| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08652032B2 |
Plug body and endoscope
A forceps plug includes a tubular plug main body, and a tubular fixing member rotatably held on the outer periphery of the plug main body. The inner peripheral surface of the fixing member is provided with a pair engaging claws. A ratchet mechanism that allows the fixing member to move to an incorporated location, an attachment position, a fixed position, and a removal position in order, but stops further movement to a position where the fixing member has moved once is provided between the inner peripheral surface of the plug main body and the outer peripheral surface of the fixing member. Since the fixing member of the used forceps plug removed from a opening is stopped from being to the fixed position by the ratchet mechanism, the fixing member cannot be fixed to the opening. Reuse of the used forceps plug can be made impossible without being accompanied by destruction. |
| US08652029B2 |
Intelligent endoscope systems and methods
Endoscope sheaths and associated endoscopy data collection and analysis systems and methods are described. In one implementation an endoscope sheath include a body and one or more sensors disposed in the body. The sheath may further include a leak detection apparatus configured to detect leaks in the sheath body. In addition, the sheath may include actuator apparatus, such as a balloon catheter or other surgical instrument. Data from the endoscope and endoscope sheath may be collected, fused and displayed for use in medical procedures and/or analysis. |
| US08652025B2 |
Methods and devices for diastolic assist
The devices and method described herein allow for therapeutic damage to increase volume in these hyperdynamic hearts to allow improved physiology and ventricular filling and to reduce diastolic filling pressure by making the ventricle less stiff. For example, improving a diastolic heart function in a heart by creating at least one incision in cardiac muscle forming an interior heart wall of the interior chamber where the at least one incision extends into one or more layers of the interior heart wall without puncturing through the interior heart wall and the incision is sufficient to reduce a stiffness of the interior chamber to increase volume of the chamber and reduce diastolic filing pressure. |
| US08652024B1 |
Sterilizable cable system for implantable blood pump
A implantable blood pump system includes a pump unit, a first percutaneous cable section, a control unit, and a second cable section connecting the control unit to the first cable section. All components except the control unit are sterilized. The connection between cable sections is removable. The connection between the control unit and second cable section is unremovable once it is assembled. The second cable section has a length sufficient to place an end outside of the sterile field for mating with the control unit during implantation. |
| US08652023B2 |
Health applications of a double helix conductor
An electrical system having an underlying structure resembling the double helix most commonly associated with DNA is used to produce useful electromagnetic fields for health applications and/or medical applications. |
| US08652020B2 |
Guide nozzle for use with filter rod manufacturing apparatus
A guide nozzle (112) for use with an apparatus (110) for the manufacture of filter rods for smoking articles. The guide nozzle comprises a support member (130) configured to be fixed relative to said apparatus for the manufacture of filter rods, a funnel (120) through which loose filter material is propelled, mounted to the support member and, an adjuster (140) mounted between the support member and the funnel to enable the relative position of the funnel and the support member to be adjusted to control the direction of flow of loose filter material propelled through the funnel. An apparatus for the manufacture of filter rods for smoking articles having such a guide nozzle, and a method of manufacturing a filter rod using the same. |
| US08652017B2 |
Ring saw cutting device
A device for cutting tubular and rod-shaped work pieces using the whirling method includes a whirling unit on which a holder mounted so as to rotate, connected with a drive, for a saw blade having internal teeth is disposed. The holder and saw blade are provided with corresponding reference mechanisms for fixation of the saw blade in a defined position. The device also includes a mechanism for automatic replacement of the saw blade. A saw blade having internal teeth is also provided for use in this device. The saw blade has at least two indexing bores and at least two gripping openings, which are disposed offset relative to one another. |
| US08652016B2 |
Collapsible and expandible exercise weight
A collapsible exercise weight comprises a first end wall portion, a second end wall portion and a peripheral outer wall that together define a substantially hollow interior. A capped aperture permits the ingress of water into and the egress of water from the substantially hollow interior. A handle connector is for connecting the collapsible exercise weight to a handle. The peripheral outer wall comprises a plurality of wide diameter bellows folds and a plurality of narrow diameter bellows folds disposed alternatingly one with the other. The wide diameter bellows folds and the narrow diameter bellows folds are each movable between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration. The narrow diameter bellows folds at least partially fit within adjacent ones of the wide diameter bellows folds when the narrow diameter bellows folds are in the collapsed configuration. |
| US08652011B2 |
Frame structure for a safety enclosure for a recreational structure
A frame structure for a safety enclosure for a recreational structure includes at least one substantially rigid horizontal support member, at least one vertical pole member having a top end, a substantially vertical portion and portion that is not substantially vertical, and at least one end cap member. The end cap member mates with the top end of the vertical pole member and releasably receiving a horizontal support member. In one exemplary embodiment, the vertical pole member can be part of a safety enclosure. In another exemplary embodiment, at least one horizontal support member is flexibly rigid. One exemplary embodiment provides a netting-type material that is attached to one of a horizontal support member and an end cap member, such that the netting-type material forms a substantially cylindrical shaped safety enclosure space. |
| US08652008B2 |
Power transmission apparatus
A power transmission apparatus mounted on a vehicle is provided with a motor that transmits power from the motor to an axle through a friction engagement element. The power transmission apparatus is further configured with a mechanical pump that pressure-feeds a fluid to a fluid pressure servo for the friction engagement element, and an electric pump that pressure-feeds the fluid to the fluid pressure servo of the friction engagement element. Furthermore, a lubrication supply passage is configured to connect to a flow passage extending from the electric pump to the fluid pressure servo. A first valve switches between opening and closing the lubrication supply passage such that, during a stop of the motor, so as to supply the fluid to the fluid pressure servo when in a driving position, and to the component to be lubricated when shifted to a neutral position. |
| US08652006B2 |
Method and apparatus for operating a powertrain system upon detecting a stuck-closed clutch
A powertrain system includes a multi-mode transmission having a plurality of torque machines. A method for controlling the powertrain system includes identifying all presently applied clutches including commanded applied clutches and the stuck-closed clutch upon detecting one of the torque-transfer clutches is in a stuck-closed condition. A closed-loop control system is employed to control operation of the multi-mode transmission accounting for all the presently applied clutches. |
| US08652002B2 |
Method of operating a torque converter clutch
A method of operating a torque converter clutch in an engine start-stop vehicle improves launch after an auto stop event. During the autostop event, hydraulic fluid is supplied to the torque converter clutch operator through one or more solenoid valves by an auxiliary electric pump. When the prime mover is started at the conclusion of the autostop event, the torque converter clutch is thus locked, assuring rapid and sufficient torque transfer through the torque converter to the transmission and improved acceleration during vehicle launch. As the vehicle accelerates, the hydraulic pressure in the clutch operator is reduced and slip through the clutch increased to achieve a smooth launch and return to conventional torque converter operation. |
| US08651999B2 |
Driving device
A drive device has an internal combustion engine, a first electrical machine, and a second electrical machine. The first electrical machine is at least indirectly connectable to the internal combustion engine. In addition, the drive device has an output which is at least indirectly connected to an output shaft. According to the invention, a switching device is provided, using which, in a first state, the internal combustion or the first electrical machine is connectable to the output shaft or, in a second state, the second electrical machine is connectable to the output shaft. |
| US08651997B2 |
Planetary gear reducer
In a planetary gear device, a first side plate as carrier is formed to a disc plate shape and secures thereto pins to protrude the pins from one end surface in an axial direction. The outside diameter of the first side plate is formed to be a small diameter on one side in the axial direction and a large diameter on the other side in the axial direction. The first side plate is provided with press-fitting hole portions with the pins press-fitted thereinto and small-diameter side concavities that are formed on the press-fitting hole portions on one side in the axial direction, that open to one end surface in the axial direction of the first side plate and that have internal surfaces being out of contact with the pins at at least parts thereof. |
| US08651992B2 |
Speed reducer, robot hand and robot
Through holes are formed in a revolving gear which revolves while being engaged with a ring gear, and penetration pins are inserted in the through holes. An elastic member having a circular ring shape, which is formed so that an inner diameter thereof can move with respect to an outer diameter thereof, is mounted to either an inner circumferential surface of the through hole or an outer circumferential surface of the penetration pin. Thus, the through hole and the penetration pin do not interfere with each other, and thus, it is possible to set a small clearance between the through hole and the penetration pin to such a degree, while preventing a speed reducer from being in a locked state due to interference. As a result, it is possible to suppress a backlash between the through hole and the penetration pin. |
| US08651987B2 |
Orientation system and method
A system and a method for orientation of a ring by rotation, including a cable engaging the ring which rotates about a ring axis, a motor assembly providing a first rotation reduction, and a stretcher for stretching the cable. The system has at least one proximal pulley and at least one distal pulley rotating about a pulley axis each pulley having grooves configured for receiving the cable therein. The ring is rotated by the motor assembly and the pulley assembly is configured to provide a second reduction of rotation to the ring relative to motor rotation, whereby the ring is driven via at least a double reduction of rotation relative to rotation of the motor, and the cable, the plurality of pulleys, and the ring provide a one-way mechanism. |
| US08651985B2 |
Racket frame
A racket frame 2 includes a head 4, a shaft 8, and a pair of throats 6 extending from the head 4 to the shaft 8. A flexural rigidity G15 of the throats 6 in a low load range (from 5 kgf to 15 kgf) is equal to or greater than 600 kgf/mm but equal to or less than 900 kgf/mm. A flexural rigidity G55 of the throats 6 in a high load range (from 45 kgf to 55 kgf) is equal to or greater than 900 kgf/mm but equal to or less than 1200 kgf/mm. A rigidity ratio (G15/G55) of the flexural rigidity G15 and the flexural rigidity G55 is equal to or greater than 0.70 but equal to or less than 0.85. |
| US08651984B2 |
Climate variable lacrosse heads and related methods of use
A first lacrosse head constructed from a first material having first properties or a second lacrosse head constructed from a second material having second properties is selectively used in lacrosse activities, based on environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity and/or solar activity, to provide generally consistent head performance as perceived by a lacrosse player across a range of environmental conditions. The first and second heads can be identical in structure, but constructed from different materials. For example, the first head can include a polyamide, optionally, Nylon 6,6 polyamide, and the second head can include a high performance polyamide resin, optionally a polypthalamide. An environmental indicator that provides visual and/or audible output with regard to environmental conditions can be included with at least one of the first head, the second head and a shaft to which the heads can be joined. Related methods of use are also provided. |
| US08651983B2 |
Swing game
A swing ball game has a top support frame member. A swing hangs from the top support frame member. The swing has a swing seat configured to swing in a front and rear direction. At least one vertical support frame member is connected to the top support frame member and supports the top support frame member. A rocker support frame member has a rocker bottom profile. The vertical support frame member is connected to the rocker support frame member. The rocker support frame member is oriented sideways so that the top support frame member can rock in a left and right direction. |
| US08651975B2 |
Golf club head with stiffening and sound tuning composite member
A golf club head with sound tuning composite members forming at least a portion of the surface of the golf club head is disclosed herein. The composite members being a composite layer made out of a sandwiched core layer that is interposed inside the midsection of the composite member to provide vibration damping and sound tuning characteristics. |
| US08651974B2 |
Aerodynamic golf club
A “Aerodynamic Golf Club Assembly” is designed for a minimal amount of air resistance to the face of the club head when it's in a forward swing mode. This allows the golfer to swing the club head at a higher speed, which will cause the ball to travel a longer distance. This is done by means of one or more fore and aft straight round holes that protrude from the face of the head through the hill of the head. The hill of the head has a concave surface, so a stronger vacuum is created during a forward swing mode of the head. |
| US08651973B2 |
Golf club with wind resistant shaft and golf club head
Golf club, golf club shaft and golf club head structures are presented. The golf club may include a shaft having a core and an airfoil shaped skin substantially surrounding the core and in contact with the core. The golf club may further include a golf club head having a plurality of apertures formed in a front face of the golf club head and extending through an interior of the golf club head to a rear portion of the golf club head. The apertures may narrow or widen as they extend from the front face to the rear portion. |
| US08651972B2 |
Artificial sport log
A lightweight, portable artificial sport log having physical properties that mimic a selected natural log is disclosed that has a hollow cylindrical shell of a suitable polymeric material defining a volume having the desired dimensions of length and diameter of a selected natural log of interest, an internal baffle support shape of a rigid polymeric foam material is fixed to said internal surface of said cylindrical shell, end closure members at ends of said hollow cylindrical shell provided with sealable fill/discharge openings for adding and draining water from the artificial log. The internal baffle volume and shape are determined such that the buoyancy of the artificial log generally equals the buoyancy of the natural log of interest and the mass moment of inertia resembles that of the natural log of interest when the artificial log is filled with water. |
| US08651966B2 |
Coupling apparatus with two couplings
A coupling apparatus for transmitting torque from a drive shaft to an output shaft includes two couplings with a respective primary part and secondary part. The primary and secondary parts are twistable to a certain extent relative to one another against the force of springs. Several carriers for carrying spring plates and support plates are arranged in a distributed manner over the circumference of the coupling. There is a locating pin between two screws for positioning a carrier, the locating pin being axially parallel to the screws. One coupling is in a drive connection with the drive shaft, and the other coupling is in a drive connection with the output shaft. Every carrier which can be inserted into a respective recess in the primary part or secondary part of the respective coupling forms a premounted spring unit together with the spring plates carried by the carrier. |
| US08651964B2 |
Advanced video controller system
A video control system has an accelerometer sensor connected to a microcontroller for imparting motion and orientation information to the microcontroller. An encoder/transmitter is connected to the microcontroller and converts a plurality of parallel signals from the microcontroller into a serial data stream which is wirelessly transmitted to a receiver/decoder which converts the serial data back to the original parallel signals. The receiver/decoder is connected to a keyboard encoder that is connected to the keyboard port of personal computer. The accelerometer sensor, microcontroller and encoder transmitter are adapted to be worn on a video player's person. The system allows for a realistic experience in a video environment in which movement of the video player is replicated and appreciated on a video screen. |
| US08651960B2 |
System, method and computer program for enabling an interactive game
A system, method and computer program enable an interactive game. A game server, in response to a user request, provides a unique identifier associated with an instance of the interactive game. The game server forwards one or more invitations to join the interactive game in accordance with the user request. Thereafter, the game server registers one or more wireless communication devices to be used as data controllers for use by participants that join the game. |
| US08651959B2 |
Presenting and controlling wagering game marketing information
Described are one or more embodiments that include a browser application (“browser”) with multiple parts. A first part of the browser (e.g., a toolbar, a dropdown, a pop-up, a widget, etc.) presents first content associated with one or more wagering games. Concurrently a second part of the browser (e.g., a main content display area) presents second content independently from presentation of the first content in the first part of the browser. In some embodiments, the first content and second content are from separate content providers with a marketing relationship. In some embodiments, in response to concurrent presentation of the first and second content, the browser application detects the marketing relationship between the content providers and presents one or more indicators. The one or more indicators indicate the marketing relationship. For example, the indicators can indicate cross-marketing, available coupons, and/or awards available via the first or second content. |
| US08651957B2 |
System and method for fantasy sports gambling
A method and system for providing an interactive gaming system is disclosed. At least one interactive social gaming community allows a plurality of users to engage in a wagering contest against a single entity. An initial amount of gaming units associated with an initial user investment is allocated to each user. A payout table is dynamically generated and includes at least one threshold amount of gaming units associated with rewards available to the user. A bet request signal received from a user is automatically reconciled with an outcome of at least one type of contest occurring during an active gaming period. A user account is updated by modifying an amount of gaming units in a user account based on a result of the at least one type of contest and determines if user has earned the reward associated with the at least one threshold. |
| US08651956B2 |
Method and system for instant-on game download
Disclosed are methods, apparatus, and systems, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for a method for providing a game on demand over a data network, in a gaming machine. The gaming machine sends a request message for a game application over the data network. In a network mode, the gaming machine receives outputted results from an executed game application over a streaming channel of the data network for network-based game play. During the network-based game play, the game application is downloaded over a download channel of the data network. In a local mode, the gaming machine executes the downloaded game application independent of the network-based game play. The gaming machine switches instantaneously from the network mode to the local mode for machine-based game play, including maintaining a status of the network-based game play. |
| US08651955B2 |
Game device, control method, and computer program product
A game device includes a packet processing section that processes a packet that is transferred between the game device and another game device via a network, a game calculation section that performs a game calculation process based on data transferred using a packet, and an image generation section that generates an image based on a result of the game calculation process. The game calculation section performs a game sequence process as the game calculation process in each game sequence interval. A packet that is transferred between the game device and the other game device includes a packet ID that specifies the type of data transferred using the packet, and an interval ID that specifies the game sequence interval that utilizes data transferred using the packet. The packet processing section compares the interval ID included in a received packet with the interval ID of a current game sequence interval. The game calculation section performs the game calculation process based on data included in a packet when the interval ID included in the packet coincides with the interval ID of the current game sequence interval. |
| US08651948B2 |
System and method for generating customized odds bet for an event
A system for managing bets comprises a memory and a processor. The memory stores information associated with a field of participants for an event, each participant associated with particular odds for the event. The processor receives a bet that a lead participant from the field of participants will finish in a particular subset of finishing positions in the event, wherein the bet is associated with customized odds. The processor further select one or more additional participants from the field of participants to add to the bet such that the odds associated with the lead participant combined with the odds associated with the one or more selected additional participants at least approximates the customized odds for the bet. |
| US08651946B1 |
Coin-out gaming reward system
A gaming system including one or more gaming machines, wherein the gaming system monitors the coin out of the gaming machines and triggers a system game award to one or more gaming machines based upon a predetermined criteria that includes the coin out value. |
| US08651944B1 |
Electronic gaming device with scrape away feature
Examples disclosed herein relate to systems and methods, which may receive wagers. The systems and methods may include scrape away functionality. |
| US08651936B2 |
Keno game with rearranging symbols
A wagering game is played on an electronic system with a processor, a video display screen and a player input system. The processor recognizing a wager, enabling player input at the specific player position. The processor executes code to display a grid of at least 50, preferably at least 80 frames for display of a unique symbol within each frame of the grid. The processor compares recognized at least three symbols at the specific player position with at least 10 symbols selected by the processor. The processor displays a first arrangement of unique symbols within each frame prior to recognizing selection at the specific player position, and B) the processor displays a second arrangement of the same unique symbols after recognizing selection at the specific player position, the first arrangement of symbols being different from the second arrangement of symbols with respect to distribution of symbols among the frames. |
| US08651933B2 |
System for playing a game of skill
A system for playing a game of skill with rules fashioned on those of poker using one suit of a standard deck of playing cards. The system is adapted to allow a plurality of players to compete against one another. Each player is provided a screen with the same hand of face-up cards simultaneously. The cards in each hand are of the same suit. Each card is arranged within a circular configuration in sequential numerical and/or value order. The system deals each player a previously unknown and not predetermined initial set of cards as each other player and allows each player to change any one or more of his cards in sequential numeric/value order, up or down. Each single step up or down to change a card is considered a step and a predetermined total number of steps is allowed to attempt to achieve the best poker hand. |
| US08651931B2 |
Video poker system and method
An electronic video poker machine configured to allow play of a defined series of hands of video poker. The electronic video poker machine comprises at least one display device, at least one input device, a memory and at least one computer processor configured to display at least a first hand and at last one subsequent hand of at least three cards. A player is provided a first hand of cards on the display. The player identifies which cards from the hand to hold using the input device. The remaining cards from the hand are discarded and draw cards are dealt to replace the discarded cards. The discarded cards are returned to the deck after the draw, making those discarded cards available for subsequent hands in the defined series of hands. |
| US08651927B1 |
Combine harvester sieve assembly with an integrated air cleaning system
A combine harvester that employs a sieve assembly having a frame structure with movement that facilitates pressurizing an air supply connected thereto. Various aspects of the subject disclosure provide for sieve elements having internal air passages that are supported in the frame structure. A plurality of pressurized air ports are disposed along the frame structure or sieve elements and are oriented at an angle so as to direct pressurized air upwardly through the sieve elements. The pressurized air supply is in communication with the air ports. |
| US08651922B2 |
Inline handheld power tool
A powerhead for a hand held power tool includes a powerhead assembly, the powerhead assembly being operably couplable to a hand held motive source, the powerhead assembly having a rotatable implement, the implement being selectively rotated by the motive source when the motive source is operably coupled to the powerhead assembly, the implement further being rotatable about an implement axis, the implement axis being disposed transverse to a powerhead assembly longitudinal axis, the implement axis intersecting the powerhead assembly longitudinal axis. A hand held power tool and a powerhead of forming a powerhead for a hand held power tool are further included. |
| US08651921B2 |
Surface treatment device
A surface treatment device includes an enclosure which has an opening through which the leading edge of an aerofoil passes. A sealing element is provided on the enclosure to seal the device to the surfaces of the aerofoil. An abrasive is located within the enclosure and two fluid openings are also provided through which a chemical accelerant can be pumped. In operation the enclosure is oscillated relative to the component so that material is abraded. Whilst the enclosure is oscillated a chemical accelerant is simultaneously pumped through it. The device allows for the local application of a surface treatment on a component. |
| US08651919B2 |
Adhesive sheet and process for manufacturing electronic part
An adhesive sheet comprising a sheetlike base material and, superimposed on one major surface thereof, an adhesive layer, wherein the average surface roughness on one major surface of the base material is in the range of 0.1 to 3.5 μm and on the other major surface thereof is in the range of 0.05 to 0.7 μm. In this structure, the average surface roughness values on both the major surfaces of the base material as a constituent of the adhesive sheet are regulated so as to fall within respective specified ranges, so that not only can any blocking occurring in backwinding of reeled adhesive sheet be inhibited but also any occurrence of minute unevenness (waving) on the wafer surface after grinding can be inhibited, and further that the transparency of the adhesive sheet can be maintained. |
| US08651916B2 |
System and method for generating realistic eyes
Realistic electronically controlled eyes for a figure such as a doll, toy, animatronic being, robot, etc., are provided by displaying a sequence of images simulating eye movement on an electronic display screen mounted to a portion of the figure. A convex lens, which serves to simulate the figure's eye, is mounted substantially in contact with a surface of the display screen system from which the light defining the sequence of images is emitted. To an observer looking at the convex surface of the lens, the lens appears as an eye characterized by realistic eye movement. |
| US08651912B2 |
Organic EL element, method for manufacturing the same, and organic EL lighting apparatus
An anode 2 is formed on an element substrate 1. By using a film-forming solution containing a stacking material that forms an organic layer 43, a film is formed on a donor substrate 10 to form a transfer layer 11, thereby fabricating a transfer substrate 12. The transfer substrate 12 and the element substrate 1 are placed so as to face each other with spacers 13 interposed therebetween, such that the surface of the transfer substrate 12, which has the transfer layer 11 formed thereon, faces the element substrate 1 having the anode 2 formed thereon. The transfer substrate 12 and the element substrate 1 facing each other are held under vacuum conditions. The transfer substrate 12 is heated by the heat source 15 under the vacuum conditions to transfer the transfer layer 11 to the element substrate 1. |
| US08651908B1 |
Anti-ingestion system for a marine drive
An anti-ingestion system is provided for a marine drive with a submerged exhaust outlet. An anti-ingestion valve is operated by differential pressure thereacross to a closed condition when the engine is operating in an on state and cooling water is being pumped through a water conduit to an exhaust mixing point, with the anti-ingestion valve blocking passage of cooling water therepast in the noted closed condition. The anti-ingestion valve is operated by differential pressure thereacross to an open condition when the engine is in an off state, and permits passage of air therethrough and communicates atmospheric pressure through the water conduit to the exhaust mixing point to relieve vacuum in the exhaust system. |
| US08651907B2 |
Water jacketed marine exhaust components having multiple stream spray ring configurations
A water jacketed exhaust component includes an exhaust pipe having a radially inwardly tapered tail end, a water jacket disposed in surrounding relation with the exhaust pipe, and a generally V-shaped spray ring. The spray ring includes a first and second set of apertures that create diverging streams of cooling water. A first set of apertures creates an annularly disposed series of streams that are directed downstream and radially inward. These streams are generally directed toward the outer surface of the exhaust pipe structure which extends downstream of the spray ring. A second set of apertures creates an annularly disposed series of streams that are directed downstream and radially outward. These streams are generally directed toward the inner surface of the water jacket structure extending downstream of the spray ring. By providing a water jacketed exhaust component with a spray ring that creates diverging streams of cooling water, the present invention provides a water jacketed marine exhaust component that provides improved exhaust gas cooling over a wider range of engine operating conditions. An alternate embodiment includes a V-shaped spray ring configured to create converging streams of cooling water. |
| US08651906B1 |
Outboard motors and apparatuses for intake of air to outboard motors
An apparatus for intake of air to an outboard motor includes an inlet receiving a mixture of air and water from atmosphere surrounding the outboard motor and an outlet discharging the air. A conduit extends between the inlet and the outlet. The conduit has a vertically downwardly oriented first flow path, a vertically upwardly oriented second flow path, and a junction joining the first and second flow paths. The junction is oriented with respect to the first and second flow paths such that both centrifugal and gravitational forces separate the water from the air as the mixture flows therethrough. |
| US08651902B2 |
Wire-grasping structure for terminal block
A wire-grasping structure for a terminal block is disclosed. The wire-grasping structure includes a core, a conductive terminal piece and a screw. The core is transversely formed with a socket and vertically formed with a threaded hole. The socket and the threaded hole are communicated mutually and each communicated with the exterior of the core. The conductive terminal piece has a receiving portion and a terminal portion. The terminal portion is configured to be horizontally inserted into the socket such that the receiving portion projects from the core terminal portion. The screw is configured to be vertically screwed in to the threaded hole and enter the socket to abut against the terminal portion. Thereby, the wire-grasping structure can store a jumper bar and facilitate convenient use. |
| US08651895B2 |
Integral connector for programming a hearing device
For the connection of a programming device to a hearing device an insertable plate (21) into the casing or frame of the hearing device is provided, comprising on one side contacts (29) to the hearing device electronics and on the other side contact pins (27), provided for the connection of a contact adapter/cable system of the programming device. |
| US08651892B2 |
Visual mating detector for electrical connector
The present disclosure describes a system for connecting two connectors to each other. The system includes a first connector having a first connector surface, and the first connector surface includes a transparent shape. Further, a second connector, having a second connector surface, includes a portion that includes a second connector color. Particularly, the second connector is configured to be inserted into the first connector, enabling a superimposition and alignment of the transparent shape with the portion of the second connector surface, thereby visually indicating a valid connection between the two connectors. |
| US08651891B2 |
Hot line clamp
A hot line clamp employs a pair of jaw members which have clamp surfaces. The jaw members are coupled under the load of a compression spring. One jaw member has a ring which allows for relative angular positioning so that a clamp surface of the jaw member engages a shoulder of the second jaw member in a cocked position. When a torque is applied to the ring, the clamp members snap together to clamp over a hot line disposed between the clamp surfaces. |
| US08651890B2 |
Electrical connector having spring clip assist contact
An electric connector is described which provides direct contact between an electric conductor and a respective counterpart. The connection is locked in place by means of one or more spring clips, for example associated with a casing. In a variant a single common casing is provided for the direct connection between a plurality of electric conductors and respective counterparts, which may be contact elements which are also associated with respective electric conductors or bump contacts of a PCB. In a further variant the counterpart is also an electric conductor, in such a way that direct contact is produced between two electric conductors held in mutual engagement by one or more spring clips. |
| US08651889B2 |
Connector
The connector includes an electrically insulating one-part or multi-part housing, in which at least one contact element is arranged, which is accessible via a first opening of the housing by a contact element of a complimentary second connector, and which is connectable with an electrical cable that can be introduced through a second opening of the housing. The housing of the assembled connector, which is made from a first material, includes at least a first coupling element, which corresponds to at least one second coupling element that is included on a tubular element, which is manufactured from a second material which after processing includes a higher mechanical strength than the first material, and wherein the housing is releasably held within the tubular element by the releasably interlinked coupling elements. |
| US08651888B2 |
Electrical connector
An electrical connector including a housing provided thereon with an opening through which a flat circuit device is inserted into the housing, a plurality of conductive contacts arranged on the housing, and a holding member formed in a body on the housing to be operative to hold the flat circuit device inserted in the housing and then to release the flat circuit device from holding by the holding member, wherein the holding member has a movable arm portion extending from an inside surface portion of the housing, and the movable arm portion is provided thereon with an engaging portion operative to engage with the flat circuit device inserted in the housing for holding the same and a releasing portion protruding from the movable arm portion through an aperture provided on the housing toward the outside of the housing and is operative to move the movable arm portion for disengaging the engaging portion from the flat circuit device. |
| US08651884B1 |
Ejectable memory card tray in a universal serial bus (USB) connector
According to one general aspect, an apparatus includes a connector receptacle coupled to an electronic device. The connector receptacle is configured to receive a universal serial bus (USB) connector and a Micro SIM card. A connection member is disposed within the connector receptacle and configured to provide electrical communication between the Micro SIM card and the electronic device when the Micro SIM card is coupled to the connector receptacle. In some implementations, the electrical connector can also provide electrical communication between a USB connector and the electronic device when the USB connector is coupled thereto. |
| US08651881B2 |
Resonance modifying connector
A connector assembly is provided that is suitable for modifying the resonant frequency of ground terminals used in conjunction with high data rate signal terminals. Ground terminals may be interconnected with a conductive bridge so as to provide ground terminals with a predetermined maximum effective electrical length. Reducing the effective electrical length of the ground terminal can move the resonance frequencies of the connector outside the operational range of frequencies at which signals will be transmitted. |
| US08651879B2 |
Compact power adapter
A compact power adapter is disclosed. In one embodiment, a compact power adapter is facilitated by improved approaches to construct and assemble the power adapter. According to one aspect, connectors can serve to electrically couple blades (or prongs) of a power adapter plug to a printed circuit board assembly internal to a housing for the power adapter. The connectors serve to couple AC power to the printed circuit board assembly where the AC power can be converted to DC power. The connectors also facilitate assembly of the power adapter in that reliable interconnections can be provided without wires, soldering or other custom assembly operations. In one embodiment, a base for a power adapter plug of a power adapter can include a metal base connected to a blade (or prong) of the power adapter plug. The metal base can provide mechanical support to the blade as well as electrical connectivity to an internal terminal for the power adapter plug. The internal terminals used by a power adapter plug of a power adapter can be coupled to a printed circuit board assembly using connectors, thereby facilitating interconnection with electrical components used by the power adapter. |
| US08651876B2 |
Connector systems with magnetic retaining means
Connector systems (10, 100) for electrically connecting two or more electrical components include a connector (14, 114) having one or more magnets (36a, 136a). Each magnet (36a, 136a) is attracted to another magnet (36b, 136b), or to a magnetically-attractable element on the other connector (14, 114) of the system (10, 100) when the connectors (14, 12, 112, 114) are mated. The magnetic attraction helps to maintain the connectors (14, 12, 112, 114) in a mated condition. The magnets (36a, 36b, 136a, 136b) can be oriented so that surface normals of pole faces (37a, 37b, 137a, 137b) of the magnets (36a, 36b, 136a, 136b) are angled in relation to a mating direction of the connectors (14, 12, 112, 114). |
| US08651875B2 |
Electromechanical pawl for controlling vehicle charge inlet access
A charge connector latching mechanism integrated into a vehicle's charge inlet is provided, where the latching mechanism includes a retractable latching pawl. The retractable pawl is configured to be positioned in at least a first, default position where the pawl extends through an inlet surface of the charge inlet, and a second position where the pawl is retracted and does not extend through the inlet surface. In the first position the retractable pawl prevents insertion of a charge connector into the charge inlet if the charge connector is uncoupled from the inlet, and prevents removal of the charge connector if the charge connector is coupled to the inlet. In the second position the retractable pawl allows insertion/withdrawal of the charge connector into/from the charge inlet. The front surface of the retractable pawl may include a nub configured to fit within a recess within the front face of the charge connector. |
| US08651874B2 |
Transmission line with rotatable connector
A transmission line with rotatable connector includes an insulated body, a connector a transmission line and a rotatable assembly kit. The insulated body includes a storage space. One end of the insulated body includes an opening slot and the other end of the insulating body includes a sliding slot. The connector is inside of the storage space. One end of the connector protrudes from the opening slot. One end of the transmission line is embedded in the storage space and electronically connected with the connector. The other end of the transmission line protrudes from the insulated body. The rotatable assembly kit includes a rotatable cylinder and a wire cover extending from one side of the rotatable cylinder. The rotatable cylinder is rotatably and pivotally connected to the rear of the connector. The partial transmission line protruding from the insulated body is covered by the wire cover and the partial transmission line horizontally moves along the sliding slot accompany with the rotation of the rotatable cylinder. The transmission line can properly change the direction of the connector to make it convenient for use and also can avoid the breakup of the junction of the transmission line at the bending point. |
| US08651872B2 |
Apparatus for didactic dentistry operations
An apparatus for didactic dentistry operations comprising a base structure conformed so as to define a supporting plane raised from the floor, and a dentistry simulation apparatus pivoted to the supporting plane, so as to be able to rotate with respect to the latter between a first operating position, in which the simulation apparatus extends laterally from the bulk of the supporting plane, and a second inactive position in which the simulation apparatus is substantially comprised in the bulk of the supporting plane. The simulation apparatus is pivoted to the supporting plane in correspondence with a median zone of the latter. The supporting plane comprises a housing seating which at least partly accommodates the simulation apparatus in the inactive position thereof. |
| US08651867B2 |
Dental crowns
The present invention provides a dental crown formed of a thermoplastic polymer material, the crown comprising: a tooth shaped top surface; and flexible side surfaces, at least one of which includes an inwardly directed bottom portion. |
| US08651865B2 |
Set of one-piece angled abutments
A set of one-piece angled abutments, each abutment including an angled stump, a short intermediate cylindrical portion, and a lower threaded portion, wherein the placement of the starting point of the thread within the first round in the lower threaded portion of each abutment determines the angular orientation from 0° to 360° attained by the stump once the abutment is fully tightened to an implant located in the patient's mandible, the set has a variable number of abutments depending on the value of the constant angular offset chosen for spacing the beginning of the thread of each abutment included in the set, each set being defined by a constant angular offset with a value which is a divisor of 360 and the sets of abutments being accompanied by a circular box to easily select the abutment that attains the ideal angular orientation for a patient's needs. |
| US08651863B2 |
Band of connective tissue grooves for use with a dental implant or a separate abutment for a dental implant
The present invention is a dental implant system that has a band of connective tissue rings and grooves on an external surface of the dental implant system. The connective tissue band grooves have a depth of from greater than about 25 μm to about 600 μm. The dental implant system is designed to minimize tissue loss and to reduce the risk of bacterial infection in the implant site. |
| US08651862B2 |
Dental tool with adjustable head
