最新美国发明专利第2014-12-16期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

Document	Document Title
US08911936B2	MicroRNA fingerprints during human megakaryocytopoiesis Described herein are methods of diagnosing a cancer and/or myeloproliferative disorder using microRNAs. Also described are compositions and methods related to cancers and myeloproliferative disorders.
US08911934B2	Near full-genome assay of HCV drug resistance The invention relates to assays for characterization of genotypic mutations of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) showing a resistance to anti-HCV drugs.
US08911933B2	DOT1 histone methyltransferases as a target for identifying therapeutic agents for leukemia The present invention provides polypeptides with histone H3 lysine 79 methyltransferase activity as well as nucleic acids encoding the same. Also provided are methods of using the polypeptides and nucleic acids of the invention in screening assays to identify compounds of interest. Further provided are diagnostic methods for leukemia and prognostic methods to predict the course of the disease in a subject.
US08911930B2	Method of forming pattern using actinic-ray or radiation-sensitive resin composition, and pattern According to one embodiment, a method of forming a pattern includes the step of applying an actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition on a substrate so as to form a film, the step of selectively exposing the film through a mask and the step of developing the exposed film with the use of a developer containing an organic solvent, wherein the actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition contains a resin (A) whose polarity is increased by the action of an acid so that the solubility of the resin in the developer containing an organic solvent is decreased, a photoacid generator (B) that when exposed to actinic rays or radiation, generates an acid containing a fluorine atom and a solvent (C), and wherein the photoacid generator (B) is contained in the composition in a ratio of 8 to 20 mass % based on the total solids of the composition.
US08911920B2	Methods for fabricating EUV masks and methods for fabricating integrated circuits using such EUV masks A method for fabricating integrated circuits includes fabricating an EUV mask by providing a photomask having a border region. A photoresist is formed over the photomask and has a border region overlying the border region of the photomask. The method exposes an inner portion and an outer portion of the photoresist border region. The method removes the inner portion and the outer portion to expose the border region of the photomask. The border region of the photomask is etched using the photoresist as a mask to form the EUV mask with a non-reflective border. The photoresist is removed from the EUV mask. The method includes forming another photoresist over a partially-fabricated integrated circuit layer and patterning the photoresist by exposure to EUV light reflected from the EUV mask to expose portions of the partially-fabricated integrated circuit layer. Portions of the partially-fabricated integrated circuit layer and the photoresist are removed.
US08911918B2	Hybrid seal application process A method for creating a formed-in-place seal on a fuel cell plate is disclosed. The method includes first dispensing a flowable seal material along a first sealing area of a fuel cell plate requiring the seal material. Next, a preformed template is located adjacent to at least a portion of the fuel cell plate, the template including predetermined apertures corresponding with a second sealing area of the plate, such that the apertures are coextensive with at least a portion of the first sealing area. Flowable seal material is applied into the apertures, and is then cured to a non-flowable state.
US08911914B2	Manifold assembly for controlling gas flow and flow distribution in a fuel cell stack A manifold assembly for use with a fuel cell stack for the purpose of ensuring a desired flow distribution to fuel cells within the stack, with the most commonly desired being uniform flow distribution. Said manifold assembly comprising: an external manifold for abutting and sealingly enclosing a face of the fuel cell stack, wherein the manifold comprises an enclosure for one of: providing inlet gas to the fuel cell stack and receiving exhaust gas from said fuel cell stack; and one or more baffles disposed in the enclosure of the external manifold, the one or more baffles one of: (a) controlling gas flow distribution and direction of the inlet gas from the enclosure to fuel cells of the fuel cell stack to achieve a predetermined distribution or a uniform distribution; and (b) controlling gas flow distribution of the exhaust gas flow within the enclosure to achieve the predetermined distribution or the uniform distribution of gas to fuel cells of the fuel cell stack. A multi-stack fuel cell system including a baffling assembly with one or more baffles for providing a predetermined gas flow distribution to each fuel cell stack in the fuel cell system is also described. The baffling assembly is provided at a system level and comprises one or more baffles in an intake assembly and/or in an exhaust assembly of the multi-stack fuel cell system, so that each fuel cell stack receives a predetermined amount of gas.
US08911911B2	Membrane humidifier for fuel cell In preferred aspect, the present invention features a membrane humidifier for a fuel cell which can control the amount of air flow and the amount of humidification based on the amount of water produced in a fuel cell stack according to a power level of the fuel cell stack while humidifying dry air and supplying humidified air to the fuel cell stack.
US08911910B2	Multi-mode charging of hierarchical anode One aspect of the present invention provides an electrochemical cell system comprising at least one electrochemical cell configured to be connected to a power supply to recharge the cell. The electrochemical cell system comprises a plurality of electrodes and electrode bodies therein. The electrochemical cell system further comprises a switching system configured to permit modifications of the configuration of anodes and cathodes during charging of the electrochemical cell, and a controller configured to control the switching system. The controller is configured to selectively apply the electrical current to a different number of said electrode bodies based on at least one input parameter so as to adjust a rate and density of the growth of the electrodeposited metal fuel.
US08911908B2	Fuel cell and enzyme electrode Provided is a fuel cell that is high in performance capabilities of initial power generation and in volume power density, and produces a stable power. Between fixing plates, first and second cell portions are provided. The first cell portion includes an anode, a cathode, and a proton conductor, and the second cell portion includes an anode, a cathode, and a proton conductor. To a space formed by gas-liquid separation and permeable films, cathode spacers, and an anode spacer, a fuel solution is filled. The gas-liquid separation and permeable films are disposed between the fixing plate and the cathode, and between the fixing plate and the cathode. The cathode spacers are provided around the cathodes, respectively, and the anode spacer is provided between the anodes.
US08911899B2	Apparatus for protecting battery pack Provided is an technique for protecting a battery pack, in which an insulating film member and a support member are installed in a housing surrounding the battery pack, and the insulating film member is wound around and unwound from the support member fixedly installed in the housing. The technique prevents a short circuit from being caused by a conductive object penetrating into a high-capacity battery used in an HEV, PHEV or EV, so that it can prevent ignition and smoke from being generated by the battery as a result. The technique is configured to mount a battery of an HEV, PHEV or EV within a spatial margin and increase safety in the event of a collision. The technique can be applied to all vehicles using electricity in addition to the HEV, PHEV or EV.
US08911892B2	Battery module mounting assembly and method for mounting a battery module to a base plate A battery module mounting assembly is provided. The assembly includes a base plate, and a first retention clamp having a first plate of uniform thickness. The first plate has a central rib, first and second base portions, and first and second clamping portions. The first and second base portions extend from first and second sides, respectively, of the central rib, and are fixedly attached to the base plate. The first clamping portion extends outwardly from the first base portion. The first clamping portion holds a first portion of a first battery module housing. The second clamping portion extends outwardly from the second base portion. The second clamping portion holds a second portion of a second battery module housing.
US08911889B2	Battery, vehicle, and battery-operated equipment A lithium secondary battery is equipped with a non-recovering safety valve comprising a valve, which ruptures when the valve opens, and a valve surrounding part that surrounds the valve. The safety valve is further disposed in the valve surrounding part, and has an anti-scattering means that prevents shards, which are produced by the valve rupturing when the valve opens, from scattering outside the battery. The anti-scattering means constitutes an anti-fragmentation part of a form that prevents shards from fragmenting from the valve surrounding part.
US08911885B2	Heteroarylamine compound and organic luminescence device using the same Embodiments of the present invention are directed to heteroarylamine compounds and organic luminescence devices including the heteroarylamine compounds. The organic luminescence devices using the heteroarylamine compounds have high-efficiency, low driving voltages, high luminance and long lifetimes. The heteroarylamine compounds are represented by the following formula:
US08911883B2	Photosensitive semiconductor nanocrystals, photosensitive composition comprising semiconductor nanocrystals and method for forming semiconductor nanocrystal pattern using the same An organic-inorganic hybrid electroluminescent device having a semiconductor nanocrystal pattern prepared by producing a semiconductor nanocrystal film using semiconductor nanocrystals, where the nanocrystal is surface-coordinated with a compound containing a photosensitive functional group, exposing the film through a mask and developing the exposed film.
US08911882B2	Stilbene derivative, light-emitting element, light-emitting device, and electronic device The present invention provides a novel organic compound having excellent heat resistance. By using the novel organic compound, a light-emitting element and a light-emitting device which have excellent heat resistance can be provided. A stilbene derivative expressed by the general formula (1) is provided. Since the stilbene derivative expressed by the general formula (1) has high glass transition point, when it is used for a light-emitting element, the light-emitting element, and a light-emitting device using the light-emitting element which have excellent heat resistance can be obtained. Further, since the stilbene derivative expressed by the general formula (1) has good light emission efficiency; therefore, when it is used for a light emitting element, a light emitting element and a light emitting device which consumes less power can be obtained.
US08911879B2	Hot-dip Zn—Al—Mg—Si—Cr alloy-coated steel material with excellent corrosion resistance The present invention provides a Zn—Al—Mg—Cr alloy-coated steel material with excellent corrosion resistance. A molten Zn—Al—Mg—Si—Cr alloy-coated steel material which is a steel material having a Zn—Al—Mg—Cr alloy coating layer and which has an interfacial alloy layer formed of coating layer components and Fe at the coating layer-steel material interface, wherein the interfacial alloy layer has a multilayer structure consisting of an Al—Fe-based alloy layer and an Al—Fe—Si-based alloy layer and furthermore, the Al—Fe—Si-based alloy layer contains Cr.
US08911876B2	Method for forming patterns on substrates and articles manufactured by the same A method for forming pattern on substrate comprises steps of: providing a metal substrate; amorphousizing the metal substrate to from an amorphous pattern layer in the metal substrate; etching the metal substrate and forming an etching portion in the surface of the metal substrate which is not covered with the amorphous pattern layer. The article manufactured by the method is also provided.
US08911875B2	Sliding element having adjustable properties A sliding element, particularly a piston ring for an internal combustion engine, includes a substrate, and a wear-protection layer, obtained by thermal spraying of a powder comprising the element proportions 2-50 percent by weight iron, FE; 5-60 percent by weight tungsten, W; 5-40 percent by weight chrome, Cr; 5-25 percent by weight nickel, Ni; 1-5 percent by weight molybdenum, Mo; 1-10 carbon, C and 0.1-2 percent by weight silicon, Si; and a running-in layer, obtained by thermal spraying of a powder comprising the element proportions 60-95 percent by weight nickel; 5-40 percent by weight carbon.
US08911874B2	Aqueous dispersions and coatings The present invention provides aqueous dispersions that, for example, include the reaction product of an oxirane-functional vinyl addition polymer having an oxirane functionality between 0.5 and 5; an acid-functional polymer having an acid number 30 to 500; and a tertiary amine. Also described are coating compositions containing the dispersion and methods of forming the dispersion.
US08911871B2	Fuser member The present teachings provide a fuser member. The fuser member includes a substrate layer comprising a polyimide polymer and polyethylene glycol ester.
US08911870B2	Method to produce matte and opaque biaxially oriented polylactic acid film A biaxially oriented laminate film including a core layer including a blend of crystalline polylactic acid polymer and an inorganic antiblock particle which is biaxially oriented at low transverse direction orientation temperatures to impart a degree of cavitation around the particles such that a matte or opaque appearance is obtained. The laminate film may further have additional layers such as a heat sealable layer disposed on one side of the core layer including an amorphous polylactic acid resin and/or a polylactic acid resin-containing layer disposed on the side of the core layer opposite the heat sealable layer, a metal layer, or combinations thereof.
US08911866B2	Powder for powder magnetic core, powder magnetic core, and methods for producing those products A powder for a powder magnetic core, a powder magnetic core, and methods of producing those products are provided, so that mechanical strength of a powder magnetic core can be enhanced by hydrosilylation reaction between vinylsilane and hydrosilane without degrading magnetic properties. The powder for a powder magnetic core is composed of magnetic particles 2 having a surface 21 coated with an insulating layer 3, wherein the insulating layer 3 includes a polymer resin insulating layer 33 comprising vinylsilane 4 and hydrosilane.
US08911862B2	Getter systems comprising one or more deposits of getter material and a layer of material for the transport of water Getter systems are provided including one or more deposits of getter materials, wherein at least one of the deposits is in contact with a layer of a material having H2O transport properties.
US08911861B2	Thermochromic indicator A thermochromic indicator includes a coating on the substrate. The coating comprising a solid crystalline particles having a melting point of 0-130° C. At temperatures below the melting point, the coating is opaque. At temperatures above the melting point, the coating becomes translucent. The change in opacity can be reversible or irreversible.
US08911859B1	Carbon nanotube material and method of making the same A nanoporous network includes carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with the network having a pore size in a range from about 15 nm to about 35 nm. The nanoporous network can be coated, compressed, or any combination of these operations in the manufacture of various articles. A method of making a nanoporous network includes disposing a concentrated aqueous CNT solution in a mold, freezing the concentrated aqueous CNT solution, and subliming the frozen concentrated CNT solution in a vacuum chamber.
US08911857B2	Vascular stents The disclosure describes a coating for medical implants, in particular, vascular stents, said coating comprising silicon dioxide, towards medical implants with a coating containing silicon dioxide and towards a method for their production. The coating can contain additional admixtures and have functionalization coats. The substrate of the coating is produced from a durable material, preferably from a stainless steel.
US08911855B2	Method for manufacturing impregnation-coating type Japanese paper masking tape base material The present invention relates to a masking tape base material using a machine-made Japanese paper as a base paper. The machine-made Japanese paper comprises a mercerized softwood pulp and a kraft pulp. The weight percent of the mercerized softwood pulp in a mixture of the mercerized softwood pulp and the kraft pulp is from 10 to 70% by weight. The machine-made Japanese paper is impregnated with a resin having a glass transition temperature of not higher than −25° C. in an amount of 20% by weight or more. One surface of the impregnated machine-made Japanese paper is further coated with a resin having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of from 0 to 40° C. in a dry coating amount of from 2 to 20 g/m2.
US08911854B2	Optical film and a production method therefor The present invention provides an optical film and s retardation film characterized in that each of them includes: an acrylic resin; and 20-65 parts by weight of at least two graft copolymers containing a conjugated diene-based rubber, based on 100 parts by weight of the acrylic resin, wherein at least two of the graft copolymers have different particle sizes. The present invention also provides a production method therefore.
US08911849B2	Honeycomb structure There is disclosed a honeycomb structure including: a plurality of honeycomb segments each having porous partition walls, and plugged portions arranged in open frontal areas of the predetermined cells; joining portions in which the plurality of honeycomb segments are joined; and an outer peripheral wall, and having: an aspect ratio (a long axis/a short axis) of 1.2 or more, wherein corners which are regions of the joining portions in the region of 10 mm or less from each intersection between the joining portion and the outer peripheral wall along a direction of the short axis are present in the region of 25 mm or less, and a thickness of each of the joining portions is 0.5 mm or more and 5 mm or less, and a thickness of each of the other joining portions is 1.5 mm or less.
US08911847B2	Vacuum insulation material and manufacturing method thereof A vacuum insulation material includes a plurality of convex protrusions provided on a surface of a core material that is present inside of the bent vacuum insulation material when it is used in a bent state, and so that the core material on which the convex protrusions are provided in advance is inserted into an outer covering material and vacuum-sealed with the outer covering material. By reducing a contact area between the convex protrusions and an inner side surface of the outer covering material in contact with the surface on which the convex protrusions are provided, it is possible to reduce a frictional force between the core material and the outer covering material.
US08911845B1	Anti-counterfeiting mechanism for a toy housing A counterfeit-resistant toy housing is provided having a repetitive pattern formed into at least a portion of at least one toy housing surface. The pattern preferably includes first and second regions intertwined with and visibly different from each other. The first region may have a different elevation than the second region, or a different finish, or both. A photoetching chemical is applied to at least a portion of a metal mold, and at least a part of the mold is covered with a cover having a light-transmissible first region and an opaque second region, the first and second regions forming a first design. Light is projected upon the covered metal mold, thereby eroding a section of the mold underneath the first region and forming a first design in the mold. The photoetching steps are repeated to provide different layers. The toy housing component is molded from the patterned mold.
US08911840B2	Coated pipe and propylene polymer composition therefor The invention relates to a coated pipe comprising a core, an adhesion layer coated on the core and an outer coating layer coated on the adhesion layer, wherein at least the adhesion layer comprises a propylene polymer composition comprising: (A) a propylene homo- or copolymer, and (B) an elastomeric component and to the use of such a propylene polymer composition for coating a pipe.
US08911837B2	Retardation film, optical laminated body, liquid crystal panel, and liquid crystal display The retardation film of the present invention contains a thermoplastic polymer having at least a side chain component (A) oriented in a direction substantially orthogonal to a slow axis, and the absorption edge wavelength (λcut-off) of the side chain component (A) is 330 nm or more, and an in-plane retardation value (Re[450]) at a wavelength of 450 nm is smaller than that (Re[650]) at a wavelength of 650 nm. In the above-mentioned retardation film, the difference (ΔRe650-450=Re[650]−Re[450]) between the in-plane retardation value (Re[650]) at a wavelength of 650 nm and the in-plane retardation value (Re[450]) at a wavelength of 450 nm is preferably 10 nm or more. The retardation film of the present invention exhibits optical characteristics in which the in-plane birefringence is large and the difference between a retardation value on the short wavelength side and a retardation value on the long wavelength side is large.
