient when the patient is undergoing treatment such as oxygen therapy or positive pressure treatment for conditions such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is often measured for safety and to enable controlling of the humidity delivered to the patient. The invention disclosed is related to measurement of properties, particularly temperature (thermister 23), of gases flowing through a heated tube (3), supplying gases to a patient, which utilizes the heating wire (21, 28) within the tube. |
| US08453640B2 |
Positive airway pressure device
A positive airway pressure (PAP) device for supplying a flow of breathable gas to a patient includes a first housing; a flow generator provided in the first housing, the flow generator configured to generate a flow of breathable gas; a second housing configured to be connected to the first housing, the second housing including a channel having an inlet configured to receive the flow of breathable gas and an outlet configured to discharge the flow of breathable gas, wherein the first housing is provided on top of the second housing such that a footprint of the PAP device is not substantially increased beyond a footprint of the second housing. |
| US08453637B2 |
Pneumostoma management system for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
A pneumostoma management system for maintaining the patency of a pneumostoma while controlling the flow of material through the pneumostoma. The pneumostoma management system includes a two-part pneumostoma management device and associated insertion and removal tools. The pneumostoma management device includes a pneumostoma vent and a chest mount for positioning and securing the vent into a pneumostoma. The pneumostoma vent includes a hydrophobic filter and/or a one-way valve. |
| US08453636B2 |
Bowstring vibration dampener and mounting
An archery bow comprises an archery bow body defining opposing limb tips, a bowstring extending between the limb tips along a bowstring axis, and an elongate member extending from the bow body, the elongate member having a length and a proximal end arranged adjacent the bowstring. The archery bow further comprises a dampening element made of a vibration dampening material mounted to the proximal end of the elongate member between the proximal end and the bowstring. The elongate member extends from the bow body along a first axis non-perpendicular to the bowstring axis. Additionally, the elongate member may be curved along at least a portion of its length. In certain embodiments, the archery bow body defines a nested mounting area configured as an open channel to receive a distal end of the elongate member. |
| US08453635B1 |
Bow limb retaining system
A bow limb retaining assembly comprises a limb and a retainer having a cavity for receiving the limb. The retainer comprises opposed lateral surfaces, a first abutting surface arranged to contact a compression surface of the limb and a second abutting surface arranged to contact a tension surface of the limb. A first length portion of the retainer includes the first abutting surface and excludes the second abutting surface, and a second length portion of the retainer includes the second abutting surface and excludes the first abutting surface. |
| US08453632B2 |
Bowstring drawing and release assist apparatus and method thereof
An apparatus for one-handed operation of archery equipment may facilitate drawing and firing of an arrow from a bow. The apparatus may comprise a release aid having jaws for selective engagement and disengagement of a bowstring and a trigger mechanism operable to open and close the jaws. Head gear may be configured for attachment to the head of an archer and may be coupled to the release aid with a connection mechanism such that the archer may resist a tension in the bowstring with the headgear. An alternative apparatus comprises an automatic drawbar and engagement head such that an archer may manipulate drawbar controls to draw and release an arrow from a bow. |
| US08453631B1 |
Release assembly for crossbow
A crossbow includes an elongated frame coupled to a riser at a first end thereof. The riser supports a pair of flexible limbs, and a bowstring extends between such limbs. A movable bowstring release is used both to retract the bowstring into a drawn position, and to release the bowstring under the operation of a trigger assembly. The bowstring release is initially positioned near the bowstring at rest, and a bowstring hook is engaged therewith. A bowstring retractor includes a retractor rope secured to the bowstring release for retracting the bowstring. An upper housing is secured to the second end of the elongated frame, and supports a rope spool used to wind the retractor rope. The bowstring release is retracted into the upper housing proximate a trigger assembly for selectively releasing the bowstring when a user pulls a trigger. |
| US08453630B2 |
Projectile launching system
The invention relates to an archery system that launches an arrow from a position that is perpendicular to a direction of flight for the arrow. After release, the arrow rotates to a position that is parallel to the direction of flight to the target. |
| US08453628B2 |
Method for generating corona discharges in two combustion chambers of a combustion engine
The invention describes a method for generating corona discharges in two combustion chambers of a combustion engine, into each of which a high-frequency igniter (HFZ3, HFZ4) protrudes which is part of a high-frequency resonant circuit, by providing only one single transformer (TR4), which has a primary side and a secondary side, at least one primary winding on the primary side and a secondary winding on the secondary side, connecting the secondary winding of the transformer (TR3, TR4) to both resonant circuits and feeding into both resonant circuits the high frequency alternate current flowing through the secondary winding. |
| US08453626B2 |
EGR venturi diesel injection
An arrangement for mixing a first and a second gas flow, for example, an inlet flow with an exhaust gas return flow in a diesel engine. An air conduit has an inlet for the first flow and an inlet for the second flow, in order to achieve the mixing. A valve body is arranged to be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the air conduit at the inlet for the second flow in order to achieve a variable venturi effect and in this way a variable suction effect and mixture of the mixed flow. One or more fuel injectors inject fuel into the air conduit to pre-mix fuel with the first and second gas flows before reaching the engine cylinders for combustion. |
| US08453624B2 |
Method and apparatus for enhancing fuels
Disclosed is an environmentally responsible apparatus and method for increasing fuel economy and increasing engine performance. The apparatus further provides a method for reducing engine emissions and reducing greenhouse gasses. The apparatus attaches to an engine's fuel line and passing the fuel through a compacted copper wire mesh housed within. The compacted wire mesh is thought to increase the fuel's vapor pressure which reduces fuel consumption and increases engine performance. |
| US08453615B2 |
Adjustable camshaft
The present invention relates to an adjustable camshaft (1), wherein inner and outer shafts (4, 2) connected securely with cams (5, 6) can be rotated relative to each other. In order to obtain this relative movement, at least one hydraulic adjusting device (3) is provided at one end of the camshaft (1), wherein a rotor (2) is rotatable in relation to a stator (19), and the rotor (20) and the stator (19) are each connected securely with one of the two shafts (2, 4). It is essential to the invention that the camshaft (1) is part of a prefabricated camshaft assembly, comprising at least the following components oriented relative to each other: camshaft (1) comprising inner shaft (4), outer shaft (2), cams (5, 6) and adjusting device (3) and a chain wheel (10). |
| US08453613B2 |
Valve actuation system with valve seating control
A variable valve actuation system to actuate and control the seating velocity of an internal combustion engine valve is disclosed. The system comprises: a housing having a bore formed therein; an outer piston slidably disposed in the bore, the outer piston having an orifice formed therein; a catch piston slidably disposed in the outer piston; and an cone-shaped extension extending from the inner piston, wherein the cone-shaped extension is adapted to provide a variable flow area through the outer piston orifice to provide improved engine valve seating. |
| US08453610B2 |
Versatile container
A hot water tank comprising a sleeve, a removable top lid, at least one changeable water holding compartment adapted to be stacked vertically within the sleeve, stacked compartments being connected by a connecting pipe and at least one heating means provided with one of the compartments. The changeable compartments are configured to be removable from the sleeve upon removal of the top lid in case of failure and the space between the sleeve and the changeable compartments is adapted to hold the contents of the compartments during a leak. |
| US08453608B2 |
Buoyant toy
A buoyant motivational object used to play with a dog or child. While afloat, the motivational object comprises of an above-water section located above the surface of the water and an underwater section located below the surface of the water, and it is comprised of a base body with at least one biting or gripping area shaped for pick-up by a dog's muzzle or a human hand, and the biting or gripping area is at least partially located in the above-water section while the balance or gravity point of the motivational object is located in the underwater section. |
| US08453605B2 |
System for feeding aquatic organisms and cleaning unit for water tank
An aquarium system for aquatic organisms easily performs maintenance of a purifying device and a circulation pump and downsizes a purifying zone. The system includes an aquarium, a partition wall dividing the aquarium into a nurturing zone and a purifying zone, a circulation pump for circulating water between the nurturing zone and the purifying zone, and a purifying device selected from a filter for filtering water by making the water pass through a filtering material, a protein skimmer for removing proteins contained in the water by making the proteins adhere to air bubbles, and an ultraviolet light irradiator for sterilizing the water by irradiating ultraviolet light to the water. The circulation pump and the purifying device are mounted on a mounting frame and are accommodated in the purifying zone in a removably inserted manner. |
| US08453600B2 |
Substrate processing apparatus
Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus, comprising a processing chamber to accommodate one or more substrates, a gas supply section to supply processing gas into the processing chamber, a gas discharge section to discharge the processing gas from the processing chamber, at least a pair of electrodes provided inside the heating section to plasma-excite the processing gas, a protection container made of dielectric to air-tightly accommodate the electrodes, an electricity-receiving section which is electrically connected to the electrodes and which is accommodated in the protection container, and an electricity-feeding section to which high frequency electric power is applied and which is provided near the electricity-receiving section in a state in which at least a wall of the protection container is interposed between the electricity-receiving section and the electricity-feeding section, wherein electric power is supplied from the electricity-feeding section to the electricity-receiving section by electromagnetism coupling. |
| US08453596B2 |
Apparatus for applying fluids
An apparatus for applying fluids such as adhesive, in particular hot melt adhesive, to a substrate movable relative to the apparatus, comprising a main body having a feed passage connectable to a fluid source, an application valve for selectively interrupting or enabling the flow of fluid in the feed passage, and a nozzle arrangement having a distributor passage connectable to the feed passage and at least one nozzle opening communicating with the distributor passage for delivery of the fluid. A body is movable in the distributor passage and has through passages which can be selectively associated with the nozzle opening by means of movement of the body in such a way that fluid is passed out of the distributor passage into the nozzle opening through at least one through passage. |
| US08453595B2 |
Jetting apparatus and method of improving the performance of a jetting apparatus
A jetting apparatus for jetting droplets of viscous medium onto a substrate and a method of improving the performance of the jetting apparatus are provided. The jetting apparatus includes a jetting outlet through which the droplets are jetted, a flow generator for producing a flow of air past the jetting outlet for removing viscous medium residue at the jetting outlet, a receptacle for receiving viscous medium residue transported by the air flow away from the jetting outlet, and a flow path for the air flow between the jetting outlet and the flow generator, via the receptacle. A flow sensor is arranged in the flow path for measuring the air flow. An air flow signal representative of the air flow is obtained, the air flow signal is evaluated for determining at least one status of the jetting apparatus, and an indication of the status is provided. |
| US08453587B2 |
Concentric hopping foot for sewing machine
A sewing machine hopping foot assembly having a hopping foot which has a hopping foot top with a hopping foot needle bar opening, a hopping foot base with a hopping foot base opening, and one or more hopping foot arms connecting the hopping foot top to the hopping foot base, having a hopping foot bushing with an interior annular space, the hopping foot bushing being connected to the hopping foot, the annular space providing for a normal up and down sewing movement of the needle bar in the annular space. |
| US08453586B2 |
Furrow opener with rear facing primary outlet
A furrow opener comprises an opener body for mounting on a cultivator shank for movement therewith in a forward working direction and which supports a knife on a front end to deposit a fertilizer row and a wing attachment at a rear end to deposit paired seed rows in the ground. The bottom side of the opener body is stepped in profile between the knife and the wing attachment to comprise an enclosed front portion extending generally horizontally rearward from the knife, a step portion which extends upward from the front portion and primarily locates a fertilizer outlet therein and a rear portion extending generally rearward from the step portion to the rear of the opener body. The fertilizer outlet in the step portion primarily faces rearwardly and is more vertical in orientation than the enclosed front portion of the bottom side of the opener body ahead of it to shield the fertilizer outlet from the wake of earth displaced by the knife. |
| US08453581B2 |
High rail excavator
A high rail excavator is provided. The high rail excavator includes at least one high rail mechanism to elevate the high rail excavator relative to the rails of a railroad track. The high rail mechanism is disposed within an envelope of the tracks, thereby increasing the maneuverability and safety of the high rail excavator. The high rail mechanism includes a power control arrangement that integrates with a power supply of the excavator so that an additional power supply dedicated to the high rail mechanism is not required. |
| US08453579B2 |
Water ride with improved boat capture mechanism
A boat capture assembly that enhances control over boats moved by a track assembly through a body of water. The capture assembly includes a mounting plate attached to a positionable portion of the track assembly (such as to a bogie). The capture assembly includes a rigid extension arm with a first end attached to the mounting plate and a pivot structure, defining a pivot surface, rigidly attached to a second end of the rigid extension arm. The capture assembly includes a receiver cavity provided in a bottom surface of a hull of a boat. The receiver cavity includes a sidewall or body with an opening receiving the pivot structure, with the sidewall defining a well or recessed surface with a cross sectional shape and size to receive and allow vertical movement of the pivot structure but to restrain fore and aft movement of the hull relative to the pivot structure. |
| US08453578B2 |
Coaster
A coaster according to the invention includes a track (10) and a vehicle (20). The track (10) includes a first support rail (11) and a second support rail (12). The first support rail (11) and the second support rail (12) are disposed vertically below the passenger receiver of the vehicle (20). Each of the bogies (23) and (24) includes a plurality of first rollers (25) and second rollers (26), wherein the second rollers (26) contact the second support rail (12) and prevent a lateral tilting of the vehicle relative to the plane (E) defined by the first support rail (11) and the second support rail (12). The first support element (11) and the second support element (12) are configured tubular. |
| US08453574B2 |
MCD shell
A method for firing explosive-filled, fragmentation shells (1) that disperse fragments on the pre-programmed detonation of their own explosive (7) so as to reduce the risk of accidental injury to unprotected personnel and damage to materiel, which at the moment of firing are undeservedly situated between the firing weapon and the target is provided. Also provided are shells (1) produced or modified according to the method. |
| US08453571B1 |
Multiple warhead fuzing apparatus
A multiple warhead fuzing apparatus including first warhead and a second warhead. Operation/detonation of the first and second warheads is controlled using safe and arming logic and an onboard weapon computer that communicates triggering and fire signal parameters to fire signal logic located on the weapon. For a hard target application, the initiation module(s) of each warhead will initiate when commanded by the warhead's fuze after specific criteria has been satisfied, as determined by the fuze programming from the weapon computer. Soft target applications will require the warheads to initiate simultaneously after a delay from impact. The large area target settings will initiate all warheads upon receipt of a fire command from the weapon computer or height of burst sensor. |
| US08453570B2 |
Printing
There is provided an apparatus and a method of printing a diffraction grating. In particular, the present invention relates to diffraction gratings applied to a substrate, such as a hologram. |
| US08453565B2 |
Pressing station in a rotary press
A pressing station in a rotary press having a bearing component for a compression roll that can be adjusted vertically in height along a guide attached to the frame of the rotary press, a first adjustment drive fastened to the frame, which is coupled via an adjustment drive to the bearing component for height adjustment of the bearing component, wherein a shaft or axle for the compression roll or the bearing component or a part of these is coupled to a second adjustment drive in such a way that the compression roll can be adjusted in its height independently from the first adjustment drive. |
| US08453563B2 |
Apparatus and method for barrier submersion cooking
A method and apparatus for placing an item of food into a cooking vessel capable of quickly achieving an effective frying temperature after placement into the hot cooking oil of a deep fryer is disclosed. The vessel includes a food containment area where food is placed in intimate contact with an interior wall of the vessel. Using a rack, the vessel is submerged into the oil to an effective depth such that the food item containment area remains below the surface of the cooking oil in the deep fryer while a vent of the cooking vessel remains above the cooking oil surface. Heat is substantially instantaneously transferred from the oil through the cooking vessel to the food item contained therein, causing the food to fry. Steam emitted from the food during cooking escapes through the vent. |
| US08453556B2 |
Non-threaded method for assembling a center hole parking diaphragm and adapter push rod with a clip and washer
A brake actuator having a plurality of actuator housing portions includes a diaphragm seal partially delimiting a parking brake de-actuation chamber and retained between adjacent portions of the housing. To produce brake actuation upon depressurization of the parking brake de-actuation chamber, a push rod extends into and out of a service brake actuation chamber upon release of fluid pressure from and supply of fluid pressure to the chamber. A clip or similar element receivable over the end section of the push rod is securable on the end section to compress the diaphragm seal axially relative to the push rod against a seat carried by the push rod while permitting a radial inner edge of the diaphragm seal to remain spaced from an outer surface of the end section. |
| US08453554B2 |
M60 rifle with select fire mechanism for selective fully-automatic semi-automatic operation
A trigger assembly for a trigger housing for a, M60 fully automatic rifle is provided having a switch accessible at the outside of the trigger housing for changing the firing of the rifle between semi-automatic and fully-automatic fire. |
| US08453552B2 |
Method of designing an RPG shield
A method of designing an RPG. A computerized model is created of a shield mesh opening with lines of a net intersecting at nodes and with hard points positioned at least at select nodes. The effectiveness of the mesh opening at a plurality of obliquity angles is determined. In the model, a change is made to the size of the mesh opening and the effectiveness is determined again at a plurality of different obliquity angles. Iterations of this process allow an optimal mesh opening size to be determined for a threat such as an RPG. |
| US08453551B2 |
Energy focusing system for active denial apparatus
An active denial apparatus for use in non-lethal weaponry includes at least one focusing element configured to focus millimeter-wave energy along an axis of propagation. The at least one focusing element includes an astigmatic or dual axis focusing system configured to direct a focused beam that allows the active denial apparatus to accurately immobilize targets at both close and long range within acceptable limits of intensity. |
| US08453549B2 |
Method and apparatus for sawing lineal material to length
An enhancement for use with automatically cycled saw systems that provides an operator access to two-hand anti-tie down buttons and other machine control functions while manually crowding the material to be cut against the saw's fence. The enhancement includes anti-tie down buttons to prevent a cutting cycle unless both buttons are depressed within preset time limit of each other. |
| US08453544B2 |
Feeder of rods with advancement control
A feeder for rods into a lathe by a motorized thruster for sliding and pushing a rod along a guide towards a processing lathe until the rod is taken by the lathe. An automatic control device actuates the thruster to advance according to a first thrust value and a sensor detects the movement of the thruster. If the sensor detects a minimum movement or no movement at all a thrust increase is commanded up to a predetermined maximum value. If the thruster does not move at all, this indicates jamming. |
| US08453542B2 |
Wrench for use with drilling apparatus
The invention relates to a wrench for use with drilling apparatus and which serves for loosening adjacent drill bit segments of a drill bit during drilling of extended holes into the ground and where this involves the insertion of, or the removal of, extension segments from the drill bit. The wrench includes a pair of carrier members whereby it is supported on the support structure of a drilling apparatus, as well as a pair of gripping members, displaceably supported between the carrier members and between which a drill bit segment can be gripped, and piston/cylinder mechanisms whereby the carrier members, and hence the wrench, can be displaced between an inoperative stowed configuration and an operative configuration and whereby the gripping members can be displaced for gripping a drill bit segment and for loosening the segment with respect to an adjacent segment. |
| US08453541B2 |
Reduced weight power tong for turning pipe