A dental tool may include a head that may include a working portion and a neck. The neck may include a first end and a second end, and the working portion may extend from the first end. A handle may include a clamp and a socket. The socket may be configured to receive the second end of the neck. The second end may pivot within the socket to move the working portion and the neck relative to the handle. The clamp may be adapted to selectively fix the second end relative to the handle. |
| US08651859B2 |
System for determining final position of teeth
An apparatus and method define a fit of a set of upper and lower teeth of a patient by generating a computer representation of the teeth; and determining an occlusion from the computer representation of the teeth using one or more keys. |
| US08651857B2 |
Dental appliance
A dental appliance for correcting tooth alignment. The appliance includes a body for seating on an arch of teeth. The body is at least partially elastically deformable and has a seated condition into which it is elastically deformable to be seated on an arch of teeth. The body is constructed, when seated on an arch of teeth, for applying, by virtue of said elastic deformation, a correction force on one or more misaligned teeth, at or adjacent a base of the crown of each misaligned tooth, in a direction in which each misaligned tooth is to be moved to correct its alignment. |
| US08651853B2 |
Equipment for producing vessels comprising a variable pitch transfer wheel
An equipment (10) for producing vessels (12), includes at least one variable pitch wheel (38) arranged between a blower (14) having a first pitch (P1) and a filler (16) having a second pitch (P2), and that includes transfer elements (40) controlled by control elements adapted for selectively varying the pitch between two successive transfer elements (40) between an initial pitch (P) and a final pitch (P′), the initial pitch (P) being for example equal to once or twice the first pitch (P1) and the final pitch (P′) being equal to the second pitch (P2). |
| US08651849B2 |
Digitally prepared stamp masters and methods of making the same
Positive and negative stamp masters derived from UV curable ink molds comprising ultraviolet (UV) curable inks and methods for digitally preparing those stamp masters. In particular, the digitally prepared molds provide a method of printing micropatterns of fine variable features or images in a more efficient manner than the methods currently available. |
| US08651848B2 |
Sizing device
A sizing device is installed on a downstream side in an extrusion direction of a die. A table having two sizing unit attachment portions which are adjacent to each other in a lateral direction orthogonal to the extrusion direction. The table is provided at a device body so as to be laterally movable between a first position where one of the two sizing unit attachment portions is at a production position and the other of the two sizing unit attachment portions is at a standby position, and a second position where the other of the two sizing unit attachment portions is at the production position and the one of the two sizing unit attachment portions is at the standby position. A sizing unit for production configured to perform cooling and sizing in practice is detachably attached to one of the two sizing unit attachment portions at the production position to coincide with an extrusion line. A sizing unit for replacement is detachably attachable to the other of the two sizing unit attachment portions at the standby position. |
| US08651846B2 |
Abnormality detection apparatus of an injection molding machine
A reference physical quantity and a current physical quantity are successively compared with each other in association with an elapsed time during which a moving part operates or an operating position of the moving part, and a deviation of the physical quantity is determined. An average of absolute values of the determined deviations of the physical quantities is calculated, and a threshold corresponding to the elapsed time during which the moving part operates or the operating position of the moving part is calculated such that the threshold increases as the calculated absolute value increases. Abnormality is detected if the calculated threshold is exceeded by the determined deviation of the physical quantity. |
| US08651843B2 |
High efficiency fixed displacement vane pump
A vane pump for an automatic transmission includes a housing which may be spaced from the axis of the transmission input shaft axis and driven by a chain or gear train driven by the torque converter hub or disposed on and about the axis of the transmission input shaft and driven at engine speed. The vane pump includes a pair of port plates which reside on the end faces of a pump body having a cylindrical chamber which receives an eccentrically disposed rotor that is coupled to a stub shaft. The rotor includes two halves that define a central chamber. The rotor also includes a plurality of radial slots which receive a like plurality of vanes. The outer ends of the vanes are in contact with the wall of the cylindrical chamber and the inner ends are in contact with a single vane ring received within the central chamber. |
| US08651837B2 |
Modular bellows with instrumentation umbilical conduit for electrical submersible pump system
An electrical submersible pumping (ESP) system for use in a wellbore having a pressure equalization system that employs modules with a bellows. The bellows axially expands and contracts in response to pressure fluctuations encountered in the wellbore. The modules are attachable in series on a lower end of a motor of the ESP to form the string, where the string can range from a single module to a multiplicity of modules, depending on the application. The bellows has a conduit axially inserted through the bellows that includes an umbilical and has an end in pressure communication with the motor. |
| US08651834B2 |
Linear compressor
A linear compressor comprises: a fixed member including a cylinder for providing a refrigerant compression space; a movable member, which includes a piston for compressing refrigerant inside the cylinder and a supporter composed of a center portion being aligned with a center of the piston and a support portion extended radially of the piston and which makes a linear reciprocating movement about the fixed member; a plurality of mainsprings supported on the support portion of the supporter, for elastically supporting the piston in an axial direction; and a mass member, which includes a center portion to couple with the center portion of the supporter and a plurality of ends extended from the center portion to maintain an air-gap towards the support portion of the supporter and towards the mainsprings. The linear compressor of the present invention can accommodate a maximum mass member in a defined space of a linearly reciprocating movable member, so material loss is prevented and more installation space can be secured. |
| US08651833B2 |
Combined gas and liquid pump
The present invention provides a combined gas and liquid pump (46) for an internal combustion engine (10). The pump (46) includes a casing (58) having a cavity (60) containing a rotor (62) and a vane (64) slidably mounted to the rotor (62), wherein the cavity (60) is provided with an inlet (50) connectable to a gas source, a further inlet (48) connectable to a liquid source which is separate to the gas source, and an outlet (56). The rotor (62) and vane (64) are movable to draw liquid and gas into the cavity (60) through the respective inlets (50,48) and to move said liquid and gas out of the cavity (60) through the outlet (56). The inlets (50,48) are arranged through the casing (58) such that fluid is drawn first through one of the inlets and then through the other of the inlets before being discharged through the outlet (56). |
| US08651831B2 |
System for reducing compressor noise and suspension spring and snubber arrangement therefor
The present invention comprises a suspension spring and snubber arrangement for reducing transmitted noise from a reciprocating compressor at ⅓-octave frequency band of 500 Hz and preventing the occurrence of resonance frequency during the reciprocating compressor operation, the arrangement comprising: the suspension spring having a plurality of coils and two opposing open ends; at least one snubber for maintaining the integrity and shape of the suspension spring and for preventing displacement of the suspension spring from their intended position; wherein at least one open end of the suspension spring is loosely fitted over the at least one snubber; and further wherein an internal diameter of the suspension spring is larger than a outer diameter of the snubber so that a gap is defined between the suspension spring and the snubber for minimizing physical contact between the suspension spring and the snubber. |
| US08651829B2 |
Vacuum pump for vehicles
Disclosed is a vacuum pump for vehicles which reduces noise of exhaust air generated during operation of the vacuum pump. |
| US08651824B2 |
Condensate pump
A condensate pump for an HVAC system includes a reservoir for collecting condensate water, a pump motor connected to an impeller pump for pumping the condensate water out of the reservoir, and a floatless pump control module. The floatless pump's microcontroller detects the water level in the reservoir and, based on the water level in the reservoir, controls the operation of the pump motor, and if necessary, sounds an alarm and shuts down the HVAC system. The floatless pump microcontroller may employ an ultrasonic transducer or capacitance sensors to detect the level of condensate water in the reservoir. The microcontroller implements a variable water lift feature to pump the water using the lowest possible speed for the pump. The microcontroller implements a self-cleaning feature to pump stagnant water out of the reservoir and to pulse water in the drain line and the agitation of the water in the reservoir. The microcontroller implements an anti-clog feature to clear a clogged drain line when an overflow condition is detected. |
| US08651823B2 |
System and method for a pump with reduced form factor
Embodiments of the present invention provide pumps with features to reduce form factor and increase reliability and serviceability. Additionally, embodiments of the present invention provide features for gentle fluid handling characteristics. Embodiments of the present invention can include a pump having a motor driven feed stage pump and a motor driven dispense stage pump. The feed stage motor and the feed stage motor can include various types of motors and the pumps can be rolling diaphragm or other pumps. According to one embodiment, a dispense block defining the pump chambers and various flow passages can be formed out of a single piece of material. |
| US08651821B2 |
Device for fastening a variable pitch blade
This blade attachment device comprises a shell (28) installed around an outer collar (23) of the pivot (15) of the blade (27) and capable of rotating by an angle sufficient for cleats (30, 31) to close the ends of the pivot groove and retain the root of the blade (27) in it, and mobile shims that cooperate to retain the root in the groove.Application to aircraft engines. |
| US08651816B2 |
Fan blade connection
A fan blade connection system and method for connecting at least one composite blade (110) to a rotor hub (120), more particularly, for fans used in industrial ventilation and cooling applications. The invention aims to provide a better connection, mainly in regard to the stresses distribution. The preferred embodiments are directed to a system and method for connecting a composite blade (110) to a rotor hub (120) comprising a fastener element (130) arranged in the blade root (111) and extending transversally to the longitudinal axis of the blade (110), said fastener element (130) being adapted for receiving one of the ends of a tensioning member (140) in a longitudinal position in relation to said blade (110). The tensioning member (140) may have an intermediary interface (160) between the blade (110) and the rotor hub (120), fixed by the end of the tensioning member, or fixed by at least one fastener component, which passes through holes in the rotor hub and in the intermediary interface. |
| US08651814B2 |
Axial flow fan with hub isolation slots
An axial flow fan includes a hub rotatable about a central axis. The hub includes a front face and a cylindrical portion. A plurality of apertures is provided in the front face of the hub, each aperture at least partially defined by a first surface oriented non-parallel with the front face. A plurality of ribs is provided, each rib aligned with one of the plurality of apertures such that a free edge of the rib at least partially overlaps the respective one of the plurality of apertures. The fan further includes a plurality of lips, each lip coupled to the front face of the hub and aligned with one of the plurality of apertures that is not aligned with one of the plurality of ribs, each lip having a second surface, adjacent the first surface of a respective aperture, that at least partially overlaps the respective aperture. |
| US08651807B2 |
Fan with reduced noise
Four tapered portions are formed on an end portion of an inner wall surface of an air channel at four locations corresponding to four corners of the profile of a surface of a housing where a suction port is formed. The four tapered portions are each inclined outwardly in a radial direction of a rotary shaft from a discharge port side toward the suction port side and extending in a rotational direction of an impeller. The tapered portions each include a main portion which is shaped such that an angle formed between the main portion and an axis of the rotary shaft gradually becomes smaller from one end of the main portion located rearward as viewed in the rotational direction of the impeller toward the other end of the main portion located forward as viewed in the rotational direction of the impeller. |
| US08651806B2 |
Air turbine starter inlet housing assembly airflow path
An inlet housing assembly for an Air Turbine Starter includes an outer flowpath curve of an inlet flowpath defined by a multiple of arcuate surfaces in cross-section. |
| US08651805B2 |
Hot gas path component cooling system
A cooling system for a hot gas path component is disclosed. The cooling system may include a component layer and a cover layer. The component layer may include a first inner surface and a second outer surface. The second outer surface may define a plurality of channels. The component layer may further define a plurality of passages extending generally between the first inner surface and the second outer surface. Each of the plurality of channels may be fluidly connected to at least one of the plurality of passages. The cover layer may be situated adjacent the second outer surface of the component layer. The plurality of passages may be configured to flow a cooling medium to the plurality of channels and provide impingement cooling to the cover layer. The plurality of channels may be configured to flow cooling medium therethrough, cooling the cover layer. |
| US08651802B2 |
Cover plate for turbine vane assembly
Embodiments of a cover plate and material blank for forming the cover plate may include features and characteristics to accommodate tolerance issues in a turbine vane assembly. In one embodiment, the cover plate is formed from a material blank configured to provide the cover plate with a flexible flange area that can be secured to the turbine vane assembly. The flange area may have a range of motion that may be responsive to an installation force, which effectively modifies the configuration of the cover plate to such degree as to seal the cover plate to the turbine vane assembly. |
| US08651800B2 |
Induction system with air flow rotation and noise absorber for turbocharger applications
An air induction system consisting of a cylindrical main flow tube, a helical vane disposed within the main flow tube, and, preferably, a noise absorbing perforated tube disposed within the main flow tube in concentric relation to the helical vane. The twist direction of the helical vane provides air flow rotation in the same direction of rotation as the turbine wheel. The helical vane causes noise reflection and enhancement of noise attenuation by the perorated tube and its adjoining one or more acoustic cavities. |
| US08651794B2 |
Automated bed-loaded container unloader and method
An automated unloading apparatus, system and method for use with a container having a plurality of items located on a base belt. The apparatus includes a ramp, a conveyor, a stack control curtain, and a tensioning mechanism. The ramp is configured to pass under the base belt. The conveyor is configured to remove a first item from the plurality of items. The stack control curtain is configured to retain a second item of the plurality of items during removal of the first item. The tensioning mechanism is configured to couple to the base belt and maintain a desired tension on the base belt during passage of the nose ramp under the base belt and removal of the first item. |
| US08651793B2 |
Method and system for transferring standard cargo holders, especially ISO containers and swap bodies, between railways and roads
Method and system for transferring standard cargo holders, especially ISO containers and swap bodies, between railways and roads. The standard cargo holders are loaded onto driverless transport vehicles by means of handling equipment or are received by said transport vehicles, and the driverless transport vehicles transport the standard cargo holders between the handling equipment and a loading and unloading zone. Alternatively, a driving zone for driverless transport vehicles for transporting standard cargo holders to or from the handling equipment adjoins the handling equipment, and a loading and unloading zone for transporting standard cargo holders adjoins the driving zone. |
| US08651791B2 |
Grain bin door assembly with exterior chute
A door assembly for an agricultural storage bin includes an exterior chute communicating with a lower portion of a bin door opening. The exterior chute extends outwardly at an upward inclination from a bottom edge of the door opening to an open top end spaced below a top end of the door opening. An inner door panel hinged at an inner side of the bin wall spans an upper portion of the door opening above the exterior chute when closed. A cover member spans an open top end of the exterior chute when closed. An unloading auger can be readily inserted through the external chute below the inner door panel for unloading the bin by removing the cover member. The inner door can be subsequently opened inwardly when the level in the bin falls below the upper portion of the bin door opening. |
| US08651790B2 |
Warehouse storage system
A system and method for the safe storage of items wherein a storage structure is provided having a first section in which storage units are stored in vertically oriented cells with each storage unit being stacked one upon another and wherein at least one transfer vehicle is provided for selectively engaging and conveying the storage units along an overhead grid track system between the first section and a second section wherein the at least one transfer vehicle may be used to either lift or lower a storage unit and move the storage unit to and from a storage position in one of the vertical storage cells of the first section of the storage structure. |
| US08651782B2 |
Wheeled mobility device containment systems and occupant retention systems and methods of containing wheeled mobility devices and retaining occupants thereof
A system to contain a wheeled mobility device in a vehicle, includes: a rearward opening to allow access by the wheeled mobility device by moving the wheeled mobility device forward relative to the orientation of the wheeled mobility device; a forward barrier positioned opposite the rearward opening and connected to the vehicle to limit forward motion of the wheeled mobility device, the forward barrier including at least one energy absorbing member, and at least a first lateral barrier to limit lateral motion of the wheeled mobility device to a first side. |
| US08651781B2 |
Tool release actuating mechanism for high speed rotating spindle
A spindle assembly useful at high rotational speeds including a tool holding and releasing collet mechanism operated by an axially movable drawbar held in its tool holding position by a spring the force of which is overcome by a piston movable between first and second positions. A plurality of arms pivotally secured at one end thereof to a housing with a second end thereof engaging said piston and having a cam surface intermediate the first and second ends thereof engaging an actuator positioned to engage said drawbar, overcome said spring and move the collet mechanism to its tool releasing position. The ratio of the distance between the pivot point and cam surface with respect to the distance between the pivot point and the second end thereof being such to magnify the force of the piston sufficient to overcome the spring force. |
| US08651775B2 |
Vibration-reduction mechanism for gear cutting machine
A vibration-reduction mechanism for a gear cutting machine is provided with a vibration-reduction mechanism that includes balancer shafts arranged in parallel to a crank shaft. The balancer shafts rotate synchronously with the crank shaft at the same speed as the speed of the crank shaft. One balancer shaft rotates in the opposite direction to the rotational direction of the crank shaft while the other balancer shaft rotates in the same direction as the rotational direction of the crank shaft. The vibration-reduction mechanism also includes: main balancer weights detachably attached onto the crank shaft; and sub balancer weights detachably attached onto the balancer shafts. The balancer weights are selected on the basis of a stroke width of the main shaft and on the basis of a lead corresponding to the helical angle to be formed in the workpiece W. |
| US08651774B2 |
Method and device for removing a contact lens from a container
There is described a method for the removal of a contact lens (30) from a container (10), with a contact lens (30) being immersed in a liquid (20) which is held in a container (10), and the contact lens (30) being removed from the container (10) together with at least a portion of the liquid (20) through a removal tube (3) which is dipped into the liquid (20) within the container (10). First the container (10) containing the liquid (20) and the immersed contact lens (30) is closed pressure-tight with a lid (2), which comprises the removal tube (3) and a pressure tube (5). Both, the removal tube (3) and the pressure tube (5), are guided through the lid (2). After the closing of the container (10) with the lid (2) an overpressure is applied to the interior of the closed container (10) through the pressure tube (5). The overpressure is applied such that the contact lens (30) and the liquid (20) are pressed into the removal tube (3) and removed together therethrough. There is also described a device (1) for carrying out the method. |
| US08651768B1 |
Devices and methods for directing migration of non-aqueous phase liquids from sediment
Devices and methods for directing a non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) that migrate entrained in a fluid (e.g., a gas) from sediments in bodies of water by using trapping caps having an upwardly sloped surface toward an accumulation zone that contains a water table, in which migration of the gas carries the NAPL toward the accumulation zone. |
| US08651765B2 |
Restraint and release device
A device for the restraint and release of a deployable body mounted on a support structure, the device being operable between a stowed condition and a released condition, and having: a pair of subassemblies, each for being attached to either the deployable body or the support structure, these subassemblies having mating surfaces which interlock with one another in the stowed condition to substantially prevent lateral movement of the deployable body relative to the support structure; a releasable tensioned element which is connected to both of the subassemblies, exerting a compressive pre-load action on the said subassemblies that keep them together; a force measurement system that allows monitoring the cited compressive pre-load action applied; a releasing device for releasing the cited pre-load, allowing the free separation of the subassemblies; further being provided with a tensioning mechanism embedded in the device such that it applies a substantially pure-tension pre-load to the releasable tensioned element. |
| US08651763B2 |
Powder cosmetic brush
Provided is a cosmetic brush. The cosmetic brush includes a cylindrical bottle, a body, a hair holder, a filter, a sleeve, and a cap. When makeup is applied, the sleeve descends. When the sleeve is stored, the sleeve ascends to easily close the cap. When the sleeve descends, a powder is supplied toward hairs. When the sleeve ascends (is stored), the supply of the powder is intercepted to prevent the powder from being unnecessarily discharged, thereby preventing other portable products from being damaged. Also, when the sleeve is stored, the sleeve blocks the powder discharge hole to prevent the powder remaining within the discharge hole from being hardened by moisture, thereby smoothly discharging the powder. |
| US08651758B2 |
Exterior structure of apparatus and image forming apparatus using the same
An exterior structure of an apparatus for covering the outside of an apparatus main body with a multiple number of panel elements uses shielding panels, heat-radiating panels and machine-interior anti-scatter panels as the multiple number of panel elements. The apparatus has a framework to which shielding panels, heat-radiating panels and machine-interior anti-scatter panels are appropriately arranged in combination to cover the apparatus in conformity with the functional configuration of the apparatus. |
| US08651755B2 |
Camera module
The present invention relates to a camera module including: a shutter including a blocking unit for blocking progress of light, a fixing unit for preventing arbitrary motion of the blocking unit, and a magnet for rotating the blocking unit; a pair of electromagnets mounted about the magnet to rotate the magnet in response to changes in magnetic polarity; and a cylindrical fixing pole for providing an axis for rotating the magnet, wherein the magnet comprises a hole, the hole for inserting the fixing pole being formed through a portion adjacent to a center of the magnet. |
| US08651749B2 |
Fiber optic interface with translatable ferrule device
Optical fiber ferrules (10, 20) for making optical or optical and electrical connections are disclosed, along with receptacle and plug fiber optic interface devices (60, 70) using the ferrules, and cable assemblies (6, 7) using the fiber optic interface devices. The optical fiber ferrules support optical pathways (14) and have front ends (12F, 22F) with mating geometries that facilitate a relatively high number of mating/unmating cycles. The ferrule is translatable within the enclosure (62e, 72e). Resilient members (75) provide the ferrule with forward-bias and rear-bias positions when the fiber optic interface device is un-mated and mated, respectively. |
| US08651748B2 |
Connecting bridge for two optical units
The invention relates to a connecting bridge to connect two optical units. This connecting bridge is fitted in each case with at least one coupling for each optical unit making possible, besides mechanical coupling, also transmitting electronic signals and/or setting up an electrical connection. |
| US08651747B2 |
Planetary-type auxiliary bearing
An auxiliary bearing including a support structure extending at least partially around a circumference of a shaft. A first pedestal may extend in a radially-inward direction from the support structure. First and second beams may extend from opposite sides of the first pedestal in a plane perpendicular to an axis of the shaft. First and second rollers may be operatively coupled to the first and second beams, and the first and second rollers may be configured to engage the shaft. |
| US08651741B2 |
Hydrodynamic foil bearing assembly
A bearing housing of a hydrodynamic foil bearing assembly has an opening for allowing flow of a fluid into the bearing housing. Also included in the a hydrodynamic foil bearing assembly is at least one foil having at least one opening and defining a cylindrical hollow space for receiving a rotating shaft therein. Fluid is supplied from the opening of the bearing housing to a gap between the at least one foil and the rotating shaft through the at least one opening of the at least one foil to form a pressurized fluid film therein. |
| US08651739B2 |
X-ray cassette for a phosphor storage plate and corresponding system and method for reading out a phosphor storage plate
The invention relates to an X-ray cassette (42, 50, 78, 82) for a phosphor storage plate (20), having two openings (14, 44) for inserting the phosphor storage plate (20) into the X-ray cassette (42, 50, 78, 82) and for withdrawing the phosphor storage plate (20) arranged in the X-ray cassette (42, 50, 78, 82) from the cassette. Two flaps (18, 48, 54, 80, 84) are also provided for closing the two openings (14, 44). The invention also relates to a system (10) comprising said type of X-ray cassette (42, 50, 78, 82) and a reading out device (34) for reading out the phosphor storage plate (20) arranged in the X-ray cassette (42, 50, 78, 82). The reading-out device (34) comprises a feeding element (32) for feeding the X-ray cassette (42, 50, 78, 82) into the device. Said feeding element (32) is designed in such a manner that if the X-ray cassette (42, 50, 78, 82) is fed into the feeding element with one of its openings (14), the other opening (44) of the X-ray cassette (42, 50, 78, 82) is accessible to an operator. |
| US08651737B2 |
Sensor temperature sensing device
The present disclosure includes sensing device embodiments. One sensing device includes a heater layer, a resistance detector layer, constructed and arranged to indicate a temperature value based upon a correlation to a detected resistance value, an electrode layer, and a sensing layer. |
| US08651735B2 |
Sensor arrangement for determining an inside temperature in a motor vehicle
A sensor arrangement for determining an inside temperature in a motor vehicle having a climate control device and at least a panel is at least a part of a control part of the climate control device, where the sensor arrangement includes a housing with at least a front wall and a rear wall, the housing is filled with a heat-insulating material, a first temperature sensor attached to a rear of the front wall and a second temperature sensor attached to an inner side of the rear wall, said inner side facing a rear of the front wall, and where the front wall is a part of the panel of the motor vehicle. |
| US08651733B2 |
Timepiece
A timepiece includes: a movement (10) that has a balance wheel/spring assembly (12) having a system for adjusting the operative length of the spring, which is rotatable; a control member (14) that is accessible, by the user, outside the timepiece; a transmission wheel (22) that is rotatably mounted, on the periphery of the movement (10), onto a frame, the movement (10) being placed inside the transmission wheel, the transmission wheel (22) being kinematically connected or connectable to the control member (14) and moreover being kinematically connected to the adjustment system; and a display part (30) that is kinematically connected to the transmission wheel (22) and drives a display member, intended for displaying the adjustment value that is applied to the operative length of the spring. The display part (30) is formed of movable parts that are mounted onto a first separate module, assembled to the frame. |
| US08651732B2 |
Stirring device for activated sludges
The invention relates to a stirring device for activated sludges comprising a hyperboloid stirring body (2) attached to a shaft (1), wherein a plurality of transport ribs (3) are provided on the top (O) of the stirring body (2) running toward the circumferential boundary (UM) thereof, wherein the transport ribs (3) have an oblique course, at least in sections, relative to a radial direction, and wherein an oblique position of the transport ribs (3) is selected such that, when the stirring body (2) rotates in a predetermined rotational direction (R), a flow is generated that is directed radially outward away from the circumferential boundary (UM) of the stirring body (2). In order to improve the efficiency of the stirring device, the invention proposes that at least one propeller (6) be attached to the shaft (1) that, when the stirring body (2) rotates in the rotational direction (R), generates a flow (A) directed toward the top (O) of the stirring body (2). |
| US08651726B2 |
Efficient polarized directional backlight
By introducing a stack of alternating high and low index dichroic material layers on the exit surface of a waveguide for a wedge type directional backlight, natural reflectivity differences between polarized components can be increased, effectively reflecting the vast proportion of S-polarized light rays, while at the same time transmitting the P-polarized light rays, of light impacting the exit surface of the waveguide at an angle sufficient to exit the waveguide. This recovers polarization in wedge type backlight systems, increasing illumination exiting the waveguide. Also, on the back reflecting surface of the waveguide, a birefringent material can be added to efficiently transform S-polarized reflected light from the dichroic stack, into returning P-polarized light. Because returning rays that are now P-polarized by the birefringent material have already achieved the critical angle for exiting the waveguide, the rays transformed to P-polarization can now also exit the waveguide, increasing waveguide illumination. |
| US08651715B2 |
Vehicle vanity and light assembly
A vehicle sun visor is provided that includes a visor body having a first side and a second side, and a vanity and lighting assembly located on the visor body. The assembly includes a lighting device located on the visor body. The lighting device is configured to provide a vanity light for a vanity mirror and is further configured to provide a dome light. |
| US08651713B2 |
Positioning reference system for an area for landing of a helicopter or a load suspended from a helicopter
A system is for a landing site for a helicopter or a load suspended from a helicopter, where landing positioning references are visualized as a luminous pattern on the landing site, and where the landing positioning references are formed as lines of light projected on the landing site from one or more light sources arranged at the landing site. A method is for forming of landing positioning references visualized as a luminous pattern on the landing site. |
| US08651704B1 |
Solid state light fixture with cooling system with heat rejection management
Systems and methods for solid-state light source heat management are provided. A solid-state light source, e.g. having one or more LEDs, can be mounted within an enclosure. In some embodiments, a heat sink associated with semiconductor material and/or power electronics can be placed on a separate side of the enclosure that is thermally insulated or separated from the state-light source. The enclosure can include a first side or portion that allows light from the solid-state-light source (e.g., LEDs) to pass through to a target area. A fluid transfer conduit may be connected to the second side or portion of the enclosure for passing a fluid (e.g., air, water, coolant, etc.) across the heat sink to transport heat generated by the power electronics and/or semiconductor material away. The heated fluid can then be routed to, as examples, an HVAC system, a vent, water heating systems, heat exchanger systems, and/or storage systems (e.g., batteries). |
| US08651703B2 |
Light emitting device using filter element
A light emitting device with at least one LED die, a filter element and a reflective element. The filter element may be configured to preferentially attenuate light passing through the filter element, such that light output has improved color uniformity when compared to similar light emitting devices without a filter element. |
| US08651701B2 |
Light source device
A light source device that irradiates a discharge vessel with a laser beam to produce radiant light that is reflected by an ellipsoidal reflecting surface efficiently utilizes the light produced by directing the laser beam through an unirradiated region where reflected light from the ellipsoidal reflector is blocked by the discharge vessel, through an opening side of the ellipsoidal reflector to the discharge vessel. The discharge vessel has an emission substance enclosed inside which is excited by the laser beam and produces radiant light, is arranged at a focal point of the ellipsoidal reflector. A planar mirror, with which radiant light reflected by the ellipsoidal reflector is reflected in a different direction has a window in an unirradiated region where reflected light from the ellipsoidal reflector is blocked by the discharge vessel through which the laser beam passes to the discharge vessel. |
| US08651698B2 |
Lighting assemblies and methods of making same
A cable lighting assembly comprising two electrically isolated electrical conductors, and at least one light emitting diode comprising an anode lead and a cathode lead. An electrical joint is formed between the anode lead and one of the electrical conductors, an electrical joint is formed between the cathode lead and the other electrical conductor, and a thermal joint is formed between the light emitting diode and one of the electrical conductors. |
| US08651697B2 |
Lighting system with front access to light source
Disclosed is a lighting system and a method to change the internal light source of the lighting system, wherein maintenance and aesthetic considerations make it necessary to access the internal light source solely from the front of the lighting system without moving or removing a sign face. Access, in part, is provided by a light baffle track system inside the light system that turns a flexible light baffle (i.e., the light source) within the service box from a substantially vertical orientation to a substantially horizontal orientation as the flexible light baffle is removed and reinstalled through the service box and front access door. The flexible light baffle and light baffle track system work in concert to efficiently turn the flexible light baffle solely within the service box such that the height and depth of the service box is minimized. |
| US08651690B2 |
LED light bar and backlight module
A light-emitting diode light bar includes a printed circuit board and a light-emitting diode. The printed circuit board has a protective layer, a first signal line, and a first extension line. The LED is disposed on the first signal line and the first extension line. The protective layer is formed above the first signal line and the first extension line, and has an opening that exposes a portion of the first signal line, and a portion of the extension line, such that a first exposed length of the first signal line is substantially equal to a second exposed length of the first extension line. |
| US08651687B1 |
Charging device for a light
A charging device for a light includes a light body and a charging assembly which is connected to the light body. The light body has a printed circuit board disposed therein. The charging assembly is electrically connected to the printed circuit board. The charging assembly has a base, an electrical connecting plate and a plurality of wires. The electrical connecting plate is connected to one side of the base. The wires are connected to another side of the base. The electrical connecting plate pivots and bends relative to the base. A plurality of metal conductors is disposed on the electrical connecting plate. Under this arrangement, when the light body needs to be charged, the electrical connecting plate is pulled up and inserted into a port of a computer. |
| US08651682B2 |
Insulated transparent panel with light emitting diode lighting for use in a refrigerated display case
One aspect provides a sealed transparent panel for use in a refrigerated display case. In this embodiment, the panel comprises first and second transparent sheets having a sealed space therebetween, and at least one light emitting diode (LED) located within the sealed space and extending along a length of the first and second transparent sheets. |
| US08651681B2 |
Luminescent ceramic converter and LED containing same
There is herein described a luminescent ceramic converter that comprises a flat, monolithic piece of a ceramic material containing a luminescent species wherein a concentration of the luminescent species in a peripheral region of the converter is lower than in a central region of the converter. |
| US08651680B2 |
Occupant protection device for a vehicle
An occupant protection device is provided for a vehicle that includes, but is not limited to at least one airbag module that is arranged in a hub region of a steering wheel. The airbag module includes, but is not limited to a visual surface facing a vehicle driver and the visual surface is entirely or partially formed of a textile. |
| US08651673B2 |
Vehicle mirror device
Efficiently suppressing chatter of a mirror face of a mirror. In a vehicle door mirror device, a case is disposed at a back face side of a mirror, a substrate unit is accommodated in the case, gap between the mirror and the case is sealed by sealing agent, thereby sealing the substrate unit. The holder, the case and the sealing agent are integrated together. A press contact tab is integrally provided to a housing box of the holder such that the press contact tab makes press contact with an anti-vibration pillar. The supporting rigidity to the mirror at the position of the substrate unit can accordingly be efficiently raised, vibration of the mirror due to the substrate unit can be efficiently suppressed, and chatter of a mirror face of the mirror can be efficiently suppressed. |
| US08651666B2 |
Interactive projector system and method
An interactive image projecting device that projects an image onto a display surface and controls the projected image based upon movement of the image projecting device or the detection of another image. The image projecting device includes a projector that generates an image from a control unit. The device includes a position indicating emitter that generates a position indicator and an image sensor that is operable to detect the position indicator from either the device including the image sensor or a position indicator from another device. Based upon the sensed position indicator from another device, the control unit operates to modify the image projected from the device such that the image from a first device can interact with an image from a second device. The first and second devices each have a wireless transceiver such that the devices can communicate with each other during operation. |
| US08651659B2 |
Bar for spectacles and spectacles comprising this bar
Bar for spectacles, which comprises an elongated member (1) having a rear end (1a) suitable for being arranged on the ear of a user and a front end (1b) suitable for being connected to the front portion of spectacles, wherein the front end (1b) of the elongated member (1) is prolonged by one or more additional members (2, 3, 4) by means of at least one longitudinal pin (5) which is inserted in a longitudinal hole made in the front end (1b) of the elongated member (1) and in the additional members (2, 3, 4). The present invention also relates to spectacles comprising said bar. |
| US08651649B2 |
Image forming method and ink set
An image forming method including: applying a treatment liquid containing a copolymer of epihalohydrin and dimethylamine to a recording medium having a coated layer; and applying an ink composition containing a self-dispersing pigment, a solvent, a surfactant, wax particles and water to the recording medium. |
| US08651648B2 |
Treatment solution for inkjet textile printing, method for inkjet textile printing, and inkjet textile printed product
The present invention has its object to provide a treatment solution for inkjet textile printing that causes few remaining marks even when applied to a fabric. The present invention relates to a treatment solution for inkjet textile printing, the treatment solution including at least: 1) a water-soluble polyvalent metal salt; 2) at least one resin component selected from the group consisting of a nonionic resin emulsion, an anionic resin emulsion, and a carboxymethyl cellulose; 3) at least one surfactant component selected from the group consisting of a nonionic surfactant, an anionic surfactant, and an amphoteric surfactant; and 4) an aqueous medium, the treatment solution being applied to a fabric before printing of an ink composition for inkjet textile printing. |
| US08651646B2 |
Fluid ejection assembly with circulation pump
A fluid ejection assembly includes a fluid slot, and a group of uniformly spaced drop generators, where each drop generator is individually coupled to the fluid slot through a first end of a drop generator channel and to a connection channel at a second end of the drop generator channel. The fluid ejection assembly includes a pump disposed within a pump channel located between two drop generator channels, and is configured to circulate fluid from the fluid slot, into the connection channel through the pump channel, and back to the fluid slot through the drop generator channels. |
| US08651645B2 |
Print cartridge identification system and method
A print cartridge identification system includes a housing, a family key provided on one side of the housing to identify an associated printer of the print cartridge, a fluid key provided on the one side of the housing to identify a property of fluid in the print cartridge, and a location datum provided on the one side of the housing to position the print cartridge in the associated printer. |
| US08651643B2 |
Fluid cartridge
An ink cartridge for an inkjet printer includes a bottom face and a front face; an ink interface on the front face of the ink cartridge for connection to a cartridge receiving structure; a guide interface in the bottom face for guiding the cartridge along a straight line during insertion into the cartridge receiving structure for connecting the ink interface; a latch track disposed in the bottom face of the ink cartridge to guide a latch of the cartridge receiving structure; a latch stop disposed in the latch track for engaging the latch, where the latch track comprises a locking track and an unlocking track to accommodate movement of the latch with respect to the latch stop, the locking track being at least partly separate from the unlocking track; and a latch guide for redirecting the latch towards the locking track, rather than the unlocking track. |
| US08651634B2 |
Liquid ejection device having image data processing unit
An image data processing device processes image data. The image data processing device includes an image data storing unit, a correction data producing unit, and an image density value addition unit. The image density value is either a first density value that is greater than or equal to a prescribed value or a second density value that is less than the prescribed value. The ink droplet is ejected on the first subject pixel whereas the ink droplet is unejected on the second subject pixel. The correction data producing unit produces correction data including a plurality of correction density values. The image density value addition unit adds the correction density value to the second density value of the corresponding pixel. The correction data producing unit produces a first correction density value and a second correction density value as the correction density value. |
