最新美国发明专利第2014-01-28期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

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US08637291B2	High fidelity restriction endonucleases Methods and compositions are provided for engineering mutant enzymes with reduced star activity where the mutant enzymes have a fidelity index (FI) in a specified buffer that is greater than the FI of the non-mutated enzyme in the same buffer.
US08637289B2	Expression of hexose kinase in recombinant host cells The invention relates to a recombinant host cell having (a) a modification in an endogenous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having dual-role hexokinase activity; (b) a heterologous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having hexose kinase activity; and optionally (c) a modification in an endogenous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having pyruvate decarboxylase activity. Additionally, the invention relates to methods of making and using such recombinant host cells including, for example, methods of increasing glucose consumption, methods of improving redox balance, and/or methods of increasing the production of a product of a pyruvate-utilizing pathway.
US08637284B2	Processing biomass Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, microbial, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as food products and amino acids.
US08637280B2	Genes useful for the industrial production of citric acid The present invention relates to newly identified genes that encode proteins that are involved in the (bio)synthesis of citric acid. The invention also features polynucleotides comprising the full-length polynucleotide sequences of the novel genes and fragments thereof, the novel polypeptides encoded by the polynucleotides and fragments thereof, as well as their functional equivalents. The present invention also relates to the use of said polynucleotides and polypeptides as biotechnological tools in the production of citric acid from microorganisms, whereby a modification of said polynucleotides and/or encoded polypeptides has a direct or indirect impact on yield, production, and/or efficiency of production of the fermentation product in said microorganism. Also included are methods/processes of using the polynucleotides and modified polynucleotide sequences to transform host microorganisms. The invention also relates to genetically engineered microorganisms and their use for production of citric acid.
US08637278B2	Method for the enzymatic production of emulsifiers containing mono- and diacylglycerides The invention relates to a method for the enzymatic production of emulsifiers containing mono- and diacylglycerides. In a first step a), a mixture of a phospholipid component and a triacylglyceride component is prepared, then in step b) a quantity of an aqueous solution containing a (phospho)lipase is added to the mixture obtained, to produce a water content of the mixture of between 3 and 15 wt. %. In a subsequent step c), the mixture obtained in the previous step is reacted at a temperature ranging between 20° and 80° C. over a period of at least two hours and said mixture is then dried.
US08637276B2	Methods, compositions and kits for the improved detection of small RNA molecules The present invention provides compositions, methods and kits for use in the detection of small RNA sequences, which allow for rapid and robust amplification and detection. The methods provide improved sensitivity and efficiency in the amplification-based detection of small RNA sequences by incorporating one or more base-modified duplex-stabilizing dNTPs during reverse transcription and/or amplification.
US08637272B2	Halohydrin epoxidase The present invention provides an industrially useful improved halohydrin epoxidase, a method for producing the same, and a method for producing an epihalohydrin or 4-halo-3-hydroxybutyronitrile using the same. The improved halohydrin epoxidase of the present invention consists of an amino acid sequence in which a specific amino acid substitution mutation is introduced into an amino acid sequence of a wild-type halohydrin epoxidase comprising predetermined amino acid sequences I and II.
US08637271B2	Polymeric indicators for detecting the presence of metabolic byproducts from microorganisms Polymeric indicators are provided for visually monitoring, detecting, and/or determining the presence of metabolic byproducts from harmful or potentially harmful microorganisms.
US08637270B2	Fluidized bed detector for continuous, ultra-sensitive detection of biological and chemical materials The present invention is generally directed to a fluidized bed detector for continuous detection of biological and chemical materials comprising a fluidized bed of detecting elements suspended in a continuous flow system wherein the detecting elements remain in the system when a first force trying to move the detecting elements to the bottom of the system is balanced with a second opposing force of a flowing gas or liquid trying to move detecting elements to the top of the system and wherein the presence of a target molecule in the flowing gas or liquid disrupts the balance of the first and second forces causing the detecting element to exit the system. The release of the detecting element indicates the presence of the target molecule and may be captured, concentrated, or both for further evaluation by other assays or other means. Also disclosed is the related method of detecting biological and chemical materials using a fluidized bed detector.
US08637267B2	Antibacterial and plasmid elimination agents Inhibitors of the tmRNA pathway have antibacterial activity with broad species specificity, including B. anthracis and other pathogens of military and civilian interest. Identified cyclic or linear peptides are further selected by in vivo selection methods, kill bacterial pathogens when added exogenously, and/or eliminate plasmids carrying antibiotic resistance or virulence genes. The molecular target of each cyclic peptide is in the tmRNA pathway and the tmRNA pathway is inhibited in vitro and in vivo by the addition of the peptides.
US08637263B1	Assay for determination of compounds having anti-emetic activity A screening method for identifying compounds with anti-emetic properties by evaluating binding affinity and efficacy of the compounds with respect to the 5-HT1a, 5-HT1d, and 5-HT7 receptors.
US08637262B2	Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) protein and gene, mutants thereof, and uses thereof Provided are purified and isolated VEGF-C polypeptides capable of binding to at least one of KDR receptor tyrosine kinase (VEGFR-2) and Flt4 receptor tyrosine kinase (VEGFR-3); analogs of such peptides that have VEGF-C-like or VEGF-like biological activities or that are VEGF or VEGF-C inhibitors; polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides; vectors and host cells that embody the polynucleotides; pharmaceutical compositions and diagnostic reagents comprising the polypeptides; and methods of making and using the polypeptides. Methods of inhibiting endothelial cell proliferation are also provided.
US08637261B2	Flow cytometry for high throughput screening The present invention, provides a flow cytometry apparatus for the detection of particles from a plurality of samples comprising: means for moving a plurality of samples comprising particles from a plurality of respective source wells into a fluid flow stream; means for introducing a separation gas between each of the plurality of samples in the fluid flow stream; and means for selectively analyzing each of the plurality of samples for the particles. The present invention also provides a flow cytometry method employing such an apparatus.
US08637258B2	Compositions and methods for regulating NK cell activity The present invention relates to a method of producing an antibody that cross-reacts with multiple KIR2DL polypeptides and neutralizes the inhibitory activity of such polypeptides.
US08637256B2	Immunoassay for determining the release of neurotensin into the circulation The invention relates to an immunodiagnostic method for determining the release of neurotensin into the circulation of mammals based on the selective determination of an immunoreactivity of the N-terminal portion of a mammal proneurotensin (PNT immunoreactivity) in a serum or plasma sample of a mammal; this immunoreactivity is not neurotensin or neuromedin immunoreactivity.
US08637254B2	Exosome-associated microRNA as a diagnostic marker The presently disclosed subject matter provides methods of diagnosis of cancer or adverse pregnancy outcomes in a subject by measuring amounts of one or more RNAs present in cancer-derived exosomes isolated from a biological sample from the subject.
US08637247B2	Methods of detecting target nucleic acids The present disclosure relates to methods of identifying target nucleic acids by using coded molecules and its analysis by translocation through a nanopore. Generally, coded molecules are subject to a target polynucleotide dependent modification. The modified coded molecule is detected by isolating the modified coded molecules from the unmodified coded molecules prior to analysis through the nanopore or by detecting a change in the signal pattern of the coded molecule when analyzed through the nanopore.
US08637243B2	Methods for nucleic acid manipulation A method for replicating and amplifying a target nucleic acid sequence is described. A method of the invention involves the formation of a recombination intermediate without the prior denaturing of a nucleic acid duplex through the use of a recombination factor. The recombination intermediate is treated with a high fidelity polymerase to permit the replication and amplification of the target nucleic acid sequence. In preferred embodiments, the polymerase comprises a polymerase holoenzyme. In further preferred embodiments, the recombination factor is bacteriophage T4 UvsX protein or homologs from other species, and the polymerase holoenzyme comprises a polymerase enzyme, a clamp protein and a clamp loader protein, derived from viral, bacteriophage, prokaryotic, archaebacterial, or eukaryotic systems.
US08637242B2	Integrated sequencing apparatuses and methods of use Provided are methods and apparatuses for performing sequencing using droplet manipulation, for example, via electrowetting-based techniques. Also provided are integrated methods and apparatuses for performing sample preparation and sequencing on the same apparatus. In addition, provided are methods of reducing reagent waste and preloaded consumable cartridges comprising reagents for sample preparation and/or sequencing.
US08637239B2	Minimally-invasive measurement of esophageal inflammation The methods and apparatus of the present invention allow the evaluation of inflammation of the esophagus. Measurements may be utilized, for example, to diagnose a disease of the esophagus, to monitor inflammation of the esophagus, or to access the treatment of a disease of the esophagus. In one embodiment, the invention comprises a method for measuring esophageal inflammation comprising deploying a device into the esophagus of a subject, removing the device after a predetermined period of time, analyzing the device for a diagnostic indicator of esophageal inflammation and evaluating the diagnostic indicator to diagnose esophageal inflammation.
US08637237B2	Methods, compositions, and systems for the identification of species-specific or developmental stage-specific insecticides Ecdysteroid action in Drosophila melanogaster and other insects is mediated by the dimerization of two nuclear receptors, the ecdysone receptor (EcR) and Ultraspiracle (USP), which regulate the transcription of target genes. Disclosed are nucleic acid constructs to identify insecticides having the ability to modify insect development and growth in a developmental stage-specific and/or species-specific manner.
US08637236B2	MECP2E1 gene The invention is a novel MECP2E1 splice variant and its corresponding polypeptide. The invention also includes methods of using these nucleic acid sequences and proteins in medical diagnosis and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders or development disorders.
US08637235B2	Identification of a JAK2 mutation in polycythemia vera The present invention concerns the V617F variant of the protein-tyrosine kinase JAK2, said variant being responsible for Vaquez Polyglobulia. The invention also relates to a first intention diagnostic method for erythrocytosis and thrombocytosis allowing their association with myeloproliferative disorders, or to the detection of the JAK2 V617F variant in myeloproliferative disorders allowing their reclassification in a new nosological group.
US08637232B2	Biomarkers for lung disease monitoring The present invention pertains to the monitoring and treatment of lung transplant recipients. In particular, the invention pertains to the use of biomarkers to predict or detect post-lung transplantation complications (e.g., organ rejection, acute organ rejection, organ injury, bronchiolitis obliterans, bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome, organizing pneumonia), fibroproliferative repair responses, interstitial lung diseases (e.g., idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and other fibrotic lung diseases), and other immune-mediated lung diseases (e.g., graft versus host disease, scleroderma).
US08637230B2	Composition for cold preservation and perfusion of organs The current invention provides a new organ preservation solution, suitable for machine perfusion, for maintaining viability of organs, parts of organs and tissues. This solution has been designed to overcome a number of problems associated with hypothermic machine perfusion of donor organs, in particular organs obtained from non-heart-beating donors. The solution prevents or minimizes the adverse affects caused by ischemia, hypoxia, energy and nutrient depletion, acidification, hypothermia and reperfusion injury. The preservation solutions according to the current invention are superior to current state of the art preservation solutions, in particular for preservation and perfusion of organs obtained from non-heart-bearing donors, by supplying increased concentrations and an optimized balance of amino acids, vitamins, anti-oxidants, high molecular weight additives and enhanced buffering capacity. In addition, the preservation solution according to the invention combines optimal physical and chemical properties with the use of readily available, inexpensive and pharmaceutically tested and acceptable compounds, reducing the cost of manufacturing and facilitating medical certification of solutions according to the current invention.
US08637228B1	Color photographic silver halide paper and use A color photographic element has a reflective support and a blue light sensitive color record, a green light sensitive color record, and a red light sensitive color record and can be used to provide color photographic prints. The element also has a non-light sensitive layer over the red light sensitive color record. This non-light sensitive layer has (1) a hydrophilic colloid in an amount of at least 200 mg/m2 to and including 2,000 mg/m2, (2) matte particles, and (3) an acrylate latex polymer having latex particles having an average size of less than 1 μm and a glass transition temperature of at least 70° C. The dry weight ratio of the acrylate latex polymer to the hydrophilic colloid is at least 0.8:1 and the dry weight ratio of the acrylate latex polymer to the total matte particles is at least 15:1.
US08637226B2	Method of forming an image having multiple phases A method of forming an image having multiple phases is disclosed herein. The method includes forming exposed and unexposed areas, the exposed areas comprising a first polymer network exhibiting first and second phases that are chemically connected and have different refractive indices, the first phase being continuous, and the second phase comprising a plurality of structures dispersed within the first phase, and the unexposed areas comprising a second polymer network comprising third and fourth phases that are chemically connected and have different refractive indices, the third phase being continuous, and the fourth phase comprising a plurality of structures dispersed within the third phase. The first and second polymer networks are chemically connected, and morphology formed by the first and second phases is different than that formed by the third and fourth phases.
US08637219B2	Aromatic ring-containing compound for a resist underlayer and resist underlayer composition An aromatic ring-containing compound for a resist underlayer and a resist underlayer composition, the aromatic ring-containing compound being represented by the following Chemical Formula 1: wherein, in Chemical Formula 1, R1 to R6 are each independently a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C10 alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C5 to C20 aromatic ring group, a substituted or unsubstituted C3 to C20 cycloalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C3 to C20 cycloalkenyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C2 to C20 heteroaryl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted C2 to C20 heterocycloalkyl group, X1 to X6 are each independently hydrogen, a hydroxy group (—OH), a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl amine group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy group, or an amino group (—NH2), n1 to n6 are each independently 0 or 1, and 1≦n1+n2+n3+n4+n5+n6≦6.
US08637215B2	Colored curable composition, color filter and method of producing color filter, solid-state image sensor and liquid crystal display device The present invention provides a colored curable composition including a phthalocyanine pigment, a dioxazine pigment, a dye, a polymerization initiator, a polymerizable compound and a solvent; and a colored curable composition including a phthalocyanine pigment, a dye multimer having a polymerizable group and a group derived from a dipyrromethene dye, a polymerization initiator, a polymerizable compound and a solvent.
US08637212B2	Reticle set modification to produce multi-core dies A first reticle set designed for manufacturing dies with a limited number of cores is modified into a second reticle set suitable for manufacturing at least some dies with at least twice as many cores. The first reticle set defines scribe lines to separate the originally defined dies. At least one scribe line is removed from pairs of adjacent but originally distinctly defined dies. Inter-core communication wires are defined to connect the adjacent cores, which are configured to enable the adjacent cores to communicate during operation without connecting to any physical input/output landing pads of the resulting more numerously cored die, which will not carry signals through the inter-core communication wires off the P-core die. The inter-core communication wires may be used for power management coordination purposes or to bypass the external processor bus.
US08637211B2	Method for integrated circuit manufacturing and mask data preparation using curvilinear patterns A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed, wherein during the physical design process, a curvilinear path is designed to represent an interconnecting wire on the fabricated semiconductor device. A method for fracturing or mask data preparation (MDP) is also disclosed in which a manhattan path which is part of the physical design of an integrated circuit is modified to create a curvilinear pattern, and where a set of charged particle beam shots is generated, where the set of shots is capable of forming the curvilinear pattern on a resist-coated surface.
US08637210B2	Membrane-electrode assembly, method of producing the assembly, and solid polymer-type fuel cell employing the same A first layered article (14a) in which a first electrolyte membrane (12a) and an anode-side catalyst layer (13a) are laminated, and a second layered article (14b) in which a second electrolyte membrane (12b) and a cathode-side catalyst layer (13b) are laminated, are formed. Then, the first layered article (14a) and the second layered article (14b) are disposed so that the electrolyte membrane-side surfaces of the two articles face each other. A reinforcement frame (20) is then disposed between the two articles. The whole layered assembly in this state is thermocompression-bonded. Thus, a membrane-electrode assembly (15) in which the reinforcement frame (20) is embedded within an electrolyte membrane (15) that is formed by the fusion of first electrolyte membrane (12a) and the second electrolyte membrane (12b) is obtained.
US08637206B2	Catalyst, production process therefor and use thereof The invention provides catalysts which are not corroded in acidic electrolytes or at high potential and have excellent durability and high oxygen reducing ability. The catalysts include a niobium-containing oxycarbonitride having I2/(I1+I2) of not less than 0.25 wherein I1 is the maximum X-ray diffraction intensity at diffraction angles 2θ of 25.45 to 25.65 degrees and I2 is the maximum X-ray diffraction intensity at diffraction angles 2θ=2θ of 25.65 to 26.0 degrees according to X-ray powder diffractometry (Cu—Kα radiation).
US08637205B2	Fuel cell subassemblies incorporating subgasketed thrifted membranes A fuel cell roll good subassembly is described that includes a plurality of individual electrolyte membranes. One or more first subgaskets are attached to the individual electrolyte membranes. Each of the first subgaskets has at least one aperture and the first subgaskets are arranged so the center regions of the individual electrolyte membranes are exposed through the apertures of the first subgaskets. A second subgasket comprises a web having a plurality of apertures. The second subgasket web is attached to the one or more first subgaskets so the center regions of the individual electrolyte membranes are exposed through the apertures of the second subgasket web. The second subgasket web may have little or no adhesive on the subgasket surface facing the electrolyte membrane.
US08637201B2	Cooling system A cooling system is provided. The cooling system includes: a fuel cell; a cooling circuit configured to circulate a coolant medium to cool the fuel cell; an air conditioning circuit configured to circulate the coolant medium, the air conditioning circuit having a heat exchanger to execute heat exchange between the coolant medium and air to be sent to a room; a switching unit configured to switch between a connected state and a disconnected state; and a controller configured to control operation of the cooling system, wherein when the controller switches a state of the cooling system from the disconnected state to the connected state, irrespective of conditions in the cooling system, the controller executes operation of the cooling system in a flow rate control mode whereby the ratio (L1/L2) of a first flow rate (L1) to a second flow rate (L2) is set to or above a prescribed value, wherein the first flow rate (L1) represents the flow rate of the coolant medium flowing through the cooling circuit, and the second flow rate (L2) represents the flow rate of the coolant medium flowing through the air conditioning circuit.
US08637199B2	Fuel cell using organic fuel A fuel cell is provided which can control an optimum fuel concentration according to an output without a sensor for measuring the fuel concentration. The fuel cell uses a liquid organic compound for fuel and includes a membrane-electrode assembly, a passage for allowing fuel or oxidant to flow, a fuel supply unit for supplying the fuel to the fuel cell and intermittently or periodically changing a rate of fuel supply, and a computation processor for measuring a signal of a voltage or an output of the fuel cell, computing the rate of the fuel supply and the signal, and correcting the rate of the fuel supply. In the fuel cell, the optimum fuel concentration can be easily controlled according to the output by periodically varying the fuel concentration from a reference fuel concentration, measuring a voltage or an output and a variation range of the voltage or the output, and then determining whether the reference fuel concentration is appropriate or not.
US08637197B2	High efficiency, reversible flow battery system for energy storage The present invention relates to a reversible solid oxide electrochemical cell that may operate in two modes: a discharge mode (power generation) and a charge mode (electrolytic fuel production). A thermal system that utilizes a SOFB and is inclusive of selection of operating conditions that may enable roundtrip efficiencies exceeding about 80% to be realized is disclosed. Based on leverage of existing solid oxide fuel cell technology, the system concept is applicable to energy storage applications on the kW to MW scale.
US08637194B2	Bio-nano power cells and their uses The present invention concerns bio-nano power cells and methods of their manufacture and use. More particularly, the present invention relates to the preparation of bio-nano power cells that are biocompatible and capable of producing flash, intermittent, or continuous power by electrolyzing compounds in biological systems.
US08637187B2	Negative electrode material for lithium secondary battery, method for producing same, negative electrode for lithium secondary battery using same and lithium secondary battery A negative-electrode material is provided that can be produced at a low cost and yields a lithium secondary battery with an excellent balance of various battery characteristics even when used in high electrode densities.It has a graphite powder with a tap density of 0.80 g/cm3 or higher and 1.35 g/cm3 or lower, an amount of surface functional groups, O/C value, of 0 or larger and 0.01 or smaller, a BET specific surface area of 2.5 m2/g or larger and 70 m2/g or smaller, a Raman R value of 0.02 or larger and 0.05 or smaller.
US08637185B2	Open structures in substrates for electrodes Provided are conductive substrates having open structures and fractional void volumes of at least about 25% or, more specifically, or at least about 50% for use in lithium ion batteries. Nanostructured active materials are deposited over such substrates to form battery electrodes. The fractional void volume may help to accommodate swelling of some active materials during cycling. In certain embodiments, overall outer dimensions of the electrode remain substantially the same during cycling, while internal open spaces of the conductive substrate provide space for any volumetric changes in the nanostructured active materials. In specific embodiments, a nanoscale layer of silicon is deposited over a metallic mesh to form a negative electrode. In another embodiment, a conductive substrate is a perforated sheet with multiple openings, such that a nanostructured active material is deposited into the openings but not on the external surfaces of the sheet.
US08637184B2	Rechargeable lithium battery for tolerating discharge to zero volts The battery includes a positive electrode having a first active material on a positive substrate. The first active material includes LiNixCo1-x-yMyO2 wherein M is chosen from the group consisting of Mn, Al, Mg, B, Ti, and Li, and wherein 0.5≦x≦1 and 0≦y≦0.3. The battery also includes a negative electrode having a second active material on a negative substrate. The second active material includes carbon. The negative electrode is susceptible to damage when a voltage exceeding a Damage Potential Threshold (DPT) is applied to the negative electrode. The DPT is lower than the maximum positive operating potential of the battery. The positive and negative electrodes define a Zero Volt Crossing Potential (ZCP) relative to a reference level when the voltage between the positive electrode and the negative electrode is zero. The positive electrode and the negative electrode are configured such that the value of the ZCP is less than the value of the DPT at a predetermined temperature.
US08637183B2	Expanders for lead-acid batteries An expander formulation used in battery paste compositions. The expander formulation incorporates effective amounts, or elevated concentrations of up to 6% of graphite and mixtures of carbon black and graphite to lessen or minimize the accumulation of lead sulfate on the surface of the negative plate during high rate PSOC battery operation, and/or to increase the electrochemical efficiency, the reserve capacity, the cold cranking performance and the cycle life of lead-acid batteries.
US08637179B2	Systems and methods for manufacturing a battery using a foldable covering member A battery which can be assembled by using reduced man-hours. The battery has a battery cell having a positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal which are arranged on one side surface of the battery cell, a circuit board placed facing the one side surface of the battery cell and having a first board terminal and a second board terminal, a first conduction member for conducting the positive electrode terminal and first board terminal to each other, a second conductive member for conducting the negative electrode terminal and the second board terminal to each other, a first cover placed between the circuit board and the battery cell, a second cover placed facing the first cover with the circuit board sandwiched between the first and second covers, a connection section for connecting the first and second covers to each other, and a cover for covering the circuit board. The circuit board is mounted to the one side surface of the battery cell while being sandwiched between the first and second covers.
US08637178B2	Electrode for a power storing apparatus and power storing apparatus provided with that electrode An electrode for a power storing apparatus has a collector and a plurality of electrode patterns formed on at least one surface of the collector. An electrode pattern in a region where heat is radiated less than in other region, from among the plurality of electrode patterns, has a lower formation density than an electrode pattern in the other region.
US08637175B2	Battery pack having a detection groove In the present invention, there is provided a battery pack wherein a lock recess for engagement with a lock protrusion formed to protrude from the battery mounting portion side and a detection groove for engagement with a detection protrusion formed to protrude from the battery mounting portion side so as to detect the kind of the battery pack are formed in one or each of mutually opposite side surfaces adjacent to a mount surface for mounting to the battery mounting portion, according to the kind of the battery pack, and the detection groove is formed to be deeper than the lock recess in a direction in the plane of the mount surface.
US08637173B2	Battery pack Disclosed is a battery pack including guide recesses inside a case. The battery pack includes a core pack including a bare cell, and a protective circuit member electrically connected to the bare cell, a case accommodating the core pack, and an upper cover covering the core pack. The case includes a base plate, reinforcement plates vertically extending from edges of the base plate, and a resin part surrounding the reinforcement plates. A guide recess is disposed inside the resin part.
US08637168B2	Materials for organic electroluminescence devices The present invention relates to aromatic amines and to electronic devices in which these amines are used, in particular, as matrix material in the emitting layer and/or as hole-transport material and/or as electron-blocking or exciton-blocking material and/or as electron-transport material.
US08637166B2	High strength nickel alloy welds through strain hardening Provided are strain hardened high strength nickel based alloy welds that yield improved properties and performance in joining high strength metals. The advantageous weldments include two or more segments of ferrous or non-ferrous components, and fusion welds, friction stir welds, electron beam welds, laser beam welds, or a combination thereof bonding adjacent segments of the components together, wherein the welds comprise a strain hardened nickel based alloy weld metal composition including greater than or equal to 10 wt % Mo based on the total weight of the nickel based alloy weld metal composition. Also provided are methods for forming the welds from the nickel based alloy weld compositions. The strain hardened high strength nickel based alloy welds are useful in the oil, gas and petrochemical industry in applications for natural gas transportation and storage, oil and gas well completion and production, and oil and gas refinery and chemical plants.
US08637165B2	Connector with multi-layer Ni underplated contacts A corrosion-resistant electrical connector is disclosed. A multi-layer nickel underplating is applied to the substrate material of the connector contacts. The three layers of nickel include a leveling nickel layer, a sulfumate nickel layer, and a high-phosphorous nickel layer. A layer of gold is applied to the nickel underplating in an embodiment.
US08637160B2	Polymer dispersions of vinylaromatic compounds and acrylate monomers prepared in the presence of seed latex and carbohydrate compounds Described are aqueous polymer dispersions and methods of making them. The polymer dispersions are obtainable by free-radically initiated emulsion polymerization of 19.9 to 80 parts by weight of vinylaromatic compounds, 19.9 to 80 parts by weight of acrylate monomers selected from C1-C10 alkyl acrylates and C1-C10 alkyl methacrylates, 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of ethylenically unsaturated acids, and 0 to 20 parts by weight of other ethylenically unsaturated monomers, wherein the emulsion polymerization is effected in an aqueous medium in the presence of free-radical initiators, seed latex and also at least one carbohydrate compound in the form of a degraded starch. The polymer dispersions are particularly useful in the manufacture of paper coating slips.
US08637158B2	Polymerizable composition for coating metals The present invention relates to a polymerizable composition and to a method for coating metal surfaces, in particular steel, galvanized and alloy-galvanized steel, and also aluminum and alloys thereof, as protection against corrosion. The polymerizable composition preferably contains less than 10% by weight of portions which are not incorporated in the cured coating. In a further aspect, the invention relates to the use of the claimed composition for coating workpieces consisting of the above-mentioned metals, particularly metal surfaces in blanking lines (coil coating). The present invention therefore also comprises the use of metal surfaces, coated according to the invention, for the production of “white goods” (household appliances), automobile bodies, electronic component housings, and for the building trade and the transport sector.
US08637154B2	Ceramic beads with smooth surfaces and process for producing the same A subject for the invention is to provide a process for ceramic bead production in which ceramic beads with smooth surfaces are obtained by a simpler method without using a complicated process involving, for example, a DC plasma/radio-frequency plasma combination or a two-stage radio-frequency plasma. Another subject is to provide such ceramic beads. The invention relates to a technique in which a preheated raw ceramic material is introduced into a laminar-flow thermal plasma obtained using a high-voltage type direct-current (DC) plasma gun and is cooled and solidified and the resultant ceramic beads are collected. It is preferred that the raw ceramic material should be preheated by passing the raw material through a refractory tube which runs through a furnace, while sending the raw ceramic material with a carrier gas, and that the preheated raw-material powder should be introduced into and treated with the thermal plasma under such conditions that the resultant ceramic beads are discharged from the thermal plasma at a discharge angle of 60° or larger with the thermal plasma. Thus, satisfactory ceramic beads which have smooth surfaces and have few crack defects and few internal void defects are obtained.
US08637153B2	Method for preparing cerium carbonate and cerium oxide Disclosed is a method for preparing cerium carbonate that can improve yield or productivity of cerium carbonate and enables preparation of cerium carbonate having uniform diameter, cerium carbonate, and a method for preparing cerium oxide.The method for preparing cerium carbonate comprises mixing the cerium precursor with urea; and, elevating the temperature of the mixture to 50° C. or more in the absence of a separate reaction medium to react the cerium precursor with urea in the presence of a polymer dispersant.
US08637152B2	Packaging material Disclosed is a packaging material, wherein a barrier layer, an adhesive layer and a sealant layer are laminated in this order, and the adhesive layer includes an acid-modified polyolefin resin that contains a (meth)acrylic acid ester component. The packaging material is preferably produced by forming on the barrier layer the adhesive layer including the acid-modified polyolefin resin that contains a (meth)acrylic acid ester component, and by subsequently laminating a molten sealant resin on the adhesive layer by extrusion lamination.
US08637151B2	Interlayer dielectric film with carrier material and multilayer printed circuit board therewith An objective of this invention is to provide an interlayer dielectric film with a carrier material used in a multilayer printed circuit board, which exhibits sufficient rigidity for a thin multilayer printed circuit board.According to the present invention, there is provided an interlayer dielectric film with a carrier material comprising a carrier material comprised of a metal foil or resin film and an interlayer dielectric film formed on one side of the carrier material, wherein the interlayer dielectric film is comprised of a base material impregnated with a resin; the base material has a thickness of 8 μm to 20 μm; and when the resin is cured at 170° C. for one hour under a pressure of 30 kgf/cm2, an elongation percentage of the interlayer dielectric film in a planar direction is 0.05% or less as determined by a TMA method.
US08637150B2	Multilayer acid terpolymer encapsulant layers and interlayers and laminates therefrom The present invention provides an acid terpolymer comprising multilayer film or sheet and safety laminates and solar cell pre-lamination assemblies comprising the same.
US08637147B2	Barrier laminate, gas barrier film and device using the same Disclosed is a barrier laminate comprising at least one organic layer and at least one inorganic layer, wherein the organic layer has a thickness of 300 nm to 900 nm and is formed by curing a polymerizable composition comprising an aromatic (meth)acrylate and a multifunctional (meth)acrylate having an acryl equivalent weight of not more than 200.
US08637146B2	Metallized opaque films with robust metal layer attachment A multilayer composite film includes in sequence:a) a biaxially oriented, opaque polyester base layer;b) a non-voided polyester layer on and coextensively in contact with a surface of the base layer; andc) a metal layer on a surface of the non-voided polyester layer opposite the opaque polyester base layer, or on a primer layer on a surface of the non-voided polyester layer opposite the opaque polyester base layer.The film may be prepared by vapor depositing or plasma depositing a metal layer on a surface of a non-voided polyester layer coextensively contacting a biaxially oriented, opaque polyester base layer, or on a primer layer on a surface the non-voided polyester layer.
US08637145B2	Ultra-light sound insulator A sound insulator of the invention includes a sound absorption layer and an air-impermeable resonance layer, which are bonded to each other via an adhesive layer. The sound absorption layer has a thickness in a range of 5 to 50 mm, an area-weight of not greater than 2000 g/m2 and a two-layer structure of a high-density sound absorption layer and a low-density sound absorption layer The high-density sound absorption layer is bonded to the air-impermeable resonance layer via the adhesive layer and has a density in a range of 0.05 to 0.20 g/cm3and a thickness in a range of 2 to 30 mm. The low-density sound absorption layer is bonded to the other face of the high-density sound absorption layer via an adhesive layer and has a density in a range of 0.01 to 0.10 g/cm3 and a thickness in a range of 2 to 30 mm.
US08637144B2	Expandable TFE copolymers, method of making, and porous, expended articles thereof A process for the polymerization of a true tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) copolymer of the fine powder type is provided, wherein the copolymer contains polymerized comonomer units of at least one comonomer other than TFE in concentrations of at least or exceeding 1.0 weight percent, and which can exceed 5.0 weight percent, wherein the copolymer is expandable, that is, the copolymer may be expanded to produce strong, useful, expanded TFE copolymeric articles having a microstructure of nodes interconnected by fibrils.
US08637143B2	LTCC composition, LTCC substrate comprising the same and method of manufacturing the same There is provided a Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (LTCC) composition, an LTCC substrate comprising the same, and a method of manufacturing the same. The LTCC composition includes 20 to 70 parts by weight of ceramic powder; and 30 to 80 parts by weight of glass component for low-temperature sintering, wherein the ceramic powder has plate-shaped ceramic powder particles and globular ceramic powder particles, and the ceramic powder has a content ratio of the globular ceramic powder particles with respect to the plate-shaped ceramic powder particles in a range of 0 to 1.
US08637134B1	Vented plastic film and method of making Vented plastic stretch film and a method of making the film in which elongated reinforcement strips are applied to a base sheet, each reinforcement strip including a cord-like, reinforcement member formed from plastic film and a flat, narrow film strip covering the reinforcement member. Vent holes are formed from slits between the reinforcement members by applying tensional forces to the base sheet.
US08637132B2	Polymeric marker with high radiopacity for use in medical devices High radiopacity is achieved in a polymeric marker by combining a polymeric resin, a powdered radiopaque agent having uniformly shaped particles of a specific particle size distribution and a wetting agent. The method to produce the marker calls for the blending and pelletization of these materials followed by extrusion onto support beading. The resulting supported tubing is subsequently cut to length with the beading still in place. After ejection of the beading remnant the marker is slipped into place on the device to be marked and attached by melt bonding. Marking of a guidewire allows lesions to be measured while the marking of balloon catheters allow the balloon to be properly positioned relative to a lesion.
US08637130B2	Molded parts containing a polylactic acid composition A molded part that is formed from a thermoplastic composition that contains a polylactic acid, propylene/α-olefin copolymer, and a polyolefin compatibilizer is provided. The propylene/α-olefin copolymer can be dispersed as discrete physical domains within a continuous matrix of the polylactic acid. Without intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that the discrete domains can help resist the expansion of the composition during a molding operation, which minimizes the degree of expansion experienced by the composition during molding in comparison to conventional polylactic acid compositions.
US08637128B2	Cyclic olefin copolymer external capsule for preserving medical device A package for holding fluid material suitable for preserving a dental implant is disclosed. The package has a capsule and a cap. The capsule is formed exclusively of cyclic olefin copolymer with an impermeability to moisture of less than 5% fluid loss per year and the cap is formed of low density polyethylene.