A power tong body having a central opening comprises upper and lower cover plates and a rotary gear contained there between. The tong incorporates the centering guide, e.g. rollers, that extend between the rotary gear and respective tong covers. Such centering guides through the central openings in the tong body covers and provide contact surfaces carried that permit differential rotation of the rotary gear with respect to such covers. The rollers may roll on circular races formed by the inside edge face surfaces of the tong covers bordering the central opening. The support rollers may also extend beyond the upper and lower cover plates and engage with a guide surface or race formed on the respective cage plates of the tong, centrally locating such cage plates with respect to the rotary gear while allowing differential rotation of the cage plates with respect to the rotary gear. |
| US08453538B2 |
Cartridge bottom bracket for a bicycle
A cartridge bottom bracket is for a bicycle having a tubular shell with a bore. The bottom bracket includes a spindle having opposing ends and a sealed cartridge disposed within the shell bore and about a central portion of the spindle so as to define opposing free end portions of the spindle. The cartridge includes a pipe having opposing ends, two rolling contact bearings disposed within the pipe adjacent to a separate one of the pipe ends and rotatably coupling the spindle with the pipe, and a tubular spacer disposed about the spindle and extending between the two bearings so as to establish a spacing distance between the bearings. Further, two shaped caps are each mounted on a separate one of the free end portions of the spindle and are disposed axially against a separate one of the bearings to enclose the free end portion of the spindle. |
| US08453536B1 |
Stowable handle apparatus for assisting in repositioning an object
A stowable handle apparatus includes a mounting device configured to facilitate securing the handle apparatus to an object and a grip member mechanically coupled to the mounting device such that the grip member is selectively repositionable between a stowed configuration in which the grip member is adjacent to a portion of the object when the mounting device is secured to the object, and a deployed configuration in which the grip member is oriented in relation to the mounting device such that at least a portion of the grip member extends from the object, with the grip member being operatively engaged with the mounting device in a manner facilitating an action by a user of the handle apparatus imparting a force against the grip member to lift or reposition the object. |
| US08453534B2 |
Braking handlebar for bicycle
A braking handlebar for a bicycle includes a combining device, one end thereof being axially mounted to a handle; a braking handlebar, having a pressing section, a pivoting section and an accommodating section, wherein the pivoting section is pivotally connected to one end of the combining device opposite to the handle, and the accommodating section is in parallel to an axial direction of the handle; and a screw adjusting element, movable mounted to the accommodating section of the braking handlebar and connected to one end of a braking cable; wherein the braking cable is loosened or tightened by using the screw adjusting element. Since the screw adjusting element offers the function of being able to rotate, the braking cable can be prevented from being bent excessively, further from generating friction which may results in brake failure. |
| US08453530B2 |
Linear actuator
Linear actuator device, comprising a housing (2), an externally threaded screw (5) mounted to a piston (9), an internally threaded extended nut (7) and a motor (16) comprising a stator (33) and a rotor element (30) positioned around the extended nut (7), wherein a plurality of first magnets (31) of the rotor element (30) are positioned in relation to the stator (33) such that the stator (33) lies between the extended nut (7) and the first magnets (31) of the rotor element (30). The advantage of the invention is that linear actuators with a high energy density can be manufactured in an easy and cost-effective manner. |
| US08453529B2 |
Gearing for an adjustment device with compensation for play
The invention concerns a gearing for an adjustment device, especially an automotive adjustment device. Included is a threaded spindle as well as a spindle nut sitting on the threaded spindle, while inside a housing of the gearing. On either side of the spindle nut, there is provided a bearing bush to mount the spindle nut inside the gearing housing, while at least one of the bearing bushes consists of flexible material and is clamped under prestressing between the gearing housing and the spindle nut. |
| US08453524B2 |
Solution feeding device
A solution feeding device for feeding a sample solution which is precisely adjusted in the mixed quantity of a standard solution is realized. The solution feeding device comprises: a mixing module (100) including a first passage (101), a second passage (102), and a third passage (103) for providing communications of the midways of those two passages with a higher passage resistance than those of the two passages; a first storage unit (10) communicating with one end side of the first passage for storing a sample solution; a suctioning nebulizer (20) communicating with the other end side of the first passage for sucking the sample solution; a second storage unit (30) communicating through an on-off valve (31) with one end side of the second passage for storing a standard solution; and a syringe pump (40) communicating with the other end side of the second passage for sucking and discharging the standard solution, respectively, in the open state and the closed state of the on-off valve. |
| US08453521B2 |
Bicycle force sensing device
A bicycle force sensing device is basically provided with an attachment member, a translation detecting structure and an orientation detector. The attachment member is configured to be mounted to a bicycle bottom bracket hanger and is configured to receive and rotatably support a crank axle. The translation detecting structure is coupled to the attachment member such that the translation detecting structure senses strain on the attachment member in a first strain measurement direction and in a second strain measurement direction that is nonparallel to the first strain measurement direction. The orientation detector is coupled to the attachment member such that the orientation detector detects an orientation of the attachment member. |
| US08453519B2 |
Torque testing device
A torque testing device includes a base, a clamping device for clamping a fastener, a holing cylinder mounted on the base, a mounting beam mounted on the holding cylinder, a moving component, a rotation component, and a torque wrench. The mounting beam defines a nesting hole. The moving component includes a tubular member received in the nesting hole and a driving component mounted on the mounting beam for driving the tubular member towards the fastener. The rotation component includes a rotation shaft and at least one rotation element positioned between the rotation shaft and the tubular member. The rotation shaft is moved with the tubular member towards the fastener. The rotation shaft is capable of being rotated about the tubular member through the rotation element. The torque wrench is connected to the rotation shaft for applying torque to the rotation shaft and revealing the value of the torque. |
| US08453513B2 |
Pressure-sensor device
A pressure-sensor device (1) comprises: —a pressure-sensitive component (9) having a body, defined in which is a blind cavity, and having a membrane portion (9a), operatively associated to which is a detection element (R); and —a connection structure (2), which has a duct in communication with the cavity of the pressure-sensitive component (9) and is to receive a fluid, a pressure of which is to be detected. The connection structure (2) comprises a supporting body (2a) of the pressure-sensitive component (9), which defines a respective passage (2b), and a compressible element (12, 18) that is designed to be in contact with the fluid and is configured for compensating possible variations of volume thereof. The compressible element (12, 18) is positioned at least in part within the cavity (11) of the pressure-sensitive component (9) and/or in a stretch of the passage (2b) of the supporting body (2a) that is close to the cavity (11) of the pressure-sensitive component (9). |
| US08453506B2 |
Spring mounting element for an accelerometer
A spring mounting element is provided having an inner ring with an inner radial circumference and an outer radial circumference, and an outer ring having an inner radial circumference and an outer radial circumference. A plurality of supporting elements are attached to and symmetrically disposed around the outer radial circumference of the inner ring, and attached to the inner radial circumference of the outer ring. The plurality of supporting elements allow the inner ring to move in three dimensions. |
| US08453503B2 |
Vibrating reed, vibrator, physical quantity sensor, and electronic apparatus
A resonator element includes: drive beams including a first beam and a second beam that vibrate in torsional vibration modes and are elongated side by side in a first direction; support parts that couple one ends and the other ends of the first beam and the second beam; and detection arms elongated from the respective first beam and second beam in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction in a plan view, wherein, in a drive mode, the first beam and the second beam torsionally vibrate in opposite directions to each other, the respective detection arms vibrate in a normal direction of a plane containing the first direction and the second direction, and the detection arm elongated from the first beam and the detection arm elongated from the second beam vibrate in the same direction as each other. |
| US08453502B2 |
Micromechanical structure and method for operating a micromechanical structure
A micromechanical yaw rate sensor includes a substrate having a main plane of extension and two Coriolis elements. The first Coriolis element may be driven to a first vibration along a second direction which is parallel to the main plane of extension. The second Coriolis element may be driven to a second vibration which is antiparallel to the first vibration. A first deflection of the first Coriolis element and a second deflection of the second Coriolis element, in each case along a first direction which is parallel to the main plane of extension and perpendicular to the second direction, may be detected. The micromechanical sensor also has a rocker element indirectly or directly coupled to the first Coriolis element and to the second Coriolis element, which rocker element has a torsional axis essentially parallel to the second direction. |
| US08453496B2 |
Rheometer and rheometric method for testing samples
A method for testing samples uses a rheometer in which a measuring shaft bearing a first measuring part is rotated by a motor and the sample is introduced into a measuring gap between the first measuring part and a further measuring part. The further measuring part is mounted on a further, driven measuring shaft and the two measuring parts are rotated or oscillated at a predetermined speed independently of one another, or brought to a standstill. At the same time or in rapidly succeeding intervals during the same measuring process, the torque and the normal force are determined by a first moment detector and the first measuring unit, and the normal force exerted by the sample on the further measuring part and/or the further measuring shaft and the torque exerted on the further measuring shaft by means of a further separate motor rotating said measuring shaft are determined by means of a further measuring unit and a further moment detector and in that said simultaneously determined measured values are supplied for evaluation. |
| US08453493B2 |
Trace gas sensing apparatus and methods for leak detection
A trace gas sensing apparatus includes a cathode, an anode, a vacuum enclosure, and a membrane. The anode coaxially surrounds the cathode, wherein the cathode and the anode define an annular ionization chamber. The vacuum enclosure surrounds the cathode and the anode and includes a gas inlet fluidly communicating with the ionization chamber. The membrane is coupled to the gas inlet in a sealed manner and is permselective to trace gas. The apparatus may further include circuitry for applying a negative voltage potential to the cathode and for measuring an ion current signal generated by the cathode, and a magnet assembly for generating a magnetic field in the ionization chamber. The cathode may include an elongated member located along a longitudinal axis, and first and second end plates orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. |
| US08453491B2 |
Drop test apparatus
A drop test apparatus performs a drop test on a product. The drop test apparatus includes a drop control module and a support module. The drop control module includes a bottom plate and a support beam substantially perpendicularly attached to the bottom plate. The support module is attached at a predetermined height to the support beam and includes a lever for detecting whether the product is placed in a desired position. A support panel is disposed at a first end of the lever for supporting the product. A second end of the lever is under a predetermined force for maintaining the lever in a balanced state when the product is placed in the desired position. |
| US08453490B2 |
Drop test device
A drop test device for testing the strength of a product includes an operating platform and a hanging mechanism. The operating platform includes a bottom board, a pillar substantially perpendicularly connected to the bottom board and a support member rotatably secured on the pillar. The hanging mechanism is mounted to the pillar, and includes a clamp member for positioning the product. The product is sandwiched by the clamp member so an arris of the product abuts the support member. The support plate is rotated away from the product, so the product can be disengaged from the clamp member and dropped towards the bottom board. |
| US08453486B2 |
System and method for creating a ground bonding strap
A system and method forming a ground bonding strap. A length of cable is measured to determine a segment of cable to stamp to form a pair of connectors. The segment is heated. The segment is stamped to form the pair of connectors. The pair of connectors defining an indentation and a pair of receptacles disposed through the cable. The pair of receptacles being each adjacent to and separated by an indentation. The indentations being positioned to allow a user to cut between the pair of connectors to form a ground bonding strap of a length selected by the user. |
| US08453479B2 |
Glass sheet bending method
A glass sheet bending method for glass sheet bending utilizes a primary actuating mechanism (154) for moving lower and upper mold support linkages (26, 48) from a flat shape to a curved shape of a constant radius provided by connection links (28) and control links (34) of the linkages. The lower and upper linkages (26, 48) having one pair of connector links (28) with control links (34) configured to allow a secondary actuating mechanism (155) to provide linkage movement on one lateral side thereof independently of on their other lateral side. |
| US08453478B2 |
Glass plate manufacturing method and manufacturing device
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 arranged inside a molding chamber; joining and integrating the molten glass just under a lower edge part of the molded body; and drawing downward an integrated sheet-shaped glass ribbon out of an opening of the molding chamber. |
| US08453472B2 |
Rapid chilling apparatus for beverages and method for controlling the same
Rapid chilling apparatus for beverages including a receptacle (2) accommodating beverage containers (3) of differing length, and cooling structure cooling said receptacle (2), wherein said receptacle (2) includes a plurality of electrodes (4), an inner surface (5) supporting a container (3) such that the electrodes (4) turn out as being distributed along the whole length of the container (3), the electrodes (4) being connected to circuit structure (6) detecting and measuring the capacitance value on each electrode (4) due to the presence of a container (3) made of a conductive or non-conductive material in proximity of the same electrode (4) so as to determine the actual length of the container (3), control structure (7) operating said cooling structure in response to the capacitance values detected by said circuit structure (6) for a period of time, the duration depending on the so determined length of the container (3). |
| US08453471B2 |
Air-based cooling for data center rack
A high-velocity low-pressure cooling system (100), especially suited for data center applications, includes an air coolant loop (102), a non-air coolant loop (104) and a cooler unit (126) for heat transfer between the loops (102 and 104). The air loop (102) is used to chill ambient air that is blown across heat transfer surfaces of equipment mounted in data center racks (110). In this manner, effective cooling is provided using a coolant that is benign in data center environments. |
| US08453468B1 |
System and method for thermal control of different heat loads from a single source of saturated fluids
A system and method for controlling cooling of a thermal load having different cooling requirements in different sections based on direct thermal exchange using a two-phase refrigerant employs the pressure/temperature characteristics of the refrigerant to particular benefit for this multi-level cooling system. The two-phase refrigerant is first adjusted to have temperature/enthalpy characteristics chosen as the starting level for different cooling demands at related temperatures. After appropriate generation of a mixture of two-phase refrigerant initial reference temperature and pressure are established. Thereafter, incremental changes in the comprising hot gas and expanded cooled liquid/vapor, an temperature cooling medium area made by lowering the pressure by predetermined amounts, or alternatively by bypassing the pressure drop and proceeding to the next stage. |
| US08453467B2 |
Hybrid heat exchanger
A thermoelectric cooler assembly comprises a cold plate, a first thermoelectric cooler, and a second thermoelectric cooler. The cold plate has a first side and a second side. The first thermoelectric cooler is in thermal communication with the first side of the cold plate, and the second thermoelectric cooler is in thermal communication with the second side of the cold plate. A heat exchanger assembly is also disclosed. |
| US08453464B2 |
Air metering device for gas turbine engine
An air metering apparatus for a secondary air system of gas turbine engine includes a metering gap defined between surfaces comprised of one or more metals having one of similar coefficients of thermal expansion or similar thermal expansions at an operating temperature. Provided is an air metering gap which undergoes thermal growth in a way which provides a suitable air metering gap during engine running conditions. |
| US08453458B2 |
Gas turbine engine variable exhaust nozzle
Variation in the available mixing plane areas in an exhaust arrangement of a gas turbine engine enables alteration and configuration for better thermal cycle performance of that engine. A shaped centre fairing is associated with an exit nozzle and a bypass duct such that channels between the fairing, nozzle exit and duct can be adjusted to change the available areas. Such variation is achieved by relative axial displacement, typically of the exit nozzle using an appropriate mechanism. |
| US08453455B2 |
Paneled combustion liner having nodes
The present invention relates to combustors, and provides a combustion liner that may at least partially contain a combustion process. The combustion liner may include a support structure that supports a plurality of panels. The panels may be in the form of thermal barrier panels, e.g., that are attached to the support structure and/or other parts of the machine. |
| US08453454B2 |
Coannular oil injection nozzle
A premixer is provided and includes a peripheral wall defining a mixing chamber therein through which a flow path for a fluid is defined, a nozzle including an annular splitter plate disposed in the flow path within the mixing chamber, the splitter plate including a trailing edge defined in relation to a predominant direction of fluid flow along the flow path and being formed to define a fuel line therein, which is receptive of oil fuel and an annular array of fuel injectors disposed at the trailing edge, which are each fluidly communicative with the fuel line and configured to inject at least the oil fuel into the flow path with the oil fuel being substantially atomized upon injection or substantially immediately after the injection by interaction with the fluid flowing along the flow path. |
| US08453452B2 |
Method of efficiency and emissions performance improvement for the simple steam cycle
A method for improvement of a fossil fuel energy conversion into electrical energy for the simple sub- and supercritical steam cycle is proposed through introduction of additional regenerative cycle duties to improve the evaporation rate per unit of fuel burned, thus minimizing condenser heat loss of the working media. The additional duties provide a supplemental energy credit in the form of heat input to a steam generator where a modified combustion process is realized to convert fossil fuel into carbon monoxide and hydrogen at atmospheric pressure and thus achieving an essential reduction of nitrogen oxides (NOx) formation. The additional duties also involve a direct contact heat transfer to recover latent and thermal energy, contained in the discharged combustion products to provide yet another energy credit that satisfies both conventional and/or added regenerative cycle duties. A water surplus is also achieved in the said process of heat recovery from the combustion products to significantly improve water usage of the simple steam plant. The proposed heat recovery process also minimizes coolant usage while achieving a complete water recovery from combustion products and maintaining draft capabilities in the stack. |
| US08453451B2 |
Operation method of nuclear power plant
In a nuclear power plant, thermal power in a second operation cycle of a nuclear reactor is uprated from thermal power in a first operation cycle preceding the second operation cycle by at least one operation cycle. A proportion of steam extracted from a steam system and introduced to a feedwater heater, which is in particular extracted from an intermediate point and an outlet of a high pressure turbine, with respect to a flow rate of main steam, is reduced in the second operation cycle from that in the first operation cycle such that the temperature of feedwater discharged from the feedwater heater is lowered by 1° C. to 40° C. in the second operation cycle. |
| US08453450B2 |
Steam turbine plant
An exemplary steam plant having a steam circuit which includes a superheater defining a boundary between a superheated steam region and an unsuperheated steam region. The steam circuit includes a branch, from a superheated steam region of the steam circuit, with a branch valve and a steam desuperheater upstream of the branch valve. The desuperheater provides cooling to the branch during flow mode operation of the branch. During a no flow mode, a first preheat line and a second preheat line provide the cooling by supplying unsuperheated steam to the branch and directing this flow through to a lower pressure region of the steam circuit. |
| US08453449B2 |
Vertical axis solar powered generator
An electrical power generation system comprises a vertical axis solar powered generator having a bottom side grounded and a top side connected to a vertical rotor shaft, a central rotating hub having a center connected to the vertical rotor shaft, a solar energy collecting and converting unit enclosed in a transparent dome mounted on a top side of the central rotating hub, and a plurality of rotating arms having a proximal end secured to the central rotating hub and a distal end connected to a dual-V roller bearing. The system further comprises an electric motor with a propeller mounted proximate to the distal end of rotating arms, a shroud attached to ground, and a pair of hollow tubes attached to the shroud. Solar energy collecting and converting unit provides electric energy to electric motor which turns the propeller and rotates the rotating arms thereby causing electric energy generation by generator. |
| US08453445B2 |
Axial turbine with parallel flow compressor
A turbocharger including a turbine wheel having a hub-to-tip ratio of no more than 60% and blades with a high turning angle, a turbine housing forming an inwardly spiraling primary-scroll passageway that significantly converges to produce highly accelerated airflow into the turbine at high circumferential angles, and a two-sided parallel compressor. The compressor and turbine each produce substantially no axial force, allowing the use of minimal axial thrust bearings. |