US08911833B2	Textiles and methods and systems for producing textiles Textiles are provided that include fibrous cellulosic materials having an α-cellulose content of less than about 93%, the fibrous materials being spun, woven, knitted, or entangled. The fibrous cellulosic materials can be irradiated with a dose of ionizing radiation that is sufficient to increase the molecular weight of the cellulosic materials without causing significant depolymerization of the cellulosic materials. Methods of treating textiles that include irradiating the textiles are also provided.
US08911827B2	Chemical vapor deposition method using an organoplatinum compound A chemical deposition method for producing a platinum thin film or a platinum compound thin film by chemical vapor deposition of an organoplatinum compound is represented by the following formula, which includes a divalent platinum atom, and hexadiene or a hexadiene derivative and alkyl anions coordinated to the divalent platinum atom. In the following formula, R1 and R2 are each an alkyl group, and may be different from each other. R3 and R4 are each a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, and may be different from each other. The organoplatinum compound is satisfactory in stability and generates no toxic substance in film formation, and hence is satisfactory in handleability and excellent in practicability. The organoplatinum compound has a high vapor pressure, enables the film formation at a low temperature, and is useful as a CVD raw material easily forming a film on a spatial structure.
US08911826B2	Method of parallel shift operation of multiple reactors A method of parallel shift operation of multiple reactors includes: (i) continuously supplying n gases numbered 1 to n simultaneously to n gas ports via n main gas lines, respectively, at a constant flow rate, wherein one of branch gas lines of each main gas line is in an open state so that the inflow rates of the respective reactors are equal, and the outflow rates of the respective reactors are equal; and (ii) while maintaining the inflow rates and the outflow rates of the respective reactors, simultaneously closing the one of the branch gas lines of each main gas line in the open state and opening another one of the branch gas lines of each main gas line so that different numbered gases are continuously supplied to the respective reactors in parallel without changing the inflow rates and the outflow rates of the reactors.
US08911825B2	Fiber-reinforced heat-resistant sound-absorbing material and process for producing the same A production process which comprises a preform formation step of forming a fiber preform made of silicon carbide short fibers having heat resistance of 1000° C. or greater; a sol-gel preparation step of preparing a sol-gel solution containing a heat resistant compound having heat resistance of 1000° C. or greater; an impregnation-drying-calcination step of impregnating the fiber preform with the sol-gel solution, followed by drying and calcining; and a crystallization step of crystallizing the fiber preform after impregnation, drying and calcination.
US08911824B2	Method of impregnating crucibles and refractory articles A method of sealing a surface and structure of a refractory crucible with a ceramic, comprising the steps of: (a) heating a refractory crucible to a predetermined temperature; (b) applying a wetting agent to a surface of the crucible; (c) applying a ceramic slip along the inner surface of the crucible; (d) applying a vacuum to an outer surface of the crucible; (e) removing excess slip from the inner surface of the crucible; (f) heating the crucible to remove moisture therefrom; and (g) firing the crucible at a temperature between 1,300° C. and about 1,700° C.
US08911821B2	Method for forming nanometer scale dot-shaped materials A method for forming nanometer scale dot-shaped materials is provided. The method includes providing a sub-micrometer scale material and a metallo-organic compound. The sub-micrometer scale material and the metallo-organic compound are mixed in a solvent. Then, the metallo-organic compound is decomposed by thermal decomposition process and reduced to form a plurality of nanometer scale dot-shaped materials on the sub-micrometer scale material, wherein the sub-micrometer scale material and the nanometer-scale dot-shaped materials are heterologous materials. Then, the plurality of nanometer scale dot-shaped materials is melted, such that a plurality of the adjacent sub-micrometer scale materials is connected to each other to form a continuous interface between the sub-micrometer scale materials.
US08911818B2	Nanodiamond coatings for solar cells A nanodiamond coating for use on a solar cell, the coating including a nanodiamond material suspended in a liquid, wherein the nanodiamond material has a size range from about 1 nm to about 10 nm. Methods for improving the efficiency of a solar cell, including mixing a nanodiamond material with a liquid polymer or non-polymer solvent to form a nanodiamond-polymer suspension, forming a coating of the suspension on a top surface of a solar cell, and drying the coating such that a dried nanodiamond-polymer layer remains bonded to the solar cell.
US08911812B2	Apparatus for cooking According to embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a cooking apparatus for cooking a foodstuff. The cooking apparatus comprises a vessel configured to accept, in use, liquid therein; a closing sub-assembly configured to be releasably coupled to the vessel, the closing sub-assembly defining an aperture; a steam leading tube operatively coupled to the aperture, the steam leading tube configured to provide a passage, in use, for the steam generated within the vessel from the liquid towards an interior of the foodstuff.
US08911808B2	Method for cavitation-assisted refining, degumming and dewaxing of oil and fat A method for degumming and/or refining crude oil containing impurities involving mixing the crude oil with degumming agents, i.e., water or acid, and subjecting the mixture to flow-through, hydrodynamic cavitation processing. The cavitational processing transfers impurities in the crude oil to a water phase for easier separation. The water phase may be separated from the oil phase by commonly available separation methods.
US08911807B2	Container for sliced and fluffed food products A food package for sliced food products to be maintained with a fluffed appearance, the package including a base member forming a compartment for receiving the food product and a lid sealed to the compartment. The base member has a gripping portion and the lid has a tab which overlies the gripping portion when the lid is connected to the base member. In one form, the gripping portion of the base member has a plurality of edges that define an outer profile of the gripping portion and expose a portion of a lower surface of the tab. The outer profile limits tacking of the tab to the gripping portion when the lid and base member are cut from respective webs of material. Additionally, a method is provided for assembling a food container.
US08911805B2	Calcium preparation and method of production thereof A stable Ca preparation in solution form even at high concentration is provided. The aqueous preparation of Ca includes water, Ca, compounds of Formula I and Formula II. Most of Ca is in non-ionic form and forms a complex. In the complex, Ca binds to the compound(s) of Formula I and/or Formula II in a state that basic structures of them are kept. At least partially, the complex forms colloidal particles. The aqueous preparation is transparent. pH is equal to or higher than that of slightly acid; [A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 and A6 are independently O− or OX. X represents a monovalent or polyvalent cation].
US08911801B2	Natural preservative alternatives and compositions containing same A cosmetic preservative is disclosed which comprises Lonerica sp. extract, a metal chelating agent and ethanol in amounts effective to inhibit microbial growth including bacteria, molds and yeast. The effectiveness may be enhanced by the addition of a phospholipid, ascorbic acid and ascorbic acid salts. Effectiveness against microbial growth is further improved by addition of a combination of 1,2-hexanediol, 1,2 octanediol and tropolone. Specific formulations are provided.
US08911800B2	Extract of adlay bran and uses thereof The present invention provides a composition comprising extract of adlay bran, wherein the adlay bran extract comprises C1 to C7 alcohol extract of adlay bran (A) and carbon dioxide supercritical fluid extract of adlay bran (B). Preferably, the extract of adlay bran has effects in treating a skin and/or subcutaneous tissue disease and in lowering interleukin (IL)-1α, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin-8, prostaglandin-2 (PGE2) and/or C-Reactive Protein (CRP).
US08911799B2	Pomegranate based skin protectant and topical application A cosmetic composition is provided having ingredients that may prevent signs or conditions of aging and/or damage in skin, improve the aesthetic appearance of skin, and promote recovery from environmental stresses. The composition includes natural ingredients, including pomegranate juice concentrate; pomegranate extract; pomegranate seed oil; and at least one pharmaceutically or cosmetically acceptable vehicle.
US08911796B2	Non-caking salt composition, preparation process and use thereof The present invention relates to a sodium chloride composition comprising an iron complex of tartaric acid wherein between 55 and 90% by weight of the tartaric acid is meso-tartaric acid. The present invention furthermore relates to a process to prepare such a sodium chloride composition and to the use of such a sodium chloride composition.
US08911792B2	Ammoniacal copper zinc arsenate concentrates and methods of preparation Disclosed herein is a composition concentrate that is suitable for treating wood upon dilution with water in a weight ratio of concentrate to water of between 1:10 and 1:100. The concentrate contains copper ammonium cations, zinc ammonium cations, arsenate and/or hydrogen arsenate anions; carbonate and/or bicarbonate anions, ammonia and water, wherein the total amount of copper and zinc is from 17% to about 22% by weight based on the total volume of the concentrate. Also disclosed is a process for producing ammoniacal copper zinc arsenate concentrate.
US08911789B2	Methods and apparatus for manufacturing plasma based plastics and bioplastics produced therefrom Blood-derived plastic articles prepared from compositions including blood and, in some embodiments, at least one crosslinking agent and/or at least one biological response modifier, that can be useful for biological applications such as wound repair and tissue grafts; methods of making and using the same; methods for assessing the concentration of a biological response modifier in an article; and systems for preparing blood-derived plastic articles are provided.
US08911788B2	Galenical system for active transport, method for preparation and use The invention relates to a novel galenical system for taste masking, protecting an active substance, in particular in an acid medium, modulating releasing properties, masking mucous irritability and toxicity of certain active substances, for preparing aqueous forms which have a masked taste, are stable and pH independent. Said invention also relates, in particular to a galenical system which is embodied in the form of lipidic solid particles and strictly hydrophobic and devoid of water, surface active agents, emulsifiers, solvent traces and which is characterized in that it comprises at least one type of hydrophobic wax and at least one type of fatty non-neutralized acid.
US08911787B2	Stable oral benzimidazole compositions and process of preparation thereof The present invention relates to stable oral compositions of one or more benzimidazole compounds and processes for their preparation. Also provided are methods for treating various gastrointestinal disorders.
US08911786B2	Nanoparticle comprising rapamycin and albumin as anticancer agent The present invention features methods for treating, stabilizing, preventing, and/or delaying cancer by administering nanoparticles that comprise rapamycin or a derivative thereof. The invention also provides compositions (e.g., unit dosage forms) comprising nanoparticles that comprise a carrier protein and rapamycin or a derivative thereof. The invention further provides combination therapy methods of treating cancer comprising administering to an individual an effective amount of nanoparticles that comprise rapamycin or a derivative thereof and a second therapy.
US08911780B2	Multiparticulate L-menthol formulations and related methods An L-menthol-containing multiparticulate formulation includes a plurality of individual enteric coated cores containing L-menthol from an at least 80% pure L-menthol source. The enteric coated cores are effective to release at least about 35% of the L-menthol within about two hours, and at least about 80% of the L-menthol within about eight hours after being placed in an environment having a pH of 5 to 8. The L-menthol multiparticulate formulation can be used to treat gastrointestinal disorders.
US08911775B2	pH-sensitive block copolymer forming polyionic complex micelles and drug or protein carrier using the same Disclosed is a pH-sensitive block copolymer that forms polyionic complex micelles. The block copolymer is prepared by copolymerization of (a) a polyethylene glycol compound, (b) a poly(amino acid) compound, and (c) a heterocyclic alkyl amine compound having the ability to induce the formation of ionic complexes. Further disclosed is a drug or protein carrier using the block copolymer.
US08911774B2	Topical composition for anti-aging skin treatment using dual DNA repair mechanism and method of use A topical composition for anti-aging treatment of the skin includes water soluble extract of Uncaria species, Arabidopsis thaliana extract, lipoic acid, dimethylethanolamine, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, dimethyl sulfoxide, Glycyrrhiza Glabra(Licorice) root extract, methylsulfonylmethane, phytosterols, D-ribose, tocotrienol, tocopherol, glucosamine hydrochloride, Pisum sativum extract; Bambusa vulgaris extract, and a dermatologically acceptable liposomal delivery medium. Further disclosed is a method using the topical composition for anti-aging skin treatment utilizing DNA repair in both the nucleus and the mitochondria. The topical composition can be applied on the skin of a person daily, and can also be applied in a dermal infusion treatment, with or without micro-dermal abrasion or skin suction. Topical application of the composition achieves effective reduction of pigmentation spots and degree of winkles, and improvement of skin color tone.
US08911760B2	Copolymers having polyisobutylene and biodegradable polymer segments The present invention pertains to copolymers having one or more polyisobutylene segments and one or more biodegradable polymer segments, to methods of making such copolymers, to medical articles that contain such copolymers, and to methods of making such medical articles. According to certain aspects of the invention, copolymers are provided, which comprise a plurality of polyisobutylene segments and a plurality of biodegradable polymer segments. According to certain aspects of the invention, copolymers are provided, which comprise urethane linkages, urea linkages, amide linkages, ester linkages, anhydride linkages, carbonate linkages, linkages commonly described as “click” chemistry linkages, and combinations of two or more types of such linkages.
US08911755B2	Antimicrobial composition A composition that includes ethylhexyl sulfate or a salt thereof, an alkylbenzenesulfonic acid or a salt thereof, and a carrier. The ethylhexyl sulfate, or salt thereof, and the alkylbenzenesulfonic acid, or salt thereof, are present in a weight ratio of at least about 1:2. The composition can be used for killing or inhibiting a microorganism or pathogen (e.g., bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, gram-positive bacteria, enteric bacteria, virus, fungus, mold, mildew or powdery mildew).
US08911754B2	Foamable sunscreen formulation The present application relates to sunscreen formulations, including foamable sunscreen formulations, that comprise zinc oxide and titanium dioxide particles, suitably in the size range of about 1-100 nm. The compositions suitably produce a minimal residual whitening effect when applied to a skin surface.
US08911751B2	Compositions for nasal delivery The present invention concerns a method of administering at least one active pharmaceutical agent to a patient in need thereof, which method comprises the intranasal administration of a composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of this agent, phospholipids, one or more C2-C4 alcohols and water, wherein the concentrations of the phospholipids and the one or more alcohols in the composition are in the ranges of 0.2 to 10% and 12 to 30% by weight, respectively, with the water content of said composition being not less than 30% by weight, the phospholipids forming vesicles in said composition. Further are disclosed pharmaceutical compositions and combinations suitable for intranasal delivery.
US08911742B2	Transcutaneous immunization without heterologous adjuvant Transcutaneous immunization can deliver antigen to the immune system through the stratum corneum without physical or chemical penetration to the dermis layer of the skin. This delivery system induces an antigen-specific immune response without the use of a heterologous adjuvant. This system can induce antigen-specific immune effectors after epicutaneous application of a formulation containing one or more antigensImmune responses that provide prophylactic and/or therapeutic treatments are preferred. Antigenic activities in the formulation may be found in the same molecule, two or more different molecules dissociated from each other, or multiple molecules in a complex formed by covalent or non-covalent bonds. For antigens which are proteinaceous, they may be provided in the formulation as a polynucleotide for transcutaneous genetic immunization. Besides simple application of a dry or liquid formulation to the skin, patches and other medical devices may be used to deliver antigen for immunization.
US08911740B2	Pharmaceutical composition for treating and/or preventing cancer According to the present invention, a cancer antigen protein to be specifically expressed on the surfaces of cancer cells is identified and thus the use of an antibody targeting the cancer antigen protein as an agent for treating and/or preventing cancer is provided. Specifically, the present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition for treating and/or preventing a cancer, which comprises an antibody or a fragment thereof as an active ingredient having immunological reactivity with a partial polypeptide of CAPRIN-1, which is represented by any of even-numbered sequences of SEQ ID NOS: 2 to 30, wherein the polypeptide has the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 37 or an amino acid sequence having 80% or more sequence identity with the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 37.
US08911739B2	Methods of preventing rejection of transplanted tissue by administering anti-CD40L antibody and dendritic cells loaded with Hsp60sp peptide A method is provided for preventing rejection by an immune system of a recipient subject of a tissue transplanted from a donor subject into the recipient subject without the need for long-term administration of non-specific immunosuppressive drugs.
US08911737B2	Methods of administering anti-TNFα antibodies Methods of treating disorders in which TNFα activity is detrimental via biweekly, subcutaneous administration of human antibodies, preferably recombinant human antibodies, that specifically bind to human tumor necrosis factor α (hTNFα) are disclosed. The antibody may be administered with or without methotrexate. These antibodies have high affinity for hTNFα (e.g., Kd=10−8 M or less), a slow off rate for hTNFα dissociation (e.g., Koff=10−3 sec−1 or less) and neutralize hTNFα activity in vitro and in vivo. An antibody of the invention can be a full-length antibody or an antigen-binding portion thereof. Kits containing a pharmaceutical composition and instructions for dosing, and preloaded syringes containing pharmaceutical compositions are also encompassed by the invention.
US08911733B2	Inhibition of the alternative complement pathway for treatment of traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and related conditions Disclosed is the use of agents and compositions that selectively inhibit the alternative complement pathway for the inhibiting or treating physiological damage resulting from traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury (SCI), or related conditions. Preferred reagents for use in inhibition of damage resulting from TBI or SCI include those that inhibit factor B, with anti-factor B antibodies representing a particularly preferred agent.