| US08651630B2 |
Fluid ejector structure
In one embodiment, a fluid ejector structure includes: a chamber for containing a fluid; a flexible membrane forming one wall of the chamber; a plurality of piezoelectric elements; a backing operatively connected to the piezoelectric elements such that an expansion and/or contraction of a piezoelectric element causes the piezoelectric element to bend; a rigid plate overlaying a center portion of the membrane; a post coupling the piezoelectric elements to the plate through the backing such that a movement of each piezoelectric element toward the chamber is transmitted to the plate through the post. The plate is configured to transmit movement of the post to the membrane in a rigid, or substantially rigid, piston-like manner. |
| US08651621B2 |
Coating for an ink jet printhead front face
A coating for an ink jet printhead front face, wherein the coating comprises a low adhesion coating, wherein when the low adhesion coating is disposed on an ink jet printhead front face surface, jetted drops of ultra-violet gel ink or jetted drops of solid ink exhibit a low sliding angle with the printhead front face surface, wherein the low sliding angle is less than about 1° to less than about 30°. In embodiments, the low adhesion coating is an oleophobic coating that exhibits a contact angle of greater than about 35° with ultra-violet gel ink or solid ink. The coating can further be used for an ink jet printhead flexure chute. |
| US08651619B2 |
Waste ink reclamation apparatus for liquid ink recirculation system
An ink reclamation receptacle receives ink purged from an inkjet printing apparatus. Ink in the reclamation receptacle wets a porous membrane positioned in the reclamation receptacle, and flows into a flow channel. Negative pressure applied to a port that is placed in fluid communication with the flow channel withdraws ink from the flow channel for use in the inkjet printing apparatus, while ink wetting the pores in the membrane resists a flow of air into the flow channel. |
| US08651618B2 |
Liquid ejection apparatus and nonvolatile storage medium storing program
A liquid ejection apparatus, including: a head having ejection openings and configured to eject liquid through the ejection openings; a sealing mechanism configured to selectively establish a sealing state in which the sealing mechanism seals an ejection space in which the ejection openings are open, from an outside and an unsealing state in which the sealing mechanism does not seal the ejection space from the outside; and a humid-air supply mechanism configured to supply a humid air into the ejection space when the sealing mechanism is in the sealing state; wherein a controller is configured to control the humid-air supply mechanism such that an amount of the humid air to be supplied into the ejection space from the humid-air supply mechanism when the sealing mechanism is in the sealing state increases with a longer length of time of the unsealing state just before the current sealing state. |
| US08651616B2 |
Printing apparatus and ink remaining amount detection method
According to this invention, an inkjet printing apparatus having an arrangement for detecting an amount of remaining ink in an ink tank starts a printing operation in a short time immediately after power-on. If an operation in preceding use is ended without any error at the time of power-off, and no error has occurred even at the time of power-on, the inkjet printing apparatus of this invention starts the printing operation without executing the operation of detecting the amount of remaining ink in the ink tank after power-on. |
| US08651614B2 |
Inkjet printing apparatus and ink discharge control method
In an inkjet printing apparatus, a printing medium is conveyed in a conveying direction by causing the printing medium to adsorb to the surface of the endless belt by electrostatic force. When printing, the surface potential of the printing medium directly below the printing head is acquired. The discharge speed of the ink that has been associated in advance with the acquired surface potential is obtained, and an amount of variation in the landing position of the ink is determined based on the scanning speed of the printing head, the distance from the printing head to the printing medium, and the discharge speed of the ink. The timing of discharge of ink from the printing head is corrected to cancel out the determined amount of variation, and printing is performed based on image data in accordance with the corrected timing. |
| US08651613B2 |
Image forming apparatus and methods thereof
A method of calibrating a transport roller includes forming a reference image through nozzles arranged in an array having an array height, moving a substrate a distance along a substrate transport path by the transport roller having a radius and a circumference, and determining an offset value based on an actual distance of substrate advancement corresponding to the reference image and movement of the transport roller. The circumference of the transport roller is equal to or less than at least one of the array height of the nozzle array or an image height of the reference image. |
| US08651607B2 |
Liquid ejecting apparatus and liquid ejecting method
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a heating unit which heats a medium; a head which ejects liquid droplets onto the medium opposed thereto; and a driving signal generating unit which generates a driving signal to be applied to the head in order to eject the liquid droplets and which generates a driving signal different in accordance with whether the heating unit is used. |
| US08651599B2 |
Refrigerator comprising an extractably guided receptable for chilled goods
A refrigerator includes a heat-insulated housing having an interior space in which a pair of chilled-goods containers are disposed adjacent to one another at a spacing from the floor. Each chilled-goods container is mounted on extending elements that guide chilled-goods container into and out of the interior space. A longitudinal beam extends between the chilled-goods containers and each of the extractable elements is supported on sidewalls of the housing via at least one crossbeam. |
| US08651595B2 |
Cabinet, in particular safety cabinet
A safety cabinet has a body, a pair of doors each pivotal on the body about a respective axis between an open position and a closed position, respective spaced outer guides on the body juxtaposed with the doors, and respective elements displaceable along the guides and coupled to the doors for movement between outer positions when the respective doors are in the open position and inner positions when the respective doors are in the closed positions. A catch between the guides is engageable with the elements and shiftable therewith. A spring also between the guides is engaged between the catch and the body and biases the catch inward toward engagement with the elements. A release device secured between the catch and the body normally holds the catch in an outer position with the spring in a tensioned condition but can release the catch and thereby push the elements with the catch into their inner position to close the doors. |
| US08651594B2 |
Cabinet for use beside a bed
A bedside cabinet comprises a body (10) carrying two drawers (12) and (14) all made from synthetic plastics material by rotational molding. The body (10) comprises a proximal wall (16) and a distal wall (18) each extending upward from a generally horizontal platform (20), and a horizontal top (22) extending between the proximal wall (16) and the distal wall (18). An upstand (28) carries a horizontal shelf (30) extending partly over the top (22) and both the top (22) and the shelf (30) are directed towards the proximal side of the cabinet, having raised lips (32) and (34) respectively around their distal edges and their ends. The cabinet lacks dirt traps and is easily cleaned. In addition the drawers (12) and (14) are reversible so as to open forwards whether the cabinet is on the right-hand side or the left-hand side of a bed. |
| US08651593B2 |
Hybrid modular furniture and storage container unit
In accordance with an embodiment, a hybrid modular furniture and container unit includes a base shell, a base core layer, and a set of base inner panels. The base shell has a shell bottom, a first shell wall, a second shell wall, a third shell wall, a fourth shell wall, and upper flaps associated with each of the respective walls. The base core layer has a core bottom, a first core wall, a second core wall, a third core wall, and a fourth core wall. The core layer is disposed within the base shell. The base inner panels include a first inner panel wall, a second inner panel wall, a third inner panel wall, and a fourth inner panel wall. The inner panel walls disposed within the shell and each upper flap is folded over a respective core wall and inner panel wall. |
| US08651591B1 |
Lock device for two way travel drawer
A lock device for two-way travel drawers of a support body is provided with in combination a peg on a central portion of one side of the drawer; two two-way travel slides each on an outer surface of either side of the drawer; and a lock assembly including a groove member, a sliding member, a lock, and snapping members. The groove member has a rectangular section and includes front and rear flanges to be secured to a wall of the support body. The sliding member has a rectangular section, is slidably disposed in the groove member, and includes openings. The lock is disposed on an upper portion of the wall of the support body and capable of actuating to activate the sliding member. The snapping members are retained in the openings and capable of locking or unlocking the peg when the sliding member moves. |
| US08651590B2 |
Leveling assembly for appliance doors
A leveling assembly for an appliance door is described. The leveling assembly causes vertical movement of a decorative door panel relative to an appliance door. |
| US08651588B2 |
Electro-pneumatic brake control device
An electro-pneumatic brake control device is provided for controlling the parking brake of a vehicle having compressed-air-actuated brake cylinders, at least one of which is a spring brake cylinder with a spring store part. Valve devices place the brake control device into various operating states. In a first operating state, the valve devices are at least partially supplied with current and switched such that a compressed air line to the spring store part of the spring brake cylinder is aerated. In a second state, the valve devices are at least partially supplied with current and switched such that the compressed air line is deaerated. In a third state, which can be activated in the event of failure of the electrical energy supply of the brake control device, the valve devices are switched to a currentless state such that the compressed air line is automatically deaerated in throttled manner. |
| US08651585B2 |
Towed vehicle braking apparatus
An auxiliary braking system and method of controlling the braking a towed vehicle is provided that includes a remote control that is in selective communication with an auxiliary braking unit positioned in a towing vehicle. More specifically, it is often desirable for the operator of the towing vehicle to assess the performance of the auxiliary braking apparatus positioned in a towed vehicle. In addition, it is often advantageous for the operator to perform real time adjustments to the performance parameters of the auxiliary braking apparatus positioned in the towing vehicle without having to cease driving and physically access the auxiliary braking device. |
| US08651582B2 |
Method for producing a toothbrush head
The present invention relates to a method for producing a brush head for a toothbrush head in which the bristle tufts that are already fixed to a bristle support of the brush head are cut at the free ends thereof such that a desired tuft end contour is generated. According to the invention, at least one bristle tuft is bent away at least in parts and held in a bent-away position while the tuft end contour of this at least one and/or of another bristle tuft is cut. |
| US08651581B2 |
Safety device for the movable excavation devices in an underground longwall mine
A safety device which detects personnel data of persons located in the detection zone thereof, said safety device operating continuously or in regular cycles and reporting to the central controller. The personnel data of all persons located in the longwall mine are stored in a central storage device of the central control and constantly compared to the detected personnel data. If a discrepancy arises between the saved personnel data and the detected personnel data, the central control unit executes a command which halts all functions of the excavation devices and interrupts all moving functions, said command being directed at the switching devices of the associated excavation devices. |
| US08651579B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for increasing support provided by cushioned furniture and other occupant supporting furniture
Panel assemblies designed and configured to be installed into cushioned and other occupant-supporting furniture to increase the support provided to one or more occupants of the furniture. Each panel assembly is composed of interconnecting components, such as panels and slats. The components are interconnected in any one or more of a variety of manners, including side-to-side, overlapped, and stacked, and combinations thereof. Each panel assembly can be made from one or more kits of components that can be provided along with instructions, such as assembly instructions and installation instructions. |
| US08651574B2 |
Office chair
An office chair (1) comprising a seat (2) and a backrest (3), wherein the backrest (3) includes a lumbar support (4), which is adjustable between an inactive position in which it follows the general shape of the backrest (3), and a fully active position in which it is curved outwards forwardly from the backrest (3) in order to support the lumbar back portion of a person seated on the seat (2) of the chair (1). The seat (2) is tillable about a first pivot point (A) between an initial position, and a slightly forwardly tilted second position, wherein the position of the seat is adjusted by means of the centre of gravity (G) of a person seated in the chair, such that when the centre of gravity (G) is behind the pivot point (A) the seat (2) rests in the first position and when the centre of gravity (G) is in front of the pivot point (A) the seat (2) rests in the second position, and in that the position of the lumbar support (4) is governed by the position of the seat (2) such that it is positioned in the inactive position when the seat (2) is in the initial position, and in the active position when the seat (2) rests in the tilted position, in order to support the lumbar back portion of a person seated on the seat (2) of the chair (1) when said person is leaning forwards. |
| US08651573B2 |
Vehicle seat assembly having a self adjusting seat cushion
A vehicle seat assembly includes a seat bottom having a seat cushion and a seat bottom frame subassembly adjacent the cushion. The seat bottom frame subassembly has a platform portion with an aperture, a first substantially rigid support member suspended from the platform portion across the aperture, and a second substantially rigid support member suspended from the platform portion across the aperture. The first support member and the second support member are configured to move between the retracted position and a deployed position when a load is applied to the cushion. The first support member and the second support member cooperate to support the cushion when the first support member and the second support member are in the deployed position. |
| US08651572B2 |
Swivel feeding seat
The present disclosure relates to a seat configured to swivel, recline, and raise to accommodate a child during feeding. |
| US08651571B1 |
Mountable child safety seat
A mountable child safety seat that can be mounted on a door and more preferably, either a bathroom stall door or a bathroom door. The child safety seat includes a number of support columns with adjustable inserts that can be used to accommodate bathroom doors of a wide variety of heights to allow an adult caregiver to secure the child safety seat to the door. The child safety seat includes a seat belt to ensure that the infant or toddler will be secure while using the child safety seat. |
| US08651570B2 |
Protective headrest
A protective headrest for land vehicles provides ergonomic support and protection against injury to a passenger's head and spine. The protective headrest has a back wall, sides, top and front wall. The front wall includes a head support segment co-joined and adjacent to a spine support segment. The head support segment has a semi-spherical concave curvature adapted and shaped to correspond with a passenger's head. The spine support segment is substantially shaped as a convex curvature adapted and shaped to correspond with the passenger's spine region at the neck-head interface. The spine support segment is located proximate and adjacent to the head support segment on a vertical plane. Preferably, the headrest includes a memory foam or other moldable insert within the head support segment and/or the spine support segment. |
| US08651565B2 |
Carrier element for a motor vehicle
The invention relates to a carrier element for a motor vehicle made of steel, which comprises at least one closed cross-sectional area and at least one rolled profile produced from a tailored strip, which extends in longitudinal direction of the carrier element. In addition to this, the invention relates to a body of a motor vehicle. The object of making available a carrier element for a motor vehicle that cannot only be produced in a simple manner and can provide high strengths with same manufacturing costs is solved in that through the rolled profile a carrier element having at least one at least partially closed cross-sectional area is formed. |
| US08651557B2 |
Door frame for vehicle
A door frame for a vehicle includes a vertical portion fixed to an upper end portion of a door body, and a main frame portion connected to an upper end of the vertical portion and fixed to the upper end portion of the door body. The vertical portion includes an envelope portion and a fixing portion. The envelope portion includes a bottom wall, an outer wall extending in an outward direction of the vehicle from an end portion of the bottom wall at an outer side of the door frame, and an inner wall extending in the outward direction from an end portion of the bottom wall at an inner side of the door frame. The bottom wall of which a width in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle is greater in a vicinity of the door body than at an upper end side of the vertical portion. |
| US08651556B2 |
Vehicle door check link mechanism
A vehicle door check link mechanism comprises a vehicle mounting member, a vehicle door mounting member, a link member and a latch member. The vehicle mounting member and vehicle door mounting member can be mounted to a vehicle and vehicle door, respectively. The link member can be pivotally coupled to the vehicle mounting member and slidably coupled to the vehicle door mounting member, or vice-versa, to pivot through a pivotal movement range. The latch and link members can prevent the latch member from moving from a latched position that retains the link member to a released position that releases the link member while the link member is disposed within a first pivotal movement range angle, and permit the latch member to move to the released position while the link member is disposed within a second pivotal movement range angle that does not overlap the first pivotal movement range angle. |
| US08651552B2 |
Support structure of windshield
A support structure of a windshield of the present invention comprises a frame having an open section opening forward in a vehicle and a support member provided inside the frame and connecting an upper face portion and a lower face portion of the frame. The frame has a windshield support portion supporting a lower side portion of the windshield at part of the upper face portion. The support member includes a rear support portion attached to the upper face portion of the frame and a front support portion attached to a cowl panel at a specified location positioned in front of the rear support portion. The windshield support portion is positioned between the front and rear support portions in the vehicle longitudinal direction. |
| US08651542B2 |
Placement device for assembling components in electronic devices
A placement device comprises a vacuum gripper (110) and a holder (120). The gripper, formed as a vacuum needle, is movable relative to the holder along a first axis. The gripper and the holder are mutually coupled by a membrane (160) allowing the gripper to tilt away from the first axis. |
| US08651532B2 |
Device for connecting two pipes with different external diameters
A device for connecting two pipes with different external diameters using a sleeve arrangement which bridges the butt joint between the ends of the pipe facing each other. The device contains at least a fixing sleeve which can take up the clips for the two pipes, and, if necessary, a sealing sleeve which is surrounded by the fixing sleeve. High economy and safety can be achieved by the fact that each sleeve of the sleeve arrangement has cylindrical contact sections which can be adjusted to the different external diameters of the two pipes and are connected by a central section which can take a conical form to suite the diameter difference wherein the contact sections of the sleeve next to the external circumference of the two pipes can be brought into direct contact with the two pipes, and the contact sections of the fixing sleeve contain encircling mounting channels assigned to the clips, and wherein the fixing sleeve takes the form of a closed encircling ring which is suitable for three-dimensional deformation. |
| US08651528B2 |
Vehicle splash guard
A vehicle splash guard comprises a base portion, a guard portion, a mounting portion, a mating portion and a flexible portion. The guard portion extends from the base portion. The mounting portion extends from the base portion and is configured to mount to a vehicle body structure. The mounting portion includes a mounting portion free edge. The mating portion is configured to abut the vehicle body structure. The mating portion includes a first mating portion free edge and a second mating portion free edge. The first mating portion free edge extends from the base portion to the mounting portion. The flexible portion is defined by the mounting portion free edge and the second mating portion free edge, such that the guard portion is configured to move about the flexible portion between a normal position in which the second mating portion free edge is positioned at a first position proximate to the mounting portion free edge and a flexed position in which the second mating portion free edge is spaced at a second position further apart from the mounting portion free edge than the first position. |
| US08651526B2 |
Steering apparatus
In a steering apparatus, an upper bracket that supports a steering column is configured as a breakaway bracket, and has a telescopic adjustment function that allows the steering wheel position to be adjusted in the axial direction of the steering column. The upper bracket has a first through-hole extending through the upper bracket in the axial direction. The upper bracket is provided with a guide rail 7 that has a fixed portion and a body portion. The fixed portion is fixed to a mounting stay. The body portion extends from the fixed portion toward the front of a vehicle in the axial direction, and is inserted in the first through-hole. |
| US08651521B2 |
Airbag module having an airbag with an adaptive ventilation opening
An airbag module for installation in a motor vehicle has an airbag made of an airbag fabric and folded up before being triggered by an inflation device. The airbag fabric has at least one slit forming an adaptive ventilation opening and a retaining strap, which at one end is held releasably on a retainer on the airbag module and at the other end is connected fixedly to the airbag. The slit (11) is cut into the airbag fabric and has two ends configured to prevent the slit (11) from tearing when pressure is applied. The retaining strap is arranged on the inside of the airbag and is guided through a securing loop (17) attached to the airbag fabric opposite the fixed end (14) of the retaining strap across the slit (11) toward the retainer. |
| US08651515B2 |
Occupant protection apparatus and occupant protection method
A side airbag apparatus includes an airbag that can form a plurality of chambers with a single inflator and protects an occupant from an impact on a side door by deploying the airbag between the occupant and the side door. The chambers of the airbag includes an upper chamber and a lower chamber that can be deployed above and below a door arm rest in a vehicle vertical direction, and a chest chamber 12c that is disposed closer to the inner side of an occupant compartment in the vehicle width direction than the upper and lower chambers and can be deployed around a chest region of the occupant. |
| US08651514B2 |
Airbag tear seam tape
A vehicle interior panel for use over an airbag includes a covering disposed over a substrate. The covering includes a decorative layer with an inner surface that faces the substrate and an opposite decorative surface. A non-visible tear seam is formed at the inner surface of the decorative layer. Tear seam tape is attached to the inner surface of the decorative layer along at least a portion of the tear seam to hold the decorative layer together at the tear seam. The tear seam tape can help prevent the tear seam from becoming visible at the decorative surface. |
| US08651512B2 |
Passenger airbag apparatus
The disclosure discloses a passenger airbag apparatus comprising: an airbag configured to inflates and expands from an opening; a retainer configured to comprise a body having substantially rectangular frame-shaped side walls; arm members configured to extend respectively from the side walls along a left and right directions, and to be affixed to the panel; a substantially disk-shaped gas generator attached to the bottom surface of the body; and a support member arranged in a manner that the upper end portion thereof is attached to an outer periphery of the opening and to cover the sides of the airbag, wherein: the retainer further includes hook members provided on the side walls along a front and rear directions, and engage the body with the support member; the body and the hook members are integrally constructed with substantially the same thickness; and the hook members further includes a first rib portion. |
| US08651508B2 |
Portable dock system
A portable trailer dock system features a floating dock assembly pivotally mounted atop a trailer frame to allow elevating of a free end of the floating dock assembly above the corresponding distal end of the trailer opposite the towing end thereof so that the dock can be held above the water surface when the trailer is backed into a body of water to temporarily install the dock thereat. In another embodiment, the connection between the dock and trailer is releasable to allow floating of the dock further out over the water. Another embodiment features a cover disposed over an a-frame neck of the trailer and a pair of extensions pivotally mounted to opposite sides of the neck for selective pivoting into deployed positions cooperating with the a-frame cover to form a walkway between the dock and the towing vehicle. |
| US08651507B2 |
Mounting assembly for attaching auxiliary equipment to a wheelchair
A mounting assembly for attaching auxiliary equipment to a wheelchair includes multiple adjustment features. In the preferred embodiment, different wheelchair widths may be accommodated by utilizing attachment arms that pivot co-axially with a main column of the auxiliary equipment. The mounting assembly preferably includes a pair of arms and a pair of links that extend from the arms. The lengths of the links and the arms may be adjusted by rotation of a rod portion of each arm and each link, but other means for enabling changes in length are possible. The links are preferably pivotally connected to the arms, so that the distance between the ends can be varied on the basis of the particular wheelchair. Ball-and-socket joints are used, but rotatability of the sockets permits flexibility of the orientations of the joints. Additionally, a vernier adjustment effect may be included to permit adjustments in the angle of the main column. |
| US08651505B2 |
Bicycle
A bicycle 10 providing increased power transfer and improved aerodynamic characteristics. The bicycle includes a seat assembly 70 that supports the anterior pelvic region so the rider extends forwardly over the bicycle instead of in an upright position. The bicycle also includes a rear mounted drive assembly 80 to increase the power transfer from the rider. |
| US08651504B2 |
Transverse link on a motor vehicle
The invention relates to a transverse link (1) having a main body (2), which has at least one first fixing region (3) for pivotal attachment to a vehicle frame element and at least one further fixing region (6) for pivotal attachment to a hub carrier, the main body (2) having at least one wheel limb (8).In order largely to avoid destruction of the journal connection of the transverse link to a hub carrier if the wheel hits a curbstone, for example, the proposal is to provide a transitional region (19), which is arranged between the wheel limb (8) and the further fixing region (6), the transitional region (19) being embodied in such a way that a deformation zone (21) acting in the longitudinal direction (Y) of the wheel limb (8) is formed. |
| US08651503B2 |
Vehicles, systems for vehicles, and methods for vehicles all to improve cornering capability
A land vehicle, according to various aspects of the present invention allows the driver to lean with a frame that supports the driver and that pivots on a base. Motion of the frame is coupled to the wheels to adjust a camber of the wheels. The wheels are coupled to the base that provides a reference for independent wheel suspension mechanisms. As a result, banking of the vehicle does not affect the suspension of the wheels. Hydraulic assistance to counteract the forces of the suspension systems is unnecessary. |
| US08651502B2 |
Latch device for coupling a carrier to a stroller frame
A latch device is adapted for coupling a detachably a carrier to a stroller frame, and includes a latch tongue, a latch housing, and a locking member. The latch tongue is mounted on the stroller frame, and has a cam surface and an abutment surface. The latch housing is connected to the latch tongue and is coupled detachably to the carrier. The locking member is connected to the latch housing and includes a latch arm. The locking member is movable relative to the latch housing between a locked position, where the latch tongue is locked to the locking member, and an unlocked position, where the latch tongue is unlocked from the locking member and a slide block of the latch arm abuts against the abutment surface so as to maintain the locking member at the unlocked position. The slide block slides along the cam surface when the locking member is moved toward the unlocked position. |
| US08651499B2 |
Hose or cable release alert system
An alerting system for signaling the displacement of a leading end portion of a hose or the like, carried by a vehicle, includes a hose-gripping unit, a visible or audible signal generator, and a mounting box for connecting the gripping unit to support structure. Displacement of the hose from the gripping unit may generate an alarm signal to enable the operator to immediately bring the vehicle to a stop, or it may generate a signal simply to indicate when one of several hoses has been intentionally deployed. |
| US08651498B2 |
Clamping chuck for radially clamping workpieces with a cylindrical outer clamping surface
A clamping chuck (1) for radially clamping workpieces with a cylindrical outer clamping surface includes an annular base member (2) which has a hole (5), a shoulder (11), which projects inwards radially and forms a contact surface for the workpiece, an axially-extending hole face (10) and tabs (12) which project inwards radially. Arranged on the base member (2) is a clamping member which is divided into a plurality of substantially L-shaped clamping elements (21), which each include a clamping head (24) arranged in the hole and an actuating lever (27) which extends outwards radially from the clamping head (24). Each clamping head (24) includes, on the outer side thereof, at least one cam (25), which projects outwards radially, engages in a gap between the shoulder (11) and the tabs (12) and is supported radially by the hole face (10) and axially by at least one tab (12). On their inner side, each clamping head has a clamping edge (26) which is arranged in such a way that, upon rotation of the clamping elements (21), during which the actuating levers (27) move away from the base member (2), the edge moves inwards in a radial direction and towards the shoulder (11) in an axial direction. |
| US08651493B1 |
Target range systems
Targets, a target range system, and methods for economical operation of a target range. A preferred method includes providing a target range site; providing a target resembling a conventional target in dimension and appearing, yet having a weight that is substantially less than the weight of the conventional target. The target has a plurality of interconnecting plates made of recyclable material and is devoid of hazards comprising munitions, fuels, and radioactive materials. The ingress and egress routes for the target are reduced as compared to routes for conventional targets and enable cost savings. The targets are also readily recycled, enabling additional economic advantage. |
| US08651483B2 |
Sheet inverting device and method of inverting a folded sheet
A sheet inverting device and a method of inverting a folded sheet include an inverting element that inverts the sheet around an axis of rotation towards a receiving member for receiving the sheet, and at least one moveable stop member that limits, in a first position of the stop member above the receiving member, an unfolding movement of the sheet in a direction towards a far side of the receiving member. The stop member is adapted to be retracted from the first position into a second position of the stop member. |
| US08651482B2 |
Print media pickup arm between feed roller and media support
A pickup arm for print media arranged to engage a roller. |
| US08651479B2 |
Recording medium delivery device and image forming apparatus including the same
A sheet delivery device (80) includes a sheet presser member (61), which is positioned in the vicinity of a sheet delivery port (53) on a downstream side in a sheet delivery direction, for pressing a trailing end of a sheet to be delivered from the sheet delivery port (53). The sheet presser member (61) includes a side surface portion (61a), which is positioned to face a leading end of the sheet to be delivered from the sheet delivery port (53) and a bottom surface portion (61b) which is projected from a lower end of the side surface portion (61a) toward the downstream side in the sheet delivery direction. |
| US08651478B2 |
Sheet conveying device and recording apparatus
A sheet conveying device includes a first conveying unit configured to convey a sheet in a conveying direction; a conveying path configured to guide the sheet to the first conveying unit, the sheet having been conveyed by the first conveying unit in a direction opposite to the conveying direction; a second conveying unit configured to convey the sheet in the conveying path; a rotation direction detecting unit configured to detect a rotation direction of the second conveying unit; and a control unit configured to perform control, at startup, to drive the first conveying unit in a direction that causes the sheet to be conveyed in the conveying direction, and if the rotation direction detecting unit detects rotation of the second conveying unit, to drive the second conveying unit in the rotation direction that is detected by the rotation direction detecting unit. |
| US08651476B2 |
Separator assembly
A separator assembly is disclosed herein. An example includes a base to mount to a printing device and a wall supported by the base. The example also includes a singulation assembly adjacent the wall to separate a medium from a media stack and a ramp adjacent the singulation assembly to guide the medium from the media stack to a feed assembly. The example further includes a corner relief feature on either side of and below the ramp into which corners of the medium may drop and travel below a remainder of the medium as the medium is guided from the media stack to the feed assembly and a guide adjacent each corner relief feature to lift the corners of the medium out of the corner relief features before the medium enters the feed assembly. A media handling assembly is also disclosed herein as is a method of media handling. |
| US08651473B2 |
Feeder, feeding method, and image forming apparatus
In one embodiment, there is provided a feeder that includes: a feed table on which a plurality of papers are staked in one direction, wherein some of the papers are bundled by a staple; a take-out module configured to sequentially take out the stacked papers from an outermost surface of the papers; a first detector configured to detect whether or not the staple exists in the papers within a distance h measured from the outermost surface; a controller configured to control the take-out module in a first mode or a second mode. When the staple is detected in the papers within the distance h, the controller controls the take-out module in the first mode. When the staple is not detected in the papers within the distance h, the controller controls the take-out module in the second mode. |
| US08651470B2 |
Clamping mechanism
A clamp mechanism for a workpiece having an oblique surface is provided. The clamp mechanism includes a base, a fixing member, and a locking assembly. The base includes a main body, a pivot shaft, and two holding portions on the main body which are away from the pivot shaft, and each holding portion defines a curved sliding slit extending around the pivot shaft. The locking assembly includes a locking member and an engaging member engaging with the locking member. The locking member passes through and slides along the sliding slits of the holding portions of the base. One end of the fixing member is rotatably connected to the base, and the locking member passes through the other end of the fixing member. |
| US08651467B2 |
Fluid-filled type vibration damping device
A fluid-filled type vibration damping device including a partition member having a moveable film and a short passage interconnecting a pressure receiving chamber and an equilibrium chamber. A valve member that switches between a communicating state and a shut off state of the short passage projects from the moveable film. The valve member has a thick walled part and a thin walled part, the thin walled part being pressed on an inner wall surface of the short passage. A pressure of the pressure receiving chamber is applied through the short passage to a pressure receiving chamber side surface of the thick walled part, while an equilibrium chamber side surface thereof is supported by the partition member. The pressure of the pressure receiving chamber is applied to one side of the thin walled part and a pressure of the equilibrium chamber is applied to another side thereof through the short passage. |
| US08651464B2 |
Resilient returning device for a power operated piston tool
A resilient returning device for a power operated piston tool comprises a one piece elastic bellow-shaped body including a plurality of repeating pleats, each of which has two pleat halves that cooperatively define a first elbow therebetween. Each of the pleat halves of each of the pleats cooperates with an adjacent one of the pleat halves of an adjacent one of the pleats to define a second elbow therebetween. Each of the first and second elbows has a bulging side. The bellow-shaped body is formed with a plurality of loop-shaped grooves that are indented from the bulging sides of the first elbows of the pleats or the bulging sides of the second elbows of the pleats, respectively. |
| US08651462B2 |
Method and lift construction for lifting and lowering a blade of a windmill
A lift construction for lifting and lowering a blade of a windmill is described herein. The lift construction for lifting and lowering a blade of a windmill to and from its mounted position at a rotatable cone of the windmill comprises a first yoke mountable at the inside of the blade and a second yoke mountable in the cone of the windmill, wherein the first yoke and the second yoke are arranged to cooperate. |
| US08651458B2 |
Hand-operating vacuum pulling device
A hand-operated vacuum pulling device includes a shank, over which a backward ram is slidable fit. The shank has a front end to which a suction cup is attached and a rear end to which a handgrip defining a cylinder and having a pressure relief seat is attached. The pressure relief seat forms a ram stop at a joint thereof with the shank. The handgrip has a rear end to which a ring-shaped cover assembly is attached. The piston assembly is manually operable to induce a vacuum inside the cylinder. And then, the ring-shaped cover assembly can be manually operated to pull the piston assembly backward for repeated operation of the piston assembly to thereby make a spring contained in the piston assembly stiffer and increase the suction power of the suction cup. The backward ram can be quickly moved backward to impact the ram stop for improving pulling effect. |
| US08651457B2 |
Heater system media bed float sled and method of using the same
A float sled comprising a body with a substantially flat upper surface, a lift plate operationally associated with the body and adapted to move from a first position in proximity to the upper surface of the body to a second position above the first position and above the body, a set of pneumatic air bag lifts associated with the lift plate to raise and lower the lift plate to various horizontal orientations with differing degrees of tilt, and an air bearing adapted to raise the body above the ground. |
| US08651454B1 |
Efficient drain systems
The valve assembly allowing users to efficiently drain large containers, such as tanks, barrels, drums, and pipes which are used to hold fluids. This device features a draining pipe with an attached dispensing valve, which can be installed into a hole that is drilled into the desired container. After installation, consumers may simply turn the dispensing valve to release desired amounts of liquid. Using this product may eliminate the need for using pumps, or for welding or cutting tees into pipes, in order to effectively drain large containers. The device may be for use in residential homes, farms, and industrial establishments. |
| US08651449B2 |
Concrete forming panel
Concrete forming panels according to the present invention are formed using a series of interlocking panel sections mechanically connected at a forward face of the panel. The mechanical connection uses a hook portion of one section received in a slot portion of an adjacent section with a pivot and stop relation defining the planar forming face. A series of brace members extend across the panel sections on a rear surface and maintain engagement of the panel sections and reinforce the panel sections against deformation of the forming face during use of the panel. The arrangement is economical to manufacture in many different sizes as may be required by a customer. Some welding is used, however the mechanical connection greatly reduces the amount of welding required. Replacement sections can easily be used to repair damaged panels. |
| US08651444B2 |
Friction adjustment mechanism for a support apparatus
A support apparatus includes an arm assembly attached to a mounting body. A frictional adjustment mechanism is provided between the mounting body and the arm assembly that permits an amount of friction induced by tilting of the mounting body to be adjusted so that a greater or lesser amount of force is needed by a user to tilt the mounting body and any object held by the mounting body. Preferably, the mounting body is configured to hold a monitor, liquid crystal display, or other display device. |
| US08651437B2 |
Pivoting assembly with positioning function
A pivoting assembly with a positioning function includes a base and a casing assembled with the base. The base is provided with curved elastic arms and two fixing supports. Each fixing support has a pivotal hole. One surface of the casing is formed with a curved portion for allowing the curved elastic arm to abut against and two holes for allowing the fixing support to pass through. The other surface of the casing is formed with a protrusion pivotally connected to the pivotal hole. When the curved portion slides on the curved elastic arm, elastic abutment between the curved portion and the curved elastic arm makes the casing to be positioned by friction fit with respect to the base. |
| US08651433B2 |
Method and apparatus for a hybrid train control device
A method and an apparatus for an on-board train control device are provided, and are based on converting speed codes received from wayside cab-signaling devices into movement authority limits. The device determines the train location independent of the wayside train detection system, and generates and enforces stopping profiles based on said movement authority limits. |
| US08651430B2 |
Spoiler for an aerodynamic body of an aircraft
The invention pertains to a spoiler (5) for an aerodynamically active surface of an aircraft (1), particularly for an airfoil of an aircraft, wherein said spoiler is supported on the aerodynamically active surface such that it is articulated about an axis (11) extending transverse to the air flow direction and can be adjusted relative to the air flow. According to the invention, the spoiler features two or more segments (6, 7) that are arranged behind one another referred to the air flow direction and extend transverse to the air flow direction, wherein said segments are connected to one another in an articulated fashion and can be adjusted to different angles referred to the air flow. The successively arranged segments of the spoiler (5) can be actuated, in particular, by means of an actuating device (8, 9, 10) in such a way that the rear segment (7) is adjusted relative to the air flow by a greater angle than the front segment (6). |
| US08651424B2 |
Driving controller of remote control equipment