US08637123B2	Oxygen radical generation for radical-enhanced thin film deposition A method of radical-enhanced atomic layer deposition (REALD) involves alternating exposure of a substrate to a first precursor gas and to radicals, such as monatomic oxygen radicals (O.), generated from an oxygen-containing second precursor gas, while maintaining spatial or temporal separation of the radicals and the first precursor gas. Simplified reactor designs and process control are possible when the first and second precursor gases are nonreactive under normal processing conditions and can therefore be allowed to mix after the radicals recombine or otherwise abate. In some embodiments, the second precursor gas is an oxygen-containing compound, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) or nitrous oxide (N2O) for example, or a mixture of such oxygen-containing compounds, and does not contain significant amounts of normal oxygen (O2).
US08637122B2	Method of manufacturing transparent conductive film containing carbon nanotubes and binder, and transparent conductive film manufactured thereby This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a transparent conductive film containing carbon nanotubes and a binder, in which the carbon nanotubes are subjected to acid treatment, dispersion in a solvent, mixing with the binder, and application on the substrate, and to a transparent conductive film manufactured thereby. The method includes subjecting carbon nanotubes having an outer diameter of less than 15 nm to acid treatment to thus purify and surface functionalize them, followed by dispersing the treated carbon nanotubes in a solvent along with the binder, or mixing a carbon nanotube solution using a polar or nonpolar solvent with a binder solution, and applying the mixture on the substrate. Through the application of the mixture of treated carbon nanotubes and binder on the substrate, the transparent conductive film has improved transparency, electrical conductivity, dispersibility, substrate adhesiveness, chemical stability, durability and scratch resistance, and can be applied to various substrates, including hard or flexible substrates, thanks to high substrate adhesiveness and applicability. A solution in which the surface functionalized carbon nanotubes are well dispersed is prepared, thus facilitating the manufacture of the film using various materials and generating economic benefits.
US08637117B2	Inhibiting excess precursor transport between separate precursor zones in an atomic layer deposition system Systems and methods for ALD thin film deposition include a mechanism for removing excess non-chemisorbed precursors from the surface of a substrate in a translation-based process involving multiple separate precursor zones. Excess precursor removal mechanisms according to the present disclosure may introduce localized high temperature conditions, high energy conditions, or azeotropes of the excess precursor, to liberate the excess precursor before it reaches a separate precursor zone, thereby inhibiting CVD deposition from occurring without causing heat-induced degradation of the substrate.
US08637115B2	Systems and methods for purging UV curing tubes Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods curing a coated optical fiber. The method includes drawing the coated optical fiber through a gas chamber filled with a predetermined gas, drawing the fiber through a cure tube coupled to the gas chamber, and purging at least a portion of an inner surface of the cure tube with a purge gas as the coated optical fiber is drawn through the cure tube.
US08637112B2	Process for predicting gloss of low gloss coating by wet color measurement The present invention is directed to a process for process for predicting gloss of a coating resulting from a wet layer of a low gloss coating composition, such as automotive OEM or refinish paint. The process includes measuring reflectance of the layer of the coating composition applied over a test substrate and then allowing the layer to dry and/or cure into a coating. Thereafter, its gloss is measured with a gloss meter. The process is repeated with varying amounts of one or flatting agents added to the composition and the reflectance vs. gloss is plotted on a graph and by using a curve fitting equation a gloss prediction curve is obtained. By measuring the reflectance of a wet layer of a target low gloss coating composition the gloss of a coating that would result from such a layer is then predicted by using the gloss prediction curve. The process is most useful during the manufacture of coating compositions, such as automotive OEM and refinishes paints.
US08637109B2	Manufacturing methods for covering endoluminal prostheses The disclosure relates to a method for coating a target. The method includes providing a target and an electrospinning apparatus. The target comprises a first surface and an opposing second surface. The electrospinning apparatus comprises a mandrel, a mask including an aperture, a reservoir loaded with a solution, and an orifice fluidly coupled to the reservoir. The mandrel is located adjacent the target second surface. The orifice is located at a distance from the target first surface. The mask is located intermediate the orifice and the target first surface. The solution is electrospun through the mask aperture onto the target first surface. In one example the target is an endoluminal prosthesis.
US08637107B2	Anti-boil-over compositions and methods for microwave oven cooking of dry pasta Anti-boil-over compositions and methods are provided that significantly reduce boil-over during microwave oven cooking of pasta relative similar pasta and water mixtures such that oversized containers are not required. Thus, when prepared using limited volume container, the container of cooked pasta appears full.
US08637106B2	Low-fat batter-like compositions and methods of preparing and using same The invention relates to low-fat batter-like compositions comprising flour or a flour replacement, sweetener, about 3% weight or less of a fat component, a fat replacing fiber having a high water-holding capacity, a leavening system, a setting agent, and a total moisture content of about 40 to about 50 weight percent.
US08637100B2	Method of producing a bright, yeast fermented beverage The invention relates to a method of producing a bright, yeast fermented beverage, said method comprising the continuous production of wort from mash. More particularly, the present method comprises: a. mashing in a particulate, starch-containing raw material with water and enzymatically hydrolysing the starch to fermentable sugars; b. continuously producing a fermentable wort from the heated mash; c. introducing the wort into a fermenter to ferment the wort with the help of biologically active yeast; d. removing yeast from the fermentate by means of sedimentation; and e. clarifying the low-yeast fermentate to produce a bright, yeast fermented beverage by: processing the low-yeast fermentate in one or more separators to remove suspended material, said one or more separators being selected from the group consisting of centrifuges and decanter centrifuges; and filtering the processed fermentate. The efficiency with which the low-yeast fermentate is clarified to a bright beverage can be maintained during a very long period of time (e.g. for several weeks), which is particularly beneficial in case of a continuous brewing operation in which both wort production and yeast fermentation are carried out in a continuous fashion.
US08637098B2	Natural plant extract composition for prevention and recovery of hyperlipidemia and stroke, natural tea containing the same as active ingredient and method for preparing the natural tea A natural plant extract composition for the recovery and prevention of hyperlipidemia and stroke, a natural tea comprising the same as an active ingredient, and a method for preparing the natural tea. The natural plant extract composition contains a Cassia tora extract and an Albizzia julibrissin extract. The natural plant extract composition can lower the blood cholesterol level to prevent arteriosclerosis and also can prevent stroke, which is caused by the increase in the blood cholesterol content. Also, it can help recovery from the disease through the continued drinking thereof even after the onset of the disease, and when prepared into a drink, it is easy to drink so that it can be taken at ordinary times, and thus is effective for the prevention and treatment of hyperlipidemia and stroke.
US08637096B2	Compositions and method for enhancing insulin activity A new treatment for individuals suffering from type 2 diabetes. The formulation used in the treatment includes a mixture of a thiazoleineione, an insulin, cinnamon bark extract, and at least one synergistic supplement selected from the group consisting of blueberry leaf extract, cranberry extract, kelp extract, sugar sea beet extract, acerola berry extract; ginger root extract, black cherry extract, green tea extract, Irish moss extract, aloe vera extract, and Stevia leaf extract. The thiazoleineione is preferably pioglitazone. The insulin is preferably an Insulin Aspart of rDNA origin. It is preferred that the cinnamon bark extract and synergistic supplement be in the form of a liquid concentrate.
US08637088B2	Natural silver disinfectant compositions An antimicrobial composition contains a soluble silver salt and an alkanolamine or aminoalcohol. The composition may additionally contain an amino acid or amino acid salt and surfactant. The composition has additional stability and activity compared to prior art silver complexes.
US08637087B2	Treatment of interstitial cystitis using (6aR, 10aR)-Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol-11-OIC acids The present invention relates to non-psychoactive derivatives of tetrahydrocannabinol, which are useful in treating interstitial cystitis and relieving symptoms thereof. The invention uses (6aR,10aR)-Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol-11-oic acids (hereinafter referred to as (6aR,10aR)-Δ8-THC-11-oic acid), as well as pharmaceutical compositions containing the (6aR,10aR)-Δ8-THC-11-oic acids, for treatment of interstitial cystitis in a mammal. The invention further covers methods of formulating and administering the compounds and pharmaceutical compositions as therapeutic agents in the treatment of interstitial cystitis, with particularly preferred administration routes being oral and via intravesicular instillation.
US08637086B2	Method for acne treatment using an oxidative-photoactivated composition There is provided a skin rejuvenation composition which comprises at least one oxidant, at least one photoactivator capable of activating the oxidant, and at least one healing factor chosen from hyaluronic acid, glucosamine and allantoin, in association with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
US08637085B2	Enhanced activity hydrogen peroxide disinfectant An aqueous disinfecting solution having a pH from about 0.5 to about 6 and consisting essentially of hydrogen peroxide in a concentration from about 0.05 to about 8 w/w % of the total solution; at least one anionic surfactant in a concentration from about 0.02 to about 8 w/w % of the total solution, selected from sulfonated C12 to C22 carboxylic acids and alkali metal, ammonium, calcium and magnesium salts thereof; naphthalene sulfonic acids and alkali metal, ammonium, calcium and magnesium salts thereof; C8 to C22 alkyl sulfonic acids and alkali metal, ammonium, calcium and magnesium salts thereof; and alkyl or alkenyl esters or diesters of sulfosuccinic acids in which the alkyl or alkenyl groups independently contain from six to eighteen carbon atoms and alkali metal, ammonium, calcium and magnesium salts thereof; and benzyl alcohol in a concentration from about 0.1 to about 10 w/w % of the solution.
US08637080B2	Rupturing controlled release device comprising a subcoat The present invention provides a simple and improved rupturing controlled release device that is capable of providing a controlled release of active agent contained in the core first through a preformed passageway and then through an in situ formed second passageway into an environment of use in a standardized release profile manner. The rupturing controlled release device comprises a core comprising at least one drug and at least one osmopolymer, a semipermeable membrane enclosing the core and having at least one preformed passageway there through, wherein the semipermeable membrane ruptures during use to form a second passageway in the semipermeable membrane at a location spaced away from the preformed passageway, and a release-controlling subcoat between the core and the semipermeable membrane.
US08637078B2	Bilayer tablet comprising telmisartan and diuretic The invention relates to a bilayer pharmaceutical tablet comprising a first layer containing 3 to 50 wt. % of telmisartan dispersed in a dissolving tablet matrix and a second layer containing a diuretic in a disintegrating tablet matrix as well as a processes for producing same.
US08637076B2	Prednisolone salt formulations The present invention relates to tablets containing prednisolone salts and in particular prednisolone sodium phosphates. The dosage forms include ODTs and non-ODTs, effervescent tablets and noneffervescent tablets and tablets meeting certain performance criteria.
US08637074B2	Methods for co-encapsulation of combination drugs and co-encapsulated combination drug product This invention is for an improved process to co-encapsulate hydrophobic drugs and hydrophilic drugs in phospholipid liposomes. Non-toxic supercritical or near-critical fluids with/without polar cosolvents are utilized to solubilize phospholipid materials and hydrophobic drugs, and form uniform liposomes to encapsulate hydrophobic drugs and hydrophilic drugs.
US08637073B2	Treatment of dependence withdrawal Dosage regimens of buprenorphine to treat withdrawal or abstinence syndrome in a drug dependent or opioid tolerant patient who is pregnant are described. The method includes treating withdrawal or abstinence syndrome of the patient by transdermal administration of an amount of buprenorphine effective to reduce withdrawal symptoms. For example, a first buprenorphine-containing transdermal dosage form can be administered for a first dosing period that is no more than about 5 days; a second buprenorphine-containing transdermal dosage form for a second dosing period that is no more than about 5 days, the second dosage form comprising the same or a greater dosage of buprenorphine than the first dosage form; and a third buprenorphine-containing transdermal dosage form for a third dosing period that is at least 2 days, the third dosage form comprising the same or a greater dosage of buprenorphine than the second dosage form.
US08637071B2	Method for making medical devices having antimicrobial coatings thereon The present invention provides a method for preparing a medical device, preferably a contact lens, having an antimicrobial metal-containing LbL coating on a medical device, wherein the antimicrobial metal-containing LbL coating comprises at least one layer of a negatively charged polyionic material having —COOAg groups and/or silver nanoparticles formed by reducing Ag+ ions associated with the —COO− groups of the negatively charged polyionic material. In addition, the present invention provides a medical device prepared according to a method of the invention.
US08637060B2	Spot-on pesticide composition A spot-on pesticide composition for animals, specifically mammals, including dogs and cats, which composition comprises a combination of active components, including fipronil and a pyrethroid, and optionally an insect growth regulator, in doses and proportions which are parasiticidally effective against a variety of insects and pests, and in a formulation which is convenient for local application to the animal's skin, preferably localized over a small surface area.
US08637058B2	Compositions based on cupric salts, cupric salts and their use for controlling phytopathogens Composition for controlling phytopathogens comprising compound of the formula: wherein: R1 represents H, or a CO—R′ acyl group; R2, the same or different when n is equal to 2, is a halogen, optionally selected from fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine; a C1-C9 alkyl group; a C1-C9 haloalkyl group; a C1-C9 alkoxyl group; a C1-C9 haloalkoxyl group; a C1-C9 thioalkyl group; a C1-C9 halothioalkyl group; a C3-C9 cycloalkyl group; a C2-C10 carboalkoxyl group; a cyano group; a hydroxyl group; R′ represents a hydrogen; a C1-C9 alkyl group; a C1-C9 haloalkyl group; a C1-C9 alkoxyl group; a C1-C9 haloalkoxyl group; a C2-C10 carboalkoxyl group; a phenyl group; n is a number ranging from 0 to 2; X represents an oxygen atom, a nitrogen or sulfur atom in combination with a fungicide; method for controlling phytopathogens with compound of formula (1) with or without another fungicide.
US08637055B2	Cosmetic compositions containing small magnetic particles The present invention present a novel and cost-effective family of cosmetic compositions comprising inter alia small magnetic particles characterized by magnetic field adapted to be topically administrated adjacent to skin surface, absorbed to epidermal upper skin layers and place in a direct contact to the body, usually above pain suffering regions. The present invention also provides the use of the compositions, especially of nano-powders of salts obtained from the Dead Sea, as an external layer of bandages, dressings, compresses or warps, so constantly approached to be in an intimate contact with the patient's skin.
US08637046B2	Bovine herpes virus-1 compositions, vaccines and methods The disclosure relates generally to the treatment or prevention of disease in cattle. More particularly, the invention is directed to the production and use of modified bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) and their use in compositions and vaccines that protect cattle from BHV-1 infection while not suppressing the immunological response in the host. In one example, the invention is directed to the use of modified BHV-1, administered with additional immunogens, either through co-administration and/or through administration in combination vaccines, and the use of these vaccines for the protection of cattle from disease. In one example, use of the modified BHV-1 in the administered compositions facilitates an immune response to or against the additional immunogens.
US08637045B2	Therapy for lysosomal enzyme deficiencies The present invention provides a therapeutic delivery system comprising an extracted yeast cell wall comprising beta-glucan, a payload trapping molecule and a payload molecule, wherein the payload molecule and the payload trapping molecule are soluble in the same solvent system wherein the payload molecule supplements the function of the deficient lysosomal enzyme. The invention further provides methods of making and methods of using the therapeutic delivery system.
US08637042B2	Targeted particles and methods of using the same Drug delivery compositions and methods of delivering compounds are disclosed. Vaccines and methods of immunizing individuals are disclosed. Compositions for drug delivery including gene therapy and methods of treating individuals using such compositions are disclosed.
US08637040B2	Genus-wide chlamydial peptide vaccine antigens Peptides generated from a random library that are bound by a monoclonal antibody to Chlamydial glycolipid exoantigen (GLXA) and thus mimic this antigen are disclosed. Peptides that correspond to antigen-binding regions of an anti-idiotypic antibody (mAb2) specific for anti-GLXA antibody (Ab1) which act as molecular mimics of GLXA are also disclosed used as immunogens to induce broadly reactive genus-specific anti-chlamydial antibodies. These peptides and immunogenic DNA encoding the mAb2-like peptides, microparticle or nanoparticle formulations and other formulations of these peptides are disclosed as are methods for immunizing subjects to obtain genus-specific anti-chlamydial antibodies and to treat or prevent Chlamydia-associated or induced rheumatoid arthritis.
US08637038B2	Methods for inhibiting allograft rejection Disclosed herein are methods for treating or inhibiting allograft rejection in a transplant recipient. In some embodiments, the methods include administering to the transplant recipient a first amount of a JAK1/3 inhibitor comprising 5-(2-(4-fluoro-3-methoxy-5-methylphenylamino)-5-methylpyrimidin-4-ylamino)benzo[d]oxazol-2(3H)-one (Compound I) or a prodrug thereof and administering to the transplant recipient a second amount of a non-JAK1/3 inhibitor immunosuppressant, wherein the combined effect of the first amount and the second amount is greater than the effect of the first amount or the second amount individually, wherein the JAK1/3 inhibitor acts in combination with the non-JAK1/3 inhibitor immunosuppressant to inhibit or treat allograft rejection. In some embodiments at least one of the first amount or the second amount is individually a suboptimal dose for inhibiting or treating allograft rejection. In some examples, the combined effect of the first amount and the second amount to inhibit or treat allograft rejection in the transplant recipient is synergistic.
US08637037B2	Allergens and allergoids from bee venom The present invention concerns the preparation of purified allergens and allergoids, both derived from whole bee venom, for the desensitization (immunotherapy) of subjects affected by a specific allergy. In particular, the present invention concerns a preparation for immunotherapy based on purified bee venom, characterized in that said bee venom is essentially mellitin-free. In addition, the preparation of a monomeric allergoid obtainable through the carbamylation or thiocarbamylation reaction of said mellitin-free bee venom, is described. Said allergoid, being characterized by reduced IgE-binding activity, may be a safer and more effective candidate for specific immunotherapy.
US08637036B2	Neutralizing antibodies to HIV-1 and their use Monoclonal neutralizing antibodies are disclosed that specifically bind to the CD4 binding site of HIV-1 gp120. Monoclonal neutralizing antibodies also are disclosed that specifically bind to HIV-1 gp41. The identification of these antibodies, and the use of these antibodies are also disclosed. Methods are also provided for enhancing the binding and neutralizing activity of any antibody using epitope scaffold probes.
US08637035B2	Anti-dengue virus antibodies Provided herein are monoclonal antibodies specific to dengue virus as well as their antigen-binding fragments, and functional variants. Also disclosed are uses thereof for treating or diagnosing dengue virus infection.
US08637032B2	Antagonist anti-CD40 monoclonal antibodies and methods for their use Compositions and methods of therapy for treating diseases mediated by stimulation of CD40 signaling on CD40-expressing cells are provided. The methods comprise administering a therapeutically effective amount of an antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof to a patient in need thereof. The antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is free of significant agonist activity, but exhibits antagonist activity when the antibody binds a CD40 antigen on a human CD40-expressing cell. Antagonist activity of the anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof beneficially inhibits proliferation and/or differentiation of human CD40-expressing cells, such as B cells.
US08637030B2	Combination pharmaceutical composition and methods of treating functional diseases or conditions of gastrointestinal tract The present invention provides a combination pharmaceutical composition comprising a) an activated-potentiated form of an antibody to a S-100 protein, b) an activated-potentiated form of an antibody to histamine, and c) an activated-potentiated form of an antibody to TNF-alpha. Various embodiments and variants are provided. The present invention further provides a method of treating a disease or condition of functional etiology of the gastrointestinal tract, said method comprising administering to a patient in need thereof a combination pharmaceutical composition comprising a) an activated-potentiated form of an antibody to a histamine, b) an activated-potentiated form of an antibody to S-100 protein and c) an activated-potentiated form of an antibody to TNF-alpha. Various embodiments and variants are provided.
US08637025B2	Composition and method for the treatment and prevention of enteric bacterial infections The present invention provides a method of treatment or prophylaxis of enteric disease caused by Gram negative bacteria. The method includes the step of administering a vaccine or a hyperimmune material raised against said vaccine to an individual. The vaccine comprises one or more cell wall antigens reactive in a manner characteristic of O group serotypes, or reactive in a manner characteristic of lipopolysaccharide associated antigens, and at least some of said antigens are separated from bacterial cell walls or wall fragments. The invention also provides composition containing hyperimmune material as well as uses of the composition and vaccine.
US08637024B2	Fusion antibodies for HIV therapy Disclosed herein are fusion antibodies created to provide both an antigen-binding site that targets the CD4 receptor and an antigen-binding site that targets the HIV envelope. The fusion antibodies disclosed herein provide improved potency and breadth against HIV as compared to monospecific antibodies, and additionally provide high barrier against viral resistance. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical formulations and therapeutic methods utilizing such fusion proteins.
US08637023B2	Hemojuvelin fusion proteins The present invention provides new systems and strategies for the regulation of iron metabolism in mammals. In particular, methods of using agonists and antagonists of TGF-β superfamily members to modulate the expression or activity of hepcidin, a key regulator of iron metabolism, are described. The inventive methods find applications in the treatment of diseases associated with iron overload, such as juvenile hemochromatosis and adult hemochromatosis, and in the treatment of diseases associated with iron deficiency, such as anemia of chronic disease and EPO resistant anemia in end-stage of renal disease. The present invention also relates to screening tools and methods for the development of novel drugs and therapies for treating iron metabolism disorders.
US08637020B2	Protein belonging to the TNF superfamily involved in signal transduction, nucleic acids encoding same and methods of use thereof A method of modulating immune response in an animal is disclosed. Such a method interacting the immature dendritic cells from the animal with an antigen ex vivo so that the immature dendritic cells present the antigen on their surfaces, inducing maturation of the immature dendritic cells ex vivo, and contacting the mature dendritic cells ex vivo with a modulator comprising TRANCE, conservative variants thereof, fragments thereof, analogs or derivatives thereof, or a fusion protein comprising the amino acid sequence of TRANCE, conservative variants thereof, or fragments thereof. After contacting the modulator ex vivo, the mature dendritic cells are introduced into the animal. As a result, immune response in the animal towards the antigen is modulated relative to the immune response against the antigen in an animal in which dendritic cells did not interact with the antigen ex vivo, and did not contact a modulator ex vivo. Preferably, the method of the present invention results in increasing immune response towards the antigen in the animal.
US08637018B2	Humanized anti-IL-18 antibodies The present invention discloses humanised anti-IL-18 antibodies, methods of manufacture, and methods of treatment with said antibodies. Further disclosed are screening methods using for example surface plasmon resonance to identify antibodies with therapeutic potential.
US08637017B2	Anti-EpCAM antibodies Disclosed are antibodies that bind to Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule (EpCAM) and display certain advantages over known antibodies which bind to EpCAM, for example, the antibodies of the invention show good affinity, good cross-reactivity profiles and excellent ADCC and CDCC activity. Antibodies comprising specific heavy and light chain CDRs are disclosed. The invention thus relates to these antibodies and all uses thereof, in particular in the treatment of cancer. The present invention thus provides new antibody-based compositions, methods and combined protocols for treating cancer. Advantageous immunoconjugate compositions and methods using the new anti-EpCAM antibodies are also provided.
US08637014B2	Antibodies to OX-2/CD200 and uses thereof in inhibiting immune responses This disclosure provides methods and compositions for inhibiting immune responses. The disclosure also provides methods and compositions for inhibiting graft rejection and promoting or prolonging graft survival.
US08637010B2	Method of accelerating wound healing by administration of plasminogen The present invention relates to the use of plasminogen and plasmin as agents for enhancing healing of tympanic membrane perforations or other wounds, and for reducing scars or necrotic tissue forming during wound healing. The invention also relates to a method for screening of compounds which enhance wound healing by evaluating the healing of tympanic membrane perforations in an animal model.
US08637008B2	Polymers for reversing heparin-based anticoagulation Embodiments presented herein relate to various polymers. Some of the polymer embodiments are heparin binding polymers. Some embodiments of the heparin binding polymers can be employed to bind to heparin for methods such as separating, purifying, removing, and/or isolating heparin and heparin like molecules.
US08637007B2	Factor VIIa-polysialic acid conjugate having prolonged in vivo half-life The present invention relates to a proteinaceous construct comprising plasmatic or recombinant factor VIIa (FVIIa) or biologically active derivatives thereof, which are bound to a carbohydrate moiety comprising 1-4 sialic acid units, wherein the in vivo half-life of the proteinaceous construct is substantially prolonged in the blood of a mammal, as compared to the in vivo half-life of a FVIIa molecule not bound to a carbohydrate moiety. The invention also provides a method for controlling bleeding in a mammal having a bleeding disorder due to functional defects or deficiencies of FVIIa, FVIII, or FIX. The invention also provides a method for controlling bleeding in a mammal during surgery or trauma.
US08637005B2	Compositions and methods of vascular injury repair The present invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising a chemotactic hematopoietic stem cell product comprising an enriched population of CD34+ cells containing a subpopulation of CD34+/CXCR-4+ cells having CXCR-4-mediated chemotactic activity, methods of preparing these compositions and use of these compositions to treat or repair vascular injury, including infarcted myocardium.
US08637004B2	Purified mesenchymal stem cell compositions and methods of purifying mesenchymal stem cell compositions One or more purified mesenchymal stem cell pharmaceutical compositions and methods of manufacture utilizing centrifugal filtration are disclosed. Threshold limits for intravenous administration of mesenchymal stem cell pharmaceutical compositions comprising residual animal products are also disclosed.
US08636998B2	Method for enhanced uptake of viral vectors in the myocardium The present invention relates to improved therapies for the treatment of heart disease, particularly the improved delivery of therapeutic agents to heart tissue by direct infusion into the coronary circulation. A preferred embodiment of the invention is a method comprising, identifying a mammal in need of treatment or prevention of heart disease, and supplying NO to the coronary circulation prior to, and/or during the infusion of a therapeutic polynucleotide into a blood vessel of the coronary circulation in vivo.
US08636996B2	Crystalline polymorphic forms of monosodium N-[-8-(2-hydroxybenzoyl)amino]caprylate The present invention relates to crystalline polymorphic forms of monosodium N-[8-(2-hydroxybenzoyl)amino]caprylate (“SNAC”), including two hydrates, a methanol solvate, and an ethanol solvate, of SNAC. More specifically, the present invention provide six polymorphic forms of SNAC (hereafter referred to as Forms I-VI). The present invention also provides an amorphous form of SNAC.
US08636995B2	Methods and devices to regulate stem cell homing A device for altering the expression or activation of adhesion molecules on cells including endothelial cells, as well as methods for altering the expression or activation of adhesion molecules on cells including endothelial cells, are provided.
US08636992B2	Thickener compositions comprising sclerotium gum and a copolymer This invention relates to chemical compositions comprising two thickening components, which are sclerotium gum and a copolymer selected from the group consisting of methyl vinyl ether/maleic anhydride copolymer and acryloyldimethyltaurate vinylpyrrolidone copolymer, in particular the ammonium salt of the latter; which components provide good thickening properties in the presence of electrolytes, in particular in the presence of ethanolamine or vitamin salts. Further there are provided cosmetic formulations comprising these thickening components.
US08636990B2	Use of expanded amorphous mineral particles for increasing the tenacity of a fragrance, scenting composition and method for treating body odours The subject-matter of the invention is a cosmetic method for scenting a human keratinous substance which consists in applying, to the said substance, a scenting composition comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable medium, at least 0.3% by weight of at least one scenting substance and at least particles of an expanded amorphous mineral material and in particular of an expanded amorphous mineral material resulting from at least one volcanic rock and more particularly expanded perlite particles.Another subject-matter of the present invention is a cosmetic method for treating human body odors, in particular axillary odors, which consists in applying, to the surface of the skin, an effective amount of the said composition.The invention relates to specific scenting compositions comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable medium:a) at least 0.3% by weight, with respect to the total weight of the composition, of a scenting substance;b) at least the said particles.
US08636988B2	Composition for treatment of sunburned skin A composition for treatment of burned or irritated skin. The composition includes an anesthetic component comprising lidocaine, an anti-inflammatory component comprising hydrocortisone, an emollient comprising aloe vera, and a pharmaceutically acceptable base. The resulting composition has a cream like consistency. Upon application to the skin, there is no slimy or sticky residue, but the composition becomes nearly dry to the touch. It exhibits a smooth, silk like feel once applied. When applied to an area of burned or irritated skin, the pain immediately subsides, and in the case of sunburn, there is a noticeable tendency for the composition to reduce or eliminate peeling of the skin as the sunburn heals.
US08636986B2	Treatment and prevention of bone loss using resolvins The present invention provides new methods for inducing or promoting bone growth and/or for reducing or preventing bone deterioration in a mammal subject. The inventive methods generally comprise administering to the subject an effective amount of a resolvin. In particular, the inventive methods may be useful for treating or preventing conditions associated with bone degradation, deterioration or degeneration such as periodontal disease, osteoarthritis, and metastatic bone disease and osteolytic bone disease. Pharmaceutical compositions and kits comprising at least one resolvin are also provided that can be used to performed the inventive methods.
US08636984B2	Aerosol formulation of aminoglycoside and fosfomycin combination for treatment of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) and ventilator associated tracheal (VAT) bronchitis The present invention is antibiotic compositions, ventilator-based systems and methods relating to ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and ventilator-associated tracheal (VAT) bronchitis. Antibiotic combinations of fosfomycin and an aminoglycoside, preferably amikacin, are administered via an inline nebulizer within the airway of the ventilator. Humidified conditions create an improved aerosol mist to treat VAP and VAT.
US08636983B2	Aminoglycoside and fosfomycin combination for treatment of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) and ventilator associated tracheal (VAT) bronchitis The present invention is antibiotic compositions, ventilator-based systems and methods relating to ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and ventilator-associated tracheal (VAT) bronchitis. Antibiotic combinations of fosfomycin and an aminoglycoside, preferably amikacin, are administered via an inline nebulizer within the airway of the ventilator. Humidified conditions create an improved aerosol mist to treat VAP and VAT.
US08636982B2	Wax foamable vehicle and pharmaceutical compositions thereof Unique foamable vehicles or carriers comprising at least one wax, waxy substance, counterpart or derivative, a stabilizer, water, and a propellant are provided. In some embodiments, the wax is a liquid wax. In some embodiments, the wax includes a solid wax and a liquid wax. The compositions are substantially free of crystals. The components are selected to provide a composition that is substantially resistant to aging and to phase separation, and/or can substantially solubilize and or stabilize active ingredients. Pharmaceutical and cosmetic compositions with potentially enhanced skin delivery and their uses are also provided.
US08636980B2	MRI thermometry combined with hyperpolarisation device using photons with orbital angular momentum A magnetic resonance examination system comprises an RF-system for inducing resonance in polarized dipoles and receiving magnetic resonance signals from an object to be examined. A thermometry module dervies a temperature distribution of the object to be examined from the magnetic resonance signals. The magnetic resonance examination system further comprises a photonic-based hyperpolarization device with a photonic source for emitting electromagnetic radiation, a moder converter, such as a phase hologram to impart orbital angular momentum to the electromagnetic radiation and via spatial filter to select from the phase hologram a diffracted photonic beam endowed with orbital angular momentum for polarizing the dipoles via transferred orbital angular momentum.
US08636977B2	Integrin targeted synthetic ligands for diagnostic and therapeutic applications The present invention relates to a novel class of diagnostically or therapeutically effective compounds comprising novel aza-bicycloalkane based cyclic peptides, acting as a targeting moiety towards integrin receptors.
US08636976B2	Molecular sieve composition (EMM-10-P), its method of making, and use for hydrocarbon conversions This invention relates to a crystalline molecular sieve having, in its as-synthesized form, an X-ray diffraction pattern including d-spacing maxima at 13.18±0.25 and 12.33±0.23 Angstroms, wherein the peak intensity of the d-spacing maximum at 13.18±0.25 Angstroms is at least as great as 90% of the peak intensity of the d-spacing maximum at 12.33±0.23 Angstroms. This invention also relates to a method of making thereof.
US08636972B1	Making a nanomaterial composite Processing a composite material includes forming a nanomaterial comprising nanotubes. The nanotubes comprise first nanotubes and second nanotubes, where the first nanotubes and the second nanotubes have different lengths. The nanomaterial is combined with a matrix to yield a composite material.
US08636961B2	Fuels for hydrogen generating cartridges The present invention increases the amount of hydrogen produced or released from reactions between a metal hydride fuel and liquid reactant. The present invention also decreases the volume of a hydrogen generating cartridge by reducing the pH of the liquid reactant.
US08636957B2	Spiral, microchanneled chromatographic column and detection systems The present disclosure relates to a spirally wrapped chromatographic structure, a system incorporating such structure and a method of providing such structure. The structure may include an absorber layer having a first surface and a second surface, wherein one or a plurality of channels are defined in the first surface. The structure may also include a support layer having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the support layer disposed on the second surface of the absorber layer, wherein the absorber layer and the support layer comprise a spiral configuration such that at least a portion of the first surface of the absorber layer contacts at least a portion of the second surface of the support layer.
US08636956B2	Sensor for measuring carbon dioxide in respiratory gas A sensor main unit 1 is axially split into three sub-segments. A light-emitting element 2 is attached to one end portion, and a light-receiving element 3 is attached to the other end portion. A respiratory flow path 4 is formed so as to penetrate through the center portion. The sensor main unit 1 is attached to a position on the face below the nostrils, and respiratory gas from the nostrils is guided into the respiratory flow path 4 and is caused to cross over the optical axis connected the light-emitting element 2 and the light-receiving element 3, thereby measuring a carbon dioxide gas in the respiratory gas.
US08636955B2	Packaged chip for multiplexing photonic crystal waveguide and photonic crystal slot waveguide devices for chip-integrated label-free detection and absorption spectroscopy with high throughput, sensitivity, and specificity Systems and methods for chip-integrated label-free detection and absorption spectroscopy with high throughput, sensitivity, and specificity are disclosed. The invention comprises packaged chips for multiplexing photonic crystal waveguide and photonic crystal slot waveguide devices. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08636952B2	System for enriching a bodily fluid with a gas having a removable gas-enrichment device with an information recording element This invention discloses a modular system having a base module, a mid-section control module, and a display module for preparing and administering a gas-enriched bodily fluid via an extracorporeal circuit. Gas-enrichment is achieved by a gas-enriching device which can be in the form of a disposable cartridge. The gas-enrichment device has an information recording element disposed thereon. During operation, the gas-enrichment device is placed in an enclosure within the control module. An electronic controller manages the various aspects of the system such as the production of gas-enriched fluid, flow rates, bubble detection, and automatic operation and shut down. The controller is capable of setting a fluid flow rate in the circuit according to a programming based on the information encoded in the information recording element.