US08911731B2	Monoclonal antibodies specific for beta-amyloid x-37 and uses thereof The present invention provides monoclonal antibodies which specifically recognize the shorter Aβ peptides obtained after cleavage of the APP protein mediated by γ-secretase, i.e. the Aβ-peptide fragments Aβ1-37, Aβ3-37, Aβ3p-37, Aβ1-37 and Aβ11p-37, and other like fragments ending at the 37th amino acid of APP, hereinafter also referred to as the Aβx-37 peptides. It further provides hybridoma cells producing the monoclonal antibodies as well as methods for producing the antibodies and the hybridoma cells; and an immunoassay for an Aβx-37 peptide by a competitive method or a sandwich method using the antibody of the present invention; and methods for measuring the level of Aβx-37 peptides in a sample, such as a biological sample.
US08911730B2	Methods of using antibodies to block human thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) receptor activity The present invention provides Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin Receptor (TSLPR) polypeptides and nucleic acid molecules encoding the same. The invention also provides selective binding agents, vectors, host cells, and methods for producing TSLPR polypeptides. The invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions and methods for the diagnosis, treatment, amelioration, and/or prevention of diseases, disorders, and conditions associated with TSLPR polypeptides.
US08911725B2	Co-targeting of aurora A kinase and LIM kinase 1 for cancer therapy Disclosed herein are therapies for treating or preventing reoccurrence of cancer. The therapies involved inhibition of LIMK1 in conjunction with AurKA inhibition. Specifically exemplified herein is the administration of an AurKA inhibitor in conjunction with a LIMK1 RNA interfering molecule.
US08911722B2	Modulation of yeast-based immunotherapy products and responses Disclosed are methods to modulate yeast-based immunotherapy products and the immune responses, prophylactic responses, and/or therapeutic responses elicited by such products. Also disclosed are modified yeast-based immunotherapy products, kits and compositions.
US08911719B2	Tamper resistant dosage forms The present invention relates to pharmaceutical dosage forms, for example to a tamper resistant dosage form including an opioid analgesic, and processes of manufacture, uses, and methods of treatment thereof.
US08911717B2	Polymalic acid-based multifunctional drug delivery system A drug delivery system for delivering a drug payload to a specific tissue or cell type is disclosed. The system includes a polymalic acid molecular scaffold which can be used for attaching a plurality of molecular modules. Molecular modules include targeting antibodies for promoting cellular uptake by a target cell, and pro-drugs for altering cellular metabolism, for example, a pro-drug that alters expression of protein kinase CK2.
US08911716B2	Saffron odorants The present invention concerns a compound of formula (I), in the form of any one of its stereoisomers or a mixture thereof, and wherein the dotted line represents a carbon-carbon single or double bond; as well as its use as perfuming ingredient.
US08911715B2	L-menthyl-N-(2-hydroxyphenyl)carbamate The present invention relates to the compound L-menthyl-N-(2-hydroxyphenyl)carbamate, which is effective against body perspiration odor bacteria, in particular against armpit perspiration odor bacteria, and simultaneously effective as an antioxidant, of the following formula, a method for the production thereof and its use.
US08911713B2	Method for preventing or treating skin tumor Methods, compositions and products for preventing skin tumor formation or inhibiting development of an existing skin tumor in a subject are described. The methods involve administering to the subject a composition containing an α2 adrenergic receptor agonist, such brimonidine.
US08911712B2	Multi-purposed dentifrice The present invention is directed towards anhydrous, single-part multi-purposed dentifrice and methods for removing plague, whitening and remineralizing teeth.
US08911709B2	Systems and methods for assessing pulmonary gas transfer using hyperpolarized 129XE MRI Methods and systems for assessing pulmonary gas exchange and/or alveolar-capillary barrier status include obtaining at least one MRI image and/or image data of 129Xe dissolved in the red blood cells (RBC) in the gas exchange regions of the lungs of a patient. The image is sufficiently sensitive to allow a clinician or image recognition program to assess at least one of pulmonary gas exchange, barrier thickness or barrier function based on the 129Xe MRI RBC image.
US08911705B2	Diagnostic substance and method for the analysis of metabolism processes in the brain The present invention relates to a diagnostic substance, containing at least one complex of lipophilic anions and metal ions, wherein the lipophilic anions are selected from the group comprising: triethylene tetramine dihydrochloride (TETA), ethyl cysteinate dimer (ECD), methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI), HMPAO (d,l-hexamethylpropylene aminoxime), ethylenediamine N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetanilide (EDTAN), dimethyldithiocarbamate (DMC) and diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) and glycine N,N′-[1,2-ethanediylbis(oxy-2,1-phenylene)]bis [N-(carboxymethyl)-1,1′-bis[2-(octadecyloxy)ethyl]ester (DP-109), and wherein the metal ions are selected from the group comprising thallium isotopes, lead isotopes, cobalt isotopes and manganese isotopes, together with solvents, adjuvants and/or vehicles. The diagnostic substance is used for investigating metabolic processes in the brain and/or central nervous system (CNS).
US08911703B2	Reducing and/or harvesting drag energy from transport vehicles, including for chemical reactors, and associated systems and methods The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for reducing and/or harvesting drag energy from transport vehicles. A system in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a mobile transport platform, a donor substance source carried by the platform, and a thermochemical reactor carried by the platform and coupled to the donor substance. The reactor is configured to carry out a non-combustion dissociation process that dissociates the donor substance into a first constituent and a second constituent. An energy extraction system carried by the transport platform and positioned to extract energy from an airstream passing the transport platform is coupled to the reactor to provide energy for the dissociation process.
US08911702B2	Optical component and method for manufacturing same An optical component of the present invention is composed of a ZnSe polycrystal body, and the ZnSe polycrystal body is constituted by crystal grains with an average grain size larger than or equal to 50 μm and smaller than or equal to 1 mm and has a relative density higher than or equal to 99%.
US08911694B2	Two-stage hydroprocessing apparatus with common fractionation Two-stage hydroprocessing uses a common dividing wall fractionator. Hydroprocessed effluents from both stages of hydroprocessing are fed to opposite sides of the dividing wall.
US08911693B2	Process and apparatus for recovering hydroprocessed hydrocarbons with single product fractionation column A hot stripped hydroprocessed stream from a stripper column may be sent directly to a vacuum fractionation column instead of being first processed in an atmospheric fractionation column. If a separate warm stripper column is used, both the warm stripped stream and a hot stripped stream may be fractionated in the same fractionation column, particularly a vacuum fractionation column.
US08911690B2	Devices for the production of cell clusters of defined cell numbers and cluster sizes Devices for the in vitro aggregation of cells. The devices are characterized by containing special ground cavities allowing cluster formation to take place when a cell suspension is seeded onto the device. Further, the present invention relates to a method for aggregating cells and the use of the devices of the present invention for the aggregation of cells.
US08911689B2	Interfacing caps for microfluidic devices and methods of making and using the same An interfacing cap for a reagent storage vessel is provided. The interfacing cap comprises a partitioning element having a structure corresponding to an opening of the reagent storage vessel, a projection fitting disposed on the partitioning element, a holder element, and a puncturing element coupled to the projection fitting.
US08911683B2	Micro chamber A microfluidic device is provided including at least one chamber accessible by microfluidic channels characterized in that the surface of the channels and the chambers are patterned and comprise hydrophilic and hydrophobic areas. The surface energy in correspondence of the areas, i.e., the capillary force, being such that a liquid can be guided along the hydrophilic path, enter the chamber from one side, wet part of one surface of the chamber as a thin layer without touching the opposite surface of the chamber, thus avoiding to fill the volume inside the chamber in correspondence of the hydrophilic pattern until a second liquid, either sequentially or in parallel, comes to wet part of the opposite surface of the chamber and eventually touches the first liquid layer, resulting in a sudden coalescence and efficient mixing between the liquids.
US08911682B2	Method for producing tissue microarray blocks A method and apparatus are provided for forming high-yield tissue microarray blocks capable of producing 1,000 or more replicate slides. In one embodiment, a plurality of donor tissue samples are minced and suspended in separate molten liquid carriers to form a plurality of separate two-phase mixtures of solid minced tissue and molten wax. Each of the two-phase mixtures is preferably formed into elongated columns and transferred into a separate well of a microarray block. A method and apparatus are provided for forming the elongated molten wax columns with minced tissue evenly distributed along the length of each column. The apparatus for forming the array includes an extrusion mechanism for transferring the columns of two-phase mixtures into the deep wells of the microarray block. The two-phase mixture may alternately be cooled and allowed to solidify before being transferred into the microarray block. An alternate embodiment is provided wherein cell cultures are utilized as starting material as opposed to solid donor tissue samples.
US08911678B2	Moisture and malodor control system Moisture and malodor control systems are disclosed. These systems provide moisture control and the sustained delivery of active volatile compounds for imparting fragrance and controlling malodor within innumerable objects and spaces, such as shoes, gloves, closets, etc. The systems utilize a novel combination of active volatiles contained within a diluent carrier and solid adsorbing compound. In some embodiments, increased release of active volatiles is triggered by the presence of moisture in the target environment. The systems of the invention may further include an accessory component for providing fragrance to the target environment and/or an accessory component for absorbing and removing malodorous compounds from the target environment.
US08911676B2	Treatment systems for fluids Systems and methods for treating a fluid by passing fluid through a treatment structure, the fluid containing undesirable living things, the treatment structure containing electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver, flowing an electric current in the fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure, and killing undesirable things in the treatment structure.
US08911672B2	Electronic censer An electronic censer includes a censer body, an incense branch and a circuit board. The circuit board is received in the censer body. The incense branch is positioned on the circuit board and includes a heat dissipating board, a light-emitting diode, a first incense core, a second incense core enclosing the first incense core and a reflecting layer on a periphery of the second incense core. A tubular passage is defined between a periphery sidewall of the first incense core and a sidewall of the heat dissipating board to receive liquid fragrance therein. Heat generated by the LED is transferred to the liquid fragrance via the heat dissipating board. Vapor of the liquid fragrance and light of the LED leave the electronic censer via a top of the incense branch.
US08911669B2	Method for flagging a sample A hematology analyzer is provided. In certain embodiments, the hematology analyzer comprises: a) a flow cell; b) a light source for directing light to the flow cell; c) a plurality of detectors for detecting a plurality of optical characteristics of a blood cell passing through the flow cell; and d) a data analysis workstation programmed to: i. enumerate test blood cells passing through the flow cell; and ii. flag a blood sample as containing lysis-resistant red blood cells or fragile white blood cells.
US08911668B2	Lab on a chip A Lab On a Chip (LOC) has a Sample Preparation Module (SPM) coupled to a sample inlet, a microchannel coupled to the SPM, and an optic module optically proximate to the microchannel. The optic module holds multiple lenses, each of which has a different effective focal length, such that all fields of focus within the microchannel are covered as objects suspended within the liquid sample pass through the microchannel.
US08911664B1	Method and apparatus to selectively use UV to control organisms associated with plants and unwanted plant species The present invention relates to a method for reducing the total number of pathogens of one or more pathogen living in turf. This invention provides a number of devices to safely deliver the UV light to plants. In one embodiment, the device is made of a plurality of UV emitting devices imbedded in a face of a stationary bed knife blade. The plurality of UV emitting devices forming an arc of substantially continuous UV coverage. This modified bed-knife can be incorporated into a lawn mower to provide UV radiation, while at the same time cutting the turf.
US08911663B2	Insulated iron-base powder for soft magnetic applications The present invention relates to ferromagnetic powders with an electrically insulating layer on iron particles intended for the manufacture of components having improved soft magnetic properties at low and medium frequencies. The invention comprises an iron powder coated with a dielectric insulating layer comprising boron bearing compounds to form an insulated ferromagnetic powder. The present invention also relates to a method of making these insulated ferromagnetic powders. The present invention further relates to a method of synthesizing a product made from insulated ferromagnetic powders via a post-heat treatment at a moderate temperature (300° C. to 700° C.), to form a glass-like coating which acts as an electrical insulator. A preferred embodiment of the present invention is obtained when small amounts of alkali bearing compounds are added to the precursors to modify the coating chemistry and significantly increase the electrical resistivity after heat treatment.
US08911660B2	Methods and devices for manufacturing biaxially oriented tubing The production of a biaxially oriented tube from thermoplastic material, wherein a tube in preform condition is extruded from thermoplastic material using an extruder having an extruder die head with an inner die member that forms a lumen in the tube in preform condition. The tube in preform condition is subjected to a temperature conditioning. Use is made of a expansion device comprising a non-deformable expansion part having a gradually increasing diameter to a maximum diameter, which expansion part is contacted by the tube and exerts an expanding force so as to bring about expansion of the tempered tube in circumferential direction. The method comprises drawing the tempered tube over the expansion device using a drawing device, in such a manner that said tube is transformed from a tube in preform condition into a biaxially oriented tube with thermoplastic material which is oriented in axial direction and in circumferential direction of the tube.
US08911657B1	Method of molding siding with continuous rail A mold assembly and method for forming a siding panel with an integral continuous rail are disclosed. The mold assembly includes a slide mold member, a lifter mold member, a stationary mold member and a rear mold assembly. The slide mold and lifter mold members include surfaces for forming the rail. Molten plastic is injected into the mold cavity and cooled. The lifter mold member is moved toward the molded siding so as to move the molded siding panel away from the stationary mold member. The slide mold member is moved away from a portion of the lifter mold member and toward the molded siding panel so as to move the molded siding panel away from the lifter mold member and causing the rail to flex as it slides over the convex portion of the lifter mold member.
US08911655B2	Production method and production device of film having fine irregular pattern on surface A method for producing a film having a fine irregular pattern intermittently includes feeding a film to be processed intermittently from upstream side to the vicinity of the surface of a die having a fine irregular pattern, transferring the pattern to the surface of the film by pressing the film against the surface of a die, stripping the processed film on which a pattern is formed from the surface of a die, and then feeding a new film to be processed to the die, wherein the processed film is stripped from the surface of a die by gripping and moving the processed film to the upstream side, and then the processed film is fed by a length of intermittent feed to the surface of a die while preventing the processed film from creasing.
US08911653B2	Method for manufacturing light-emitting device An object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a more convenient highly reliable light-emitting device which can be used for a variety of applications. Another object of one embodiment of the present invention is to manufacture, without complicating the process, a highly reliable light-emitting device having a shape suitable for its intended purpose. In a manufacturing process of a light-emitting device, a light-emitting panel is manufactured which is at least partly curved by processing the shape to be molded after the manufacture of an electrode layer and/or an element layer, and a protective film covering a surface of the light-emitting panel which is at least partly curved is formed, so that a light-emitting device using the light-emitting panel has a more useful function and higher reliability.
US08911651B2	Method for producing a leaf spring as a fiber composite component, and a leaf spring A leaf spring for a motor vehicle is made from a fiber composite component including individual fibers in form of at least two textile layers stacked on top of each other and a matrix made of a duroplastic or thermoplastic resin surrounding the fibers. The resin is hardened in a mold tool by applying pressure and heat. The stacked textile layers are formed inside a mold tool and fixed by a dry binder applied to at least one of the textile layers to form a dry preform. A fiber composite blank is stamped from the preform and subsequently infiltrated with the resin in a RTM cavity and hardened. The binder applied in dry form may only be arranged in certain areas of the textile layers.
US08911650B2	Method of manufacturing a composite element A method of manufacturing a composite element. A stack of plies is assembled on a lay-up table, each ply comprising a plurality of reinforcement elements such as dry-fibers. A first part of the stack of plies is bound to form a partially bound stack of plies, a second part of the stack of plies remaining unbound. The partially bound stack of plies is press-formed in a mold cavity between a pair of mold tools to form a shaped pre-form, plies in the second part of the stack sliding against each other during the press-forming. A liquid matrix material is injected into the shaped pre-form in the mold cavity and subsequently cured.
US08911647B2	Photosensitive resin composition for color filter and color filter using the same Disclosed is a photosensitive resin composition for a color filter including (A) a dye-polymer composite wherein the dye includes a repeating unit derived from a compound represented by the following Chemical Formula 1, wherein in Chemical Formula 1, each substituent is the same as defined in the detailed description; (B) a binder resin; (C) a photopolymerizable monomer; (D) a photopolymerization initiator; and (E) a solvent.
US08911643B2	Polishing liquid and polishing method A polishing liquid which is used for chemical mechanical polishing of a body to be polished in a planarization process for manufacturing of a semiconductor integrated circuit, the body to be polished including at least a first layer containing polysilicon or modified polysilicon and a second layer containing at least one selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, silicon carbonitride, silicon oxycarbide, and silicon oxynitride, the polishing liquid having a pH of 1.5 to 7.0, including (1) colloidal silica particles, (2) an organic acid, and (3) an anionic surfactant, and being capable of selectively polishing the second layer with respect to the first layer.
US08911642B2	Heat conduction composition A heat conduction composition is proposed, comprising at least one polymer and a heat-conducting auxiliary material that has an especially high heat conductivity and at the same time has a high mechanical strength. To this end, the heat-conducting auxiliary material comprises particles that in turn are made up of primary particles and that have a mass-specific surface area of 1.3 m2/g or less. Also described are a heat-conducting surface element manufactured from said heat conduction composition as well as application possibilities thereof.