A driving controller of remote control equipment includes a yaw axis angular velocity detecting unit for outputting a yaw axis angular velocity as a yaw axis angular velocity signal; a main rotor RPM detecting unit for outputting a main rotor RPM as a main rotor RPM signal; and a phase control unit for detecting a phase deviation in a roll axis and a pitch axis based on the yaw axis angular velocity signal and the main rotor RPM signal, and generating a roll and a pitch control signal by correcting a roll and a pitch operation signal by the phase deviation. The driving controller further includes an actuator control unit for generating a roll and a pitch actuator driving signal respectively based on the roll and the pitch control signal, and outputting the generated roll and pitch actuator driving signals to a roll and a pitch control actuator, respectively. |
| US08651417B2 |
Bogie stop block
An aircraft landing gear assembly includes a bogie beam, a landing gear strut and a stop. The landing gear strut has a first end arranged to be pivotally coupled to an aircraft and a second end pivotally coupled to the bogie beam. The stop is arranged to limit pivotal movement of the bogie beam relative to the landing gear strut The stop includes an elongate member arranged to be deflectable in bending when the bogie beam reaches a pivotal limit. |
| US08651416B2 |
Aircraft assembly including an element for mounting an engine and associated aircraft
An engine is mounted on a structure by an intermediate structure assembled by flanges, to the structure and to the engine, where a rigid structure connects the flanges. This arrangement enables design of the structure to be simplified while allowing a substantial overhang when it is sought to mount the engine by the plane of its center of gravity, while being obliged to move the mounting structure away from it. The intermediate structure is resistant to forces resulting from the overhang, and also allows assemblies that are favorable to a balanced transmission of forces to the structure and a satisfactory ability to filter vibrations. |
| US08651414B2 |
Airplane with a tailcoat tail assembly and rear engine
An airplane, including a fuselage having an elongate shape along a longitudinal axis of the airplane, and at least one wing attached to the fuselage between front and back ends of the fuselage and a substantially cylindrical central portion and a rear scaleable portion on which a vertical tail assembly and a rear propulsion assembly are attached. Between a section for connecting the rear portion to the central portion of the fuselage and the back end: the maximum width of each fuselage section is constant or increases towards the rear up to a maximum fuselage width L; the height of each fuselage section decreases towards the rear, such that the back end of the fuselage forms a thin trailing edge substantially horizontal in the indicating line of the airplane and substantially rectilinear; a reactor for the propulsion assembly is provided in a so-called semi-buried configuration in the fuselage. |
| US08651413B2 |
Lightning-protection fastener
A lightning-protection fastener is provided that is capable of reliably preventing peeling off of an insulation layer during the operation of an aircraft and improving the anti-lightning-strike capability and reliability. There is a lightning-protection fastener that fastens a skin of an aircraft and a structural member positioned inside the skin, in which an insulation layer is melt adhered so as to cover one end surface of a head portion and also to mechanically engage with a fastener-side engagement portion (engagement portion) formed on the end surface. |
| US08651410B2 |
Rotation-restricting device for a fly reel spool
A dragging device restricting one-way rotation of a spool of a fly reel. In a rotation-restricting device of a spool having a dragging device which allows the spool to be attached to and detached from a shaft secured to a housing and which restricts one-way rotation of the spool, a sleeve is fitted on the shaft, a flange extends in the radial direction from one end of the sleeve, a flange cover is secured to the housing in the spool-attached direction, the flange makes contact between the flange cover and the housing, and a disk plate makes contact with the flange, whereby pressure applied due to rotation of a drag-adjusting knob mounted on the housing is transferred to the disk plate to restrict one-way rotation of the spool. A waterproof structure on the friction surface of the disk plate prevents infiltration of water. |
| US08651408B1 |
Livestock feed mixer
A vertical auger mixer for blending feed ingredients for farm animals has a frusto-conical shaped tub having an open top, a closed bottom and a motor-driven auger journaled for rotation about a vertical axis in the closed bottom. The tub has a discharge opening in a sidewall thereof, the opening having a door movable between an open and closed position. The tub is mounted on a base frame with plural load cells operatively disposed between the base frame and the tub such that the contents of the tub can be weighed and the tub can be rotated to fit installation requirements. An L-shaped tub reinforcing band is welded about the tub surrounding its upper rim in a way that inhibits unwanted collection of feed materials. |
| US08651407B2 |
Composite impactor for impact crusher
The present invention discloses a composite impactor for impact crushers, said impactor comprising a ferrous alloy at least partially reinforced with titanium carbide according to a defined geometry, in which said reinforced portion comprises an alternating macro-microstructure of millimetric areas concentrated with micrometric globular particles of titanium carbide separated by millimetric areas essentially free of micrometric globular particles of titanium carbide, said areas concentrated with micrometric globular particles of titanium carbide forming a microstructure in which the micrometric interstices between said globular particles are also filled by said ferrous alloy. |
| US08651404B2 |
Shredder with clip removing structure
A shredder includes a paper placement platform, a feeding roller assembly, and a shredding knife assembly. The paper placement platform includes four recesses. The four recesses are located adjacent to four corners of the paper placement platform, respectively. Moreover, plural clip removing bulges are discretely protruded from and arranged on a top surface of the paper placement platform beside each recess. The feeding roller assembly is arranged between the paper placement platform and the shredding knife assembly and exposed to the paper placement platform. During the paper on the paper placement platform is driven by the feeding roller assembly to be moved toward the shredding knife assembly, an edge of the paper is transferred through the plural clip removing bulges, so that a paperclip at the edge of the paper is blocked by the plural clip removing bulges to be separated from the paper. |
| US08651401B2 |
Jet regulator and sanitary water outlet
A jet regulator or jet aerator is provided with a jet regulator housing insertable into a water outlet and detachably held therein by threaded or bayonet connection. The jet regulator housing has an outflow-side housing partial region with a reduced housing outer circumference compared to the inflow-side housing partial region, and the outflow-side housing partial region is insertable into an insert opening of a turning tool such that the turning tool can be applied to a tool working surface in a rotationally fixed manner. The tool working surface is provided on the outflow-side frontal edge, the housing circumference of the outflow-side housing partial region and/or an annular shoulder surrounding the housing partial region on the outside. A sanitary water outlet is also provided, which for a plurality of visibly separately emerging water jets has a corresponding plurality of water outflows spaced apart from one another. |
| US08651390B2 |
Printed security mark
Embodiments of a printed security mark and a process are disclosed. |
| US08651389B2 |
System and method for identifying and tracking shopping carts
A method for designing identity plates which are placed on corresponding shopping carts is provided. A unique identity data is represented on each identity plate using an identification code. The unique identity data is encoded employing symbols having distinct physical characteristics. The association between the symbols and the identification code is predetermined. The method enables identifying shopping carts by capturing images of the shopping carts using video sensors and decoding identity data on each identity plate placed on each shopping cart. The identity data is decoded by recognizing symbols based on physical characteristics and translating recognized symbols to corresponding identity data referring to the predetermined association between the symbols and identification code. Identity data of shopping carts, identity data of video sensors and timestamp information is used for identifying location of video sensors using which path taken by shopping carts in the retail store is tracked. |
| US08651388B2 |
Method for reading code displayed on printed matter
A method for reading a code displayed on printed matter is disclosed. The present invention is implemented by reading a segment code referring to predetermined data, which is displayed, extracting direction information of the read segment code, and interpreting the data which the read segment code refers to on the basis of the extracted direction information. According to the present invention, the code printed on the printed matter is read without using a bar code to output text, voice, image, moving picture information, and the like corresponding to the read code. |
| US08651386B2 |
Electronic card and method for generating a magnetic field from swiping the electronic card through a card reader
An electronic card and a method for processing data stored in the electronic card. The electronic card includes a memory containing data to be read by a card reader. The electronic card may include a programmable field source containing wire structures geometrically configured and energized in a manner that drives an electric current through only two wire structures at a time for generating a time varying magnetic field that induces a readback signal in the card reader as the electronic card is being swiped through the card reader. An electrical current in at least one wire in the electronic card generates a time varying magnetic field and may include a finite time derivative of electrical current whose magnitude does not exceed a specified maximum time derivative of electrical current corresponding to a peak voltage threshold (Vth) and an overshoot ratio (f) of the card reader. |
| US08651383B2 |
Data transmission to optical terminals
Methods are disclosed for transmitting information from a handheld device to a terminal. The information is encoded as a barcode pattern. The barcode pattern is generated on a display of the handheld device. A size of the barcode pattern is periodically modulated on the display while maintaining internal relative dimensions within the barcode pattern. The periodically modulating barcode pattern is displayed to an optical reader of the terminal. |
| US08651381B2 |
Firearm sight having an ultra high definition video camera
A sighting apparatus for a firearm includes a video camera capable of capturing and tracking the path of a projectile The captured images are taken generally concurrently with the firing of the first projectile, and with the projectile reaching the target. A video display includes a reticle positioned at the center of the display to permit the user to aim the firearm by positioning the reticle over the target. A processor receives captured images from the camera. An output interface delivers information to the video display to enable the video display to display images of the target area. Software and a processor determine the flight path of the projectile and the point where the projectile impacts or passes by the intended target and adjusts for the variance between the two points by moving the image on the display. |
| US08651380B2 |
System for processing folded documents
A system for processing folded documents is disclosed. The system includes an input hopper configured to receive a stack of folded documents and an imaging area in which each of the documents is imaged. A pick-up mechanism is configured to transport each of the folded documents from the input hopper to the imaging area. The pick-up mechanism includes first and second barriers that are spaced apart to define a gap through which each of the folded documents is passed, wherein the gap is dimensioned to prevent passage of more than one of the folded documents. Preferably, the system also includes a detection system that is operable to detect the passage of more than one of the folded documents through a detection zone. |
| US08651379B2 |
Switchgear cabinet or rack
The invention relates to a switchgear cabinet or rack comprising a mounting unit, the front of which has vertical mounting profiles that laterally delimit an installation space for installed user-side units, said profiles having fixing sections for attaching mounting sections of the installed units, and comprising components of a detection device for determining the presence of an installed unit in an installation position of the installation space. he components of the detection device have a vertical detector strip that is attached to a mounting profile and contains detector elements associated with the installed positions and arranged on or in said strip and code carriers that are provided on the installed units, the information from said carriers being transmitted for evaluation via the detector elements to a monitoring and control unit, either wirelessly or by wire. Clearly-represented user information is achieved for the switchgear cabinet using light elements mounted on or in the detector strip, said elements being associated with the installation positions and achieved by the fact that the light elements can be controlled in accordance with the information in the code carriers. |
| US08651378B2 |
System and method for monitoring a validator
A system for monitoring a validator that assesses a token includes an input device for receiving messages from a machine including a validator. The messages contain data indicative of validator events such as an assessment of a token resulting in acceptance of the token and an assessment of a token resulting in rejection of the token. The system further includes a processor for deriving timing information for the validator events and for comparing the data and timing information with predetermined criteria. Personnel alerts are raised when predetermined criteria are satisfied, and maintenance of validators may be scheduled in dependence upon criteria related to assessments of tokens resulting in rejection. |
| US08651373B1 |
ATM that allows a user to select a desired transaction by touch dragging a displayed icon that represents the desired transaction
An automated banking machine allows an authorized user to carry out transactions such as withdrawing cash, making a deposit, cashing a check, and transferring funds between accounts. The machine provides a transaction selection screen through a touch screen display. The transaction selection screen includes a plurality of visually different icons. Each icon represents a different transaction that is available to the current machine user. The user can select a particular transaction by dragging its representative icon with a contacting finger. Upon selection of the particular transaction, a display screen unique to that particular transaction is then provided through the touch screen display. |
| US08651372B2 |
Self-service terminal
A self-service terminal includes a first cabinet, a cover rotatably secured on the first cabinet, and an adjustment device received in the first cabinet. A card slot for inputting/outputting a cash card is defined in the cover, and a positioning member is attached to the user interface cover. The adjustment device includes a positioning tray and a mounting member slidably secured to the positioning tray. A reader is attached to the positioning tray and includes an interface. The mounting member includes a slanted side plate abutting the positioning tray; wherein the positioning member is engaged with the positioning tray, for aligning with the interface of the reader and the card slot of the cover. |
| US08651367B1 |
Collection canister
A charitable collection canister comprising, in combination a container having a money recess therein. There is next a lid having an inside surface. The lid is removably coupled to the container. The lid has a money slot, with the money slot having an inwardly and rearwardly oriented tab. The canister has an internal light emitting diode, with a battery electronically coupled thereto. Lastly, there is a window panel, with the window panel being coupled to the inside surface of the lid. The light emitting diode is visible through the window panel. |
| US08651364B2 |
Composite metal object and method for producing a composite object
A strip-shaped or plate-shaped composite metal object and a method for the production thereof. The composite metal object has at least two layers of the same metal. The layers have been brought by a heat pretreatment to a temperature such that a mutual diffusion bond has resulted through subsequent pressing of the layers against one another, while reducing the thickness by 5 to 25% and preferably 8 to 15%. A layer, which on the side thereof facing an adjacent layer has strip-shaped recesses, which are closed by the adjacent layer to form channels when the layers are pressed together, is used as one of the layers. The channels in the composite metal object allow the inclusion of additional elements before processed further to form an implement. The channels remain extensively preserved during the production and further processing of the composite model object. |
| US08651361B1 |
Method for angular oscillation friction welding to an axially symmetric weld surface
A method of friction welding a workpiece and a component part is disclosed. The workpiece has a weld surface that is coextensive with at least a portion of a virtual surface, which is symmetric about an axis, and the component part includes a complementary surface that conforms to the weld surface. The method includes angularly oscillating the workpiece about the axis; urging the weld surface and the complementary surface together with a first predetermined force to create a plasticized region between the workpiece and the component part; urging the weld surface and the complementary surface together with a second predetermined force; discontinuing angularly oscillating the workpiece; urging the weld surface and the complementary surface together with a third predetermined force; and discontinuing to urge the weld surface and the complementary surface together when the workpiece and the component part coalesce. |
| US08651357B2 |
Robot positioner
An embodiment of a robotic welding apparatus comprises a robot having a welding torch and a base, where the base rotates about an axis of rotation. The embodiment further comprises an indexing table including a plurality of workpiece holding positions, where the indexing table is fixedly connected to the base substantially at a center position of the indexing table, and where the indexing table rotates about the axis of rotation. |
| US08651347B1 |
Apparatus and method for carrying and retrieval of a grenade
The subject matter discloses an apparatus, having an envelope and a base for holding a grenade, a rear cover connected to the envelope for attaching said envelope to a vest; a top cover to secure the grenade from above when positioned in a downward position and moving upwards to an upward position; a spring connected to the top cover and to the envelope and a button that causes the top cover to move to the upward position when pressed by the user. The button is located below the top cover and connected only to one of the envelope or the rear cover. The user of the apparatus can release the grenade from the apparatus while pressing the button and the envelope is designed to enable the user to hold the grenade and the grenade lever singlehandedly when pressing the button and when releasing the grenade from the apparatus. |
| US08651344B2 |
Flip-flop hanger
A flip-flop hanger having an elongated body, a hook, an attachment device, an attachment aperture and two disc-shaped sections. The attachment device is disposed near the second end of the elongated body and the attachment aperture is located in the mid-section of the elongated body. The disc-shaped sections are disposed between the attachment device and the attachment aperture. Each disc-shaped section has an outer perimetrical edge, a central opening and a slot that extends between the central opening and the outer perimetrical edge. The central openings in the disc-shaped sections attach to the flip-flop straps between the bottom of the soles and the retaining devices. After the flip-flops are attached, the body is folded and the attachment device engages the attachment aperture. The flip-flop hanger can then be affixed to a rack or merchandise display. |
| US08651343B2 |
Suspensory lifting apparatus for lead suits in radiation therapy
A suspensory lifting apparatus for lead suits in radiation therapy is an apparatus to suspend a lead suit for radiation therapists. A radiation therapist puts on the lead suit under the apparatus. A load of the lead suit imposing on the therapist is reduced by the apparatus. Thus, a radiation therapist is able to take actions comfortably as far as the mechanical arm's reach of the apparatus. |
| US08651338B2 |
Delivery of two or more medicaments through a single dose selection and single dispense interface
A injection system for co-delivery of two medicaments (1, 2) having a drug delivery device (10) containing a primary reservoir containing a first medicament (1) and that has a secondary reservoir containing a second medicament (2) where the drug delivery device (10) has only one dose setter (12) for the primary reservoir and that automatically determines the dose of the second medicament (2). Both medicaments (1, 2) are delivered through a single dispense interface. |
| US08651334B2 |
Cartridge
The invention pertains to a cartridge (1) with at least one chamber (6a, 6b) for accommodating a substance that respectively features a dispensing opening (11a, 11b) and another opening that is closed by a piston (8a, 8b) that can be displaced in the chamber and serves for dispensing the substance. The cartridge (1) furthermore features a piston rod mechanism (4) for displacing the piston (8a, 8b) in the chamber (6a, 6b). In this case, the piston rod mechanism is composed of several piston rods (14, 14a, 14b, 15, 15′) that can be transferred from a first dispensing stage to a second dispensing stage with the aid of a spring element (18, 18a, 18b). |
| US08651332B2 |
Container for retaining liquids and method of using the same
A jug for retaining a plastic bag containing a liquid and a method of using the same. The jug includes a bottom and a peripheral wall extending upwardly therefrom and defining a cavity for receiving the bag. The peripheral wall terminates in a rim and a handle extends outwardly from the peripheral wall's exterior surface. An engagement means is provided on the jug to engage the bag and retain it within the cavity when the jug is tilted to pour the liquid therefrom. The engagement means preferably is a slit defined in the rear region of the peripheral wall adjacent the handle. The slit originates in the rim and extends downwardly for a distance. A portion of a rear region of the bag is slid into the slit and wedged therein. The wedged portion extends into a compartment defined by a retaining wall that extends outwardly from the peripheral wall. |
| US08651330B2 |
Refrigeration appliance with hot water dispenser
A refrigeration appliance with a hot water dispenser includes a refrigerated cabinet having a dispenser area, a cabinet water inlet in the refrigerated cabinet connectable to a premises water line, and a hot water storage tank. The tank has a tank body, a heater in the tank body, an inlet for admitting water into the tank body supplied via the cabinet water inlet, and an outlet for providing water via a dispensing conduit to a dispenser in the dispenser area. The inlet includes a venturi portion for creating a reduced pressure within the hot water storage tank via flow of water into the hot water storage tank. The reduced pressure communicates with the dispensing conduit via the outlet so that, after dispensing water remaining in the dispensing conduit is drawn toward the tank body. Refrigeration devices with premises line pressure water distribution systems are also disclosed. |
| US08651325B2 |
Tissue cassette dispensing apparatus
The present invention aims to provide a dispensing apparatus for dispensing individual tissue cassettes from a stack of cassettes, the apparatus includes a hopper for receiving a stack of tissue cassettes, the hopper having an aperture through which cassettes are dispensable; ejection means for ejecting a cassette through the aperture; and retention means for retaining all but one of the cassettes in the stack as an individual cassette is ejected. |
| US08651320B2 |
Device for dispensing vials useful in system and method for dispensing prescriptions
An apparatus for dispensing open-ended objects such as pharmaceutical vials includes: a housing having an internal cavity configured to house open-ended objects, the housing including a guide and a floor; a pick-up unit mounted to the housing, the pick-up unit including an endless member and at least one pick-up member attached to the endless member; and a drive unit. The endless member engages the drive unit and the guide for movement relative thereto. As the drive unit drives the endless member, the at least one pick-up member travels on a pick-up path, at least a portion of which is within the housing. |
| US08651319B2 |
Lid for a container
Lid for a container for filling the container from above, the opening being closable by a pivotable closure element mounted on an inner side of the lid so as to be rotatable about a first axis (X) which axis is horizontal when the lid is located on top of the container. The closure element includes a first part for closing the top of the container located on one side of the axis (X), and a second part as a counterweight on the other side of the axis (X). A pivotable bias element is rotatably mounted on the inner side of the lid on a second axis (Y) which is parallel to the first axis (X). The bias element is biased onto the second part by gravity and causes the first part to be pressed to the opening. |
| US08651317B2 |
Storage container cover
Molded plastic cover pieces and mating fabric or hard-side sidewall panel assemblies are disclosed for mounting over a storage container. The cover piece provides several raised rails at perimeter edges and rails defining tine receiving lifting channels that contain sub-frame members that stiffen the cover and facilitate attachment of the cover and side walls to form a complete cover assembly. Single panel and thermally bonded multi-panel cover assemblies are disclosed. Bracing members and/or embossed surfaces at the rails and tine receiving channel cover pieces strengthen the covers and direct water runoff Fabric or expansible hinges provide flexible transitions at intersecting sidewall corners. Alternative cover assemblies provide lifting towers, panels with tine receiving apertures or interconnected tension members. |
| US08651316B2 |
Container lid configured to prevent tea bag from blocking a drinking aperture related methods
Apparatus and methods for the controlled preparation of a beverage from one or more beverage bags within a variety of containers and the quick and sanitary storage of the bag or bags once the beverage preparation has been completed. The apparatus may include a drinking aperture, an even retention structure profile, and a bag retention aperture that is openable such that at least a portion of the bag may be drawn within and thereby retained in a position elevated above the beverage so that the beverage can be consumed even with the apparatus in place on the container and the bag or bags retained within the apparatus. The apparatus also may include a depressed wall section sized and shaped such that, when a bag is secured by the bag retention aperture, the bag is prevented from blocking a drinking aperture even when the container is rotated for drinking. |
| US08651312B2 |
Canister
A canister includes a container and a lid that is able to be coupled to the container. The container includes a bottom wall and a side wall formed to include a mouth opening into a product-receiving chamber. The container includes an annular side wall that is formed to include a neck finish. The neck finish is configured to accept the lid of the canister. |
| US08651303B1 |
Locking stopper component
A locking stopper component has lower, upper and central extents. The lower extent includes a stick. A frusto-conical cam shoulder is formed in a central extent of the stick. The upper extent includes a lock rotatable between locked and unlocked positions and an upper shaft. The central extent operatively coupling the upper and lower extents includes a reciprocating assembly and a rotatable assembly whereby rotating the lock rotates the rotatable assembly and raises the reciprocating assembly to secure the component in a tubular member. |
| US08651300B2 |
Sectional rack
A sectional rack includes at least four vertical supports, at least two shelves, and a plurality of clamping members. Each vertical support includes two laterally juxtaposed left and right posts, and a plurality of connecting members connected to between the two posts. Each clamping member defines a vertically extended receiving recess, which has two wing portions formed at two ends of an open side thereof, and is sized for one post of the vertical support to partially set therein, allowing the clamping member to assemble to the vertical support. The shelves are respectively provided at four corners with an outward-opened C-shaped clamping member each for tightly fitting around and thereby pushing the two wing portions of the clamping member toward each other to firmly clamp the post in the receiving recess, so that the four corners of the shelves are firmly connected to the posts of the four vertical supports. |
| US08651297B2 |
Multi-ply laminated corrugated display rack with a back wall and support rods between shelves
A freestanding display rack for supporting and displaying product at a point of sale comprises a pair of spaced apart side panels. A back panel is attached to the side panels by interfitting tabs and notches along adjacent edges of the back panel and the side panels. A plurality of shelves extends between and supported at their opposite ends on the side panels by mechanical interlocking engaged between the shelves and the side panels. The mechanical interlocking comprises a slot formed through the side panels adjacent each of the shelves and a tongue projecting outwardly from each end of the shelves. The tongues extend through the respective slot in the side panels and being folded against an outer surface of the respective side panel. A graphics header extends above the shelves and side panels. |
| US08651296B2 |
Multi-ply laminated corrugated display rack with a back wall
A freestanding display rack is made of materials that can be recycled by utilizing existing fiber recycling chains and can be shipped to the point of sale in a knocked-down flattened condition. The display rack comprises a pair of spaced apart side panels each having an outer surface, and an inner surface facing an opposite side panel. A back panel is attached to the side panels by interfitting tabs and notches along adjacent edges of the back panel and the side panels. A plurality of shelves extends between and supported at their opposite ends on the side panels by mechanical interlocking engaged between the shelves and the side panels. The mechanical interlocking comprises channels formed in the inner surface of each the side panel, and depending flanges on opposite side edges of each the shelf engaged in a respective channel. A graphics header extends above the shelves and side panels. |
| US08651293B2 |
Single and double door storage rack
The invention is a compact storage rack for holding and storing tools and other articles within a recess in a wall of a building or vehicle. The storage rack includes a back panel, mounting members for securing the rack in the recess and at least one door panel pivotally mounted to the mounting members. Each panel consists of a wire grid composed of pairs of generally parallel and equidistantly spaced horizontal bars secured together by generally parallel and equidistant vertical bars. The grid design allows visual inspection of the tools inside the storage rack to confirm what equipment is present and that it is properly mounted. The grid design also allows air to permeate the storage rack to air dry the tools stored therein. The swing door arrangement provides easy access to the equipment. |
| US08651292B2 |
Car tray
The invention disclosed is a positionable utility tray. The tray apparatus is adapted to be mounted in the interior of an automobile and can be fixed in a chosen position by locking a securing mount into a vehicle receiving socket, such as an auxiliary power outlet. The invention utilizes a securing mount using a tapered plunger and expanding collet to force fingers outwardly onto the socket inner surface, thereby securing the utility tray. The utility tray further utilizes fastener projections to mount tray accessory components such as trash cans, mobile device holders, and the like. |
| US08651290B1 |
Toothbrush holder and organizer
A device and method to organize a plurality of toothbrushes to promote sanitary toothbrush drying and storing. This device allows the user to insert a toothbrush into the holder after use. The user will align the bristles of the toothbrush so that the bristle portion of the brush is facing down and plumb relative the horizon to allow the toothbrush to air-dry. The holder can be configured with multiple receiver members to store multiple toothbrushes while preventing cross-contamination. One embodiment features a toothbrush holder affixed to a wall while a second embodiment features a freestanding toothbrush holder. This device may also incorporate a cup holder, or a loop portion with an aperture disposed therein. The base of the holder may take various shapes and sizes. The holder may be flush-mounted, or may feature a mounting offset between the mounted surface and the receiver plate to aid in securing the toothbrush. |
| US08651287B2 |
Crockery basket for receiving crockery in a variable manner
A crockery basket is provided for receiving a plurality of different types of crockery, especially in a dishwasher machine, said basket comprising a grid-type holding device consisting of a plurality of prongs that can be pivoted between different pivoting positions. The holding device consists of at least two pivoting rows of prongs that can be independently pivoted between the different pivoting positions. |
| US08651285B2 |
Performance polymeric fiber webs
Provided are nonwoven polymeric fiber webs using an improved curable composition. Such curable composition comprises a reaction product of an amine and a reactant in the form of an amino-amide intermediate. To the amino-amide is added an aldehyde or ketone to form the curable binder composition. The composition when applied to the polymeric fibers is cured to form a water-insoluble polymer binder which exhibits good adhesion and thermo-dimensional stability. |
| US08651271B1 |
Container with multiple chambers and multiple openings
A container with multiple chambers and multiple openings consists of two bottles not in fluid communications. Each of the two bottles has an upper opening facing upward and a lower opening facing downward, both sealed by an upper cover and a lower cover, respectively. The surrounding surface of each of the two bottles is divided into a junction surface and an outer side surface. Each of the junction surfaces has a connecting part. The two bottles are connected/separated by the connecting parts on the junction surfaces horizontally. The outer side surface of each of the two bottles has the shape of an arc, so that the connected bottles form a complete single cylindrical container. |
| US08651264B2 |
Transport device and method for the transport of articles
A transport device and a method for the transport of articles are disclosed. The transport device is provided with a plurality of single lanes for the single articles having a width (BE). Each single lane is provided with one separating element. Adjacent single lanes are separated by one of the separating elements. The widths (BE) are adjustable with at least one displacing means. At least two adjacent single lanes form a group of lanes with a width (BG). Several of the groups of lanes formed in such a way are slidable to each other. The widths are adjustable with at least a further displacing means. |
| US08651258B2 |
Connection for a grain bin allowing rotation of the supply/removal chute
A system and method for a transfer of material in a tube or chute from a first location at a first height to a second location at a second height. The system can increase the lifespan and usefulness of that chute by allowing an easy rotation that tube or chute with respect to its supply and distribution locations such that the requirement for heavy machinery is reduced or eliminated during the repositioning process. This system allows for the correct positioning of a unworn or underutilized location of that chute as the main support path for the material transport in that chute. |
| US08651253B2 |
Damping device with multistage variable damping characteristics, particularly for damping moveable furniture parts
Damping device for moveable furniture parts. A longitudinally displaceable piston on opposing sides forms two variable size working chambers filled with a damping medium via at least one overflow connection. A piston rod led out of the housing is connected to one side of the piston. An adjustment shaft is connected to one side of the piston opposite one of the working chambers, its free end is also led out of the housing. A throttle disc radially protrudes from the circumferential surface of the adjustment shaft. The throttle disc being disposed in a region of an end of a piston passage bore connecting the two working chambers and configuring the overflow connection abutting a front surface of the piston. Recesses in the throttle disc offset from each other circumferentially have different cross-sections. The recesses may be selectively aligned by rotating the adjustment shaft relative to the passage bore. |
| US08651251B2 |
Regulated dashpot with shock-absorption force controls
A regulable dashpot with shock-absorption force controls, especially intended for motor vehicles, with at least one flow-regulating system including one or more shock-absorption components for the compression phase and/or for the decompression phase. The object is to allow the dashpot to shift continuously between the hard and soft phases, whereby the valve-adjustment intervals can be varied at intervals that are not unnecessarily short or even unattainable. At least one valve assembly is accordingly supplied with variable flow impedance by regulating valve. |
| US08651250B2 |
Magnetorheological devices with permanent magnet field bias
A magneto-rheological damping device comprises a piston and a case element, both capable of acting to carry a magnetic flux. A passage exists between the piston and the case element, and an amount of MR fluid is positioned between the piston and the case element to flow within the passage.A first magnetic flux generator and a second magnetic flux generator cooperate to generate a net flux that is disposed to act upon the MR fluid in the passage to affect the flow of fluid in the passage.One of the flux generators comprises a permanent magnet to generate a bias flux between the piston and the case element, and the other flux generator comprises a means for providing a controllable magnetic flux between the piston and the case element. |
| US08651246B2 |
Electromagnetic brake structure
An electromagnetic brake contains a coil seat including plural receiving holes disposed on a front end thereof to receive plural compression springs respectively and an electromagnetic coil mounted on the front end thereof; a movable friction piece fitted on the front end thereof; a brake member fixed in a front end of the friction piece and including a transmitting shaft fitted thereon; a fixed member secured on a front end of the brake member, wherein the electromagnetic coil includes a first silicon steel ring, a plurality of slots and a number of elongate grooves, and each slot includes an isolation holder fitted therein, and the isolation holder includes a recess formed on one side thereof to correspond to the groove of the first silicon steel ring, and between two abutting isolation holders is provided with a coil set formed by an enameled copper wire. |
| US08651245B1 |
Bicycle brake unit
A bicycle brake unit includes a first arm, a second arm and a connector, when the brake cable is pulled, the first and second cable connectors on the two arms are moved toward each other to pivot the first and second arms. The first rail on the first arm and the second rail on the second arm are moved relative to each other via the rotation of the pivot. The pivot is movable in the elongate slot in the connector which is pivotably connected to the first and second arms. The first and second arms are pivoted toward each other to brake the wheel by the brake pads on the two arms. The first and second arms apply even forces to the two brake pads. |
| US08651241B2 |
Elevator system with two elevator cars
An elevator system has two elevator cars arranged one over the other, but that can travel independently of each other. Both elevator cars are suspended on suspension and traction mechanisms and each is coupled to a separate counterweight. Both elevator cars have a lower cable, wherein the two lower cables are tensioned by separate tension devices. The lower cable of the first, lower elevator car is fastened to the first elevator car and the first counterweight, The lower cable of the second, upper elevator car is guided at the second elevator car and at least one of the two lower cable ends thereof is secured by a weighted body secured in place with play and/or free-floating. |
| US08651240B1 |
Pressurized reserve lubrication system for a gas turbine engine
A lubrication system includes a control subsystem operable to selectively communicate lubricant under gas pressure from a pressurized reserve lubricant tank in response to a prolonged reduced-G condition. |
| US08651239B2 |
Oil passage structure for transmission
An oil passage structure for a transmission includes a transmission case having a transmission housing chamber for reserving working oil and housing a continuously variable transmission mechanism therein, and a valve housing chamber for reserving the working oil and housing a valve unit therein. Further, the valve housing chamber housing the valve unit is disposed above an oil level in the transmission housing chamber. Furthermore, the valve housing chamber and the transmission housing chamber communicate with each other through a drain port closed with a drain plug. In demounting of the valve unit, the drain plug is pulled out to open the drain port. Hereby, the working oil can be transferred from the valve housing chamber to the transmission housing chamber, and the valve unit can be demounted without draining the working oil from the transmission case. |
| US08651235B2 |
Controlled descent system with an increased recovery range
A lightweight safety harness comprises adjustable belt sections for the upper chest, waist and upper thighs. In one of two shoulder straps, there is stored a primary release pin and secondary brake strap. The shoulder straps criss-cross to form a soft, triangular shaped panel on the harness wearer's back. A spine brace divides that triangle in two. Near the top of that spine brace is a rack having at least one aperture wrapped with Kevlar® webbing. A long, thin composite rope serpentines back-and-forth, between sets of elastic loops running down opposed legs to the triangular panel before being threaded through the rack in a preferred pattern. At the base of that triangular panel, there is attached one end to a reserve suspension relief strap (RSRS). A cover extends the triangular panel but can be removed for inspection before every use. |
| US08651231B1 |
Muffler tube with folded end tabs
Muffler tubes and methods of forming muffler tubes are provided. In one example, a muffler tube has an end portion with a plurality of outwardly extending tabs, wherein the tabs are folded radially inwards to at least partially close the end portion of the tube. |
| US08651230B2 |
High capacity ultrasonic reactor system
An ultrasonic reactor system with an appropriately designed reactor chamber used in conjunction with a compatible ultrasonic Barbell Horn or its derivative that provides a significant efficiency increase and an intensification of sonochemical and sonomechanical processes is disclosed. These enhancements arise from the ability of the reactor chamber to direct all treated liquid media through the highly active ultrasonic cavitation region located near the surface of the horn, as well as from several improvements in the Barbell Horn design that significantly increase its longevity and in its output surface area, thereby increasing the total size of the active cavitation region. |
| US08651229B2 |
Hearing protection
Hearing protection devices are disclosed. One hearing protection device includes a first material, having sound attenuating characteristics, shaped to cover over an ear of a user; at least one aperture formed in the first material; and a second material positioned over the aperture. |
| US08651222B2 |
Support of an axle transmission in the rear region of a passenger vehicle
A support of an axle transmission in the rear region of a passenger vehicle on a rear axle carrier and on the floor panel structure of the vehicle body in a further connecting point with the interposition of elastic supports is provided. On the output side, the transmission is supported on the sole transverse member of the rear axle carrier, which includes two longitudinal members, and on the input side the transmission is fixed to the floor panel structure via a serial connection of two elastic supports with a mass body arranged therebetween. The transmission may be fixed to two connecting points on the floor panel structure, the connecting points lying next to each other substantially in the transverse direction. Two such serial connections of elastic supports may be provided with a common mass body with a weight ranging from 3 to 7 kilograms. |
| US08651219B2 |
Hybrid construction machine