| US08453439B2 |
Torque converter turbine side bearing centering and retention on the stator
A torque converter, including: a washer for a thrust bearing, the washer including a first circumferential surface facing radially outward; a stator hub with a second circumferential surface facing radially inward and free of an interlocking engagement with the first circumferential surface; and a shell for a turbine, the shell including a third circumferential surface facing radially inward. The washer is radially inwardly retained by contact between the first circumferential surface and the second or third circumferential surface. In a preferred embodiment, the washer is radially centered by contact between the first circumferential surface and the second or third circumferential surface. In another preferred embodiment, the hub includes at least one radially inwardly extending protrusion and the washer is retainable in an axial direction by the at least one protrusion. |
| US08453436B2 |
Aftertreatment injector anti-fouling device
An anti-fouling device for an internal combustion engine aftertreatment injector includes a member mountable as an interface between an exhaust conduit and the aftertreatment injector. The member has an inlet to receive air from an air source, and is formed with a passageway to guide the received air to at least one outlet to direct the air to a nozzle of the injector. The air flow surrounds the nozzle to prevent or inhibit exhaust gas from the exhaust conduit from contacting the nozzle. |
| US08453434B2 |
Method for adapting an SCR catalytic converter in an exhaust system of a motor vehicle
A method for adapting a kinetic model of a SCR is described. In one example, the kinetic model is adapted for stored ammonia, ammonia release rate, and ammonia storage capacity. The method may be useful for adjusting engine control parameters for the purpose of reducing engine emissions. |
| US08453433B2 |
Exhaust gas purification device for internal combustion engine
An exhaust gas purification device for an internal combustion engine, in which a catalyst installed in an exhaust passage is quickly heated to the activation temperature of the catalyst. The exhaust gas purification device has a NOx purification catalyst (33) for adsorbing or occluding NOx in exhaust gas and reducing the NOx, a catalytic converter (31) installed at that position of an exhaust pipe (4) which is upstream of the NOx purification catalyst (33), a fuel reformer (50) installed separately from the exhaust pipe (4), producing a reformed gas, and supplying the reformed gas, as a reducing gas, into the exhaust pipe (4) from an introduction opening (14) formed in that portion of the exhaust pipe (4) which is upstream of the NOx purification catalyst (33) and the catalytic converter (31), and an ECU (40) which, while the exhaust gas air-fuel ratio is being set to be lean, supplies the reducing gas into the exhaust pipe (4) and controls at least one of a throttle valve (9), an EGR valve (13), and a turbocharger (8) to regulate the flow rate of the exhaust gas flowing in the exhaust pipe (4). |
| US08453431B2 |
Engine-out NOx virtual sensor for an internal combustion engine
A method for controlling an internal combustion engine includes monitoring engine operation including a parameter descriptive of NOx generation within the engine, determining a fast transient NOx estimate with a dynamic model based upon the monitored engine operation, and during a fast transient engine operation including an increase in an operating state of the engine and a substantial closing of an exhaust gas recirculation valve, controlling an engine system based upon the fast transient NOx estimate. |
| US08453427B2 |
Nano-particle field extraction thruster
A nano-particle field extraction system comprising a grid having a plurality of electrodes each defining an electrical field, wherein the grid has a plurality of vias extending therethrough. The system further comprises a reservoir having a generally dry mixture disposed therein, a plurality of particles suspended in the generally dry mixture, a biasing member applying a biasing force to the generally dry mixture in the reservoir, and a sieve electrode system in electrical communication with the grid. The sieve electrode system has a plurality of through-holes extending from the reservoir to the grid, such that the sieve electrode system cooperates with the biasing member to extract at least one particle from the generally dry mixture and into the grid whereby the electrical fields charge and accelerate the particle in the vias. |
| US08453422B2 |
Method of and apparatus for wrapping a stack of objects with a film
An apparatus for wrapping a stack of objects with a film has first and second supplies of films and a pull-down device shiftable vertically along the stack of objects. A film-feed head has a drive roller rotatable about an axis in the film feed head and first and second pairs of counterrollers angularly offset from each other relative to the drive-roller axis. The drive roller and the pairs of counterrollers are relatively shiftable between end positions in each of which one of the pairs is spaced from the drive roller and the other pair is engaged with the drive roller. The first and second films pass between the respective first and second pairs and the drive roller. An actuator can shift the first and the second pairs of rollers relative the drive roller for pinching the films against the drive roller and, on rotation of the drive roller. |
| US08453421B2 |
Method of packaging record rolls of cover tape and package
The method for packaging together a plurality of record rolls of cover tape according to the present invention comprises wrapping a stack obtained by roughly coaxially stacking said record rolls in a heat-shrink film; and heat-shrinking said heat-shrink film, so that a pressure of at least 0.8 mN/mm2 and at most 1.2 mN/mm2 is applied between the record rolls. This method will not deform the rolled state after packaging, while suppressing the occurring of roll collapse when exposed to a high-temperature environment or a low-temperature environment. |
| US08453419B2 |
Method and device for stretch blow molding or blow molding and filling sterile containers
A method for blow molding and filling sterile containers of preforms in a container treatment device containing a blow module, in which the preforms are transferred from a heating device to the blow module via transport devices, and the containers are transported to a filling machine and filled, where a sterilization treatment is performed each at the preforms and the containers, a main sterilization treatment is performed at the preforms between the heating device and the blow module, and only a subsequent sterilization treatment is performed at the containers on the transport path to the filling machine. Further, a device having a main sterilization module between the heating device and the blow module, and a subsequent sterilization module between the blow module and the filling machine. |
| US08453418B2 |
Document inserting apparatus
An apparatus for inserting a document into an envelope. The apparatus includes a mechanism for holding an envelope at an insert station; pivotally mounted fingers for opening the envelope; and a platform for guiding the document over the fingers and into the envelope. The platform is pivoted at an upstream end and upwardly spring biased so that the platform is depressed against the spring bias, by an amount dependent on the weight of the insert document moving over, so that a light insert document follows a path which subtends a steeper angle to the horizontal compared to a heavy insert document. |
| US08453410B2 |
Synthetic shingle or tile with stress relief nail zones
A roof covering of shingles or tiles is provided, with each shingle or tile being relatively rigid, having relatively flexible stress relief nail zones, that may comprise variations in thickness relative to the remainder of the shingle or tile, or variations in materials, such as will allow for relative movement of the shingles or tiles due to temperature variations resulting in expansion or contraction, or due to other forces, such that the movement will be between the shingles or the tiles and the nails or other fasteners that are used to secure the shingles or tiles to a roof or other surface, and is preferably within the elastic limits of the fastening zones of the shingles or tiles. |
| US08453407B2 |
Seismic clip
A seismic clip for suspended ceiling grid tees that offers high strength, rigidity, versatility and ease of assembly while improving the ability of a clip to self-align with a grid tee. The clip includes a lanced tab that serves to establish and maintain alignment of the clip body and the tee to which it is assembled whereby a tendency of a clip to be tilted upwardly relative to the tee is eliminated or greatly reduced. The alignment tab serves to initially align the clip and tee either when it is assembled by snapping it over the tee or by sliding the tee endwise into the clip. The tab is configured so that it does not unduly add to the assembly force level when the clip is snapped over the tee or when the tee and clip are slipped endwise together. |
| US08453402B2 |
Frame unit of a curtain wall
A frame unit of a curtain wall has a mullion, a beam and a connecting device. The mullion has a mullion recess and a mullion channel. The beam is substantially the same as the mullion and has a beam recess and a beam channel. The connecting device has a first group and a second group. The first group has a plate, two chunks and two bolts. The plate is mounted in the mullion recess. The chunks are mounted in the mullion channel. The bolts are mounted through the plate and are respectively screwed into the chunks. The second group is the same as the first group and is similarly connected with the beam. Because one beam can be connected with and spreads forces to multiple mullions, a structure of a curtain wall can be enhanced. |
| US08453400B2 |
Prestressed, strong foam glass tiles
A prestressed, strong foam glass tile for use in construction. The prestressed, strong foam glass tiles of the present invention are capable of withstanding relatively large prestressing as a result of their relatively high compression strength. These prestressed, foam glass tiles will absorb and/or withstand more energy from an explosion, withstand higher heat and wind loading and other mechanical forces than traditional foam glass tiles. The foam glass tile of the present invention is strong enough that it can be prestressed over 1000 psi (lb./sq. in.), and more preferably over 2,000, 3,000, 4,000 and even more preferably over 5,000 psi. The prestressed, strong foam glass tiles of the present invention may be included as part of a prestressed assembly. Said prestressed assembly may be comprised of two metal members, one or more prestressed foam glass tiles, and a tension member such as a tension bolt and/or wires. |
| US08453399B2 |
Roof batten
A roof batten integrally-formed of plastic with spaced, generally parallel upper and lower surfaces and a series of struts connecting the upper and lower surfaces, to form chambers permitting the fluid passage from the back edge to the front edge of the batten when it is affixed generally horizontally along a roof surface. |
| US08453398B1 |
Rolling cabinet support system
A support system is provided and includes first and second raised floor tiles, a ramp and sheeting. The ramp includes first and second edges and is disposable with the first edge adjacent to the first raised floor tile and the second edge adjacent to the second raised floor tile. The ramp has a substantially similar thickness as the first raised floor tile at the first edge and a different thickness from the second raised floor tile at the second edge. The sheeting is disposable on the second raised floor tile to abut the second edge of the ramp and has a thickness such that a combined thickness of the sheeting and the second raised floor tile is substantially similar to the thickness of the ramp at the second edge. |
| US08453395B2 |
Modular stairway system and kit therefor
A stairway system, kit and method for assembling the kit are provided, the system including pre-fabricated components such as steps, stringers, decorative moldings and panels or boards, etc., on site. The kit comprises a step module and an adjacent step module, the step module comprising a riser and a tread, the riser being adapted to abut the tread on a first side thereof and being adapted to define a fastener-mating portion on a second side thereof. The tread is adapted to be secured atop the riser on one side thereof. The adjacent step module comprises a riser and a tread, the adjacent step module being adapted to be assembled with the step module by engaging a fastener with the fastener-mating portion of the step module and securing the fastener to the tread of the adjacent step module to secure the two step modules together. |
| US08453394B2 |
Solar cell module securing structure
A solar cell module securing structure includes a solar cell module, a first securing member that supports the solar cell module, a second securing member that includes an installation connecting portion having an installing portion on which the first securing member is installed, an inclined connecting portion extending from the installation connecting portion, and an abutting portion that is bent from the inclined connecting portion so as to extend along a structural surface of a roof structural member, and spacer members which are laminated between the first securing member and the second securing member at multiple stages. Further, a long hole portion having a long hole shape, which penetrates through the installing surface, is formed on the installing portion of the installation connecting portion, thereby making fine adjustment of a securing position of the first securing member with respect to the second securing member. |
| US08453393B2 |
Encapsulated and vented particulate thermal insulation
An article includes a piece of encapsulated insulation including an envelope having at least two vents therethrough, a particulate insulation within the envelope, and a porous filter overlying each vent of the envelope. The porous filter has a mesh size no larger that the minimum size of the particles. The article may further include a structure having a structure surface, and the piece of encapsulated insulation overlies and covers at least a portion of the structure surface. |
| US08453385B2 |
Safety edge door apparatus
A safety door apparatus is described that includes a door with a removable and replaceable safety edge. The door defines a notch in at least one of the elongate edges of the door. The notch defines a recessed surface that conformingly mates with the resilient safety edge. A safety hinge assembly connects to the door and receives the safety edge. The recessed surface of the notch can extend partially or the full length of the elongate edge of the door. The safety edge can similarly extend partially or the full length of the elongate edge of the door. The safety door can include multiple configurations of removable and replaceable edge portions that can include a non-safety edge. A decorative molding is positionable over the connection between the safety edge and notch. |
| US08453384B2 |
Child safe door, frame and hinge assembly
A door, frame and hinge assembly (10) includes a door (12) having a main body (24) with a hinge side defined by a convexly curved surface (14), and a frame (16, 70, 76) having a hinge side defined by a door jamb cavity (26). A hinge means (22) connects the hinge side of the door (12) to the hinge side of the frame (16, 70, 76) through a hinge pivot point (45). The convexly curved surface (14) extends beyond the location of the hinge pivot point (45) towards, and locates within, the cavity (26), so as to allow the door (12) to open without a gap being created between the hinge side of the door and the frame that may cause finger-pinch injury. The convexly curved surface (14) may be the curved surface of a cylindrical quarter segment (14a). The hinge side of the door (12) is formed integrally or continuously with the main body (24) of the door and extends into the door jamb cavity (26). The cavity (26) is defined at one side by the doorstop face (20) of a hinge side door jamb (16) and at the opposite side by a stationary wing (44) of the hinge means, with an innermost side of the cavity being defined by a hinge side wall stud (70). |
| US08453380B1 |
Horticulture and floriculture motivating system
A horticulture and floriculture device that typically includes a track system, a plurality of hanging basket receiving hooks, and at least one motor assembly is provided. The track system receives and carries a moveable chain system and typically includes a plurality of track segments that have a chain carrying portion and an upper portion. The track segments are interconnected with one another to create a travel path. The moveable chain system includes a series of interconnected chain links having an aperture wherein the chain links include horizontally oriented and vertically oriented chain links. The plurality of hanging basket receiving hooks have a cap portion having a base and a main hook portion between the distal end and the base of the cap portion where the cap portion engages, is at least partially spaced within, and is seated in the chain link's aperture such that the chain is capable of moving within the track and carrying the hook around the track with the main hook portion accessible by a user to hang a hanging basket on the hook. |
| US08453376B2 |
Full spectrum sunshine simulation apparatus for developing biological growth
Disclosed is a full spectrum sunshine simulation apparatus for developing biological growth which comprises a full spectrum light emitting diode module and a photoperiod controller. Therein, the full spectrum light emitting diode module includes a printed circuit board and a plurality of full spectrum light emitting diodes, wherein the luminescence spectrum of the full spectrum light emitting diodes has a wavelength range of 350 nm to 800 nm. The photoperiod controller, connected to the full spectrum light emitting diode module, is in charge of lighting periods of the plurality of full spectrum light emitting diodes, color temperatures and emitting angles of the lights emitted from the plurality of full spectrum light emitting diodes, thereby simulating a environment under artificial sunlight. |
| US08453375B2 |
Rig for fishing
A rig for ice fishing has an elongated rod having two vertically spaced connection members at one end and an eyelet at an opposite distal end. A line member adapted to be vertically dropped through a hole in a portion of ice that has formed upon a body of water, the line member including an upper end portion adapted to be held by a fisherman out of and above the water and ice, and a lower end portion having a weight member attached thereto. A first connecting means attached to the line and a second connecting means attached on the line and below the first connecting means; the first and second connecting means joining so as to form an elongated rod thus biased and held substantially horizontally below the surface of the water and ice while being used. A reel member including a tensioning member attached to the elongated rod, and a fishing line member including a hook member on a distal end, wherein the fishing line member connects to a reel line and the reel line passes through an eyelet which forms the opposite end of the elongated rod and is attached and wound upon the reel member. |
| US08453368B2 |
Active stabilization targeting correction for handheld firearms
An electromechanical system translates an “aiming error” signal from a target tracking system into dynamic “pointing corrections” for handheld devices to drastically reduce pointing errors due to man-machine wobble without specific direction by the user. The active stabilization targeting correction system works by separating the “support” features of the handheld device from the “projectile launching” features, and controlling their respective motion by electromechanical mechanisms. When a target is visually acquired, the angular deflection (both horizontal windage and vertical elevation) and aiming errors due to man-machine wobble (both vertical and horizontal) from the target's location to the current point-of-aim can be quickly measured by the ballistic computer located internal to a target tracking device. These values are transmitted to calibrated encoded electromechanical actuators that position the isolated components to rapidly correct angular deflection to match the previous aiming error. |
| US08453366B2 |
Magazine loader
A magazine loader is disclosed that facilitates the rapid loading of firearms magazines. A loader, as disclosed, can receive magazines and ammunition and, by means of manipulation of a handle or shaft, a gear within the loader may motivate a plate to push ammunition into a magazine. Ammunition may be pushed into the magazine until the magazine is filled to capacity. Once filled, the magazine may be ejected from the loader by operation of the plate. Ammunition and magazines may be oriented in any manner and several magazines may be loaded at once. |
| US08453363B2 |
Interactive systems for consumers and associated methods
A method of interacting with a component of a product at a display location is provided. The method includes moving a moveable assembly comprising a filtration device along a track component toward a stationary assembly mounted to a base. The track component guides the moveable assembly toward the adapter. The filtration device is connected to the adapter. |
| US08453358B2 |
Dual compression spring ram
A snowplow assembly includes a mount assembly operatively connected to an associated vehicle, a plow blade assembly pivotally connected to the mount assembly, and a cylinder with a first end pivotally connected to the mount assembly and a second end pivotally connected to the plow blade assembly. The cylinder can include at least one resilient member. The resilient member exerts a force in a first direction when the plow blade assembly is in a first angled position, and the resilient member exerts a force in a second direction when the plow blade assembly is in a second angled position. |
| US08453357B2 |
Article of footwear incorporating illuminable strands
An article of footwear may include an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes at least one illuminable strand located to be visible from an exterior of the article of footwear. In some configurations, the upper includes a power source at least partially embedded within the upper and electrically-coupled to the illuminable strand. In another configuration, the upper includes a foundation layer and a cover layer that are secured to each other, and the illuminable strand is located between the foundation layer and the cover layer. |
| US08453351B1 |
Shoe with a height-adjustable heel
A shoe with a height-adjustable heel including a heel having a first heel member fixedly attached to the sole and a second heel member telescopically disposed within the first heel member which is operated by a hydraulic pump disposed in the first heel member and a pump lever, pivotally disposed on a rear wall of the first heel member, by which the hydraulic pump is activated to extend and retract the second heel member to respectively lengthen and shorten the heel and which also includes a twist-lock valve mechanism in a heel tip that controls the passage of air into the hydraulic pump. |
| US08453348B2 |
Methods of making polymeric articles and polymeric articles formed thereby
Methods of making molded articles and the articles formed by the method, particularly viscoelastic gel articles. |
| US08453344B2 |
Shoe sole with reinforcing structure and shoe sole with shock-absorbing structure
A shoe sole includes a mid sole, and a reinforcing member reinforcing a portion of the mid sole, wherein the member (2) extends over an area from a mid foot part (12) to a rear foot part (13), the member (2) including: a rod-shaped or strip-shaped main bar (21) provided along a line that is at the center of the foot; mid foot medial blades (22) and (23) and mid foot lateral blades (24 and 25) extending from the bar (21) in the part (12); a plurality of rear foot blades (26a and 26b) extending from the bar (21) in the part (13), wherein the blades (22 to 26b) are integral with the bar (21), the blades (22 to 25) are attached to a lower surface of the mid sole, and at least a portion of each of the blades (26a and 26b) is buried in the part (13). |
| US08453339B2 |
Laser beam delivery in a spatial measuring device