US08636951B2	Bio-terrorism counteraction using ozone and hydrogen peroxide A process and a system using a disinfecting atmosphere for deactivating Bacillus bacteria and its spores, such as Bacillus anthracis (anthrax) and C Botulinum and its spores, commonly proposed as bioterrorism threats, are described. Said disinfecting atmosphere includes ozone at a concentration of 2-350 ppm by weight and hydrogen peroxide at an amount of 0.2-10 weight percent at a relative humidity of at least 60%.
US08636947B2	Metal separator for fuel cell and surface treatment method thereof The present invention provides an improved metal separator for a fuel cell and a method for preparing same. More particularly, the invention provides a metal separator for a fuel cell, whereby the separator has a surface structure that imparts reduced contact resistance, improved corrosion resistance, and stable electrical conductivity. The invention further provides a surface treatment method for making the metal separator of the invention. The inventive method comprises sintering Fe—Cr—B—V-based powder on the surface of a metal foam to form an alloy layer; and forming a nitride layer of a (Cr—V—B)N-based material while supplying nitrogen gas on the surface of the alloy layer.
US08636945B2	Method for producing crystalline particles and method for producing crystallographically oriented ceramic A method for producing crystalline particles including a mixing step of producing a mixed material containing a lead-containing material and an additional material containing lithium and boron and a first firing step of firing the mixed material at a predetermined firing temperature to form polyhedral crystalline particles. The crystalline particles are used to produce a crystallographically oriented ceramic by preparing a template layer having uniform crystal orientation in a predetermined direction by fixing the crystalline particles on a substrate, forming a shaped body including a matrix layer arranged on the template layer, the matrix layer being composed of a mixed material that contains a lead-containing material and an additional material containing lithium and boron, and firing the shaped body.
US08636940B2	Method for manufacturing a filter end disc and a fluid filter, filter end disc In a method for manufacturing a filter end disc (7), for example for a fluid filter (14) of a motor vehicle, a first plastic molding material (M1) and a second plastic molding material (M2) are injected in succession into a tool mold (1) in a monosandwich method or co-injection method in such a way that the second plastic molding material (M2) is substantially surrounded by the first plastic molding material (M1). To manufacture a fluid filter, the filter end disc (7) is further irradiated by a radiation beam (L) having pre-determined beam characteristics for melting the first plastic molding material (M1), and a filter material (15) is applied to the at least partially melted first plastic molding material (M1). A filter end disc (7), in particular for a fluid filter (14) of a motor vehicle, said disc being manufactured according to a monosandwich method or co-injection method, comprises a first outer plastic molding material (M1) and a second inner plastic molding material (M2). In the process, the second plastic molding material (M2) is surrounded by the first plastic molding material (M1) and the first plastic molding material (M1) is impermeable to water and/or water vapor.
US08636938B2	Modular fabrication systems and methods The present invention relates to an article fabrication system having a plurality of material deposition tools containing one or more materials useful in fabricating the article, and a material deposition device having a tool interface for receiving one of the material deposition tools. A system controller is operably connected to the material deposition device to control operation of the material deposition device. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating an article using the system of the invention and a method of fabricating a living three-dimensional structure.
US08636936B2	Method for fabricating a laminated fiber metal composite A method for fabricating a laminated composite body including a metal foil and a plurality of fiber plies. The method includes perforating a sheet of metal foil, stacking the perforated metal foil sheet and the plurality of fiber plies in face to face relation in a predetermined order and orientation, and infusing resin into the stacked sheet and plies so that resin flows through the perforations in the metal foil sheet and intersperses between the plurality of fiber plies to form the laminated composite body.
US08636921B1	Phosphate phosphor and UV light-emitting device utilizing the same Disclosed is a phosphor having a formula of M3-2xM′x(M″1-y-zPryGdz)(PO4)2. M is Li, Na, K, or combinations thereof. M′ is Ca, Sr, Ba, Mg, Zn, or combinations thereof. M″ is Sc, Y, La, Lu, Al, Ga, In, or combinations thereof. 0≦x≦1, 0
US08636920B2	Nitrogen-containing alloy and method for producing phosphor using same A method for industrially producing a phosphor with high performance, in particular, high brightness. Also disclosed is a nitrogen-containing alloy and an alloy powder useful for producing the high performance phosphor. The method for producing the phosphor includes heating a raw material for a phosphor in whole or in part comprising an alloy containing two or more different metal elements under a nitrogen-containing atmosphere and heating the raw material for a phosphor under conditions such that the temperature change per minute is 50° C. or lower. Using an alloy as all or part of the raw material constituting the phosphor precursor, it is possible to suppress the rapid progression of nitridation during heat treatment and industrially produce a phosphor with high performance, in particular, high brightness.
US08636916B2	Electrolyte synthesis for ultracapacitors A method of forming an electrolyte solution involves combining ammonium tetrafluoroborate and a quaternary ammonium halide in a liquid solvent to form a quaternary ammonium tetrafluoroborate and an ammonium halide. The ammonium halide precipitate is removed from the solvent to form an electrolyte solution. The reactants can be added step-wise to the solvent, and the method can include using a stoichiometric excess of the ammonium tetrafluoroborate to form a substantially halide ion-free electrolyte solution. Filtration can be done at low temperatures to reduce the amount of excess bromide in the resulting electrolyte.
US08636915B2	Liquid processing apparatus and liquid processing method To provide a liquid processing apparatus capable of processing substrates with a high throughput with the lesser number of nozzles for chemical-liquid, when the substrates that are horizontally held in cup bodies are liquid-processed by supplying a chemical liquid to the substrates. Taking a developing process as an example of a liquid process, two-types of developing nozzles are prepared for two types of developing methods. The developing nozzle, which is used in the method in which the nozzle is engaged with the process for a longer period of time, is individually disposed on each of a first processing module 1 and a second processing module 2. On the other hand, the developing nozzle, which is used in the method in which the nozzle is engaged with the process for a shorter period of time, is used in common in the first liquid processing module 1 and the second liquid processing module 2. The common developing nozzle is configured to wait on an intermediate position between the modules 1 and 2.
US08636912B1	Package for an electronic device A method of forming a device is provided. A substrate having a component is provided and a sacrificial layer is formed over the component. The sacrificial layer includes a cavity portion disposed about the component and a tunnel portion adjacent to the cavity portion. In addition, an encapsulation layer having a cover portion and a perimeter portion is formed over the sacrificial layer. The cover portion encapsulates the cavity portion such that the cavity portion forms a cavity within the cover portion. The perimeter portion is disposed over the tunnel portion. Moreover, an access hole is formed in the perimeter portion of the encapsulation layer.
US08636910B2	Water treatment and revitalization system and method A system and method are provided in at least one embodiment to filter water through a vortex leading into a disk-pack turbine having an expansion chamber and outlets into a discharge chamber that leads to at least one discharge port. In a further embodiment, the system includes an intake module, a vortex module, a disk-pack turbine module, and a motor for driving the disk-pack turbine. The intake module brings water into the system and routes the water to the vortex module that speeds up the water into a vortex that flows into the disk-pack turbine that discharges into a discharge chamber that leads to at least one discharge port. The disk-pack turbine includes a plurality of disks that are spaced apart forming chambers between the disks that provide at least one passageway between the expansion chamber and the discharge chamber.
US08636908B2	System and method for treatment of water systems A water treatment system for producing a sodium hypochlorite solution to control bacteria levels in well water containing: a pH adjuster; a container containing solid calcium hypochlorite for producing a calcium hypochlorite solution; and a container containing solid sodium carbonate for producing the sodium hypochlorite solution and a method of controlling bacteria levels in well water by using intermittent injections of a sodium hypochlorite solution with alternating pH values.
US08636903B2	Hydraulic filter with one-piece input end cap A hydraulic filter includes a canister extending along the longitudinal axis. A closed end cap is at one end of the canister for closing one end thereof. A removable filter element is contained within the canister and a modular one-piece input end cap is at an end of the canister. The one-piece input end cap includes a hydraulic input chamber and a hydraulic output chamber which can be positioned in any one of three mutually perpendicular directions. The one-piece input end cap also allows for sensors to be positioned in any one of three mutually perpendicular directions. In addition, the one-piece input end cap can be utilized in base-ported or top-ported configurations while also allowing for side-to-side or side-to-end configurations.
US08636900B2	Fuel filter A fuel filter having a filter housing including at least one filter element. A water collection chamber configured to collect water separated out of the fuel. An active carbon filter is disposed downstream of the water collection chamber and a water-soluble dividing device is disposed between the water collection chamber and the active carbon filter and is impermeable or insoluble to fuel.
US08636896B2	Method for the valorization of heavy charges by bubbling-bed deasphalting and hydrocracking The invention relates to a method for treating a hydrocarbons charge comprising the following stages, in which: a) the charge is brought into contact with a solvent in order to obtain a deasphalted effluent having a content of asphaltenes below 3000 ppm by weight, b) the deasphalted effluent is cracked in the presence of hydrogen and a hydrocracking catalyst, in a bubbling-bed reactor, so as to convert at least 50 wt. % of the fraction of the deasphalted effluent boiling above 500° C. to compounds having a boiling point below 500° C., c) the effluent from stage b) is fractionated to recover gasolines, kerosene, gas oils and a first residue, and d) at least a portion of this first residue is cracked so as to obtain an effluent comprising gasolines, kerosene, gas oils and a second residue.
US08636892B2	Anode-cathode power distribution systems and methods of using the same for electrochemical reduction Power distribution systems are useable in electrolytic reduction systems and include several cathode and anode assembly electrical contacts that permit flexible modular assembly numbers and placement in standardized connection configurations. Electrical contacts may be arranged at any position where assembly contact is desired. Electrical power may be provided via power cables attached to seating assemblies of the electrical contacts. Cathode and anode assembly electrical contacts may provide electrical power at any desired levels. Pairs of anode and cathode assembly electrical contacts may provide equal and opposite electrical power; different cathode assembly electrical contacts may provide different levels of electrical power to a same or different modular cathode assembly. Electrical systems may be used with an electrolyte container into which the modular cathode and anode assemblies extend and are supported above, with the modular cathode and anode assemblies mechanically and electrically connecting to the respective contacts in power distribution systems.
US08636890B2	Method for refurbishing PtAl coating to turbine hardware removed from service A method of repairing damaged airfoils. The method comprises the steps of stripping thermal barrier coatings from the airfoil. After the coatings are removed, cracks are removed from the airfoil. Cracks that appear in the bond coat area over the airfoil fillet portion are removed by locally grit blasting the fillet portion of the airfoil. This operation also results in locally removing the bond coating from the fillet portion. Cracks and other damage sustained by the airfoil tip are removed and replaced by welding superalloy material. The airfoil then may be cleaned by thermal etching. The airfoil is then placed in a plating tool permitting preferential plating of airfoil areas from which plating has been removed. After plating, the airfoil is then heat treated to diffuse the platinum coating with the superalloy substrate materials. The diffusion heat treated airfoil is aluminided by any aluminiding process, forming a PtAl coating.
US08636885B2	Analytic device with photovoltaic power source An analytical device including a sensor, an analytical circuit, and a power source. The power source includes an optical coupler formed of a light source and a photovoltaic cell for producing an electromotive force in response to light from the light source. The optical coupler is configured to provide the electromotive force to the analytical circuit. The power source may be configured for separation between the power supply and the resulting electromotive force supplied to the analytical circuit. Various aspects of the invention are directed to providing a power source for one or more components of an electrochemical detector. A method of providing power to an analytical instrument is also disclosed.
US08636884B2	Cationic polymer based wired enzyme formulations for use in analyte sensors Embodiments of the invention include analyte-responsive compositions and electrochemical analyte sensors having a sensing layer that includes an analyte-responsive enzyme and a cationic polymer. Also provided are systems and methods of making the sensors and using the electrochemical analyte sensors in analyte monitoring.
US08636883B2	Monitorable hydrogen sensor system A remotely readable hydrogen detector is in the form of a tag or card that can be worn on clothing or mounted on a variety of surfaces and can be monitored from a distance for the presence of hydrogen gas. It includes a hydrogen sensor device, which changes in electrical resistivity in response to being exposed to hydrogen gas, that is incorporated into an electric detector circuit, which detects changes in resistivity of the sensor device, and, when such change in resistivity indicates the presence of some predetermined concentration of hydrogen gas, the electric circuit outputs a signal or state that indicates the presence of hydrogen to a transceiver circuit, which can transmit that information to a remote receiver or interrogator/reader via an antenna in the sensor device.
US08636877B2	Sacrificial anode system A sacrificial anode system and associated surface pipe system maintenance method designed to protect surface pipes and associated parts. According to a first aspect of the present invention, the sacrificial anode system is installable at an interface between a first pipe and a second pipe and comprises an insertion sleeve shaped to fit along an inner surface of the first pipe, a flange attached to the insertion sleeve and shaped to rest against an end surface of the first pipe, a sacrificial anode to be positioned within the first pipe, and a stem linking the sacrificial anode to the insertion sleeve. According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for maintaining a surface pipe system is also provided.
US08636876B2	Deposition of LiCoO2 In accordance with the present invention, deposition of LiCoO2 layers in a pulsed-dc physical vapor deposition process is presented. Such a deposition can provide a low-temperature, high deposition rate deposition of a crystalline layer of LiCoO2 with a desired <101> or <003> orientation. Some embodiments of the deposition address the need for high rate deposition of LiCoO2 films, which can be utilized as the cathode layer in a solid state rechargeable Li battery. Embodiments of the process according to the present invention can eliminate the high temperature (>700° C.) anneal step that is conventionally needed to crystallize the LiCoO2 layer.
US08636875B2	Enhanced dry strength and drainage performance by combining glyoxalated acrylamide-containing polymers with cationic aqueous dispersion polymers A process is disclosed for the production of paper with enhanced dry strength comprising adding to the wet end of a paper machine, (a) a glyoxalated acrylamide-containing polymer and (b) a cationic aqueous dispersion polymer. Guidelines for the properties of the polymers that make this coadditive system effective are established. Polymer properties discussed include molecular weight, cationic charge, polymer composition and functionalization, and relative additive amounts.
US08636874B2	Fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet having a variable local basis weight An absorbent cellulosic sheet includes (i) a plurality of fiber-enriched pileated regions having fibers that are oriented in a direction transverse to a machine direction (MD) of the sheet, and (ii) a plurality of linking regions that link the fiber-enriched regions together. The linking regions have fibers that have an orientation that is offset from the orientation of the fibers in the plurality of fiber-enriched pileated regions.
US08636867B2	Method for producing an escape route marking and an escape route marking A method for producing an escape route marking and the apparatus for an airplane comprising a luminous layer that luminesces in the dark, and a profile having two profile elements that can be connected to each other, wherein in a first of the profile elements, the luminous layer is arranged in a recess extending in the longitudinal direction, and the second profile element is provided to be connected with a base, wherein the procedure comprises the following steps: production of the luminous layer from a mixture of a silicone material and from photoluminescent pigments, and introduction of the mixture in a liquid state into the recess of the first profile element, wherein the mixture cures in the seat by crosslinking with the walls in the profile.
US08636866B2	Method for manufacturing a multi-axial laminate of webs produced from cables broken into strips, and manufacturing facility A method of manufacturing a multi-axial laminate of webs produced from cables stretch broken into strips includes arranging, at an entry of a conveyor table, a first layer of pre-wound pre-cut strips along the longitudinal axis of the table, the strips being partially superimposed; arranging along the table at least two cross lappers transferring and depositing in an oblique and/or divergent position at predetermined angles a stretch broken strip; and arranging the strips in successive superimpositions on the first layer of pre-cut strips in different planes, to form a multi-axial web of stretch broken strips. The web then being treated by a fixing device. Movement of the support belt of the table taking place in steps to ensure the superimposition of the different layers of pre-broken strips deposited by the cross lappers. Implementation of the method taking place without any prior cohesion treatment of each strip.
US08636859B2	Austempering heat treatment during hot isostatic pressing conditions Method for austempering at least one part of a work piece, which method comprises the steps of: a) heating at least one part of the work piece to an initial austenitizing temperature (T1); b) subjecting said at least one part of the work piece to one or more austenitizing temperatures (T1 . . . T1n) for a predetermined time to austenitize it; c) quenching said at least one part of the work piece; d) heat treating said at least one part of the work piece at one or more austempering temperatures (T2 . . . T2n) for a predetermined time to austemper it; e) cooling the at least one part of the work piece; whereby at least one of the steps a) to e) is/are at least partly carried out under Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) conditions.
US08636857B2	Method to obtain a manganese steel alloy A method to obtain a manganese steel alloy having a percentage weight of carbon varying from about 0.5% to about 2%, a percentage weight of manganese varying from about 10% to about 20%, and a percentage weight of titanium varying from about 0.01% to about 5%. The method comprises at lest a step wherein a determinate quantity of steel scarp with manganese or steel scarp with carbon is melted in order to define a metal bath, a step wherein, in order to deoxidize the metal bath a determinate percentage weight of aluminum is added, a step wherein a determinate percentage weight of nitrogen is added, a step wherein a determinate percentage weight of titanium is added, and a step wherein the metal bath is cast at a determinate temperature.
US08636854B2	Method for melt immersion coating of a flat steel product made of high strength steel A method for coating a flat steel product manufactured from a high strength steel with a metallic coating, wherein the flat steel product is initially subjected to a heat treatment, in order then, in the heated state, to be hot-dip galvanized with the metallic coating in a melting bath containing overall at least 85% zinc and/or aluminum. The heat treatment includes heating the steel product in a reducing atmosphere, followed by converting a surface of the flat product to an iron oxide layer by a heat treatment lasting 1 to 10 secs in an oxidizing atmosphere, followed by annealing in a reducing atmosphere over a period of time which is longer than the duration of the formation of the iron oxide layer such that the iron oxide layer is reduced at least on its surface to pure iron, followed by cooling the product to a melting bath temperature.
US08636852B2	High strength galvanized steel sheet and method for manufacturing the same The high strength galvanized steel sheet contains C: more than 0.015% and lower than 0.100%, Si: 0.3% or lower, Mn: lower than 1.90%, P: 0.015% or more and 0.05% or lower, S: 0.03% or lower, sol.Al: 0.01% or more and 0.5% or lower, N: 0.005% or lower, Cr: lower than 0.30%, B: 0.0003% or more and 0.005% or lower, and Ti: lower than 0.014% in terms of mass %, and satisfies 2.2≦[Mneq]≦3.1 and 0.42≦8[% P]+150B*≦0.73. The steel microstructure contains ferrite and a second phase, in which the second phase area ratio is 3 to 15%, the ratio of the area ratio of martensite and retained γ to the second phase area ratio is more than 70%, and 50% or more of the area ratio of the second phase exists in the grain boundary triple point.
US08636850B2	Method of removing support structure from 3-D objects made by solid freeform fabrication Some demonstrative embodiments of the invention include an apparatus and a method for removing the support structures from three-dimensional objects, in which the support removal is carried out using techniques that decrease the duration of the support removal process and increase the quality of the final three-dimensional objects. This method also ensures the safe removal of the support structures without damage to the three-dimensional object.
US08636849B2	Dish washer and method for controlling the same Disclosed herein are a dish washer which is capable of finishing a rinse mode within a predetermined time by changing an operation start time of a heater according to the temperature of washing water at the time of a final rinse mode of the dish washer, and a method of controlling the same. The method of controlling the dish washer including a washing tub for containing dishes to be washed using washing water and a heater for heating the washing water includes sensing a temperature of the washing water, determining an operation start time of the heater on the basis of the sensed temperature of the washing water, and operating the heater according to the determined operation start time of the heater.
US08636847B2	Chemical vapor deposition flow inlet elements and methods A flow inlet element (22) for a chemical vapor deposition reactor (10) is formed from a plurality of elongated tubular elements (64, 65) extending side-by-side with one another in a plane transverse to the upstream to downstream direction of the reactor. The tubular elements have inlets for ejecting gas in the downstream direction. A wafer carrier (14) rotates around an upstream to downstream axis. The gas distribution elements may provide a pattern of gas distribution which is asymmetrical with respect to a medial plane (108) extending through the axis.
US08636842B2	Artificial stone and manufacturing method thereof Disclosed is a method of manufacturing an artificial stone, and the method includes forming an artificial-stone paste which comprises 20-20 parts by weight of silica stone, metakaolim or silica fume, 200-300 parts by weight of quartz chips, 30-36 parts by weight if water, 1.5-3 part by weight of water-reducing agent and 0.2-3 parts by weight of pigment with response to 100 parts by weight of white cement; injecting the artificial-stone paste in a mold; primarily vacuum-molding the artificial-stone paste injected in the mold; secondarily vibration-molding the primarily molded artificial-stone paste; primarily curing the secondarily molded artificial-stone paste; secondarily curing the primarily cured artificial-stone paste, which induces a hydrothermal reaction and thus causes a pozzolanic reaction; releasing the secondarily cured artificial-stone paste from the mold; and surface-machining the released artificial-stone paste.
US08636841B2	Cement manufacturing apparatus and method A cement manufacturing apparatus capable of increasing quantity of fly ash used in the apparatus while controlling unburned carbon content in cement within a permissible range. The cement manufacturing apparatus comprises a removal means for removing unburned carbon from gypsum, and a grinding means for grinding gypsum from which unburned carbon is removed by the removal means together with clinker to generate cement. With the apparatus, total unburned carbon content in cement can be reduced, and the quantity of fly ash used in the apparatus can be, increased by the reduced amount of unburned carbon. The removal means can remove unburned carbon contained in gypsum as well as unburned carbon contained in fly ash, and the grinding means may grind the fly ash from which unburned carbon is removed together with the gypsum, from which unburned carbon is removed, and clinker.
US08636840B2	Process for utilizing organic waste materials In a process for utilizing organic waste materials, in particular cellulose-containing, moist, organic waste materials, in a clinker production process in which the waste materials are introduced as fuel and burnt in the clinker production process, the waste materials are brought into contact with the hot exhaust gases of the clinker production process and dried in a drying step flowing in parallel therewith before they are introduced into the clinker production process. The drying step is carried out in a drying reactor in which the moist waste materials are passed together with the hot exhaust gases through a series of concentrically arranged tubes, with multiple changes in flow direction about 180°, and the temperature of the hot exhaust gases is set to a maximum value of 400° C. by mixing in of ambient air and/or air from the clinker production process before the drying step.
US08636834B2	Adiabatic tank for metal hydride The invention relates to a safe hydrogen-storing tank that is easy to manufacture and enables the quick kinetic absorption of hydrogen, which reduces the variations in volume and has a low cost in terms of material and energy. The invention has the aim of providing a tank for storing hydrogen, including a hydrogen inlet (21) and a hydrogen outlet (22) in fluid communication with at least one solid body (10-11) capable of the exothermal absorption and endothermal desorption of hydrogen, wherein said at least one solid body (10-11) is made of a compacted material containing light metal hydride and a heat-conducting matrix, and wherein said at least one solid body (10-11) is in heat-transfer relation with at least one heat recovery material (42) free from salt or molten-salt compounds and capable of absorbing the heat generated by the hydrogen absorption and of releasing said absorbed heat so as to provide heat for hydrogen desorption.
US08636830B2	Aliphatic amine based nanocarbons for the absorption of carbon dioxide A composition of matter, and method to make same, for a nano-based material including a nanocarbon support to which is attached an aliphatic amine. In particular, the composition of matter is an aliphatic amine-nanocarbon material that includes a nanocarbon (NC) support, such as C60, nano-graphite, graphene, nanocarbon ribbons, graphite intercalation compounds, graphite oxide, nano-coal, nanohorns, and combinations thereof, and further includes an aliphatic amine, such as polyethyleneimine (PEI).
US08636829B2	Gas purification system for liquefaction of dilute gas components The invention provides gas purification systems for the recovery and liquefaction of low boiling point organic and inorganic gases, such as methane, propane, CO2, NH3, and chlorofluorocarbons. Many such gases are in the effluent gas of industrial processes and the invention can increase the sustainability and economics of such industrial processes. In a preferred system of the invention, low boiling point gases are adsorbed with a heated activated carbon fiber material maintained at an adsorption temperature during an adsorption cycle. During a low boiling point desorption cycle the activated carbon fiber is heated to a desorption temperature to create a desorption gas stream with concentrated low boiling point gases. The desorption gas stream is actively compressed and/or cooled to condense and liquefy the low boiling point gases, which can then be collected, stored, re-used, sold, etc. Particular systems of the invention include an active condensation loop that actively cools and/or compresses a desorption gas stream from said vessel to liquefy low boiling point gases.
US08636826B2	Hydrogen membrane separator The present application is directed to a hydrophobic membrane assembly (28) used within a gas-generating apparatus. Hydrogen is separated from the reaction solution by passing through a hydrophobic membrane assembly (28) having a hydrophobic lattice like member (36) disposed within a hydrogen output composite (32) further enhancing the ability of the hydrogen output composite's ability to separate out hydrogen gas and prolonging its useful life.
US08636825B2	Melting method for producing an inclusion-free Ta-base alloy One aspect relates to a method for producing an alloy characterized by grinding tantalum to form a tantalum powder and grinding tungsten to form a tungsten powder; mixing the tantalum powder and the tungsten powder to form a blended powder. The weight fraction of tungsten powder in the blended powder is larger than in the desired alloy. A blended body is produced from the blended powder by a powder metallurgical route. A pre-alloy is produced by a first melting of the blended body and at least a fraction of at least one further metal by a melt metallurgical route. The alloy is produced by a second melting of the pre-alloy and the remaining fraction of at least one metal by a melt metallurgical route.
US08636823B2	Silver ribbons, methods of their making and applications thereof A silver salt solution and a reducing agent solution are added to an aqueous dispersing polymer solution to precipitate silver ribbons.
US08636822B1	Dethatching, extended release fertilizer compositions A granule fertilizer composition with dethatching agent. The fertilizer composition includes natural potassium, various micronutrients, humic acid and composted humus. Ingredients of the composition may include humic acid, nitrogen, sulfur, potash, iron, manganese, magnesium, and/or inert ingredients. In an embodiment, each ingredient is polymer-coated, depending on the needs of the user. The current invention also enables a method of manufacturing a fertilizer composition, along with methods of fertilizing, dethatching and irrigating a finite area of turf using a fertilizer composition. The novel fertilizer composition is environmentally friendly, can be utilized year round effectively for warm and cool turf needs, increases water retention (i.e., reduces amount of irrigation needed), aids in micronutrient uptake, provides soil biology, and prevents staining on concrete.
US08636819B2	Fiber bed assembly for a fiber bed mist eliminator A fiber assembly for a forward-flow fiber bed mist eliminator used to remove aerosols from a moving gas stream. The assembly incorporates an improved drainage system for draining aerosols from the fiber bed without the need for a conventional seal-leg.
US08636816B1	Composite wood products and methods of manufacture A composite wood product adapted for burning includes a compacted mixture of lignosulfonate, wood particles, and ground corn. A method of manufacturing the composite wood product includes: (i) providing and mixing the lignosulfonate, the wood particles, and the ground corn to form a mixture having a moisture content from about 6 wt. % to about 18 wt. %; compacting the mixture at high pressure; and drying the mixture to obtain an optimum moisture level for burning. The composite wood product may be provided in a kit that includes log-shaped pieces and starter pieces.
US08636811B2	Drug eluting rolled stent and stent delivery system The drug eluting rolled stent and a stent delivery system, which includes a catheter; a balloon operably attached to the catheter; and a stent disposed on the balloon. The stent includes a rectangular metal foil sheet having a first side and a second side, the rectangular metal foil sheet being rolled to form a cylindrical tube having a central axis and a spiral cross section perpendicular to the central axis; a polymer drug coating disposed between and adhering the first side and the second side; and at least one opening formed through the cylindrical tube generally perpendicular to the central axis, the at least one opening being shaped to form at least one strut having in cross section polymer drug layers between metal foil layers, polymer drug layer edges of the polymer drug layers being in communication with the at least one opening.
US08636810B2	Negative pressure intestinal anastomosis protection devices A device is disclosed that provides for the protection of intestinal anastomosis sites and other body sites from bodily fluids and contaminants. Additionally, the device provides the ability to create negative pressure at the site of the obstruction to ensure that contaminants flow from the visceral compartment into the inner lumen of the bowel. Further, the device provides the sectional forces through natural constrictions of the intestinal muscles through peristaltic action.
US08636809B2	Device for treating obesity A device for treating obesity of a patient, the device comprising: at least one operable stretching device implantable in the patient and adapted to stretch a portion of the patient's stomach wall, and an implantable control unit for automatically controlling the operable stretching device, when the control unit and stretching device are implanted, to stretch the stomach wall portion in connection with the patient eating such that satiety is created.
US08636801B2	Method and assembly of a pyrolytic carbon component attached to another component A prosthetic assembly and a method of assembling same. The prosthetic assembly includes a base component with at least one engagement surface. A pyrolytic carbon component includes at least one engagement surface. The pyrolytic carbon component is elastically deformed to mechanically interlock with the engagement surface on the base component. The pyrolytic carbon component retains at least a portion of the deformation stress created during coupling with the base component.
US08636796B2	Intraocular lens An intraocular lens (1) including an anterior surface (4) and a posterior surface (5) and having a substantially antero-posterior optical axis (6). In this lens, one of these anterior and posterior surfaces includes a first diffractive profile (9) forming at least one first diffractive focal point (11) of order +1 on said optical axis, and a second diffractive profile (10) forming a second diffractive focal point (12) of order +1 on said optical axis which is distinct from the first diffractive focal point of order +1. At least one portion of said second diffractive profile is superposed to at least one portion of the first diffractive profile.
US08636795B2	Device to store and inject corneal graft Devices and methods for storing and injecting a corneal tissue graft are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a tissue container and an adaptor configured to be coupled to the tissue container. The tissue container defines an interior region configured to receive a precut corneal tissue graft therein. The tissue container is also configured to be coupled to an injector assembly that can be used to move the corneal tissue graft out of the interior region of the tissue container and into an anterior chamber of a recipient's eye. The adaptor can be configured to prevent the tissue graft from migrating out of the tissue container and/or can be configured to be coupled to the injector assembly. The tissue graft can remain within the tissue container during storage, transport and during the implantation procedure until it is injected into the patient's eye.
US08636792B2	Biodegradable endoprostheses and methods for their fabrication The disclosure provides biodegradable implantable devices such as a stent comprising a biodegradable polymeric wherein the polymeric material is treated to control crystallinity and/or Tg. The stent is capable to expand at body temperature from a crimped configuration to a deployed diameter and have sufficient strength to support a body lumen.
US08636790B2	Vascular stent A vascular stent to be implanted in a vessel of a living body to scaffold the vessel from inside is provided. The stent includes a tubular body formed by assembling a plurality of tubular-body forming elements constituting a part of a tubular body. The tubular-body forming elements are formed by bending a strand made of a biodegradable polymer such that legs as linear parts and bend parts alternate in sequence, to form a single flow channel from one end to the other end. The plurality of tubular-body forming elements constitute the tubular body by connecting and unifying two connecting members by melt welding, each of the connecting members being attached to adjacent portions of the plurality of tubular-body forming elements.
US08636787B2	Method for expansion and deployment of polymeric structures including stents The invention is to methods of deploying polymeric biodegradable or non biodegradable stents by use of stepwise creases in the pressure placed upon the inner diameter of the stent to slowly increase the stent diameter. In one embodiment, the pressure on the interior stent diameter is slowly increased. The stent is allowed to acclimate to this diameter for a set period of time, and then the pressure is again increased. This series of steps continues until the stent reaches its final diameter and a final period of acclimatization is maintained prior to the removal of the deployment/delivery device.
US08636783B2	Spinal stabilization systems and methods One embodiment provides a bone fastener including a collar, a fastener member, and a pin. The collar can have an upper portion with slot to receive an elongated member and a lower portion with a socket and an opening. The fastener member can have head and shank portions. The socket can receive the head portion and prevent movement of the head portion through the opening when the head portion is out of registration with the opening. The head portion and the socket can be configured to allow angulation of the fastener member within a defined range of motion within a selected plane. The head portion and the socket can define apertures which can be aligned with each other when the head portion is in the socket and which can receive the pin. One embodiment provides a generally spherical head portion with a flat.
US08636782B2	Receiving part for receiving a rod for coupling the rod to a bone anchoring element and bone anchoring device with such a receiving part A receiving part for receiving a rod for coupling the rod to a bone anchoring element includes a receiving part body including: a rod receiving portion with a channel for receiving a rod, and a head receiving portion for accommodating a head of a bone anchoring element, the head receiving portion having an open end and being flexible for inserting and clamping of the head, and an exterior surface with a curved portion; and a locking ring around the head receiving portion, wherein the locking ring has an interior surface with a curved portion for engagement with the curved portion of the exterior surface of the head receiving portion for locking a position of the head relative to the head receiving portion.
US08636781B2	Receiving part for receiving a rod for coupling the rod to a bone anchoring element and a bone anchoring device with such a receiving part A receiving part for receiving a rod for coupling the rod to a bone anchoring element includes a receiving part body including a rod receiving portion with a channel for receiving a rod, and a head receiving portion for accommodating a head of a bone anchoring element, the head receiving portion having an open end and being flexible so as to allow introduction and clamping of the head, the head receiving portion having an exterior surface with a tapered portion; and a locking ring around the head receiving portion and including an interior surface with a curved portion configured to engage the tapered portion of the exterior surface of the head receiving portion to clamp the head.
US08636779B2	Spine plate with configured bone screw bores A single to multi-level spine plate has configured bone screw bores that cooperate with bone screws to retain a bone screw in a determinative position. In one form, the determinative position is a self-capture position wherein the bone screw is retained without the aid of any additional bone screw retention device. In another form, the determinative position is a limited angulation orientation of a bone screw relative to the spine plate. This limited angulation may be different for end plate bone screw bores than for middle plate bone screw bores. The bone screw bores may be configured to prohibit angulation once set. In another form, the determinative position is the reception of a cooperating bone screw at a centroid of the bone screw bore when installed.