Provided is a hybrid construction machine capable of facilitating the hybridization (conversion, redesigning, etc. into a hybrid construction machine) even for construction machines of the minimal tail swing radius type or the minimal swing radius type. A hybrid mini-shovel of the minimal tail swing radius type comprises an engine, a hydraulic pump whose input shaft is coaxially connected to the output shaft of the engine, a generator/motor whose rotating shaft is connected to the output shaft of the engine and the input shaft of the hydraulic pump via a gear mechanism, and a battery which receives and supplies electric power from/to the generator/motor. The generator/motor is placed at a vertical position where its lower end is situated above the shaft center of the input shaft of the hydraulic pump, and when viewed from above at a horizontal position where it overlaps with the hydraulic pump. |
| US08651218B2 |
Construction machine
A muffler of a construction machine is formed by respectively coupling silencers to entrance and exit sides of an exhaust-gas purifying device by flanges. In flange coupling portions, mounting seats are provided integrally with lower semicircumferential portions of the flanges of the silencers in a manner such as to protrude toward outer peripheries of the flanges. By coupling the mounting seats to muffler mount brackets attached to a muffler mount, the muffler is mounted on the muffler mount. |
| US08651215B2 |
Motor driven vehicle
In a motor driven vehicle in which an electric motor is disposed in a vehicle-body-rear portion of a swing arm swingably supported by a body frame and the vehicle travels by transmitting the drive force of the electric motor to a rear wheel, a vibration generating device for generating vibration in accordance with the transmitted drive force is installed on a drive force transmission path from the electric motor to the rear wheel. The vibration generating device includes a gear pair partially embedded with respective weights to lose a rotational balance during rotation. A sound producing device for producing a predetermined sound in accordance with the transmitted drive force is installed on the same transmission path. The sound producing device is driven by a transmitting device reciprocating through contact with a cam attached to a reduction gear serving as a rotating body. |
| US08651208B2 |
Electrical powered vehicle
A power reception unit includes a secondary self-resonant coil receiving electric power from a power transmission unit of a power feeding device by resonating with a primary self-resonant coil included in the power transmission unit through an electromagnetic field. The power reception unit is stored in an engine room where a driving power generation unit including an engine and motor generator are stored. In detail, the power reception unit is arranged at the bottom of the engine room. A shielding member is provided to electromagnetically shield the engine room from inside and outside. For example, the shielding member is formed of a cloth, sponge, or the like having an electromagnetic shielding effect, and is arranged at the inner surface of the engine room. |
| US08651206B2 |
Roof inspection systems and methods of use
Devices, systems, and methods for inspecting and objectively analyzing the condition of a roof are presented. A vehicle adapted for traversing and inspecting an irregular terrain includes a chassis having a bottom surface that defines a higher ground clearance at an intermediate location, thereby keeping the center of mass low when crossing roof peaks. In another embodiment, the drive tracks include a partially collapsible treads made of resilient foam. A system for inspecting a roof includes a lift system and a remote computer for analyzing data. Vehicles and systems may gather and analyze data, and generate revenue by providing data, analysis, and reports for a fee to interested parties. |
| US08651202B2 |
Percussion drilling assembly having a floating feed tube
A percussion drilling assembly for boring into the earth is disclosed. The percussion drilling assembly includes a top sub, a casing coupled to the top sub, and a feed tube assembly disposed within the top sub and the casing. The feed tube assembly includes a non-rigid coupling having a throughbore and a tubular body disposed therein. The tubular body is translatable in the radial position and/or rotatable relative to a longitudinal centerline extending through the non-rigid coupling. |
| US08651201B2 |
Drill cuttings box combined cuttings feed inlet and air outlet apparatus
A combined cuttings stream inlet and air stream outlet apparatus, for placement within the inspection hatch of a conventional drill cuttings box, is disclosed. The combined cuttings stream inlet and air stream outlet apparatus has a central cuttings stream inlet conduit, disposed within a larger air stream outlet conduit. The air stream outlet conduit is sized to closely engage the diameter of the inspection hatch when inserted into the hatch opening. The annulus between the two conduits forms a flow area for air to exit the cuttings box. In use, the combined apparatus is easily inserted into the hatch opening of the cuttings box, preferably with a gasket between the apparatus and the hatch opening, and is held in place by the cuttings/air stream. When the cuttings box is full, the apparatus is simply pulled out and inserted into an empty cuttings box. |
| US08651197B2 |
Manually operated hammer drill
A manually operated hammer drill (1) includes a spindle (3) that drives a chuck (5) in a rotary manner about an axis of rotation (6) in a drilling mode, and includes a pneumatic hammer mechanism (4), that hammers against a tool inserted in the chuck (5) in a hammer mode. The hammer mechanism (4) has a piston (10) which performs reciprocating movements (12) parallel to the axis of rotation (6) in a cylinder (11) conformed inside the spindle (3) when hammer mode is activated. The piston (10) has at least one radial groove (21) in which an annular seal (22) is arranged. |
| US08651195B2 |
Jetting apparatus for fire extinguishing gas and disaster warning system
A jetting apparatus for fire extinguishing gas has a gas cylinder which is charged with pressurized fire extinguishing gas therein and onto an opening of which a sealing plate opening is attached. The jetting apparatus has a two part case that can receive the gas cylinder. The jetting apparatus has a seal breaking member that has a neb capable of breaking the sealing plate. The jetting apparatus has a seal breaking member holder that is attached the seal breaking member. The jetting apparatus has a mouth part of the gas cylinder that is attached detachably, and a cylinder holder that has a through hole movably housing the seal breaking member therein. The jetting apparatus has a seal breaking member holder and a cylinder holder that can relatively approach each other. The jetting apparatus has a jetting port that is provided on the outside of the apparatus and can communicate with the through hole. The jetting apparatus has a control valve that can intercept passages communicating the through hole with the jetting port and is provided in the passages. |
| US08651194B2 |
Fire extinguishing gas spray device
A jetting apparatus for fire extinguishing gas has a gas cylinder which is charged with pressurized fire extinguishing gas therein and onto an opening of which a sealing plate opening is attached. The jetting apparatus has a two part case that can receive the gas cylinder. The jetting apparatus has a seal breaking member that has a neb capable of breaking the sealing plate. The jetting apparatus has a seal breaking member holder that is attached the seal breaking member. The jetting apparatus has a mouth part of the gas cylinder that is attached detachably, and a cylinder holder that has a through hole movably housing the seal breaking member therein. The jetting apparatus has a seal breaking member holder and a cylinder holder that can relatively approach each other. The jetting apparatus has a jetting port that is provided on the outside of the apparatus and can communicate with the through hole. The jetting apparatus has a control valve that can intercept passages communicating the through hole with the jetting port and is provided in the passages. |
| US08651192B2 |
Coiled tubing bottom hole assembly with packer and anchor assembly
A bottom hole assembly (BHA), adapted to be positioned in a casing and to isolate a portion of a wellbore, which includes a packer assembly with a first sealing element extending between first and second portions of the packer assembly. A method of setting a BHA in a casing which includes increasing a BHA pressure to activate an anchor assembly, applying a mechanical force to mechanically deform a first sealing element to thereby establish an initial seal between the first sealing element and an interior surface of the casing, and increasing a pressure in a space between the BHA and the casing and in a cavity within the BHA to increase a differential pressure across the first sealing element and thereby establish a pressure-energized seal between the first sealing element and the interior surface of the casing. |
| US08651186B2 |
Radiation-induced triggering for set-on-command sealant compositions and methods of use
The present invention relates to methods useful for isolating a portion of a wellbore. In one embodiment, a method includes preparing a sealant composition containing a set modifier component. The sealant composition is placed into the wellbore and is subjected to ionizing radiation that alters the set modifier component, triggering the thickening of the sealant composition. |
| US08651184B2 |
Down-hole sand and solids separator utilized in producing hydrocarbons
A new method separating sand, solids, and produced particulates down-hole in a well producing hydrocarbons. The separation assembly can include ether one, two, or more segments or stages of varying lengths depending upon the individual application. The assembly is installed into the tubing string or delivery conduit of a well producing hydrocarbons. One stage can consist of a velocity chamber whereby separation of particulates occurs by increasing the downward velocity of particulates and reducing the upward velocity of hydrocarbons thereby allowing the particulates to “fall-out” into a lower chamber where the particulates are captured. Another stage can consist of a filter whereby particulates are captured in a chamber that can consist of filtering materials such as gravel, rock, sand, wood, or manmade materials. Each of the stages can be employed individually or in combination. |
| US08651179B2 |
Swellable downhole device of substantially constant profile
A swellable packer device upon exposure to brine in a well. The device may be swellable to a substantially constant profile in spite of significant fluctuations in brine concentrations. Thus, the likelihood of packer failure due to under-swelling or over-swelling is reduced. Indeed, the packer may be employed for long-term operations or isolations ranging from a couple of weeks to twenty years or more without undue concern over packer failure from under or over swelling. |
| US08651176B2 |
Method of running a pipe string having an outer diameter transition
One embodiment provides an adjustable guide 10a to steer the end 90 of a pipe string 88 into position to be engaged and supported by a pipe gripping apparatus such as, for example, an externally gripping elevator assembly 10. The adjustable guide 10a may comprise a plurality of angularly distributed guide inserts 30, each having a sloped surface 30A to engage a pipe end 90. Another embodiment provides an adjustable guide 60a to steer a pipe connection into position to pass through a spider 60. The guide inserts 30, 80 of an adjustable guide may be controllably positionable to together form a guide that is concentric with the bore of the tapered bowl of an elevator assembly or a spider. One embodiment comprises a guide insert retainer 11 having a plurality of channels 28, each slidably receiving a guide insert 30 and positionable by rotation of a threaded shaft 40. |
| US08651173B2 |
Modular control system for downhole tool
A modular control system includes a control module removably attachable to an exterior of a downhole tool. A controlled device, the controlled device providing a function for the downhole tool. The controlled device controlled by the control module. |
| US08651171B2 |
Single flow circuit heat exchange device for periodic positive and reverse directional pumping
A heat exchanger having a single flow circuit, at least one fluid pump, and a periodic fluid direction-change operative control device for periodically changing the flow directions of the pumped fluid in a first or second direction. |
| US08651169B2 |
Arc melting furnace apparatus
An arc melting furnace apparatus is provided which reduces an operation burden on a worker and shortens working hours. An arc melting furnace apparatus 1 includes a housing 2 having formed therein a melting chamber 2a, a hearth 4 provided within the melting chamber 2a and having a recessed portion 4a, and a heating mechanism 10 for heating and melting a metal material supplied into the recessed portion 4 to generate an alloy ingot. The apparatus comprises a turning member 23 rotatably supported on a supporting member 21 standing within the melting chamber 2a, a perimeter edge of the turning member 23 rotating and moving along the inner surface of the recessed portion 4a to lift the alloy ingot generated in the recessed portion 4a above the hearth 4 and turn it over, and a resilient turn-over assisting member 24 provided above an upper end of the recessed portion 4a. Further, the turn-over assisting member 24 is arranged to flex by a predetermined amount when the alloy ingot abuts it, and to return to its original state from the flexed state so that the alloy ingot is urged to drop into the recessed portion 4a. |
| US08651162B2 |
Hinged tubular heater for side sealing machine
A tubular heating element which is resistant to damage caused by foreign material is disclosed. The tubular heating element is pivotably attached to the side sealing machine at its leading (upstream) edge. The trailing (downstream) edge of the tubular heating element is moved by means of a compressible force, such as an air cylinder. In this way, the air in the cylinder pushes the tubular heating element downward into the plane of the film. However, a foreign object located on the film can overcome the force of the air cylinder, thereby lifting the tubular heating element out of the path of the film. |
| US08651161B2 |
Sheet-fed offset printing press
Described is a sheet-fed offset printing press including: a printing unit 20 printing on paper sheets 1; and laminate unit 40 for applying lamination to the paper sheets 1 printed by the printing unit 20, the lamination unit 40 being provided downstream of the printing unit 20 in a transport direction of the paper sheets 1. |
| US08651157B2 |
Tacky finish and textile materials and articles treated therewith
This invention relates to tacky finishes and to the textile materials and articles treated with the tacky finishes. The tacky finishes provide improved processing features for end-use articles that contain such finishes. The tacky finish may be combined with other adhesion promotion finishes in the treatment of textile materials. The textile materials and articles may be used as rubber reinforcing materials, such as automotive tire cap ply, single end tire cord, carcass reinforcement and side wall reinforcement. End-use articles that contain the treated textile materials include rubber-containing materials such as automobile tires, belts, and hoses. This invention also relates to the methods for manufacturing the treated textile materials and articles. |
| US08651152B2 |
Tread band for retreaded tire
Included are tread bands for use on retreaded tires and methods for retreading a tire using such tread bands. Embodiments of such tread bands include a primary groove having a top opening that is open to a ground contacting front face of the tread band and a secondary groove having a bottom opening that is open to a back face of the tread band. The groove top of the secondary groove is higher than a groove bottom of the primary groove so that the secondary groove top is opened to the ground contacting front face of the tread band prior to disappearance by wear of the primary groove. Particular embodiments may also further include an overflow reservoir having a reservoir opening that is open to the back face of the tread band, the reservoir opening being positioned adjacent to an edge of the secondary groove bottom opening. |
| US08651151B2 |
Fuel shut-off valve assemblies and methods of making and assembling the same
A vehicle fuel inlet shut-off valve assembly includes a two-piece housing having inner and outer housing components secured to each other. The housing components can be provided of different materials, with a surface coating. A flapper door assembly is secured in the outer housing component and includes directionally biased interlocking components that facilitate installation and inhibit disconnection after assembly with redundant connections. |
| US08651144B1 |
Two-section valve cap
A valve cap includes an internally threaded cap; a sleeve including external threads and an internal passage; a flexible, spring biased insert including a conic top in the passage of the sleeve for blocking, and a transverse bottom groove; a hollow first cylinder including external threads threadedly secured to the cap, internal threads secured to the external threads of the sleeve, and an internal passage; a hollow second cylinder including external threads, lower internal threads, and an internal passage; a moveable, flexible insert member including a conic top, a stem, and a transverse bottom groove; and a hollow, cylindrical positioning member including an axial channel and external threads threadedly secured to the internal threads of the insert member. Groove of the insert member communicates with both the channel of the positioning member and inside of the second cylinder. |
| US08651141B2 |
Electromagnetic valve and relative assembly method
An electromagnetic valve comprising casing, a coil and a mobile nucleus, sliding axially across the entire extension of the coil, between two operative positions wherein there is an interface with a powering body and a discharging body. The configuration of the electromagnetic valve guarantees a precise guide of the mobile nucleus free from sticking and enables speed and precision in the assembly of the electromagnetic valve. |
| US08651140B2 |
Valve arrangement for different flow rate categories
A valve arrangement has several valve clusters which are designed for different nominal flow rates. Each valve cluster (1c) comprises a valve base (2) fitted with valve units (4), the valve units (4) respectively having a control portion (13), which is connected by way of electrical interface means (23) with internal signal transmission means (22) of the valve base (2). Irrespectively of the flow rate category the overall height of the valve bases (2), the width of the component mounting sites and of the valve units (4) and also the electrical interface means (23) are identically configured in the case of the valve clusters of all flow rate categories. The modification of the nominal flow rates is performed more especially by the choice of different overall lengths of the valve units (4). |
| US08651139B2 |
Valve
A valve includes a body, a plug and a diaphragm defining an aperture and a seat. The diaphragm is substantially movable in response to a force applied to the seat by the plug. The valve can be cycled between an open state in which the plug is free of the seat, a closed state in which the plug is seated against the seat, and a third state in which the plug is seated against the seat and substantially deflects the diaphragm. |
| US08651138B2 |
Tubular array for fluidic focusing with integrated optical access region
An apparatus for creating sheathed flow includes an inlet section comprising an array of tubes including at least one sheath inlet port and a sample inlet port, a flow focusing section downstream from the inlet section, an optical access section downstream from the flow focusing region and comprising opposing flat surfaces, and an outlet section downstream from the optical access section, wherein the apparatus is operable to create a sheathed flow around a fluid introduced into the sample inlet port and to maintain the sheathed flow through the optical access section. Applications of the apparatus and method include bead/particle counting, flow cytometry, waveguiding, and fluid control. |
| US08651135B2 |
Mass flow controller, mass flow controller system, substrate processing device, and gas flow rate adjusting method
According to one embodiment, a flow rate adjusting unit is disposed on a gas passageway and includes a valve that adjusts the flow rate of a gas and an actuator that controls the displacement amount of the valve. A displacement amount storage unit stores displacement amount information in which a displacement amount of the valve, used when a gas flows into the gas passageway at a flow rate defined according to a process procedure before performing the process procedure, is obtained in advance for each process procedure. A setting circuit acquires the displacement amount corresponding to the process procedure from the displacement amount storage unit, and controls the actuator on the basis of the acquired displacement amount. |
| US08651133B1 |
Tap safety device
Tap safety devices are disclosed. The tap safety devices may include a shield which is positioned between the fluid supply line and an operator space such that in an occurrence of an unintended break in the fluid supply line in which a first portion of fluid exits the fluid supply line and travels towards the operator space the shield substantially redirects the first portion of fluid away from the operator space. |
| US08651132B1 |
Plastic faucet body with copper connecting legs
A plastic faucet body with copper connecting legs contains a plastic member including two seat portions, a connecting portion, and two support feet; each support foot having an inlet and a channel; the connecting portion having at least one exit and a tunnel; two copper connecting legs, each being engaged on the each support foot and having a threaded section; wherein a bottom end of the each copper connecting leg extends a predetermined distance from the each support foot so as to define a fitting section on the each copper connecting leg; a lower coupling portion is formed on a connection zone of the each support foot and the each copper connecting leg; a plastic sleeve has at least one seal element to provide a sealing effect and to prevent water from leakage via the lower coupling portion and has a seal inner face formed on the plastic sleeve. |
| US08651131B2 |
Control valve for air cushion bed
A control valve for an air cushion bed includes a first main body, a membrane plate, a second main body, a sensor, and a depressurization unit. The membrane plate is clamped between the first main body and the second main body. The second main body at one side of the membrane plate is connected with the sensor. The sensor is used to detect the inputted air pressure. When the air is over, the air can be depressurized by the depressurization unit. The control valve of the present invention is applied to input and control the air of the air cushion bed, having depressurization and air detection functions. |
| US08651128B2 |
Methods and apparatus for isolating a section of fluid line
A method and apparatus for isolating a section of sewer line. In one embodiment, a chamber is provided that extends into the ground and intersects a sewer pipe. Thereafter, the fluid in the sewer pipe is exposed to an interior of the chamber and a dam is placed in the chamber to isolate an upstream portion of the chamber from a downstream portion. As fluid collects in the upstream side of the chamber, at least one pump is used to control the fluid level in the upstream portion by transferring the fluid from the chamber to a predetermined, remote location. |
| US08651126B2 |
Controllable and cleanable steam trap apparatus
An apparatus and a method for removing condensate and unwanted gas from vapor/liquid systems while preventing steam loss are provided. The steam trap apparatus replaces the automatic valve type, non-sanitary steam trap with an efficient, controllable, and sanitary steam trap. In addition, the improved steam trap apparatus allows for real-time data collection and eliminates the need for additional piping and actuated valves for sterilization and cleaning purposes. |
| US08651121B2 |
Substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing method, and storage medium
A substrate processing apparatus includes a chamber configured to dispose a substrate to be processed with a substrate holder, a spin chuck to rotate the substrate, a gas discharging head configured to discharge a dehumidified gas to the substrate, a processing liquid supply nozzle, an IPA supply nozzle, and a driving device configured to move the gas discharging head between a retreat position of an upper part of the chamber and an approach position near the substrate. In particular, the gas discharging head is positioned at the approach position when the IPA is supplied to the substrate so that the dehumidified gas is supplied from the gas discharging head to the substrate when the IPA is supplied to the substrate. |
| US08651118B2 |
Hair styling device
This invention relates to a hair styling device (10) having a body (12) defining a chamber (16) adapted to accommodate a length of hair (26), the length of hair being styled while it is located within the chamber. The chamber has a primary opening (24) through which the length of hair may pass into the chamber. A rotatable element (34) is provided which is adapted to engage the length of hair adjacent to the primary opening. An elongate member (20) is located within the chamber (16), the length of hair being wound around the elongate member by the rotatable element. The device has a handle (14) which may be gripped by a user, the handle comprising a first handle part (62) and a second handle part (60), the first handle part (62) being connected to the body (12) and the second handle part (60) being movable relative to the first handle part (62). The second handle part can carry a panel (56) which is adapted to close the primary opening (24). |
| US08651115B2 |
Combination treatment of tobacco extract using antioxidants and antioxidant scavengers
A process for treating a tobacco material comprising: (a) extracting a tobacco material with a solvent to produce a tobacco extract and a tobacco residue; (b) contacting the tobacco extract with an antioxidant; and (c) contacting the mixture of (b) with an antioxidant scavenger, to produce a treated tobacco extract. The treated tobacco extract is reapplied to the tobacco residue to form a treated tobacco material. In addition, a smoking composition, a smoking article and a smokeless tobacco oral delivery product contain the treated tobacco material. |
| US08651111B2 |
Photomodulation methods and devices for regulating cell proliferation and gene expression
Human and mammalian skin undergoes a variety of changes associated with chronological aging. Various environmental factors, disease states and genetic disorders may accelerate both the appearance of aging skin and also the structural and functional changes associated with aging skin. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun is one of the classic known and well-defined means of accelerating or worsening the aging of the skin and this is frequently termed photoaging. Other environmental factors, such as oxidative stress, free radicals, environmental toxins such as ozone and cultural customs or habits such as tobacco smoking are other known probe accelerators in photo aging skin. A wide variety of other factors known and unknown contribute to accelerated or premature aging of the skin. This invention discusses methods where electromagnetic radiation, in particular, light, can be used to photobiomodulate the activity of living cells to delay, diminish, retard or even reverse the structural and functional effects of aging of the skin and other living cells and tissues. In particular methods described for improving the appearance, structure, function of aging skin, including up and down regulating the genotypic markers for the phenotype of aging skin. |
| US08651109B2 |
Pessaries for prolapse alleviation
Disclosed are devices for supporting a prolapsed organ. An exemplary device comprises a ring-like body optionally having a naturally occurring substantially flat and substantially planar compact configuration, the ring-like body configured with a size suitable for insertion into a vagina and to be expanded by a support element such that in the expanded configuration an outer periphery of the ring-like body contacts a portion of the vagina and stretches at least a portion of a prolapsed vaginal wall, thereby substantially alleviating prolapse of at least one pelvic organ. The device optionally includes a support element comprising two moveably connected arms configured to support the ring in the expanded configuration. |
| US08651107B2 |
Manual lung ventilation device
A manual lung ventilation device and method suitable for acute manual respiratory resuscitation and lung ventilation of a person are disclosed. The manual lung ventilation device includes a nasal interface in fluid communication with a flexible chamber. The nasal interface being held in the proper position on the person by a headgear and at least one securing device adapted to connect the nasal interface to the headgear. The device may be formed as a single component to allow an operator to rapidly position the device on the person to be ventilated and operate the device with one hand. |
| US08651103B2 |
Dry powder inhalation apparatus
The invention relates to dry powder inhalation apparatus usually operable by breath of a user which provides for controlled and smooth transfer of medicament during multiple actuations by a user. A mechanism of the apparatus for achieving this controlled and smooth transfer includes a device (4) normally held adjacent a reservoir for receiving medicament in a cup or receptacle (15) and which is generally movable transversely of a longitudinal axis of the apparatus to delivery channels of the apparatus. This bodily shifting of the device (4) is achieved by a yoke acting on an abutment (16) thereof. Spillage of medicament in the apparatus is avoided. |
| US08651100B2 |
Method for controlling the alignment of a heliostat with respect to a receiver, heliostat device and solar power plant
A method is provided for controlling the alignment of a heliostat with respect to a receiver, wherein an image sensor device is arranged on a mirror device of the heliostat, wherein the heliostat is aligned by the image sensor device using image recognition in such a way that a first angle of a first vector pointing towards the sun, relative to a prescribed vector of the mirror device, and a second angle of a second vector pointing towards a prescribed target area of the receiver, relative to the prescribed vector, are in a relationship to each other which is dependent upon the prescribed vector of the mirror device, and wherein images of the sun and the prescribed target area and their position relative to the prescribed vector are determined. |
| US08651096B2 |
Systems, devices, and/or methods for launching a projectile
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, device, manufacture, circuit, composition of matter, and/or user interface adapted for and/or resulting from, and/or a method and/or machine-readable medium storing machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise and/or relate to, controlling the amount of energy delivered to a projectile from a source of compressed gas. |
| US08651091B2 |
Skip fire engine control
A variety of methods and arrangements for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine in a skip fire variable displacement mode are described. Generally, an engine is controlled to operate in a skip fire variable displacement mode. In one aspect, the spark timing associated with each fired working cycle is based at least in part on the firing history of the fired working chamber. |
| US08651088B2 |
Control apparatus for internal combustion engine
In an internal combustion engine having an in-cylinder pressure sensor provided on each cylinder, an in-cylinder pressure detection value is corrected into an absolute pressure using an absolute pressure correction value Pr by calculating the absolute pressure correction value Pr (=(P2V2κ−P1V1κ)/(V1κ−V2κ)) from in-cylinder pressure detection values P1 and P2, in-cylinder volumes V1 and V2, and a specific heat ratio K at predetermined crank angles θ1 and θ2 during the adiabatic compression stroke from IVC to the ignition timing. When the adiabatic compression stroke (ignition timing−IVC) is shorter than a predetermined crank angle period CAth, the ignition timing is delayed. When the adiabatic compression stroke is longer than or equal to CAth, IVC is advanced. Preferably, a torque variation is suppressed by controlling the ignition timing of each cylinder before IVC is advanced. |
| US08651087B2 |
Engine with an improved arrangement of the carburettor unit
In order to create an engine more preferably for a small working machine, for example for garden, forest and landscape work or for an engine-operated tool and the like, with a carburettor unit for mixture provision, in which carburettor unit via an inlet pipe is connected with a cylinder of the engine, wherein the cylinder extends along its piston running direction from its crankcase side as far as to its head end, and wherein a holding device is provided which serves for the mechanical holding of at least the carburettor unit and at least comprises an elastic element with an improved arrangement of the carburettor unit and easy removability of the carburettor, i.e. simple assembly and disassembly, it is proposed that the holding device with the at least one elastic element is provided between the carburettor unit and the cylinder and that the holding device is arranged above the inlet pipe in the direction towards the head end of the cylinder in such a manner that a suspended arrangement of the carburettor unit on the cylinder is formed. |
| US08651084B2 |
Two-part piston for an internal combustion engine
A two-piece piston for an internal combustion engine has an upper piece and a lower piece, the lower piece having an upper base part with an opening lying coaxial to the piston axis into which a pin on the upper piece is inserted. The upper piece is connected to the lower piece with a hexagonal nut screwed onto the pin. A resilient sleeve is arranged between the upper piece and the lower piece comprising an inwardly directed collar on the against which the upper face of the hexagonal nut lies and in the region facing away from the piston crown, a contact surface facing the piston crown lying on a surface on the inner side of the opening. An economically produced two-piece piston results with a resilient sleeve between both screwed piston pieces which exerts a pre-tensioning and thus provides security for the screw connection. |
| US08651082B2 |
Premixed compression ignition diesel engine
In a premixed compression ignition diesel engine 1 with fuel being injected midway of a intake passage 15, an intake port 6 is formed with an orifice 10 which is throttled in passage cross-sectional area at least in an opening operation of an intake valve 7. This prevents adhesion of the fuel to an inner wall of the intake passage and promotes atomization of the fuel. A combustion chamber is fed with the sufficiently atomized fuel, which prevents combustion failure in the combustion chamber to attain reduction of particulate matters. |
| US08651081B2 |
Intake manifold with overmolded structural enhancement
A composite intake manifold coupled to a V-engine is provided. The composite intake manifold includes a supporting member overmolded in an unsupported region of the composite intake manifold. |
| US08651080B2 |
Internal combustion engine and method for assembling internal combustion engine
An internal combustion engine has a one-way clutch including a ring gear connected to the output shaft of a starting motor, an outer race member connected to a crankshaft, and a claw piece arranged between the outer circumferential surface of the ring gear and the inner circumferential surface of the outer race member facing the outer circumferential surface of the ring gear. The ring gear and the outer race member have a threaded hole and a through hole, respectively, to receive a jig for fixing the ring gear and the outer race member to each other. |
| US08651079B2 |
Deactivating hydraulic valve lash adjuster/compensator with temporary lash compensation deactivation
A valve operating mechanism includes a pin housing housed in a lash adjuster and a lash adjustment chamber. A sync pin is slidably received within the housing between an activating position and a deactivating position. A ball valve assembly is provided within the housing for communication with the chamber, and is moveable between an open position and a closed position. The valve operating mechanism is operable in an active mode and a deactive mode. In the active mode, the sync pin is in the activating position, a valve is in an active state and the valve operating mechanism is configured to adjust valve lash. In the deactive mode, the sync pin is in the deactivating position and the valve is in a deactive state. The valve operating mechanism is configured to generate valve lash to allow the operating mechanism to move between the active mode and the deactive mode. |
| US08651076B2 |
Adjusting system for camshafts of an internal combustion engine
An adjusting system for camshafts of an internal combustion engine having an emergency running function, comprising a phase shifter gearing with an input drive element driven by a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, an output drive element which drives a camshaft of the internal combustion engine, and an actuating element, by means of which a relative rotation between the drive input element and the drive output element can be realized by means of a device for imparting a braking torque, which is variable for normal operation, to the actuating element. In the event of failure of the device and/or control thereof, an emergency running setting of the camshaft can be attained and maintained as a result of braking or respectively, arresting the actuating element. |
| US08651074B2 |
Variable valve timing device
A VVT has a movable restriction member and a restriction slot. When the restriction member is in a projected position, the VVT is variable in a restricted range to which the restriction member can be rotatable within the restriction slot. When the restriction member is in a retracted position, the VVT is variable in a range wider than the restricted range. When a condition where the restriction member shall be projected is satisfied, if the variable range of the VVT reaches beyond the restricted range, the device determines that the restriction member is stuck at the retracted position. When a condition where the restriction member shall be retracted is satisfied, if the variable range of the VVT is restricted in the restricted range, the device determines that the restriction member is stuck at the projected position. |
| US08651069B2 |
Wax type thermostat for the cooling system of an internal combustion engine
A wax-type thermostat for the cooling system of an internal combustion engine (ICE) provided with a radiator and a coolant loop circuit linking the radiator to the ICE, and a by-pass conduit. The thermostat comprises a thermostat body with one inlet from the radiator, one inlet from the ICE, and one outlet to the ICE. The thermostat further comprises a closure element integral to a first piston that closes or opens a thermostat internal pathway running from the inlet from the radiator to the outlet to the ICE, a main wax chamber thermally connected to the coolant within the thermostat body, and a spring to return the closure element towards its closing position. Also provided is a first means for moving the first piston when a volume variation in the wax occurs. |
| US08651068B1 |
Systems and devices for separating water and contaminants from fuel
A device is for separating water and contaminants from fuel that is being supplied from an upstream fuel reservoir to a downstream internal combustion engine. The device comprises a housing configured to couple with the upstream fuel reservoir, the housing having an inlet receiving fuel, water and contaminants, and an outlet discharging the fuel; a gravity separator disposed in the housing between the inlet and the outlet, the gravity separator separating the water from the fuel; and a filter disposed in the housing between the inlet and the outlet, the filter filtering the contaminants from the fuel. |
| US08651066B2 |
Pulse detonation cleaning system
A pulse detonation cleaning system is provided and includes a common tube, which is fluidly coupled to a vessel, a first array, including a plurality of elongate detonation tubes arrayed about a common axis, each of the plurality of the detonation tubes being disposed upstream from and fluidly coupled to an interior of the common tube and a second array, including a plurality of detonators arrayed about the common axis, each of the plurality of the detonators being disposed upstream from and operably coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of the detonation tubes such that actuation of each of the plurality of the detonators leads to combustion in the corresponding one of the plurality of the detonation tubes. |
| US08651064B2 |
Control system for a boiler assembly
A control system for managing and interfacing a plurality of water heaters, e.g. boilers. The control system includes a first boiler unit controlled by a first boiler control unit and a second boiler unit controlled by a second boiler control unit. The first boiler control unit is operable to coordinate the operation of the first and second boiler units in response to changes in output demand. The flues of the first and second boiler units are connected to a common flue. The control system further includes an interface and an interface control system. The interface control system communicates requests from the interface, to report and/or alter the operating parameters of the first and second boiler units, to the first and second boiler control units and communicates the request outcome(s) back to the interface. |
| US08651063B1 |
Wheeled dog cover
A wheeled dog cover (1) having a frame (3) wheels (24) located thereon. Said frame having a top panel (7) and side panels (6, 8) that cover side portions (9a, 9b) and a top portion (10) of the frame to protect a dog from rain and other elements. Panels may also be located on the front and back of the frame to fully enclose the frame. A push handle (22) is provided for controlling movement of the wheeled dog cover. In addition a leash attachment bar (23) is located on the wheeled dog cover for attaching a dog's leash to so as a dog walks the wheeled dog cover moves with the dog. The front wheels of the walker are preferably swivel wheels to allow the wheeled dog cover to be steered right or left. |
| US08651057B1 |
Photographic animal counter for monitoring movement of aquatic animals
A movement monitoring device to monitor and record movement of animals through an aquatic animal passage system, regardless of water turbidity. A housing connected to the aquatic animal passage system has an entrance to receive an animal and an exit for the animal to leave the housing. A ramp within the housing has a lower end and an upper end, and the lower end is positioned at the entrance. A platform within the housing has one end connected to the upper end of the ramp and the other end positioned at the exit. The platform is elevated so that water from the aquatic animal passage system flows underneath the platform, and the animal climbs up the ramp, out of the water, and onto the platform. A photographic system focused on the platform records an image of the animal on the platform out the water. |
| US08651051B2 |
Milking box with robotic attacher
In certain embodiments, a system includes a front wall, a rear wall positioned substantially parallel to the front wall, and first and second side walls each extending between the front wall and the rear wall. The first side wall includes a gate, and the second side wall is spaced apart from the first side wall such that the front wall, the rear wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall define a milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock. The system includes an equipment portion located adjacent to the rear wall. The equipment portion houses a robotic attacher configured to extend between the rear legs of a dairy livestock located within the milking box stall in order to attach milking equipment to the dairy livestock. |
| US08651048B2 |
Controlled deposition of metal and metal cluster ions by surface field patterning in soft-landing devices
A soft-landing (SL) instrument for depositing ions onto substrates using a laser ablation source is described herein. The instrument of the instant invention is designed with a custom drift tube and a split-ring ion optic for the isolation of selected ions. The drift tube allows for the separation and thermalization of ions formed after laser ablation through collisions with an inert bath gas that allow the ions to be landed at energies below 1 eV onto substrates. The split-ring ion optic is capable of directing ions toward the detector or a landing substrate for selected components. The inventors further performed atomic force microscopy (AFM) and drift tube measurements to characterize the performance characteristics of the instrument. |
| US08651047B1 |
Painting system and accessories
A spray shield assembly includes a spray shield handle, a universal joint carried by the spray shield handle and a spray shield carried by the universal joint. |
| US08651046B1 |
Robotic sealant and end effector
A method and apparatus for applying sealant. The apparatus may comprise a sealant flow control system. The sealant flow control system may be configured to engage a nozzle of a sealant container to reduce a flow of sealant from the nozzle. |
| US08651045B2 |
Device and method for orientating a plurality of cassettes for laboratory samples
A device (1) is provided for orientating a plurality of laboratory sample cassettes (2) each having a marking surface (3) disposed on a main body (4) of the cassette (2). A cassette (2) is held by a clamp so that a printer can print on the marking surface (3) of the cassette (2). When the cassette (2) is released from the clamp, it is moved via a belt (13) to an opening (20) of a rotatable structure (15) in a cassette receiving position. When the cassette (2) has been received in the opening (20), the rotatable structure (15) is rotated so that the opening (20) is moved to a cassette releasing position. A rack (23) is positioned beneath the rotatable structure (15) in order to receive the cassette (2) from the rotatable structure opening (20) when the opening (20) is in its cassette releasing position. The cassette (2) is received into a rack slot (24) so that the marking surface (3) of the cassette (2) is at the top of the cassette (2). The rack (23) is then moved each time after it has received a cassette so that a successive rack slot is able to receive another cassette moved by the device (1) from the clamp and printer. |