A coordinate measuring robotic device includes a housing movably supported on a base and mounting a vertical pillar along which rides a carriage engaged by a horizontally translating arm carrying a probe. The movement of the housing, carriage, and probe can be driven by motors in the housing transmitted by a cable and pulley assembly. Tools such as a laser beam emitter can be located on the arm and supplied with laser light by a plurality of mirrors positioned on the device. |
| US08453335B2 |
Method and apparatus determination of wheel assembly configuration
A vehicle wheel assembly service system configured to acquire measurements of the physical characteristics of a vehicle wheel assembly such as during a vehicle wheel balancing procedure, with the functionality to obtain and utilize a measurement of a vehicle wheel assembly offset or rear spacing. The vehicle wheel assembly service system is configured to display the wheel assembly offset or rear spacing measurement to an operator, and optionally, to display guidance and/or installation instructions to the operator associated with the installation of the vehicle wheel assembly on a vehicle. The displayed guidance and/or installation instructions may optionally include fitment information, vehicle performance data, or vehicle braking data. |
| US08453332B2 |
Hand tool and method for cutting plastic fiber optic cable without error
Method and apparatus for cutting and terminating POF cable with error prevention. The apparatus comprises a hand tool with a blade supporting top bar linked to a bottom bar. The bottom bar comprises two aligned rows of holes perpendicular to the blade and opposite each other with a space between the rows for providing the blade the movement space needed for the cutting and terminating POF cable when at least one of the top bar and the bottom bar is pressed against the other. |
| US08453330B2 |
Electromagnet flow regulator, system, and methods for regulating flow of an electrically conductive fluid
Embodiments include electromagnetic flow regulators for regulating flow of an electrically conductive fluid, systems for regulating flow of an electrically conductive fluid, methods of regulating flow of an electrically conductive fluid, nuclear fission reactors, systems for regulating flow of an electrically conductive reactor coolant, methods of regulating flow of an electrically conductive reactor coolant in a nuclear fission reactor, and methods of fabricating an electromagnetic flow regulator for regulating flow of an electrically conductive fluid. |
| US08453326B2 |
Method for assembling radially loaded vane assembly of gas turbine engine
A method for assembling a vane ring with a vane support of a vane assembly in a gas turbine engine is described, and includes flexing each of the radial loading elements into the resiliently flexed state simultaneously by sliding the radial loading elements against corresponding lead-in tapers. This can be achieved, for example, using a guide tool which includes a plurality of segments bearing the lead-in tapers and which is previously assembled to the vane support. |
| US08453324B2 |
Method of manufacturing FPCB substrate
A method for manufacturing a FPCB substrate includes the following steps. First, a FPCB material including an insulation layer and an electrically conductive layer formed on the insulation layer is provided. The electrically conductive layer has a first surface and an opposite second surface. The insulation layer has a third surface and an opposite fourth surface. The third surface comes into contact with the second surface. Secondly, a through hole extends from the first surface to the fourth surface is formed. The through hole includes a metal hole in the electrically conductive layer and an insulation hole in the insulation layer. Thirdly, the insulation hole is enlarged to expose a portion of the electrically conductive layer around the metal hole. Finally, the exposed portion is bent to form a hook which passes through the enlarged insulation hole and protrudes out from the fourth surface of the insulation layer. |
| US08453316B2 |
Method of manufacturing magnetic head having a patterned pole layer and method of forming a patterned layer
A method of forming a magnetic head comprises the steps of: selectively exposing through the use of a photomask a photoresist layer unpatterned; forming a pattern for forming a pole layer by developing the photoresist layer after the exposure; and forming the pole layer through the use of the pattern. The photomask includes first to third regions. The first region has such a perimeter that a projection image thereof is shaped along a perimeter of an ideal shape of the top surface of the pole layer. The second region touches the perimeter of the first region, and is located outside the first region. The third region is located inside the first region without touching the perimeter of the first region. The third region suppresses deviation of the pole layer from its desired shape which may be caused by the effect of light reflected while the photoresist layer is exposed. |
| US08453309B2 |
Method for changing a belt in a machine assembly using a gripper having moveable opposed legs
In a device or method to change a belt in a machine assembly, a gripper is provided with two flat legs. The legs are held at one end and are free at the other ends. The legs are provided with a respective protective film on side surfaces facing towards one another to protect the belt. A first of the two legs facing towards the machine assembly in an exchange of the belt have a sliding film on its outer surface. The legs are designed such that they exert a gripping force over a width of the belt after sliding onto the belt and grip the belt so that the belt can be slid onto or removed from rollers of at least one of the roller types selected from the group consisting of a drive roller and a deflection roller provided in the machine assembly. |
| US08453305B2 |
Peen finishing
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for processing a metallic gear comprising providing a gear, directing a first peening media at the metallic gear thereby exposing a plurality of surfaces on the metallic gear to the first peening media whereby the strength and wear properties of the teeth roots of the gear are enhanced, directing a second peening media at the metallic gear thereby exposing a plurality of surfaces on the metallic gear to the second peening media whereby the KSI of the surface of the gear is enhanced, providing a container, placing a fine finishing medium in the container, placing the gear with the fine finishing medium in the container, coupling vibrations to the container to vibrate the fine finishing medium with the wetted gear, removing the gear from the container, washing the gear and rinsing the gear with rust inhibitor. |
| US08453294B2 |
Upright vacuum cleaner having path switching apparatus
An upright vacuum cleaner having a path switching apparatus are provided. The upright vacuum cleaner may include: a cleaner body, a hose which introduces air including dust into a dust collection unit, an extension pipe which is connected to the hose and is attached to/detached from the cleaner body, a suction port assembly connected to a bottom of the cleaner body, and a path switching apparatus installed in the cleaner body. The path switching apparatus includes an actuator, a rotary valve which pivotally rotates when the actuator operates, and a valve housing in which the rotary valve is built, wherein the rotary valve is curvedly formed so that the rotary valve forms a duct along with an inner circumferential surface of the valve housing to select a first path or a second path. |
| US08453293B1 |
Vacuum head
A vacuum head for a rotary cleaning head is disclosed that has a vacuum port arm defining a vacuum port, and a vacuum slot arm defining a vacuum slot. The vacuum head may be L-shaped, its vacuum port may extend along a radius of the rotary cleaning head, and its vacuum slot may extend in the direction of rotation of the rotary cleaning head. The vacuum slot receives vacuum from the vacuum port, and is operable to vacuum up at least most of any cleaning fluid that collects on the leading side of the vacuum head, to prevent that cleaning fluid from being slung outwardly from the rotary cleaning head. The leading side of the vacuum port arm and the leading end of the vacuum slot arm may be tapered to help the vacuum head ski up and over any fixed obstacles it encounters. |
| US08453290B2 |
Wiper driving apparatus
The present invention relates to a wiper apparatus in which it is easy to replace a wiper blade without this leading to any erroneous operation. When a wiper operation has been stopped by a wiper driving apparatus 31, the wiper driving apparatus causes the wiper arms to first move to a housing position and then stops the wiper arms. When wiper blades are to be replaced, an IG switch 33 is turned off during a wiper operation. If the IG switch 33 is turned off while the wiper arms are within a first stopping range, then the wiper arms are stopped at that position and the blades are replaced. If the wiper arms are stopped outside the first stopping range, then they are first moved to a bottom inverted position or a housing position and are then stopped. |
| US08453289B2 |
Gutter cleaning robot
A gutter cleaning robot can traverse rain gutters to agitate and remove debris. The gutter cleaning robot is equipped with a debris auger at a front end that contacts and ejects the debris, and has a drive system for propelling the gutter cleaning robot along the rain gutter. The debris auger can include a spiral screw or various other forms of auger, and may be interchangeable by the user so as to enhance the effectiveness of the gutter cleaning robot in various environments or modes of operation. |
| US08453287B2 |
Brush head for a toothbrush
A toothbrush head having a cleaning element support attached to a cleaning head support is described. The cleaning element support has a plurality of cleaning element support segments which are movable relative to each other. Each of the plurality of cleaning element support segments is outboard of a central portion of the cleaning element support. A top surface of cleaning element support defines a first plan and a top surface of at least one of the plurality of cleaning element support segments defines a second plane. The first plane and the second plane are not co-planar. A plurality of cleaning elements is attached to the central portion and each of the plurality of cleaning element support segments. |
| US08453286B2 |
Hair brush
A hair brush is shown and disclosed. The hair brush has a row of loops on the first side running from near the handle to the top mounted in a retention material. Next to the row of loops, is located a row of bundles of boar bristles. These groupings of boar bristles are a bundle of individual boar bristles mounted in the retention material. This alternating pattern of lines or rows of loops and bristles continues to the other side of the brush and the last row near the second side is a row of loops. The loops can be configured such that they are parallel to the sides or the top. These rows of loops on the sides of the hair brush help to keep the hair brush from pulling on and possibly damaging the hair extensions that have been installed into a users natural hair. The bundles of boar bristles provide additional shine and manageability to the hair. Also shown is an arrangement of a single loop surrounded by a plurality of bristles and mounted in the retention material. The base of the brush can take many different shapes such as round, semi-circular, square and rectangular. The base can vary in size, wherein the base is large for salon use and smaller for personal carry use. The density of the loops and bristles can also be varied dependent upon the design criteria and type of hair or hair extensions. |
| US08453285B2 |
Vibrating toothbrush and a replaceable brush head for use with the same
A vibrating toothbrush comprising a handle including a body with a tubular member extending outwardly from one end. A replaceable sleeve slides over the tubular member and detachably engages the body. One or more of the sleeve, tubular member and body incorporates a vibration damping zone for reducing vibration transmission from the sleeve to the handle. The damping zone is one of a material that differs in damping properties to the material of the rest of the toothbrush; a hole defined in the one of the sleeve, tubular member and body, and a toothbrush where that hole is filled with an elastomeric material. |
| US08453283B2 |
Patient support apparatus with movable siderail assembly
A patient support apparatus includes a base, a frame coupled to the base, a deck supported by the frame and capable of moving relative to the frame, and a siderail assembly movable between a raised position above the deck and a first lowered position below the deck. The patient support apparatus further includes a siderail mover coupled to the deck to move the siderail assembly from the first lowered position to a second lowered position in response to movement of the deck relative to the frame. |
| US08453282B2 |
Patient support apparatus
A patient support system particularly suited for pediatric twin separation surgery. The patient support system includes a frame coupled to a swing circle that has a plurality of holes about the perimeter. A patient support structure is coupled to the swing circle, and disposed in a fixed relationship to the frame after rotation of the swing circle relative to the frame. A chain-and-sprocket mechanism is coupled to the frame and swing circle and positioned within the frame. At least one support leg depends from the frame, and may extend or retract relative to the frame. A drape cage is coupled to the frame for supporting a surgical drape thereon. At least one support wheel is connected to the support leg, and adapted to be interchangeably fixed in a static position and rotatable to move the frame. A substantially identical second frame may be connected in series to the frame for operative procedures. |
| US08453280B2 |
Quilt-style sleeping bag with associated sleeping pad attachment system and method of use thereof
A quilt-style sleeping bag including clip, buckles, snaps, hook and loop material, buttons or any other suitable attachment means secured with the bag proximate the left and right longitudinal edges of the bag that are adapted to cooperatively couple with a cord, strap, string, rope or cable (hereafter collectively referred to as “cords”) that extends widthwise across a sleeping pad is described. The clips in conjunction with the complimentary cords permit a user to secure the left and right edges of the bag to the top side of the sleeping pad and furthermore, hold the edges of the bag against the top side of the sleeping pad. Accordingly, the ability of the edges to lift up and permit cold air to enter the interior volume of the bag and the pad combination is minimized, despite normal movements of a user during sleep. |
| US08453279B2 |
Underchair pet rest
A sheet disposed in a chair underside and attachable to the legs of the chair is disclosed. The sheet is configured for forming a downward droop from the weight of a pet and is designed to provide a comfortable resting place for a household cat and other pets as well as provide storage for various household items. The sheet may be attached to the chair by straps connected to and protruding from the perimeter of the sheet. Stiffening bars may be used to reinforce the sides of the sheet. Flaps attached to the sheet perimeter and attachable to the seat may be used to provide a dark and concealed environment for the pet to rest. |
| US08453278B2 |
Infant support structure with accessibility feature
The present invention relates to an infant support structure. In particular, the present invention relates to an infant support structure with a movable portion that facilitates access to a particular area or portion of the infant support structure. |
| US08453275B2 |
Combination bathtub and spa
A combination bathtub and spa includes a tub enclosure that is adapted to contain a quantity of water, a drain having a drain valve that may be opened to drain water from the tub enclosure or closed to retain water therein, a supply system for supplying water to the tub enclosure, and a lid that is adapted to removably cover the tub enclosure. The combination bathtub and spa also includes a pump having an inlet and an outlet, a suction line that provides a path for water from the tub enclosure to the inlet of the pump, a jet nozzle that is located in the sidewall of the tub enclosure, and a jet nozzle supply line that provides a path for water from the outlet of the pump to the jet nozzle. A filter is provided to filter the water that flows into the tub enclosure, as well as a heater for heating the water that flows into the tub enclosure. A control valve is adapted to open to allow water to flow through the filter or to close to stop the flow of water through the filter. |
| US08453270B2 |
Patterned heat management material
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to body gear having designed performance characteristics, and in particular to methods and apparatuses that utilize an array of heat managing elements coupled to a base material to direct body heat while also maintaining the desired transfer properties of the base material. In some embodiments, the heat managing material elements include heat management elements that reflect heat or conduct heat, and may be directed towards the body of a user or away from the body of the user. |
| US08453268B2 |
Head suspension headband
A head suspension headband includes an elongated headband having a band length and configured to be disposed across a forehead of a user, and a plurality of suspension elements disposed along the band length and configured to contact the forehead of a user. |
| US08453264B2 |
Multi-layer passive water barrier system
A garment comprises a body fabric having a durable water-repellent finish that substantially resists water entry pressure. At least one vent is provided in an opening in the body fabric. The vent comprises an exterior layer, an interior layer, and a spacer layer positioned between the interior layer and the exterior layer. The exterior layer and the interior layer include a durable water repellent finish that does not substantially resist water entry pressure. The spacer includes a plurality of air passages and separates the interior layer and the exterior layer such that the interior layer does not contact the exterior layer within the vent. |
| US08453263B2 |
System to improve swinging motion
A shirt for improving a swinging motion of a user wearing the shirt includes front and rear panels each having corresponding top, bottom and generally opposing side edges, wherein the front and rear panels are adjoined to each other by the top and side edges, defining an interior space of the shirt. The front and rear panels include sleeve cutouts formed on each side edge adjacent the top edge, and a neck cutout formed on the top edges of the front and rear panels. At least one tubular sleeve is permanently joined to the front and rear panels of at least one of the sleeve cutouts, the tubular sleeve defining an inside area, the inside area being fluidly connected to the interior space of the shirt. A member is substantially adjacent to the sleeve cutout and the side edges of both the front and rear panels. |
| US08458811B2 |
Micro/nano devices fabricated from Cu-Hf thin films
An all-metal microdevice or nanodevice such as an atomic force microscope probe is manufactured from a copper-hafnium alloy thin film having an x-ray amorphous microstructure. |
| US08458810B2 |
Scanning thermal twisting atomic force microscopy
Provided are atomic force microscope probes, methods for making probes for use in atomic force microscopes and systems using such probes. The probes include at least a body portion and a cantilever portion. The cantilever portion may include a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The cantilever portion further includes a first material arranged on the first surface, such that the cantilever portion twists about a center axis of the cantilever portion when the cantilever portion is heated. The first material may be arranged symmetrically or non-symmetrically on a portion of the first surface, or it may be arranged non-uniformly over the first surface. The cantilever portion of the probe may also include a second material arranged on the second surface of the cantilever portion. The first and second materials have a different thermal expansion than the material forming the cantilever portion. |
| US08458808B2 |
Premium access to open application programming interface systems and methods
A method and system for granting premium access to a service application stored within a service provider (SP) computer system through an open API platform is provided. The method includes receiving a request for premium access to the service application from a developer of a developer application wherein the developer application is configured to request data from the service application, assigning a production key to the developer application, sending an electronic message to a service owner (SO) associated with the service application requesting premium access to the service application, granting premium access to the service application by the SO for the developer application, updating the production key at the open API platform to include premium access to the service application, and notifying the developer of the granting of the premium access to the service application for the developer application. |
| US08458807B2 |
Image processing apparatus and copy machine control method
An image processing apparatus is an image processing apparatus capable of reading a security paper document that has a ground design pattern and performing image processing, and is provided with: a second modification processing unit that visualizes a latent image included in the ground design pattern; a first modification processing unit that performs a modification process so that the latent image included in the ground design pattern is not visualized; a CPU that performs authentication regarding whether or not a user of the security paper document is an authorized user; and a CPU that performs control so that the first modification processing unit performs modification processing and the latent image is not visualized, or performs control so that the latent image is not visualized by the second modification processing unit, in the case where the user has been authenticated as an authorized user of the security paper document. |
| US08458805B2 |
Digital forensic analysis using empirical privilege profiling (EPP) for filtering collected data
A forensic device allows a user to remotely interrogate a target computing device in order to collect and analyze computer evidence that may be stored on the target computing device. The forensic device acquires the computer evidence from the target computing device and filters the computer evidence using an application-specific system-level privilege profile that describes the aggregate exercise of system-level privileges by a plurality of software application instances executing throughout an enterprise. The forensic device presents a user interface through which the remote user views the filtered computer evidence acquired from the target computing device. In this manner, forensic device allows the user to filter the collected computer evidence to data that is likely to have forensic relevance. |
| US08458803B2 |
Global account lockout (GAL) and expiration using an ordered message service (OMS)
A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing Global Account Lockout (GAL) using an Ordered Messaging Service (OMS) is presented. A database operation is received from a client, and a determination made regarding whether the operation contains an authentication mechanism. When the operation does not contain an authentication mechanism, then the operation is returned from. When the operation does contain an authentication mechanism, then the following steps are performed: locating the entry and checking its authentication mechanism, determining whether the authentication mechanism in the operation is good, sending a bind message to a GAL manager, checking and updating GAL state, committing updates to GAL state, and returning operation to the client. |
| US08458801B2 |
High-assurance secure boot content protection
A method and apparatus for high assurance boot processing is disclosed. A trusted processor is used to authenticate a trusted boot program and in conjunction with a selector, to provide the authenticated boot program to a boot memory where it can be accessed by a main processor to execute the bootup sequence. The trusted processor also provides a command for the main processor to write a data sequence to a hard drive or similar device, and monitors the data written by the main processor to verify that the data has not been tampered with or otherwise compromised. |