US08636769B2	Polyaxial bone screw with shank-retainer insert capture A polyaxial bone screw assembly includes a threaded shank body member having an upper portion with an internal drive and, alternatively, a laterally extending alignment rib or fin. The bone screw assembly also includes a lockable receiver coupling member, an open retainer ring member having a slit or gap and a compression insert member. An inset conical or cylindrical surface on the shank upper portion frictionally engages a similarly shaped inner surface of the retainer ring. The receiver includes a restrictive lower opening that allows for uploading the shank upper portion and compressed retainer ring into the receiver cavity, but prevents passage of the retainer ring out of the receiver once the ring inner surface engages the conical surface of the shank upper portion.
US08636768B2	Pacifier having a nipple A pacifier having a nipple, which can be fastened to the pacifier guard with a stem-shaped end, wherein on the pacifier guard a fastening part that is or can be connected to the pacifier is provided on a side provided for placing the lips thereon such that the pacifier is connected to the pacifier guard when the fastening part is fastened to the pacifier guard.
US08636765B2	Catch member for PFO occluder Delivery (and recovery) devices and techniques for delivering an implant into a desired location within the body and catch systems for such implants. The devices and techniques relate particularly to, but are not limited to, a patent foramen ovale (PFO) occluder made from a polymer tube. A catch system maintains an occluder in a deployed configuration by holding it in a reduced axial length position. Some embodiments have a compressible tip. Some embodiments have temporary catching mechanisms.
US08636764B2	Medical device for modification of left atrial appendage and related systems and methods Devices, methods and systems are provided for occluding an opening within the tissue of a body, such as a left atrial appendage. In one embodiment, a system for use in occluding an opening in the tissue of a body includes a handle, a catheter coupled with the handle and a medical device disposed within a lumen of the catheter. The medical device includes an anchor system having a plurality of anchor segments coupled with an anchor hub. The medical device further includes an occluder system having a plurality of occluder segments coupled with an occluder hub. A first actuator is configured to displace the occluder hub independent of, and relative to, the anchor hub to deploy the occluder system from a refracted state to an expanded state while the anchor system remains in a retracted state.
US08636763B2	Device for laceration or incision closure Disclosed is a two-component device for closing a laceration or incision. The device includes a first component comprising a first adhesive-backed anchoring member and one or more first connecting members extending from one edge thereof in a first direction. Also included is a second component comprising a second adhesive-backed anchoring member and one or more second connecting members extending from one edge thereof in a second direction generally opposite to the first direction. Means for attaching the one or more first connecting members to the second anchoring member and means for attaching the one or more second connecting members to the first anchoring member is also provided. The attachment of the connecting members to the anchoring members forms attached and bridging portions of the one or more connecting members, the attached portions being attached to an anchoring member, and the bridging portions spanning the over-laceration area between the first and second anchoring members. The average width of the bridging portions disclosed is less than the average width of the attached portions. The narrowing of the bridging portions increases the exposure of the area over the laceration as well as increases the range of adjustment of the device. Methods of use are also disclosed.
US08636759B2	Bladeless obturator A surgical obturator adapted to penetrate a body wall includes an elongate shaft having an axis which extends between a proximal end and a distal end. A bladeless tip, disposed at the distal end of the shaft has an outer surface which extends to a blunt point The outer surface has a pair of side sections separated by an intermediate section The side sections extend from the blunt point radially outwardly with progressive positions proximally along the axis. These side sections include a distal portion in proximity to the blunt point, and a proximal portion in proximity to the shaft. The distal portion of the side section is twisted radially with respect to the proximal portion of the side section. The outer surface in radial cross section has the general configuration of a geometric shape which rotates in a first direction about the axis with progressive proximal radial cross sections along the axis.
US08636757B2	Bendable shaft assembly for a clamp A shaft assembly that has a flexible shaft and a series of alternating rigid beads around the flexible shaft that ensure the shaft is kept rigid while in any position when the shaft is locked. The flexible shaft having a proximal end that is operatively coupled to the handle assembly and a distal end that operatively coupled to the gripping assembly. The shaft assembly also has a rigid element that can be placed in a first position where the rigid element supports the shaft in a manner where the shaft cannot be bent, and in a second position where the shaft can be bent. The series of alternating beads is made up of an alternating series of 2 types of beads.
US08636756B2	Anastomosis device and surgical tool actuation mechanism configurations The tissue approximating structures for the anastomosis devices of the invention preferably include two sets of approximating structures or tines spaced from each other along the length of a catheter body that can be extended and retracted from the catheter body. Each of the sets of tissue approximating structures is preferably sequentially deployable in such a way that the surgeon can activate a first set of tines to engage a first tissue structure, verify that an adjacent second tissue structure is properly positioned relative to the first tissue structure, then activate a second set of tines to engage that adjacent second tissue structure. Each of the sets of tines is preferably controlled by a single actuation mechanism that is attached to the anastomosis device and is positioned outside the patient's body.
US08636754B2	Clip applicator A clamp assembly comprising: (a) a clamping device biased toward a closed position; (b) a first retainer bar removably coupled to the clamping device; (c) a second retainer bar removably coupled to the clamping device, where the first retainer bar and the second retainer bar are oriented in parallel to one another.
US08636753B2	Temporarily stiffened mesh prostheses The present invention relates to medical prostheses and methods of manufacturing those devices. In particular, the prostheses are temporarily stiffened meshes with particular coatings to provide initial stiffness and thereby permit easier surgical handling for treatment or reconstruction of soft tissue defects. Preferred embodiments include surgical meshes coated with one or more biodegradable polymers that can act as a stiffening agent by coating the filaments or fibers of the mesh to temporarily immobilize the contact points of those filaments or fibers and/or by increasing the stiffness of the mesh by at least 1.1 times its original stiffness. The devices of the invention can also provide relief from various post-operative complications associated with their implantation, insertion or surgical use. By including biologically active agents and/or drugs in the coating, the devices provide prophylaxis for and can alleviate side effects or complications associated with the surgery or use of prostheses in general.
US08636752B2	Flexible endoscopic stitching devices An endoscopic stitching device including a tool assembly having a pair of juxtaposed jaws; a rotatably supported camming hub defining a groove formed in an inner surface of a central lumen thereof; and a center rod slidably and rotatably disposed within the lumen of the camming hub. The center rod is operatively engaged with the groove formed in the camming hub and engaged with the pair of jaws. The inner groove of the camming hub is configured such that, in at least one position, axial translation of the center rod relative to the camming hub results in rotation of the camming hub and at least one of opening and closing of the pair of jaws. The inner groove of the camming hub is configured such that, in at least one other position, rotation of the canter rod results in rotation of the tool assembly.
US08636751B2	Methods and devices for the rerouting of chyme to induce intestinal brake Methods and devices reroute chyme to induce intestinal brake in order to improve the effectiveness of bariatric surgical procedures and to improve comorbidity resolution. A bowel is manipulated to provide a shortened path for chyme to travel to the ileum. These methods and devices of rerouting chyme to induce intestinal brake may include one or more of a surgical procedure, an implanted device, or a combination of an implant with an improved surgical procedure.
US08636746B2	Methods and apparatus for insertion of vertebral body distraction and fusion devices An introducer can be used to implant a distractible intervertebral body fusion device into a patient's disc space and expand the device. Introducer includes a body 100 including a handle and a sleeve. Handle includes a slot for containing an actuation tool. A drive shaft and a securing shaft can extend through sleeve between a proximal end of the sleeve adjacent slot and a distal end of the device. At proximal end, actuation tool can connect to drive shaft where drive shaft extends through an opening in body. Drive shaft can extend out of an opening at distal end to engage a worm gear, drive shaft, or other actuation member of distractible device. Securing shaft can engage the device to stabilize the device during distraction. Activation of the actuation member rotates the drive shaft, which expands the distractible device.
US08636744B2	Positioning device for ankle joint replacement surgery A positioning device for ankle joint replacement surgery.
US08636740B2	Minimally invasive spinal stabilization system A spinal stabilization system includes an implant and instrumentation for stabilizing the spine. In one embodiment, the system includes a plate having a side rail and a channel extending adjacent the side rail. A pedicle screw assembly is positioned in the channel in releasable engagement with the side rail. The pedicle screw assembly includes a polyaxial screw seated in a lower housing having a lower locking flange. An upper housing having an upper locking flange secures the plate to the lower housing. The side rail of the plate is releasably engaged between the upper locking flange and the lower locking flange. The upper and lower housings include on-board locking mechanisms for fixing components in the screw assembly. The screw assembly and plate are inserted and oriented by remote manipulation. Minimally invasive techniques for inserting the implant are performed with the instrumentation, and cause minimal disturbance to surrounding tissue.
US08636738B2	Dynamic cervical plate A dynamic cervical plate includes a first end section and a second end section. In embodiments, the dynamic cervical plate may include one or more middle sections positioned between the first and second end sections. Each section may be longitudinally repositionable. Each section may include a plurality of openings for receiving threaded fasteners such as a self-starting screw or a self-tapping screw. In addition, each section may include an orifice for releasably mating with a drill guide. Each of the end sections may include a notch at one end for aligning with the drill guide or fixation pins. In one embodiment, a pin is used to interconnect the sections. In other embodiments, support bars are used to limit flexure between sections. In embodiments, one or more locking elements and/or one or more support bars may operably interconnect each section.
US08636734B2	Tissue specimen isolating and damaging device and method A device and method for treatment of a tissue specimen disposed in surrounding tissue has a tissue specimen isolating toot and a tissue specimen damager. The tissue specimen isolating tool isolates the tissue specimen from the surrounding tissue. The tissue specimen damager damages the tissue, with a possible end result being necrosis. The severing tool may have a cutting member that is extendable to an outwardly radially bowed position about device. The tissue specimen is isolated by rotating the cutting member about the tissue specimen. The cutting member may be functionally connected to a cutting member radio frequency generation source. The tissue specimen damager may damage the tissue specimen using ionizing radiation, cutting devices, thermal treatment devices, chemical treatment devices, or sealing an outer boundary of the tissue specimen.
US08636732B2	Systems and methods for reduction of atrial fibrillation Embodiments of the present invention are directed to ablation catheter systems configured, for example, to ablate tissue adjacent an ostium of the pulmonary vein in a left atria of a heart. In one embodiment, an ablation catheter system includes a handle including an actuator and a catheter coupled to the handle defining a lumen extending through a length of the catheter, the catheter including a tip portion at a distal end thereof. The ablation catheter system may also include an electrode coupled to the handle with lines extending through the lumen of the catheter, the electrode being configured to be constrained within the tip portion of the catheter and configured to be deployed from the tip portion and self expand to an expanded configuration. With this arrangement, the electrode is configured to self expand to a conical configuration with a tip portion configured to be disposed within the pulmonary vein.
US08636731B2	Electrophysiology catheter for mapping and/or ablation The present invention encompasses apparatus and methods for mapping electrical activity within the heart. The present invention also encompasses methods and apparatus for creating lesions in the heart tissue (ablating) to create a region of necrotic tissue which serves to disable the propagation of errant electrical impulses caused by an arrhythmia.
US08636729B2	Therapeutic system with energy application device and programmed power delivery A working end of a catheter includes at least one therapeutic element, such as a resistive heating element, usable to deliver energy for ligating, or reducing the diameter of, a hollow anatomical structure. In certain examples, the catheter includes a lumen to accommodate a guide wire or to allow fluid delivery. In certain embodiments, a balloon is inflated to place resistive element(s) into apposition with a hollow anatomical structure and to occlude the structure. Indexing devices and methods are also disclosed for successively treating portions of the hollow anatomical structure. In certain examples, marks along the catheter shaft provide visual verification to the physician of the relative position of the therapeutic element of the catheter. Embodiments of indexing devices may include pairs of rings and/or hinged arms that move a catheter a desired indexed position between successive treatments.
US08636724B2	Balloon encapsulated catheter tip This invention is generally related to catheters for insertion into a body cavity, duct or vessel, and more particularly to a tip or plug for a catheter. The catheter tip is constructed and arranged to form a seal on the end portion of the catheter tube, while a sleeve secured or formed integrally to the tip cooperates with the catheter tube to form a first balloon that encapsulates the tip of the catheter and a second balloon that positions the catheter within the body cavity, duct or vessel.
US08636723B2	Drainage apparatus and system A drainage apparatus for an incapacitated person or ostomy patient having a urine draining device or stoma respectively, the apparatus comprising a conduit (14) having a first end having connection means suitable to attach to the urine draining device or stoma of the person or patient and a second end connected to a sewer/drainage system (20) of a dwelling (8). Such dwellings may include commercial and domestic buildings, caravans and motor homes and a portion of the conduit may be permanent in such a dwelling.
US08636719B2	Luer connector assembly with clamping sleeve and method of use A luer connector assembly (100) including a luer connector body (102), a luer cap (110) and a protective flexible sleeve (120). The protective sleeve is assembled to the distal end (116) of the luer cap (110) to define a cap/sleeve subassembly (130), and the luer cap proximal end (112) is removably affixable to the distal end (106) of the luer connector (102). A prepared end (202) of a proximal catheter lumen (200) of a patient-implanted catheter assembly is inserted through the protective sleeve (120) and through and beyond the luer cap (110) to be affixed to the luer connector distal end (106). The luer cap/sleeve subassembly (130) is then slid proximally to be removably affixed to the luer connector distal end (106), whereafter the clamp (204) on the catheter lumen (200) is positionable onto and around the protective sleeve (120), to protect the catheter lumen (200) during clamping.
US08636718B2	Method of assembling a positioning sensor and associated wiring on a medical tool An elongate medical device having an axis comprises an inner liner, a jacket radially outward of the liner, a braid comprising metal embedded in the jacket, a sensor, and at least one wire electrically connected to said sensor. The at least one wire is one of: embedded in the jacket and optionally disposed helically around the braid; extending longitudinally within a tube which extends generally parallel to the device axis and wherein the tube is embedded in the jacket; and disposed within a lumen, wherein the lumen extends longitudinally within the jacket.
US08636717B2	Catheter having improved bonding region A method of making a catheter having a flexible outer tube and a lubricious inner tube bonded to the flexible outer tube. The catheter is formed of a distal outer tube formed of a first, flexible material, an inner tube having a lubricious inside wall surface formed of a second, lubricious material, and an outer tube wall surface compatible with heat bonding the inner tube outside wall surface to the outer tube wall surfaces. A preferred flexible material is polyether block amide (PEBA) and a preferred lubricious material is polyethylene.
US08636709B2	Fluid containment apparatus The invention relates to the treatment of wounds. In particular, the invention relates to systems, devices, and methods enabling pulse lavage irrigation of wounds in a non-controlled setting while providing containment of contaminated irrigation fluid, thereby preventing exposure of individuals and surfaces in proximity to the patient to infectious materials.
US08636704B2	Automatic injection device Exemplary embodiments provide a syringe plunger formed of a polymeric material. The syringe plunger includes a pressurizer disposed at a proximal end, and a distal end bifurcated into a first plunger arm having a first conical surface and a second conical surface, and a second plunger arm having a first conical surface and a second conical surface. The distal end includes a first contact surface defined by the first conical surface of the first plunger arm and the first conical surface of the second plunger arm, the first contact surface configured to initially contact a firing engagement mechanism, the first contact surface disposed at a first angle of between about 40° and about 80° relative to a longitudinal axis of the syringe plunger. The distal end also includes a second contact surface defined by the second conical surface of the first plunger arm and the second conical surface of the second plunger arm, the second contact surface configured to contact the firing engagement mechanism subsequent to contact by the first contact surface.
US08636703B2	Needle safety mechanism A syringe needle safety apparatus comprising a syringe barrel having an open end and an opposite end adapted for a needle and a needle safety cover displaceable between a un-deployed state wherein the cover is constrained and the needle exposed, and a deployed state wherein the cover covers at least the needle tip. A plunger is slidably engaged in the syringe barrel and at least one element secures the needle safety cover in the un-deployed state. Biasing means urge the needle safety cover from the un-deployed state to the deployed state, and a housing is coupled to the opposite end of the syringe barrel, the housing comprising a corresponding securing member and a deformable member, the deformable member releasing the at least one element from the corresponding securing member upon receiving a releasing force via the plunger. During deployment, the needle safety mechanism provides for the needle safety cover to avoid contact with the needle, reducing or eliminating blood contact.
US08636699B2	Percutaneous catheter anchoring device The present disclosure provide catheter anchoring devices including anchoring devices that can be used to secure percutaneous catheters to a patient. In some embodiments, a catheter anchoring device comprises a locking tab having a front surface including a first mechanical engagement material and a back surface to be adhesively secured to a catheter by wrapping the back surface around a catheter surface. The catheter anchoring device further comprises a base portion comprising a base material layer including a bottom surface for adhesive application to the skin of a patient and a top surface including a second mechanical engagement material for engagement with the first mechanical engagement material of the locking tab; and a flexible closure extending from the base material layer and including a third mechanical engagement material for engagement with the top surface of the base material layer and a through-hole sized to allow passage of a tab protrusion.
US08636698B2	Dialysis catheter anchoring system An anchoring system for securing a dialysis catheter to a patient comprises an anchor pad and retainer. The anchor pad is attached to the skin of the patient by an adhesive layer on one side of the pad. The retainer is disposed upon the surface of the anchor pad opposite the adhesive layer and includes a base, a cover, and an adhesive spot. A groove upon the base is arranged to receive a Y-site portion of a dialysis catheter. A post also protrudes from the base to the cover at a position which will be disposed between the two distal branches of the dialysis catheter. The cover closes over the base, securing the Y-site between the groove and the post. Closing the cover places the catheter in contact with the adhesive spot. This contact between the retainer, adhesive spot and catheter inhibits inadvertent motion of the catheter.
US08636696B2	Transdermal device containing microneedles The present invention includes a microneedle assembly having a support that includes a first surface and a second surface, the second surface further including a slanted surface. A plurality of microneedles are provided which project outwardly from the second surface of the support. A pathway through the microneedle assembly is formed and includes an aperture extending between the first surface of the support and the second surface of the support, a channel disposed on the exterior surface of at least one microneedle, the channel having a surface, the channel being in alignment with at least a portion of the aperture to form a junction through which fluids may pass.
US08636695B2	Assembly method for catheter with blood control A system and method for assembling a catheter device, wherein a septum actuator is positioned within the lumen of a catheter adapter to provide a pathway through a septum component, an introducer needle being inserted through the septum via the septum actuator thereby preventing damage to the septum, the septum actuator thereafter being withdrawn from the septum and positioned within a rearward chamber of the catheter adapter lumen.
US08636693B2	Propellant pillow A propellant pillow for use in an implantable pump is described herein. The propellant pillow generally includes a propellant bag having a septum attached thereto. In one embodiment, the pillow may further include a rigid member associated with the propellant bag to prevent piercing of the bag by an injection device inserted through the septum during a filling process. In another embodiment, the propellant pillow includes a propellant bag having a surrounding layer of resealable material encompassing the bag. The surrounding layer also serves to prevent piercing of the bag during filling of the pillow with a propellant. Methods of filling such propellant pillows with propellant as well as utilizing such pillows in connection with implantable pumps are also described herein.
US08636686B2	Surgical access device The present invention generally provides methods and devices for removing fluid from a surgical instrument. Surgical access devices and seal systems are generally provided having one or more valves or seal assemblies to create a closed system between the outside environment and the environment in which the surgical access device is being inserted. The devices of systems can also include a fluid remover in the form of a sorbent element, a scraper element, a wicking element, or any combination thereof that is configured to remove fluid from a working channel of the device or system and/or from a surgical instrument inserted therethrough.
US08636684B2	Methods and systems for toxin delivery to the nasal cavity Methods and systems for delivering toxin and toxin fragments to a patient's nasal cavity provide for both release of the toxin and delivery of energy which selectively porates target cells to enhance uptake of the toxin. The use of energy-mediated delivery is particularly advantageous with light chain fragment toxins which lack cell binding capacity.
US08636680B2	Surgical positioning system A surgical positioning system includes a flexible air-impermeable shell filled with beads that is wrapped against the patient and subjected to a vacuum to hold the patient in place. The shell includes rounded shoulder portions, on either side of a separately inflatable pillow, to envelop portions of the patient's neck and shoulders, tapered waist portion to provide easy access to a patient's forearms and lower lateral abdomen, and expanded wrist hand portion to cradle the patient's hands and thighs.
US08636666B2	Volume rendering quality adaptations for ultrasound imaging Rendering quality parameter values are automatically set or adjusted as a function of acquisition ultrasound parameter values. The rendering quality is automatically selected based on the acquisition quality, such as providing for a higher quality or quality rendering for slower acquisitions. More than two rendering states are provided for a respective, more than two different quality settings.
US08636661B2	Embeddable modules for measuring blood glucose levels An embeddable module for measuring a blood glucose level may be embedded in an external host and may comprise a host interface, a microcontroller, an ASIC, a temperature measuring element, and a measurement strip port. The host interface may permit electrical communication between the host and the microcontroller. The microcontroller and ASIC may communicate with each other and may work together to measure the blood glucose level of a blood sample. The measurement strip port may receive a removable measurement strip having the blood sample. The ASIC may communicate with the measurement strip port such that the ASIC may receive signals from the measurement strip port related to the blood glucose level of the blood sample. The temperature measuring element may be in electrical communication with the microcontroller and may measure the temperature of the module and transmit signals to the microcontroller related to the temperature of the module.
US08636660B1	System and method for dynamic multi-stage test administration for detection of cardiovascular disease A system and method for dynamic multi-stage test administration for detection of cardiovascular disease may include performing a first set of tests in a first stage of testing on a patient. Physiological results for each of the tests in the first stage may then be received. Then, based on the physiological results, dynamically determining a set of tests to perform on the subject in a second stage of testing. Additionally, the dynamically determined set of tests in the second stage of testing may be performed on the subject.
US08636658B2	Surgical retractor having a lighting unit A surgical retractor includes an outer ring unit, a tubular retraction membrane made of a resilient material and including an inner surface defining a passageway, and a lighting unit. The tubular retraction membrane has an outer tubular end connected to the outer ring unit and rollable about the outer ring unit. The lighting unit is connected to an inner tubular end of the retraction membrane and includes a light-emitting ring, and a heat-dissipation ring in contact with the light-emitting ring.
US08636656B2	Retractor assemblies with blade drive mechanisms A retractor assembly for surgery in a patient includes at least one retractor member removably engageable to a support member. The retractor assembly includes a housing assembly engaged to the support member and to an arm that extends from a retraction portion of the retractor member. A drive mechanism in the housing assembly is coupled to the retractor member and is operable to rotate the retraction portion of the retractor member relative to the support member to a desired angular orientation.
US08636654B2	Retractors facilitating imaging during surgery Tissue retraction devices and methods include a tissue retractor with a radiolucent portion to permit imaging through the radiolucent portion with X-ray, fluoroscopic or other suitable imaging system. The tissue retractor also includes one or more radio-opaque elements that define at least a portion of a perimeter of the radiolucent portion to provide an indication of the retractor location in the patient via the imaging system.
US08636649B1	Endoscopic smart probe and method An endoscopic device which is introduced into the intestinal tract of a living organism and which operates autonomously therein, adapted to obtain and store or transmit one or more types of data such as visual image data, laser autofluorescensce data, or ultrasonic waveform data. In another aspect of the invention, apparatus for delivering agents including nanostructures, radionuclides, medication, and ligands is disclosed. In another aspect of the invention, apparatus for obtaining a biopsy of intestinal tissue is disclosed. In another aspect of the invention, apparatus for detecting the presence of one or more molecular species is disclosed. In one embodiment, the device comprises at least one imaging device, a processor, and a means for collecting and transmitting data, delivering agents, obtaining a biopsy, detecting molecular species, and/or generating ultrasonic waveform data. Methods for inspecting and/or treating the interior regions of the intestinal tract using the aforementioned apparatus is also disclosed.
US08636647B2	Ocular implant delivery systems and methods Described herein are delivery devices and methods of using the devices for delivering an ocular implant into a suprachoroidal space without use of a goniolens. The delivery device includes a handle including a channel extending from a proximal end of the handle to a distal end of the handle, an applier coupled to the handle, the applier including a blunt distal tip and an elongate, flexible wire insertable through a fluid channel of an ocular implant, and a fiber optic image bundle reversibly inserted through the channel such that the fiber optic image bundle extends to a region proximal to the blunt distal tip of the applier.
US08636645B2	Method of treating erectile dysfunction with peristaltically inflatable penile prosthetic A method of treating erectile dysfunction includes providing a pump having a proximal tip communicating with a fluid reservoir, a bladder connected at a proximal end to the proximal tip and extending to a closed distal end, and a tube disposed in the bladder, the tube having a proximal end in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir and a distal end that opens into the bladder. The method additionally includes implanting the pump into a corpora cavernosum of a penis.
US08636644B2	Incontinence treatment device An incontinence treatment device includes a urethral support and first and second connectors. The urethral support extends between a first end and a second end and has porosity that is configured to allow tissue in-growth through the urethral support. The first connector is attached to the first end of the urethral support and the second connector is attached to the second end of the urethral support. At least one of the first connector and the second connector is a cross-linked polymer connector having a glass transition temperature between 40-70 degrees Celsius. The cross-linked polymer connector has an initial length that is elongated to an implant length that is greater than the initial length. Means for heating the cross-linked polymer connector from an extracorporeal location through intact skin is provided, thereby shortening the cross-linked polymer connector.
US08636643B2	Method for supporting vaginal cuff Described are methods and devices useful for supporting posterior vaginal tissue for various purposes such as treating or preventing vaginal prolapse or enterocele, especially in a patient not having a uterus, the devices including implants designed to contact the vaginal cuff and connect to sacral anatomy such as the sacrum or the uterosacral ligaments.
US08636637B2	Methods for asymmetrical irradiation of a body cavity The disclosure describes devices and methods for asymmetrical irradiation at a body cavity or site, such as after removal of tissue, e.g. biopsy or cancer. One device includes a lumen which is off-set or off-settable from a longitudinal axis to increase the intensity of radiation received from a radiation source by a first tissue portion surrounding the body cavity and to reduce or minimize radiation received by a second tissue portion (e.g. healthy tissue) surrounding the body cavity.
US08636619B2	Gear shock control member for a drive train component gear set A drive train component includes a housing having a plurality inner surfaces that collectively define an interior portion. A gear set is arranged within the interior portion. The gear set includes a first side and a second side. A gear shock control member is positioned between one of the first and second sides of the gear set and an adjacent component. The gear shock control member includes a plurality of pre-loaded biasing members that direct an axial force onto the gear set.
US08636603B2	Automatic club setting and ball flight optimization Systems, methods, and computer readable media for changing and controlling settings for adjustable golf clubs are described. Such setting adjustment systems may alter one or more of: lie angle, loft angle, face angle, shaft stiffness, shaft kickpoint location, weighting, weight positioning, face flexibility, maximum face flex location, etc. These systems and methods may use various types of information to determine the appropriate settings, such as: ball launch monitor data, swing path data, weather input data, course condition input data for a location of play, course design input data for a location of play, daily course layout input data for a location and a time of play, golfer past performance data (e.g., recent past performance, past performances at the location of play, past performance during an ongoing round of golf (i.e., on earlier played holes), etc.), current adjustable club setting information, and information indicating specific holes to be played.
US08636602B2	Bowling lane with mural image A bowling lane with a mural image is disclosed. In one embodiment, a plurality of bowling lane panels are provided, wherein each bowling lane panel depicts a different portion of a mural image. The plurality of bowling lane panels are assembled and secured onto a surface such that the assembly of the plurality of bowling lane panels forms the mural image. In another embodiment, a bowling center is provided with at least two bowling lanes. Each bowling lane depicts a mural image, and the mural images on the various bowling lanes form a composite multi-lane mural image.
US08636600B2	Roller coaster vehicle Ride systems providing guest compartment(s) with a roll degree of freedom through radial mount(s) are described. The guest compartment of the vehicles is attached to a track via a chassis. The guest compartment and the chassis are configured such that the guest compartment has a roll degree of freedom relative to the chassis.
US08636598B2	Wagering game control of a motion capable chair Systems described herein include wagering game systems having a motion capable chair. The disclosure addresses example systems and methods to control the motion capable chair, including utilization of user preferences, applying output of a physic engine, and monitoring safety conditions for the motion capable chair. In addition, movement of chairs on multiple wagering game systems may be coordinated in response to events occurring on one or more machines in the system.
US08636595B2	Game system, game apparatus, storage medium storing game program and game data exchange method A game system including a plurality of mobile game apparatuses, and a mobile game apparatus that can communicate with another game apparatus that exists within a communicable range by use of a radio communications unit. When a communicated state is established, exchanging conditions for exchanging game data are received and transmitted, and in a case the exchange conditions are coincident with each other, the game data are exchanged.
US08636594B2	Graphical user interface for a gaming system A graphical user interface on a touch screen device detects, in a first region of the touch screen device, a selection of an option corresponding to a resource to be deployed to a second region of the touch screen device. The graphical user interface detects a selection of two or more areas of the second region by a selection device by determining that the selection includes a selection of multiple individual areas in the second region, a multi-point touch, or a swipe including a selection of multiple areas of the second region. The selected resource is then deployed to the selected areas in the second region.
US08636590B2	Contactless card reading in a gaming machine A gaming machine may be activated by an individual player for subsequent play by displaying to the gaming machine, without physical contact with the gaming machine, a card carried by the player. The card carries indicia which may include suitable electronic memory, to be sensed by apparatus associated with the gaming machine, to cause the wireless transfer of individualized data concerning the player from the card to the gaming machine or to a computer network that is associated with the gaming machine. The data is evaluated against a stored database, which database may include identification of the card holder. The data is then evaluated against the stored database, and the gaming machine is activated for subsequent play upon favorable evaluation of the data.
US08636588B2	Interactive action figures for gaming systems An action figure is provided with a serial number that provides an access code which allows owners to engage in enjoyable games or other activities via the Internet or other gaming systems. The interactive action figure system comprises a toy, statue, or other three-dimensional figurine with a serial number, and preferably a computer network accessible over the internet and a particular gaming framework managed by a network device. Owners of action figure toys may “log onto” the network using the action figure serial number as an access code to activate a particular computer character identity and participate in games such as hand-to-hand combat games, action-adventure series, or learning games. The action figure may be, for example, a warrior, sports figure, doll or teddy bear to appeal to a wide range of users. Once a particular character is activated, game play proceeds according to preset rules. The game character's traits, powers, and other features may be enhanced or otherwise modified by purchasing preferably-three-dimensional accessories and inputting serial numbers into the gaming system that are also supplied with the accessories.
US08636586B2	Slot machine game and system with improved jackpot feature Certain embodiments provide a method and system for awarding a progressive prize. The system includes a bank of gaming machines accepting different bets per play as selected by a player. A random number is selected from a predetermined fixed range of numbers that does not change during play of a gaming machine. The player is allotted one or more numbers for each credit bet. The allotted numbers represent a subset of the predetermined fixed range of numbers. A feature game is triggered for the progressive prize based on a numerical comparison between the selected random number and the number(s) allotted to the player. Certain embodiments provide a trigger condition for a feature outcome based on an event having a probability related to credits bet per game at a gaming machine. A probability of success in the feature game may be higher than a probability of success in the base game.
US08636585B2	Method and apparatus for slot-machine gaming A gaming apparatus, such as a slot machine, that randomly determines a combination of symbols and pays prizes according to a determined payout table, is used to perform a gaming method similar to conventional slot machine play, but that permits greater interaction with the player. The gaming method provides the player with the option of increasing an amount wagered after at least one of the symbols has been determined. The method additionally provides the player with the option to randomly determine a symbol or symbols a second time, or to force a symbol to be the same as a symbol already determined, optionally at additional cost. The method includes making appropriate adjustments to a payout table, depending on the player's actions during game play.
US08636584B2	Gaming machine with loyalty bonus A gaming machine is provided, which awards loyalty points to players playing the game who have identified themselves to the machine. The machine is arranged to award loyalty points to the player and to play two game means wherein, the first or base game may be provided by the slot machine game as a stand alone function with no dependence upon a supporting communications network, the second game may be linked game in which a plurality of network connected machines (50) participate with control of the game being provided by a central game controller (60), while the communications network (62) is controlled by a network controller (61). A first game mode is available to all players and a second enhanced game mode is made available to players who have reached a predetermined threshold of loyalty points.
US08636582B2	Gaming system and method for providing team play A gaming system where in one embodiment, as players play the primary games of the gaming devices, players are enabled to join one of a plurality of teams associated with a secondary team game. Each of the teams includes a plurality of players. The gaming system periodically monitors at least one factor or parameter of each player's gaming activity to determine a score for that player. In one embodiment, the scores for each of the players on each team are accumulated to determine that team's cumulative score. If a team's cumulative score reaches a winning value, the gaming system provides a prize to one or more of the players on that team. The gaming system enables players to switch from one team to another in attempt to be on a particular team when that team's cumulative score reaches a winning value.
US08636580B2	Slot machine executing free game and control method thereof According to a slot machine of the present invention, a free game is executed when a predetermined condition is satisfied. In the free game, an amount of payout is determined based upon an amount of game media, which is obtained by dividing a total amount of the game media betted in the normal game by the number of BETs. Further, game media of the determined amount of payout are paid out.
US08636579B2	Wagering game with pay lines extending through bonus regions A gaming machine for playing a wagering game includes a game display, a transmissive display, and a controller. The game display includes a plurality of mechanical reels bearing symbols configured to display randomly selected arrays of symbols. A transmissive display overlays the game display and is configured to display a video reel and to display a randomly selected symbol thereon. A selectable pay line extends through at least some of the mechanical reels and the video reel. The controller is configured to award an award related to the selectable pay line when a winning combination of symbols are displayed along the selectable pay line.