| US08651041B2 |
Personal underwater vehicle
An underwater personal vehicle that as twin battery powered motors affixed to a central body. The propellers preferably counter-rotate and are in shrouds to allow true tracking without stabilizing fins. The operator holds onto the device and controls it from handles on the aft end of the central body. A light and supplemental ballast tubes are available. The thrust produced by the motors is at approximately the center of mass of the vehicle to further stabilize it during motion. |
| US08651039B2 |
Boat hull cleaning system
A boat hull cleaning system including at least one flexible line having a central portion to which a plurality of cleaning elements attach in spaced engagement disposed between a first grippable portion and a second grippable portion. |
| US08651038B2 |
System and method for multi-sectional truss spar hull for offshore floating structure
The present disclosure provides an improved design for a multi-sectional truss spar hull platform having a truss and a spar hull. One or more sections can be transported to a designated location and off-loaded into water from an available transport vessel. The truss includes a skirt tank at the upper end of truss that can be coupled to the lower end of the hull. The skirt tank can provide buoyancy during float-off and mating operations to the hull. The skirt tank is designed to allow the portion above the water to be coupled to the hull in a first orientation, the truss with the skirt tank rotated with the hull in the water to a second orientation to expose the previously underwater portion, and then the previously underwater portion can be coupled together above the water. The integral skirt tank will be flooded after the spar hull is up-ended. |
| US08651036B2 |
Sewing machine operating device and sewing machine provided therewith
A sewing machine operating device includes a base, a connection unit which is connectable to a sewing machine body, an output unit which is configured to generate and deliver an operation signal according to an action of a user's foot, a placement pedestal that is configured to receive the user's foot, a support unit which supports the placement pedestal so that the placement pedestal is movable in any direction on a plane that includes an upper surface of the base, and a detection unit which is configured to detect whether the placement pedestal or user's foot is located at any one of different predetermined positions when the placement pedestal is moved with the user's foot being placed on the placement pedestal. |
| US08651035B2 |
Multi-needle sewing machine
A multi-needle sewing machine includes a machine frame side thread guide member and guide threads drawn from plural thread spools. The multiple-needle sewing machine includes plural thread entrances to introduce threads guided by machine frame side thread guide portions to needle sides of needle bars, plural intermediate thread guide portions that guide intermediate portions of the threads, and an intermediate thread guide portion moving mechanism. The intermediate thread guide portion moving mechanism moves the intermediate thread guide portions in accordance with movements of the thread entrances during a movement of the needle bar case such that the intermediate thread guide portions are moved by maintain that the intermediate thread guide portions are spaced from each other. |
| US08651034B2 |
Embroidery frame and sewing machine
An embroidery frame includes an attachment portion that can be removably attached to an embroidery frame moving device of a sewing machine that is capable of performing embroidery sewing, a frame-side connector that is adapted to be connected to a sewing machine-side connector of the sewing machine by an attaching of the attachment portion to the embroidery frame moving device, to enable wired communication between the embroidery frame and the sewing machine, and a storage device that can be accessed from the sewing machine in a case where the frame-side connector is connected to the sewing machine-side connector. |
| US08651029B2 |
Potting bench
A potting bench includes an upper frame section and a lower frame section. The lower frame section is defined by a first front support, a first rear support, a second front support, a second rear support and a work surface. The work surface includes a fixed section having a first end and a second end, an extendable section rotatably coupled to the first end of the fixed section and configurable into a lowered and a raised position and a removable section configurable into a user work position and a stowed position. The first end of the removable section is located adjacent to the second end of the fixed section in the user work position and the removable section is supported on a support hook mounted on a side wall located between the second front support and the second rear support in the stowed position. |
| US08651024B2 |
Shot packing method and related devices
A cartridge ammunition load and/or method. Such a load may comprise a shot casing, a combustible propellant charge, a wad, and a plurality of shot. The shot may include shot of a first size and a second size, wherein the second size is within 80-95% of the first size. The first-size shot may be arranged in a stack of one or more planar rings, and may have the second-size shot disposed in a central interstice of one or more of the rings. Embodiments may include any number of layers of shot of the first and second size, and the second-size shot need not be present between every pair of adjacent layers of first-size shot. |
| US08651017B2 |
Filter assembly for fryer and method
A filter system for use in a fryer includes multiple filter apparatus in a container. The filter apparatus each comprise a filter assembly, and a manifold block. Each filter assembly has a drain bracket and drain fitting attached to the lower edge. The drain fitting is shaped to slidably fit into the manifold block. Multiple filter assemblies with associated valves are in fluid communication with a pump each valve operable to close fluid communication. Flow through a filter assembly may be shut off for removal or replacement of the filter assembly during continued operation of the fryer and continued filtration by another filter assembly. |
| US08651016B2 |
Unitized vacuum fryer
The unitized vacuum fryer is capable of low atmosphere vacuum cooking and has an elongate cooking tunnel having an upper portion separable from a base portion for cleaning and maintenance. When hermetically sealed together the two portions function to retain a high vacuum for an enclosed fry cooking system. Hermetic sealing locks at each end of the tunnel afford product entry and exit. The vacuum fryer does not require a separate enclosing pressure vessel. |
| US08651015B2 |
Electronic sterilization device and method
This invention relates to a processing machine of the food industry, specifically, a new electronic sterilization device for liquid beverage or liquids. One pole of the electric voltage device is connected to the voltage connector sleeve with an outlet of hollow capillary emitter, and the other pole of the electric voltage device is connected to the collection container. The inner diameter of the exit end of the hollow capillary emitter is very small. Liquid forms a Taylor cone at the exit end under the electric field force, thus a high electric field area is formed on the surface of the Taylor cone. Bacteria passing through the high electric field area will be fully polarized, thoroughly disrupted or electroporated, and finally killed. This invention features simple structure and easy operation with better and more thorough sterilization effect, showing distinct technical advantages especially for substances inappropriate to be treated in high temperature, high pressure or strong electric field, and its wide use in food and beverage industry can be expected in the very near future. |
| US08651011B2 |
Brewing device for a coffee machine
A brewing device (1) for a coffee machine comprises a brewing cylinder (6) with a cylindrical hole and two pistons (3, 4) by means of which the brewing cylinder (6) can be closed off in order to form a brewing chamber (12). The brewing cylinder (6) and the pistons (3 and 4) are held in a frame (2), in a way displaceable relative to one another, and are drivable via a drive device (9, 10). This drive device (9, 10) comprises a spindle (9), the two ends of which are designed as bearing pins (25), and are mounted such that they are rotatable in a sliding way in bearing rings (26, 27) fitted in the frame (2). At least one supporting element (28) is inserted in at least one of the bearing rings (26), and is pressible substantially radially against the bearing pin (25) by means of a spring element (37). The bearing play between bearing ring (26) and bearing pin (25) is thereby compensated; a silent operation of the spindle in the brewing device results. |
| US08651008B2 |
Highly survivable urban utility vehicle (HSUUV)
The Highly Survivable Urban Utility Vehicle (HSUUV) provides a novel way to balance the concerns of armor, mobility and cost. Prior art distributes armor to protect all areas of the vehicle evenly, thereby distributing the maximum armor weight capacity evenly. The HSUUV provides armored protection in levels, which vary depending on the location of the armor and that location's ballistic threat. Entrance to the HSUUV is located in location(s) other than the traditional side door(s) so as to provide additional armored protection in the area receiving the greatest ballistic threat. Using the HSUUV, soldiers can safely and quickly enter areas that they otherwise would have had to fight and sustain casualties to enter. The vehicle will give United States forces an unprecedented amount of flexibility, allowing for better strategic and tactical decisions. |
| US08651004B2 |
Chip cartridge for sheet punch
A punch includes a base and a chip cartridge that is movably coupled to the base. The chip cartridge is movable between a first position and a second position relative to the base and defines a chamber that is configured to receive and hold chips produced during a punching operation. The chip cartridge includes a chip receiving portion that is configured to receive chips created during the punching operation and to permit entry of the chips into the chamber while the chip cartridge is in the first position. When the chip cartridge is in the second position, the chip receiving portion provides communication between the chamber and outside the chamber via an area less than or equal to about 200 percent of a surface area of the chip produced by the punch. |
| US08651000B2 |
Cutting device
The invention relates to a cutting device for slicing food products, comprising a driven circular blade rotating about a blade axis revolving on a track about a center axis, and a cover element rotatable relative to the circular blade on the side of the circular blade facing away from a product to be sliced. A holding device is provided that is designed for counteracting the self-rotation of the cover element about the blade axis. |
| US08650999B2 |
Cutting machine for the cutting of blocks of material
The cutting machine comprises a horizontal knife (17) for cutting a block (40) into plates (41). To allow for removal of a stack of plates (42) before the whole block (40) has been cut, a removal means comprising a removal conveyor (32) is provided. After completion of the last cut, the knife (17), after reversal of its cutting edge, will be entered into the cutting gap (43) again and be lifted, thus allowing a separating member (34) of the removal conveyor (32) to enter the resultant gap (44). By driving the conveyer belt (12), the stack of plates (42) is transferred onto the removal conveyor (32). |
| US08650993B2 |
Fixing device for a tool member
A fixing device for a tool member includes a handle having a receiving space opened at one end thereof for receiving a connector, the tool member having an operation head defined at one end thereof, a connecting end defined at another end of the tool member for connecting to the connector, the connector having two flat bodies which are pivoted with each other, a fixing unit defined between the two flat bodies for fixing the connecting end of the tool member to the connector, the connector having at least one engaging rib defined at one end thereof for engaging with a wall of the receiving space. Therefore, the tool member is easily detachable from the handle via the connector. |
| US08650992B2 |
Driver accessory
A driver accessory includes a housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion movable relative to the first housing portion, an input shaft at least partially received in the first housing portion and defining a first axis, and an output shaft at least partially received in the second housing portion and defining a second axis. The output shaft is supportable by the housing in a first position relative to the input shaft in which the first and second axes are substantially parallel, and in a second position relative to the input shaft in which the first and second axes are non-parallel. The driver accessory also includes a locking mechanism operable to secure the second housing portion relative to the first housing portion when the output shaft is in the first position and the second position relative to the input shaft. |
| US08650989B1 |
Roofing material removal device
A roofing material removal device that includes a wheeled frame, a plurality of vertical cutting blades being secured to a front of the wheeled frame, each of the vertical cutting blades being rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis, at least one horizontal cutting blade being secured to the wheeled frame, the horizontal cutting blade being slidable in a lateral motion along a substantially horizontal plane, a first motor being coupled to the vertical cutting blades for rotating the vertical cutting blades, and a second motor being coupled to the horizontal cutting blade for moving the horizontal cutting blade in a lateral motion. |
| US08650984B2 |
Electronic clutch pedal assembly having varying resistance
The electronic clutch pedal assembly includes a housing bracket for mounting the pedal assembly to the vehicle, a pedal arm, and a biasing device. The pedal arm includes an upper end and a pedal pad at a lower end. The upper end of the pedal arm is pivotally supported within the housing bracket for movement along a pedal path between an undepressed position and a depressed position. The biasing device includes a first end cap pivotally attached to the housing bracket and a second end cap pivotally attached to the pedal arm. The biasing device includes a compressible member disposed between the first end cap and the second end cap. The compressible member biases the pedal arm towards the undepressed position. Upon depression of the pedal arm towards the depressed position, the compressible member compresses as the biasing device rotates to provide a variable pedal resistance over the pedal path. |
| US08650981B2 |
Robot provided with movable body moved along linear movement rail
A robot is provided in a Cartesian space. The robot is provided with a linear movement rail, a movable body, a swing arm, a linear movement arm. The linear movement rail extends in parallel with the X-axis direction. The movable body is linearly moved in the X-axis direction along the linear movement rail. The swing arm has a first end and a second end. The first end is rotatably connected to the movable body around an R-axis (which is a swing axis) extending in a horizontal direction which is orthogonal to the X-axis direction and the second end extends radially from the R-axis. The linear movement arm, which is connected to the second end of the swing arm, moves a wrist unit in the Y-axis direction which is in parallel with the R-axis. A task tool is loaded to the wrist unit. |
| US08650975B2 |
Test specimen for testing through-thickness properties
The present invention relates to a test specimen for testing the through-thickness properties of a fiber-reinforced composite material. The specimen comprises a first loading portion having a first longitudinal axis in a first plane and a second loading portion having a second longitudinal axis in a second plane. The first and second planes are substantially parallel and the first and second axes are oblique. The first and second loading portions partially overlap to form a test gauge portion that is integral with the first and second loading portions. The first loading portion extends beyond the test gauge portion in opposite directions along the first axis and the second loading portion extends beyond the gauge portion in opposite directions along the second axis. This allows a force be applied to the test gauge portion through the first and second loading portions. |
| US08650973B2 |
Diluter for measuring engine exhaust emissions
A diluter for diluting a sample flow of a test gas to allow subsequent measurement of emissions in the test gas. During a calibration mode, a first flow control element receives and controls the dilution flow, a second flow control element receives and measures only the dilution flow, and a third flow control element is closed. Also during calibration, the second flow control element is calibrated to the first flow control element. During a measurement mode, the same dilution flow rate is maintained in the first and second flow control elements, the sample flow and dilution flow are mixed, and the mixed flow flows into both the second flow control element and the third flow control element. Also during measurement, the third flow control element controls sample flow, and the second flow control element delivers a portion of the mixed flow to the instrument. |
| US08650971B2 |
Slippage detection device and method
A simply-structured initial slippage detection mechanism. When a contact member comes in contact with a contact receiving member via a pressure-sensitive conductive sheet, it is confirmed, on the basis of a change in resistivity of the pressure-sensitive conductive sheet and in response to a detection signal transmitted from the pressure-sensitive conductive sheet, that initial slippage has occurred right before the occurrence of slippage displacement, at a time when a high-frequency waveform component generated right before the occurrence of the slippage displacement of the contact member exceeds a predetermined threshold value. Therefore, it is possible to realize a slippage detection device whose slippage detection section is smaller, more lightweight and thinner. |
| US08650969B2 |
Magnetostrictive torque sensor and electrically-assisted power steering apparatus
A magnetostrictive torque sensor includes a rotation shaft, a magnetostrictive member, and a plurality of detectors. The rotation shaft is rotationally supported. The magnetostrictive member is disposed on a surface of the rotation shaft and being deformable in accordance with a magnitude of rotation torque applied to the rotation shaft to change magnetic permeability. The plurality of detectors are disposed on a periphery of the rotation shaft. Each of the detectors is configured to detect a change in magnetic permeability of the magnetostrictive member in a form of an electrical change. The detectors are configured to detect different amounts of electrical change from one another if amounts of change in deformation are same throughout the magnetostrictive member. |
| US08650967B2 |
Overload detection
An overload detecting assembly comprises a first load bearing member (10) adapted to flex laterally in response to a load to be monitored, a second load bearing member (11) spaced from the first under normal load conditions and which is contacted and loaded by the first load bearing member (10) when it is loaded beyond a load limit. Preferably, the first load bearing member (10) has a yield point below the load limit and takes a permanent set once the yield point has been exceeded. A lateral probe (18) cooperates with the first load bearing member as it moves towards the second load bearing member and in turn deflects an indicator member (20) which takes a permanent set when a yield point is exceeded. Ready inspection of the indicator member then reveals whether or not it has been bent. |
| US08650966B2 |
Strain gauge assembly and method
A strain gauge assembly is disclosed, including a plurality of strain gauges arranged in a side-by-side relationship, each having a first end and a second end. The first and/or second end of one of the plurality of strain gauges is offset from a corresponding first and/or second end of another of the plurality of strain gauges. |
| US08650964B2 |
Testing apparatus
A testing apparatus includes a retaining panel, a screw pole, two securing panels moveably attached to the screw pole, and two mounting members. Each of the two securing panels is slidably attached to the retaining panel. Each of the two mounting member is engaged with each of the two securing panels. The two securing panels are moveable relative to the screw pole for sandwiching an electronic device, and each of the two mounting member is engaged with the screw pole, for prevent the two securing panels from disengaged from the electronic device. |
| US08650963B2 |
Electrostatically coupled pressure sensor
A disclosed pressure-responsive sensor includes a flexible element contained within an enclosure and a membrane configured to exert an electrostatic force on the flexible element to cause the flexible element to respond to pressure variations on the membrane. A disclosed pressure-sensing method includes electrostatically coupling a membrane to a flexible element contained within an enclosure to transfer a pressure response of the membrane to the flexible element. Motion of the flexible element is converted into a pressure signal. |
| US08650962B2 |
Pressure indicator
A pressure indicator for indicating pressure of a pressure source. The indicator comprises a first reservoir which defines a first enclosed volume having a first inlet pipe for communication between the first enclosed volume and a first source of pressurised fluid. The first inlet pipe defines a nominal communication path length between the first enclosed volume and a first source of pressurised fluid. A member is provided in the first inlet pipe which defines one or more communication paths of greater length to that of the nominal communication path length. |
| US08650955B2 |
Time domain switched gyroscope
A gyroscope comprising: a support structure; a drive mass springedly coupled to the support structure such that movement of the drive mass with respect to the support structure is substantially restricted to movement in a first direction; a driver configured to cause the drive mass to oscillate with respect to the support structure in the first direction; a sense mass springedly coupled to the drive mass such that movement of the sense mass with respect to the drive mass is substantially restricted to movement in a second direction, which is orthogonal to the first direction; and a digital trigger comprising a proximity switch coupled between the drive mass and the sense mass, wherein the switch is configured to switch from an open state to a closed state each time the sense mass is in a reference position with respect to the drive mass. |
| US08650951B2 |
Measuring spoons and cups
A measuring utensil includes a handle portion and a measuring portion joined to the handle portion. The handle portion includes a main body, a male component and a female component. The main body has an upper surface and a lower surface and defines at least an outer perimeter of the handle portion. The male component is located within the outer perimeter of the main body and protrudes from the upper surface of the main body to a male engaging surface. The female component is located within the outer perimeter of the main body and is recessed from the lower surface of the main body in a direction towards the upper surface of the main body. The female component extends from the lower surface of the main body to a female engaging surface. |
| US08650949B1 |
Liquid level sensor frequency output system
A liquid level sensor frequency output system for efficiently communicating a liquid level with reduced power and increased accuracy. The liquid level sensor frequency output system generally includes a sensor that determines a liquid level, a transmitter in communication with the sensor that converts the level data to a signal having a frequency representing the liquid level, and a receiver that receives the signal, wherein the receiver calculates the liquid level based on the frequency of the signal. The calculated liquid level by the receiver can be transmitted to an output device such as a display, switch, warning system or pump. |
| US08650947B2 |
Apparatus for measuring the flow rate of a fluid
Provided is a compact apparatus for measuring the flow rate of a fluid. The apparatus includes a heated measure element and a heated reference element which are in substantially the same thermal environment within a measure cell, except that the measure element is situated in the path of the cooling fluid flow and the reference element is sheltered from this direct fluid flow. These elements are arranged as parallel and concentric planar elements that are essentially identical to each other with matching thermal characteristics. The elements are electrically connected in a Wheatstone bridge arrangement. Thermal exchange between the reference and measure elements is used to optimise noise rejection due to common mode background thermal effects. Measured parameters from the bridge can be used to derive the fluid flow rate. |
| US08650946B1 |
Thermal flow sensor having an electromagnetic actuator for a cyclic flow modulator
A thermal flow sensor is responsive only to a modulated component of the flow. At zero flow the modulated component disappears, except for an artifact caused by motion of the modulator. This artifact is minimized by reducing the extent of modulator motion and by sampling the modulated signal at a quiescent part of the modulator's operating cycle. This results in a thermal flow sensor with a very stable zero. |
| US08650942B2 |
Method for diagnosing an exhaust gas sensor and device for carrying out the method
A method is described for diagnosing an exhaust gas sensor which is situated in the exhaust gas area of an internal combustion engine for the purpose of detecting at least one exhaust gas component, which is heated with the aid of a sensor heater and whose temperature is detected. A device for carrying out the method is also described. The exhaust gas sensor is heated to a diagnosis starting temperature which is higher than the exhaust gas temperature; the heat output of the sensor heater is reduced or the sensor heater is completely turned off at least to the extent that the sensor temperature is able to decrease; the decreasing sensor temperature is detected; a measure for the temperature drop in relation to time is ascertained; this measure is compared with a first temperature gradient threshold value; and an error signal is provided if the temperature drop is too slow and therefore the ascertained measure for the temperature drop in relation to time does not exceed the first temperature gradient threshold value. |
| US08650936B2 |
Liquid chromatography device
A liquid chromatography device includes a sample inlet valve to which a sample to be analyzed is introduced, and a trap valve fluid-communicating with a solid phase extraction column and a reverse phase liquid chromatography column. The device further includes a solvent dividing unit dividing flow of a solvent discharged from the sample inlet valve into the first solvent inlet port and the second solvent inlet port of the trap valve. The liquid chromatography device improves resolution and increases reproducibility by allowing the sample injecting direction and the sample eluting direction to be opposite to each other. |
| US08650933B2 |
Gas sensor
A gas sensor, including a cylindrical outer tube; and a seal member disposed in the outer tube, the seal member including: a lead wire insert hole and an atmosphere communication hole extending in an axial direction thereof. The gas sensor further includes: a protection portion which covers the atmosphere communication hole from the rear end of the gas sensor in the axial direction, the protection portion having a protrusion which protrudes toward a rear side of the gas sensor, and has an opening smaller than an opening of the atmosphere communication hole, wherein the protrusion is disposed at a further front end side of the rear end surface of the seal member. |
| US08650932B2 |
Sensor system with close-loop-adsorption circulation
A detection and identification system includes a sensor unit (100) having a sensor array that detects and identifies at least one chemical included in an air flow. The system also includes a pump (120) that drives the air flow through the detection and identification system, in which the pump receives the air flow that has passed out of the sensor unit. The system further includes an adsorption unit (130) that dries and cleans the air flow within the detection and identification system, to obtain a substantially dry and clean air flow, in which the adsorption unit receives the air flow that has passed out of the pump. The system also includes at least one valve (140) that receives the substantially dry and clean air flow that has passed through the adsorption unit. The valve provides the substantially dry and clean air flow to the sensor unit in a close-loop circulation operation to thereby clean a sensor array. The system receives input air from an external environment and then to the sensor unit, and provides exhaust air out to the external environment, in an open-loop flow operation of the detection and identification system in which the input air sample is analyzed and identified. |
| US08650930B2 |
Fail safe self test for motion sensor modules
A short duration test activation signal is applied to the test activation port of a motion sensor module and the test activation status port observed with an error flag being set if a corresponding signal does not appear at the test activation status port within a predetermined time period. |
| US08650923B2 |
Production line and a method of shaping profiles
Profiles (50) are formed in a production line with a cross-section that varies along their length from a plane metal strip (10) that is unwound from a tape reel (9). Edge cutters (14) and roll-forming units (17-24) are displaceable individually sideways relative to the strip, and are individually controlled. The formed profile is curved in a curving station integrated into the production line and having roller pairs (82, 84; 83, 85) that can be controlled to roll sides of the profile (50) such that they become thinner so that the profile is curved or twisted as it is formed. The roller pairs and the sideways displacement and the angular motion of the roll-forming units are controlled so that the roller pairs follow the sides and such that a line (II) between the axles of one roller pair is held perpendicular to the surface being rolled. |
| US08650919B2 |
Anti-break lock
An anti-break lock includes a body and two rods respectively extend from two ends of the body. Two rings extend radially from the body. The body has a passage which communicates with one of the rings and the ring is engaged with an engaging block. The engaging block has a recess in which a pad is received. The passage has a resilient member and a stop pin received therein and the stop pin has a first shoulder and a second shoulder formed in two ends thereof. A contact portion extends from the second shoulder. The body has a room which communicates with the passage. A resilient piece and an engaging member are received in the room. When the lock is damaged, the contact portion is inserted into the recess and stopped by the engaging member so that it cannot move back to its initial position. The lock cannot be unlocked. |
| US08650913B2 |
Thin rotary-fiberized glass insulation and process for producing same
A method of forming a needled rotary fiberglass glass insulation product is provided. The formation of the needled insulation product may be conducted in a continuous in-line process in which the fibers are rotary formed, a binder is sprayed onto the hot fibers, the fibers are collected onto a conveyor and formed into a fiberglass pack, the fiberglass pack is passed through the oven, and the cured insulation blanket is passed through a needling apparatus. The reduction in thickness and increased density caused by the needling process permits the production of lower thickness and higher density insulation products. In particular, the needled insulation product may have a thickness of less than about 0.75 inches and a density from about 1 pcf to about 10 pcf. The needled insulation product may be utilized in household appliances, water heaters, and HVAC equipment. |
| US08650910B2 |
Apparatus for homogenizing a glass melt
The present invention is directed toward a method of reducing contamination of a glass melt in a stirring apparatus by an oxide material. The oxide material, such as platinum oxide, may be volatilized by the high temperature of the glass melt, and then condense on the inside surfaces of a stirring vessel, particularly the stirrer shaft and surrounding surfaces of the stirring vessel cover. A build-up of condensed oxide material may then be dislodged and fall back into the glass melt. Accordingly, an apparatus and method is provided that includes a heating element disposed adjacent an annular gap between the stirring vessel cover and the stirrer shaft. The heating element heats a surface of the stirring vessel cover bounding the annular gap and prevents condensation of volatile oxides that may flow through the annular gap. |
| US08650908B2 |
Post-manufacture glass container thermal strengthening on a conveyor
A method of manufacturing of strengthened glass containers, and more particularly a method of thermally strengthening glass containers in a glass container manufacturing line while they are on a conveyor intermediate the hot end and the cold end. Glass containers formed at an I. S. machine are conveyed through a special tempering Lehr that heats them uniformly to a high temperature that is short of temperatures at which they may become deformed. Subsequently, the glass containers while being transported on a conveyor are subjected to a unique rapid thermal strengthening cooling process in which the outer and inner surfaces including all areas of the glass containers are simultaneously cooled to a temperature below the Strain Point of the glass used in the glass containers. |
| US08650900B2 |
Ice dispensing technology
Disclosed are an ice bin installed in a refrigerator or the like and a refrigerating machine having the same. One auger having spiral transfer wings rotates to transfer ice cubes that are introduced between the transfer wings, which allows a constant amount of ice or an amount of ice selected by a user to be dispensed. In addition, a shutter is disposed at a lower side of the auger to define a dispensing space, which may reduce a length of a casing in a depth direction and, thereby, result in a reduced size of the ice bin. |
| US08650896B2 |
Ice thermal storage
A system, configured to be disposed in a information technology equipment rack for providing ice thermal storage, includes a tank configured to hold water, a heat exchanger disposed in water in the tank and configured to convey a two-phase liquid and vapor refrigerant and to transfer heat between the water and the refrigerant, a first valve connected to a liquid and a vapor refrigerant line and configured to selectively connect the liquid refrigerant line to a first port and the vapor refrigerant line to a second port in a first mode and to connect the liquid refrigerant line to the second port and the vapor refrigerant line to the first port in a second mode, a thermostatic expansion valve connected to an inlet of the heat exchanger, and a liquid/vapor pump connected to an outlet of the heat exchanger and to the second port of the first valve. |
| US08650891B2 |
Heat transfer arrangement and electronic housing comprising a heat transfer arrangement and method of controlling heat transfer
A heat transfer arrangement (100) comprises a refrigerant circuit (102), which refrigerant circuit (102) comprises an evaporator (104) adapted to be arranged inside an electronic component housing (112), a condenser (108) adapted to be arranged outside the electronic component housing (112), a first conduit (106) and a second conduit (110). A refrigerant is present in the refrigerant circuit (102) and in use is arranged to self-circulate by evaporating in the evaporator (104), rising as a gas through the first conduit (106), condensing in the condenser (108) and flowing through the second conduit (110) to the evaporator (104). The heat transfer arrangement (100) further comprises a reservoir (124) for liquid refrigerant connected to the refrigerant circuit (102). A control device associated with the reservoir (124) is operable such that liquid refrigerant is collected in the reservoir (124) from the refrigerant circuit (102) to reduce heat exchange from the inside of the electronic component housing (112) to the ambient environment and such that liquid refrigerant is introduced from the reservoir (124) to the refrigerant circuit to increase heat exchange from the inside of the electronic component housing (112) to ambient environment. |
| US08650886B2 |
Thermal spreader assembly with flexible liquid cooling loop having rigid tubing sections and flexible tubing sections
A flexible cooling loop for providing a thermal path between a heat source and a heat sink includes a plurality of mechanically rigid tubing sections configured for being in thermal contact with the heat source and the heat sink. The cooling loop further includes a plurality if mechanically flexible tubing sections configured for connecting the mechanically rigid tubing sections to form the loop. The loop is configured for containing a liquid. The liquid is configured for being circulated within the loop for promoting transfer of thermal energy from the heat source to the heat sink via the loop. |
| US08650885B2 |
Retaining member for use with gas turbine engine shaft and method of assembly
A gas turbine engine assembly includes a rotor shaft having a threaded portion, a rotor stack support positioned radially outward from the rotor shaft, and a locking nut. The locking nut includes a body portion, a threaded portion located on a radially inner surface of the body portion, and a lug portion extending from the body portion. The rotor stack support radially rests upon the body portion of the locking nut, and the rotor stack support axially rests against the lug portion of the locking nut. The threaded portion of the locking nut and the threaded portion of the rotor shaft are engaged together. |
| US08650879B2 |
Integration of waste heat from charge air cooling into a cascaded organic rankine cycle system
The present application and the resultant patent provide a waste heat recovery system. The waste heat recovery system may include a first organic rankine cycle system, a second organic rankine cycle system, and one or more preheaters. The preheaters may be one or more charge air coolers. The charge air coolers may be in communication with the first organic rankine cycle system, the second organic rankine cycle system, or both the first organic rankine cycle system and the second rankine cycle system. |
| US08650878B2 |
Turbine system including valve for leak off line for controlling seal steam flow
A turbine system includes a valve coupled to a leak off line from a leak packing of a first turbine, the valve controlling a first steam flow used to maintain a constant self-sustaining sealing pressure to a second turbine across numerous loading conditions. A related method is also provided. |
| US08650876B2 |
Method and device to remove hydrogen sulfide from steam condensate in a geothermal power generating unit
Ammonia sometimes present in geothermal steam increases the solubility of hydrogen sulfide in the steam condensate produced by the surface condenser in a steam cycle geothermal power generating unit by reacting with the hydrogen sulfide to produce nonvolatile ammonium bisulfide. The condenser vent gas also produced contains carbon dioxide. Contacting the steam condensate with the condenser vent gas at a pressure slightly greater than atmospheric causes carbon dioxide to dissolve in the condensate, decreasing pH and converting bisulfide ion back to hydrogen sulfide. Subsequently exposing the acidified condensate to condenser vacuum strips the hydrogen sulfide from the condensate, eliminating the need for further chemical treatment of the condensate to prevent air pollution. Hydrogen sulfide partitioning performance is further improved by converting the hydrogen sulfide in the vent gas to sulfur dioxide before contacting it with the condensate. |
| US08650875B2 |
Direct exchange geothermal refrigerant power advanced generating system
A single closed loop direct exchange geothermal power production system that utilizes a refrigerant working fluid in at least one of three primary designs to generate electrical power from deep wells: with a first version of a direct exchange geothermal power generating system operating primarily on refrigerant vapor pressure; with a second version of a direct exchange geothermal power generating system operating primarily on liquid refrigerant gravitational pressure; and with a third version of a direct exchange geothermal power generating system operating primarily on both liquid refrigerant gravitational pressure and refrigerant phase change/expansion from a liquid to a vapor state. |
| US08650870B2 |
Wave actuated devices
The present disclosure is directed to wave actuated devices for converting wave energy from waves passing through water into mechanical work, the wave actuated devices including primary buoys floating in the water and configured to rise and fall with the waves as they pass through the water between lower position and upper positions, carriages coupled to the primary buoy by a linkage and moving between first and second positions, carriage magnetically interactive materials mounted to the carriages, a support structure extending from a support surface and including a pivot spaced from the support surface, and an arm pivotally supported on the pivot and extending from the pivot to a first end proximate the carriage magnetically interactive material. Some examples of wave actuated devices implement buoy force to return the system to a state of potential energy as a wave triggers the device. |
| US08650866B2 |
Exhaust insert for exhaust port
An exhaust insert for use with an internal combustion engine transfers heat from exhaust gases to a liquid-cooled exhaust manifold. One end of the exhaust insert extends into the exhaust port of a cylinder head, and the other end of the exhaust insert extends into an exhaust manifold. Exhaust gases are received from the cylinder head by the exhaust manifold through the exhaust insert. The exhaust insert is in contact with a surface of the exhaust manifold so as to transfer heat from the exhaust gases away from the cylinder head to the exhaust manifold. |
| US08650860B2 |
Catalyst temperature control system for a hybrid engine
A temperature control system is provided for use with a hybrid engine. The system includes a controller configured to receive a signal representative of a temperature associated with a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst configured to receive an exhaust gas stream produced by a hybrid engine. The controller is also configured to transmit a first signal to a generator operably coupled to a battery and the hybrid engine, and transmit a second signal to a heater configured to heat the SCR catalyst, wherein the first and second signals are configured to regulate the temperature associated with the SCR catalyst. |
| US08650856B2 |
Fluidic deflagration-to-detonation initiation obstacles
A detonation chamber and a pulse detonation combustor including a detonation chamber, wherein the detonation chamber includes a plurality of aerodynamic jets disposed adjacent an exterior of a sidewall of the detonation chamber. The detonation chamber further includes a plurality of openings formed in the sidewall of the detonation chamber, wherein each of the plurality of openings is in fluidic communication with one of the plurality of aerodynamic jets. The plurality of aerodynamic jets are adapted to create a plurality of jet flows of a fluid within the detonation chamber during a combustion cycle defining a plurality of initiation obstacles within the detonation chamber to enhance a turbulence of a fluid flow and flame acceleration through the detonation chamber. |
| US08650847B2 |
Nut and fruit harvesting apparatus, systems and methods
In an example, a system for harvesting nut and fruit trees includes an electro-mechanical shaker head, a transport mechanism, and a control system. The electro-mechanical shaker head is configured to dislodge fruit or nuts from a target tree using a linear energy system. The transport mechanism is configured to position the electro-mechanical shaker head on the target tree. The control system is communicatively coupled to the shaker head and configured to dynamically control shaker head operation. |
| US08650846B2 |
Machine for harvesting stalk-like plants with an electrically driven cutting mechanism
A machine is provided for harvesting stalk-like plants. The machine has at least one mowing and pick-up mechanism that comprises a cutting mechanism that can be set into a rotational movement for cutting plant stalks, and a feed mechanism arranged above the cutting mechanism for taking in and discharging the cut plant stalks. The cutting mechanism is drivably connected to an electric motor allocated to it. |
| US08650843B2 |
Method of packaging products
A method of packaging products, in particular moist products, wherein an areal packaging material is positioned at the outer surfaces of a product while forming fold lines such that the product is completely surrounded by packaging material. The packaging material is first folded adjacent to a lower side region while forming side surface regions and end face regions such that a container open at one side is formed. Sections of the packaging material that project beyond the rim of the container open at one side in the regions of mutually oppositely disposed product side surfaces are folded so far over one another while covering the product upper side of the product until they contact one another in order then to be sealed with one another in a first sealing region. In a second and third sealing region, sections of the packaging material which project outwardly from the product in the region of mutually oppositely disposed end face regions are sealed with such regions of the packaging material which project outwardly from the product from the upper side region and from the side surface regions of the packaging material. |
| US08650842B2 |
Packing of boxed gloves