| US08458799B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing a scalable service platform using a network cache
An approach is provided for building a scalable service platform by initiating transmission of encrypted data from a public network cache. An access control server platform determines a first authorization key for a user and a second authorization key for a resource, and then encrypts the resource with the second authorization key, and encrypts the second authorization key with the first authorization key. The access control server platform initiates distribution of the encrypted second authorization key with the encrypted resource over a network. The access control server platform further initiates caching the encrypted second authorization key with the encrypted resource that meets a predefined threshold value (e.g., a data size, an access frequency, a modification frequency, or an auditing requirement) in a cache in the network, and initiates transmission of the cached and encrypted second authorization key with the cached and encrypted resource from the cache to at least one authorized entity. |
| US08458798B2 |
Detection of vulnerabilities in computer systems
Systems, methods, and apparatus, including computer program products, for detecting a presence of at least one vulnerability in an application. The method is provided that includes modifying instructions of the application to include at least one sensor that is configurable to generate an event indicator, wherein the event indicator includes at least some data associated with the event; storing the event indicator with other stored event indicators generated by the at least one sensor during the execution of the application; analyzing the stored event indicators; detecting a presence of at least one vulnerability in the application based on the analysis of the stored event indicators; and reporting the presence of at least one vulnerability. |
| US08458797B1 |
System and method for securing computers against computer viruses
In one embodiment, an antivirus mechanism (e.g., antivirus program) in a computer initiates shielding procedures in response to a triggering event indicative of a presence of a virus in the computer, the virus being of a type not recognized by the antivirus program. The shielding procedures advantageously protect important components of the computer while the antivirus program does not have the requisite antidote to directly deal with the virus. |
| US08458796B2 |
Methods and systems for full pattern matching in hardware
Methods and systems are provided for hardware-based pattern matching. In an embodiment, an intrusion-prevention system (IPS) identifies a full match between a subject data word comprising subject-data blocks and a signature data pattern comprising signature-data blocks. The IPS receives the subject data word via a network interface, and thereafter makes a partial-match determination that two or more but less than all of the subject-data blocks respectively match the same number of the signature-data blocks stored in partial-match hardware with respect to both value and position. Thereafter, the IPS makes a full-match determination that all of the subject-data blocks respectively match all of the signature-data blocks stored in the IPS's full-match hardware with respect to both value and position. The IPS then stores an indicator that the full-match determination has been made, and may carry out one or more additional intrusion-prevention responses as well. |
| US08458795B2 |
Event detection/anomaly correlation heuristics
A system for detecting network intrusions and other conditions in a network is described. The system includes a plurality of collector devices that are disposed to collect data and statistical information on packets that are sent between nodes on a network. An aggregator device is disposed to receive data and statistical information from the plurality of collector devices. The aggregator device produces a connection table that maps each node on the network to a record that stores information about traffic to or from the node. The aggregator runs processes that determine network events from aggregating of anomalies into network events. |
| US08458794B1 |
System, method, and computer program product for determining whether a hook is associated with potentially unwanted activity
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for determining whether a hook is associated with potentially unwanted activity. In use, a hook is identified in a data section or a code section. Additionally, a first enumeration of objects associated with the data section or the code section is performed, and a second enumeration of objects associated with the data section or the code section is performed. Further, results of the first enumeration and results of the second enumeration are compared for determining whether the hook is associated with potentially unwanted activity. |
| US08458793B2 |
Methods, computer program products and data structures for intrusion detection, intrusion response and vulnerability remediation across target computer systems
Computer security threat management information is generated by receiving a notification of a security threat and/or a notification of a test that detects intrusion of a computer security threat. A computer-actionable TMV is generated from the notification that was received. The TMV includes a computer-readable field that provides identification of at least one system type that is effected by the computer security threat, a computer-readable field that provides identification of a release level for a system type, and a computer-readable field that provides identification of the test that detects intrusion of the computer security threat for a system type and a release level, a computer-readable field that provides identification of a method to reverse the intrusion exploit of the computer security threat for a system type and a release level, and a computer-readable field that provides identification of a method to remediate the vulnerability subject to exploit of the computer security threat for a system type and a release level. The TMV is transmitted to target systems for processing by the target systems. |
| US08458786B1 |
Automated dynamic tunnel management
Systems, methods and apparatus for tunneling in a cloud based security system. In an aspect, tunnel session data describing authentication and unauthenticated sessions, and location data describing tunnel identifiers for tunnels, locations, and security policies specific to the locations are accessed. Tunnel packets are received, and for each tunnel packet it is determined, from the tunnel identifier associated with the packet, whether a session entry in the session data exists for the tunnel identified by the tunnel identifier. In response to determining that a session entry does not exist in the session data, then a session entry is created for the tunnel identifier, an authentication process to determine a location to be associated with the session entry is performed, and an entry in the location data for the location is associated with the session entry. |
| US08458783B2 |
Using application gateways to protect unauthorized transmission of confidential data via web applications
A security gateway receives messages transmitted between a server and a client device on a network and parses the messages into a plurality of data objects, such as strings and name-value pairs. The data objects may represent user personal identification information, such as user name, social security number, credit card number, patient code, driver's license number, and other personal identification information. The security gateway uses rules to recognize data objects and validate the data objects to determine whether the recognized data objects are appropriately included within the context. The security gateway may also perform an action on the data objects. Data objects that are not appropriately included in the context may be transformed, suppressed or disallowed. |
| US08458782B2 |
Authenticated session replication
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive, at an authentication agent in a first local area network (LAN), a virtual proxy authentication identification from a virtual proxy serving as a single point of trust for a second LAN across a wide area network. The virtual proxy authentication identification may be included in a modified session message originated within the second LAN. As a result, the apparatus, systems, and methods can operate to transmit content associated with the modified session message to a first plurality of individual proxy modules in the first LAN. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US08458780B1 |
Pluggable login architecture and dynamic resource recognition
Methods and systems are disclosed that generally involve handling logins for a user accessing a plurality of computer resources. In one embodiment, once a user enters login information for a first computer resource, the login information can be stored and/or re-used to access a plurality of other computer resources without the user having to re-enter the login information for each resource. The methods and systems can involve a software framework in communication with various plugins, each plugin including one or more login candidates representing a type of a computer resource. The plugins and/or login candidates can allow the framework to pluggably and dynamically recognize and log into various types of computer resources. |
| US08458777B1 |
Remote authentication login system
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer-readable media for granting access to a component of a computing device in response to receiving input based on a presentation of a plurality of object coordinates on a screen of a remote device. An arrangement of objects that are referenced by a coordinate system are identified. A plurality of object coordinates of the arrangement of objects is provided to the remote device. Input is received that is based on the plurality of object coordinates. When the input provided is accurate based on the arrangement of objects, access is granted to the component of the computing device. |
| US08458776B2 |
Low-latency peer session establishment
A source device and a target device may endeavor to form a secure communication session whereby encrypted messages may be transmitted over an untrusted network, such as the internet. However, the exchange of many messages in the establishment of the communication session may involve considerable latency and computational resources, particularly in scenarios featuring many communication sessions (e.g., peer-to-peer communication sessions.) Techniques for initiating a communication session may be devised that enables the initiation of a communication session with only two exchanged messages, or even with a single message transmitted from the source device to the target device. Some embodiments of these techniques may also permit the inclusion of advantageous security features, such as authentication via public certificate to detect man-in-the-middle attacks and the inclusion of nonces to detect replay attacks, without increasing the number of messages involved in the initiation of the communication session. |
| US08458772B2 |
Communication apparatus, control method for the communication apparatus, and storage medium
In an apparatus, if it is detected that a condition is met to switch the apparatus from the normal power mode to a power saving mode that consumes less power than the normal power mode, a communication speed for the apparatus to communicate via a network is changed, an authentication process is executed, and the apparatus is switched from the normal power mode to the power saving mode when the authentication process is completed. |
| US08458771B2 |
Image forming apparatus, authentication method, and recording medium
An image forming apparatus is configured to receive user authentication information and perform image formation based on an image formation request and is connected to an external authentication server which performs authentication based on the user authentication information. The image forming apparatus comprises an authentication querying unit that queries the external authentication server for the authentication based on the user authentication information; an authentication result receiving unit that receives a result of the authentication performed by the external authentication server; an authentication result storage unit that stores the result of the authentication received by the authentication result receiving unit; and a control unit that controls the authentication querying unit, the authentication result receiving unit, and the authentication result storage unit. When the image forming apparatus receives the user authentication information, the control unit performs the authentication based on the result of the authentication stored in the authentication result storage unit. |
| US08458770B2 |
Application context based access control
Access control for an application is described. An exemplary method includes receiving a first command of an application to invoke a function of a user interface, identifying a first authorization context based on a first user context and the function of the user interface invoked, retrieving a first access policy providing access criteria associated with the first authorization context, and applying the first access policy to the accessibility of the function. The method includes receiving a second command to invoke the function in a second instance of the application and identifying a second authorization context based on a second user context and the function of the user interface invoked. The second authorization context is different than the first authorization context. The method includes retrieving a second access policy providing second access criteria associated with the second authorization context and applying the second access policy to the accessibility of the function. |
| US08458765B2 |
Browser security standards via access control
A computing system is operable to contain a security module within an operating system. This security module may then act to monitor access requests by a web browser and apply mandatory access control security policies to such requests. It will be appreciated that the security module can apply mandatory access control security policies to such web browser access attempts. |
| US08458764B2 |
Serialization of XACML policies
A computer implemented access control system, the system includes a database for storing a serialized version of an XACML permissions hierarchy. The system also includes a memory for storing an original version of the XACML permissions hierarchy, and an XACML serialization engine configured to convert the XACML permissions hierarchy into the serialized version, wherein the serialized version contains a listing of at least a portion of the predicates possible in the XACML permission hierarchy and the effect on each of the portion of the predicates. |
| US08458760B2 |
System and method for presenting location data for broadcasted media
System and method for providing location data associated with broadcasted media to a display device. In one embodiment, the method may include receiving broadcasted media data over a communication network connection, displaying the received media data on a display device and receiving location data associated with the broadcasted media data. The method may further include displaying a graphical representation of the location data on the display. |
| US08458757B2 |
Method and system for region-based monitoring of video assets
A method and system for monitoring video assets provided by a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN) includes an expert test monitoring platform (ETMP) configured to emulate MCDN client systems at a facility of an MCDN service provider. The ETMP may be used to test monitor MCDN performance by acquiring a baseband video signal and performing a test operation including at least one check point condition. The check point condition may be associated with a masked region of the video signal and may also involve a test of an audio channel. A plurality of test operations and/or check point conditions may be defined and executed on the baseband video signal, while the results of the test operation may be logged. |
| US08458756B2 |
Videophone over cable networks
The present invention is directed to a videophone system implemented over a cable television network. The instant invention provides a videophone comprising a camera for capturing images associated with a videophone signal, a videophone unit and a set top terminal or cable modem connecting the videophone to a cable television network. Videophone signals created at the call origination site are encoded and transported to a predetermined destination over an existing cable television network. The system uses IP addresses as phone number on the network. Additionally, transport of videophone signals between different cable systems is accomplished via a high-speed long distance data network, such as, for example, a satellite network, that provides communication between the headends of the different cable television systems. The set top terminal may be a conventional subscriber terminal, a cable modem or a subscriber terminal configured to operate as a cable modem. The set top terminal provides the interface between the videophone and the cable television system. More than one videophone may be connected to a single set top terminal. Display of videophone data may be achieved using any conventional display device, including a television set or a personal computer monitor. Accordingly, the videophone system described herein takes advantage of increased bandwidth and lower cost realized by using existing cable television infrastructure and technology. |
| US08458753B2 |
Methods and apparatus for device capabilities discovery and utilization within a content-based network
Methods and apparatus for determining and selecting digital coding and/or decoding technology, delivery bitrates, and resolution parameters for programming and data delivery over, e.g., a content-based network. In one embodiment, the network comprises an HFC cable or satellite network that includes a server process interfacing with a plurality of customer premises equipment (CPE), and/or associated client devices, each having different display resolution, bitrate, and/or decoding capabilities profiles. The server determines the one or more capabilities possessed by the CPE or client device, and evaluates one or more program or content choices for possible delivery to that CPE or device based on its profile. The selection process may also take into consideration network and/or CPE operational considerations, such as conservation of downstream bandwidth, CPE uprating capability, client device power consumption, and the like. |
| US08458748B2 |
System and method for commanding a controlled device
A system and method for commanding a controlled device. An intelligent navigation server detects a transition from a current state of a remote control device. A context for transition is also determined. The current state, the new current state and the context are evaluated to select a set of commands appropriate to the context and the new current state. The selected commands determine behavior options for the controlled device. The set of selected commands are sent to the remote control device. Text and/or graphical data appropriate to the new current state may also be sent to the remote control device. The remote control device may generate display data based on the selected commands to provide one or more soft buttons linked to one or more of the selected commands. The remote control device may also display the text and/or graphical data. |
| US08458746B2 |
Meta channel caching and instant viewing related technology
Caching related technology, in which a time needed to begin rendering network-based video content without caching a decoded version of the content is determined and, the determined time to begin rendering the network-based video content is compared to a threshold time. When the determined time to begin rendering the network-based video content exceeds the threshold time, an initial portion of the network-based video content is pre-transcoded to a faster video codec format, and the pre-transcoded initial portion of the network-based video content is stored in electronic storage associated with a media system of a user. |
| US08458743B2 |
Method and a system for distributing TV content over a network
For allowing large numbers of users to receive targeted TV advertisements during advertisement breaks without requiring unicast content transmission a method is provided for distributing TV content over a network, especially an IP network, wherein the TV content includes a main content and an advertisement content and wherein a multicast address on which a TV channel for the main content is distributed within the network is transmitted to a user as a connectivity information. The method includes the step of transmitting further connectivity information to the user, the further connectivity information depending on at least one advertising segment of the advertisement content which the user is requesting or which the user is assigned to. Further, a system for distributing TV content over a network, preferably for carrying out the above mentioned method is also described. |
| US08458742B2 |
Apparatus systems and methods for securely sharing content with a plurality of receiving devices
Various embodiments facilitate secure content sharing between a plurality of receiving devices, such as set-top boxes. One embodiment is a system with a distribution server communicatively coupled via a satellite communication system to a plurality of set-top boxes that are located at different customer premises. The distribution server is operable to provide access control information via the satellite communication system to a first set-top box and a second set-top box of the plurality, with the access control information enabling the first set-top box to securely share content of the first set-top box with the second set-top box. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. |
| US08458738B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating an interactive radio program
A method and system for the creation of interactive radio programming. A moderator of an interactive radio program uses a moderator client to digitize and transmit a radio program with enhanced content to a moderator server through a wide area network. The moderator server uses the digitized radio program and the enhanced content to generate an interactive radio program for transmission to participants in the interactive radio program. The complete interactive radio program is transmitted to participant clients over the wide area network. An audio portion of the interactive radio program may be transmitted over a conventional radio network as well. |
| US08458737B2 |
Methods and apparatus for generating signatures
Methods and apparatus for characterizing media are described. In one example, a method of characterizing media includes capturing a block of audio; converting at least a portion of the block of audio into a frequency domain representation; dividing the frequency domain representation into a plurality of bands; determining a characteristic difference of a first band of the plurality of bands based on a comparison of a characteristic of the first band and a characteristic of a second band different from the first band, wherein the characteristic of the first band occurs at a time that is different than a time at which the characteristic of the second band takes place; and determining a signature bit based on a characteristic difference. Other examples are shown and described. |
| US08458736B2 |
Apparatus for clamping disk and spindle motor having the same
The disk clamp apparatus and a spindle motor having the same according to the present invention has an industrial applicability in that a radial force of a claw on a disk is greater than a radial force of an arm to the disk to prevent the radial force of the arm applying to the disk from affecting the disk, whereby matched center of the clamp body with a center of the disk by the law is not affected by an arm, such that the center of the disk comes to have a relatively smaller deviation from the center and to thereby enhance the reliability of the product. |
| US08458735B2 |
Integrated disk driving module