US08911641B2	Heat transfer compositions A heat transfer composition comprising trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (R-1234ze(E)), carbon dioxide (R-744) and a third component selected from difluoromethane (R-32), 1,1-difluoroethane (R-152a), fluoroethane (R-161), 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R-134a), propylene, propane and mixtures thereof.
US08911640B2	Compositions comprising fluoroolefins and uses thereof The present invention relates to fluoroolefin compositions. The fluoroolefin compositions of the present invention are useful as refrigerants or heat transfer fluids and in processes for producing cooling or heat. Additionally, the fluoroolefin compositions of the present invention may be used to replace currently used refrigerant or heat transfer fluid compositions that have higher global warming potential.
US08911639B2	Polymer electrolytes based on poly(glycidyl ether)s A polymer electrolyte composition including a metal salt and at least one polymer comprising a poly(glycidyl ether), where the at least one polymer is amorphous at ambient temperature. The poly(glycidyl ether) polymer can be a blend of poly(glycidyl ether) polymers, can be a poly(glycidyl ether) polymer blended with a mechanically strong solid polymer, and can be a block of a block copolymer that also includes a polymer block forming a mechanically strong solid polymer.
US08911638B2	Silicon dioxide dispersion comprising polyol Stable, pourable silicon dioxide dispersion, in which the average, number-related aggregate diameter of the silicon dioxide particles in dispersion is less than 200 nm, and which comprises at least 35 wt. % of a silicon dioxide powder, 3 to 35 wt. % of at least one polyol, 20 to 60 wt. % of water, 0 to 10 wt. % of an additive and a substance having an alkaline action in an amount such that a pH of 10
US08911637B2	Plasma-enhanced substrate processing method and apparatus A method for processing a substrate in a capacitively-coupled plasma processing system having a plasma processing chamber and at least an upper electrode and a lower electrode. The substrate is disposed on the lower electrode during plasma processing. The method includes providing at least a first RF signal, which has a first RF frequency, to the lower electrode. The first RF signal couples with a plasma in the plasma processing chamber, thereby inducing an induced RF signal on the upper electrode. The method also includes providing a second RF signal to the upper electrode. The second RF signal also has the first RF frequency. A phase of the second RF signal is offset from a phase of the first RF signal by a value that is less than 10%. The method further includes processing the substrate while the second RF signal is provided to the upper electrode.
US08911627B2	Systems and method for biomass digestion Provided herein are systems and methods for biomass digestion and products formed thereof. The products include one or more biogases, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency classified Class A Biosolids, and pathogen reduced organic liquid fertilizer. Through the digestion of waste materials using sequential phases in an efficient digestion process, enhanced biomass conversion efficiency and improved output of products (in quantity and/or quality) are obtained with a significant reduction in dwell time in each phase.
US08911626B2	Bioretention system with internal high flow bypass The invention provides a bioretention system comprising one or more chambers and a high flow bypass system with top and bottom weirs for water filtration and storm water flow management. The invention also provides methods that are useful for managing storm water flow and inhibiting the flow of pollutants, debris, and other contaminants into drainage systems.
US08911625B2	Spiral wound module including membrane sheet with capillary channels The invention includes a spiral wound module comprising at least one membrane sheet wrapped about a permeate collection tube wherein the membrane sheet (14) comprises a plurality of capillary channels in parallel arrangement with each other and which are in fluid communication with the permeate collection tube (12). Many additional embodiments are disclosed along with methods for making and using the module and corresponding components.
US08911622B1	Oil skimming apparatus An apparatus and method for skimming oil and other liquid hydrocarbons and contaminates floating at the surface of a body of water or other suspending liquid. A rigid skimming surface such as a drum or disc is floatably supported on pontoons. The skimming surface is rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the water surface. The skimming surface is covered with removably attached sorbent material which improves the efficiency of the oil recovery operation and which, when worn or soggy, can be removed and discarded without discarding the skimming surface.
US08911621B2	Filter screen and integrated valve with a filter screen A filter screen for an integrated valve is disclosed, which is inserted into an integral bore of a housing. The filter screen has a retention protrusion, which upon insertion can be put from an assembly position into a retention position.
US08911620B2	Universal spin-on oil filter adapter A spin-on adapter for a remote oil filter to provide additional cooling capability to the engine oil system includes a unitary piece main body having edges, a base attached the main body, a step between the main body and the base, a first orifice and a second orifice extending throughout the main body, the step, and the base, and plurality of cooling fins protruding from the edges of the main body. The plurality of fins are integrated to the unitary piece main body and the adapter is adapted to be secured to a vehicle engine.
US08911619B2	Method and apparatus for removing oil from a body of water Methods and apparatus are disclosed for capturing and removing oil from a body of water with equipment using rod and film technology, which includes a streamlined oil tank that moves in the water and collects surface oil from an attached skimmer, arrays of inverted funnels lowered into the water to concentrate oil for removal, and containment tents to capture leaking fuel or cargo oil from a sunken ship or any underwater oil leak and channel it into a partially submerged rod and film storage tank at the surface.
US08911617B2	Self-sustaining cracking of hydrocarbons The present disclosure provides a simple and efficient method for the self-sustaining radiation cracking of hydrocarbons. The method disclosed provides for the deep destructive processing of hydrocarbon chains utilizing hydrocarbon chain decomposition utilizing self-sustaining radiation cracking of hydrocarbon chains under a wide variety of irradiation conditions and temperature ranges (from room temperature to 400° C.). Several embodiments of such method are disclosed herein, including; (i) a special case of radiation-thermal cracking referred to as high-temperature radiation cracking (HTRC); (ii) low temperature radiation cracking (LTRC); and (iii) cold radiation cracking (CRC). Such methods were not heretofore appreciated in the art. In one embodiment, a petroleum feedstock is subjected to irradiation to initiate and/or at least partially propagate a chain reaction between components of the petroleum feedstock. In one embodiment, the treatment results in hydrocarbon chain decomposition; however, other chemical reactions as described herein may also occur.
US08911616B2	Hydrotreating process and controlling a temperature thereof One exemplary embodiment can be a hydrotreating process. The hydrotreating process can include providing a first feed stream having a coker naphtha with a bromine number of about 10-about 120, combining the first feed stream with a second feed stream having a straight run naphtha with a bromine number of less than about 10 to create a combined feed, providing the combined feed to a hydrotreating reactor having at least one catalyst bed, and separating a quench stream from the second feed stream and providing the quench stream after the at least one catalyst bed.
US08911614B2	Metallophosphate molecular sieves, methods of preparation and use A new family of crystalline microporous metallophosphates designated AlPO-59 has been synthesized. These metallophosphates are represented by the empirical formula R+rMm2+EPxSiyOz where R is an organoammonium cation such as the ETMA+, M is a framework metal alkaline earth or transition metal of valence 2+, and E is a trivalent framework element such as aluminum or gallium. The AlPO-59 compositions are characterized by a new unique ABC-6 net structure and compositions and have catalytic properties for carrying out various hydrocarbon conversion processes, and separation properties for separating at least one component.
US08911611B2	Method of obtaining electrolytic manganese from ferroalloy production waste A process for obtaining electrolytic manganese from the treated sludge of the exhaust gases of ferroalloy production furnaces for any other industrial waste having magnesium in general, with a significant manganese content, by means of a process consisting of the following phases: sulphation, lixiviation, purification, conditioning and electrolysis, and whereby a manganese sulphate liquor is obtained that is suitable for the already known electrolysis process, which allows obtaining electrolytic manganese.
US08911608B1	Flexible circuit formation The present invention provides a circuit creation technology that improves conductive line manufacture by adding active and elemental palladium onto the surface of a substrate. The palladium is disposed in minute amounts on the surface and does not form a conductive layer by itself, but facilitates subsequent deposition of a metal onto the surface, according to the pattern of the palladium, to form the conductive lines.
US08911607B2	Electro-deposition of nano-patterns The present disclosure generally relates to techniques for electro-depositing nano-patterns. More specifically, systems and methods for fabricating periodic structures in complex nano-patterns are described. An electrical signal may be applied to one or more electrodes that are positioned about a surface of a substrate. The periodicity of the deposited pattern may be influenced by one or more parameters associated with an applied electrical signal, including one or more of frequency, amplitude, period, duty cycle, etc. The weight of each deposited line on the substrate may be influenced by the described parameters, and the shape of the pattern may be influenced by the number, shape, and position of electrodes.
US08911599B2	Tool adapter assembly and machining system A machining system is provided and includes a machining tool comprising a spindle, one or more electrodes configured to perform the electromachining, and one or more tool holding elements configure to conductively hold the respective one or more electrodes and be assembled onto the spindle of the machining tool. The machining system further comprises one or more adapters and one or more power sources configured to electrically connect to the respective one or more adapters and the workpiece. The one or more adapters are configured to conductively contact the respective one or more tool holding elements. Further, the machining system comprises one or more machining solution sources provided to pass one or more machining solutions between the workpiece and the respective one or more electrodes. A tool adapter assembly is also presented.
US08911594B2	Paper making machine, an extended nip roll and a method of producing tissue paper The invention relates to an arrangement arranged to introduce a three-dimensional structure in a paper during production of said paper in a paper making machine (1). The arrangement comprises a heat roll (14) arranged to dry a wet paper web and an extended nip roll (12) arranged to form a transfer nip (TN) with said heat roll (14). The extended nip roll (12) is provided with a flexible jacket (17) arranged around the circumferential area of said extended nip roll (12). An external surface of said flexible jacket (17) is provided with a textured portion (15) and when the wet paper web passes the transfer nip between said extended nip roll (12) and said heat roll (14), said textured portion (15) of the external surface of the flexible jacket (17) will impart a three-dimensional texture to the paper web.
US08911592B2	Multi-ply absorbent sheet of cellulosic fibers A multi-ply absorbent sheet of cellulosic fiber includes continuous outer surfaces, and an absorbent core between the outer surfaces. The absorbent core includes a non-woven fiber network comprising a plurality of pileated fiber enriched regions of a relatively high local basis weight interconnected by way of a plurality of lower local basis weight linking regions whose fiber orientation is biased along the direction between pileated fiber enriched regions, interconnected thereby, and a plurality of fiber-deprived cellules between the fiber enriched regions and the linking regions, also being characterized by a local basis weight lower than that of the fiber enriched regions.
US08911590B2	Integrated capacitive and inductive power sources for a plasma etching chamber Broadly speaking, the embodiments of the present invention provide an improved chamber cleaning mechanism. The present invention can also be used to provide additional knobs to tune the etch processes. In one embodiment, a plasma processing chamber configured to generate a plasma includes a bottom electrode assembly with an bottom electrode, wherein the bottom electrode is configured to receive a substrate. The plasma processing chamber includes a top electrode assembly with a top electrode and an inductive coil surrounding the top electrode. The inductive coil is configured to convert a gas into a plasma within a region defined within the chamber, wherein the region is outside an area defined above a top surface of the bottom electrode.
US08911589B2	Edge ring assembly with dielectric spacer ring An edge ring assembly surrounds a substrate support surface in a plasma etching chamber. The edge ring assembly comprises an edge ring and a dielectric spacer ring. The dielectric spacer ring, which surrounds the substrate support surface and which is surrounded by the edge ring in the radial direction, is configured to insulate the edge ring from the baseplate. Incorporation of the edge ring assembly around the substrate support surface can decrease the buildup of polymer at the underside and along the edge of a substrate and increase plasma etching uniformity of the substrate.
US08911588B2	Methods and apparatus for selectively modifying RF current paths in a plasma processing system Methods and apparatus for modifying RF current path lengths are disclosed. Apparatus includes a plasma processing system having an RF power supply and a lower electrode having a conductive portion. There is included an insulative component disposed in an RF current path between the RF power supply and the conductive portion. There are included a plurality of RF path modifiers disposed within the insulative component, the plurality of RF path modifiers being disposed at different angular positions relative to a reference angle drawn from a center of the insulative component, whereby at least a first one of the plurality of RF path modifiers is electrically connected to the conductive portion and at least a second one of the plurality of the plurality of RF path modifiers is not electrically connected to the conductive portion.
US08911587B2	Photoresist double patterning apparatus An apparatus for etching an etch layer formed on a substrate is provided. A first photoresist (PR) mask with first mask features is provided on the etch layer. The apparatus performs a process for providing a protective coating on the first PR mask. The process includes at least one cycle. Each cycle includes (a) a deposition phase for depositing a deposition layer over the surface of the first mask features using a deposition gas, and (b) a profile shaping phase for shaping the profile of the deposition layer using a profile shaping gas. A liquid PR material is applied over the first PR mask having the protective coating. The PR material is patterned into a second mask features, where the first and second mask features form a second PR mask. The etch layer is etched though the second PR mask.
US08911582B2	Method and apparatus for applying a stamp for micro-contact printing to a stamping roll An apparatus to facilitate the application of a micro-contact printing stamp to a roll. The apparatus preferentially constrains some of the stamp's six degrees of freedom, and then drives the stamp (or the assembly of the stamp and the master against which it was formed) into controlled contact with the printing roll so as to attach the stamp onto the outer surface of the roll.
US08911578B2	Supply group of a packing band from reels, with an automatic change of the reel, for object-packing machines A supply group of a packing band from reels, with an automatic change of the reel for an object-packing machine, includes a supply conveyor along which the packing band runs, a device for transversally cutting the band located at a start of the supply conveyor, a device for supporting one reel of the band of slim packing material and a device for supporting a second reel of band of slim packing material. The group includes a first entry conveyor of the first band from the first reel to the supply conveyor, a second entrance conveyor of the second band from the second reel to the supply conveyor, a device for advancing for introducing or extracting the front end of the first band to or from the supply conveyor, and a device for advancing for introducing or extracting a front end of the second band into or from the supply conveyor.
US08911576B2	Method for producing fluororesin-coated roller or belt A fluororesin coating layer fusion-bonded directly to a base member or to a rubber layer on a base member can be formed by conducting heating for a significantly short time. A fluororesin-coated roller or belt that has a fluororesin coating layer with few defects and a rubber layer underneath whose thermal deterioration is suppressed is provided. The production method therefor include a step of inserting a base member or a rubber-coated base member including a base member and at least a rubber layer on the outer peripheral surface of the base member into an empty space of a thermally shrinkable fluororesin tube; a preliminary shrinking step conducted according to need; a pressure fusion-bonding step of bringing the base member or rubber-coated base member into contact with a hot plate surface heated to a temperature in a range of 250° C. to 400° C. under pressure while rotating the base member or rubber-coated base member so as to fusion-bond the thermally shrinkable fluororesin tube onto the outer peripheral surface of the base member or the rubber-coated base member; and a reheating step and a rapid cooling step that are conducted according to need.
US08911574B2	Method for manufacturing high-Si cold rolled steel sheet having excellent chemical conversion properties A method for manufacturing high-Si cold rolled steel sheets includes heating a cold rolled steel sheet with a direct flame burner (A) having an air ratio of not more than 0.89 when the temperature of the cold rolled steel sheet that is being increased is in the temperature range of not less than 300° C. and less than Ta° C., subsequently heating the cold rolled steel sheet with a direct flame burner (B) having an air ratio of not less than 0.95 when the temperature of the cold rolled steel sheet is in the temperature range of not less than Ta° C. and less than Tb° C., and subsequently soak-annealing the cold rolled steel sheet in a furnace having an atmospheric gas composition which has a dew point of not more than −25° C. and contains 1 to 10 volume % of H2 and the balance of N2.
US08911569B2	Sputtering target and method for producing same [Problems to be Solved]To provide a sputtering target that is capable of forming a Cu—Ga film to which Na is favorably added by a sputtering method, and a method for producing the same.[Means to Solve the Problems]The sputtering target is provided wherein 20 to 40 at % of Ga, 0.05 to 2 at % of Na, and 0.025 to 1.0 at % of S are contained and a remaining portion has a component composition consisting of Cu and unavoidable impurities. Also, a method for producing the sputtering target includes the step of hot pressing a mixed powder of Na2S powder and Cu—Ga alloy powder or a mixed powder of Na2S powder, Cu—Ga alloy powder, and pure Cu powder in a vacuum atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere or sintering a mixed powder of Na2S powder and Cu—Ga alloy powder or a mixed powder of Na2S powder, Cu—Ga alloy powder, and pure Cu powder by hot isostatic pressing.
US08911567B2	High-strength steel sheet having excellent processability and paint bake hardenability, and method for producing of high-strength steel sheet The high-strength steel sheet includes, by mass %: C: 0.01% to 0.10%; Si: 0.15% or less; Mn: 0.80% to 1.80%; P: 0.10% or less; S: 0.015% or less; Al: 0.10% to 0.80%; Cr: 0.01% to 1.50%; N: 0.0100% or less; and a balance consisting of iron and inevitable impurities, in which a metallic structure is composed of ferrite and a hard second phase, the area fraction of the ferrite is 80% or more, the area fraction of the hard second phase is 1% to 20%, the fraction of unrecrystallized ferrite in the ferrite is less than 10%, the ferrite grain sizes are 5 μm to 20 μm, and the fraction of the ferrite crystal grains having an aspect ratio of 1.2 or less in the entire ferrite crystal grains is 60% or more.