The present invention relates to a glove packing apparatus for packing gloves into a box, and to a method of packing gloves into a box, particularly to the packing of disposable medical gloves. A glove packing apparatus (1) for packing gloves into a box comprises a receptacle (26) for forming a stack of gloves to be packed, the receptacle having a perimeter wall (24, 25) for containing a stack of gloves, a floor (22) within the perimeter wall for supporting the stack of gloves, and an opening (27) opposite the floor into which additional gloves may be added to during stacking of gloves. The floor (22) is movable relative to the perimeter wall (24, 25), so that, in use, the floor may be moved relatively away from the receptacle opening (27) so that as gloves are added to said stack of gloves, the perimeter wall continues to contain the stack of gloves. The floor (22) may then be moved relatively toward the opening to remove the stack of gloves from the receptacle (26). |
| US08650838B2 |
Drug delivery device and drug delivery method
A drug delivery device (1) delivers a stored drug to a conveyance receptacle (T) adapted to be attached with a card (RC) that displays desired information. The drug delivery device (1) includes a transportation unit (P), a card supply unit (70), a card attachment unit (20), and a card preparation unit (50). The transportation unit (P) transports plural conveyance receptacles in a sequential manner. The card supply unit (70) supplies a first card (RC1) to be attached to a first conveyance receptacle (T1) that is first transported among the plural conveyance receptacles (T). The card attachment unit (20) takes out second cards (RC2) from the respective plural conveyance receptacles (T) and attach the taken out second cards to second conveyance receptacles (T2) that are transported after the first conveyance receptacle (T1) respectively. The card preparation unit (50) prepares the first card (RC1) and the second cards (RC2) so as to display patient identification information thereon. With the drug delivery device (1), it is possible to reduce the waiting time of the trays (T). |
| US08650837B2 |
Apparatus for and method of packaging product rolls
A product roll packaging apparatus includes a transfer unit for lifting and transferring a product roll from a conveyor, a wrapping unit for wrapping a protective sheet around the roll and attaching an end thereof with an adhesive tape, a protective sheet supply unit for cutting off the sheet from a sheet roll and supplying it along a protective sheet path line to the wrapping unit, and a tape supply unit for supplying the tape to the end of the cut sheet. The transfer unit includes a position correcting mechanism for establishing a reference line depending on the roll size, and bringing a reference end face of the roll into alignment with a vertical plane including the reference line. The protective sheet supply unit includes an edge position control mechanism for bringing a reference edge of the sheet into alignment with the reference line corresponding to the roll size. |
| US08650836B2 |
Film-tail sealing system and method for wrapping apparatus
A film-tail clamp, cut, and seal system for use in a wrapping apparatus for wrapping an associated item has an oval track vertically oriented and openable to move into and out of the associated item. A shuttle is configured for movement along an inner periphery of the track. A wrapping material is dispensed from the shuttle for wrapping around the item. A clamp arm, which is movable into and out of a plane defined by the film being wrapped around the item, has a sealing element for contacting and sealing a free end portion of the film onto a portion of the film already wrapped around the item. The clamp arm also has a clamp for securing the film when the film is sealed and has a cutter for cutting the free end portion of the film from the portion sealed onto the film. |
| US08650823B2 |
Subfloor component and method of manufacturing same
A subfloor component includes an insulating foam panel having first and second opposing faces and a plurality of intersecting grooves to define, in cross-section, a plurality of pedestals having walls that extend into the panel from the first face toward the second face. The subfloor component also includes a moisture-resistant film attached to the first face of the panel and that conforms to the pedestals, and a hardboard layer on the second face of the panel. A method of manufacturing subfloor components is also disclosed. |
| US08650822B2 |
Method of manufacturing a molded door skin from a flat wood composite, door skin produced therefrom, and door manufactured therewith
A method of manufacturing a hollow core door is disclosed, as well as a corresponding hollow core door. The method includes the steps of providing a solid flat door skin, moisturizing the flat skin, applying a conditioning resin thereto, pre-heating the flat door skin, and thereafter pressing the flat door skin between a pair of heated platens in a press in order to reform the flat skin into a molded skin including a plurality of panels defined therein. The press continuously closes in order to reform the flat skin into the molded skin, with the rate of press closure being a function of the determined hardness of the flat skin to be reformed. The resulting door skins have an improved bond strength, and are efficiently manufactured. |
| US08650819B2 |
Process for producing high-capacity concrete beams or girders
A prescribed prestressing process is employed to construct precast concrete beams and girders. The process is utilized where an early concrete strength is too low for transfer of the full pre-tensioning force on a daily schedule to avert an otherwise serious and costly production delay. The process described provides the producer a reliable way of making beams and girders that are prestressed to take advantage of the higher concrete strength characteristics. The consequent economic advantage of higher structural capacity beams and girders is thereby realized. Additionally, beam or girder camber is controlled by the process, fostering production of a superior quality product. |
| US08650814B2 |
Energy efficient garage
A multi-storied garage having an energy efficient ventilation system that incorporates a unique window array and vertically mounted energy producing wind turbines located in a corner of the garage structure that would otherwise be unusable for vehicle parking. |
| US08650807B2 |
Modular blow molded shed with connectors
The present invention provides a system, or kit, of blow molded panels having integrally formed connectors which combine to form an enclosure, commonly in the form of a utility shed. The corner sections, roof, wall and floor panels are formed of blow molded plastic with integrally formed connectors to interlock with one another. In one embodiment, the ends of the wall panels have locking plugs that are constructed and arranged to fit into corresponding sockets and slide to an engaged position for interlocking cooperative engagement rigidly connecting the components together. |
| US08650803B2 |
Clip for securing gutter guard to gutter
A clip for removably securing the front lip of a gutter guard having holes therethrough to the underlying front lip of a gutter having a downwardly and forwardly extending end portion. The clip comprises an elongated body with a forwardly and upwardly extending first tab at a front end thereof and a rearwardly extending second tab at a rear end thereof. The first tab can be inserted through a first hole at the front of the gutter guard with the body in an upwardly extending first position so that the first tab is located adjacent to and beneath the end portion of the gutter. The body can then be rotated downwardly toward the gutter guard to a second position wherein the first tab is moved upwardly to engage the end portion of the gutter and the second tab is received within a second hole in the gutter guard. |
| US08650802B2 |
Vehicle (automobile) flush glass appearance assembly
An automobile flush glass assembly is provided that includes a moveable glass piece having an inboard surface, a front edge and a rear edge and a first glass guide operably connected to the inboard surface of the glass piece proximate the front edge. The assembly also includes a second glass guide operably connected to the inboard surface of the glass piece proximate the rear edge and retaining structures, each having a channel configured to slideably retain the glass guides. |
| US08650798B1 |
Method of removing algae adhered inside a bioreactor through combined backwashing and lowering of pH level
An algae bioreactor having a system and method for the efficient cultivation of algae in systems using in part or in full bioreactor chambers and other units wherein algae are grown in the presence of light and are then harvested for various uses including, but not limited to, for producing specific molecules, including recombinant molecules and other molecules produced from algae especially adapted to produce such molecules (including, but not limited to, nutraceuticals and industrial polymers and polymer subunits), as food products and components of food products, and as biofuel or components of biofuel. Further wherein the pH of the algae slurry is manipulated to allow for automated removal of algae adhered to the light permeable surfaces of the bioreactor. |
| US08650797B2 |
DLC-coated fishing lure
A DLC-coated fishing lure includes a fishing lure base material made of metal and having a predetermined shape; an intermediate layer made of one selected from a first group, a second group and a third group, the first group consisting of at least one kind of metal selected from the IIIb group, the IVa group, the Va group and the VIa group in the periodic table of elements, the second group consisting of at least one of a carbide, a nitride and a carbonitride of the at least one kind of metal, and the third group consisting of a mutual solid solution made of at least one selected from the first group and the second group, the intermediate layer being formed on a surface of the fishing lure base material; and a DLC layer having a thickness ranging from about 0.05 μm to about 0.55 μm and formed on the intermediate layer, the DLC layer presenting an appearance of a interference color. |
| US08650794B2 |
Firearm fastener
Embodiments include a method and apparatus for removably connecting a firearm, accessory, or tool to a surface, material, object, belt, vehicle, pocket, or tactical equipment. The apparatus may include a first connecting member operatively connectible to the firearm, accessory, or tool and a second connecting member operatively connectible to the surface, material, object, belt, vehicle, pocket, or tactical equipment. The first connecting member and second connecting member are capable of connection to one another to connect the firearm, accessory, or tool to the surface, material, object, belt, vehicle, pocket, or tactical equipment. |
| US08650790B2 |
Firearm selector switch locking apparatus
A lockable safety selector switch adapted to replace a manufacturer's original safety selector switch for a firearm having a selector detent pin with a tip. The lockable safety selector switch has a body adapted to selectively orient between a SAFE position that prevents the firearm from firing and a FIRE position that allows the firearm to fire, and a locking mechanism configured to operatively associate with the firearm selector detent pin to selectively lock the body in the SAFE position. The locking mechanism has a spring-loaded cam that operatively interfaces with a key to prevent unintentional locking or unlocking of the locking mechanism. The lockable safety selector switch is configured such that the firearm requires no modification for the lockable safety selector switch to replace the original safety selector switch. |
| US08650788B2 |
Safety for a repeating rifle
The invention relates to a safety for a repeating rifle, with a safety slider (4) arranged displaceably between a safety position and an unsecured position on a lock (2), and a locking element associated with the safety slider (4) for blocking or releasing a firing pin nut (8) displaceably arranged in the lock (2). The locking element according to the invention is constructed as a safety lever (22), rotatable about a transverse pin (24), with a control part (23) engaging with a control groove (19) on the firing pin nut (8). |
| US08650778B2 |
Hydraulic drive device for hydraulic working machine
A hydraulic drive system realizes a jack-up operation without arrangement of a flow rate control valve and center bypass selector valve. The hydraulic drive system has first and second hydraulic pumps, first and second directional control valves for controlling boom cylinders, a third directional control valve for controlling the boom cylinders, and a third hydraulic pump for feeding pressure oil to the third directional control valve. A jack-up selector valve has a second select position where, when a pressure in bottom chambers of the boom cylinders is not higher than a predetermined pressure, feeding of pressure oil, which is delivered from the first hydraulic pump and second hydraulic pump, to rod chambers of the boom cylinders, is held permissible in association with switching of the second directional control valve and third directional control valve by a manipulation of a control device. |
| US08650777B2 |
Illuminant shoe
An illuminant shoe has a body, an outsole and an illuminating device. The body has a putting segment, a lifting cover and an insole. The putting segment has a heel lining and a through hole. The lifting cover is connected to the heel lining. The insole is mounted in the putting segment. The outsole is mounted on the putting segment and has a mounting chamber. The illuminating device is mounted in the mounting chamber and has an illuminating module, a controlling module and a switch. The illuminating module has first wires, multiple illuminating elements and a first electrical element. The controlling module is connected to the illuminating module and has two second electrical elements, multiple second wires, a controlling unit, a battery and a protecting casing. The switch is mounted in the putting segment, is connected to the controlling module and has a third wire and a third electrical element. |
| US08650774B2 |
Impact-attenuation members and products containing such members
Impact-attenuation members include body portions, optionally with an arched structure, that define a base orientation and an open space; and a spring member extending across the open space and engaging the body portion(s). When a force is applied to the body portion(s) in at least some orientations and/or directions of incident force, e.g., so as to change the impact-attenuation member out of its base orientation, the spring member may exert a force that urges the impact-attenuation member back toward the base orientation. Various example structures for the impact-attenuation member are described. Such impact-attenuation members may be used in articles of footwear or other foot-receiving device products. |
| US08650771B2 |
Method for the operation of a household appliance used for taking care of laundry
A method for operating a household appliance used for taking care of laundry. In the method, a Peltier heat pump of the household appliance is activated and is supplied with electric power for drying the laundry. The power supplied to the Peltier heat pump is varied during the drying process in accordance with a reached process phase of the drying process. |
| US08650767B2 |
Coordinates measuring head unit and coordinates measuring machine
A coordinates measuring head unit is provided, which is compact, inexpensive, and capable of performing high-precision measurements at high speeds, and facilitates, for example, measurements conducted on machine tools or in-situ measurements on transport lines. The head unit includes: drive means (an X-axis drive section, a Y-axis drive section, and a Z-axis drive section), an integrated housing for accommodating the drive means, and fixture means (fixture surface). The drive means allows a probe to be moved by computer numerical control along a plurality of drive axis, which are orthogonal to each other, and abut against a measuring target to measure the dimensions of the measuring target. The fixture means is provided on one of side surfaces of the housing to attach one of the drive means to a support (a support on a stand secured to a base). |
| US08650766B2 |
Target system, set of target systems and device for optically aligning an axle
A target system for optical chassis alignment includes a target and a target mounting element having a target receiving element to which the target is attached. The target mounting element is attachable to a wheel of a motor vehicle so that the target is aligned at an angle to the wheel center plane. A significant mark at a known distance from a reference plane and at least two additional undetermined marks are situated on the target. |
| US08650764B2 |
Article of footwear with color change portion and method of changing color
An article with a color change portion and a method of changing color is disclosed. The article includes at least one color change portion capable of changing colors. The color change portion can change colors according to one or more performance parameters. The article can be connected to a computer and the color change portion can be controlled using the computer. |
| US08650758B2 |
Razor blade assembly pre-form
A shaving blade assembly pre-form comprising a blade frame comprising transverse connecting strips; a plurality of blades welded to the blade frame that span the transverse connecting strips along a length of the frame; and a disposable tie disposed parallel to the plurality of blades and across said transverse connecting strips. |
| US08650756B2 |
Manufacture of lattice truss structures from monolithic materials
Methods and systems to manufacture bonded corrugation truss-based structures. This allows the ability to change the dimensions of the individual structural features of the corrugations, i.e. thickness of the core, face sheet thickness, relative density of the core, and the alloys. The nodal design which provides ideal stress/strain distribution for in-plane and out-off plane loading. The node has a curved/smooth triple point intersection which in turn can provide best load transfer interface with high integrity/toughness. The bonded corrugation truss based structure can be continuous to any length only limited by the volume of the extrusion billet and the press capacity. An aspect of the bonded corrugation structures may include friction stir welding of the face sheets or any fusion welding of panels with edge members for strengthening allows fabrication of panels of any width and length. Bonding panels enables the fabrication of structures of any width. |
| US08650748B2 |
Universal chip carrier and method
A method of fabricating chip carriers suitable for use in packaging integrated circuits and other electronic, electro-mechanical and opto-electronic devices is described. In general, a number of wires (or wires and rods) are arranged in parallel in a wiring fixture. After the wires are positioned, they are encapsulated to form an encapsulated wiring block. The wiring block is then sliced to form a number of discrete panels. Preferably, the various wires are geometrically positioned such that each resulting panel has a large number of device areas defined therein. The encapsulant in each panel effectively forms a substrate and the wire segments in each panel form conductive vias that extend through the substrate. The resulting panels/chip carriers can then be used in a wide variety of packaging applications. |
| US08650747B2 |
Electrode array assembly and method of making same
A stimulation lead assembly for making a lead includes a lead body defining a central lumen extending along the lead body and multiple conductor lumens disposed circumferentially around the central lumen and extending along the lead body; electrically conductive contacts disposed along an end of the lead body with a portion of each of the conductor lumens disposed radially underneath the conductive contacts conductor wires disposed in the conductor lumens with at least one of the conductor wires electrically connected to each conductive contact; and a solid, non-conductive material disposed, at least in part, radially underneath the conductive contacts within portions of the conductor lumens not occupied by conductor wire. |
| US08650746B2 |
Lens assembly tool
A lens assembly tool includes a lens receiving frame having a first surface, a positioning plate positioned on the lens receiving frame, and a pressing plate positioned on the positioning plate and having a second surface. The first surface defines a plurality of receiving holes. The positioning plate defines a plurality of through holes aligned with the plurality of receiving holes. The second surface forms a plurality of pressing punches aligned with the plurality of receiving holes. |
| US08650743B2 |
System for adjustably mounting an electrical device
An adjustably mountable electrical device with one or more yokes coupled to the electrical device, at least one electrically conductive strap, and an electrical device face, wherein a distance between the electrical device face and at least one of the yoke, the strap and an electrical box mounting screw aperture is adjustable after the electrical device is mounted to the electrical box. The system may comprise mounting flanges that may have threaded hubs or the system may further comprise an electric device having front and back shells moveable on a track in response to depression of a button allowing for movement of the back shell so that the electric device may be mounted having its face coplanar with a front wall surface. |
| US08650740B2 |
Method for making debris-free nail collation
A method for making a collated fastener assembly includes arranging a plurality of fasteners in a row parallel to one another, in a plane, and spaced from one another, preheating the fasteners, applying a molten polymer material onto the fasteners and conveying the fasteners with the polymer into a mold cavity. The fasteners are maintained in the plane. The polymer is molded onto the fasteners and between adjacent fasteners to form a molding having a collar encircling a shank of each fastener and a connecting portion between adjacent fasteners. The molding maintains the space between the fasteners. A cooling stream is introduced onto the fasteners and the molding as the fasteners and the molding exit from the mold cavity. |
| US08650736B2 |
Dispenser for viscous condiments
A dispenser for viscous condiments including a tubular sidewall having opposite ends. One opposite end is open and can receive a plunger or piston therein for applying force to a condiment contained within the tubular sidewall. The other end of the sidewall includes a dispenser valve assembly including a member secured to an inturned flange portion of the sidewall with the flange portion being generally normal to the sidewall. The dispenser valve assembly is suitably secured to the flange portion as by heat sealing, such as a bead of hot melt, to form a composite laminated structure that is resistant to the penetration of liquid elements of the condiments. The dispenser valve assembly further includes a valve plate having one or more selectively openable discharge openings that will open and close under the influence of the pressure applied to the condiment in order to discharge the condiment. |
| US08650735B2 |
Wheelchair docking system
A wheelchair docking system is provided to prevent accidental movement of a wheelchair away from a transfer object, such as a bed or toilet, while a person is transferring between the wheelchair and the object. The system includes a latch assembly and a post assembly, one of each which is mounted on the wheelchair and on the transfer object. The latch assembly is moveable between an open position to receive and release the post assembly and a closed position to retain the post assembly. The latch assembly is biased to the closed position. A lock is provided in the latch assembly to hold the latch assembly in the open position. In an alternative embodiment, the post assembly has interchangeable parts for mounting on different objects, and a clamp which is opened and closed by a dual-function pivotal post member. |
| US08650734B2 |
Method for repairing a core spray line elbow weld joint
An elbow clamp assembly structurally supports or replaces a connection between a main pipe and an elbow pipe. The elbow clamp assembly includes an upper clamp body and a lower clamp body securable on opposite sides of the main pipe in facing relation. The upper and lower clamp bodies are connected by a clamp bolt extendable through the main pipe. An elbow boss is securable to the elbow pipe, and a cross bolt is extendable through the elbow pipe and connected between the elbow boss and the clamp bolt. |
| US08650733B2 |
Auto glass installer
A portable windshield installation device capable of removing and installing windshields and/or back glasses by remote control actuators; with the device carrying all the weight and very little manually help from the installer. |
| US08650731B2 |
Rivet tool capable of measuring size of blind rivet
A rivet tool capable of measuring size of blind rivet has a body and multiple interchangeable nosepieces. The body further has multiple rivet body measuring holes formed through the body. Diameters of the rivet body measuring holes match rivet bodies of corresponding blind rivets. Accordingly, the rivet tool of the present invention employs the rivet body measuring holes to measure a size of a rivet body of a blind rivet to rapidly, conveniently and correctly obtain a size of a rivet body of a blind rivet and further to correctly choose a nosepiece with a matching size. |
| US08650726B2 |
Buckle device
When a pretensioner is activated, a buckle main body experiences abrupt acceleration in a direction toward webbing. An inertial amass body of a stopper member is then rotated toward a frame member against an urging force of a torsion spring urged through a lever member. Further, the lever member abutting on the stopper member is also rotated toward the frame member, making each projecting piece face each abutment portion of a slide button. Further, when the slide button is slidingly moved against an urging force of a button spring, each abutment portion makes contact with each projecting piece of the lever member, stopping the slide movement of the slide button. Thus, unintentional disengagement between a latch and a tongue plate can be prevented. |
| US08650720B2 |
Safety retainer for curtain cord
A safety retainer for curtain cords is revealed. The safety retainer is used to hold a cord used to open and close curtains in place. The safety retainer includes an inner base and an outer base that are disposed with fixing holes. The inner base and the outer base are fixed on a wall while the cord for control of curtains is passed through the fixing holes. Thereby the cord is held in place by the safety retainer to prevent children from pulling out and being strangled by the cord. |
| US08650718B2 |
In yarn production, apron cladding mechanism and method to the rollers coated with elastic material and found in the drafting and guiding zone, having shift structure and pre-tensioning mechanism
The purpose of the invention is to reduce the abrasive impact of the fiber or the yarn on the rollers coated with elastic material, which are used for drafting and guiding purposes in yarn production techniques, and thus keep the operating conditions and yarn quality parameters constant. The fiber on the top rollers coated with elastic material especially in the mechanical ring compact yarn production among the yarn production techniques, is an apron cladding method, over the top roller and the bearing guide arms connected to a bearing body found on the bearing unit placed on the pressure arm, in a way that it would cover these together. The method includes the operation steps of stretching the aprons by application of tension via a tension component and, while the fiber drafting operation continues, the bearing unit carrying the aprons being shifted in the horizontal plane in certain intervals. |
| US08650715B2 |
Shell for the pushing handle of a trolley
A shell for a handle tube of a shopping cart or trolley. The shell has improved properties compared with a conventional, round, simple shell and has zones made of different materials. |
| US08650711B1 |
Hinge assembly with damping device
A hinge assembly includes a hinge cup, an arm, an installation member and a damping device. The hinge cup has a receiving space and a positioning hole communicating with the receiving space. The bottom wall of the receiving space has at least one first engaging part. The arm is pivotably connected to the hinge cup. The damping device is located in the receiving space and includes a damping member, a slide and a housing. One end of the damping member is mounted in the positioning hole. The damping member has a piston rod which is connected to the slide. The housing has at least one second engaging part which is engaged with the first engaging part on the bottom wall. When the arm is moved toward a closed position relative to the hinge cup, the arm pushes the slide to provide the damping force. |
| US08650707B2 |
Vacuum cleaner sound reducing device
A vacuum cleaner is disclosed having a motor inlet conduit and sound deadening material disposed within the motor inlet conduit for reducing the overall noise level of the vacuum cleaner. The motor inlet conduit fluidly connects a dirt receptacle chamber and a motor inlet, and may have a generally continuous cross-sectional profile and one or more expanded regions for housing the sound deadening material. With the sound deadening material installed in the one or more expanded regions, the motor inlet conduit may form a smoothly changing profile along its entire length and reduce the overall noise level of the vacuum cleaner. |
| US08650705B2 |
Floor-type vacuum cleaner having a housing which is displaceable on rollers
A floor-type vacuum cleaner includes a housing and rollers attached to the housing that are configured to provide movement of the housing. Each roller is disposed on a roller axle so as to be rotatable. At least one of the rollers includes a rigid hub and an air-filled, rubber, resilient, damping tire. Alternatively, at least one of the rollers has a damping property and includes alternating concentric layers of rigid and flexible components, with air being disposed between at least one of the rigid components and at least one of the flexible components. |
| US08650702B1 |
Spring for windshield wiper assemblies
A spring for windshield wiper assemblies is comprised of a resilient rod having a plurality of sections adapted to removably attach to a windshield wiper assembly of a vehicle. The rod includes a first hook section at one end section thereof; a second hook section located at an opposite end section thereof. An intermediate coiled section attached to and located adjacent the first hook section, and a connector section defining an axis along its length and connected between the intermediate coiled section and the second hook section. |
| US08650701B2 |
Connecting assembly for windshield wiper
A connecting assembly (10) for a windshield wiper (10) includes a fixing member (11) and a supporting arm (12). The connecting assembly (20) includes a pivoting base (21) and a cover cap (22). The pivoting base (21) comprises an engaging portion (211) , a first insertion portion (212) and a second insertion portion (213) extending from the engaging portion (211) in opposite directions. The engaging portion (211) is engaged with the fixing member (11). The first insertion portion (212) and the second insertion portion (213) are symmetrical to each other with respect to the engaging portion (211). The cover cap (22) is assembled with the supporting arm (12) and put outside the first insertion portion (212) and the second insertion portion (213) in dual directions. Since the first insertion portion (212) and the second insertion portion (213) are configured to be symmetrical to each other, the supporting arm (12) can be firmly connected to the windshield wiper (10) with a changeable connecting direction. |
| US08650697B2 |
Toothbrush
A toothbrush has a body having one end provided with a toothbrushing element and another opposite end, the body also having at least a part formed so that when the toothbrush is inclined, even close to a horizontal position, it automatically turns back to a substantially vertical orientation to prevent a contact of the toothbrushing element with a supporting surface. |
| US08650696B1 |
Sewer cleaning apparatus
A sanitary sewer cleaning apparatus for removing roots and debris with a segmented circular brush attached to a rodder root removal tool. As the apparatus travels through a sewer line, the segmented brushes, which are mounted on hinges, fold back to reduce drag and facilitate movement through obstructed sewers. As the rodder pulls back the apparatus, the brushes engage the walls of the pipe to pull roots and debris to the sewer access point. The preferred embodiments comprises rodder coupler, an extension arm for coupling a plurality of brushes in a radial configuration, a plurality of brushes for collecting the root infiltration debris, and a plurality of hinges for angularly altering the plurality of brushes relative to the apparatus. |
| US08650692B2 |
Cleaning device with electrostatic sheet auto rolling
A cleaning device with electrostatic sheet auto rolling, comprising: a frame; a power gear set; a roller set, having a first roller, a second roller, a paper feeder roller; and a paper collector roller, arranged axially parallel with each other; and a drive shaft; wherein, the paper feeder roller is coaxially received inside a roller of paper; the first, the second and the paper collector rollers are driven to rotate by the power gear set; the paper collector roller is disposed radial to the paper feeder roller at a side thereof while enabling the first and the second rollers to be arranged therebetween; the drive shaft is enabled to move relative to the frame and perpendicular to the axial direction of the drive shaft; the drive shaft is arranged protruding out of the frame; and the drive shaft, the first and the second rollers are arranged parallel to each other. |
| US08650681B2 |
Bed skirt with mitered corner, closed pleat, and cap construction, and method of manufacture
A bed skirt construction is formed from a singular fabric panel. The fabric panel comprises a top edge and opposed sets of opposed corner edging extending from the top edge into the width. The sets of opposed corner edging are respectively fastened together for forming corner seams, which seams bound opposed upper side panel portions from an upper foot panel portion. The seams terminate at a pair of corner vertices having a foot panel crease extending therebetween for bounding the upper foot panel portion from a lower foot panel portion. First and second side panel creases extend from the corner vertices orthogonal to the foot panel crease for bounding upper and lower side panel portions. Mitered corner joints, pleats, and a cap assembly together function to enhance positioned placement of the bed skirt construction upon the box spring. |
| US08650677B2 |
Hoist provided with a clamping device for moving persons
A hoist for moving persons, provided with a base structure, provided with one lifting column having a straight longitudinal axis and a lower end and which is provided with a first actuator for realizing a lifting movement, provided with a clamping device which is connected to the lifting column so as to be movable in the direction of the longitudinal axis and has at least one set of cooperating clamping elements which are designed for clamping a person to be moved, provided with a horizontal shaft by which the lifting column is pivotally connected to the base structure, and provided with a second actuator connected to the lifting column and to the base structure, and configured for varying the pivotal position of the lifting column with respect to the base structure. |
| US08650674B2 |
Adjustable footrest mounting system
A footrest mounting system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the footrest mounting system comprises: a mounting platform that is coupled to a footrest; a mounting arm that is coupled to the mounting platform at a proximal end; and a lower body having at least one mounting depression in which the mounting arm is disposed within such that the footrest is positioned at an incline relative to the lower body. |
| US08650673B1 |
Swimming pool drain
A sump for a swimming pool or spa includes a grate having an elongated slot for inflow of water at a low velocity high flow rate. A housing includes an outlet for conveying water to an oversized suction line to maintain the low velocity high flow rate to the junction with a conventionally sized standard suction line in fluid communication with a suction pump. A bypass line discharges water into the housing when the slot is covered to thereby prevent suction at the slot sufficient to entrap a swimmer against the grate. The grate, a frame supporting the grate on the housing and the housing are devoid of elements that might cause entanglement of hair drawn into the sump. A hydrostatic valve may be coupled with the housing. |
| US08650672B2 |
Water leakage protecting device
A water leakage protecting device includes a ratchet, a pawl and an auxiliary floater. The ratchet is formed on an outer wall of a floater of a water inlet valve. The auxiliary floater has a floating cavity and a weight cavity therein. The weight cavity has a water drain hole at a bottom thereof. The auxiliary floater is coupled to the water inlet valve through a rotating shaft. The pawl corresponds in position to the ratchet and is connected to one side of the auxiliary floater close to the floater of the water inlet valve. The water leakage protecting device can avoid water waste and ensure toilet safety. |
| US08650668B2 |
Protective garment with low friction characteristics
A protective garment including an outer shell and an inner liner coupled to the outer shell and positioned such that the inner liner is positioned between a wearer and the outer shell when the garment is worn. The inner liner includes a base material and a high lubricity material which has a higher lubricity than the base material. The high lubricity material is woven into the base material to form a plurality of discrete contact areas that each comprise at least two separate warp fibers or yarns of high lubricity material each being individually woven with at least two separate weft fibers or yarns of high lubricity material. |
| US08650667B2 |
Swimming goggles
Swimming goggles includes goggle bodies and face-contact pads. Each face-contact pad is mounted to the goggle body wherein an upper bottom surface and a lower bottom surface, respectively being in contact with positions above and below each eye of a wearer, are asymmetrically formed, and a distance from a lens front surface of the goggle body and an extension surface of the lens front surface to the lower bottom surface is greater than a distance from the lens front surface and the extension surface to the upper bottom surface. The swimming goggles does not leave un-wanted mark of the face-contact pad around the eyes of the wearer, a wearer does not feel uncomfortable, and water does not enter inside the goggles even when a high water pressure is applied at the time of diving or the like. |
| US08650666B2 |
Headgear attachment for portable audio device
A baseball type cap with a circumferentially stretchable headband to adjust to different head sizes is modified to add a stretchable fabric member that is stitched to the cap cover gores and to the stretchable headband. The lower edge of the fabric member extends about halfway around the back of the cap ending on either side near the ears of a user wearing the cap and stretches along with the stretchable headband to adjust to the head size of the user. A number of seams join the stretchable fabric member to the cap cover, creating a center pocket with an open top to hold a stereo jack and a removable audio device such as an MP3 player. The seams also create bud pockets on either side to hold ear buds. The dual wires from the stereo jack lead to a T-junction in the bottom of the center pocket and are long enough to manipulate the controls of the MP3 player outside the pocket while wearing the cap. At the T-junction, the dual wires are divided into individual ear bud wires, which pass through passages between the seams from the center pocket to the bud pockets without need to pierce the cap cover or fabric member. At the opposite ends of the fabric member on the sides of the cap, the seams are interrupted to leave openings for withdrawing the ear buds for use and subsequently replacing them. |
| US08650663B2 |
Bunting bag with cover
Embodiments of the invention provide a bunting bag useable with a child seat to cover a child and a method of using a bunting bag. The bunting bag may include a rear blanket having one or more slots that permit one or more straps of a child seat to be positioned through the rear blanket to secure a child within the child seat. The bunting bag may also include a front blanket positioned atop the rear blanket and coupled therewith to form an interior space within which the child may be placed. The front blanket may have a left portion or flap and a right portion or flap that are separable from each other to provide access into the interior space. The bunting bag may further include an insulating blanket removably coupled atop of the front blanket. |
| US08656511B2 |
Method for attaching a particle to a scanning probe tip through eutectic bonding
A method for attaching a conductive particle to the apex of a probe tip comprises the steps of: moving the apex of a probe tip close to a conductive particle and applying a bias voltage between the probe tip and the conductive particle so that the conductive particle can permanently attach to the apex. The method uses only a bias voltage to transfer and attach conductive particles to the apex of a probe tip, and no surface treatment of the probe tip is required. |
| US08656510B1 |
System, apparatus, and method for simultaneous single molecule atomic force microscopy and fluorescence measurements
An apparatus, system, and method of integrating atomic force microscopy (AFM) and fluorescence microscopy (FM). One particular application is to simultaneous single molecular fluorescence with AFM force spectroscopy. Included is a methodology to align the AFM tip and a molecule or other nanoscale object with high accuracy. |
| US08656509B2 |
Scanning probe microscope and surface shape measuring method using same
It has been difficult to highly accurately measure the profiles of samples using scanning probe microscopes at the time when scanning is performed due to scanning mechanism fluctuations in the non drive direction, i.e., vertical direction. The present invention is provided with, on the rear side of a sample stage, a high-accuracy displacement gauge for measuring fluctuation in the non drive direction, i.e., vertical direction, at the time when the sample stage is being scanned in the horizontal directions, and as a result, highly accurate planarity evaluation with accuracy of sample nm-order or less is made possible by correcting sample surface shape measurement results obtained using a probe. |
| US08656504B2 |
Method and apparatus for protecting account numbers and passwords
A method and apparatus are provided for protecting confidential information. The method includes the steps of providing a plurality of files where each file contains at least one item of secret information, password protecting the plurality of files with a master password, detecting entry of passwords into a master password entry field, comparing entered passwords with the master password to identify incorrect master passwords and deleting the plurality of files upon successive entry of incorrect master passwords a predetermined number of times. |
| US08656497B2 |
Constraint injection system for immunizing software programs against vulnerabilities and attacks
A constraint is inserted into a program to address a vulnerability of the program to attacks. The constraint includes a segment of code that determines when the program has been asked to execute a “corner case” which does not occur in normal operations. The constraint code can access a library of detector and remediator functions to detect various attacks and remediate against them. Optionally, the detector can be employed without the remediator for analysis. The context of the program can be saved and restored if necessary to continue operating after remediation is performed. The constraints can include descriptors, along with machine instructions or byte code, which indicate how the constraints are to be used. |
| US08656496B2 |
Global variable security analysis
A method includes determining selected global variables in a program for which flow of the selected global variables through the program is to be tracked. The selected global variables are less than all the global variables in the program. The method includes using a static analysis performed on the program, tracking flow through the program for the selected global variables. In response to one or more of the selected global variables being used in security-sensitive operations in the flow, use is analyzed of each one of the selected global variables in a corresponding security-sensitive operation. In response to a determination the use may be a potential security violation, the potential security violation is reported. Apparatus and computer program products are also disclosed. |
| US08656489B1 |
Method and apparatus for accelerating load-point scanning
A method and apparatus for accelerating a load point scanning process. In one embodiment, the method and apparatus comprise creating, at an initial scan, a detection area map identifying files referenced by detection areas. Upon a subsequent scan, determining whether the detection area has changed with respect to the detection area map. If the detection area map has changed, re-evaluating the detection area and repopulating the detection area map entry. In another embodiment, the method and apparatus avoid rescanning files as allowed using information in a file attribute cache. |
| US08656486B2 |
Biometric sensor for human presence detection and associated methods
An electronic device may include a communications interface, a user prompting device, a biometric sensor, and a controller. The controller may perform biometric spoof detection with the biometric sensor, and receive a request for human presence verification from a remote device via the communications interface. The controller may also prompt the user for a verification action using the sensor based upon receiving the request, and determine that the user has completed the verification action in response to the prompting and based upon the biometric spoof detection. The controller may further send a response to the remote device via the communications interface and based upon determining that the user has completed the verification action. The controller may send a notification to the remote device that there is a biometric sensor. |
| US08656484B2 |
System and method for mutually authenticated cryptographic key exchange using matrices