An integrated disk driving module is disclosed, the module including a base unit including an opening-formed upper plate, a lateral surface plate bent from an edge of the upper plate to form an accommodation space, and a first motor fixture concavely formed from the upper plate to the accommodation space, and a second motor fixture bent from the upper plate to the accommodation space, wherein the first and second motor fixtures are integrally formed to the upper plate; a spindle motor fixed inside the first motor fixture to rotate a disk; a stepping motor rotatably fixed to the second motor fixture; a circuit substrate arranged at the base unit to be electrically connected to the spindle motor and the stepping motor, and encoder module including an encoder base coupled to an encoder opening formed at the upper plate of the base unit, an encoder coupled to a through hole of the encoder base to sense revolution of the disk, and an encoder circuit substrate electrically connected to the encoder and coupled to the encoder base; and a connector including at least one conductor for electrically connecting the circuit substrate and the encoder circuit substrate, and an insulation member securing the conductor. |
| US08458732B2 |
Inmate information center for correctional facility processing
A platform application and methods of operation that integrate both native and third-party modules into an integrated environment on an inmate computing device is disclosed. Third-party modules or systems are applications meant to operate independent from the platform application. Information is communicated between the platform application and third-party module or system to add audit, alarm and other functions across all modules or systems controlled by the platform software. The third-party module or system is audited to allow triggering of rules that cause remedial action to be taken. Triggers can be on actions not monitored by a particular third-party module or system. |
| US08458731B2 |
Methods, systems and media for installing peripheral software drivers
A method for installing peripheral software drivers including storing a first identifier for a peripheral device meant for compatible operation with an information handling system (IHS) in the non-volatile memory of the basic input/output system (BIOS) of the IHS, matching the peripheral device represented by the first identifier with compatible driver releases represented by a second identifier, sorting the compatible driver releases by priority and installing a highest priority driver release on the IHS. |
| US08458728B2 |
Browser-based user interface and control architecture with priority attributes
A browser-enabled device includes a browser-based user interface and control architecture, which has a browser core, a browser framework, and a user interface. The user interface is written using a markup language. In processing event registrations, the browser framework receives an event registration. The received event registration having a response unique resource identifier (URI) content and a priority field. The priority field of the received event registration is examined to determine priority of the received event registration. If the browser core is loading the response URI content of a prior event registration and if the priority of the received event registration is higher than the priority of the prior event registration, then the loading of the response URI content of the prior event registration is halted, and loading of the response URI content of the received event registration is begun. |
| US08458727B2 |
Asynchronous client to server updates
Methods and apparatus are provided which enable client-server communication during the execution of a web application to be batched, so as to manage the processing load on server-side components of the web application and the transmission load on the network(s) coupling the client and server. In some embodiments, client-side components of the web application are operable to capture processing events in a change log on the client, and transmit at least a subset of the entries in the change log to the server upon the occurrence of a predetermined event, such as a passage of time since a previous transmission. |
| US08458723B1 |
Computer methods for business process management execution and systems thereof
In one embodiment, the instant invention includes a method of executing computer instructions having steps of: a) receiving, by a first computer, an instruction to perform a task b) executing each thread of a process, corresponding to the task, to time stop point when each thread requires data from a second computer system; maintaining a data structure that identifies a state information of each thread at the time stop point, and ii) whenever each thread reaches its own stop point, each thread gives up its execution in favor of an execution of another thread; c) requesting, from the second computer system, the data needed to continue the execution of the process; d) receiving, from the second computer system, the requested data; and e) resuming the execution of the process based on the state information for each thread stored in the data structure at the time stop point. |
| US08458721B2 |
System and method for implementing hierarchical queue-based locks using flat combining
The system and methods described herein may be used to implement a scalable, hierarchal, queue-based lock using flat combining. A thread executing on a processor core in a cluster of cores that share a memory may post a request to acquire a shared lock in a node of a publication list for the cluster using a non-atomic operation. A combiner thread may build an ordered (logical) local request queue that includes its own node and nodes of other threads (in the cluster) that include lock requests. The combiner thread may splice the local request queue into a (logical) global request queue for the shared lock as a sub-queue. A thread whose request has been posted in a node that has been combined into a local sub-queue and spliced into the global request queue may spin on a lock ownership indicator in its node until it is granted the shared lock. |
| US08458719B2 |
Storage management in a data processing system
The invention relates to a method for storage management in a data processing system having a plurality of storage devices with different performance attributes and a workload. The workload is being associated with respective sets of data blocks to be stored in said plurality of storage devices. The method comprises the steps of dynamically determining performance requirements of the workload and dynamically determining performance attributes of the storage devices. The method further comprises the step of allocating data blocks to the storage devices depending on the performance requirements of the associated workload and the performance attributes of the storage devices. |
| US08458718B2 |
Statically partitioning into fixed and independent systems with fixed processing core
The different advantageous embodiments provide a system for partitioning a data processing system comprising a number of cores and a partitioning process. The partitioning process is configured to assign a number of partitions to the number of cores. Each partition in the number of partitions is assigned to a separate number of cores from the number of cores. |
| US08458715B1 |
System for allocating resources to optimize transition from a current state to a desired state
Described is a Distributed Resource Allocation System (DRAS) for sensor control and planning. The DRAS comprises an information framework module that is configured to specify performance goals, assess current performance state, and includes sensor models to achieve the performance goals. The DRAS is configured to further allocate the sensors to achieve the performance goals. Once allocated, the DRAS then reassesses the current performance state and continues reallocating the sensors until the current performance state is most similar to the performance goals. |
| US08458714B2 |
Method, system and program products for managing logical processors of a computing environment
The configuration of the logical processors of a logical partition is managed dynamically. A logical partition is initially configured with one or more logical processors. Thereafter, the configuration can be dynamically adjusted. This dynamic adjustment may be in response to workload of the logical partition. |
| US08458710B2 |
Scheduling jobs for execution on a computer system
A technique includes determining an order for projects to be performed on a computer system. Each project is associated with multiple job sets, such that any of the job sets may be executed on the computer system to perform the project. The technique includes selecting the projects in a sequence according to the determined order to progressively build a schedule of jobs for execution on the computer system. For each selected project, incorporating one of the associated job sets into the schedule based on a cost of each of the associated job sets. |
| US08458704B2 |
System and method for an improved merge utility
Software application that interfaces with a main frame operating a job control language so as to overcome the file limit for processing in the job control language, by dividing files or other data sets into batches that are equal to or less than the limit of the job control language. The software application then provides the batches for processing in the job control language individually, so that the file limit is not exceeded for any processing operation. |
| US08458701B2 |
State separation for virtual applications
Application states may be stored and retrieved using policies that define various contexts in which the application is used. The application states may define configurations or uses of the application, including connections to and interactions with other applications. Applications that are virtualized may have state that is defined within a usage context and multiple states or configurations may be stored and recalled based on the usage context. Policies may define the context and what parameters are to be saved, and may be applied when applications are operated in a virtualized manner. |
| US08458700B1 |
Provisioning virtual machines
Generating, configuring, and deploying virtual machines may be a time consuming and mundane process. Accordingly, one or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for provisioning virtual machines through an automated process. In particular, a centralized manager may receive requests to initialize virtual machines on target hosts. The centralized manager may generate provisioning jobs based upon such requests. Because the virtual machines may initially have generic configurations so that the virtual machines are not tied to particular target hosts and/or subnets, the centralized manager may retrieve virtual machine personalities for the virtual machines. The centralized manager may send provisioning jobs to provisioning virtual applications located throughout a network computing environment. A provisioning job may instruct a provisioning virtual application to initialize a virtual machine on a target host using a virtual machine personality. In this way, a plurality of virtual machines may be generated through a distributed and automated process. |
| US08458694B2 |
Hypervisor with cloning-awareness notifications
A method, information processing system, and computer readable medium for managing virtual machine imaging. The method includes receiving a request for an imaging operation associated with at least one virtual machine. A notification is sent to at least one operating system associated with the at least one virtual machine of the request for the imaging operation. The operating system is determined to be in a state for the virtual machine to be imaged. The request for the imaging operation is granting in response to determining. |
| US08458692B2 |
System and method for data migration integration with information handling system manufacture
Data migration from existing to replacement information handling systems is integrated with manufacture of the replacement information handling system by including a data migration application and rules in the image copied to the replacement information handling system during manufacture. The rules define the data migration, such as the types of files allowed and disallowed for data migration, the physical interface for the data migration, the initial power up and display interface to support the data migration application and the deletion of the data migration application after completion of the data migration operation. The replacement information handling system ships to the end user and initiates the data migration application on power-up to present instruction to perform the data migration. |
| US08458691B2 |
System and method for dynamically building application environments in a computational grid
Computing environments within a grid computing system are dynamically built in response to specific job resource requirements from a grid resource allocator, including activating needed hardware, provisioning operating systems, application programs, and software drivers. Optimally, prior to building a computing environment for a particular job, cost/revenue analysis is performed, and if operational objectives would not be met by building the environment and executing the job, a job sell-off process is initiated. |
| US08458688B2 |
Virtual machine maintenance with mapped snapshots
A computer-implemented method, system and/or computer program product manage software maintenance software in a computer system. A first snapshot is taken of first system states of a computer system. The first snapshot is mapped to a first maintenance software, which is further mapped to a specific user. The computer system is instructed to install the first maintenance software in response to an installation request from the specific user. If the specific user subsequently requests that the first maintenance software be removed from the computer system, then the mappings of the first snapshot and the first maintenance software are used to revert the computer system back to the first system states. |
| US08458686B2 |
Guaranteeing authentic firmware for purposes of cloning
A computer program product for cloning an authentic master firmware to create a child firmware, the instructions for implementing a method include receiving cloning instructions; locating a secure source including the authentic master firmware; and cloning the authentic master firmware to create the child firmware. |
| US08458684B2 |
Insertion of operation-and-indicate instructions for optimized SIMD code
Mechanisms are provided for inserting indicated instructions for tracking and indicating exceptions in the execution of vectorized code. A portion of first code is received for compilation. The portion of first code is analyzed to identify non-speculative instructions performing designated non-speculative operations in the first code that are candidates for replacement by replacement operation-and-indicate instructions that perform the designated non-speculative operations and further perform an indication operation for indicating any exception conditions corresponding to special exception values present in vector register inputs to the replacement operation-and-indicate instructions. The replacement is performed and second code is generated based on the replacement of the at least one non-speculative instruction. The data processing system executing the compiled code is configured to store special exception values in vector output registers, in response to a speculative instruction generating an exception condition, without initiating exception handling. |
| US08458683B2 |
System and method for providing extendable enumerations
A system and method are provided in which an enumerated type is extendable. In an embodiment, additional attributes are assigned to instances of a class, thus extending the enumerated type. The addition of values to an enumeration may depend upon the surrounding system environment and/or the calling application. |
| US08458682B2 |
Conversion of a class oriented data flow program to a structure oriented data flow program with dynamic interpretation of data types
System and method for converting a class oriented data flow program to a structure oriented data flow program. A first data flow program is received, where the first data flow program is an object oriented program comprising instances of one or more classes, and wherein the first data flow program is executable to perform a first function. The first data flow program is automatically converted to a second data flow program, where the second data flow program does not include the instances of the one or more classes, and where the second data flow program is executable to perform the first function. The second data flow program is stored on a computer memory, where the second data flow program is configured to be deployed to a device, e.g., a programmable hardware element, and where the second data flow program is executable on the device to perform the first function. |
| US08458681B1 |
Method and system for optimizing the object code of a program
A method for optimizing the object code of a program is disclosed. A compiler generates, respectively, first and second object code segments for first and second source code segments of the program. If the two object code segments are determined to be identical, the compiler generates first and second debugging information entries in a compilation unit of the program and both entries include information for locating the first object code segment. The compiler inserts two entries into a call table in the compilation unit, each entry including information for locating a respective call site that invokes a respective source code segment within a call stack of the program and information for locating a respective debug information entry. The call table is used for associating an operation within the first object code segment with one of the first and second source code segments at runtime. |
| US08458675B1 |
System and method for dynamic symbolic math engine selection
In an embodiment, a computer-readable medium may include computer-executable instructions for selecting a symbolic math engine. The instructions may be executed on a processor. The medium may include: one or more instructions for dynamically selecting a first symbolic math engine from two or more symbolic math engines; one or more instructions for converting a symbolic command from a standard format into a first format compatible with the first symbolic math engine; one or more instructions for passing the converted command to the first symbolic math engine for executing, the executing including producing a result; and one or more instructions for outputting or storing the result of the executing. |
| US08458674B2 |
Method and apparatus for handling exceptions during binding to native code
A target computing system performs program code conversion from subject code, executable by a subject computing architecture, into target code executable by the target computing system, and then executes the target code. The target system handles exceptions during binding to native code. Native code binding executes a portion of native code in place of translating a portion of the subject code into the target code. Upon an exception during execution of the portion of native code, the target system saves a target state representing a current point of execution for the portion of native code, and creates a subject state representing an emulated point of execution in the subject architecture. A subject exception handler handles the exception with reference to the subject state. Upon resuming execution from the exception using the subject state, the saved target state is restored to resume execution in the section of portion of native code. |
| US08458673B2 |
Computer-implemented method and system for binding digital rights management executable code to a software application
A computer-implemented method and system for binding digital rights management executable code to a software application are disclosed. The method and system include selecting a memory page of host application code, translating the contents of the selected memory page of host application code, saving the translated contents of the selected memory page into a stub code area, overwriting the selected memory page of host application code; removing host page permission for execution of code in the selected memory page of host application code, and emulating the translated contents of the selected memory page when an exception is raised as a result of attempted access to the selected memory page of host application code. |
| US08458672B2 |
Facilitating the utilization of complex data objects
Computer implemented method, system and computer usable program code for facilitating utilization of data. A computer implemented method for facilitating utilization of data includes receiving data, wherein the received data is in a first representation. The received data is converted from the first representation to a common representation that is mapped to the first representation using an external configuration file. The common representation of the data is output to facilitate utilization of the data. |
| US08458671B1 |
Method and system for stack back-tracing in computer programs
The present invention relates to a method, system, and computer program product for performing a computer program analysis. The computer program includes a plurality of instructions. The method performs a static analysis of the computer program to compute the states of a stack pointer (SP), a frame pointer (FP), and a link register (LR) at one or more instructions of the program. The static analysis is preferably performed at compile time. Further, the method computes the states of the SP, the FP, and the LR at the instructions as determined by a dynamic analysis, wherein the dynamic analysis is preferably modeled (performed) during the static analysis. Furthermore, the states determined by the static analysis and the dynamic analysis are compared. If a discrepancy is found between the two states, metadata (information operators) is inserted into the program. |
| US08458669B2 |
Automated test system
A mechanism is provide for optimizing an automated test system during a problem determination phase of the test system in a distributed environment. A centralized execution controller receives first test suite comprising at least a first and second test fragment. The centralized execution controller receives at least one breakpoint definition comprising a condition for pausing the first test suite. The centralized execution controller sends the first test fragment and an execution command of the first test fragment to the distributed environment. The centralized execution controller receives an event definition and a hierarchy of event definitions describing the executed command. The centralized execution controller compares the at least one breakpoint description to the received event definition. The centralized execution controller pauses the test suite execution if the executed event definition matches one of the at least one breakpoint definition. |
| US08458664B2 |
Command line interface permutation executor
A method according to one embodiment includes receiving a command dataset of command data; generating command permutations using the command data; sequentially inputting the command permutations to a command line interface of an application; receiving results of execution of the command permutations; generating a log of at least one of the results and a derivative thereof; and storing the log on a data storage device or medium. |
| US08458663B2 |
Static code analysis
Methods, computer program products and systems for determining whether to perform a static code analysis of a software product. In one embodiment of the method, the method for determining whether to perform a static code analysis depends on a number of variables including a developer's knowledge of the software product in question; a developer's knowledge of the language in which the software product is written: and the amount of time the developer has actually worked with the product. The individual and collective experience of members of a software development team may be determined to decide whether static code analysis needs to be performed on software written by the team. |
| US08458657B2 |
Documentation roadmaps and community networking for developers on large projects
A version control system includes a mechanism for a learning roadmap based on information available from a source repository. More particularly, the mechanism generates an easily understandable timeline of a project and a directory of developers based on information available in the version control system that contains the source content of a project. The timeline for the project may be tied to the directory of developers. Under each date in the timeline, a list of developers and their roles and commits may be listed. |