US08911565B2	Fe-based metal plate and method of manufacturing the same On at least one surface of a base metal plate (1) of an α-γ transforming Fe or Fe alloy, a metal layer (2) containing ferrite former is formed. Next, the base metal plate (1) and the metal layer (2) are heated to an A3 point of the Fe or the Fe alloy, whereby the ferrite former are diffused into the base metal plate (1) to form an alloy region (1b) in a ferrite phase in which an accumulation degree of {200} planes is 25% or more and an accumulation degree of {222} planes is 40% or less. Next, the base metal plate (1) is heated to a temperature higher than the A3 point of the Fe or the Fe alloy, whereby the accumulation degree of the {200} planes is increased and the accumulation degree of the {222} planes is decreased while the alloy region (11b) is maintained in the ferrite phase.
US08911563B2	Dish washer A dishwasher includes a movable door, an opening mechanism and an opening actuator configured to move the door from a closed position to an at least partially open position. A decorative panel is resiliently attached to the door. A sensor is configured to detect movement of the decorative panel relative to the door. A controller is configured to activate the opening actuator based on movement detected by the sensor.
US08911561B2	Device and method for removing liquid from a surface of a disc-like article A method for removing liquid from a surface of a disc includes, rotating the disc article about an axis perpendicular to the disc's main surface, supplying liquid from a supply port, moved across the substrate towards the edge of the disc, onto the rotated disc, supplying a first gas flow through a first gas supply port onto the disc article to an area whose center has a distance to the center of rotational movement of not more than 20 mm, the area being covered with a liquid layer thereby opening the liquid layer at a discrete area, and supplying a second gas flow through a second gas supply port moved across the substrate towards the edge of the substrate onto the rotated disc wherein the distance of the second gas supply port to the center is lower than the distance of the liquid supply port to the center.
US08911557B2	Method and apparatus for conveying a cellulosic feedstock A method and apparatus for preparing a cellulosic feedstock are disclosed. Embodiments of the method comprise passing the cellulosic feedstock through an optional impregnation chamber to an outlet of the impregnation chamber, passing the cellulosic feedstock from the outlet of the impregnation chamber to a holding tank having an inlet and an outlet, and conveying the cellulosic feedstock downwardly and laterally as it travels through the holding tank. Embodiments of the apparatus comprise at least one sidewall defining a passage. The passage has an upper portion and a lower portion, and the lower portion has a greater cross-sectional area than the upper portion. At least one inlet is provided adjacent the upper portion, and at least one outlet is provided adjacent the lower portion, at an elevation below the inlet.
US08911554B2	System for batch processing of magnetic media A method and apparatus for processing multiple substrates simultaneously is provided. Each substrate may have two major active surfaces to be processed. The apparatus has a substrate handling module and a substrate processing module. The substrate handling module has a loader assembly, a flipper assembly, and a factory interface. Substrates are disposed on a substrate carrier at the loader assembly. The flipper assembly is used to flip all the substrates on a substrate carrier in the event two-sided processing is required. The factory interface positions substrate carriers holding substrates for entry into and exit from the substrate processing module. The substrate processing module comprises a load-lock, a transfer chamber, and a plurality of processing chambers, each configured to process multiple substrates disposed on a substrate carrier.
US08911553B2	Quartz showerhead for nanocure UV chamber Embodiments of the invention generally provide apparatuses and methods for controlling the gas flow profile within a processing chamber. In one embodiment, a processing tool includes an ultraviolet processing chamber defining a processing region, a substrate support, a window disposed between a UV radiation source and the substrate support, and a transparent showerhead disposed within the processing region between the window and the substrate support and having one or more transparent showerhead passages between upper and lower processing regions. The processing tool also includes a gas distribution ring having one or more gas distribution ring passages between a gas distribution ring inner channel and the upper processing region and a gas outlet ring positioned below the gas distribution ring, the gas outlet ring having one or more gas outlet passages between a gas outlet ring inner channel within the gas outlet ring and the lower processing region.
US08911552B2	Use of acoustic waves for purging filters in semiconductor manufacturing equipment An apparatus and method for qualifying a filter used to filter fluid used in a coating operation associated with photolithography or other semiconductor manufacturing processes, provides a semiconductor manufacturing tool that includes a filter and an acoustic wave generator. The filter may be housed inside a filter housing and the acoustic wave generator may produce ultrasonic, megasonic or other acoustic energy. The acoustic wave generator contacts or is in close proximity with the filter housing and provides acoustic wave energy to the filter through the housing. The acoustic wave energy causes any bubbles in the filter to become disengaged.
US08911549B2	Healing agent for self-healing cementious material The invention provides a process for the production of a cementious material. The process comprises mixing cement starting materials and a particulate healing agent to provide the cementious material. The healing agent comprises coated particles, wherein the coated particles comprise bacterial material and additive. The bacterial material is selected from the group consisting of a bacterium, a lyophilized bacterium and a bacterial spore of a bacterium. The present invention solves these problems, as (substantially leakage-proof) tablets containing the actual healing agent may neither interfere with either the workability of the liquid mixture (“cementious material”) nor negatively affect properties of either mixture or final material (hardened concrete), even when applied in large quantities. During crack formation in cementious based constructions, the particles also crack, and healing agent is released.
US08911545B2	Method for producing pigment nanoparticles by forced ultrathin film rotary reaction method, pigment nanoparticles, and inkjet ink using the same A forced ultrathin film rotary reaction method is used to maintain a minute space of 1 mm or less between two processing surfaces capable of approaching to and separating from each other and being rotating relative to each other, and the minute space is maintained between the two processing surfaces to serve as a flow path of a fluid to be processed thereby forming a forced thin film of the processed fluid and separating the pigment material in the forced thin film.
US08911543B2	Phenylcyclohexanol derivatives as wax modifiers and gelators A compound of the formula wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, and R10 are each independently selected from a member of the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, alkylaryl, straight-chain hydrocarbon, branched-chain hydrocarbon, halogen, and mixtures thereof; wherein X1, X2, X3, X4, and X5 are each independently selected from a member of the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, alkylaryl, alkoxyl, aryloxy, straight-chain hydrocarbon, branched-chain hydrocarbon, halogen, and mixtures thereof; and wherein the compound can optionally be a mixture of cis and trans isomers wherein only one of R1 to R10 is a non-hydrogen group.
US08911540B2	Gas separation membrane A method of fabricating a gas separation membrane includes providing a coextruded multilayer film that includes a first polymer layer formed of a first polymer material and a second polymer layer formed of a second polymer material, the first polymer material having a first gas permeability. The coextruded multilayer film is axially oriented such that the second polymer layer has a second gas permeability that is greater than the first gas permeability.
US08911539B2	Process for the separation of carbon dioxide from flue gas A process and system for separating CO2 from a flue gas stream is disclosed. The process involves (a) contacting a flue gas stream containing water vapor and CO2 with an ionic absorbent under absorption conditions to absorb at least a portion of the CO2 from the flue gas stream and form a CO2-absorbent complex; wherein the ionic absorbent comprises a cation and an anion comprising an amine moiety; and (b) recovering a gaseous product having a reduced CO2 content.
US08911538B2	Method and system for treating an effluent stream generated by a carbon capture system A system for treating an effluent stream including a carbon capture system utilizing an amine-containing solution to remove carbon dioxide from a flue gas stream, the carbon capture system generating an effluent stream comprising degradation products generated by the amine-containing solution; storage means for storing at least a portion of the effluent stream, the storage means being fluidly coupled to the carbon capture system. The system also including at least one nozzle connected to a combustion zone of a boiler, the at least one nozzle being fluidly coupled to the storage means for providing at least a portion of the effluent stream present in the storage means to the combustion zone of the boiler through the at least one nozzle, wherein the effluent stream provided to the combustion zone is co-incinerated with a fuel in the combustion zone.
US08911537B2	Adsorbent of volatile organic compounds and adsorption method using thereof The present invention relates to an adsorbent of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) comprising a novel mesoporous polymer, that shows improved adsorption property, and adsorption method of VOCs using thereof.The adsorbent comprises an acrylamide-based polymer.
US08911534B2	Polyimide-based carbon molecular sieve membrane for ethylene/ethane separations Carbon molecular sieve membranes having desirable selectivity for ethylene/ethane separations are prepared from a 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenonetetracarboxylic acid dianhydride 5(6)-amino-1-(4′-aminophenyl)-1,3,3-trimethylindane 4,4-bismaleimidodiphenyl-methane (BTDA-DAPI) precursor solution that is then formed into films or hollow fibers which are pyrolyzed under vacuum or an inert atmosphere to form carbon molecular sieve membranes. Pyrolysis condition variables, including ramp rate, thermal soak time and temperature, are used to optimize the membrane's separation performance.
US08911530B2	Manufacturing method of magnetic alloy powder In a manufacturing method of magnetic alloy powder including an alloy of Fe and Ni, a precursor made of powdered chloride expressed as FeCl2·2H2O·NiCl2·2H2O is prepared, and the precursor is reduced by heating with calcium hydride to form the, magnetic alloy powder having a coercivity of greater than or equal to 40 kA/m.
US08911529B2	Low cost processing to produce spherical titanium and titanium alloy powder Low cost spherical titanium and titanium powder alloy powder is produced by impinging a stream of an inert gas, such as argon, on the surface of a molten pool of titanium or sponge and alloying elements.
US08911528B2	Methods of making molybdenum titanium sputtering plates and targets Molybdenum titanium sputter targets are provided. In one aspect, the targets are substantially free of the β(Ti, Mo) alloy phase. In another aspect, the targets are substantially comprised of single phase β(Ti, Mo) alloy. In both aspects, particulate emission during sputtering is reduced. Methods of preparing the targets, methods of bonding targets together to produce large area sputter targets, and films produced by the targets, are also provided.
US08911527B2	Homogenization of martensitic stainless steel after remelting under a layer of slag A method of fabricating a stainless martensitic steel includes a step of electroslag remelting of an ingot of the steel then a step of cooling the ingot. Before the skin temperature of the ingot falls below the martensitic transformation temperature Ms of the steel, the ingot from electroslag remelting is placed in a furnace with an initial temperature T0 that is then higher than the pearlitic transformation completion temperature on cooling, Ar1, of the steel, the ingot undergoing a homogenization treatment in the furnace for at least a holding time t after which the temperature of the coldest point of the ingot has reached a homogenization temperature T, the holding time t being equal to at least one hour, with the homogenization temperature T being in the range approximately 900° C. to the burning temperature of the steel.
US08911522B2	Methods of forming inserts and earth-boring tools Methods of forming inserts for earth-boring tools include providing a material in a pattern adjacent a strip, arranging a plurality of superabrasive particles proximate the pattern, and securing at least some of the plurality of superabrasive particles to the strip. The material is configured to attract or secure the plurality of superabrasive particles. Some methods may include imparting like charges to each of a plurality of superabrasive particles, placing the plurality of superabrasive particles over a strip, and securing the superabrasive particles to the strip. In some methods, a first plurality of superabrasive particles may be placed in an array between a first strip and a second strip. A second plurality of superabrasive particles may be placed in an array between the second strip and a third strip. Methods of forming earth-boring rotary drill bits include forming an insert and securing the insert to a body of the bit.
US08911519B2	Method and apparatus for hydrogen production and carbon dioxide recovery There are provided methods and apparatus allowing effective production of high purity hydrogen and recovery of carbon dioxide. There is disclosed a method of hydrogen production and carbon dioxide recovery for producing hydrogen and recovering carbon dioxide from a carbon-containing fuel, the method including a membrane separation reforming step of, with the use of a reformer provided with a hydrogen-permeable membrane, reforming the carbon-containing fuel and simultaneously separating hydrogen to obtain a hydrogen-permeable membrane permeated gas which is a gas having permeated the hydrogen-permeable membrane and a reformer off-gas which is a gas not having permeated the hydrogen-permeable membrane, and the method further comprising: with the use of a hydrogen separation membrane and a carbon dioxide separation membrane, treating the reformer off-gas to obtain a hydrogen-enriched gas and a carbon dioxide-enriched gas; or subjecting the reformer off-gas to a shift reaction and then separating the resulting gas into a carbon dioxide-enriched gas and a gas enriched in components other than carbon dioxide. Also disclosed is an apparatus for carrying out the method.
US08911516B2	Quaternized copolymer A quaternized copolymer obtainable by: (A) copolymerization of straight-chain, branched or cyclic, ethylenically unsaturated C2 to C100 hydrocarbons, which may bear oxygen- or nitrogen-functional substituents which cannot be reacted with amines to give amides or imides or with alcohols to give esters, with ethylenically unsaturated C3- to C12-mono- or dicarboxylic acids or acid derivatives, which can be reacted with amines to give amides or imides or with alcohols to give esters, to give a copolymer with a number-average molecular weight of 500 to 20 000; (B) partial or full amidation or imidation or esterification of the carboxylic acid functions by reacting them with oligoamines having 2 to 6 nitrogen atoms or alcoholamines, each of which comprises primary or secondary nitrogen atom or a hydroxyl group and a quaternizable tertiary nitrogen atom; (C) partial or full quaternization of the tertiary nitrogen atom with a quaternizing agent. The quaternized copolymer thus prepared is suitable as a fuel additive in direct-injection diesel engines.
US08911513B2	Brown grease separator A system and method are disclosed for processing grease trap waste to produce brown grease oil. Heat to promote waste grease stratification is provided by combustion of brown grease itself. A portion of the brown grease, which would normally be transported to an end user, is retained in a separate holding vessel at the grease processing site. The brown grease within the holding vessel is thermally conditioned to adjust viscosity so that it may be drawn through one or more pumps to increase pressure for atomization in a boiler. The heat of the brown grease combustion is applied to grease trap waste in the containment vessel by heating tubes immersed in the grease trap waste in which a heat transfer medium circulates and gives up its heat to the grease trap waste to thereby promote stratification of the grease trap waste and production of the brown grease oil.
US08911511B2	System for desalting fuel oil using a steam jet pump A method and system for desalting a fuel having a salt therein is disclosed. A jet of superheated steam is provided at a selected pressure and fuel is drawn into the jet of superheated steam to form a mixture of the fuel and the superheated steam. The mixture is injected into a centrifuge to desalt the fuel.
US08911507B1	Systems and methods for mitigating mobile device loss A computer-implemented method for mitigating mobile device loss may include (1) identifying historical data specifying a plurality of past locations of a mobile computing device, (2) identifying a current location of the mobile computing device, (3) determining that the current location deviates from an expected location based on the historical data, and (4) performing a security measure on the mobile computing device in response to determining that the current location deviates from the expected location. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08911503B2	Hip joint device, system and method A medical device, system, and method for treating hip joint osteoarthritis by providing a hip joint surface is provided. The hip joint comprising an acetabulum, being a part of the pelvic bone, comprising an acetabulum surface, and a caput femur, being a part of the femoral bone, comprising a caput femur surface. The medical device comprises a first sealing member adapted to be placed in the hip joint for creating a hollow space together with; the acetabulum, or an artificial replacement therefor, and the caput femur, or an artificial replacement therefor. The first sealing member is further adapted to have a shape adapted to seal the hollow space for receiving, within the hollow space, a material for resurfacing at least one of the acetabulum surface and the caput femur surface.
US08911502B2	Implant for restoring normal range flexion and kinematics of the knee Embodiments of the invention provide knee prostheses which more faithfully and closely replicate the function, anatomy and physiology of the normal human knee yielding a number of advantages. Among other things, such prostheses can provide an increased range of motion and function more normally particularly in extension, deep flexion and during normal gait. Knee prostheses according to various aspects of the invention recognize that during movement of the knee, particularly during flexion, the kinematics of the bones of the knee are a result of achieving equilibrium of the forces that cause motion of the knee. In addition, the shape of the articular surfaces acting in combination with forces imposed by various muscles, ligaments and tendons, determines the direction of the large contact forces.
US08911499B2	Haptic guidance method A surgical planning method is provided. A representation of a bone of a joint is created. The joint is moved to a first position. A first point corresponding to a first location in the joint is identified when the joint is in the first position. The joint is moved to a second position. A second point corresponding to a second location in the joint is identified, when the joint is in the second position. Bone preparation for implanting an implant on the bone is planned based at least in part on the first and second points.
US08911490B2	Integrated mesh high metal to vessel ratio stent and method A method includes covering ostai of branch vessels emanating from a main vessel and an aneurysm with an integrated mesh high metal to vessel ratio stent. The integrated mesh high metal to vessel ratio stent includes serpentine rings integrated with an integrated mesh having holes formed therein. A metal to vessel ratio of the integrated mesh high metal to vessel ratio stent is sufficiently high to encourage tissue ingrowth around the integrated mesh high metal to vessel ratio stent yet is sufficiently low to ensure perfusion of the branch vessels through the integrated mesh high metal to vessel ratio stent.
US08911489B2	Vascular implant A medical implant (20) includes first and second ring members (22, 24), each including a resilient framework (26) having a generally cylindrical form. A tubular sleeve (28) is fixed to the first and second ring members so as to hold the ring members in mutual longitudinal alignment, thereby defining a lumen (32) passing through the ring members. A constricting element (30) is fit around the sleeve at a location intermediate the first and second ring members so as to reduce a diameter of the lumen at the location.