Two parties can establish a cryptographic key using a matrix based key exchange protocol, for secure communications without any prior distribution of secret keys or other secret data, and without revealing said key to any third party who may have access to all of the transmissions between them. The two parties use a shared secret to produce a common matrix M. The common matrix M, is multiplied by a random matrix K on the sending side, and a different random matrix N on the receiving side. The matrix product KM is sent from the sending side to the receiving side, and the matrix product MN is sent from the receiving side to the sending side. Both sides produce the common matrix product KMN, and use it for producing a symmetric key for encrypted communications, after mutually authenticating one another over an insecure network. |
| US08656483B2 |
System for locking electronic device and method thereof
A system for locking an electronic device is provided. The system includes an electronic device, and electronic keys electrically connected to the electronic device. The electronic key includes a plurality of resistors which are connected in series, the resistance value of the electronic key is changeable by coupling different resistors of the electronic key. The electronic device comprises of a processing unit and a function key. When the function key produces locking command in response to user operation, the processing unit obtains the resistance value of the electronic key and produce encryption key according to the obtained resistance value to unlock the electronic device. When the function key produces unlocking command, the processing unit decodes the encryption key and unlocks the electronic device when determining the obtained value matches the decoded encryption key. |
| US08656474B2 |
Biometric authentication device, biometric authentication method and storage medium
A biometric authentication device includes: a biometric information obtain portion obtaining biometric information of a user; a biometric condition determine portion determining good and bad of biometric condition of the user according to the biometric information of the user; a biometric matching portion performing a matching of registered biometric information registered in advance based on the biometric information; an alternate authentication portion performing an authentication based on information that is different from the biometric information; and an alternate authentication control portion switching validation and invalidation of the authentication by the alternate authentication portion according to a determination result of the biometric condition determine portion. |
| US08656473B2 |
Linking web identity and access to devices
Systems and methods are provided for linking a web identity and a portable device to provide web access to a user from a vehicle. An example system includes a presence agent that may be configured to validate the presence of the portable device in the vehicle by recognizing a device identifier saved on the portable device. After the presence of the portable device is validated, a security manager may receive a user identifier, and verify if the user identifier corresponds with a known user value. Then, the security manager may send a user identity secure proxy to a credential manager. The credential manager may be configured to receive the user identity secure proxy, and in response, pass one or more credentials to a computing device onboard the vehicle. The credentials may indicate that the user is authorized to access one or more web services from the computing device. |
| US08656468B2 |
Method and system for validating authenticity of identity claims
A method for validating authenticity of identity claims of one or more communicating entities in an online transaction over a network is disclosed. The method includes extracting identity information of the first communicating entity by the second communicating entity during online transaction and prompting a client to provide a unique resource name of the first entity. Further, the method includes validating the identity information extracted from the first entity by checking identity information already registered in a registry. Later the method includes authenticating the identity claims of the first entity based on the validation results. The method also includes steps for registering identity information of the first entity within the registry. |
| US08656466B2 |
Data processing with a posteriori or a priori authentication
A method and apparatus are provided for processing data. The method includes a step of receiving, during a first communication session established with said server, a request formulated by a first user defining at least one processing operation to be executed on first data, and a step of executing said processing operation on said first data, during a second communication session established with said server after said first session for a second user. The step of executing is applied on condition that the second user has been authenticated via a strong authentication method during the second session and that a relationship between the first and second users has been verified. |
| US08656465B1 |
Userspace permissions service
In one example, a method includes intercepting, by a first security module, a request from a software application executing on the computing device to access a resource of the computing device. The first security module may include a first group of permissions received from a second security module included in an operating system. The second security module may control access by software applications executing on the computing devices to resources of the computing device based upon permissions granted to the software applications. The method may also include identifying a second group of permissions granted to the software application. The second group of permissions may be a subset of the first group of permissions. The method may also include determining, based upon the first group of permissions, whether the software application is allowed to access the resource. The method may also include controlling access to the resource, based on the determining. |
| US08656461B2 |
Copy-paste trust system
Various embodiments are disclosed relating to performing a trusted copy and paste operations between a source application and a target application. For example, a trust system may receive a paste request for pasting copied source content, and may compare a source trust level associated with the source content to a target trust level associated with a target application. In this way, for example, harmful or disruptive code may be prevented from being pasted into the target application. |
| US08656450B2 |
Security policy switching device, security policy management system, and storage medium
A security policy switching device includes a policy information storage that stores policy setting information and identification information of a policy in correspondence to each other, the policy setting information including setting content of the policy and identification information of a user to whom the policy is attached, a data information storage that stores identification information of data for which a policy is set and identification information of a policy attached to the data in correspondence to each other, and a policy switching unit that switches, in response to a switching request designating identification information of data for which the policy is to be switched and identification information of a user instructing the switch, a policy attached to the data by updating identification information of the policy attached to the data stored in the data information storage with identification information of another policy. |
| US08656449B1 |
Applying policy attributes to events
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media, for applying one or more policy attributes to an event are provided. The application of policy attributes to an event is initiated. Thereafter, policy attributes to be applied to an event are identified. Such policy attributes may be identified based on event attributes. The policy attributes are applied to an event so that a specific quality of service is achieved. Subsequently, an indication is provided to reconfigure a host source such that the policy attributes may be applied upon each event request. |
| US08656447B2 |
Splicing of content
A Headend system including a video codec to encode a video sequence yielding an encoded video sequence having video packets, a multiplexer, a signal generator to receive a notification of a splice point, analyze at least some of the encoded video packets based on the notification in order to find a random-access-point-packet, the random-access-point being a point from which to start decoding the encoded video sequence by the rendering device so that the video sequence may be rendered for output from the splice point, create a timing signal estimating a location of the random-access-point-packet in the encoded video sequence, and output the timing signal to the multiplexer or transmission equipment. Related apparatus and methods are also described. |
| US08656446B2 |
System and method for internet access to a personal television service
A communication system and a family of methods for remote access to personal television service are disclosed. According to this invention, a remote personal TV service center provides centralized program guide information. A user may access to the personal TV service center through a digital video recorder which is connected to the personal TV service center via telephone modem or a network server. A user may access to the personal TV service center through a remote computer terminal or a personal digital assistant which is connected to a computer network. The user selects program events and programs the digital video recorder by using a graphical user interface installed in the front panel of the digital video recorder in case of local programming, or using a similar GUI which is incorporated into the Web pages presented to remote users by a Web server in case of remote programming. The media stream stored in one digital video recorder may be transferred to another digital video recorder. For data security protection during data transfer, all communication are authenticated and encrypted. |
| US08656443B2 |
Method and system for providing dynamic time slice encoding for complete internet anywhere
A server may be used to handle at least some of processing of content retrieved via and/or derived from Internet access operations of a plurality of set-top boxes (STBs). Resource allocation and/or utilization, and/or tasks or applications performed in the server during the processing may be configured based on control data, which may be determined by the server and which may comprise capabilities of links between the server and each of the plurality of STBs, requirements of the tasks, characteristics of the content and/or the Internet access operations, user preferences and/or interactions, and/or content provider preferences. The server may dynamically reconfigure the tasks and/or resources based on monitoring of its operations and/or changes of the control data. Configuring tasks and/or resources may comprise time slicing access to resources that are commonly used during concurrent servicing of at least some of the plurality of STBs by the support server. |
| US08656440B2 |
Method and system of providing a virtual community for participation in a remote event
An approach is provided for establishing a virtual community for remotely participating in an event. A remote camera set is controlled by a user equipment to view an event from a plurality of viewing perspectives. A virtual community is built to share viewing of the event by multiple participants. |
| US08656438B2 |
Method and system of queued management of multimedia storage
A queue management module receives a message to queue location information for multimedia content. The queue management module stores the location information in a queue corresponding to a subscriber. The queue management module receives a message for location information from a video distribution module. The queue management module transmits a message for retrieval of multimedia content to the video distribution module. In other examples, a queue agent module transmits a message for location information for multimedia content to a queue management module. The queue agent module receives a message for retrieval of content from the queue management module. The queue agent module retrieves the multimedia content from the remote content server using the location information received in the message for retrieval of content. A data storage module identifies available storage in limited storage provided for the subscriber and stores the retrieved multimedia content in the limited storage for the subscriber. |
| US08656436B2 |
Satellite reception and distribution system for use as a head end with programmable transponder conversion of transponder blocks
Various designs of configurable multiswitch or multifeed satellite reception systems comprising switch-over matrices and transponder branches and “one cable solutions” which allow or do not allow subsequent expansion with respect to the subscribers that can be connected thereto are known from the prior art. In general, the costs for such systems comprising frequency converters are primarily determined by the frequency converters and the associated filters. The aim of the invention is to devise inexpensive methods or devices which allow detection of the complete frequency spectrum—even after subsequent expansions—and which therefore do not involve any restrictions with respect to the program range. The device for the freely programmable conversion of 1 to m transponders in n transponder blocks (TB1 to TBn) of a satellite reception system comprises the following elements: a satellite antenna (S) comprising at least one LNB reception converter (LNB1, LBN4) to the outputs of which the respective satellite IF plane is applied; a multiswitch (MS) connected to the outputs of the one or more LNB reception converters (LNB1, LNB4); n converters (U) which are arranged in parallel to each other; mid a combinatorial circuit (VS) connected to the converters (U) to combine the n transponder blocks (TB1 to TBn) to an output spectrum, the device making all configured transponders available to every receiver in the manner of a satellite head end. The invention is used in the field of satellite reception and distribution systems as a head end. |
| US08656435B2 |
Controlled metadata revelation
A method of controlling revelation of one or more metadata items is disclosed. Each of the one or more metadata items is associated with one or more parts of an audio-visual data stream (101). The method comprises: for a given one or more parts (103,105) of the audio-visual data stream (101), revealing one or more metadata items (113,115,117) associated with the given one or more parts (103,105) of the audio-visual data stream (101) only after the given one or more parts (103,105) of the audio-visual data stream (101) have been accessed. |
| US08656433B2 |
TV program information management method and a remote control
A TV program information management method has steps of creating a channel information table, receiving and updating channel program information, generating arranged channel information and receiving download request. A management platform generates an arranged channel information according to the channel information table and the updating channel program information. The arranged channel information is hierarchical information related to cable providers, grouped channels by similarity that are provided by the cable providers, programs of the channels and ratings of the programs. A remote control downloads the arranged channel information therein so a desired program may be selected easily. |
| US08656431B2 |
Global interactive program guide application and device
A system and device is disclosed that employs a global interactive program guide to receive, access, manage, and view digital entertainment services such as live television, television on demand, and pre-recorded video and audio programming from one on more content sources, via an internet-enabled device, anywhere in the world. As disclosed, the global interactive program guide provides a user with metadata that describes available content and enables the user to access desired content on an a la carte basis and arrange the presentation of that content in any way or order desired. The system of the instant invention can alternatively be practiced with any mobile communications device that is accessible via the internet, cell phone communications or other communications mode. Changes made to content availability are instantly synchronized through the entire system and content redundancy is obtained when available. |
| US08656429B2 |
System and method for displaying and navigating a graphical two-dimensional array of a plurality of available channels
The subject application is directed to a system and method for displaying and navigating a graphical two-dimensional array of a plurality of available channels on an associated display unit. A two-dimensional array of channel boxes is first generated on an associated display. Input signals are then received corresponding to a respective plurality of available channels. At least one of the received input signals is then parsed to acquire channel identification data indicating at least one channel associated with the parsed signal. Image data associated with the indicated channel is then captured. Thereafter, at least one channel box is populated in the array with the acquired identification data and the captured image data. |
| US08656422B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing targeted advertisements for a linear television service
A method and apparatus for managing targeted advertisements for linear television is provided herein. During operation a client device will determine whether or not an advertisement opportunity duration is known, unknown, or variable. Based on this determination, advertisements that best match the advertisement opportunity duration will be chosen via separate algorithms. More particularly, a first algorithm will be used to choose advertisements when the advertisement opportunity duration is known, a second algorithm will be used to choose advertisements when the advertisement opportunity duration is unknown, and a third algorithm will be used to choose advertisements when the advertisement opportunity duration is variable. |
| US08656420B2 |
System and method for providing a routing service in distributed computing environment
A system for providing a routing service that enables a client to locate a target service in distributed computing environment that supports multiple communications protocols. The system includes a main database and a routing mechanism. The main database has routing information. The routing mechanism can be distributed in multiple instances. The routing mechanism includes a local database. The local database stores an extract of the main database. The routing mechanism uses the local database to make routing decisions. To locate the target service, the client first obtains a reference to the routing mechanism. The client then sends a request with input parameters to the routing mechanism. The routing mechanism then returns output parameters to the client. The output parameters contains a reference and/or associated properties of the target service depending on the type of the target service. The client analyzes the returned output parameters and locates the target service. |
| US08656418B2 |
Providing a proxy view for an application in a window manager
A window manager process hosts proxy window objects created by an application in a window manager display structure. A process in a device creates a local proxy view object within a window manager display structure for the window manager process. The process registers an identifier for a remote proxy window object which corresponds to an application display structure. The application controls processing of data used by the application. The process assigns the identifier for the remote proxy window object to the local proxy view object in the window manager display structure to create a composite display structure and renders the composite display structure to display an image on a display device. The image corresponds to the objects of the application display structure represented by the remote proxy window object. The window manager process controls rendering of the composite display structure. |
| US08656417B2 |
Interface for telecommunication services using uniform resource identifiers
An application programming interface (API) provides telecommunication services in the form of a resource modeled as an object, which object can be essentially any coherent and meaningful concept that may be addressed. The API model permits simpler and more intuitive invocation and usage of the API. The object model for the API avoids having to understand service infrastructure for proper API invocation and tends to increase the usability of the service represented by the API. With the object-modeled resource, the device can be made to appear to an application programmer as a webpage, so that interacting with the device is the same as interacting with a webpage, such as by utilizing HTTP requests and responses. The object-model API can increase the ease with which an application programmer can utilize the services offered, as well as increase the ease with which the API may be integrated into an overall communication system. |
| US08656411B2 |
Technique for monitoring activity within an integrated circuit
A technique to monitor events within a computer system or integrated circuit. In one embodiment, a software-accessible event monitoring storage and hardware-specific monitoring logic are selectable and their corresponding outputs may be monitored by accessing a counter to count events corresponding to each of software-accessible storage and hardware-specific monitoring logic. |
| US08656407B2 |
Profiling input / output operations
Implementations of the present disclosure provide methods including executing a virtual machine configured to execute a plurality of applications and perform a plurality of I/O operations; storing meta information for a first I/O operation performed by the virtual machine in an I/O information holder for the virtual machine; receiving a request to begin an I/O profiling session on the virtual machine after storing the meta information; and reporting an I/O event record for a second I/O operation performed by the virtual machine using the meta information for the first I/O operation, wherein the second I/O operation is performed after beginning an I/O profiling session on the virtual machine. |
| US08656403B2 |
Negotiation management in data processing systems
Techniques are disclosed for optimizing schedules used in implementing plans for performing tasks in data processing systems. For example, an automated method of negotiating for resources in a data processing system, wherein the data processing system comprises multiple sites, comprises a negotiation management component of a computer system at a given one of the sites performing the following steps. One or more tasks from at least one source of one or more plans are obtained. Each plan is annotated with one or more needed resources and one or more potential resource providers at one or more sites in the data processing system. An optimized resource negotiation schedule based on the one or more obtained tasks is computed. The schedule comprises an order in which resources are negotiated. In accordance with the optimized resource negotiation schedule, a request for each needed resource is sent to the one or more potential resource providers such that a negotiation process is performed between the negotiation management component and at least one of the potential resource providers. |
| US08656402B2 |
Incremental web container growth to control startup request flooding
A computer implemented method, an apparatus, and a computer usable program product for controlling startup request flooding. An application server instance is started. If the application server instance is throttled during a startup interval, a Web container thread manager is initiated. If the Web container thread manager identifies it is time to increment a Web container maximum thread pool size for the application server instance, the application server instance is notified to increment its Web container maximum thread pool size by a programmable amount. If the Web container maximum thread pool size for the application server instance has not reached a final maximum thread pool size, and if the startup interval for the application server instance has not completed, the Web container thread manager is suspended for an interval, after which the Web container thread manager identifies if it is time to increment the Web container maximum thread pool size for the application server instance. |
| US08656398B2 |
Synchronization of workflows in a video file workflow system
A system and method for synchronization of workflows in a video file workflow system. A workflow is created that splits execution of the workflow tasks (in a single, video file workflow) across multiple Content Management Systems (CMSs). When a single workflow is split across two CMSs, which jointly perform the overall workflow, the two resulting workflows are created to essentially mirror each other so that each CMS can track the tasks being executed on the other CMS using synchronization messages. Hence, both CMSs have the same representation of the processing status of the video content at all time. This allows for dual tracking of the workflow process and for independent operations, at different CMSs, when the CMS systems require load balancing. The split-processing based synchronization can be implemented in the workflows themselves or with simple modifications to workflow templates, without requiring any modification of the software of the workflow systems. |
| US08656397B2 |
Migrating groups of threads across NUMA nodes based on remote page access frequency
A mechanism for tracking memory accesses in a non-uniform memory access (NUMA) system to optimize processor task placement is disclosed. A method of embodiments of the invention includes creating a page table (PT) hierarchy associated with a thread to be run on a processor of a computing device, collecting access bit information from the PT hierarchy associated with the thread, wherein the access bit information includes any access bits in the PT hierarchy that are set by a memory management unit (MMU) of the processor to identify a page of memory accessed by the thread, determining memory access statistics for the thread, and utilizing the memory access statistics for the thread in a determination of whether to migrate the thread to another processor. |
| US08656393B2 |
Multi-core system
A multi-core system includes: a first core that writes first data by execution of a first program, wherein the first core gives write completion notice after completion of the writing; a second core that refers to the written first data by execution of a second program; and a scheduler that instructs the second core to start the execution of the second program before the execution of the first program is completed when the scheduler is given the write completion notice from the first core by the execution of the first program. |
| US08656387B2 |
Method and system for workload distributing and processing across a network of replicated virtual machines
A method and a system for creating a network of virtual machines in a communication network including a head node virtual machine (VM) for distribution and processing of a workload. The head node VM is created and hosted at a server computer. The head node VM specifies the workload that is assignable into sub-tasks. A pool of physical computing devices for hosting a plurality of replica VMs is identified. The head node VM is replicated at each one of the plurality of replica VMs. The plurality of replica VMs coordinate to assign at least one workload sub-task to the each one of the plurality of replica VMs. The at least one assigned workload sub-tasks is processed at the respective each one of the plurality of replica VMs to provide at least one sub-task result. The at least one sub-task result is received at the head node VM. |
| US08656381B2 |
Presenting machine instructions in a machine-independent tree form suitable for post-link optimizations
A machine-independent representation of computer instructions can serve as a standard for machine instruction description that is suitable for post-link transformation tools, such as post-link optimizers, and for education of users. In one embodiment the instructions are presented as expression trees in a XML file. An optimizer operates on the transformed code representations, after which optimized code is re-transformed into machine-readable code. |
| US08656377B2 |
Tracking variable information in optimized code
Embodiments are directed to tracking variable location information in optimized code and efficiently collecting and storing reaching definition information. A computer system receives a portion of source code at a compiler, where the compiler is configured to compile and optimize the source code for execution. The computer system tags selected variables in the source code with a tag, where the tag is configured to provide location information for the variable. The computer system optimizes the received portion of source code including changing at least one of the tagged variables. The computer system also tracks the tagged variables as the variables are changed by the compiler during code optimization and persists the variable location information, so that the persisted variable location information is available to other compiler components. |
| US08656375B2 |
Cross-logical entity accelerators
A cross-logical entity group is created that includes one or more accelerators to be shared by a plurality of logical entities. Instantiated on the accelerators are functions that are common across multiple logical entities. The functions to be instantiated are determined, for instance, dynamically during run-time. |
| US08656374B2 |
Processing cobol data record schemas having disparate formats
A computer readable medium is configured to receive a description of a COBOL copybook that can be represented in one of a plurality of disparate formats, to parse the COBOL copybook based on the description of the COBOL copybook, and to create a standardized data record schema based on the COBOL copybook. The description of the COBOL copybook includes information about the format of the COBOL copybook. |
| US08656372B2 |
System for translating diverse programming languages
A computer language translator that translates all or any portion thereof of source code in an original computer language to source code in a target computer language, which may then be translated back to the original language while still maintaining concept, syntax, form of expression, and formatting of the original source code. |
| US08656369B2 |
Tracing flow of data in a distributed computing application
A method is provided for tracing dataflow in a distributed computing application. For example, the method includes incrementally advancing a dataflow in a dataflow path of one or more dataflow paths according to two or more directives encoded in two or more data messages. The method further includes performing the two or more directives. The dataflow path includes one or more operators including at least one merge operator operative to merge the two or more data messages and merge the two or more directives. One or more of the incrementally advancing of the dataflow and the performing of the two or more directives are implemented as instruction code performed on a processor device. |
| US08656368B1 |
System, method, and computer program product for abstract software performance profiling
The present disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method for abstract software performance profiling. The method may include providing, using a computing device, a virtual run-time stack associated with a software performance profile. The method may further include generating, using the computing device, at least one abstract tag associated with the virtual run-time stack. The method may also include performing, using the computing device, at least one operation on the virtual run-time stack, the at least one operation including, at least in part, the at least one abstract tag. |
| US08656366B2 |
Microprogrammable device code tracing with single pin transmission of execution event encoded signal and trace memory storing instructions at same address
A microprogrammable electronic device has a first code memory storing instructions, and is configured to execute each instruction in the first code memory at a respective instruction cycle. The system comprises binary code generating means, and a tracing device. The binary code generating means form part of the device, and are configured to generate and output on a single pin of the device binary codes, each of which indicates a corresponding execution-related event, is generated and outputted at a corresponding instruction cycle, and has N bits, where N is an integer >=2. The tracing device is coupled with the single pin to receive the binary codes, and has a second code memory in which the instructions are stored. The tracing device is configured to trace instructions executed by the device, on the basis of the received binary codes and of the instructions stored in the second code memory. |
| US08656365B2 |
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for measuring quality of application programming interfaces
A system, computer-implemented method, and computer-readable medium for determining the quality of an API includes receiving documentation of the API, determining one or more characteristics of the API based at least in part on the documentation of the API, determining or more measurement values based at least in part on the one or more characteristics of the API, and computing a quality score for the API based at least in part on the one or more measurement values. |
| US08656362B2 |
System, method and program product for correcting semantic errors in code using peer submitted code snippets
A method, system and/or program product corrects semantic errors in code in an integrated development environment. The method includes inputting, using a code editor, code being developed in an integrated development environment. One or more nodes, in a syntax tree constructed for inputting the code, are identified as containing semantic errors pertaining to use of a third-party library. A primary executable code snippet and a secondary code snippet for correcting the semantic errors are displayed. If execution of the primary code snippet does not correct the semantic errors, then the secondary code snippet is automatically executed. |
| US08656359B2 |
Debugging data mappings
Various embodiments of systems and methods for data mappings with visual debugging capabilities are described herein. A debugger is used to debug data transformations while presenting the actual transformation being debugged. The mapping being debugged is depicted differently than the rest of the mappings. A user can check the current context, continue debugging, resume execution, or terminate the debug session. |
| US08656357B2 |
Testing internationalized software using test resource file and test font
An efficient testing method is provided for internationalized software executed in a plurality of language environments. The method includes mock-translating an externalized resource file written in a first language of the internationalized software by converting characters of the first language to characters of a second language based on a conversion table; and displaying output information from the internationalized software that performs processing by referring to the mock-translated test resource file using one of a plurality of fonts prepared for respective test categories. |
| US08656355B2 |
Application-based specialization for computing nodes within a distributed processing system
A distributed processing system is described that employs “application-based” specialization. In particular, the distributed processing system is constructed as a collection of computing nodes in which each computing node performs a particular processing role within the operation of the overall distributed processing system. Each of the computing nodes includes an operating system, such as the Linux operating system, and includes a plug-in software module to provide a distributed memory operating system that employs the role-based computing techniques. An administration node maintains a database that defines a plurality of application roles. Each role is associated with a software application, and specifies a set of software components necessary for execution of the software application. The administration node deploys the software components to the application nodes in accordance with the application roles associates with each of the application nodes. |
| US08656354B2 |
Compound versioning and identification scheme for composite application development
The present invention provides a method, a system and a computer program product for defining a version identifier of a service component. The method includes determining various specification levels corresponding to the service component. Thereafter, the determined specification levels are integrated according to a predefined hierarchy to obtain the version identifier of the service component. The present invention also enables the identification of the service components. The service components are identified from one or more service components on the basis of one or more user requirements. |
| US08656353B2 |
Mobile application generator
A system and a method are disclosed for receiving a request to create a mobile application, the request comprising provider-specific application information and provider-specific content for the mobile application, generating, by a processing device, an application description based on the provider-specific application information, wherein the application description comprises a selection of one or more application features for the mobile application, retrieving, by the processing device, a base mobile application stored in a data store, wherein the base mobile application comprises previously generated base application software code, modifying, by the processing device, the base mobile application in view of the application description; and generating, by the processing device, binary mobile application code for the mobile application in view of the modified base mobile application. |
| US08656352B2 |
System and method for synchronized workflow management
A system may identify a workflow associated with a graphical model and execute the workflow in a number of stages. The system may display a number of components of the graphical model and identify which of the displayed components are associated with or affected by execution of a current one of the stages of the workflow. |
| US08656350B2 |
Event-based process configuration
A system and method for configuring an event-based process are disclosed. A configuration module receives input describing an event-based process or modifications to an event-based process. For example, the configuration module receives as input a graphical depiction of one or more states and state transitions that comprise at least a portion of the event-based process. Using the received input description, the configuration module generates executable data, such as data formatted as an event processing language, corresponding to the input. The executable data is then communicated to an event engine which executes the executable data to implement the event-based process or modifications to an event-based process corresponding to the received input. One or more aspects of the execution of the event-based process may also be visualized, and graphically modified, though an event monitoring module. |
| US08656348B2 |
Parser, code generator, and data calculation and transformation engine for spreadsheet calculations
A system including spreadsheet sheets, makes calculations and data transformations, which is available through a programming interface, and conforms to the grammar and syntax of a target software development language is presented. The system includes an Object Model with Data Structures representing entities involved in spreadsheets. The system includes a Parser and Code Generator that extracts data from a body of spreadsheet data, instantiates instances of Data Structures of the Object Model to represent the spreadsheet data, parses the data and formulas contained in the cells of the spreadsheets, iterates through the instantiated instances of the Data Structures, and generates source code that performs the calculations and data transformations embodied in the spreadsheet data. The system includes a Calculation Engine with software base classes that implement the common structural and data access features of spreadsheet data, and further implement the operations of common spreadsheet functions and operators. |
| US08656345B2 |
Managing hardware implementation and deployment of a graphical program
System and method for managing and specifying hardware implementation of a graphical program. A graphical program that implements an algorithm is stored in a memory of a computer system. The graphical program meets one or more first specified implementation requirements and is targeted for deployment to a programmable hardware element. A plurality of sets of descriptive directives are also stored in the memory, where the descriptive directives are associated with the graphical program and specify one or more additional specified implementation requirements, e.g., memory resource implementations, optimization directives, and so forth, where the additional directives result from programmatic and/or user-specification. Each set of descriptive directives is useable by a synthesis tool to generate a respective hardware configuration program for deployment to the graphical programmable hardware element. |
| US08656343B2 |
System and method of providing real-time updates related to in-use artifacts in a software development environment
An artifact update notification system that includes a server computer and client computer is discussed and described. The server computer stores artifact preferences, determined according to objective and subjective criteria, of artifact characteristics. The client computer executes a software development environment that makes use of a software artifact. The server computer and client computer interact to perform an update cycle. The update cycle includes the server computer communicating to the client computer whether there is an actionable change to the software artifact with respect to the artifact preferences. If there has been an actionable change to the software artifact, the client computer performs an update action in the software development environment in response to the actionable change. A related artifact update notification method is also described, as is a computer-readable storage medium that includes instructions for operation of a computer to execute a related artifact update notification method. |
| US08656337B2 |
Optimization method and device for netlist used in logic circuit design for semiconductor integrated circuit
A method, device, and article for assisting in the design of a logic circuit. The method can be such that: logic circuit description data is acquired, a first netlist is generated which is logically integrated with a first frequency based on the acquired logic circuit description data, and a second netlist is generated which is logically integrated with a second frequency higher than the first frequency based on the acquired logic circuit description data, logical operation elements and the wiring for the logical operation elements are arranged based on the first netlist, and a timing report is outputted which is related to the execution timing for each block divided into a predetermined wiring unit, and any block not satisfying the desired operational speed based on the outputted timing report is extracted, the first netlist is replaced with the second netlist for any extracted block, and placement and routing is performed. |
| US08656334B2 |
Multiple threshold voltage cell families based integrated circuit design
A method, system, and computer usable program product for multiple threshold voltage cell families (mVt families) based integrated circuit design are provided in the illustrative embodiments. The integrated circuit includes cells, and a cell includes an electronic component. A design process is initialized by using cells from the mVt families in the design. The cells from the mVt families are included in iterative manipulation of the design. The cells from the mVt families are further included in violation cleanup and subsequent steps of the design process. A version of the design is produced that is usable to implement the circuit with the cells from the mVt families. |
| US08656332B2 |
Automated critical area allocation in a physical synthesized hierarchical design
A method, computer program product, and data processing system for efficiently performing automated placement of timing-critical unit-level cells in a hierarchical integrated circuit design is disclosed. In preparation for global optimization the entire unit at the cell level, macro-level cells are assigned a “placement force” that serves to limit the movement of the macro-level cells from their current position. Movement boundaries for each macro element are also defined, so as to keep the components in a given macro element in relative proximity to each other. Optimization/placement of the unit design is then performed, via a force-directed layout algorithm, on a “flattened” model of the design while respecting the movement boundaries. Following this “flattened” optimization, the placed “unit-level” cells are modeled as blockages and the macro elements are optimized individually, while respecting the location(s) of the blockages. This entire process is repeated until the optimization of the unit layout eventually converges. |
| US08656325B2 |
Integrated circuit design method and system
Disclosed is an integrated circuit design method that determines maximum direct currents for metal components and uses them as design constraints in the design flow in order to avoid/minimize electromigration failures. Short and long metal components are treated differently for purposes of establishing the design constraints. For a short metal component, the maximum direct current as a function of a given temperature for a given expected lifetime of the integrated circuit is determined, another maximum direct current is determined based on the Blech length, and the higher of these two is selected and used as the design constraint for that short metal component. For a long metal component, only the maximum direct current as a function of the given temperature for the given expected lifetime is determined and used as the design constraint. Also disclosed herein are associated system and program storage device embodiments for designing an integrated circuit. |