| US08458656B1 |
Systems and methods for providing mobile browser access to mobile device functionalities
A content handler application that may be provided on a mobile device to provide extensions to a web based application. The content handler may provide the web application access features such as the camera, GPS, A/V input and output, file system and secure uploads. The content handler may be a certified application for use on the mobile device and calls applications to access the features of the mobile device. The web applications may be updated without concern for the content handler. Because the user experience and business logic are contained in the web application they are unaffected by the certification and multi-platform issues as this is limited to only the content handler. |
| US08458652B2 |
Device, system and method of modeling homogeneous information
Device, system and method of modeling homogeneous information. For example, a method that includes providing to a model-based application an input model including a refinable homogeneous record having a base type, wherein said homogeneous record is defined with a homogeneous constraint to only include data members of a type compatible with the base type. The homogeneous record is defined in a modeling environment that is able to automatically enforce the homogeneous constraint for the homogeneous record and for refinements thereof. |
| US08458651B2 |
Seamless migration of tuxedo® applications to a CICS® hosting environment
Source code for a transactions on Unix® extended for distributed operation (Tuxedo®) application, is parsed by an application migration module. At least one application service routine that each specifies a Tuxedo® service within the parsed source code is identified. At least one identified application service routine includes at least one associated application-to-transaction manager (ATMI) application programming interface (API) routine. Stub code that includes an invocation call for an associated customer information control system service for each application service routine identified within the source code is generated. A customer information control system environment executable is created based upon the source code, the stub code, glue code, and a migration library. The migration library includes, for each associated ATMI API routine, a mapping routine that processes data format differences between each ATMI API routine and at least one associated customer information control system API routine. |
| US08458650B2 |
Injecting a fault into a stream operator in a data stream processing application
In one embodiment, the invention comprises partial fault tolerant stream processing applications. One embodiment of a method for implementing partial fault tolerance in a stream processing application comprising a plurality of stream operators includes: defining a quality score function that expresses how well the application is performing quantitatively, injecting a fault into at least one of the plurality of operators, assessing an impact of the fault on the quality score function, and selecting at least one partial fault-tolerant technique for implementation in the application based on the quantitative metric-driven assessment. |
| US08458648B2 |
Graphical modelization of user interfaces for data intensive applications
A method, computer program product and system for creating class diagrams of user interfaces of applications. A modeling language such as UML V2.0 may be used to create class diagrams through a graphical editor, create new model elements derived from existing ones such as stereotypes for creating a comprehensive class diagram for the user interface. The class diagram for the user interface is based on a limited number of stereotyped classes for pages, views in the pages of the user interface, operations in the view classes and class for services triggered by the operations. The user interface class diagram is attached to the application class through the classes of the application for data manipulated by the user interface. A sequence diagram reflecting the correlation between view operation and services is also created to complete the description of the user interface. |
| US08458646B2 |
System development planning tool
A system for planning and managing a software development project uses an extreme programming (XP) process and includes a graphical user interface (GUI) for displaying graphs and for entering, displaying and modifying underlying planning data. In one embodiment, the GUI includes first, second and third windows. The first window displays bar graphs reflecting both estimated development work and available resources (developer hours) for working on development. The second window displays bar graphs representing both estimated testing work and available resources for working on testing. The third window displays underlying data (e.g., project components and assignment of project components to scheduled development periods). A project manager may use the third window to adjust underlying data in order to better balance work and resources displayed in the first and second windows. Additional underlying data (individual developers, assigned hours, estimates of work on individual project components, etc.) may be displayed in other windows. |
| US08458645B2 |
Electronic device and method for checking layout of printed circuit board
In a method for checking layout of a printed circuit board (PCB) using an electronic device, a signal line is selected from a layout diagram of the PCB. The method searches for signal lines which have an acute angle when deviating from a straight line in the layout diagram of the PCB. The method further locates attribute data of the searched signal lines in the layout diagram of the PCB, and displays the attribute data of the searched signal lines on a display device of the electronic device. |
| US08458643B2 |
Integrated circuit design framework comprising automatic analysis functionality
An embodiment of an integrated circuit design framework comprises a user interface which automatically initializes a three-dimensional simulation tool for simulating or analyzing the characteristics of a complex metallization system. In some illustrative embodiments the user interface may additionally provide electrically simulated parameter values for an input parameter, such as the channel resistance of a power transistor, thereby enabling a simulation of a portion of interest of the metallization system without actually requiring the provision of the design data of the power transistor. |
| US08458642B2 |
Method, a program storage device and a computer system for modeling the total contact resistance of a semiconductor device having a multi-finger gate structure
Disclosed are embodiments for modeling contact resistance of devices, such as metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors or varactors, that specifically have a multi-finger gate structure. In the embodiments, a set of expressions for total contact resistance are presented, in which (i) the total contact resistance is the sum of the resistance contribution from the contact (or the set of all contacts) in each diffusion region, (ii) the resistance contribution from the contact (or the set of all contacts) to the total contact resistance is the product of its resistance and the square of the relative electric current passing through it, and (iii) the electric current passing through the contact (or the set of all contacts) in a shared diffusion region (i.e., in an inner diffusion region) is twice of the electric current passing through the contact (or the set of all contacts) in an unshared diffusion region (i.e., in an outer diffusion region). |
| US08458640B2 |
Routing using a dynamic grid
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that routes connections in an integrated circuit (IC) chip design. The system includes a representation mechanism which is configured to represent routing resources in the IC chip design as a 3-dimensional (3D) grid. This 3D grid further includes: static grid lines which do not change while the system routes the connections; and dynamic grid lines which are created for routing a connection that includes pins which are not located on a static grid line. Note that the dynamic grid lines can be removed after the connection is routed. The system also includes a search engine which is configured to search for a path in the 3D grid between a first set of vertices and a second set of vertices. |
| US08458638B2 |
Cell library, integrated circuit, and methods of making same
A cell library intended to be used to form an integrated circuit, this library defining a first cell including a first MOS transistor of minimum dimensions, and a second cell including a second MOS transistor of lower leakage current, wherein the second cell takes up the same surface area as the first cell, and the second MOS transistor has a gate of same length as the gate of the first MOS transistor across at least a first width in its central portion, and of greater length across at least a second width on either side of the central portion. |
| US08458633B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit design apparatus and method for analyzing a delay in a semiconductor integrated circuit
A semiconductor integrated circuit design apparatus for analyzing a delay in a semiconductor integrated circuit. The semiconductor integrated circuit includes a delay analysis unit, a noise generation unit, a voltage fluctuation level analysis unit and a timing verification unit. The noise generation unit generates noise information based on a predetermined noise definition and the voltage fluctuation level analysis unit analyzes a voltage fluctuation level of the semiconductor integrated circuit when the noise is applied based on the generated noise information. Further, the timing verification unit makes the delay analysis unit analyze the static delay based on the analyzed voltage fluctuation level, to verify timing for operation of the semiconductor integrated circuit based on a result of the static delay analysis. |
| US08458630B1 |
Supporting dynamic aspects of polymorphism in high-level synthesis of integrated circuit designs
A method for integrated circuit design is disclosed including determining if at least one dynamic class and at least one virtual function are present within a chip program description of an integrated circuit design; and if so then converting the at least one virtual function into a non-virtual function, generating at least one virtual pointer for the at least one dynamic class, converting at least one function calling the at least one virtual function into at least one conditional function responsive to a value of the at least one virtual pointer, and generating dataflow graphs of the at least one dynamic class and the at least one conditional function that can be transformed into a synthesizable design description of the integrated circuit design. |
| US08458629B2 |
Decision modules in integrated circuit design
An abstract decision module primitive for placement within a logical representation (i.e., a netlist) of a circuit design is described. The decision module primitive receives as inputs alternative solutions for a given function or segment of a netlist. The alternative solutions include functionally equivalent, but structurally different implementations of the function or segment of the netlist. The decision module primitive alternatively selects between connecting one of the inputs to the netlist to provide a complete functional definition for the netlist based on constraint information. The selected input of the decision module may be updated as additional constraint information is determined throughout the various stages of the design process. In addition, alternative solutions for a given function or segment of the netlist may be added to and/or removed from the inputs of a decision module as additional constraint information is identified. |
| US08458626B1 |
Method for calibrating an SRAF printing model
Printing risks for sub-lithographic assist features (SRAFs) can be predicted and minimized by employing an SRAF printing model, which is calibrated at a different image plane than an image plane at which a main feature model for predicting shapes of printed images of main features is calibrated. The optical model parameters of the main feature model and the SRAF printing model are calibrated separately such that the main feature model predicts the bottom CD and the SRAF printing model predicts the printing of SRAF features in a photoresist. Optionally, different degrees of printing risk can be assigned for different SRAF configurations. |
| US08458623B1 |
Mitigation of mask defects by pattern shifting
An image of a mask pattern is overlaid on an image of a mask blank annotated with the center location and dimensions of each measured mask defect. Design clips centered at the measured defects are generated with lateral dimensions less than allowable movement of the mask pattern over the mask blank. Each design clip is converted into a binary image including pixels corresponding to defect-activating regions and pixels corresponding to defect-hiding regions. Each pixel region representing the defect-activating region is expanded by laterally biasing peripheries by one half of the lateral extent of the defect located within the corresponding design clip. Biased design clips are logically compiled pixel by pixel to determine an optimal pattern shift vector representing the amount of pattern shift. |
| US08458622B2 |
Photo-mask acceptance technique
A technique for calculating a second aerial image associated with a photo-mask that can be used to determine whether or not the photo-mask (which may include defects) is acceptable for use in a photolithographic process is described. In particular, using a first aerial image produced by the photo-mask when illuminated using a source pattern and an inspection image of the photo-mask, a mask pattern corresponding to the photo-mask is determined. For example, the first aerial image may be obtained using an aerial image measurement system, and the inspection image may be a critical-dimension scanning-electron-microscope image of the photo-mask. This image, which has a higher resolution than the first aerial image, may indicate spatial-variations of a magnitude of the transmittance of the photo-mask. Then, the second aerial image may be calculated based on the determined mask pattern using a different source pattern than the source pattern. |
| US08458621B1 |
Comprehending a circuit design
An executable circuit design is used to generate waveforms, from which behaviors of the circuit are captured. The behaviors and various combinations thereof can then be saved in a database, along with descriptions and other metadata about them, thereby generating a behavioral index of the circuit design code. Behavioral indexing of circuit designs allows a user to maintain an indexed behavior database, track changes in behaviors as the circuit design's executable description evolves, and figure out how the executable description can be reused in different projects. When applied to digital design development, it facilities the current design and verification effort, as well as design reuse down the line. |
| US08458619B2 |
Method, system and program product for screensaver breakthrough of prioritized messages
Authorized priority alerts are permitted to “pop up” on top of a running screensaver in a computer display without suspending operation of the screensaver. A windows manager monitors for priority alerts from applications. If the screensaver is active in the display, the windows manager determines if the alert issuing application and alert type are permitted to breakthrough the screensaver. If so, an alert notification window identifying the content of the alert is generated and displayed in z-order on top of the screensaver, without interrupting the operation of the screensaver displayed underneath. Some notification windows implement security features by displaying only a portion of the content of the corresponding alert or completely obscuring the content of the alert and only notifying of the presence of the alert. An additional security feature requires the user to enter a password in the notification window before the content or type of alert is displayed. |
| US08458611B2 |
Displaying a map on a handheld wireless telecommunication device
Tickers are populated with location-based information that is selected according to the geographic location of communication devices. The location of a communication device is identified based on a GPS system, proximity to transmitters in a wireless network, user input, or using other techniques. Location-appropriate content is obtained either in real-time from the network or from a local data store at the communication device. In general location-based, context-aware content can be displayed on tickers associated with a variety of communication devices, including mobile communication devices and “immobile” or stationary personal computers. When a ticker item is selected from the ticker, a location associated with the selected ticker item and/or a location of the communication device is used to generate a map that is displayed on the display of the device to the user. |
| US08458610B2 |
Medical information generation and recordation methods and apparatus
Computer-implemented medical information recording methods are described. According to one aspect, a computer-implemented medical information recording method includes displaying a graphical user interface including a graphical representation of the human anatomy, accessing user inputs interacting with the graphical representation of the human anatomy, and generating an electronic record comprising data pertaining to the health of the patient using the user inputs interacting with the graphical representation of the human anatomy. |
| US08458602B2 |
System and method for limiting the number of characters displayed in a common area
A system providing a graphical chat room and/or virtual world on a website in which users can control avatars or other characters to participate in activities and interact with other users' avatars/characters. The chat room or virtual world has a large common location where a large number of users might participate with their characters/avatars, but where because display of all of the participants and/or all of the area becomes impractical or otherwise unwieldy, the system determines an appropriate portion of the area and a limited number of avatars/characters to display based on some criteria. |
| US08458597B1 |
Systems and methods that facilitate the sharing of electronic assets
Systems and methods for sharing electronic assets. A first device can present a boundary across which an electronic asset can be passed. When user input moves an electronic asset partially across the boundary, the first device displays the electronic asset in a way that indicates that it is being shared and the first device provides information that allows the electronic asset to be displayed on a second device in a manner indicating that it is being shared. For example, a portion of the electronic asset crossing the first device boundary may not be displayed on the first device but may be displayed on the second device, for example, adjacent to a corresponding boundary. As an electronic asset is moved across the first boundary on the first device, the portion of the electronic asset passing into the boundary appears to emerge from the corresponding boundary on the second device. |
| US08458596B1 |
Method and apparatus for a mashup dashboard
A system, computer-readable medium, and computer-implemented method for using a mashup dashboard can include retrieving a mashup dashboard from a repository, and providing a display of the retrieved mashup dashboard that recreates a visual configuration pre-defined in the stored mashup dashboard. The visual configuration includes a pre-defined mashup executing therein to provide live data from the mashup. The mashup dashboard can be created, by providing a listing of pre-defined mashups and a canvas, the pre-defined mashups being stored in a repository; interacting with the user to define a visual configuration of the canvas and to drag and drop one of the pre-defined mashups from the listing onto the canvas; and storing the visual configuration of the canvas with the pre-defined mashup as a mashup dashboard, for later retrieval to recreate the visual configuration with the pre-defined mashup executing therein. |
| US08458589B2 |
Localized label user interface control
A method for allowing a user-friendly localization of an entry form on an interactive web page includes providing an entry form having a plurality of editable input fields corresponding to a plurality of locale codes and providing at least one visible input field for display, wherein the remainder of the plurality of input fields are hidden until accessed. Data received are mapped to at least one input field selected from the plurality of input fields. As shown, data is transferred asynchronously to and from the plurality of editable input fields, without requiring updating any other information displayed on the web page. Computer systems, computer system environments, and computer programs available as a download or on a computer-readable medium for installation according to the invention are provided. |
| US08458587B1 |
Method of entering page layout constraints into a computer
A method of entering page layout constraints into a computer. The method comprises providing a container for representing a page layout. The method further comprises providing a set of graphical objects, each having a set of object gridlines for delimiting important graphical features. Each of the set of object gridlines has a span. The method further comprises selecting and placing the set of graphical objects one by one within the container. Each of the selected graphical objects are positioned by snapping the position of the span to a non-empty gridline or by adding a new gridline. The method further comprises determining at least one pair of colliding gridlines. Colliding gridlines have a parallel direction and at least one pair of spans which at least partially overlap in the parallel direction. The method further comprises inserting page layout constraints between the at least one pair of colliding gridlines. |
| US08458585B1 |
Delayed code parsing for reduced startup latency
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for delaying code parsing. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a resource that includes markup language code and executable code embedded within the markup language code, invoking the markup language code without parsing the executable code, extracting the executable code from within the markup language code, and invoking the executable code. |
| US08458582B2 |
System and method for translating insurance-related data
A computer system includes a processor; and a memory storage device in communication with the processor. The processor is adapted to: receive via a computer communications network a user identification and an identification of an electronic file having user-generated insurance-related data; provide an output signal for display to the user a prompt for the user to provide mapping data mapping a plurality of insurance-related data fields data identifiers in the user-data electronic file; receive mapping data in response to the prompt; access the user electronic file; employing the received mapping data, map data elements identified in the user-data electronic file, to a document in a predetermined format; verify that the received mapped data constitutes complete data to submit in connection with an insurance transaction; and provide an output signal including data constituting the document in a predetermined format to a system for further processing in accordance with an insurance transaction. |
| US08458581B2 |
System and method to serially transmit vital data from two processors
A system for serially transmitting vital data includes first and second processors to determine first and second data, a serial communication apparatus to input third data and output serial data based upon the third data, and a memory having first and second ports accessible by the first and second processors, a first memory writable by the first processor and readable by the second processor, and a second memory writable by the second processor and readable by the first processor. The first and second processors store the first and second data in the first and second memories, cooperatively agree that the first data corresponds to the second data, and responsively cause the apparatus to employ: one of the first and second data as the third data, or parts of the first and second data as the third data, and output the serial data based upon the third data. |