US08636576B2	System and method for presenting payouts in gaming systems A system, apparatus and method for presenting payouts in primary and/or secondary gaming activities. A plurality of concentric wheels, rings, or other shapes are provided, where each includes a plurality of different symbols, numbers, or other indicia that can be used as a part of a collective payout award. The wheels, rings, or shapes are rotated, and at least one segment designator is provided to demarcate segments of each wheel, ring, or shape as an active segment when the wheels, rings, or shapes stop spinning. The payout amount is based on the aggregate of the symbols, numbers, and/or other indicia presented via the segment designator(s) when the spinning wheels, rings, or shapes have come to rest. In an alternate embodiment, the segment designators are rotated, and demarcate segments of each wheel, ring, or shape as an active segment when the segment designators stop spinning.
US08636570B2	Electrical connection in a split post of a wagering game chair In some example embodiments, an apparatus that includes a wagering game chair for a wagering game machine that is configured to present a wagering game. The wagering game chair includes a seat having a seat bottom and a seat post that is part of a split-post configuration. The seat post has a top end and a bottom end, wherein the top end of the seat post is coupled to the seat bottom. The wagering game chair also includes a first electrical connector positioned within and approximately at the bottom end of the seat post. The wagering game chair includes a first electrical cable is electrically coupled to the first electrical connector, wherein the first electrical cable runs approximately a length of the seat post within the seat post. The first electrical cable configured to communicate audio of the wagering game, from the wagering game machine to a speaker coupled to the wagering game chair.
US08636568B1	Combine stepped threshing chamber A combine threshing system includes a rotor having and in-feed area at a front end of the rotor and a rotor body configured to convey material along a helical path from the front end of the rotor body to a rear end of the rotor body. The system also includes a substantially cylindrical threshing chamber positioned circumferentially around and spaced apart from the rotor body. The threshing chamber includes a lower portion substantially concentric with the rotor body and having an inner surface positioned a first distance from an outer surface of the rotor body and an upper portion having a first inner surface substantially concentric with the rotor body and positioned the first distance from the outer surface and a second inner surface that is substantially concentric with the rotor body, positioned a second distance from the outer surface and is greater than the first distance.
US08636561B2	Polishing head and polishing apparatus A polishing head for holding a workpiece when a surface of the workpiece is polished and a polishing apparatus provided with the polishing head, and more particularly a polishing head for holding the workpiece on a rubber film and a polishing apparatus provided with the polishing head. The polishing head and the polishing apparatus provided with the polishing head that can adjust the polishing profile on the basis of the shape of the workpiece before polishing and can stably obtain good flatness.
US08636559B2	Method for wafer back-grinding control A method of reducing manufacturing defects of semiconductor wafers during a back-grinding process. The method includes receiving a semiconductor wafer on a chuck table, wherein said chuck table has a surface upon which a front side of the wafer is placed, and wherein said chuck table has one or more holes in surface and one or more sensors placed in said one or more holes. The method further includes grinding at least a portion of a back side of the semiconductor wafer. The method further includes monitoring a parameter, while grinding, measured by the one or more sensors and adjusting the grinding based at least on the monitored parameter.
US08636557B2	Rotational bubble generating apparatus with non-spill reservoir A hand-held bubble generating apparatus designed to mimic the appearance of a gun or a cannon. A housing may be coupled with a non-spill reservoir, and bubble generating liquid may be stored in the non-spill reservoir. A tube may communicate the bubble generating liquid from the reservoir to a bubble assembly support inside the housing. The bubble assembly support may hold a rotational bubble ring comprising a plurality of individual rings spaced about the outer circumference. When rotated proximate to and across a liquid dispensing section, each individual ring may receive enough bubble generating liquid to form a film across each ring. By rationing the amount of bubble liquid released on each individual ring, the device can incorporate a closed, non-spill reservoir. When air is generated and blown through the film of bubble generating liquid on each of the individual rings of the rotational bubble ring, bubbles are produced.
US08636556B2	Apparatus and methods for resizing electronic displays Apparatus and methods for resizing COTS AMLCDs or other electronic displays, as well as resized displays made using these apparatus and methods, are provided. The electronic display includes a front plate, a back plate, a perimeter seal spacing the front and back plates apart, and image-generating medium contained in an area between the front and back plates. A target portion of the display may be identified and separated from an excess portion of the display, e.g., by cutting and breaking the plates of the display, thereby creating an exposed edge along the target portion. The plates of the target portion are pressed towards one another, e.g., to stabilize or compress the target portion. An adhesive is applied to the exposed edge, and the pressure is released to draw the adhesive between the plates along the exposed edge.
US08636555B2	Manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method for spark plugs Provided is a technique for limiting the radial displacement between a metal shell and an insulator in a spark plug. At the time of manufacturing a spark plug with a metal shell and an insulator, the metal shell and the insulator are assembled together by, while allowing relative positional displacement between the metal shell and the insulator in an axial direction (O-O), limiting relative positional displacement between the metal shell and the insulator in a radial direction intersecting with the axial direction in such a manner that the amount of deviation between an axis of the metal shell and an axis of the insulator becomes less than or equal to a predetermined level.
US08636552B2	Powered surfboard A surfboard has a surfboard body, an electric motor, and a propeller. An electric power circuit provides power to the electric motor from a source of electro-motive force within the interior of the surfboard body. Additional electrical components, which may be capacitor banks, limit the rate of acceleration of the surfboard body. Several different capacitor banks may be included to provide selectable rates of acceleration.
US08636551B2	Electrical contact with embedded wiring Embodiments include an electrical contact including a tubular body formed of a flexible and insulative material. The tubular body includes an inner surface. The electrical contact also includes at least one wire partially embedded into the tubular body such that at least a portion of the at least one wire is exposed within the inner surface of the tubular body. At least a portion of the inner surface of the tubular body and at least the exposed portion of the at least one wire forms a channel.
US08636550B2	Protective cap for prevention of oblique tightening of fusible link directly mounted on battery A protective cap protects a fusible link formed with a connection hole. A protective cap part is disposed on an extension of an axis of a stud bolt of a power source. The protective cap part is formed with a tool insertion hole into which a tool used for fitting a nut with the stud bolt is inserted. The stud bolt is inserted through the connection hole. A nut holder is provided inside the protective cap part. The nut holder holds the nut in a state where an axis of the nut is parallel to the axis of the stud bolt.
US08636547B2	Connector with a second couling unit extending from a bottom face of a first coupling unit There are provided a connector and a connector module which may commonly use mutually different interface schemes, and an electronic apparatus having the same. The connector includes a body having a fixed volume; and at least one coupling hole formed inwardly in a side of the body, and electrically coupled with a pin from the outside, wherein the coupling hole includes a first coupling unit having a predetermined first depth and electrically coupled with the pin from the outside, and a second coupling unit having a second depth deeper than the first depth and electrically coupled with another pin from the outside.
US08636546B2	Connector having improved insulative housing A connector (100) includes an insulative housing (1), a set of contacts (3) attached to the insulative housing, and a metal shell shielding the insulative housing. The insulative housing has a base portion (11) and a tongue portion (12) extending forwardly from the base portion. The base portion has a pair of first bumps (1124) protruding therefrom and located at two sides thereof, and a second bumps (1125) protruding therefrom and located between the first bumps. The metal shell has a pair of first notches (44) locating at two sides thereof and locking with the first bumps, and a second notch (45) located between the first notches and locking with the second bumps.
US08636544B1	Plug connector and receptacle assembly for mating with the same Plug assembly including first and second plug connectors that are configured to be stacked with respect to each other. Each of the first and second plug connectors has a mating side that extends between leading and trailing ends along a plug axis. The mating side includes an attachment area and an exposed area that are laterally adjacent to each other. Each of the first and second plug connectors also has an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield section coupled to the mating side at the attachment area. The mating sides of the first and second plug connectors interface with each other when the first and second plug connectors are stacked. The EMI shield section of the first plug connector engages the mating side of the second plug connector at the exposed area. The EMI shield section of the second plug connector engages the other mating side at the exposed area.
US08636542B2	Electrical coaxial connector Coaxial connector comprising a signal contact member having a connecting terminal portion and a contacting terminal portion, a grounding contact member having an annular engaging portion for engaging with an outer contact member of a mating coaxial connector and a shell portion extending from the annular engaging portion to be connected with an outer conductor of a coaxial cable, and a housing for supporting the signal contact member and the grounding contact member. The connecting terminal portion of the signal contact member is positioned at the outside of the annular engaging portion of the grounding contact member to be connected with a core conductor of the coaxial cable and the contacting terminal portion of the signal contact member is positioned at the inside of the annular engaging portion of the grounding contact member for coming into contact with a central contact member of the mating coaxial connector.
US08636536B2	Electrical connector member A connector member that is improved in durability and reliability by preventing fracture of hinges of a retainer and can be smoothly mated with a mating connector. The connector member having a lance housing. a connector housing, and the retainer. The lance housing includes a plurality of terminal receiving slots, a recess disposed at a rear of the plurality of terminal receiving slots and in a portion of the lance housing near a rear surface thereof, and a pair of guide walls positioned opposite each other along a top surface of the lance housing. The connector housing includes a housing recess opening at one side for housing the lance housing. The retainer is fitted into the recess of the lance housing and swingably connected to the lance housing by a hinge.
US08636534B2	Card edge connector with improved board-retaining member and assembly of the same A card edge connector comprises an insulative housing defining an inserting slot along a longitudinal direction thereof and a key lying in the inserting slot; a plurality of contacts retained in the insulative housing, the contacts including retaining portions retained in the insulative housing, soldering portions extending from the retaining portions and contacting portions extending from the retaining portion and located at two sides of the inserting slot; a pair of locking members disposed at two opposite ends of the insulative housing in the longituderinal direction and perpendicularly to the insulating housing; and a pair of the board-retaining members retained on two opposite ends of the insulative housing or the locking members in the longitudinal direction, the board-retaining members comprising board-retaining portions bending inward and approaching to the soldering portions of two outermost contacts along the longitudinal direction of the insulating housing.
US08636528B2	Memory module connector with latch assist A memory module connector includes a dynamically-assisted latch that facilitates connecting and releasing a memory module. The latch includes a lever pivotably coupled to the connector for urging the memory module into and out of a fully seated position within the connector. The lever provides a mechanical advantage for lowering and raising the memory module. A latch assist member urges the latch into engagement with the memory module in response to an insertion of the memory module, and dynamically positions the lever in response to movement of the memory module within the connector.
US08636527B2	Electrical connection assembly An electrical connection assembly includes a female element having at least one electrical contact and a male element to be inserted in the female element and which includes a plug and a sleeve that surrounds and is movable relative to the plug and at least one electrical contact is carried by the plug and is electrically engageable to the electrical contact of the female element. An external surface of the sleeve has at least two stages with diameters which are smaller in a direction toward a free end of the male element and the female element has a body with an internal surface having at least two stages with diameters which are larger in a direction toward a mouth of the female element and such that the at least two stages of the external and internal surfaces seat with one another when the male element is inserted into the female element.
US08636522B2	Coaxial connector A coaxial connector includes a center contact and an outer contact. The outer contact has a central cavity and the center contact is disposed in the central cavity. The outer contact has a mating end configured to be mated to a mating connector and a terminating end configured to be mounted to a circuit board. A circuit board mount is coupled to the terminating end and is configured to mechanically and electrically connect the outer contact to the circuit board. A dielectric insert is received in the central cavity and holds the center contact. The dielectric insert has structural features extending axially along an exterior of the dielectric insert with air gaps therebetween. The structural features engage the outer contact to secure the dielectric insert in the central cavity.
US08636520B2	Mold for producing simulated blood vessel, method of producing simulated blood vessel and simulated blood vessel Disclosed is a method whereby a narrowed part similar to an actual lesioned blood vessel can be easily obtained. A mold (10) comprises first and second molded members (16, 17) having inner spaces (29, 40, 57) passing through in the axial direction and an axial member (18) detachably inserted through the individual inner spaces (29, 40, 57) of the individual molded members (16, 17). The molded members (16, 17) have tapered front parts (27, 27) respectively. In the state of facing the front ends (20) of the tapered front parts (27) to each other and thus forming a concave (12), the axial member (18) is attached. A first material (75) made of a mixed material comprising calcium carbonate or the like and silicone or the like is applied to the concave (12). A second material (76) such as silicone is applied to the entire outer periphery of the mold (10). After hardening the materials (75, 76), the mold (10) is withdrawn by detaching the axial member (18) and dividing the concave (12). Thus, a simulated blood vessel (78) having a simulated narrowed part of the blood vessel caused by calcification can be obtained.
US08636514B1	Stock market simulation teaching aid A web-based stock market simulation educational tool provides a dynamic, interactive, stock market simulation educational tool. Participants create companies, research each other's companies, and manage their own portfolio as they perform bank transactions (loans and Certificates of Deposits) and buy and sell shares which influence the price of each company. Teachers also known as instructors and students also known as participants or investors participate in the educational process. The currant invention will include an investment option for students that mirrors or indexes the entire market within the overall simulation.
US08636509B2	Methods and systems for treating teeth A system for repositioning teeth comprises a plurality of individual appliances used with braces. The appliances are configured to be placed successively on the patient's teeth and to incrementally reposition the teeth from an initial tooth arrangement, through a plurality of intermediate tooth arrangements, and to a final tooth arrangement. The appliances may be substituted with braces as appropriate to optimize the treatment of the teeth.
US08636503B2	Pilot burner An improved pilot burner includes an orifice plate defining a central orifice for metering a supply of gas and a gas tube. The gas tube includes a tube wall and defines a supply opening at a first end. The orifice plate is positioned within the gas tube at the supply opening, and the tube wall is crimped around the orifice plate to secure the orifice plate to the gas tube. The pilot burner also includes a burner tube having a first end for receiving a first end of the gas tube. The burner tube further includes a second end defining a flame opening. In another embodiment, a clip is used to secure the gas tube and the burner tube to a bracket.
US08636501B2	Method for regulating and controlling a firing device and firing device A method is proposed for regulating a firing device taking into account the temperature and/or the burner load, in particular with a gas burner, comprising the regulation of the temperature (Tactual) produced by the firing device using a characteristic which shows a value range corresponding to a desired temperature (Tdesired) dependent upon a first parameter (mL,VL) corresponding to the burner load (Q), wherein when representing the characteristic, a second parameter, preferably the air ration (λ), defined as the ratio of the actually supplied quantity of air to the quantity of air theoretically required for optimal stoichiometric combustion, is constant.
US08636500B2	Transient operation of oxy/fuel combustion system According to an embodiment, a method of operating an oxy/fuel system and an oxy/fuel system circulate a support gas in the combustion system prior to activating at least one burner, produce the combustion fluid including CO2, wherein a level of the CO2 in the combustion fluid increases as a function of time, and continue production of the combustion fluid to exceed a predetermined level of the CO2 in the combustion fluid, for a period of time, the predetermined level being sufficient to permit the CO2 to be purified by a CO2 purification unit.
US08636498B2	Method for manufacturing nano-imprint mold, method for forming resin pattern by nano-imprint technique, and nano-imprint mold A nano-imprint mold includes a mold body having a first surface provided with a pattern having projections and recesses, a second surface opposite the first surface and a side surface between the first surface and the second surface; and a mold base having a surface for fixing the mold body thereto. In addition, the second surface of the mold body is fixed to a part of the surface of the mold base, the second surface of the mold body being disposed away from at least a part of an edge of the surface of the mold base. Furthermore, the mold body has a shape such that a width thereof in a direction orthogonal to a direction extending from the first surface toward the second surface decreases from the first surface toward the second surface.
US08636492B2	Method and device for granulating thermoplastic material The methods and apparatuses for granulating thermoplastic material emerging from nozzles in a perforated plate are provided. The apparatus can have a motor-driven cutter arrangement having at least one blade located opposite the perforated plate. The at least one blade can pass over the nozzles in the perforated plate and cuts pellets of the emerging thermoplastic material.
US08636489B2	Apparatus for the shaping of plastics-material containers with a blow mould An apparatus for the shaping of plastics-material containers with a blow mold, wherein the blow mold has at least one first and one second blow-mold part, may include at least one first and one second carrier element for holding the blow-mold parts. The carrier elements are movable relative to one another at least in one plane, in order to be transferred at least from a closed configuration into an opened configuration. In this case the carrier elements each have a receiving area for receiving one blow-mold part in each case, wherein the blow-mold parts in the closed configuration form at least one cavity for the expansion of the containers. The blow-mold parts may be capable of being coupled in a magnetic and releasable manner to each other and/or at least one of the blow-mold parts is capable of being coupled in a magnetic and releasable manner to at least one carrier element.
US08636488B2	Hydraulic motor or pump A hydraulic motor or pump (2) that generates a relatively high torque, and further allows an unprecedented high specific displacement that makes the motor suitable yaw motor for large wind turbines of horizontal axis wind turbines or wheel yaw motor on Heavy Carriers. The characteristic by the hydraulic motor or pump (2) is that if the number of barriers in the annular cavity (12) of engine or pump is n then the number of radial displaceable sliders (20) will be larger than (n+1).
US08636486B2	Accurate powder metal component, assembly and method The invention provides an accurate powder metal component having a body with opposed surfaces at least one of which has at least one projection of smaller cross-sectional area than the main portion of the body of the component. The distance from the free end of the projection to the opposite end of the component defines one dimension of the component that must be relatively accurate, in one embodiment to slide against and form a seal that inhibits liquid flow against another component of an assembly. In the manufacturing method, the powdered metal component is made by compaction to form the body including a projection at the end, is sintered and thereafter is reduced in the dimension between the end of the projection and the opposite end of the component by coining the free end of the projection so as to reduce the dimension to within a tolerance of the nominal specified dimension.
US08636485B2	Electroformed stator tube for a progressing cavity apparatus A method for use in producing a stator for a progressing cavity apparatus which includes the use of electroforming to produce the stator tube. A stator tube for a progressing cavity apparatus which is produced using electroforming and a stator for a progressing cavity apparatus which includes a stator tube produced using electroforming.
US08636484B2	Bellows plungers having one or more helically extending features, pumps including such bellows plungers, and related methods A pump system includes at least one pressure chamber at least partially defined by a helical bellows plunger comprised of a tubular body, a closed front portion, an open rear portion, and at least one contour extending continuously as a helix, longitudinally from proximate the front portion to proximate the rear portion. Methods for forming a helical bellows plunger include molding the helical bellows plunger using a mold core comprising a helically extending exterior contour and a cooperatively associated mold cavity comprising a helically extending interior contour of substantially a same pitch and configured to align with the helically extending exterior contour of the mold core, introducing a molding material therebetween, curing the molding material, and unscrewing the cured molding material from the mold core. Various configurations of helical bellows plungers are also disclosed.
US08636481B2	Embedded built-in air pump An automatic inflation pump including a housing, an air inlet, an air outlet provided in the housing, a manual rotary switch, a sealing device located at the air outlet, an air pump provided inside the housing and a motor for driving the air pump. The manual rotary switch is provided thereon with a dovetail groove which includes a deep groove and two shallow grooves located at both sides of the deep groove. The sealing device includes a driving stem and an air sealing plate for sealing the air outlet. One end of the driving stem is connected with the air sealing plate. A spring is provided on the driving stem. One end of the spring is fixed on a free end of the driving stem and the other end of the spring is supported at the air outlet.
US08636462B2	Methods, systems and apparatus for detecting material defects in rotor blades of combustion turbine engines A system for detecting defects in a turbine rotor blade of a combustion turbine engine. The system may include: a turbine rotor blade that includes an insulator coating; a first electrode that is electrically connected to the turbine rotor blade; a second electrode that resides in proximity to the turbine rotor blade; means for inducing a voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode; and means for detecting current flowing between the first electrode and the second electrode.
US08636461B2	Omni-directional aircraft transporter with hinged gate for moving aircraft An apparatus for moving parked aircraft with an omni-directional tractor via an aircraft lift dolly that is revolvably coupled thereto which includes a hinged gate to entrap the aircraft nose gear. The aircraft lift dolly may be removably detachably coupled to the omni-directional tractor or may be integral to it through two attachment points via attachment members. The aircraft lift dolly includes a lift mechanism having a lift carriage which is selectively elevated. The lift carriage includes a fixed forward chock and a rear chock that it repositioned longitudinally with respect to the forward chock and is hingedly coupled. The chocks are positioned about the aircraft nose gear without movement of the aircraft. Elevating the lift cradle elevates the chocks and the nose gear cradled therebetween.
US08636447B1	System and method for repairing and extended length of a subsea pipeline An apparatus from repairing a subsea pipeline has a pile with a receptacle on a top surface thereof, a frame having a pair of pins extending outwardly on opposite side of the frame and received within the receptacle of the pile, a length of pipeline affixed to the frame. The pipe support is affixed to an end portion of the length of pipeline. The receptacle has a pair of slotted members extending upwardly from a top surface of the pile. Each of the slotted members has a tapered opening with a hole formed below and communicating with the tapered opening.
US08636445B1	Hazardous spill ground containment system A hazardous spill ground containment system having a plurality portable metal frame sections. The frame sections are used to create an angular shaped containment frame received over various types of ground surfaces. The frame sections can be made to different lengths and heights and are used for holding in place a heavy duty liner on top of the ground surface. The liner is adapted for receiving various types of equipment, tanks and containers holding toxic chemicals and the like hazardous materials. The metal frame sections include an elongated, metal, A-shaped lower frame member and an elongated, metal, Z-shaped upper frame member for receiving and holding a side of the liner securely in place.
US08636442B1	Integrated generator for screed plate heat up A paving machine for laying a mat of paving material on a paving surface includes a generator, such as a switched reluctance generator, integrally installed with a pump drive and operatively connected to an output shaft of a power source of the paving machine. The generator outputs AC power to a power converter that in turn outputs DC power for a plurality of screed heating elements to produce heat to warm a screed. The paving machine may also include an insulation monitoring system for determining the occurrences of ground faults in the electrical components by comparing current levels in the components to a predetermined maximum current level. A controller of the paving machine may monitor the temperature of the generator and produce the speed of the power source to prevent overheating.
US08636436B2	Device with at least two parts moving relative to each other On a device with at least first and second parts moveable relative to each other, comprising a sliding bearing located on the first part, comprising a sliding element and an adjusting element within in a very small gap between the two parts moveable relative to each other, and for inexpensive manufacture and simple assembly, that the first part displays a recess, located outside the area in which the adjusting element is supported on the first part, in which a projection located on the sliding element is mounted in positive fashion in the direction of actuation of the displacement of the adjusting element.
US08636434B2	Container, a device including such a container, the use of such a device, and a method of applying a composition on the nails Container for receiving a composition, a device including such a container, a use and a method for applying the composition contained in such a container on the nails, the container comprising a side wall that extends along a central axis between a bottom and an opening, the side wall presenting a first outside constriction shaped to receive two adjacent fingers, other than the thumb, of a first hand of a user. The side wall also includes a second outside constriction shaped to receive two adjacent fingers, other than the thumb of a second hand of the same user, the second constriction being spaced apart from the first constriction along the central axis.
US08636433B2	Microbes detecting and treating toothbrush A microbe detecting and/or treating toothbrush that includes a handle that comprises a head portion, a neck portion and a grasping portion, an upper surface and a lower surface; a plurality of bristles, positioned on and attached to the upper surface of the head portion of the handle and a dental hygiene device being parts of the handle, which comprises a dispensing aperture from which an effective amount of a disclosing and/or treating agent is dispensed and a dispensing mechanism comprising an actuator, which upon actuation, enables the dispensing aperture to provide an effective amount of a disclosing and/or treating agent, wherein the dispensing aperture and the dispensing mechanism of the dental hygiene devices are situated in the neck portion or the grasping portion of the handle.
US08636431B2	(Moab omnibus-apparatus) crafting apparatus including a workpiece feed path bypass assembly and workpiece feed path analyzer A crafting apparatus that includes a body defining at least one passageway for receiving a workpiece, a cutter disposed along the at least one passageway, a printer disposed along the at least one passageway and spaced from the cutter, and a feed path bypass assembly disposed along the at least one passageway between the cutter and the printer. The feed path bypass assembly alters a feed path of the workpiece through the at least one passageway.
US08636430B2	Continuous sheet print control apparatus and method for setting discharged page order In printing data of a plurality of pages on a continuous sheet, it is determined whether the data is to be printed on a single side of the continuous sheet or on both sides thereof. A first sequence of pages arranged on a first side of the continuous sheet occurring when it is determined that the data is to be printed on the single side and a second sequence of pages arranged on the first side of the continuous sheet occurring when it is determined that the data is to be printed on the both sides such that the first and second sequences are opposite to each other. Each of the first and second sequences indicates whether the pages are arranged in descending order or in ascending order.
US08636429B2	Easily adjustable tripod An easily adjustable tripod includes a main body, legs, a positioning piece, and a spring. The main body includes an adjustable connection part having protruding parts that function as gear teeth. Each leg includes a connector having two protruding side walls. The connector and the adjustable connection part are coupled with mounting screws. The positioning piece is coupled to the connector between the two protruding walls and meshes with the protruding parts on the adjustable connection part. The opening angle of the legs can be easily adjusted and fixed using the positioning piece and the adjustable connection part. The spring and the positioning piece are installed to form an organic whole, so the positioning piece can be conveniently adjusted without changing the opening angle after fixation. It is easy to close and fold the tripod because of the applied force of the spring.
US08636428B2	Imaging apparatus and method for controlling the same An imaging apparatus includes a diaphragm configured to control an amount of incident light, a variable transmittance and reflectance element configured to reflect a part of the incident light to an optical viewfinder and transmit the remainder of the incident light as imaging light, and a controller configured to increase reflectance of the variable transmittance and reflectance element as a setting value of the diaphragm increases.
US08636427B2	Optical communication bus network for avionic equipment An avionic system for an aircraft including at least two pieces of equipment which can exchange information by means of at least one electrical bus for simultaneous bidirectional communication, in which the information can be exchanged between pieces of equipment via an optical bus that can be connected to the electrical interfaces of the equipment. The optical bus of the avionic system includes at least one optical cable having at least one optical fiber and, at each end, a connector having means for converting electrical signals into optical signals and means for converting optical signals into electrical signals. The optical bus is connected to the electrical outlets of existing equipment.
US08636423B2	Optical fiber connector with positioning members An optical fiber connector includes optical fibers, a connector body, and positioning members. The optical fibers are received in the respective through holes, and pass through the respective first recesses, the respective separating portions, and the respective second recesses, and aligned with the optical lenses. The three engagement posts of the positioning member are arranged above a through hole and surround a receiving room. The three engagement posts and a separating portion cooperatively retain an optical fiber in the connector body.
US08636422B2	Device for an optical-fiber connection Device for the coaxial connection of fiber-optic cables, comprising a single-piece coupling housing (10) and a single-piece sleeve mount (20), the sleeve mount (20) being designed with at least one latching nose (21) and the coupling housing (10) being designed with at least one latching mount which complements the at least one latching nose (21), wherein the latching mount is designed with at least one latching hook (14) and at least one stop (15).
US08636414B1	Bearing assembly for oscillation joint A bearing assembly for an oscillation joint on a machine having a tandem wheel drive. The bearing assembly rotatably supports an oscillating hub rotatably connected to a shaft. The bearing assembly includes a frustoconical inboard bearing having a first bearing surface and a frustoconical outboard bearing having a second bearing surface disposed thereon positioned such that the first and second bearing surfaces form a generally v-shaped bearing interface between the shaft and the hub.
US08636409B2	Heat treatment apparatus and temperature measuring method thereof A heat treatment apparatus includes: a furnace body including a heating part; a processing vessel wherein a space having a plurality of regions is formed between the furnace body and the processing vessel; an in-furnace temperature sensor disposed corresponding to each of the plurality of regions in the space; an in-furnace temperature calculating unit configured to calculate an in-furnace temperature based on signals from each of the in-furnace temperature sensors; and a control unit configured to control the heating part based on the in-furnace temperature calculated by the in-furnace temperature calculating unit. The in-furnace temperature sensor disposed in the reference region includes: a first thermocouple formed of an R thermocouple or an S thermocouple; and a second thermocouple formed of a thermocouple other than the R thermocouple or the S thermocouple. The in-furnace temperature sensor disposed in the other region includes the second thermocouple.
US08636408B2	Temperature measurement system and temperature measurement method A temperature measurement system includes: a laser light source; an optical fiber; and a temperature measurement unit configured to acquire a measured temperature distribution of a temperature of a temperature measurement area along an installation path of the optical fiber by detecting backscattered light of the incident laser light in the optical fiber, wherein the temperature measurement unit sequentially makes a correction for the measured temperature distribution a plurality of times so as to make a square error between a convolution of a transfer function of the optical fiber along the installation path and the corrected temperature distribution and the measured temperature distribution smaller in each of the corrections, and the temperature measurement unit also replaces a corrected temperature at a specific point of the installation path with an estimated temperature at the specific point in each of the corrections.
US08636405B2	System for securing a part without driving in or bonding The invention relates to a system (9) for securing a part (7) made of a material with no usable plastic domain, including a securing device (11) on an arbour (3) passing through a hole (8) in said part. According to the invention, the securing device (11) includes a recess (4) that communicates with the hole (8) in said part and securing means (6) attached to the arbour (3) and at least partially matching the shape of the recess (4), so as to make the movement of the part (7) integral with that of the arbour (3).The invention concerns the field of timepiece manufacture.
US08636402B2	Processing biomass Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can convert feedstock materials to a sugar solution, which can then be fermented to produce ethanol. Biomass feedstock is saccharified in a vessel by operation of a jet mixer, the vessel also containing a fluid medium and a saccharifying agent.
US08636401B2	Backlight unit and liquid crystal display having the same A backlight unit for a liquid crystal display which can achieve substantially uniform luminance over the entire display screen includes: a light-guide plate guiding incident light and having a diffusion pattern for emitting light upward, the diffusion pattern being formed on at least one of upper and lower surfaces of the light-guide plate; and a point light source assembly disposed on at least one side portion of the light-guide plate, the point light source assembly including a plurality of point-light-source elements and a support substrate, in which the point-light-source elements are disposed on the support substrate and supply the light to the light-guide plate. An edge portion of one surface of the light-guide plate, which is adjacent to the point light source assembly, includes a first region corresponding to the point-light-source elements and a second region corresponding to a position between the point-light-source elements. The diffusion pattern may be formed in such a manner that the second region has a higher density than the first region.
US08636393B2	Driver assistance system for vehicle A driver assistance system for a vehicle includes an imaging sensor and a control. The control processes image data captured by the imaging sensor to determine the presence of an object of interest in the scene monitored by the imaging sensor. The control adjusts a vehicle accessory and/or headlamp of the vehicle at least in part responsive to determination of the presence of the object of interest in the monitored scene. The control receives vehicle data via a communication bus of the vehicle, with the vehicle data including at least one of (i) vehicle speed data and (ii) vehicle trajectory data. At least in part responsive to receiving vehicle data, the control inhibits adjustment of the vehicle accessory from a first state to a second state. The control is operable to process captured image data to determine the presence of lane markers in the monitored scene.
US08636389B2	Projection street lamp A street lamp having a tubular pole element has a projection device (6) light source (35) that is built into the pole element (4). With an optical focusing device (36) in the mast element (4), the rays of the light source are projected onto an optical deflecting mirror (20) via a focusing device (36), deflecting the light rays can be deflected through a light exit opening (5) of the pole element (4) onto a remote projection surface. A motif carrier (48) is provided in the ray path between the light source (35) and the deflecting mirror (20). The motif carrier accommodates a motif (49) to be depicted on the projection surface. An adjustable projection lens (57, 58) is arranged between the motif carrier (48) and the deflecting mirror (20), by means of which at least the sharpness of the motif (49) depicted on the projection surface can be adjusted.
US08636384B2	Laser dazing pistol shaped optical distractor and searchlight Provided is a laser dazing apparatus shaped as a pistol having an encasement formed by a elongated barrel (114) joined to a handle (117), together forming an encasement. The barrel (114) has a forward end and a rear end, and the handle (117) is connected to the barrel (114) towards the barrel's rear end. The barrel encasement (114) also includes an adapter ring (111) with a focusing fixture (112) for controlling divergence of radiation produced by the device. The apparatus also includes various indicators, a laser generator, a least one battery for electrical power, and a plurality of control circuits controlling the laser generation device, battery, indicators and switches. The apparatus also includes a focus range adjuster (105).
US08636383B2	Laser signaling buoy and method of using A signaling buoy and method suitable for emitting a light signal over long distances in marine environments. The buoy includes a watertight enclosure having a compartment, an aperture at an upper end of the enclosure for emitting a laser light beam therethrough, a laser light source disposed within the enclosure for generating the light beam, and a battery within the enclosure for powering the light source. Electrical contacts are disposed on an exterior of the enclosure and are adapted to complete an electrical circuit when an electrical short exists therebetween to conduct electrical power from the battery to the laser light source. The buoy is configured to float upright in water with the electrical contacts submersed in the water.
US08636381B2	Flexible light source module A flexible light source module including a flexible substrate, a flexible light guide film and a plurality of point light sources is provided. The flexible light guide film including light-guiding portions is disposed on the point light sources. Each of the light-guiding portions includes a light incident surface and a light emitting surface. The light incident surface includes light incident sub-surfaces. The light emitting surface includes light emitting sub-surfaces, and the one closest to the geometric center of the light-guiding portion is a first light emitting sub-surface. The absolute values of the tangent slopes of the first light emitting sub-surface are ascending with approaching the geometric center of the light-guiding portion. The light beams emitted from the point light sources exit out of the flexible light source module via the flexible light guide film so that the flexible light source module provides a uniform planar light source.
US08636379B2	Warning light assembly; components; and, methods A warning light assembly, components therefor and methods of assembly and use are described. The warning light assembly includes a moveable reflector light pod arrangement comprising at least one moveable reflector light pod having a selectively moveable reflector arrangement and a plurality of LED units configured and oriented to direct light against a selectively moveable reflector arrangement. A variety of specific, preferred, features are shown and described.