US08911488B2	Thoracic introducer A stent graft delivery device (30) has a pull wire arrangement with a pull wire (46) fastened to the distal end of a nose cone dilator (45) and extending to a wire pull mechanism (60) for the pull wire associated with a handle (52) of the stent graft delivery device. The pull wire can be pulled by the wire pull mechanism to induce a curve in a guide wire catheter (44) distally of the nose cone dilator such that the proximal end of the delivery device more closely fits the shape of a portion of the vasculature of a patient into which the device is deployed.
US08911483B2	Compliant cervical screw locking mechanism According to one exemplary embodiment, an expandable ring is provided including a continuous ring member having no splits or breaks. According to one exemplary embodiment, the expandable ring is a compliant mechanism configured to expand and contract due to a relative movement of related sections of the continuous ring member.
US08911479B2	Multi-start closures for open implants An open implant closure structure includes a helically wound guide and advancement structure having at least two helically wound forms thereon providing a multi-start closing mechanism for use between spaced arms of a cooperating open medical implant having mating helically wound structure thereon. Illustrated structures include interlocking flange forms, v-threads, square threads, reverse angle threads and buttress threads and receivers with break-off extensions and cooperating tooling.
US08911478B2	Splay control closure for open bone anchor Open implant closure structures include a helically wound guide and advancement flange form having splay control surfaces. Multi-start closures and closures with inner set screws have splay control contours for interlocking with cooperating flange forms of bone anchor receivers. Flange form heights, thicknesses and other geometry, such as splay control ramp angle may be varied.
US08911476B2	Bone plates, screws, and instruments Systems for trauma and/or joint fusion implants and instruments include transarticular screw and intra-articular washer, polyaxial screw and plate, single- and multi-level polyaxial bone clamps, and minimally invasive adaptations.
US08911469B2	Methods and apparatus for optimal remote ischemic preconditioning (ORIP) for preventing ischemia-reperfusion injuries to organs Ischemia-reperfusion injury commonly results from any surgical procedure requiring stopping of blood supply to an organ followed by reperfusion such as in heart bypass, angioplasty or organ transplant. The invention discloses a method to harness the innate power of repetitive transient ischemia in protecting organs against imminent ischemia-reperfusion, or any patho-physiological insults. This method of optimal remote ischemic preconditioning (ORIP) comprises of utilizing a pair of programmable pneumatic cuffs that inflate/deflate alternately occluding blood circulation to each of the limbs for pre-defined time intervals. The apparatus delivers maximal ORIP dose in shortest possible time either as an EMS procedure during patient transportation to hospital, as elective pre-surgery treatment, or in critical care for preventing multiple-organ-dysfunction-syndrome. ORIP can be self-administered and remotely monitored by clinician especially in chronic patients for homeostasis of malfunctioning target organs. ORIP may also be deployed as adjunct in angioplasty, gene/stem cell heart repair therapies.
US08911468B2	Devices, therapeutic compositions and corresponding percutaneous treatment methods for aortic dissection The methods and devices disclosed herein pertain to the percutaneous treatment of various forms of aortic dissection by at least partially filling the false lumen of the aortic dissection with a stabilization agent percutaneously and steps to decrease the size of the false lumen using the devices. Fluid maybe aspirated from the false lumen to decrease the volume of the false lumen. And the entrance opening between the true lumen and the false lumen may be sealed with a sealing agent such as a biocompatible adhesive. The medical devices disclosed herein generally comprise an extendable sealing element that is used in conjunction with a catheter to expand the true lumen while reducing the size of the false lumen. The device has the ability to aspirate and/or deliver fluid containing the stabilization agent into the false lumen.
US08911467B2	Methods and systems for performing submucosal medical procedures Instruments, systems and methods are provided for performing submucosal medical procedures in a desired area of the digestive tract using endoscopy. Instruments include a safe access needle injection instrument, a submucosal tunneling instrument, a submucosal dissection instrument, a mucosal resection device. Systems include a combination of one or more of such instruments with or without injectable agents. Embodiments of various methods for performing the procedures are also provided.
US08911463B2	Bladed/bladeless obturator for use in a surgical trocar assembly An obturator assembly is provided and generally includes an obturator housing and a support tube extending distally from the obturator housing. A shield nose is affixed to a distal end of the support tube. The shield nose defines a truncated cavity and having a concave center portion. An obturator member is movably mounted relative to the support tube. A cutting blade is provided having at least one cutting edge and is affixed to a distal end of the obturator member. The cutting blade is movable within the truncated cavity. The shield nose has at least one slot formed through the concave center portion and in communication with the truncated cavity for allowing passage of the at least one cutting edge therethrough.
US08911460B2	Ultrasonic surgical instruments A surgical instrument includes a transducer configured to produce vibrations at a predetermined frequency. The transducer is configured to produce vibrations along a longitudinal axis at a predetermined frequency. An ultrasonic blade extends along the longitudinal axis and is coupled to the transducer. The ultrasonic blade includes a body having a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end is movable relative to the longitudinal axis by the vibrations produced by the transducer. The body includes a treatment region that extends from the proximal end to the distal end. The body includes a substantially flat broad top surface, a bottom surface, and a neck portion protruding from the proximal end adapted to couple to the transducer.
US08911455B2	Delivery system for vascular implant A medical treatment system and method of treatment is described having an implant that can be positioned and deployed, then undeployed to allow repositioning of the implant. The system includes a self-expanding medical implant that longitudinally foreshortens upon radially expanding from a radially compacted state, a distal interface configured to attach the implant to a distal mount of a delivery device, and a proximal interface configured to attach the implant to a proximal mount of the delivery device. Moving the distal mount longitudinally away from the proximal mount applies a longitudinal tension to the implant causing the implant to expand longitudinally and contract radially, and moving the distal mount toward the proximal mount reduces a longitudinal tension in the implant allowing the implant to expand radially toward a fully expanded state.
US08911453B2	Methods and systems for directing movement of a tool in hair transplantation procedures Methods and systems are provided useful in various procedures, including hair harvesting and implantation, and further including computer-implemented and/or robotic hair transplantation. Methodologies are provided which enable a tool, such as a hair harvesting or a hair implantation tool, to proceed at least under a partial computer control in a selected direction of travel along a donor or recipient area of the patient, as well as changing direction of travel based on desired harvesting and/or implantation criteria.
US08911449B2	Atraumatic medical device A medical device, and related method, for manipulating material, such as calculi, within a patient's body includes a handle, a sheath, a retrieval basket, and a retainer coupled to the distal end of the retrieval basket. The retrieval basket includes a plurality of legs, each of which includes an intermediate portion located at the distal end of the retrieval basket. The retainer secures at least the intermediate portion of one of the plurality of legs to the intermediate portion of another of the plurality of legs.
US08911447B2	Systems and methods for joint replacement Systems and methods for joint replacement are provided. The systems and methods include a surgical orientation device and at least one orthopedic fixture. The surgical orientation device and orthopedic fixtures can be used to locate the orientation of an axis in the body, to adjust an orientation of a cutting plane or planes along a bony surface, to distract a joint, or to otherwise assist in an orthopedic procedure or procedures.
US08911435B2	Recanalizing occluded vessels using radiofrequency energy A method and systems for treating chronic total occlusions (CTOs), particularly those that are difficult to treat. CTO recanalization is achieved using radiofrequency ablation directed at the occlusion between antegrade and retrograde guidewires placed on either side of the occlusion.
US08911432B2	Apparatus for medical treatment of tissue by means of laser light An apparatus for medical treatment by means of laser light includes an optical conducting fiber which has a curved light emission end and includes a core, a cladding arranged above the core for conducting laser light coupled into the optical conducting fiber, and capillaries arranged in the cladding, wherein the capillaries run in a longitudinal direction of the optical conducting fiber at a radial distance from a longitudinal axis of the optical conducting fiber and form a capillary ring when viewed in cross-section, wherein the capillaries have cavities which are separated by bridges which have a width which is smaller than a wavelength of the laser light, wherein the laser light emerges from a forward surface of the light emission end and is transmitted in a direction which runs transverse to a substantially straight longitudinal section located directly in front of a curvature which defines the curved light emission end.
US08911431B2	Ophthalmological laser system and operating method A polarization beam splitter selectively decouples detection light onto a detector such that it has a polarization direction that differs from the emitted illumination light. This enables the detection of the light scattered back in the eye lens at a high level of accuracy, since stray light from reflections at optical components of the light path is suppressed. In the generating of photo disruptions or other incisions, the ray exposure of the retina may be reduced in that the incisions being furthest away from the laser are induced first such that laminar gas inclusions with an existence duration time of at least 5 seconds result. In this manner the laser radiation propagated in the direction of the retina in further incisions are scattered and partially reflected such that the influence impinging upon the retina is reduced.
US08911430B2	Medical probes for the treatment of blood vessels Devices and methods for thermally-mediated treatment of blood vessels to elicit an immune response to cause rapid endothelial growth over at least portions of an implant or stent to prevent adverse events such as restenosis. Devices and methods for thermally-mediated treatment to inhibit contraction of vessels to elicit an immune response to cause rapid endothelial growth over at least portions of a stent to prevent adverse events such as restenosis.
US08911428B2	Apparatus for pitch and yaw rotation The present invention is directed to a tool having a wrist mechanism that provides pitch and yaw rotation in such a way that the tool has no singularity in roll, pitch, and yaw. A positively positionable multi-disk wrist mechanism includes a plurality of disks or vertebrae stacked in series. Each vertebra is configured to rotate in pitch or in yaw with respect to each neighboring vertebra. Actuation cables are used to manipulate and control movement of the vertebrae. In specific embodiments, some of the cables are distal cables that extend from a proximal vertebra through one or more intermediate vertebrae to a distal vertebra, while the remaining cables are medial cables that extend from the proximal vertebra to one or more of the intermediate vertebrae. The cables are actuated by a pivoted plate cable actuator mechanism.
US08911424B2	Methods and devices for preventing catheter related urinary tract infections Methods and devices for preventing urinary tract infections in catheterized patients are disclosed. The device may be a cylindrically shaped antimicrobial hydrogel having a central opening and a slit along its length so that it can be applied directly over a previously inserted urinary catheter. An optional locking mechanism disposed about the slit can be used to secure the antimicrobial device to a catheter shaft. The antimicrobial device has features that conform to tissues near both male and female urethral openings. The inner surface of the device is adapted to provide for releasable engagement with the shaft of the urinary catheter. In one embodiment, the device may be placed on a urinary catheter prior to inserting the catheter in a patient. Locking fittings to secure the antimicrobial device against the urethral opening may also be used. Antimicrobial agents can be incorporated within the hydrogel or coated onto its surface.
US08911423B2	Systems and methods for glycemic control during pump disconnection Techniques and devices are described for allowing a diabetes patient to safely disconnect an insulin infusion system device for a time period. In one aspect, the techniques and devices can be implemented by receiving a maximum glucose amount, a minimum glucose amount, and a contemplated disconnection time; receiving a current glucose amount of the user; determining an expected increase in glucose of the user based on the contemplated disconnection time, an insulin sensitivity of the user and a contemplated basal insulin dose; validating the contemplated disconnection time based on at least one of the expected increase in glucose, the maximum glucose amount, and the minimum glucose amount; and, administering a therapeutic action to the user based on the validation of the contemplated disconnection time.
US08911422B2	Micro-needle device An object of the present invention is to efficiently inject a drug (physiologically active substance). Therefore, a micro-needle device 1 comprises a base plate 2 and a micro-needle 3 installed on the base plate 2. A coating agent containing the physiologically active substance is coated at least at a part of the micro-needle 3, and a coating range thereof is 100 to 230 μm including the top of the micro-needle 3. A load due to the energy of 0.2 to 0.7 J/cm2 is applied to the micro-needle device 1 which is in contact with the skin.
US08911415B2	Ureteral access sheath In one embodiment, an access sheath includes a sheath assembly including sheath tubing, the sheath tubing having a main lumen and a secondary lumen that extends along the length of the main lumen, the main lumen being large enough to receive an endoscope.
US08911413B2	Hemostatic valve with multi-layer valve structure A hemostatic valve device for use in inserting an interventional device into a body lumen of patient is provided. The valve device includes a housing that defines a cavity between first and second end openings. A valve structure is disposed within the cavity, and defines a variable diameter channel for receiving the interventional device. The valve structure can include discrete layers of material, such as a sealing layer and a contractible layer such as a biaxial braided layer. The end of the valve structure is movable relative to the fixed end so that the longitudinal passageway of the valve structure varies in diameter and axial length to form a seal against an interventional device inserted within the passageway. An operable element is coupled to the movable end and is actuated by the end user to open and close the valve structure.
US08911412B2	Interlock mechanism for a drug delivery device and drug delivery device The invention refers to an interlock mechanism for restricting a rotational movement of a rotatable component (1) of a drug delivery device (10) and to a method for controlling the rotational movement of the rotatable component (1). The method comprises the steps of: translatively moving a trigger arm (6) engaged with a protrusion (7) of a latch arm (5) from an initial position for pivoting the latch arm (5) out of one of at least one catches (3) provided in a cam profile of the rotatable component (1) thus allowing the rotatable component (1), biased by an energy source, to rotate; pivoting the trigger arm (5) by one of at least one cams (4) provided in the cam profile during the rotation (R) of the rotatable component (1) whereby the trigger arm (6) is disengaged from the protrusion (7) thus allowing the latch arm (5) to re-engage with one of the catches (3) to stop the rotational movement (R) and whereby an interlock means (8) catches and holds the trigger arm (6) in its translatively moved and pivoted position until the interlock means (8) is released by a reset means; translatively moving the trigger arm (6) back into the initial position once the interlock means (8) is released thereby allowing it to pivot back and re-engage with the protrusion (7).
US08911411B2	Injection device An injection device with a travelling clutch which can be shifted between two different positions by the activation of an injection button. In the first position, the injection button and the driver is allowed to rotate relatively to the piston rod, which is blocked from rotation by the clicker element. In the second position, the drive sleeve and the injection button is axially movable while the piston rod is allowed to rotate.
US08911402B2	Drug delivery device A drug delivery device comprising: a device body, an operating member which is configured to be movable relative to the device body for operating the drug delivery device, a preventing member which prevents movement of the operating member relative to the device body for operating the drug delivery device, wherein the preventing member is removable to allow movement of the operating member relative to the device body for operating the drug delivery device.
US08911401B2	Safety device for a pre-filled syringe and injection device According to the invention, an injection device (D) comprises a pre-filled syringe and a safety device. The pre-filled syringe comprises a barrel with an inner cavity in fluid communication with a hypodermic needle attached to a distal end of the pre-filled syringe and a piston fluid-tightly sealing a proximal end of the inner cavity. The safety device comprises a support body for retaining the pre-filled syringe therein, an outer body operably connected to the piston, a needle shield and a releasable retaining means (R). The retaining means comprises a radial projection and a longitudinal recess adapted to receive the radial projection. The radial projection is connected to or integral part of one of the support body or the outer body and a longitudinal recess formed into the other of the support body or the outer body. The needle shield, the support body and the outer body are telescopable relative to each other. The piston is movable in a distal direction to expel a medicament contained in the inner cavity through the hypodermic needle by a manual actuation of the outer body. A telescoping movement of the outer body with respect to the support body is restricted by the retaining means (R) when the needle shield is moved with respect to the support body in a proximal direction from an initial position (I) towards a retracted position (II). The retaining means (R) is released when the needle shield reaches the retracted position (II) allowing for a telescoping movement of the outer body with respect to the support body to expel the medicament contained in the pre-filled syringe through the hypodermic needle.
US08911399B2	Weeping balloon catheter Balloon catheters, and methods of treatment therewith, are provided including an inflatable first balloon at least partially enclosed by an expandable second balloon that has holes. The annular space between the first balloon and the second balloon is configured to promote delivery of the fluid evenly through holes in the second balloon to avoid problems of underloading and/or overloading. Preferably, the annular space is in communication with the holes, and the annular space is configured to receive and then to release and distribute the fluid via the holes in a substantially uniform manner such that even amounts of fluid are released in the distal and proximal holes. The first balloon may have various configurations including being tapered relative to the second balloon. The second balloon may also be tapered accordingly. The device may also include raised portions disposed in the annular space and configured to define channels having various configurations.
US08911393B2	Obesity treatment and device A method and apparatus are disclosed for treating obesity includes an artificial fistula created between gastrointestinal organs such as between the stomach and the colon. The method includes selecting an implant comprising a passageway having an internal lumen with an inlet end and an outlet end. The passageway is positioned passing through a first wall of first gastrointestinal organ (for example, passing through the wall of the stomach) and a second wall of a second gastrointestinal organ (for example, passing through the wall of the large intestine) with the inlet end disposed within an interior of the first gastrointestinal organ and with the outlet disposed within an interior of the second gastrointestinal organ.