| US08458577B2 |
Encoder, decoder, encoding method, and decoding method
There is provided an encoder that provides a termination sequence with a simple structure for LDPC-CC encoding and reduces an amount of the termination sequence transmitted to a transmission line. The LDPC-CC encoder (200) connects a first encoder (230) to a second encoder (240) to perform encoding and thereby carry out LDPC-CC encoding, the first encoder (230) performing encoding based on an partial parity check matrix for information bits (110) obtained by extracting a sequence corresponding to the information bits in a parity check matrix (100) and the second encoder (240) performing encoding based on a partial parity check matrix for parity bits (120) obtained by extracting a sequence corresponding to the parity bits in the parity check matrix (100). A termination sequence generator (210) generates a termination sequence including the same number of bits as the memory length of the first encoder (230) and provides the generated termination sequence as an input sequence. |
| US08458572B1 |
Efficient storage of error correction information in DRAM
A method for data storage includes encoding input data with an Error Correction Code (ECC), to produce encoded data. The encoded data is formatted in a super-frame consisting of a given number of burst sequences arranged in parallel, each burst sequence consisting of one or more bursts of multiple bytes of the encoded data. The burst sequences of the super-frame are stored in respective memory devices over a single data bus having a bus width, in bytes, that is equal to the given number. |
| US08458570B2 |
Recovery of transmission errors
A method for recovering transmission errors, comprising: receiving a data packet comprising an error detection code associated to data contained in the packet, wherein the data associated to the error detection code comprises primary data and secondary data, checking the error detection code of the received packet to detect an erroneous state of the associated data, when the erroneous state is detected, determining a finite set of candidate values for the primary data and, for each values of the set: determining a marginal likelihood of the candidate value as a function of the error detection code of the received packet, determining a first correlation between the primary data of the received packet and the candidate value, and selecting a corrected value for the primary data among the set of candidate values as a function of said marginal likelihoods and said first correlations. |
| US08458567B2 |
FEC-based reliability control protocols
In a transport system, data is reliably transported from a sender to a receiver by organizing the data to be transported into data blocks, wherein each data block comprises a plurality of encoding units, transmitting encoding units of a first data block from the sender to the receiver, and detecting, at the sender, acknowledgments of receipt of encoding units by the receiver. At the sender, a probability that the receiver received sufficient encoding units of the first data block to recover the first data block at the receiver is detected and the probability is tested against a threshold probability to determine whether a predetermined test is met. Following the step of testing and prior to the sender receiving confirmation of recovery of the first data block at the receiver, when the predetermined test is met, transmitting encoding units of a second data block from the sender. If an indication of failure to recover the first data block is received at the sender, sending further encoding units for the first data block from the sender to the receiver. In some embodiments, the predetermined test is a comparison of the probability against the threshold probability and the predetermined test is met when the probability is greater than the threshold probability. |
| US08458565B2 |
Flash-based EEPROM emulation using error correction control
A circuit for emulating bit-level erasable non-volatile memory includes an emulator that activates a first virtual sector of a bit-level programmable, block-level erasable non-volatile memory. The first virtual sector receives and stores write requests having an address and a record to be written to the received address. A linked list of records is used to store each subsequent record received in subsequent write requests having the received address. A separate thread in the linked list is maintained for each different received address. The last record subsequently received for each of the received addresses is copied to a linked list of a second virtual sector when a first operating parameter has been exceeded. The active virtual sector is deactivated and erased when the last record subsequently received for each of the received addresses in the linked list of the active virtual sector have been copied to the second virtual sector. |
| US08458564B2 |
Programming management data for a memory
Methods, apparatus, systems, and data structures may operate to combine block management data with a portion of data, to generate error correction data for the combined portion, and to store the data, the block management data, the error correction data for the combined portion, and error correction data for the data in a memory. Methods, apparatus, systems, and data structures may operate to generate or store error correction data for each of a plurality of sectors of a page except for a particular sector in the page and combine block management data with the particular sector to generate a modified sector. Additionally, various methods, apparatus, systems, and data structures may operate to generate or store error correction data for the modified sector and combine the plurality of sectors, the error correction data for each of the plurality of sectors other than the particular page, and the block management data and the error correction data for the modified sector. |
| US08458563B2 |
Reading a flash memory by joint decoding and cell voltage distribution tracking
To read a plurality of memory cells, each cell is assigned to a respective cell population. A respective value of an operational parameter of each cell is measured. Each cell is assigned an a-priori metric based at least in part on one or more CVD parameter values of the cell's population. The a-priori metrics are decoded. Based at least in part on the resulting a-posteriori metrics, the CVD parameter values are corrected, without repeating the measurements of the cell operational parameter values. The operational parameter values are indicative of bit patterns stored in the cells, and the correction of the CVD parameter values is constrained by requiring the bit patterns collectively to be a valid codeword. |
| US08458555B2 |
Breaking trapping sets using targeted bit adjustment
In one embodiment, an LDPC decoder performs a targeted bit adjustment method to recover a valid codeword after the decoder has failed. In a first stage, a post processor initializes the decoder by saturating LLR values output by the decoder during the last (i.e., failed) iteration to a relatively small value. Then, two-bit trials are performed, wherein LLR values corresponding to two bits of the codeword are adjusted in each trial. Decoding is performed with the adjusted values, and if the number of unsatisfied check nodes exceeds a specified threshold, then a second stage is performed. The post processor initializes the decoder by saturating the LLR values output by the decoder during the last (i.e., failed) iteration of the first stage to a relatively small value. The second stage then performs single-bit adjustment trials, wherein one LLR value corresponding to one bit of the codeword is adjusted in each trial. |
| US08458552B2 |
Data processing method and apparatus for a HARQ operation
A data processing method for a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) is provided. Specifically, modulation can be performed according to a constellation rearrangement version (CRV) to generate a sub-packet for an incremental redundancy HARQ (IR-HARQ). When a constellation symbol modulated according to the CRV is segmented into an even symbol and an odd symbol for a plurality of transmit antennas, an identical CRV is determined for a pair of the even symbol and the odd symbol subsequent to the even symbol. When the constellation symbol modulated according to the CRV is transmitted to a receiving side, a newly generated sub-packet is retransmitted upon receiving a non-acknowledgement (NACK) signal. |
| US08458551B2 |
Verification device, verification method, and verification program
A verification device includes a data verifying unit that verifies whether data in a packet has an error using a first or a second verification mode, a packet generating unit that generates a packet in accordance with a first packet generation mode or a second packet generation mode respectively corresponding to the first and the second verification modes, a failure monitoring unit that monitors a failure of a transmission line that requires a switching of the verification mode, a switching packet transmitting unit that transmits to a destination device, a switching packet for informing the switching of the verification mode used by the data verifying unit when the failure monitoring unit detects a failure or a removal of a failure, a generation mode switching unit that switches the generation mode, and a verification mode switching unit that switches the verification mode to the one informed by the switching packet. |
| US08458550B2 |
Protocols for multi-hop relay system with centralized scheduling
Various example embodiments are disclosed herein. In an example embodiment, a method of transmitting data via a wireless transmission path that may include a user equipment as a first end point, a base station as second end point, and at least one relay station as an intermediate point(s). The method may include receiving a data transmission from a prior point in the transmission path. Substantially simultaneously: forwarding the received data to the next point in the transmission path, and determining if the received data is corrupt. Transmitting a transmission message to the next point in the transmission path indicating whether or not the received data was corrupt. And, if the data is not corrupt, transmitting a receipt message to the prior point indicating that the data was uncorrupt when received. |
| US08458549B2 |
Data transmission method, data reception method, mobile terminal and radio communication system
A data transmission method according to the present invention includes the steps of: (A) adding a first CRC code to transmission data; (B) dividing the transmission data to which the first CRC code has been added into a plurality of encoded bit sequences; (C) adding a second CRC code to at least one of the divided encoded bit sequences; (D) performing error correction encoding processing on the encoded bit sequences; and (E) transmitting the encoded bit sequences on which the error correction encoding processing has been performed. |
| US08458547B2 |
Method for constructing a histogram
A method for constructing a histogram can include sampling attributes in a column of a database on a server and determining a bucket set for the histogram based on a number of buckets that represents a distribution of the attributes with minimum error. A bucket in the bucket set includes boundaries and an approximation of a count of attributes falling within the boundaries. The method further includes determining a precision for encoding the approximation, such that the histogram having the bucket set fits within a storage limit on a tangible computer-readable medium. The histogram can then be stored for the database on a tangible computer-readable medium by encoding the approximation with the precision. |
| US08458542B2 |
Analog scan circuit, analog flip-flop, and data processing apparatus
Observability and controllability in a test of an analog LSI are increased. Analog signals input from input terminals IN1 to IN3 are supplied to diffusion layer regions 221, 223 and 225 via transistors 301 to 303, and are accumulated as electric charge. A clock signal is applied to signal lines 121 and 122 alternately connected to gate electrodes 211 to 216, thus allowing the accumulated electric charge to be transferred to the right direction. Electric charge/voltage conversion amplifiers 411 to 413 are connected to the diffusion layer regions 221, 223 and 225, and the accumulated electric charge is converted into voltage and is output to output terminals VOUT1 to VOUT3 as analog signals. A scan-in terminal Sin is connected to a diffusion layer region 220, and a scan-out terminal Sout is connected to the diffusion layer region 225 via an electric charge/voltage conversion amplifier 401. |
| US08458538B2 |
Latency detection in a memory built-in self-test by using a ping signal
In a complex semiconductor device including embedded memories, the round trip latency may be determined during a memory self-test by applying a ping signal having the same latency as control and failure signals used during the self-test. The ping signal may be used for controlling an operation counter in order to obtain a reliable correspondence between the counter value and a memory operation causing a specified memory failure. |
| US08458536B2 |
Data recovery in solid state memory devices
Embodiments herein provide data recovery techniques and configurations for solid state memory devices. For example, a method includes identifying a hard error associated with a cell of a solid state memory device, providing a location of the cell having the identified hard error to a decoder to recover data originally programmed to the cell, and recovering the data originally programmed to the cell using the decoder. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed. |
| US08458530B2 |
Continuous system health indicator for managing computer system alerts
A method is provided for detecting when users are being adversely impacted by poor system performance. A system health indicator is determined that is based on the amount of work that is blocked waiting for each of a set of an external events and combined with a heuristic that is based on the number of users waiting for the work to complete. The system health indicator is compared to a threshold such that an alert is generated when the system health indicator crosses the threshold. However, the system health indicator is designed so that an alert is only generated when a significant user base is or will in the near future experience a problem with the system. Furthermore, the system health indicator is designed to vary smoothly to maintain its suitability for the application of predictive technology. |
| US08458529B2 |
Logical entity fault isolation in network systems management
Various embodiments include one or more of systems, methods, and software to provide a status of a logical entity between entity models in network management systems, such as for fault isolation, in an efficient manner. Some embodiments, when receiving requests for a status of a logical entity while already in the process of determining the status in response to a previously received request, include adding an identifier of the subsequent requestor to a status requestor list and not responding to or taking any further action with regard to the request from the subsequent requestor until the status in response to the first received status request is determined. |
| US08458528B1 |
Comprehensive end-to-end storage area network (SAN) application transport service
Disclosed is a method and system for transmitting data on a data channel from a source to a destination. The data channel has a plurality of wavelength channels and a throughput. The system and method include a storage application for multicasting data on each of the plurality of wavelength channels, a storage protocol extension device using buffer credits to adjust the throughput during the multicasting, and an application optimization device for managing data channel latency to achieve asymmetric mirroring behavior at the same time as the multicasting. |
| US08458521B2 |
Remote technical support employing a configurable executable application
In a remote technical support system, in response to a request for service, a user device receives an executable application from the technical support controller, which executable application is subsequently invoked at the user device. Additionally, the user device receives configuration information from the technical support controller. The executable application then performs technical support processing of the user device in accordance with the configuration information. The executable application can be configured, based on the configuration information, to engage in dynamic workflow, i.e., to make decisions about what activities to perform based on previous results. Because the configuration information can be selected according to the specific nature of the user device and/or the specific nature of the service request, the executable application can be tailored to best address the requesting end user's needs with minimal attention from a remote technician. |
| US08458512B2 |
Variable-length data storing method and variable-length data storing device
In order to enable a rewrite of stored data to be omitted and to reduce a processing time of error concealment even if an error is detected in a process for sequentially storing variable-length data in a memory and the rewrite of the stored data is necessary, variable-length data from which an error is not detected is sequentially stored at and after a predetermined position in the memory, and error information that includes a restoration address that corresponds to an area in which variable-length data from which an error is detected is to be stored and that specifies variable-length data stored earliest in the memory from among data to be replaced with error concealment data is stored at a position preceding the predetermined position, when the error is detected. |
| US08458509B1 |
Multipath failover
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for processing data. In some embodiments, this includes detecting a faulty interface, removing outstanding jobs from the faulty interface, distributing the outstanding jobs to other interfaces. In some embodiments, distributing the outstanding jobs includes distributing a first outstanding job to a first lowest counter interface. In some embodiments, a second outstanding job is distributed to a second lowest counter interface. |
| US08458501B2 |
Measuring data switching activity in a microprocessor
A mechanism is provided for approximating data switching activity in a data processing system. A data switching activity identification mechanism in the data processing system receives an identification of a set of data storage devices and a set of bits in the set of data storage devices in the data processing system to be monitored for the data switching activity. The data switching activity identification mechanism sums a count of the identified bits that have changed state for the data storage device along with other counts of the identified bits that have changed state for other data storage devices in the set of data storage devices to form an approximation of data switching activity. A power manager in the data processing system then adjusts a set of operational parameters associated with the data processing system using the approximation of data switching activity. |
| US08458498B2 |
Method and apparatus of power management of processor
A processing platform and a method of controlling power consumption of a central processing unit of the processing platform are presented. By operating the method the processing platform is able to set an upper performance state limit and a lower performance state limit. The upper performance state limit is based on a central processing unit activity rate value and the lower performance state limit is based on a minimum require of the operating system to perform operating system tasks. The performance state values are varying within a range of the lower and upper limits according to a power management policy. |
| US08458496B2 |
Systems and methods for control of integrated circuits comprising body biasing systems
Systems and methods for control of integrated circuits comprising body-biasing systems. In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, a desirable power condition of a computer system comprising a microprocessor is determined. Body biasing voltage information corresponding to the power condition is accessed. A voltage supply coupled to a body terminal of the microprocessor is commanded to generate a voltage corresponding to the body biasing voltage information corresponding to the power condition. |
| US08458490B2 |
System and method for supporting full volume encryption devices in a client hosted virtualization system
A client hosted virtualization system includes a full volume encryption (FVE) storage device, a processor, and non-volatile memory with BIOS code and virtualization manager code. The virtualization manager initializes the client hosted virtualization system, authenticates a virtual machine image, launches the virtual machine based on the image, receives a transaction from the virtual machine targeted to the FVE storage device, sends the transaction to the FVE storage device, receives a response from the FVE storage device, and sends the first response to the first virtual machine. The client hosted virtualization system is configurable to execute the BIOS or the virtualization manager. |
| US08458487B1 |
System and methods for format preserving tokenization of sensitive information
Systems and methods for secure access and utilization of sensitive data such as credit card numbers, Social Security Numbers, personal identifying information, etc. A tokenizing strategy component provides for creating, managing, and storing tokenization strategies on behalf of a plurality of users. A data tokenizing component is operative to (a) receive an input data string of sensitive data from a user, (b) apply a selected tokenization strategy to the input data string to generate a tokenized data string, and (c) provide the tokenized data string for storage in association with the input data string. A secure server including a secure database stores the tokenized data string and the input data string in a corresponding mapped relationship. A security component controls access to and retrieval of the tokenized data string and to the input data string in accordance with predetermined security requirements of the users. |
| US08458485B2 |
Image-based unlock functionality on a computing device
Utilizing an image on a computing device to serve as a template for locking/unlocking the computing device. The image includes a plurality of portions that are defined and thereafter identified and presented to a user via a touch screen. A user selects portions/zones that are defined within the image in a specified sequence and this sequence is stored as a lock/unlock code for unlocking the computing device. In an embodiment, in addition to the specified sequence of selections, a movement or sequence of movements may be also be stored as part of the lock/unlock code. |
| US08458484B2 |
Password generator
A system (100) for providing secure access to a controlled application is disclosed. The system (100) comprises a database (105) of one or more biometric signatures. The system (100) also comprises a first subsystem (116) comprising a biometric sensor (121) for receiving a biometric signal and means for matching the biometric signal against members of the database (105) of biometric signatures to thereby determine an authentication signal. The first subsystem (116) also comprises means for generating a password dependent upon the authentication signal, the password being generated according to an encryption process based on a dynamic input value. The system (100) also comprises a second sub-system (117) comprising means for receiving the password and means for providing access to the controlled application dependent upon the password. |
| US08458478B2 |
Signature generating apparatus, signature verifying apparatus, and methods and programs therefor
A signature is generated by a scheme in which x denotes a secret key of a signature generating apparatus, mrec∈{0, 1}M denotes a recovery message, k denotes an arbitrary value, g denotes a generator of a cyclic group G of order q, R represents gk∈G, H1 represents a hash function H1: {0, 1}*→{0, 1}L, H2 represents a hash function H2: {0, 1}*→{0, 1}M that has a variable output length, H3 represents a hash function H3: {0, 1}*→Zq, r=H1(R, mrec)|mrec(+)H2(R, H1(R, mrec)), where (+) represents an exclusive-OR operator, t is defined for γ, which depends on r, as t=H3(γ), s is defined as s=k−t·x∈Z, and a signature is σ=(r, s). |