US08636377B2	Light tube holder for receiving LED tube or fluorescent tube A light tube holder includes a base and two connectors for receiving either a light-emitting diode (LED) tube or a fluorescent tube. The connector includes a rotary member rotatably received in a through hole defined in a retainer, and three conductive elastic pieces positioned in the retainer around the through hole. One elastic piece is electrically connected to an LED tube drive circuit board, and the other two elastic piece are electrically connected to a fluorescent tube drive circuit board. The rotary member can be rotated to first and second positions, wherein at the first position, the LED tube can be activated, and at the second position the fluorescent tube can be activated.
US08636376B2	LED lighting integrated in a handle In one embodiment of the present invention, a lighting element integrated into a handle or hand-grip of a tool is disclosed, including at least one, but preferably two lighting fittings which have a modular constructions such that a lamp holder and a lens holder can be mounted in diverse positions relative to the longitudinal axis, and with which the direction of the light beam can be adjusted to the shape and size of the handle.
US08636371B2	Emergency lighting installation Emergency lighting installation with a first reservoir and a second reservoir respectively for a first component and a second component of a liquid chemoluminescent product, and connected to product outlets in remote zones via a distributor system; a mixing system which includes receptor means of an activation signal, for mixing the components in response to the activation signal; sealing means which seal the reservoirs when the installation is not activated by the activation signal; an evacuation system that can be activated by the activation signal and connected to the reservoirs for mixing the components of the chemoluminescent product and evacuating them via the reservoirs and for impelling the luminescent product towards the product outlets.
US08636370B2	Engagement assembly for connecting reflector and connecting rod The present invention provides an engagement assembly for connecting a reflector and a connecting rod. The engagement assembly has a fixing base and a fixing plate. The fixing base has a head accommodating room for holding a head portion of the connecting rod and a plate retaining space formed between two protrusion rings. The fixing plate is mounted in the plate retaining space and has a position-limiting portion and two fixing portions. The position-limiting portion has a through hole for inserting the head portion and at least two tongues. The tongues are mounted on an inner edge of the through hole for clamping the head portion of the connecting rod that has entered the head accommodating room. The engagement assembly provides a strong linking structure for the reflector and the connecting rod.
US08636369B2	Prevention and remediation of damage to optical surfaces A polylaminate film system for protecting optical surfaces, such as a lens, has plural polymer thin films arranged in a polylaminate stack, with each thin film coupled to adjacent films via solvent welding. The film system is adhered to the optical surface to be protected and, as each film in the stack becomes damaged or dirty, it may be sequentially removed to present a clean film surface. The transparent film may be composed of the same material as the optical surface to minimize distortion and loss of optical transmission when radiation passes through the combined film and lens.
US08636366B2	Lighting apparatus including a light source, a first mirror, and a second mirror disposed between the light source and the first mirror A lighting apparatus of the present invention includes light source (101), rod integrator (105), reflecting mirror (103), diffusion plate (104) disposed adjacently to reflection mirror (103), reflective polarizing plate (107), and wavelength plate (106). The lighting apparatus further includes curved mirror (102) disposed among light source (101), reflecting mirror (103), and diffusion plate (104). Reflecting mirror (103) and curved mirror (102) include apertures (102a and 103a) formed to allow at least light from light source (101) to pass. Curved mirror (102) reflects light leaked from the entrance plane side of rod integrator (105) toward aperture (103a) of reflecting mirror (103).
US08636364B2	Systems and methods for widefield mapping of the retina Systems and methods for constructing a widefield image of the retina from a plurality of retinal images. In one aspect, the disclosure concerns constructing a widefield image of the retina from a plurality of retinal images, comprising a base image and a plurality of peripheral images. These techniques enable medical observations of retinal phenomena in patients, such retinal vein occlusion, artery occlusion, retinal detachments, intraocular inflammation, ocular tumors, and the like, that were difficult to detect and impossible to quantify under prior art approaches.
US08636362B2	Ophthalmic imaging apparatus and control method thereof An ophthalmic imaging apparatus divides a frame image obtained by capturing a moving image into a plurality of regions grouping pixels, and acquires photometric values corresponding the plurality of the regions. Further, the ophthalmic imaging apparatus determines acknowledgement or dis-acknowledgement of capturing a still image based on temporal variation of the acquired photometric values or distribution of the acquired photometric values on a fundus image. The ophthalmic imaging apparatus inhibits to execute a still image capturing of the fundus if the dis-acknowledgement of capturing is determined.
US08636358B2	Lens with variable refraction power for the human eye The present invention comprises a lens with variable refraction power as well as an optical system for the use as, preferably accommodating, visual aid. The lens is designed as an intraocular lens or as a contact lens. The general idea of the invention is to determine the accommodation requirement from the position of the eyes relative to one another. This is possible, since the accommodation requirement and the eyes' motor activity are closely related. According to a first embodiment, the present invention claims a lens with variable refraction power, which possesses the following components: means for adaptation of the refraction power, especially by a change of the lens' curvature as a reaction to a control signal; at least one position locator; means for detection of the relative position of the position locator to at least another position locator arranged on another lens; means for generation of the control signal for adaptation of the refraction power of the lens to the detected relative position and at least one device for power supply for at least parts of the components of the lens.
US08636350B2	Ink, ink cartridge, and ink jet recording method An ink includes a plurality of pigments, a plurality of water-soluble polymers, a surfactant, and a water-soluble organic solvent. The surfactant includes a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether having an HLB value of 13.0 or more as a value determined by a Griffin method, the plurality of pigments include C.I. Pigment Yellow 74 and C.I. Pigment Yellow 128, the plurality of water-soluble polymers include an acrylic polymer and a urethane polymer, and the water-soluble organic solvent includes a compound represented by the following Formula (1): HO—(CH2CH2O)n—H, wherein n is an integer of 1 to 4.
US08636346B2	Multi-path valve for printhead A multi-path valve for a media width inkjet printhead, the printhead being connected to an ink source via a closed ink flow loop, the valve having a body, a first port on the body for connection to the ink source, a second port on the body for connection to the printhead, a third port on the body for connection to a bypass ink path which bypasses the printhead on the closed loop, a fourth port on the body for connection to a gas vent on the closed loop, a chamber within the body via which the first, second, third and fourth ports are able to be interconnected and a selection device for selectively establishing interconnection between the first, second, third and fourth ports to allow ink flow therebetween.
US08636345B2	Supply tube connectors for connection with an ink container A connector for connecting to an ink container. In one embodiment, the connector includes a housing that defines an interior space, a latch lever pivotally mounted to the housing that is adapted to secure the connector to the ink container, and an internal switch provided within the interior space of the housing, the internal switch being configured to send a signal to a printer associated with the ink container when the switch is tripped, wherein the internal switch is tripped when the latch lever is pivoted by a user during disconnection of the connector from the ink container but before the connector is in fact disconnected.
US08636341B2	Liquid ejecting head and liquid ejecting apparatus A liquid ejecting head includes a flow channel forming substrate having a pressure generation chamber communicating with a nozzle opening and arranged in parallel along a lateral direction. A piezoelectric element is provided on one surface of the flow channel forming substrate in correspondence to the pressure generation chamber, and has a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer provided on the first electrode and a second electrode provided on the piezoelectric layer. In a direction intersecting with the arrangement direction of the pressure generation chamber, in boundaries between an active section that is a substantial driving section and an inactive section that is not a substantial driving section of the piezoelectric layer of the first electrode, an opening group is provided including at least one opening in the active section and the inactive section.
US08636339B2	Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus includes: a print head to form an image on a recording medium; a carriage, including the print head, which scans in a main scanning direction; a linear encoder scale with scale marks and elongated in the carriage moving direction to detect a position of the carriage; an encoder sensor disposed on a side wall of the carriage including a groove with an upper open concave-shaped cross-section if seen from the carriage moving direction and reads scale marks on the linear encoder scale by passing the linear encoder scale through the groove; and a through-hole forming member, disposed on the side wall of the carriage, configured to cover the encoder sensor, and forming a through-hole extending in the carriage moving direction which the linear encoder scale is passed through. The through-hole forming member is disposed openable with respect to the carriage.
US08636336B2	Liquid discharge head A liquid discharge head includes a recording element substrate having a discharge-port surface having a discharge port discharging a liquid, side surfaces on sides of the discharge-port surface, and a back surface of the discharge-port surface having an opening of an ink supplying port supplying ink to the discharge port; a supporting member having a depression accommodating the recording element substrate, the depression including a supporting part disposed at a bottom surface of the depression and supporting the recording element substrate with an adhesive and an opening of an ink channel communicating with the ink supplying port; and an electric wiring substrate disposed on a surface of the supporting member having the depression and having an electric connecting part connecting with a side of the discharge-port surface of the recording element substrate.
US08636331B2	Printer and nozzle malfunction judgment program A printer comprises an ink-jet head, and a control unit which has a judgment pattern printing control section. When a judgment pattern is printed, the judgment pattern printing control section allows the discharge of ink droplets of a second color to an area on which ink droplets of a first color are to be landed, before discharging the ink droplets of the first color having a small color difference with respect to a color of a medium. Accordingly, the ink discharge malfunction is reliably judged for the nozzle irrelevant to the color of the recording medium and the color of the ink discharged from the ink-jet head.
US08636329B1	Sliding cabinet drawer kit with drawer shield and method of installation A sliding cabinet drawer kit for installing on top of a sliding drawer received inside a drawer cabinet and for greatly reducing if not eliminating entrance into the drawer by mice, lizards and like size rodents and insects. The drawer kit includes a pair of drawer slide rails adapted for attachment to a top portion of opposite vertical side panels of a sliding open top cabinet drawer. A thin sheet, plastic drawer shield is cut to size for covering the open top in the drawer. Opposite sides of the shield are slidably received next to the slide rails. The drawer shield includes a shield attachment block with predrilled screw holes and threaded screws mounted on an end portion of the shield. The attachment block is used for securing the shield to a back of a cabinet.
US08636327B2	Storage chest for tools or the like Storage chests for tools or the like feature swiveling drawers pivotally mounted to avoid jamming due to misalignment in use of a sliding drawer. The chests employ unique locking systems tailored for use with such pivoting drawers, where an actuator is operable to pivot a blocking member inside the chest between the drawers and a wall of the surrounding housing about a vertical axis into a position interfering with motion of a feature projecting outward from one or more drawers under attempted pivoting thereof. Some embodiments feature a wheel deployment system operable to give a user control over when to rollably support the chest or have it stand on stationary legs, for example for use of the top surface of the chest as a work surface.
US08636317B2	Lift chair A lift chair includes a base, a seat mechanism and a driving module. The seat mechanism includes a back frame, a seat frame, a foot frame and two hand rails. The seat frame is pivotally coupled to the base, and the driving module installed between the base and the seat mechanism drives the seat mechanism to perform a motion with respect to the base, so that if a user wants to stand up, the user can use the support from the seat frame and the back frame as standing aids to stand up successfully.
US08636313B2	Adjustable pillar trim grab handle for vehicle A movable grab handle assembly attached to the interior surface of the vehicle such as the vehicle pillar or on or adjacent to the vehicle headliner is disclosed. The movable grab handle assembly includes a slot formed on a surface of the interior. The slot includes a base having an adjuster plate. A grab handle is slidably mounted in the slot. The grab handle includes a user-operated release, such as a push button, that is operatively engaged with an adjuster plate release mechanism in the form of a pin. By operation of the push button the pin is movable between an adjuster plate engaging position and an adjuster plate disengaging position. Through use of the push button the grab handle is released to move any position in a direction toward the top of the pillar and a direction toward the bottom of the pillar.
US08636311B2	Device and method for the contactless seizing of glass sheets The invention relates to a method and device for the contactless seizing of glass sheets, characterized in that: a) the device comprises at least one oscillatory, rectangular, plate-shaped oscillating plate (1) comprising an oscillation generator (8), b) each partial surface (9) comprises a central opening for receiving a suction tube (2) which is installed on the upper side and which is used to suction air, c) a circular recess which is connected to the central opening is provided on the lower side of each partial surface (9), d) the plate-shaped oscillating plate (1) is connected to a central damping joint (5) by four connecting supports (7) that are respectively fixed to the suction tube (2) of one partial surface (9) and is assembled in the center of the oscillating plate (1), e) the central damping joint (5) is connected to a central fixation (6), f) a distance sensor and an optical sensor are housed in at least one suction tube.
US08636307B2	Intaglio printing inks The present invention relates to printing inks for the intaglio printing process, also referred to as engraved steel die printing process. In particular, oxidatively curing inks comprising a combination of fusible wax and a UV curing binder component are disclosed. These inks can be printed on a standard printing press, and, through a short UV irradiation after printing, allow to significantly reduce or eliminate the undesired set-off which can occur after printing and stacking the printed sheets. Using the inks of the present invention results in less set-off contaminated printed sheets, allowing for a higher pile-stacking of the printed good, for the use of increased engraving depths, of a more challenging intaglio design, and for the printing on less porous substrates, while enabling the printing on a standard printing press, and offering the possibility of using a lower printing plate temperature.
US08636306B2	Skate board paddle A street paddle which permits a user of an associated skateboard of similar devise to smoothly stroke with two hands and arms and upper body, rather than using their foot to accelerate or decelerate is disclosed. The street paddle is unique in that is allows a skateboard rider to pull and push their way on the street to accelerate, similar to a stand up paddlers or canoe paddlers on the water. A contact point, blade footing of the street paddle, where the paddle device comes in contact with the ground, connects to the bottom of an elongated shaft of the paddle. The footing comprises form and material that facilitates traction, when applied against a traveled surface, as well as shock dampening action to assist in smoothness and acceleration. As such, the street paddle may also be used to decelerate the speed by dragging the footing on the ground in such a way that the friction of the contact slows the skateboard. The footing comprises a hook-shaped element to permit a user to grab park and other path-side features for the purpose of performing tricks.
US08636303B2	Module for the modular frame of a heavy load transport vehicle The invention relates to a module for the modular frame of a heavy load transport vehicle, characterized in that it comprises, at one end thereof, a junction surface having an oblique bearing surface extending between two parallel planar surfaces inclined relative to the previous one. The invention also relates to a method for mounting such modules. The invention relates to a frame that comprises at least two such modules in which the junction surfaces together define an assembly with an oblique scarf joint, an unabutting scarf joint or key joint. The invention also relates to a harbor vehicle comprising at least one such frame and at least one such module.
US08636301B1	Top tether for curtain airbag An airbag assembly may include an inflatable curtain airbag with a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration. The inflatable curtain may have a first protection zone and a second protection zone that inflates forward of the first protection zone to provide enhanced protection. The second protection zone may be folded against the first protection zone so that, during deployment, the second protection zone pivots to unfold relative to the first protection zone. The airbag assembly may have a restraint member that limits the ability of the second protection zone to unfold to a configuration parallel to the first protection zone, thereby keeping the second protection zone at an optimal location to protect the vehicle occupant from rollover and/or small overlap or oblique collisions. The restraint member may be a tether with ends secured proximate the top of the second protection zone and the top of the first protection zone.
US08636299B2	Modular ballast system A ballast system provided herein includes: a ballast including: a first recessed bottom portion; a second recessed bottom portion; a sump portion between the first and second portion, the sump portion configured to extend downward past the first and second recessed bottom portions; and a machine comprising a ballast holding area, the ballast holding area including: a channel configured to receive a ballast; a first cantilevered lip; and a second cantilevered lip spaced apart from the first cantilevered lip, the first and second cantilevered lips configured to hold the ballast in place there between.
US08636298B2	Wheelchair A wheelchair has a car body of which rear and bottom wall portion are opened, a seat to be divided into right and left portions, a device for moving the right or left portion of the seat, and a holding plate provided on the car body for holding the device for moving the portion of the seat. The device has a link for connecting the seat portion to the car body, and an operation rod for operating the link so that the seat portion is moved between an opened position and a closed position, respectively. Wheels for supporting the car body, brake for the wheel, a brake operation device for operating the brake, a device is provided for synchronously driving the seat moving device and the brake operation device.
US08636297B2	Hitch A hitch includes a vertically extending trunk portion, a first limb horizontally extending from the trunk portion and a second limb horizontally extending from the trunk portion below the first limb.
US08636290B2	Tool kit mounting system A tool cart assembly including a tool cart having a horizontal surface defining a mounting aperture, a first rail including a bottom wall, a pair of opposed sidewalls, a front edge of each sidewall defining a catch, and at least one projection depending downwardly from the bottom wall, the projection being configured to be received in the mounting aperture such that the first rail is secured to the horizontal surface. A tool kit includes a sidewall and a first elongated rib, the elongated rib is configured to be slidably received by the first rail. The tool kit is removably secured to the tool cart by positioning the elongated first rib in the first rail and sliding the tool kit rearwardly such that the catches defined by the first rail engage a first portion of the tool kit.
US08636289B2	Straw trapper for wheelbarrow A wheelbarrow includes a straw trapper for enclosing straw and debris in a bin of the wheelbarrow for shipment and storage. The straw trapper includes a dispenser of a panel of fabric or flexible plastic to cover the open top of the wheelbarrow bin. The dispenser is mounted on a first side wall of the wheelbarrow bin and includes an engagement member assembly mounted on a second, opposite side wall of the wheelbarrow which engages a free end of the panel. Fixed and adjustable handles mounted on both rear and front walls of the wheelbarrow bin to allow two users working together to unload straw from the bin over a side wall of the bin into a debris collection receptacle, such as a dumpster or compost container.
US08636286B2	Press-fit face seal for use with wheel assembly A face seal comprises a first half and a second half. Each half of the face seal comprises an inner sealing ring, the inner sealing ring being generally L-shaped in cross-section, an elastomer ring disposed over the inner sealing ring, and an outer ring disposed over the elastomeric ring, the outer ring being generally Z-shaped in cross-section. The inner sealing ring comprises an axially extending circular cylindrical portion, a radially extending planar ring portion coupled to the cylindrical portion, and a sealing surface defined by the seal side planar wall. The outer ring comprises an axially extending second circular cylindrical portion, a seating flange extending radially outward from a front end of the second cylindrical portion, and a backing flange extending radially inward from the rear end of the second cylindrical portion.
US08636280B2	Apparatus for stacking flat articles on-edge An apparatus for stacking flat articles on-edge has a helical drive assembly with spaced-apart helical screws. The helical screws receive and hold the articles on-edge therebetween, and eject the articles towards a stack holding unit. The stack holding unit is configured to hold a stack of articles on-edge separately from the helical screws. The apparatus includes a conveyor that supports the lower edges of the articles during their transport to the stack holding unit. The stack holding unit has an article entry opening with a height that is smaller than a height of the articles to be stacked during operation, and the height of the article entry opening is preferably adjustable.
US08636279B2	Paper supply apparatus This invention provides a bottom removal-type paper supply apparatus used in an image reading apparatus or the like which can always accurately supply paper into the image reading apparatus regardless of whether the amount of paper stacked on a paper support base is small or large. In order to transport paper stacked on the paper support base into the apparatus, a first pickup roller to which a pressing force can be applied by a pressing roller and a second pickup roller at a central portion of the paper support base which assists the first pickup roller are provided. The second pickup roller is provided with a shutter. By closing the shutter when the paper stacked on the paper support base is less than or equal to a prescribed number of sheets or weight, the pickup roller and the paper can be prevented from contacting.
US08636277B1	Automatically adjustable pick mechanism for feeding sheets of media of different widths In an imagining apparatus having a removable media input tray that moves in a direction transverse to a media feed direction and includes a reference edge surface and a media alignment guide moveable to a selected position within a predetermined range of travel with respect to a reference edge surface, a system for automatically translating the pick mechanism to a selected position during insertion of the media input tray based on the position of the media edge guide.
US08636275B2	Automatic document feeder and image forming apparatus including the same An automatic document feeder includes a separating and feeding unit which has a separating member and a paper feeding member coming into contact with the separating member at a predetermined separating pressure, and separates and feeds an original sheet by sheet from a bundle of originals placed on an original placing table; a conveying unit which conveys the original separated by the separating and feeding unit toward a scanning position; a separating pressure switching unit which applies and releases the separating pressure and which is controlled by a control unit to release the separating pressure after a leading edge of a preceding sheet of the original has passed through the separating and feeding unit and to apply the separating pressure before a sheet of original separated and fed next to the preceding sheet of original is fed from the bundle of original to the separating and feeding unit.
US08636272B2	One-piece multipole plate for a magnetic holding apparatus, process for making such plate and magnetic apparatus using such plate A one-piece multipole plate for a magnetic clamping apparatus, a process for making such plate and a magnetic apparatus having such plate. The magnetic apparatus has a plurality of pole pieces and the plurality of pole pieces extend from the plate and are formed of one piece with the plate.
US08636270B2	Structure for use as part of a medical device A low cost, flexible, torqueable structure for use as at least a portion of a medical device comprises a coil formed of a wound element. The coil includes a plurality of adjacent windings. Connected portions of a region between the adjacent windings are formed (by, for example, laser welding) such that torque can be transmitted between adjacent windings.
US08636268B2	Apparatuses, systems and methods for efficient solubilization of carbon dioxide in water using high energy impact A method for the efficient solubilization of carbon dioxide in water through the use of high energy impacts is disclosed. The method can optionally includes mixing the carbon dioxide and water to form an annular dispersed flow, accelerating the carbon dioxide and water prior to the collision; providing a retention network to collect the carbonated water flow. Also disclosed are systems and apparatuses for practicing the disclosed methods.
US08636267B1	Land based or floating wastewater evaporator A plurality of atomizing fans are mounted on a portable land craft. A pump delivers pond water to the land craft to evaporate the pond water. A land based generator powers the pump and the atomizing fans. The entire system could be mounted on a single trailer.
US08636266B2	Safety barricading system The safety barricading system includes at least one mesh panel that is secured against an existing surface, object, or structure via a plurality of uniquely defined clips. The safety barricading system is designed to adaptively attach onto a building or structure in a temporary or permanent basis, and prevent objects from falling there from. The safety barricading system includes tools that remove the clips after use as well as joiner assemblies that abut adjacent sections of mesh panels at varying angles. The uniquely defined clips each include an eccentric pin joiner and mesh clip button that attach to one another as well as onto the respective clip, and sandwich the mesh panel there between so as to secure the mesh panel to the respective clip.
US08636263B2	System and method for locking retention of valve components A pressure actuated valve assembly includes a valve body. The downstream end portion of a main spring is engaged with a downstream end portion of the valve body and the main spring is axially aligned with the valve body. A main spring guide is engaged with an upstream end portion of the main spring proximate an upstream end portion of the valve body. The main spring guide is mounted for movement toward the downstream end portion of the valve body by compression of the main spring. A hold-down sleeve is engaged with the downstream end portion of the valve body and includes a stop structure proximate the main spring guide. The stop structure is configured to engage the main spring guide to maintain a predetermined minimum clearance between the main spring guide and the upstream end portion of the valve body with the valve body in the closed condition.
US08636262B2	Coupling apparatus for use with electric actuators Coupling apparatus for use with electric actuators are described herein. An example coupling apparatus described herein includes a coupling assembly to operatively couple a fluid flow control member of a fluid valve and a drive system of the electric actuator. Rotation of the drive system in a first rotational direction causes the coupling assembly to move in a first rectilinear direction and rotation of the drive system in a second rotational direction causes the coupling assembly to move in a second rectilinear direction opposite the first direction. The coupling assembly includes a biasing element that is to be deflected to provide a seat load to the fluid flow control member when the fluid flow control member is in sealing engagement with a valve seat of the fluid valve and electric power to the electric actuator is removed.
US08636260B2	Broom stabilizer damper A stabilizer-damper for stabilizing a broom, mop, or other long-handled device while such device is resting against a countertop or other surface. The stabilizer-damper is a device that provides stabilization to prevent the long-handled device from falling to the floor and also provides a damping effect to lessen the intensity and harshness of the sound if the long-handled device happens to fall to the floor. The stabilizer-damper fits onto the handle and provides a frictional surface to resist movement of the handle.
US08636257B2	Support device A support and cushioning device for supporting and holding an electronic device includes a first supporting assembly, a fixed bracket, an adjusting board, and a plurality of elastic members. The adjusting board is mounted to the distal end of the first support assembly. The fixed bracket is elastically mounted to the adjusting board by means of a plurality of elastic members. The fixed bracket includes a base body and a plurality of holding arms extending out from a periphery of the base body. The plurality of holding arms and the base body cooperatively define a holding space for holding an electronic device.
US08636255B2	Stand for a musical instrument A stand for a musical instrument which includes a ground-engaging base, a post that extends from the base, and a clamp assembly attached to the post. The clamp assembly includes a pair of clamping arms, each of which is variably spaced relative to the other along an axis transverse to the post, to detachably engage a respective side of the instrument, when placed therebetween, to hold the instrument in a convenient position for a user to access and play.
US08636252B2	Composite structures having integrated stiffeners with smooth runouts and method of making the same A unitized composite structure comprises a composite member having at least one integrally formed composite stiffener. At least one end of the stiffener includes a runout forming a substantially smooth transition between the stiffener and the composite structure. The stiffener and runout may comprise a crown, side walls, and base cap. The transition in the runout may include a width of the crown increasing, a height of the side walls decreasing, and the base cap splaying outwardly.
US08636251B2	Transformable luggage storage compartment for an aircraft cabin A storage compartment is provided for a transportation means, for mounting in an overhead region. The storage compartment includes, but is not limited to a universal housing module and a transformable container module. Various container modules, in particular fixed bins and pivot bins, can be installed in the universal housing module without this requiring any alteration of the housing module. The transformable container module can be converted within the housing module from a state as a fixed container to a state as a movable chute.
US08636249B2	Storage system for emergency equipment A storage system for an emergency apparatus provided in a conveyance includes at least one structure-holder connectable to a structural component of the conveyance. A frame is attached to the at least one structure-holder, and a carrier is configured to receive the emergency apparatus. A locking apparatus has a locking position in which the carrier is fastened to the frame, and an unlocking position in which the carrier is detached from the frame. A belt element is fixedly connected to the carrier. A first end of a retaining belt is connectable to a structural component of the conveyance via a belt-winder, and a second end of the retaining belt is fastenable in a detachable manner via a belt lock to the belt element.
US08636248B2	Retracting tailwheel assembly and fin A tailwheel assembly for an aircraft includes a ventral fin including a fixed airframe portion of the ventral fin and a moveable tailwheel portion of the ventral fin. A tailwheel strut extends through the ventral fin and includes a fixed first strut portion and an extendable second strut portion having the moveable tailwheel portion of the ventral fin secured thereto. A tailwheel is secured to the extendable second strut portion. A method of operating a tailwheel assembly for an aircraft includes extending an extendable portion of a tailwheel strut from an airframe of the aircraft. The tailwheel strut has a tailwheel secured thereto and is located at least partially in a ventral fin of the aircraft. A tailwheel portion of the ventral fin is moved away from a fixed airframe portion of the ventral fin via extension of the extendable portion of the tailwheel strut.
US08636246B2	Aircraft wing extension and nozzle system A system and method to control flight of an aircraft. The aircraft having an engine with a rotatably nozzle assembly configured to create forward propulsion and yaw control of the aircraft. The engine exhaust passing through the nozzle is redirected with a valve disposed within the nozzle. Lift is created with a lift system carried by the wing of the aircraft. Additional lift is created during flight with a retractable wing extension disposed within the wing of the aircraft.
US08636244B2	Propulsive anti-torque nozzle system with rotating thrust director for a rotorcraft The system of the present application includes a duct for receiving airflow from within a duct portion of a tailboom. The airflow is a mixture of fan driven air and engine exhaust. The system includes a fixed nozzle assembly with an anti-torque nozzle, a pro-torque nozzle, and a thrust nozzle. A rotating thrust director is located upstream of the fixed nozzle assembly. The rotating thrust director located is configured to selectively redirect airflow into one or more of the anti-torque nozzle, the pro-torque nozzle and the thrust nozzle.
US08636240B2	Aircraft ground maintenance tether assembly A ground maintenance assembly for an aircraft generally including a support member provided with a longitudinal bore and a rigid post portion, a first inner member provided with a longitudinal bore disposed in and secured in such support member and a second inner member provided with a longitudinal recess adapted to receive a pitot tube of such aircraft.
US08636239B2	Belt retractor The invention relates to a belt retractor for winding up and unwinding a safety belt, with at least one force transmission element which is held by a first part of the belt retractor and which can be connected to a second part of the belt retractor, the force transmission element being held in a recess of the first part in such a way that it can be pressed axially into the recess of the first part, with the result that the connection to the second part is broken.
US08636238B2	Distributor plate locking mechanism for vertical shaft impact crusher A replaceable distributor plate, adapted for protecting a lower horizontal disc of a rotor of a vertical shaft impact crusher, includes a first portion of a bayonet joint, the first portion being adapted for cooperating with a second portion of the bayonet joint, the second portion being associated with the lower horizontal disc.
US08636234B2	Flexible spray nozzle for high pressure washers A swivel nozzle mechanism used with a high pressure fluid washer attaches to an output wand, typically through a flexible hose, to direct a high pressure fluid from the washer to a directed target. The swivel nozzle mechanism attaches to a distal end of the wand and is controllable by a handle mechanism attached to the wand which enables the rotation of a spray nozzle about an axis, normal to the wand axis, at the distal end of the wand. The handle controls the direction of rotation of the spray nozzle and has a plurality of stable operating points resistant to movement and thereby providing for prolonged use at a fixed position.
US08636232B2	Method for spraying a medium and spraying nozzle A method for spraying a medium mist, particularly a medium mist used in firefighting, over a large area. In the method, at least two sprays of medium mist are formed, of which a first spray is within a second medium mist spray at least at or near the spraying point. During the formation of the sprays, the medium is set into a swirling motion at least before the discharge opening of the nozzle used to form each spray and/or at least before the sprays are mixed with each other. The swirling directions of the medium in different sprays are opposite to each other, whereby a preferably homogeneous mist spray spread over a large area is achieved.
US08636231B2	System and method for generating and dispersing a liquid-droplet haze This system comprises: A tank for containing the liquid; the tank comprises a liquid conduit for transporting the liquid; Air compressing means connected to an air conduit for transporting the compressed air; Means for mixing the compressed air at the air conduit outlet and the liquid at the liquid conduit outlet for generating the high velocity first haze state-air mixture; A nozzle structure connected to the mixing means for causing the high velocity first haze state-air mixture to strike the upper surface of the liquid for generating the second haze state-air mixture; A haze conduit being connected to the top portion of the tank for transporting the air-third haze state mixture; and Air blowing means being concentric to the haze conduit outlet for dispersing the fourth haze state-air mixture.
US08636229B1	Low precipitation rate rotor-type sprinkler with intermittent stream diffuser An irrigation sprinkler includes a riser and a nozzle mounted at the top of the riser that can rotate and emit a stream of water. The sprinkler further includes a diffuser mechanism that can intermittently interrupt the stream of water as the nozzle rotates. A gear train reduction is mounted in the riser and a turbine is coupled to an input shaft of the gear train reduction and is rotatable by water flowing through the riser. A drive assembly couples the nozzle and the gear train reduction and is configured to allow a user to select between a full-circle mode of operation and an oscillating mode of operation.
US08636224B2	System and method to automatically discriminate between different data types There is described a system and method for automatically discriminating between different types of data with an image reader. In brief overview of one embodiment, the automatic discrimination feature of the present image reader allows a human operator to aim a hand held image reader at a target that can contain a dataform and actuate the image reader. An autodiscrimination module in the image reader in one embodiment analyzes image data representative of the target and determines a type of data represented in the image data.
US08636220B2	Printed planar RFID element wristbands and like personal identification devices Each personal identification device includes a planar identification element with at least a core of flexible, porous and preferably microvoided polymer sheet material and a planar RFID assembly encoded with a unique electro/magnetic code permanently and integrally joined together with the core. The sheet material is sufficiently porous to collapse around the core so the sheet product remains planar yet flexible. A separate carrier can be provided or devices can be made in batches with scoring define one or more individual RFID devices removable from a remainder of a sheet product.
US08636219B2	Reading apparatus, reading system and reading method In accordance with the embodiment, a reading apparatus comprises a photographing device configured to photograph an object to produce the image of the object, a reading section configured to read information from the image output from the photographing device, a detection section configured to detect a portable terminal equipped with a display unit for displaying information read by the reading section from the image output from the photographing device and a control section configured to control the photographing of the photographing device according to a first setting for photographing an object other than the display unit of the portable terminal if the portable terminal is not detected, or the photographing of the photographing device according to a second setting for photographing the display unit if the portable terminal is detected.
US08636218B2	Multi-modal one-dimensional barcodes An apparatus for reading a multi-modal barcode is provided. The apparatus includes a camera, an edge detector, wherein the edge detector comprises a filter to read a secondary image, a quantization component, and a barcode processor.
US08636216B1	Cloth container and stationary scanner having the same The invention provides an easy-to-clean cloth container and a stationary scanner having such a cloth container. This cloth container is to be attached to a support post of a stationary scanner, and has a first component and a second component. The first component has a cloth storing space and a first engaging portion, and the second component has an attachment portion to be attached to the support post, and a second engaging portion. The first component is attached to the outside of the support post by detachably engaging the first engaging portion with the second engaging portion with the second component.
US08636213B2	Labeling and authenticating using a microtag A system for encoding energy peaks of an identifier comprises an encoder. The encoder is configured to define a readable spectral range of an identifier. The identifier comprises a rugate microtag. The encoder is configured to divide the readable spectral range into a plurality of bins. The encoder is configured to encode in a center of a bin near one end of the readable spectral range a reference peak. The encoder is configured to encode in a center of each of a set of bins a set of peaks of a data pattern within the readable spectral range.
US08636211B2	System and method for secure voting Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for conducting an election. In one exemplary embodiment, there is provided a method for ensuring integrity of an electronic ballot. The method can include creating electronic ballots for voters based on votes received from the voters; digitally signing the electronic ballots; storing the signed electronic ballots; retrieving the signed electronic ballots from storage; verifying the digital signatures on the retrieved electronic ballots; and presenting the voters with validation pages derived from the retrieved electronic ballots, the validation pages including a user interface element for the voters to confirm that the retrieved electronic ballots accurately reflect their vote.