US08911390B2	Multipart fluid system and a system for regional citrate anticoagulation in an extracorporeal blood circuit The present invention concerns a multipart fluid system for use in CRRT, wherein the multipart fluid system comprises an anticoagulation fluid and at least one fluid from the group consisting of a dialysis fluid and an infusion fluid. According to the invention the anticoagulation fluid comprises at least 8 mM citrate, and the dialysis fluid and/or infusion fluid comprises 2-8 mM citrate and 1-5 mM total calcium. The present invention further concerns a system for regional citrate anticoagulation in an extracorporeal blood circuit.
US08911385B2	Therapeutic micro-vibration device A therapeutic device for relieving pain and providing a curative healing effect includes a motor for rotating at least one magnet to generate a magnetic field, micro-vibrations and audible acoustic tones. A shaft couples the at least one magnet to the motor. In one embodiment, the at least one magnet is coupled to the shaft in an offset configuration with respect to a centerline of the shaft thereby generating micro-vibrations in the form of oscillating inertial loads. The therapeutic device includes a light source for generating a photonic light field in an optical light spectrum.
US08911383B2	Adhesive patch for monitoring acoustic signals An adhesive patch for monitoring acoustic signals from a human or animal body, comprising a skin contact surface, converting means for recording the acoustic signals and converting it to a first electric output signal, and an adhesive element for attaching the converting means to the skin surface, the patch further comprises transmitting means for transmitting the output signal to a peripheral device.
US08911379B2	Method and system for non-invasive measurement of cardiac parameters A method and system are presented for use in assessment of at least one cardiac parameter of an individual. An electrodes arrangement is applied to an individual's body, for applying an electrical field to the body and providing an electrical output indicative of a systolic impedance change and of a velocity of said change during a cardiac cycle. Also provided is additional data indicative of at least of the following conditions of the individual: a value of total peripheral resistance (TPR), a value of cardiac index (CI), and existence of the AHF condition. Data corresponding to these condition is analyzed to determine whether the TPR satisfies a first predetermined condition and/or the CI satisfies a predetermined second condition and/or whether the acute heart failure (AHF) condition is identified, to thereby use the data indicative of the measured electrical output and selectively calculate said at least one cardiac parameter based on either the systolic impedance change data or on said data of the velocity of the impedance change.
US08911378B2	Cuff integrity detection during inflation of an automated blood pressure device A method for detecting cuff slippage in a blood pressure monitoring device includes starting a cuff inflation on the blood pressure monitoring device. A plurality of pressure samples is obtained when the cuff is inflating. A level of background noise is determined during the cuff inflation. The level of background noise is determined from the plurality of pressure samples. When the background noise is determined, a determination is made from the plurality of blood pressure readings whether a pressure pattern indicating cuff slippage is obtained.
US08911375B2	Three-dimensional derivation of a proximal isokinetic shell of a proximal flow convergence zone and three-dimensional PISA flow measurement The invention relates to a device and to a method for adaptive three-dimensional derivation of a proximal isokinetic shell of a proximal flow convergence zone that forms in an observation area in a moving fluid, wherein the magnitude of the velocity of the fluid at each point of the proximal isokinetic shell is identical and equal to a velocity reference value, the method including: a) preparing locally distributed velocity measurements in a surrounding area of the observation area, the measurements representing at least one directional component of the local velocity of the fluid in a respective measurement direction, b) preparing an approximation surface as an initial proximal isokinetic shell) in such a way that the entire flow, at least substantially, in the flow convergence zone penetrates the approximation surface, c) establishing a plurality of approximation points on the approximation surface, d) determining the respective velocity measurements at the respective approximation points, e) calculating a corrected velocity (vkkJ) at each approximation point as a function of the velocity measurement indicated there, the respective measurement direction; and the respective surface normal, f) determining a correction direction by comparing the corrected (vkkJ) velocity with the velocity reference value, g) optionally shifting the approximation points in the respective correction direction to new positions, h) acquiring a new approximation surface such that the same at least approaches the new positions of the approximation points, and i) repeating steps c) through h) until the change of the new approximation surface is sufficiently minimal compared to the old approximation surface.
US08911373B2	Vector flow ultrasound imaging An ultrasound imaging console includes receive circuitry that receives a set of echoes produced in response to an ultrasound signal traversing blood flowing in a portion of a vessel in a field of view, a beamformer that beamforms the echoes, a velocity processor that determines flow direction and magnitude of the flowing blood based on the beamformed echoes, and a rendering engine that displays the determined flow direction and magnitude.
US08911372B2	Ultrasonic medical diagnostic device for imaging changes with time A diagnostic imaging apparatus for imaging information changing with time and displaying it in real time, composed of an ultrasonic probe (2), having piezoelectric elements arranged in an array form that transmit ultrasonic waves to a target object (1) and acquires a reflection signal from the target object; a body movement measuring unit (12) that constitutes a two-dimensional ultrasonic image using the reflection signal acquired by the ultrasonic probe, sets, in the image plane, a plurality of measuring areas used for measuring the body movement of the target object, and measures the body movement and deformation amounts in the measuring areas; and an image accumulating (subtracting) unit for accumulating or subtracting images using body movement measured by the body movement measurement unit.
US08911371B2	Transducer holder A transducer holder for holding a transducer in signal-receiving contact with a patient's body, the holder comprising: a base adherently attachable to the patient's skin; and a retainer attached or attachable to the base; wherein, in use, the retainer holds the transducer in signal-receiving contact with the patient's body and retains the transducer in the holder.
US08911370B2	Ultrasonic cellular tissue screening system A system for screening breast tissue includes an ultrasound probe and a carrier adapted to support the ultrasound probe and to progressively move the probe over the breast tissue. A pad is employed to cover the nipple of the breast tissue, and a fabric covering is adapted to hold the breast tissue and the pad in place as the probe is moved over the breast tissue.
US08911369B2	Dual electrode system for a continuous analyte sensor Disclosed herein are systems and methods for a continuous analyte sensor, such as a continuous glucose sensor. One such system utilizes first and second working electrodes to measure additional analyte or non-analyte related signal. Such measurements may provide a background and/or sensitivity measurement(s) for use in processing sensor data and may be used to trigger events such as digital filtering of data or suspending display of data.
US08911366B2	Surgical access apparatus and method A surgical access device includes a single valve that forms a seal with the body wall and provides an access channel into a body cavity. The valve has properties for creating a zero seal in the absence of an instrument as well as an instrument seal with instruments having a full range of instrument diameter. The valve can include a gel and preferably an ultragel comprised of an elastomer and an oil providing elongation greater than 1000 percent and durometer less than 5 Shore A. The single valve can be used as a hand port where the instrument comprises the arm of a surgeon, thereby providing hand access into the cavity.
US08911365B1	Laparoscopic port assembly Various embodiments of a laparoscopic trocar assembly are disclosed. The port assemblies include inserted parts that protect the patient's tissues at the point of deployment. The port assemblies include seals for maintaining pneumoperitoneum both when instrument are being used and when instruments are not inserted.
US08911364B2	Spine retractor and distractor device A spine retractor and distractor device comprises spinal process clamps and a retractor assembly, which may be rotatably coupled with the spinal process clamps. The retractor assembly may include a retractor ring, or frame, and a plurality of retractor blades adjustably coupled to the frame, e.g., by clamps. The spinal process clamps can maintain a grip on the spinal processes of the patient, and distraction pliers may be used to impart a distraction force on the spinal process clamps to distract the spinal segments. Additionally, other components, features, or tools, e.g., a light source and/or a camera, can be mounted on the instrument.
US08911363B2	Efficient continuous flow irrigation system A continuous flow irrigation endoscope and a continuous flow irrigation fluid management system, both designed to be compatible to each other and meant to function as a single system. The endoscope and the fluid management system are synergistic to each other such that both enhance the efficiency of each other. The system allows a body tissue cavity to be distended by continuous flow irrigation so that the detached tissue pieces and waste fluid present inside a body tissue cavity are continuously automatically evacuated from the tissue cavity without causing the cavity to collapse at any stage and without the need of withdrawing the endoscope or a part of the endoscope from the tissue cavity.
US08911359B2	Guide sheath and medical system A guide sheath includes: an elongated member extending along a longitudinal axis; a manipulation wire extending along the longitudinal axis of the elongated member so as to be capable of advancing and retracting; a bent section formed of a thermoplastic resin in a tubular shape and configured to be bent in accordance with advance or retraction of the manipulation wire; and a first hard section provided at a distal end surface of the bent section and formed by cross-linking the thermoplastic resin to which a distal end section of the manipulation wire is fixed.
US08911357B2	Optical structure observation apparatus and structure information processing method of the same In the optical structure observation apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention, a middle layer of a measured object having a layer structure at least including a surface layer and the middle layer is extracted and flattened to be a same flat plane, the optical stereoscopic structure image is reconstructed with the flattened middle layer as the reference layer, the three-dimensional converted optical structure image is generated, and at least the three-dimensional converted optical structure image is imaged and displayed on the display device, whereby the structure information with the middle layer in the measured object having the layer structure as a basal plate can be visually determined.
US08911356B2	Endoscope An insertion portion, an operation portion, a signal cable, a plate-shaped member, an electric board, and a fixing member are included. The fixing member is formed into a U-shape in which a bottom surface, a top surface, a side surface and a fitting port are formed, and has a stopper for a surplus portion that is fitted in an inside formed, a distance between the bottom surface and the top surface is set to be slightly larger than a diameter in the surplus portion, and the surplus portion is configured not to be disposed in layers in a height direction of the side surface when the surplus portion is housed between the bottom surface and the top surface of the fixing member.
US08911354B2	Resin tube and endoscope A channel tube inserted into an insertion portion of an endoscope includes: a rear side tube including, on a part of an outer surface thereof, a helical-shaped groove; and a front side tube including, on a part of an outer surface thereof, a helical-shaped groove; a connecting pipe for connecting one end of the rear side tube and one end of the front side tube; and a coil wound on the groove of the rear side tube. The rear side tube is connected to the connecting pipe at a part where the groove is formed and the coil is not wound, and the front side tube is connected to the connecting pipe at a part where a coil is not wound.
US08911345B2	Apparatuses for the amelioration of urinary incontinence in females An apparatus for treating urinary incontinence, comprising: a node; a support section adapted for providing urethral support attached to the node; and, an anchoring section adapted for resisting movement of the apparatus attached to the node opposite the support section. Optionally, the support section is adapted to treat incontinence according to at least one of: SUTFS, colpo-elevation or colpo-distension.
US08911342B2	Apparatus and method for pulsed electrical field treatment The present invention concerns an apparatus and a method for stimulating brain tissue with pulsed electromagnetic fields weaker than the limit for elicitation of the action potentials of the cells of the tissue to be stimulated, the apparatus comprising: at least one electrically conducting coil positioned at a bitemporal position such that hippocampus is stimulated by at least one magnetic field upon supplying a pulse to said coil as well as a coil positioned at a occipital and parietal position; and a pulse generation means operationally connected to said at least one coil for supplying a series of current pulses for conduction, allowing generation of pulsed electromagnetic fields sufficiently strong to cause protein activation, and weaker than the limit for elicitation of the action potentials of the cells of the tissue to be stimulated.
US08911339B2	Cooler carton with zipper opening feature A paperboard carton doubles as a shipping container for articles such as beverage cans and a cooler for containing ice to cool the articles when the carton is opened. The top portion of the carton is breached by removing an opening strip defined by zipper rules. Once breached, the tops and side panels of the carton are opened up to form an upwardly open chimney or skirt into which ice can be placed to cool the contents of the carton. Gussets formed in the lower corners of the cartons insure that water from melting ice does not leak prematurely from the carton.
US08911326B2	Automatic transmission and hydraulic control method therefor A transmission controller operates an electrical oil pump in a steady mode, in which an operating load of the electrical oil pump is set at a steady load, during an idle stop, but operates the electrical oil pump in a high-pressure mode, in which the operating load of the electrical oil pump is higher than the steady load, for a predetermined period when an engine stops rotating.
US08911325B2	Gear ratio control device, method for controlling gear ratio, and vehicle A gear ratio control device includes a controller configured to control gear ratio in a vehicle. The controller is configured to adjust an eccentricity of first supporting points of the eccentric discs so that, in the event of starting a power source in a state in which the power source is stopped and the vehicle is traveling, the gear ratio at a continuously variable transmission is at a target value, in parallel with performing start control of the power source.
US08911323B2	Multi-ratio transmission system with parallel vertical and coaxial planet gears A multi-ratio transmission system is provided, including multiple planet gear sub-systems, at least two coupling assemblies, a setting element, a setting element controller, an annular gear, a cylindrical casing, a sprocket, and a central axle. The planet gear sub-systems are disposed coaxially in series along a first axis. Each of the planet gear sub-system includes a sun gear and at least one planet gear. Each coupling assembly transmits the rotation between every two adjacent planet gear sub-systems. The setting element optionally engages with the sun gear. The annular gear is installed onto a one-way clutch. The cylindrical casing encloses the planet gear sub-systems. The sprocket is installed onto the planet gear sub-systems through the one-way clutch. The central axle enables the hollowed tube of the setting element controller to rotate around the central axle.
US08911321B2	Tandem axle system A tandem axle system has a forward axle system and a rear axle system. A method of selectively driving one or both of the axle systems is described.
US08911320B2	Power tool In a disc grinder, a spindle mounted with a grindstone intersects an output shaft of an electric motor. The disc grinder includes the three-point pressing continuously-variable transmission between the output shaft of the electric motor and a bevel gear train. The bevel gear train is used for deceleration. The traction grease having a high traction coefficient is used as the lubricant of the traction drive. A grease reservoir or felt members arranged in sliding contact with the pressing parts are disposed in the transmission case.
US08911318B2	Pinion lubrication structure of planetary gear mechanism A pinion lubrication structure of a planetary gear mechanism includes a hollow portion, an annular oil catcher, an oil gallery, and an aperture. The annular oil catcher is supported by a carrier to collect oil to flow into the hollow portion. The oil is supplied outward in a radial direction from a central portion of the planetary gear mechanism. The oil is supplied to an inner peripheral surface of a pinion through the oil gallery. The oil gallery extends from an inside of the hollow portion through a pinion shaft in the radial direction. The aperture is provided at an axial end of the pinion shaft to be connected to the hollow portion. A distance from an axis to an outer end of the aperture in the radial direction is smaller than a distance from the axis to an outer end of the hollow portion in the radial direction.
US08911317B2	Power split transmission A power split transmission, in particular an input-coupled power split transmission, includes a mechanical branch and a hydrostatic branch connected in parallel therewith. The hydrostatic branch has a closed hydraulic circuit with a first working line and a second working line with one of the working lines carrying high pressure and the other carrying low pressure. The circuit has a pressure accumulator for pressure regulation connected to the respective working line carrying high pressure. This configuration provides a power split transmission that has a hydraulic circuit in which the respective working line carrying high pressure is hydraulically smoother or more flexible by virtue of the preferably continuous connection of the pressure accumulator.
US08911313B2	Method for the production of a one-piece metallic multiple wheel, preform for the production thereof, and multiple wheel The invention relates to a method for the production of a one-piece, metal multiple wheel (2) for a traction mechanism comprising at least two adjacently disposed single wheels (3, 4), each comprising a wheel body (5, 6) having an outer circumference (7, 8), wherein teeth (9, 10) for engaging the traction mechanism are arranged in a distributed manner over the outer circumference (7, 8), and wherein at least one of the two single wheels (3, 4) is configured as a sprocket, gear or toothed belt wheel. The sprocket, gear or toothed belt wheel is produced with a rough contour, wherein a tooth thickness of the rough contour (17), in axial view, is greater than the tooth thickness of the final contour of the finished sprocket, gear or toothed belt wheel and thereafter depending on the traction means used, this rough contour is reformed by non-machining reforming, in particular by rolling, into the finished tooth contour, wherein a toothed belt wheel contour is produced from a sprocket wheel or gear wheel contour or a sprocket wheel contour is produced from a gear wheel or toothed belt wheel contour, or a gear wheel contour is produced from a toothed belt or sprocket wheel. The invention further relates to a preform for producing multiple wheel and to a multiple wheel.
US08911310B2	Arrowhead having expanding blades controlled by gear mechanism Disclosed is an arrowhead in which a plurality of expandable blades can be quickly and reliably retracted or expanded without using an additional means to bundle the expanding blades, thereby enhancing the penetrating capability or killing capability of an arrow. Particularly, a portion of a shaft forming the arrowhead is provided with a rack gear portion installed thereon and a lower end of each of the expanding blades is provided with a pinion gear portion, such that the rack gear portion and the pinion gear portion engage with each other and such a rack-pinion action controls the operation of retracting or expanding the expanding blades.
US08911309B1	Batting sleeve sensor systems Batting Sleeve Sensor is a device that slides over or couples to a bat in order to record the statistics of each hit made. The invention may allow a user to analyze his or her hitting and make adjustments faster. The device takes only a few seconds to slip over (or otherwise couple to) an existing bat before a user can swing away as per usual. The hits are recorded via sensing means and are displayable in real-time. Athletes who play in competitive sports may find use in the device to train themselves to hit reliably and accurately over extended periods.