US08636204B2	Method and apparatus for multi-language user selection and currency conversion A method and apparatus for facilitating a business transaction wherein a merchant/operator is presented with transaction-related information in the operator's preferred language and currency, wherein the customer is presented with transaction-related information in the customer's preferred language and currency, and wherein the customer's language and currency are different from the operator's language and currency. This allows persons who speak different languages and who are used to conducting transactions in different currencies to readily engage in business transactions. The method and apparatus can be employed, for example, in a credit card or debit card terminal, thereby allowing a merchant to easily accommodate tourists from foreign countries. The customer's language and/or currency preferences may be obtained from a credit card/debit card, cellular telephone, smart card, or other portable memory medium prior to or during the transaction, thereby obviating the need to manually select a preferred a language and currency for each transaction.
US08636203B1	Partial authorization of a financial transaction Embodiments of methods and systems in accordance with the present invention allow partial authorization of a financial transaction. In one embodiment, where a balance of a prepaid card is insufficient to cover the entire amount of a transaction, the issuer of the prepaid card transmits over a payment processing system, approval for only the amount remaining on the card. The transaction can then be completed by the purchaser providing an additional sum from another source, such as a credit card. Such automatic partial authorization in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention avoids the delay and cost associated with having to re-execute the transaction for a less than the entire amount.
US08636198B1	Methods and structures for forming and improving solder joint thickness and planarity control features for solar cells A method for connecting a plurality of solar cells and an improved interconnect is disclosed. The method includes aligning an interconnect to a plurality of solar cells having solder pads, where the interconnect has a main body and tabs extending therefrom, and where each of the tabs has a downward depression, such that the tabs are positioned above the solder pads in between solar cells and pinning the interconnect against a work surface by pressing a hold down pin against the main body of the interconnect such that a lower surface of the interconnect tabs are maintained parallel to an upper surfaces of the solder pads, and such that the depression of each of the tabs flatly contacts the solder pads. The method can also include cantilevered tabs extending downwardly from the main body providing a controlled spring force between the tab lower surface and the solder pad upper surface.
US08636195B2	Welding process and component formed thereby A process of fabricating a rotating component and a rotating component formed thereby. The rotating component has a rotational axis, at least one rim member, at least one disk member, and at least one airfoil member. The rim and disk members are welded together to define a first solid-state weld joint lying in a first plane that is not parallel to the rotational axis of the rotating component. The airfoil member is welded to the rim member to define a second solid-state weld joint lying in a second plane that is not parallel to the rotational axis of the rotating component. The rim member is located in a radially outward direction from the disk member, and the airfoil member is located in a radially outward direction from the rim member.
US08636193B2	Staple pocket arrangement for surgical stapler A staple pocket arrangement on the anvil portion of a surgical stapler device includes pairs of staple pockets corresponding to each one of a plurality of staples to be closed. The staple pockets may have a generally triangular shape when viewed from above. Each respective staple leg is received at a longitudinal end of the staple pocket that provides a relatively wide target area for receiving the staple leg to eliminate or at least minimize the likelihood that a staple leg will miss the staple pocket due to, e.g., misalignment between a first jaw of the surgical stapler having the anvil and a second jaw of the surgical stapler having a cartridge configured to fire the staples. The staple pockets may be arranged in rows, each row of staple pockets being longitudinally offset from another row, such that each staple pocket in a first row of staple pockets is nested with a staple pocket from an adjacent row of staple pockets to make more efficient use of space on the anvil.
US08636192B2	Surgical instrument and loading unit for use therewith A surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a handle assembly, a drive assembly, an endoscopic portion, a pair of jaw members, a dynamic clamping member, and a tissue stop. The drive assembly is disposed in mechanical cooperation with a movable handle of the handle assembly. The endoscopic portion defines a first longitudinal axis. The jaw members are each longitudinally curved with respect to the longitudinal axis. The dynamic clamping member is disposed in mechanical cooperation with a distal portion of the drive assembly and includes an upper beam, a lower beam, and a vertical beam having a cutting edge on a distal portion thereof. At least a portion of the dynamic clamping member is longitudinally curved with respect to the longitudinal axis. The tissue stop is disposed adjacent a distal portion of the first jaw member and configured to impede tissue from distally escaping the jaw members.
US08636187B2	Surgical stapling systems that produce formed staples having different lengths A surgical stapling device that comprises an end effector. According to various embodiments, the end effector comprises a circular anvil having a staple forming surface and a plurality of staples facing the staple forming surface of the anvil. The end effector also comprises a staple driver assembly comprising a plurality of staple drivers. Each staple driver supports one of the plurality of staples and is configured such that, when the staple driver assembly is actuated, each staple driver drives the staple into the staple forming surface of the anvil. A first quantity of the plurality of staple drivers has a first height and a second quantity of the plurality of staple drivers has a second height, wherein the first height is less than the second height.
US08636185B2	Fastener advance delay for fastener driving tool A nailer includes a power source including a piston reciprocating within a cylinder, a driver blade secured to the piston for common movement relative to a nosepiece, a magazine connected to the nosepiece for feeding fasteners sequentially for being driven into a workpiece by the driver blade, a delay mechanism operatively associated with the magazine and configured for engaging a second fastener and delaying advancement of the subsequent fastener to the nosepiece until the driver blade returns to the pre-firing position after driving a leading fastener.
US08636176B2	Liquid dispenser pinch valve A two-piece pinch valve is disclosed. A first piece or part of the valve is fixedly installed into a dispensing cabinet. A second piece or part having a movable pinch bar that pinches and un-pinches a tube is installable into and removable from the first piece by hand. Removal of the second piece from the first pieces allows a tube to be directly installed into the pinch valve. Installation of the second piece into the first piece configures the valve for operation. The second piece is installed into slots in the first piece. The slots and engaging protuberances on the second piece enable the second piece to be locked in place.
US08636171B1	Dripless container A container trapezoidal in shape for carrying liquids and loose materials. The body of container having an open top with opposite front and back side walls, opposite right and left side walls slanting inwards to a closed bottom. Three adjoining side walls having a flange at top rim angling down inside container forming an overhang. The edge of the flange is used to wipe excess liquid off of applicator. This excess paint drips into the container. The container includes a magnet for holding a brush, a convenient pouring spout and supportive handle.
US08636170B2	Straw for wine A wine straw comprising an elongated hollow tubular body and attaching member secured to an outer surface of the hollow tubular body is provided. The hollow tubular body comprises an upper portion and a lower portion integrally connected to the upper portion, the upper and lower portions having open ends. The attaching member comprises a clip member integrally connected to a hollow attachment member. The clip member comprises a front portion and a back portion. The front portion includes a pair of top portions; a bottom portion; an outer edge extending upwardly and outwardly, in a vertical plane, from the bottom portion towards the pair of top portions; and an inner edge extending downwardly and inwardly, in a vertical plane, from the pair of top portions to a clip center portion. The back portion includes a pair of elongated members integrally connected to the hollow attachment member.
US08636169B2	Caddy and removable mini caddy tote A tote having both a caddy and a removable mini caddy is disclosed. The removable mini caddy attaches to the caddy with a series of guide walls and guide rails that allow the removable mini caddy to be cooperatively received by the caddy. The handle of the removable mini caddy nests with the handle of the caddy while they are attached, providing the user with a single handled tote that is easy to transport and use while still having the convenience of an extra tote where objects can be temporarily removed and then replaced without the need for transferring the objects from one tote to another. The removable mini caddy may be easily removed and then replaced within the caddy while remaining securely in place during use and transport.
US08636168B1	Biodegradable food service container A biodegradable container made of natural fibrous materials includes two shells, each integrally formed and having surfaces which mate with each other to form an enclosure. At least one of the shells includes latching members rotatable about living hinges between a first position, which permits the shells to be coupled to and decoupled from each other, and a second over-center position wherein engagement surfaces of the latching members contact a surface of the other shell to secure the two shells together.
US08636166B2	Resealable beverage bottle lid A lid for a beverage bottle includes a lid body that is fastenable onto the bottle and an actuation dial that rotates on the lid body. The actuation dial rotates a rotating spout while permitting the spout to move axially by teeth sliding in channels. As the spout is rotated, it moves on threads within the lid body to provide the axial movement. A gasket within the spout bears against a plug of the lid body when the spout has been moved to the closed position. The gasket is free of the plug to form a fluid passageway from the bottle through the lid body and the spout when the spout has been moved to the open position. The gasket includes a seal ring bearing on a fluid flow tube of the lid body to prevent leaks.
US08636153B1	Dart and accessories display shelf A dart shelf designed to safely store and display darts in an upright position along with accessories involved with playing the game of darts. The dart shelf is secured to a wall and has built in openings for darts, flights, and shafts. The shelf has a recessed cut-out for storage of chalk, dart wrench, chalk eraser and dart sharpening tool.
US08636152B1	Greeting card outpost The greeting card outpost of the present disclosure and related inventions is a unique and versatile structure which maximizes the number of greeting cards which can be displayed for sale in retail areas which are limited in space. The fixture includes a plurality of adjacent vertically arranged card pockets attached to an angled support structure and standard tube frame which creates angled array of greeting cards extending outward from a front of the display and ending in a fin-like fashion at the back of the display. The novel arrangement decreases the size of space required to display the variety of greeting cards which can be accommodated upon the outpost fixture.
US08636149B2	Method and apparatus for washing sand A sand washing apparatus may be used for separating organic material from a mixture comprising sand and organic material. The apparatus may comprise: a wash chamber for accepting a mixture comprising sand and organic material, the chamber including a lower portion; and an agitator comprising a screw having two or more flights extending into the lower portion. A method for recovering sand from a mixture comprising sand and organic material may comprise the steps of: introducing a mixture comprising sand and organic material into a water-filled chamber having a net flow of water in an upwardly direction; allowing organic material from the mixture to ascend in a net upwardly direction and allowing sand from the mixture to descend in a net downwardly direction; subjecting at least a portion of the descending sand to a turbulence; and recovering sand that has descended past the turbulence.
US08636144B1	Ladder tool tray with separable paint bucket The present invention features a ladder tool tray with separable paint bucket. The tool tray comprises a first section as a tool organizer and a second section for paint bucket. The second section is removably attached to the first section via securing clasps and a top bracket. The first section comprises a plurality of storage compartments, screw driver holders, drill holders and cleaning tower/clothes hangers. The second section is a paint bucket with integrated hook to hold paint roller above the paint within the paint bucket. Each section has a handle for individual lifting and the handles can be held jointly to carry both sections together.
US08636143B1	Personal item organizer An organization container having multiple internal compartments or straps to secure and organize personal care and hygiene items with a flap top to provide easy access to personal care and hygiene items. The organizing container can fit into different size purses or bags and be moved easily between bags, and that can stand securely on its own when outside the purse or bag.
US08636135B2	Sorting apparatus The belt conveyer 10 includes guide members 100F and 100R. The guide members 100F and 100R are disposed between the endless belts 13A and 13B. The belt conveyer has a suction box 81 and a blower 91. The belt conveyor 10 becomes able to suction the air via the conveyance surface 10A that is the workpiece holding surface.
US08636126B2	Hydraulic clutch A hydraulic clutch for preventing a drag of a clutch at the time of disengaging the clutch by decreasing an oil supply quantity between a plurality of clutch plates and a plurality of clutch discs thus decreasing a change hitting sound at the time of shifting. A hydraulic clutch is configured such that the superposition between an oil supply hole formed in a clutch pressure plate and an oil supply hole formed in a clutch center becomes maximum when the clutch is engaged.
US08636125B2	Actuation device having wiper seals for a dual clutch transmission A dual clutch actuation device generates the axial compression force required to compress a first and second set of frictional elements of a dual clutch module. Dual clutch actuation device includes a first and second annular piston. The annular pistons are arranged in concentric annular piston slots. Together the piston and annular slots form annular piston chambers. The actuation device further includes a first set of wiper seals and a second set of wiper seals disposed in a first and a second annular channel in each of the annular pistons. Advantageously, contamination of the piston chambers is reduced or eliminated through the wiping or cleansing action of the first and second set of wiper seals against walls of the annular slots formed in the housing of the actuation device.
US08636122B2	Customizable luggage and method of forming same A method of customizing a luggage item includes providing a plurality of size options of a luggage item to allow a customer to select a particular size for a luggage item to be built. A virtual model of the size option of the luggage item selected by the customer is displayed for inspection by the customer. A plurality of different color options for a plurality of functional components to be included on the luggage item are displayed for viewing and selection by the customer. The functional components in the color option selected by the customer are displayed on the virtual model. A plurality of different color and pattern options for a front panel, a back panel, and a pair of opposing side panels a displayed for viewing and selection by the customer. The front panel, the back panel, and the pair of opposing side panels in the color and pattern option selected by the customer are displayed on the virtual model. One all the sections are completed, the luggage item is built and delivered to the customer in accordance with said selected options.
US08636119B2	Partially lined disk brake having a spring arrangement for improved clearance and spring arrangement A partially lined disk brake includes a brake anchor plate, mountable on which are two brake linings, which are arranged at a distance from one another and which between them are capable of receiving a brake disk capable of rotating about an axis of rotation, wherein an application movement serves to bring the two brake linings into engagement with a friction surface of the brake disk, including a brake caliper, which is arranged on the brake anchor plate and which engages at least partially over the brake linings and the brake disk, and which in the direction of movement of the brake linings can be displaced by an actuating device in relation to the brake anchor plate, wherein the actuating device produces the application movement of the brake linings, and having at least one spring element, which moves the brake linings away from one another again after an application movement.
US08636116B2	Brake pad for a bicycle A brake pad obtainable by peroxide cross-linking with a mixture comprising: a polymeric base having from 10 to 40 parts by weight of hydrogenated acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (HNBR); from 90 to 60 parts by weight of a vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene-tetrafluoroethylene terpolymer; and, fibers from 5 to 15 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of polymeric base.
US08636115B2	Hosting machine supporting frame for jump lifts of elevators An elevator arrangement includes an elevator hoistway, an elevator car, and a movable supporting platform for supporting the elevator components in the elevator hoistway. The supporting platform includes a supporting frame. The supporting frame includes a plurality of beams that are rigidly fixed to each other. The plurality of beams are arranged such that towards each of all four lateral directions of the supporting platform points at least one beam end of the supporting frame, at which beam end is a movable support element belonging to a plurality of movable support elements movable between a position extended from the platform towards the side and a position retracted towards the platform.
US08636113B2	Shaft arrangement A shaft arrangement having a shaft and at least one component, which is arranged on the shaft and which is to be lubricated and/or cooled by a fluid. A fluid feed device being designed to feed the fluid to the shaft arrangement radially from outside. The component is a shaft sealing ring, which rests on the shaft and which is fixed to a housing. A baffle plate, which with the shaft sealing ring defines a fluid baffle chamber and which is separated by an annular gap from the outer circumference of the shaft, is arranged axially next to the shaft sealing ring. The fluid feed device is arranged so that fluid is fed into the fluid baffle chamber.
US08636112B2	Safety lockout system A safety lockout system for releasably locking a mast guided working surface to a mast is provided. The safety lockout system may include an outer rollcase, an inner rollcase, and a lockout assembly. The lockout assembly includes a retractable dog that is movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The lockout assembly may include a dog release device that operates both manually and automatically to move the retractable dog from the disengaged position to the engaged position. Automatic operation of the dog release device is triggered when the working surface experiences a tilted condition. A dog emergency release device may be provided to manually move the retractable dog to the disengaged position in the event of a malfunction. The lockout assembly may include a lockout assembly locking device that allows a portion of the lockout assembly to fold up and move the retractable dog to the disengaged position.
US08636111B2	Suspension platform system A suspension platform system having a work platform suspended between a sinistral modular mast and a dextral modular mast by a hoisting system. The modular masts are composed of at least two mast units stacked vertically and attached to one another. Each mast unit has a multifunction rail including a plurality of safety engagement devices and a stabilizer guide device, and a unit interconnection device. The work platform has at least two mast stabilizers that cooperate with the stabilizer guide devices to prevent undesired swaying of the suspended work platform. The work platform has a plurality of platform mast engagers cooperating with at least one of the mast safety engagement devices to releasably lock the platform to the modular masts. The hoisting system includes multiple carriages, hoists, and mast cables. Each carriage engages the associated mast so that the carriage may be conveniently slid up and down the mast.
US08636106B2	Automotive trim part for sound insulation and absorption A sound insulating trim part is provided. The sound insulating trim part includes an absorbing area and an insulating area. The absorbing area includes at least a first portion of a porous fibrous layer. The insulating area includes a mass layer and a decoupling layer. The mass layer includes a second portion of the same porous fibrous layer. The second portion has a dynamic Young's modulus (Pa) of at least about (96·AW·t) with AW being an area weight (g/m2), and t being a thickness (mm) of the porous fibrous layer. The mass layer also includes at least a substantially air impervious barrier layer between the porous fibrous layer and the decoupling layer. The thickness of the first portion of the porous fibrous layer in the absorbing area is larger than the thickness of the second portion of the same porous fibrous layer in the insulating area.
US08636105B2	Automotive insulating trim part A sound insulating trim part with acoustic mass-spring characteristics is provided. The sound insulating trim part includes a mass layer and a decoupling layer. The mass layer includes a porous fibrous layer with a dynamic Young's modulus E of at least about 96·AW·t (Pa), with AW being an area weight (g/m2), and t being a thickness (mm) of the porous fibrous layer. The mass layer also includes an air impervious thin barrier layer. The barrier layer is disposed between the porous fibrous layer and the decoupling layer. The barrier layer, the porous fibrous layer, and the decoupling layers are laminated together.
US08636097B2	Gas suspension system A suspension system for use with a motorcycle includes a single body having two pneumatic cylinders in axial alignment therein. The suspension system may be sold in a kit, and may be installed in an existing front wheel fork.
US08636089B2	Obstacle traversing wheelchair A wheelchair suspension is provided. The wheelchair suspension includes a frame, a front caster pivot arm, a drive assembly, and a rear caster. The front caster pivot arm is pivotally connected to the frame. The front caster is coupled to a front end of the front caster pivot arm. The drive assembly is pivotally connected to the front caster pivot arm. The drive assembly comprises a drive wheel and a motor that drives the drive wheel. Torquing of the drive wheel by the motor in a forward direction causes the drive assembly to pivot with respect to the front caster pivot arm such that the drive wheel moves forward toward the front caster and a distance between a support surface and the connection between of the drive assembly and the front caster pivot arm increases.
US08636088B2	Rock drilling machine and axial bearing module A rock drilling machine and an axial bearing module. The rock drilling machine is equipped with an axial bearing having at least one axial piston for axially positioning a drill shank and for damping stress pulses returning from the rock. The axial bearing includes a module that is detachable in one piece from one installation direction. The axial bearing module includes the required pressure medium channels, seals, bearing surfaces, and a module frame having at least bearing housing in connection therewith.
US08636086B2	Methods of drilling with a downhole drilling machine A drilling system and method are provided. The drilling system comprising a tool body, a drill bit, a mechanism for applying weight to the drill bit (“WOB”), and a control system for controlling the rate of rotation of the drill bit (“RPM”) and the weight applied to the bit during drilling. The control system is configurable to a first mode in which RPM and WOB are controlled to maintain power on the drill bit at a predetermined maximum, and a second mode in which RPM and WOB are controlled to maintain a predetermined depth of cut (“DOC”). In use, the control system is adapted to switch between the first and second modes depending on drilling conditions.
US08636084B2	Auxiliary device and a system composed of an electrical work machine comprising an auxiliary device An auxiliary device for an electrical work machine is provided. The auxiliary device can be attached to the electrical work machine, and the electrical work machine can be equipped with a tool in a tool holder. The auxiliary device comprises a housing comprising a handle and an attaching device. The housing can be attached to the electrical work machine with the attaching device. The housing comprises a handling section, which is disposed next to the attaching device, and which comprises an opening, which allows at least the tool holder to be freely accessible from the sides. The handle is permanently connected to the handling section.
US08636083B2	Rock drilling device A feeder holding device used with a rock drilling and/or rock bolting rig, in which the rock drilling and/or rock bolting rig has at least one boom with a first end and a second end, the first end is attached to a carrier, and the second end supports a feed beam by the feeder holding device, and in which the feed beam can be adjusted by the feeder holding device in a first drilling position in a first drilling direction and in a second position. The feeder holding device provides linear movement of the feed beam, in a direction different from the drilling direction, from the first drilling position to the second position, such that the feed beam in the second position is pointed in a direction parallel to the first drilling direction. A rock drilling and/or rock bolting rig is also provided.
US08636082B2	Pile driver The present invention provides a pile driver capable of improving operability while preventing breakage and the like of a wire rope by relating a press-in winch and an elevation winch to each other.Solenoid valves are arranged respectively to hydraulic circuits of both of a press-in winch and an elevation winch and an electric circuit is provided to operate the solenoid valves in a related manner so that one winch is to be capable of rotating at semi-engaging when the other winch is set to be in a winding state with automatic brake operated.
US08636081B2	Rotary hammer A rotary hammer includes a motor, a spindle coupled to the motor for receiving torque from the motor, a piston at least partially received within the spindle for reciprocation therein, a striker received within the spindle for reciprocation in response to reciprocation of the piston, and an anvil received within the spindle and positioned between the striker and a tool bit. The rotary hammer also includes a retainer received within the spindle for selectively securing the striker in an idle position in which it is inhibited from reciprocating within the spindle, and an O-ring positioned between the retainer and the spindle. The O-ring is disposed around an outer peripheral surface of the anvil. The O-ring is compressible in response to the striker assuming the idle position. The compressed O-ring imparts a frictional force on the outer peripheral surface of the anvil to decelerate the anvil.
US08636080B2	Handheld power tool having a shiftable mechanism A handheld power tool with a shiftable mechanism, which is adjustable between two operating positions, has a coupling spring that is coupled with an adjustable shifting member of the mechanism. The coupling spring is embodied as a metastable spring.
US08636079B2	Method of operating a rotary tool A method of operating a rotary tool driven by a brushless motor including a DC brushless motor for rotationally driving a rotary bit, a torque setting clutch mechanism, a drive switch for drive-controlling a drive control circuit of the brushless motor, and a control means to rotationally drive the brushless motor by an operation of the drive switch and wherein the method includes a first step for stop-controlling of the drive control circuit, a second step for rotating forward or in reverse the brushless motor through the control and a third step for control-operating a semiconductor of an inverter circuit provided in the drive control circuit to short-circuit the magnetizing windings of the brushless motor, thus braking the rotor of the brushless motor and stopping the brushless motor.
US08636077B2	Agricultural tool with structural housing for hydraulic actuator An agricultural row unit having a support frame, a structural support housing coupled to the support frame, and a swing arm having a leading end pivotably coupled to the structural support housing. An agricultural tool is coupled to a trailing end of the swing arm, and a hydraulic actuator is mounted to and fully enclosed within the structural support housing. The hydraulic actuator adjustably urges the agricultural tool downwardly toward a soil surface such that vertical pivoting movement is permitted in response to terrain changes in the soil surface.
US08636073B2	Segmented ball seat assembly valve The segmented ball seat valve is an annular communication valve normally installed in a string of pipe that is to be deployed to a depth within a well. The segmented ball seat valve provides communication between the inside of the pipe and the well bore or casing through open ports. The segmented ball seat valve can be closed to shut off communication by dropping/pumping a ball to the segmented ball seat valve and applying pressure to close the valve. The application of pressure causes the ball seat assembly to move downward into an enlarged portion of the bore. The segments of the seat assembly move outward in the enlarged area to permit passage of the ball.
US08636067B2	Method and apparatus for performing cementing operations on top drive rigs A remotely operated lifting top drive cement head is provided having a high tensile strength, as well as the ability to swivel or rotate about a central vertical axis. The cement head permits selective launching of darts, setting plugs, balls or other objects which can be held in place within the cement head without being damaged or washed away by slurry flow, but which can be beneficially launched into said slurry flow at desired point(s) during the cementing process. The internal components of the cement head can be easily accessed using interrupted thread connections that can be quickly and easy connected and disconnected in the field without requiring specialized equipment. The cement head can be rigged up and remotely operated without requiring the lifting of personnel off the rig floor to actuate the tool or observe tool status.
US08636065B2	Heterogeneous proppant placement in a fracture with removable channelant fill A method of heterogeneous proppant placement in a subterranean fracture is disclosed. The method comprises injecting well treatment fluid including proppant (16) and proppant-spacing filler material called a channelant (18) through a wellbore (10) into the fracture (20), heterogeneously placing the proppant in the fracture in a plurality of proppant clusters or islands (22) spaced apart by the channelant (24), and removing the channelant filler material (24) to form open channels (26) around the pillars (28) for fluid flow from the formation (14) through the fracture (20) toward the wellbore (10). The proppant and channelant can be segregated within the well treatment fluid, or segregated during placement in the fracture. The channelant can be dissolvable particles, initially acting as a filler material during placement of the proppant in the fracture, and later dissolving to leave the flow channels between the proppant pillars. The well treatment fluid can include fibers to provide reinforcement and consolidation of the proppant and, additionally or alternatively, to inhibit settling of the proppant in the treatment fluid.
US08636064B2	Formation evaluation while drilling In one embodiment, a sampling while drilling tool includes a drill collar having a first end, a second end, an outer wall extending between the first and second ends, and at least one opening extending through the outer wall to a cavity within the drill collar. The sampling while drilling tool also includes a sample chamber positionable in the cavity through the opening in the outer wall and a passage for conducting a drilling fluid through the drill collar.
US08636062B2	System and method for downhole communication A method of servicing a wellbore extending from a surface and penetrating a subterranean formation is provided. The method comprises placing a assembly in the wellbore, wherein the assembly comprises at least a first downhole tool, a signal receiver subassembly, and a conveyance between the first downhole tool and the surface. The method further comprises the signal receiver subassembly receiving a first signal generated by contact between the wellbore and the assembly and initiating a first function of the first downhole tool based on the first signal.
US08636057B2	Shear coupling assembly for use with rotary and reciprocating pumps A shear coupling assembly utilizes a second coupling member, a first coupling member and a locking member which is inserted into a bore in the first coupling member to connect between the second coupling member and the first coupling member. In embodiments where a pretension is applied to the shear neck, the locking member maintains the pretension in the shear neck. The bore of the first coupling member has a profiled section which corresponds to a profiled section on the second coupling member which when mated together permit torque to be transferred for co-rotating the second coupling member with the first coupling member for use in rotary pump operations. Advantageously, the profiled portions and the shear neck are encased in the bore of the shear coupling assembly and are protected from corrosive wellbore fluids.
US08636052B2	Dual-fluid heat exchanger An integrated circuit dual-fluid heat exchanger has a housing containing first and second immiscible fluids. A heat-introducing base element contacts the first fluid. A heat-receiving surface on the base element is configured for interfacial contact with a heat-radiating surface of an integrated circuit device. A heat-removing condenser element contacts the second fluid, or is separated therefrom by a gap. The first and second fluids are selected to controllably remove heat from the integrated circuit device by forming heated mass units of the first fluid that migrate through the second fluid and come into contact with the condenser element, where they are cooled and allowed to return to the base element. A heat-expulsion portion on the condenser element is configured to dissipate heat removed by the condenser element to an exterior environment outside the heat exchanger.
US08636043B2	Pneumatic tire A pneumatic tire exhibiting high traction performance. A center circumferential groove (14) is provided on the equator (CL) of the tread (12), and between shoulder circumferential grooves (18) on both sides of the center circumferential groove (14) are arranged first lateral grooves (20) formed at a smaller angle relative to the axial direction of the tire than the first lateral groove (20). One end of each first lateral groove (20) and one end of each second lateral groove (22) are made to merge at a shoulder circumferential groove (18), and shoulder lateral grooves (23) are arranged on the outer side of each shoulder circumferential groove (18). Each shoulder lateral groove (23) extends from the merging portion toward a tread end (12E) and is formed at a smaller angle relative to the axial direction of the tire than that of the first lateral groove (20). Because the angle of the shoulder lateral grooves (23) relative to the axial direction of the tire is less, traction performance of the tire increases.
US08636042B2	Tyre equipped for attaching an object to a wall thereof A tire is described that includes a casing defining a cavity and equipped to receive an object, such as an electronic circuit, for example, through use of a two-part attachment, such as a touch-close attachment, of which a first part is fixed to a wall of the casing and a second part can be joined to the first part when placed in contact with the first part to keep the object on the casing in a service position. The first part of the attachment includes connection elements that are an integral part of the wall of the casing of the tire. The connection elements allow these two parts to have freedom to move relative to each other, thereby limiting the transmission of stresses, which affect the wall of the tire, to the object. The connection elements may be loops of flexible thread formed by the extremities of turns of a coiled thread integrated into the wall of the tire during the tire's manufacture.
US08636041B2	Methods and devices for delivering fluid to a reservoir of a fluid delivery device Medical devices and methods for delivering therapeutic fluids transcutaneously to a body of a patient via a fluid delivery device and an adapter is provided. A Luer slip connector is provided at a first connecting end of the adapter. A therapeutic fluid container is connected with the second connecting end such that the container's neck is received in the second connecting end and a hollow penetrating member provided in the adapter punctures the septum of the container to admit the therapeutic fluid into a needle-less syringe from the container. After, fluid emerges from the tip of the penetrating member, the second connecting end of the adapter is attached to the fluid delivery device, thereby filling the reservoir with the fluid and pushing the syringe plunger forward to inject fluid into reservoir.
US08636040B2	Installation for packaging NO using mass flow meters An installation for packaging a gaseous NO/N2 mixture into at least one container from a source (1) of gaseous NO and a source (2) of gaseous nitrogen is disclosed. The installation uses at least one filling system (3) comprising one or more filling stations (24) for gas containers (25). A first gas line (11) is fluidically connected to the source (1) of gaseous NO and to the filling system (3), and a second gas line (12) is fluidically connected to the source (2) of gaseous nitrogen and to the filling system (3). The first gas line (11) and the second gas line (12) each has a mass flow meter (4, 5), each mass flow meter (4, 5) being connected (14, 15) to a control device (6) collaborating with each mass flow meter (4, 5).
US08636037B2	Flexible tube for fluid transport In a flexible tube for fluid transport, a resin layer is on the outer periphery of an interlocked tube for shielding the fluid flowing within the interlocked tube. An internal-pressure-resistant reinforcing layer is on the outer periphery of the resin layer for reinforcing primarily against internal pressure, etc. of the fluid flowing within the interlocked tube. An axial-force reinforcing layer is on the outer periphery of the internal-pressure-resistant reinforcing layer for primarily suppressing the interlocked tube from deforming in the axial direction of the flexible tube. The axial-force reinforcing layer is formed from alternately winding two layers of reinforcing strips with a long pitch. The reinforcing strips are each configured from a metal strip, a resin layer that covers the strip, and the like. The resin layer is resin to which a microparticulate sulfide-trapping material has been added.
US08636033B2	Microfluidic device initialization method, microfluidic device initialization apparatus and microfluidic device package In a method for initialization of a microfluidic device including a first substrate including a microfluidic channel disposed therein, a valve seat disposed in a microfluidic channel and protruding from the first substrate, and a second substrate disposed opposite to the first substrate and including a space formed therein and corresponding to the valve seat, and a polymer film disposed between the first and second substrates, the method includes separating the polymer film from a surface of the valve seat by applying a positive pressure into the microfluidic channel of the first substrate and applying a negative pressure into the space of the second substrate.
US08636032B2	Acoustical fluid control mechanism An acoustical fluid control mechanism and a method of controlling fluid flow of a working fluid with the acoustical fluid control mechanism are provided. The mechanism comprises a resonance chamber that defines a cavity. The resonance chamber has a port. The cavity is sealed from the ambient but for the port for enabling oscillatory flow of a working fluid into and out of the cavity upon exposure of the resonance chamber to an acoustic signal containing a tone at a frequency that is substantially similar to a particular resonance frequency of the resonance chamber. The mechanism further includes a rectifier for introducing directional bias to the oscillatory flow of the working fluid through the port. The rectifier has an inlet connected to the port and an outlet for transmitting the directional flow of the working fluid away from the cavity. The outlet is in fluid communication with the port of the resonance chamber at least during transmission of the directional flow of the working fluid therethrough.
US08636031B2	Two eductor / four-way selector valve assembly A selector valve assembly controlling the flow of different flow paths of fluid. The assembly includes a body member having a compartment with an end wall, an outlet passage in the end wall, two ports connected to the body member and communicating with the outlet passage in the end wall, and two passages communicating with the compartment. A rotatable member is sealable positioned in the compartment and has a side wall and an end wall. A first passageway extends a distance into the rotatable member from the end wall thereof and a second passageway extends through the side wall thereof and communicates with the first passageway. Rotation of the rotatable member selectively orients the second passageway with each of the two passages to cause liquid in the two passages to pass to the first and second passageways and subsequently to the outlet passage and at least one of the ports.
US08636030B2	Arm to distribute concrete and relative production method An arm to distribute concrete comprising a plurality of articulated segments selectively able to be folded back and extended with respect to each other, made of composite material, wherein at least one of said segments comprises at least a first tract and a second tract, each having a constant cross section, wherein the section size of the first tract is different from the section size of the second tract, a connection tract being provided between said first tract and said second tract.
US08636028B2	Refillable propane cylinder and valve assembly therefore A propane system including a refillable and reusable propane cylinder having a volume configured for containing no more than about one pound of propane and a valve assembly detachably coupled to the cylinder. The valve assembly includes a swivel outlet connector configured for operatively coupling the valve assembly to an appliance, a manually activated flow valve arranged for selectively preventing a flow of propane from the cylinder to the appliance, a relief valve and a fixed liquid level gauge configured for alerting a safe filling level of the propane cylinder during cylinder refilling. A back check valve is contained at least partially within a space defined by the swivel outlet connector for selectively allowing the flow of propane out of the valve assembly to a propane fueled appliance or into the valve assembly from a propane source and into the cylinder.
US08636019B2	In-situ removal of semiconductor process residues from dry pump surfaces The present invention relates to vacuum processing systems in which process gases are introduced in a process chamber and are exhausted through a vacuum processing system exhaust path. Deposits made by the exhausted gases in one or more dry vacuum pumps are removed by introducing hydrofluoric acid upstream of the dry pump while the processing chamber is idle. The hydrofluoric acid is introduced upstream of the dry pump through a nozzle in the foreline or at the inlet to the dry pump.
US08636017B2	Method of washing eggs A method of washing eggs in a manner which allows controlling the level of pollutants of the washing fluid. At least two sprayer units are located over a conveyor in which eggs to be washed travel in a conveying direction. The eggs are engaged by a brush at each sprayer station. At least two sprayer units located over the conveyor receive washing fluid, spray the washing fluid over the eggs and collect the washing fluid in a collector. The intake of washing fluid, the spraying of the washing fluid and the collecting of the washing fluid at each of the sprayer units is confined to that sprayer unit. Each sprayer unit except the farthest downstream sprayer unit receives washing fluid from the collector of the next downstream sprayer unit.
US08636013B2	Instrument for applying a composition to hair or the nails and a related method of manufacture An instrument for applying a composition to hair or nails includes a core made as a single piece that extends longitudinally along a mean longitudinal axis. The instrument includes a plurality of applicator projections for applying the composition to hair or nails. The applicator projections are carried by the core and are spread out helically along the core. The helical spreading of the projections is obtained by twisting the core. The projections are disposed on the core, prior to twisting the core, along at least three distinct radial directions about the mean longitudinal axis. The instrument further includes a twister element to which the core is attached such that the twisted nature of the core is imparted by the twister element.
US08636010B2	Endotracheal cuff and technique for using the same An inflatable balloon cuff may be adapted to seal a patient's trachea when associated with an endotracheal tube. Configurations of these cuffs that include tapered regions with certain characteristics, such as cuff wall diameter and thickness, may provide improved sealing of the trachea.
US08636007B2	Patient interface systems A patient interface system for delivery of a supply of air at positive pressure to the entrance of a patient's airways for treatment of sleep disordered breathing includes an air delivery tube connected to a flexible portion of a plenum; a vent structure having sufficient rigidity to support its own weight under gravity and/or not to block or fold under tube movement or tube drag; and a patient interface structure. The patient interface structure includes a seal forming structure arranged on a top portion of the plenum; and a seal positioning and stabilizing structure connected to a flexible portion of the plenum. The seal-forming structure is substantially decoupled from a tube drag force.
US08636005B2	Breathing assistance apparatus A user interface (22) with headgear (29) is disclosed where a flexible conduit (24) supplies gases to the patient interface and the conduit is connected to the headgear by a sliding connection or support portion (26). In one form headgear may include a transverse strap which the conduit is attached to. In other forms various sliding straps constrain the conduit such that forces on the conduit are transferred to the headgear not the interface. Interface vertical height and angular adjustment mechanisms are also disclosed.
US08636001B2	Dry powder inhaler and system for drug delivery A breath-powered, dry powder inhaler, a cartridge, and a pulmonary drug delivery system are provided. The dry powder inhaler can be provided with or without a unit dose cartridge for using with the inhaler. The inhaler and/or cartridge can be provided with a drug delivery formulation comprising, for example, a diketopiperazine and an active ingredient, including, peptides and proteins such as insulin and glucagon-like peptide 1 for the treatment of diabetes and/or obesity. The dry powder inhaler is compact; can be provided in various shapes and sizes, colors, and comprises a housing, a mouthpiece, a cartridge placement area, and a mechanism for opening and closing the medicament cartridge. The device is easy to manufacture, provides a pre-metered single unit dose, it is relatively easy to use, and can be reusable or disposable.
US08635994B1	Multilayer composite limbs for an archery bow An archery bow comprises a central riser, first and second bow limbs attached to the riser, and a draw cable coupled to the bow limbs. Each bow limb comprises a multilayer composite structure having a compression layer, a tension layer, and an intermediate layer between the compression and tension layers, with the limbs arranged so that drawing the bow causes each limb to bend toward its corresponding compression layer. Each layer comprises corresponding fibers embedded in a corresponding polymer matrix. Elastic moduli of the compression and tension layers are each smaller than that of the intermediate layer. A method comprises attaching the first and second bow limbs to the riser and coupling the draw cable to the limbs. Another method can further comprise forming each bow limb by embedding the corresponding fibers of each layer in the corresponding polymer matrix, and curing the corresponding polymer matrix.
US08635991B2	Approach for controlling fuel flow with alternative fuels A fuel pump temperature is regulated by selectively directing liquid fuel to an expansion section to evaporate the liquid fuel and create a drop in temperature to thermally cool the fuel pump.
US08635984B2	Oil module comprising an integrated cooling water channel The invention relates to an oil module of a water-cooled internal combustion engine, comprising an oil filter, oil and water channels, a water pump and a thermostatic valve which opens various temperature-dependent water circuits. One water channel starts behind the thermostatic valve in the direction of flow and leads to the suction side of the water pump inside the oil module. The oil module has a housing to which at least one additional functional component is connected. The water channel extends along two sides of the housing which are oriented at an angle in relation to each other, both sides of said channel respectively opening on both sides on at least one sub-section of their length onto the surface of the housing and being closed, respectively by means of a cover to form a channel cross-section that is closed on all sides.
US08635982B2	Piston for an internal combustion engine and method for its production A method for producing a piston for an internal combustion engine, composed of first and second piston components, has the following steps: (a) providing a blank of the first piston component composed of a tempered or precipitation-hardened steel, having at least one joining surface, (b) providing a blank of the second piston component composed of a tempered or precipitation-hardened steel, having at least one joining surface, (c) tempering or precipitation-hardening the blanks, (d) friction-welding the joining surfaces of the blanks to produce a piston blank, with the formation of at least one friction-welding seam and a heat influence zone in the region of the at least one friction-welding seam, (e) annealing or low-stress annealing of the piston blank, thereby obtaining the heat influence zone(s), (f) re-machining and/or finishing the piston blank to produce a piston. A piston so produced is also provided.
US08635973B1	Artificial mangrove assembly An artificial mangrove assembly, including: a mounting assembly for attachment to a surface at least partially submerged in a body of water; and respective pluralities of first and second root elements. Each first root element is fixedly secured to the mounting assembly at a respective first connection point, extends downward in a first direction from the respective first connection point, and includes a respective first distal end arranged to contact a bottom of the body of water. Each second root element is fixedly secured to a respective first root element at a respective second connection point and includes: a respective first portion extending downward in the first direction with respect to the respective second connection point; a respective second portion extending outward with respect to the respective second connection point in the second direction; and a respective second distal end arranged to contact the bottom of the body of water.
US08635971B2	Tunable uniformity in a plasma processing system A method of tuning the uniformity of a plasma with a large sheath potential by locally affecting the density of a plasma is provided. The method comprises illuminating a body exposed to the plasma with electromagnetic radiation from a source, wherein the body and the source are cooperatively configured such that the body will generate photoelectrons upon exposure to the radiation from the source. An example of such electromagnetic radiation is vacuum ultraviolet light, and an example of such a body is the edge ring surrounding a semiconductor substrate. Photoelectrons emitted from the edge ring, captured by the plasma, and accelerated into the plasma with sufficient energy to cause ionization, locally increase plasma density. The source of radiation can be a plurality of discrete sources or one or more extended sources. The source can be arranged to provide substantively uniform illumination, or can illuminate according to a non-uniform intensity distribution to compensate for existing non-uniformities in the plasma density or in the plasma process. Such sources can be embedded in the inner or outer electrode part of a multi-piece showerhead electrode assembly, or elsewhere in the chamber.
US08635969B2	Device for guiding a metal strip immersed in a liquid metal bath A device for guiding a strip through a liquid contained in a tank, includes an immersed diverting roller, in particular a roller immersed in a bath of liquid metal such as zinc, mounted rotatably about an axis on two aligned supporting shafts extending through two respective side walls of the tank, and each rotating in a centering bearing positioned outside of the tank. Each bearing of one shaft of the roller includes two rotary supporting members mounted in a fixed housing and spaced apart from each other, namely an outer supporting member and an inner supporting member. The housing of the bearing is held against a support plane formed on the wall and perpendicular to the axis of a hole through which the shaft passes. The wall has measures for centering the housing on the axis.
US08635961B2	Profiling method and apparatus A method and apparatus (10) for forming in a single pass operation, a profiled planting mound for growing of a crop from planted seeds or billets by using a pair of spaced tools (37) to displace soil inwardly towards each other. A central bed is formed between the displaced soil onto which billets or seeds may be deposited through a guide or chute (13). Covering discs (78,79) are provided to move soil to cover the billets or seeds and a press wheel assembly (81) is used for pressing the soil in the mound and form the desired profile in the mound.
US08635954B2	Ink trap method and an ink trap apparatus A film F in the form of a belt which is provided in a manner to be fed out and wound up is wound on a trap roller 11 which is provided opposite to a blanket 4 of a blanket wheel 3 via a contacting and withdrawing mechanism 12. The film F is caused to contact the blanket 4 to remove surplus ink or blurring ink. By this arrangement, ink trap can be made by contacting an always clean film and ink trap can also be made with a simple mechanism for contacting and withdrawing the trap roller.
US08635952B2	Machine plate for printer and printer The present invention provides a machine plate for a printer which can be readily and accurately attached to the printer. A machine plate 2 is characterized in that a rectangular sheet 19 of an elastic material is formed into a cylindrical shape with opposite end portions of the sheet 19 superposed on each other and joined together, thereby forming a cylindrical plate body 17; an end portion of the sheet 19 located on the inner side of a joint portion 20 is bent inward, thereby forming an engagement portion 21; and a form area 18 is provided at a predetermined portion of the outer circumferential surface of the machine-plate body 17 excluding the joint portion 20.
US08635947B2	Barbecue firebox and method of operation A barbecue cooking apparatus is provided. The barbecue cooking apparatus includes a firebox comprising a housing having solid walls. A charcoal tray is disposed within the housing, and one or more vents are disposed in the housing above the charcoal tray. One or more vents are disposed in the charcoal tray. An upper interior chamber within the housing above the charcoal tray is configured to hold wood and charcoal. A lower interior chamber within the housing below the charcoal tray is configured to provide a volume for the collection of wood ash. A duct is attached to the housing and forms a passageway from the lower interior chamber for heated air and wood smoke.
US08635942B2	Lifter structure A lifter structure applied to an internal combustion engine and is actuated by a cam, includes a cylindrical lifter guide, a lifter body reciprocally moved in the guide while sliding on an inner circumferential surface of the guide, with drive of the cam, a pair of opposed walls continuous to an end of the lifter body, a pin extending through holes of the opposed walls and having two ends swaged onto outer surfaces of the opposed walls respectively, a roller disposed between the opposed walls, plural swaging side regions located at the same sides of the outer circumferential surface of the lifter body as the outer surfaces of the opposed walls, plural swaging side opposite regions located opposite the swaging side regions respectively, and plural escape recesses formed in the swaging side opposite regions so as to be spaced from the swaging side regions respectively.
US08635937B2	Systems and methods for launching munitions Systems and methods for launching munitions are provided. In some embodiments, the system may include a launcher coupled to a vehicle and configured to retain a munition during transport by a vehicle and configured to route electrical signals from the vehicle to the munition. The system may also include a flexible, peel-away connector coupled to the launcher, the peel-away connector comprising an adhesive for coupling to at least a portion of the munition. The flexible, peel-away connector may be configured to route electrical signals from the launcher to the munition during transport and detach from the munition as the munition exits from the launcher during a launch.
US08635935B2	Shear deflection detection A through beam shear angle change, cutting blade deflection detector including a cutting member within a shear box of a recycling machine, a through beam sensor including an emitter disposed on the cutting member and a receiver disposed on the cutting member, the receiver being disposed relative to the emitter for receiving a signal emitted from the emitter, and a controller connected to at least the receiver, the controller being configured to determine an amount of cutting member deflection based on an output of the receiver.
US08635933B2	Screwstrip advance mechanism and feeder for a power screwdriver A power screwdriver is disclosed including a screw advance mechanism for advancing a screwstrip, and a hinged feed track for feeding the screwstrip to the screw advance mechanism.
US08635931B2	Flexible flywheel The invention relates to a flexible flywheel (2), in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising at least two stacked flexible discs (9, 10, 11). The inner peripheries (12) of the flexible discs are secured to a drive shaft, and the outer peripheries (30) of are secured to an inertia mass (31). Each flexible disc (9, 10, 11) includes at least two parallel flat parts (15, 16, 17), which are offset axially (D1, D2) and connected to one another by a curved part (18, 19). The curved parts (18, 19) of the discs (9, 10, 11) are substantially nested one inside the other, characterized in that, in at least one region adjacent to a curved part, the discs (9, 10, 11) are spaced one from the other so as to form a space (23, 27, 29) which facilitates the axial deformation of the discs (9, 10, 11).
US08635927B2	Speed change device of a transmission A speed change device for shifting the gear of a transmission by using a cylindrical drum that reciprocally moves and rotates, featuring the structure of a compact size and excellent operability. To execute the shifting operation, the speed change device of the invention uses a cylindrical drum 4 that reciprocally moves in the axial direction and is rotatably supported. Fork pins FP1 to FP4 coupled to a plurality of forks of the transmission are fitted into drum grooves 41 to 44 formed in the cylindrical surface of the cylindrical drum. In each drum groove, there are formed small width portions of a width nearly equal to that of the fork pin and large width portions wider than the small width portions in a manner that the fork pin positioned at the small width portion is shifted. To shift the gear, the cylindrical drum 4 is rotated by a select motor 6 to select the fork pin positioned at the small width portion. Next, a threaded shaft 1 is rotated by a shift motor 7 to move the cylindrical drum 4 in the axial direction to thereby shift the selected fork pin.
US08635920B2	Particle detector A particle detector (10) has a particle sensing surface (12) and a detecting layer (13). Provided on the particle sensing surface (12) is a random arrangement of projecting dactyls (15) which form boundaries to confinement cages (14). Only those particles having a size and shape that permits them to fit into the confinement cages between the dactyls are detected. The particle detector (10) advantageously is adapted to identify a large variety of different particles using the same detector.
US08635914B2	Acoustic sensor system, acoustic signature simulator, and electrical distribution system An acoustic sensor system includes a first plurality of acoustic sensors, and an acoustic transmitter structured to generate acoustic noise to mimic acoustic noise induced by an electrical conductivity fault. A smaller second number of acoustic sensors of the first plurality of acoustic sensors are structured to identify a plurality of locations in an electrical distribution system having a plurality of electrical joints, in order that the smaller second number of acoustic sensors can monitor the plurality of electrical joints of the electrical distribution system.
US08635912B2	Recording medium determination apparatus and image forming apparatus The timing of obtaining an output value for use in a determination of a recording medium is generated from a received ultrasonic wave and a waveform generated by delaying the ultrasonic wave, whereby it is possible to reduce an influence of a reflection wave from the peripheral members and an influence of a change in the environment to improve the accuracy of determination of the recoding medium.
US08635909B2	Vibrating micromechanical sensor of angular velocity The invention relates to measuring devices to be used in the measuring of angular velocity and, more precisely, to vibrating micromechanical sensors of angular velocity. In a sensor of angular velocity according to the invention, a mass is supported to the frame of the sensor component by means of an asymmetrical spring structure (1), (2), (3), (4), (22), (24) in such a way, that the coupling from one mode of motion to another, conveyed by the spring (1), (2), (3), (4), (22), (24), cancels or alleviates the coupling caused by the non-ideality due to the skewness in the springs or in their support. The structure of the sensor of angular velocity according to the invention enables reliable measuring with good performance, particularly in small vibrating micromechanical solutions for sensors of angular velocity.
US08635908B2	Fluid tilt sensor within ink tank supply item for micro-fluid applications A container for holding a volume of fluid and having a housing defining an interior for retaining the volume of fluid; at least one in-tank tilt sensor connected to a controller and disposed inside the housing for generating a signal corresponding to a level of fluid inside the housing; and a support material attached to the housing and connected to the at least one in-tank tilt sensor to mechanically support the at least one in-tank tilt sensor such that the at least one in-tank tilt sensor is not in direct contact with the fluid inside the housing. The in-tank tilt sensor detects a change in fluid level which may only be caused by tilting of the imaging device. When tilting is registered, protective action is taken to prevent fluid from leaking.
US08635907B2	Real-time completion monitoring with acoustic waves A method for monitoring fluid flow through a downhole device, comprises a) providing an acoustic tube wave in fluid in the device; b) measuring the acoustic tube wave after it has passed through the fluid in the device; and c) assessing the permeability of the device by measuring the attenuation of the acoustic signal. Changes in velocity of the acoustic signal may also be measured. The device may be a permeable downhole device such as a sand screen the measurements in step b) are made using a plurality of sensors deployed in the hole. The method may further including the step of cross-correlating a signal received at a first receiver with signals received at additional sensors so as to obtain an effective response as if the signal had been emitted from a source at the position of said first receiver.
US08635906B2	Tracking filter apparatus for wheel monitoring systems A wheel monitoring system that includes a tracking filter apparatus for tracking a signal that has a varying main frequency. The tracking filter apparatus has an adjustable filter and a filter controller arranged to measure the amplitude of the filtered signal and to compare amplitude against a reference value. The filter controller adjusts the cut off frequency of the filter if the measured amplitude differs from the reference value by an amount that exceeds a threshold value. The filter controller adjusts the cut off frequency such that the main frequency lies within the roll off region of the filter's frequency response. The system may be used to track signals that are produced by shock sensors in a wheel mounted monitoring device.
US08635899B2	Flame safety system for in SITU process analyzer A method of operating a process a combustion analyzer having a measurement cell is provided. The method includes exposing the measurement cell to exhaust of a combustion process where fuel and oxygen are combined in a burner to produce a flame. The measurement cell is heated to a temperature above a flashpoint of the fuel. When a condition is detected, such as a fault or abnormal situation, gas is directed to the measurement cell to form a gaseous barrier between the measurement cell and unburned fuel while the detected condition exists. Once the condition abates, the gas flow is disengaged and process combustion gas measurements are provided.
US08635891B1	Combination lock incorporating combination The hasp type combination lock incorporates the numeric combination for the lock on the hasp thereof in a manner where the numeric combination is visible when the hasp is open and not visible when the hasp is closed.
US08635884B2	Multi-cylinder rotary compressor and refrigeration cycle apparatus A compression mechanism units include cylinder chambers into which a low-pressure gas is introduced, vanes contained in a vane groove, and a spring body that always causes compression operation in the cylinder chambers by providing an elastic force to a rear-end portion of one of the vanes, includes a pressure switching mechanism that switches to perform compression operation by guiding a high-pressure gas/not to perform the compression operation by guiding a low-pressure gas, is provided with a lubricating oil communication path communicatively connecting a oiling groove and a oil stagnant portion, and opposing the oiling groove to a portion other than the lubricating oil communication path when the vanes are in a top dead center position.
US08635882B2	Automotive air-conditioning system One examples provides an automotive air-conditioning system provided with: a thermal unit having a condenser and an evaporator configured to be traversed by a refrigerant fluid and a hydraulic circuit, which is configured to be traversed by a carrier fluid and has a first portion provided with a first heat exchanger, a second portion provided with a second heat exchanger, a hot portion extending through the condenser, and a cold portion extending through the evaporator, a valve device being configured to connect selectively either the hot portion or the cold portion to the first portion and the second portion.
US08635880B2	Refrigerator having a plurality of storage containers and control method of the same A refrigerator having a valve to control the supply of a refrigerant to a plurality of storage chambers and a control method of the same. An opening time rate of the valve is changed based on modes of the storage chambers to control the amount of the refrigerant supplied to the storage chambers, thereby avoiding concentration of the refrigerant in one of the storage chambers and thus preventing refrigerant shortage in the other storage chambers. Also, left and right temperature deviation of each storage chamber is reduced, thereby achieving uniform temperature distribution of each storage chamber.
US08635875B2	Gas turbine engine exhaust mixer including circumferentially spaced-apart radial rows of tabs extending downstream on the radial walls, crests and troughs A gas turbine engine exhaust mixer has a plurality of circumferentially distributed alternating inner and outer lobes. The outer lobes protrude into the annular bypass passage of the engine, whereas the inner lobes protrude into the main gas path passage of the engine. The inner and outer lobes respectively define alternating troughs and crest with radial interconnecting walls therebetween. The mixer has a jagged trailing edge including a plurality of tabs extending from each radial wall between the troughs and the crests.
US08635874B2	Gas turbine combustor including an acoustic damper device An exemplary combustor includes at least a portion having an inner liner and an outer cover plate, which together form an interposed cooling chamber. A plurality of hollow elements extend from the liner and protrude into the cooling chamber. Each hollow element defines a damping volume connected to an inner volume of the combustion chamber via a calibrated duct. During operation, the hollow elements damp pressure pulsations and, in addition, also transfer heat.
US08635873B2	Compressed gas-driven device with passive thermodynamic composition The present invention is directed generally to a system and method which employ a compressed gas-driven device with a passive thermodynamic composition. Certain embodiments provide a compressed gas-driven (e.g., CO2-driven) device implementation that includes a passive thermodynamic composition which allows for extended use of the device without freezing and without requiring a persistently-maintained, active (e.g., electrically-powered) heating. Further, certain embodiments provide a compressed gas-driven (e.g., CO2-driven) device implementation that includes a passive thermodynamic composition which allows for extended use of the device without freezing and without requiring an ignition heat source (e.g., electrically-powered or pyrotechnic as generator) for heating the device. In one embodiment, a CO2-driven sanitizing device is provided for dispensing a sanitizing solution, wherein a passive thermodynamic composition is employed for enabling substantially-continuous use of the sanitizing device for an extended time without requiring an on-board active heater.
US08635869B2	Turbocharging system for internal combustion engine A two-stage turbo system provided with an internal combustion engine includes, two turbo-superchargers driven by exhaust gas from the engine, control valves for switching between the flow path of intake gas sucked into the engine and the flow path of exhaust gas, and a control device for controlling the control valves and the turbo-superchargers. The two turbo-superchargers have the same turbine capacity, function respectively as the high-pressure side turbo-supercharger on the exhaust path upstream side and the low-pressure side turbo-supercharger on the exhaust path downstream side, and have, by switching between the flow paths by using the control valves, a series mode in which the two turbo-superchargers are serially connected to each other, a one-stage supercharging mode in which gas flows only to the high-pressure-side turbo-supercharger or only to the low-pressure-side turbo-supercharger, and a parallel mode in which the two turbo-superchargers are connected in parallel to each other.
US08635865B2	Diesel particulate filter including a heat exchanger An after treatment device includes a housing defining an inlet and an outlet. The after treatment device also includes a core positioned substantially within the housing. The core is configured to treat a fluid. The after treatment device further includes a heat exchanger positioned substantially within the housing and about at least a portion of the core. The heat exchanger includes a first passage substantially surrounding the at least a portion of the core and configured to direct untreated fluid from the inlet toward the core, and a second passage substantially surrounding the at least a portion of the core and configured to direct treated fluid from the core toward the outlet.
US08635858B2	Fluid-spray atomizer An exhaust aftertreatment system is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a catalyst, and injector positioned upstream from the catalyst, and a fluid-spray atomizer positioned between the catalyst and the injector. The fluid-spray atomizer includes a plurality of horizontal slats, wherein each horizontal slat is a different size and a smaller horizontal slat is nested at least partially inside a larger horizontal slat.
US08635857B2	Diesel particulate filter overstress mitigation Methods and systems for reducing overstress of a DPF are provided herein. One example of such a method is based on a radial temperature gradient near the exit face of the diesel particulate filter. In this way, it becomes possible to more closely correlate radial stresses to actual risk of DPF fracture.
US08635849B2	Method and system for introducing fluid into an airstream A preferred of operating a gas turbine engine having an inlet for receiving a stream of air to be compressed includes providing a first and a second set of interchangeable spray nozzles. Each of the nozzles in the first set is capable of discharging fluid supplied to the nozzle at a first pressure at a first flow rate. Each of the nozzles in the second set is capable of discharging fluid supplied to the nozzle at the first pressure at a flow rate that is different from the first flow rate.
US08635847B2	Apparatus and a system for twisting a string of wrapped and spun tobacco leaves An apparatus (5) for twisting a first string (10) of wrapped and spun tobacco leaves into a second string (20) of twisted tobacco leaves defines a first axis (30) extending substantially in the direction of the first string. The apparatus (5) includes a set of rollers (40, 50, 60) each defining a respective circumferential twisting surface (41, 51, 61) for contacting the first string, the circumferential twisting surfaces (41, 51, 61) being arranged so as to substantially confine the first string (10) therebetween so as to rotate the first string (10) and to cause the first string (10) to rotate and be twisted by means of the twisting surfaces (41, 51, 61), and simultaneously to cause the second string (20) to be conveyed along the first axis (30) and out of the apparatus (5).
US08635846B2	Fire retardant fabrics and methods for making the same A fire retardant fabric is manufactured from oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers having a fineness of about 0.5 to about 1.5 denier per fiber.
US08635845B1	Rotary brush harvesters and methods of using the same Automated rotary brush harvesters that reduce or prevent damage to fruit or other crops (“produce”) when they are removed from trees or bushes, and methods of using such harvesters are disclosed. The harvesters may include a brush having flexible radiating members (e.g., filaments or bristles) for removing crops from trees or bushes and a conveyor paired therewith for receiving the produce from the brush. The brush and conveyor may be angled to aid in collecting the produce and preventing damage to the produce. The conveyor may be configured to deliver the produce to one or more bins, which may be mounted on a bin elevator system.
US08635844B1	Method for harvesting bast plants A method for harvesting bast plants that have stalks, husks, and seeds. The method includes cutting the bast stalks from the bast plants and receiving the bast stalks onto a first belt. The method then orients at least a portion of the bast stalks on the first belt by moving a bar back and forth across the first belt in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction the first belt is moving, the bar elevated above the first belt and having spaced tines extending toward the first belt, the longitudinal axis of the at least a portion of the bast stalks being generally oriented in the direction the first belt is moving. The husks and seeds may be removed from the bast stalks. The bast stalks may be packaged.
US08635842B2	Flexible row crop header for an agricultural harvester A row crop header for a harvester having a subframe removably coupleable to a feeder housing of the harvester. A pivot assembly is supported by the subframe permitting first and second header sections to pivotably move between raised and lowered positions together or independently of the other. A cross-auger center suspension assembly rotatably supports one end of the first cross-auger section and one end of the second cross-auger section as the first and second header sections pivotally move between the raised and lowered positions.
US08635841B2	Center rear discharge deck To reduce the complexity, maintenance, and cost and increase reliability of a riding lawnmower employing a center rear discharge deck, the riding lawn mowers may be configured with a cutter engagement system which allows for a cutting system to be engaged and disengaged by a user without a motor clutching system. A riding lawn mower may comprise a center rear discharge deck having a single sided belt and a cutter engagement system. The cutter engagement system may be configured to interface with the belt to provide power and opposing rotation movement through one or more cutter engagements and/or gear boxes.
US08635837B2	Reduced footprint substrate interleaver for food preparation line A food processing system having a slicer/former for food preparations having a feed conveyor, a stacker for stacking food preparations, and n interleaver for inserting a substrate under a food preparation from the food slicer/former as it transitions to the stacker. The interleaver is arranged such that a portion of the interleaver is located beneath the feed conveyor of the slicer/former. The interleaver includes an interleaver conveyor which extends from the feed conveyor to the stacker in-feed conveyor, and an overall length of the interleaver conveyor is less than a length of the interleaver in order to provide a reduced footprint interleaver for new and retro-fit applications having a limited length for the food processing system.
US08635835B2	Hollow member A lightweight hollow member having excellent stiffness and impact properties and which is suitable for automotive parts due to having a high strength such as at least 780 MPa and a complicated shape is provided. A hollow member 11 has a hollow steel body 14. The body 14 is constituted by a single member at least in the lengthwise direction. The body 14 has a flat cross section having at least a portion with a maximum outer dimension L1 and a portion with an outer dimension L2 shorter than the maximum outer dimension L1. The body 14 has a twisted portion in a portion of its length. The angle of intersection between an imaginary plane 15a including the portion having the maximum outer dimension L1 in a first portion 15 present on one side of the body 14 in the lengthwise direction with the twisted portion 17 as a border and an imaginary plane 16a including the portion with the maximum outer dimension L1 in a second portion 16 present on the other side in the lengthwise direction of the body 14 with the twisted portion 17 as a border is at least 4 degrees. The twisted portion 17 has a tensile strength of at least 780 MPa.
US08635832B2	Mounting rail In an installation channel to be embedded into a curable construction material, e.g. concrete, having a support profile and preferably an attachment for attaching at least one add-on part to the installation channel, so that the outside of the support profile has a direct connection to the curable construction material at an embedding area, a potential fault block should be large so that large forces can be absorbed by the installation channel.A compressible insert is fastened to the outside of the support profile at the embedding area, so that part of the outside of the support profile is not in direct contact with the curable construction material at the embedding area.
US08635830B2	Systems and methods for constructing a building structure A system having a beam having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the first end and the second end, wherein the first end is offset relative to the longitudinal axis in a first direction, and wherein the second end is offset relative to the longitudinal axis in a second direction that is opposite of the first direction.
US08635823B2	Radiant insulating, venting and moisture control assembly The present invention comprises an effective manufactured insulation and ventilating assembly that can insulate a structure, usually in roofing or exterior wall applications, from conductive, convective and radiant heat. The radiant insulating and venting assembly is comprised of a rigid upper layer that is moisture resistant. The bottom layer of the assembly is made up of a radiant reflective surface. Between the rigid upper moisture resistant layer and the radiant reflective layer are non-collapsing air spacer columns, approximately ⅝ths to 1 inch in length, that create the needed air space for effective radiant heat reflection and air and moisture venting. The radiant reflective layer may be attached to the ends of the air spacers during the rigid upper layer and air spacer manufactured forming or the radiant reflective layer may be applied to the roof sheathing or rafters, or to the wall sheathing or wall stud members before the formed rigid layer with air spacers is applied to the roofing or wall application.
US08635813B2	Deployment mechanism for a retractable roof system for a large building structure A retractable roof system (30) for a large building structure (32) for selectively closing off an opening (39) of a fixed roof (34) of the building structure (32), the system includes at least one roof section (40) movably mountable on at least one pier (42). A deployment mechanism (46) is provided and includes ropes (66) and pulleys (68) appropriately mounted on the top section (50) of the pier (42). The ropes (66) extend from an actuating piston (60) to the movable part (44) of the top section (50).
US08635811B2	Screened gutter protection System, device and method for providing screened protection to gutters from clogging debris. Protection is provided by using a panel that includes rain siphoning louvered technology covered by a filter or screen. The rows of louvers are offset to direct water into the vertical openings. The louvered portion is dome shaped to permit the louvers to be vertical and to help debris roll off the sides. The filter is molded to the rows of louvers to conduct water to the vertical openings of the louvers. The filter or screen is secured to the panel by being laid in opposing hems on the two sides of the louvered portion of the panel and then by rolling beads or ribs onto the hemmed portions.
US08635804B1	Ghost head fishing lure A fishing jig includes a hook shank including i) a substantially straight portion extending along a first axis; ii) an angulated length forming a shoulder at a first upper end of the straight portion including a first section extending at an obtuse angle to the straight portion and a second section bent at a 45° away from the point, a place of intersection between the first section and the second section forming a crook in said angulated length; a malleable weight secured to the hook shank overlying the crook and iii) a line-tie eyelet formed at a terminal end of the second section. Molded soft plastic baits having pockets to receive the malleable weight are also a feature of the invention.
US08635802B2	Bowfishing reel seat A reel seat (5) for affixing a fishing reel (80) to an archery bow (1) using a threaded fastener (16) attached to a support shaft (9). The foot (6) of the fishing reel (80) rests upon the shaft (9) and is secured between a cap (7) and a rear bushing (8). The rear bushing (8) is stationary while the cap (7) is movable along the shaft (9). Screwing a threaded fastener (23) into the shaft (9) advances the removable cap (7) towards the stationary rear bushing (8) and decreases the separation of the rear bushing (8) and the cap (7). The decreased distance results in physical forces and friction being applied to the reel foot, supporting member, and said structures. Prior to fully tightening the fastener (23), the fishing reel (80) may be placed in an infinite number of circumferential positions (90, 91, 92) with respect to the longitudinal axis (86) of the shaft (9).
US08635800B2	Gun sight A sight assembly for a firearm is provided and may include a main body attached to the firearm and a pair of projections defining a first surface opposing a shooter and a second surface formed on an opposite side of the projections than the first surface. The first surface may be formed at an angle relative to a top surface of the firearm such that a bottom portion of the first surface disposed proximate to the top surface of the firearm is farther away from a shooter than a top portion of the first surface. The sight assembly may further include a U-shaped opening disposed between the pair of projections and in communication with a passage defined by the pair of projections, whereby the passage widens along a length of the pair of projections in a direction extending from the first surface to the second surface.
US08635799B2	Gun magazine-clip finger-tip supplemental-release tool A finger-tip device facilitating convenient release of a magazine-clip from a gun such as an AR-15 rifle, some of which magazine/release-buttons are configured with a statute-mandated recessed sub-button therein, requiring dexterous insertion of a separate pocket-carried cylindrical probe-tool is disclosed. An index-finger stall adapted with an insertion-pin is provided. Also disclosed is a self-retaining version, which attaches directly into the existing magazine/release sub-button The invention described herein enables the gun user to more efficiently dispatch the spent magazine-clip for a loaded one, in a safer and substantially more efficient time-&-motion manner.
US08635790B2	Amenities case An article having a primary use associated with an open position thereof, and a secondary use associated with a closed position thereof. The primary use is that of a piece of clothing, and the secondary use is that of a storage container. The article comprises a pouch portion (12) having an opening (20), the pouch constituting, in the open position of the article, a functional portion of said piece of clothing, and, in a the closed position of the article, a storage pocket.
US08635783B2	Surface measurement instrument and method A method of determining a correction parameter for use in effecting alignment of a component of a metrological apparatus in at least one direction is described which includes: positioning an artefact on a support surface of a turntable of the metrological apparatus so that a measurement surface of the artefact is asymmetric with respect to a rotation axis of the turntable in the at least one direction; using a measurement probe of the measurement instrument to make a first measurement of the measurement surface; rotating the turntable; using the measurement probe of the measurement instrument to make a second measurement of the measurement surface after rotation of the turntable; and determining a correction parameter from the first and second measurements.

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