US08911303B2	Golf club head and method for manufacturing the same The present invention provides a golf club improved in ball hitting sound and ball hitting feeling and its manufacturing method. First, low-carbon steel is subjected to press processing of hot forging to form portions of irregularity on the face on a side of a hitting surface. Then, when there are projecting portions in the portions of irregularity, only the projecting portions are subjected to press processing of cold forging to crush the projecting portions to be flat. Then, the surface is slightly smoothed by machining to be flat and crystal grains at the portions of irregularity and the area therearound are pressed to be fined, thereby enhancing the hardness and forming fiber flows parallel to the hitting surface. A part of the hardened face becomes harder than the hardness of a base material before press processing by 10% or more within a range of 1 mm in a depth.
US08911302B1	Iron-type golf club head The present invention discloses an iron-type golf club head having a body with at least one sole pocket and a cap sized to at least partially close the sole pocket. The pocket is bounded on one side by a face plate, which is only partially affixed to the body via welding, and may be completely or partially filled with the cap. The cap, which can be made of multiple materials having different densities, is located within the pocket such that one or more gaps are disposed between the cap and the sidewalls of the pocket.
US08911296B2	Social network system and method for use with and integration into a video game A centralized social network tool is configured to interface with and integrates into one or more videogames and/or videogame series. The social network tool may be integral to the theme of the games and be pervasive within game play. The social network may drive progression of the story and interaction between characters. According to another aspect of the invention, the members of the social network may include actual members (corresponding to real people) and virtual members (e.g., artificial intelligence controlled bot members). The virtual members may be part of the social network and may interact with real members within and outside of the game as part of the theme of the game.
US08911294B2	Browser based heterogenous technology ecosystem Wagering game systems can leverage web browsers to present wagering game content with a variety of technologies. For instance, an electronic wagering game table can present diverse wagering game content (e.g., multiple wagering games, portal games, social networking applets, hospitality menus, etc.) with a variety of technologies that interface with a we browser. Also, a single wagering game can be constructed from multiple technologies. A wagering game system can implement a framework that dynamically builds up a web page to use multiple technologies for presenting content with a web browser on a wagering game system. The framework can dynamically construct the web page, which can involve modifying objects, embedding objects, removing objects, and replacing objects that correspond to different technologies.
US08911292B2	Gaming system and method providing balanced paybacks with varying wager amounts Various embodiments of the gaming system of the present disclosure enable a player to play a secondary or bonus game, in which the player has the chance to play for a designated award in the triggered secondary or bonus game. The probability of triggering the secondary or bonus game varies based on the player's primary game wager. Additionally, the probability of winning a designated award in the triggered secondary or bonus game varies based on the player's primary game wager. In one embodiment, as the primary game wager increases, the odds of triggering the secondary or bonus game increase, but not in direct proportion to the wager. Similarly, the odds of winning the designated award in the triggered secondary or bonus game increases, but not in direct proportion to the wager.
US08911291B2	Display system and display method for video wall A display system and a display method for video walls are provided. The display system includes at least one server and a plurality of player devices. Each server renders an image and transmits the image to a network. The player devices are coupled to the at least one server through the network. Each player device receives the image or a part of the image rendered by one of the at least one server, and determines a synchronization time together with at least one of the other player devices. Each player device uses a display of a video wall to simultaneously display the image or the part of the image at the synchronization time.
US08911290B2	Gaming system, gaming device, and method changing awards available to be won in pending plays of a game based on a quantity of concurrently pending plays of the game Gaming systems, devices, and methods configured to change winnable awards of a pending play of a game based on a quantity of concurrently pending plays of the game are provided. The gaming system enables a player to sequentially initiate multiple plays of a game such that a plurality of plays are concurrently pending. Each play of the game includes one or more awards available to be won in that play. When a quantity of concurrently pending plays of the game is greater than or equal to a designated quantity of plays of the game, the gaming system changes one or more of the awards available to be won in one or more of those concurrently pending plays of the game, and they remain changed as long as the quantity of concurrently pending plays of the game is greater than or equal to the designated quantity of plays of the game.
US08911289B2	Gaming machine comprising indicating device showing territory determined by gaming result While one video reel is being scrolled and the remaining video reels stop scrolling, a map of Japan or a map of America is displayed on a liquid crystal panel. A territory corresponding to a player is distinguished by color on the map. There is a correlation in terms of probability between the territory corresponding to the player distinguished by color and a payout amount corresponding to a symbol combination to be realized upon stop of scroll of all the video reels.
US08911287B2	Gaming system, gaming device, and method providing an estimated emotional state of a player based on the occurrence of one or more designated events The present disclosure provides gaming systems, gaming devices, and methods providing an estimated emotional state of a player based on the occurrence of one or more designated events. When a player initiates a gaming session, the gaming system estimates the player's emotional state and generates estimated emotional state data that represents that estimation of the player's emotional state. For each of one or more designated events that occurs, the gaming system updates the player's estimated emotional state using an expected emotional response to that designated event. More specifically, the gaming system updates the player's estimated emotional state data using expected emotional response data representing the expected emotional response to that designated event. If one or more triggering conditions associated with the player's estimated emotional state is satisfied during the gaming session, the gaming system modifies one or more functions, aspects, or features of the gaming system.
US08911282B2	Apparatus with variable fixturing arms for abrasive environment An apparatus includes a base, a table rotatable on the base, and a plurality of arms extending above the table's top surface and extending laterally for supporting differently sized cylindrical objects above the top surface. An adjustment mechanism simultaneously adjusts the arms rotationally, such that the ends of the arms can be automatically adjusted to support any one of the differently sized objects without further change. A controller is programmed to automatically control the adjustment mechanism. The adjustment mechanism includes a center gear connected to planetary gears on each of the arms, and a center shaft that extends upwardly through a tubular drive shaft, the center shaft being movable between a lowered position where the arms are locked to the table and a raised position where the center gear is fixed to the base such that the arms adjust position when the table is rotated by its drive mechanism.
US08911279B2	Toy trailer The toy trailer comprising a chassis and a loading trough arranged thereon is characterized in that the loading trough is both detachable from the chassis and tiltable about an axle extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the chassis.
US08911274B1	Flying aerodynamic toy with peripheral grip An aerodynamic circular foundation (i.e., disc or annulus) having a perimeter supporting two or more evenly spaced handgrips. The handgrips improve throwing and catching without appreciably altering aerodynamics.
US08911272B1	Long shaft propeller controller and bearing seal protector A marine propulsion system for shallow waters, swamps, savannahs and the like includes a rotating propeller shaft supporting a propeller. An anti-cavitation body defines a partial cylinder having a longitudinal axis adjacent to the propeller. The propeller generates a vacuum between the anti-cavitation body and a surface of a water body. First and second wings adjacent to edges of the anti-cavitation body are generally planar and operatively angled towards the bottom of a water body. The first and second wings are adjusted to run below the water body surface and seal the anti-cavitation body to maintain generated vacuum. A first thread is cut in a first helical direction at an end of the rotating propeller shaft adjacent the propeller, and slightly more distal therefrom a second thread is cut in a second helical direction opposed to the first thread helical direction. The second thread drives matter away from the bearing.
US08911270B2	Clamping body for an electric conductor A clamping body for an electric conductor, comprising a clamping body pocket that forms a receiving space for receiving the electric conductor. A threaded bore is formed in a lateral wall of the clamping body pocket in order to receive a screw. The aim of the invention is to devise a solution in which the clamping body substantially has the properties of a clamping body that is made of art alloy containing brass and simultaneously complies with the EU guidelines and regulations prohibiting certain materials. This is achieved in that the clamping body pocket is formed from an alloy containing aluminium, said alloy having a tensile strength of 380 N/mm2 to 480 N/mm2.
US08911269B2	Conductor connecting structure A conductor connecting structure comprises a flat circuit body having an insulator and a conductor, and a conductive terminal metal fitting having a conductor connecting part including a first conductor holding part and a second conductor holding part. The first conductor holding part has a first plate-like part formed into a plate-like shape, and a projecting part which projects from a surface of the first plate-like part that is faced to the conductor. The second conductor holding part has a second plate-like part formed into a plate-like shape, and a through hole arranged so as to correspond to a position of the projecting part and penetrating the second plate-like part. When the conductor is sandwiched by the first conductor holding part and the second conductor holding part, the conductor is deformed so as to be pushed into the through hole.
US08911268B2	Connector having a housing with an integral lance for securing a terminal fitting A connector includes a connector housing having a terminal accommodating chamber, and a terminal fitting, and a lance. The terminal fitting includes: a lance sliding part formed in a shape of a flat face parallel to an inserting direction of the terminal fitting; a lance abutting part formed in a shape of a flat face which is different in level from the lance sliding part by a stepped part; and a lance engaging part. The lance includes a terminal engaging part which engages the lance engaging part; a terminal slide part which slides on the lance sliding part during an inserting process of the terminal fitting into the terminal accommodating chamber; and a chamfered part and a terminal abutting part which are located between the terminal engaging part and the terminal slide part.
US08911263B2	Connection assembly having multi-contact connectors with a polarizing system using keys A connection assembly includes a first connector and a second connector, each with a housing extending along an axis and having a connection face, being connected together via their connection faces. Also included is, at least, one coupled-together pair of polarizing keys, each key being of elongate shape along an axis and projecting from one of the housings beyond its connection face. Each key includes at each one of its ends a portion with a peripheral surface that is provided with at least one projecting and/or hollow shape. Each end portion of one of the two keys is adapted to engage via complementary shapes with a single end portion of the other of the two keys along their coinciding axes and in only one relative angular position between them. Each polarizing key is fastened via one of its end portions to the housing of one of the connectors.
US08911260B2	External contact plug connector The present disclosure relates generally to connectors such as audio and data connectors and in particular to low profile audio connectors that can be used in place of standard audio and data connectors currently used. The plug connector has a reduced plug length and thickness, an intuitive insertion orientation and a smooth, consistent feel when inserted and extracted from its corresponding receptacle connector. The plug connector may be characterized by a flat tip portion at its distal end, a base portion near its proximal end, a shell coupled at the base portion and a plurality of external contacts.
US08911255B2	Electrical connector assembly and system An electrical connector system includes a header and an electrical connector assembly. The header includes a leading end having a plurality of contact pins that are insertable into an electronic device and a plurality of separated stripline ground plates extending from the leading end toward a mating end of the header. The electrical connector assembly is coupleable with the mating end of the header and includes a plurality of electrical connectors secured in a stacked configuration. Each electrical connector includes a planar insulative connector body and a plurality of electrical cable terminations for mating with a corresponding plurality of contact pins of the header. At least two electrical cable terminations make electrical contact with a common stripline ground plate when the header and the electrical connector assembly are in a mated configuration.
US08911252B2	Electrical apparatus, in particular for receiving signals or outputting signals An electrical apparatus (1) comprising a base (2) for being attached to a substrate (4), a functional head (3) which has at least one electrical or electronic functional device (10), wherein the functional head (3) is attached to the base (2) with a bayonet connection (6), wherein the base (2) has a first contact (14) and the functional head (3) has a second contact (30), which are contact-connected to one another, wherein the bayonet connection (6) can be formed by a relative movement of the functional head (3) in relation to the base (2) in an axial direction (A), and a subsequent relative rotation, and the first contact (14) and second contact (30) can be contact-connected to one another by the relative rotation.
US08911250B2	Floating bus bar connector A floating bus bar connector connects a computing asset to bus bars using a connecting clip and a conducting terminal that is coupled to the connecting clip and to an electronic component inside the computing asset. To simplify connection to the bus bars, the floating bus bar connector is mounted to a chassis of the computing asset so that the entire connector is movable, relative to the chassis, in a direction perpendicular to the bus bar. Thus, if the floating bus bar connector and bus bars become misaligned when the computing asset is being connected to the bus bars, the floating bus bar connector may move to realign with the bus bars.
US08911249B2	Connection cable having cover member and locking member A connection cable includes a cable-side connector, a cable body, a cover member, and a locking member. The cover member is configured to define a gap between the cable-side connector and the cover member such that a bulb-side connector is fitted to the gap when the cable-side connector is connected to the bulb-side connector. The locking member includes a slide portion arranged to slide along an outer circumferential surface of the cover member. The slide portion is provided with a protrusion extending through the cover member and engaging with a locking hole formed in the bulb-side connector. The slide portion is configured such that, when the slide portion is caused to slide, the protrusion is moved away from the cable-side connector and disengaged from the locking hole.
US08911247B2	Quick connector system luminiary fitting An luminary fitting is provided for implementing quickly and easily connecting to an associated device, such as a lighting fixture, gasketed enclosure or wiring box. The luminary fitting includes an enclosure body having a mating face for connection with a selected wiring installation configuration and an opposed face connecting with the associated device. The opposed face includes a threaded wire way extending into the associated device. A sealing gasket is provided with the threaded wire way. A pressure equalization vent is provided with the enclosure body for preventing pressure buildup, venting of any moisture that condenses from ambient air inside the luminary, gasketed enclosure, or wiring box, and for protecting against liquid ingress in the associated device.
US08911241B2	Substrate connection structure A substrate connection structure includes: a first substrate having stiffness with a first connector mounted on a front face; a second substrate having stiffness with a second connector detachably attached to the first connector mounted on a front face facing the front face of the first substrate; and a restricting member including a projection portion, the restricting member including a plate-like member and being detachably attachable to the first substrate by being moved along a planar surface of the first substrate, the projection portion projecting from the front face of the first substrate and regulating a position of the second substrate relative to the first substrate in a state in which the restricting member is attached to the first substrate, and limiting a direction in which the second substrate is detached when the second connector mounted on the second substrate is detached from the first connector on the first substrate.
US08911236B2	Training method and system comprising mixed real and virtual images Training method for the simulation of an operation performed by at least one device which is part of a real apparatus, wherein the method comprises providing to display means overlaid images under controlled depth order of a virtual apparatus, and real images of said device, and providing a simulated response to control means, based on data of the position and behavior of said device and on data of the position and behavior of said virtual apparatus.
US08911235B1	Shooting training device The invention is a trigger pull training device for improving trigger pull technique. The device has a frame with a trigger track opening and a trigger which goes through that opening. A proximity sensor or a plurality of proximity sensors are placed proximate the trigger track opening. The sensors are connected to an indicator whereby pulling the trigger such that the trigger is within the sensing zone causes the proximity sensor to emit a signal. A plurality of sensors can be lined along the trigger track opening to indicate the accuracy of any pull.
US08911234B2	Implant that can be implanted in osseous tissue, method for producing said implant and corresponding implant A bone implant (10) is implanted in a cavity parallel to an implant axis (l) and without substantial rotation. The implant includes, on an implant portion to be implanted, cutting edges (14), which do not extend in a common plane with the implant axis and are facing toward the distal end of the implant. The implant also includes surface ranges (16) of a material that is liquefiable by mechanical oscillations. The cutting edges (14) are dimensioned such that they are lodged in the cavity wall after implantation. For implantation, the implant is impinged with mechanical oscillations, resulting in the thermoplastic material being at least partially liquefied and pressed into unevennesses and pores of the cavity wall to form a form-fit and/or material-fit connection between implant (10) and cavity wall, when re-solidified. The cutting edges (14) anchor the implant in the cavity wall.
US08911233B2	Dental bur storage device The present invention is directed towards a dental bur storage device having a plurality of dental bur receiving holes capable of retaining a plurality of different dental bur types having different shank diameters, wherein, each of the plurality of dental bur receiving holes is tapered to allow a retaining fit to be established with any one of the plurality of different dental bur types having different shank diameters. The advantage of using a receiving hole that has a tapered form is that different types of dental burs having different diameters of shanks may be retained by the receiving holes in the dental bur storage device. This allows a wide range of different brands and different types of dental burs to be accommodated on one single dental bur storage device which greatly simplifies the process of selecting a dental bur for a dentist, particularly during a dental treatment. As the receiving hole is tapered, bur shanks of varying dimensions will be received to different depths within the receiving hole to a point where the receiving hole tapers to a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the shank of the dental bur being received. Moreover, using this type of receiving hole, positive retention of a dental bur may be achieved when the dental bur storage device is handled roughly or inverted.
US08911221B2	Leaf blower A blower assembly for a leaf blower has a case, a motor, an impeller driven by the motor, and an axial fan driven by the motor. The axial fan and the impeller are connected to opposite ends of the motor. The case has an air inlet, an air outlet and an air channel communicating the air inlet with the air outlet. The impeller is disposed inside the air channel to move air through the air channel from the air inlet to the air outlet. The axial fan is arranged to generate an axial flow of air towards the motor to cool the motor.
US08911220B2	Electric fluid pump and mold for insert-molding casing of electric fluid pump An electric fluid pump includes a casing, a rotor arranged in the casing, and a shaft member supported by the casing and including a shaft portion extending in the casing in a direction of an axis of the shaft member, having a first end portion arranged at one axial end of the shaft member and a second end portion arranged at the other axial end of the shaft member, and supporting the rotor, a collar portion arranged at the first end portion of the shaft portion and embedded in the casing, and a stepped section arranged between the shaft portion and the collar portion, positioned closer to the second end portion of the shaft portion than the first end portion of the shaft portion, and configured to have an end face facing the second end portion and serving as a bearing surface on which the rotor is rotatably supported.
US08911218B2	Fuel pump In one embodiment, a small-diameter opening (42b) is formed in the central portion of a valve element (42) included in a check valve (40) of a high pressure fuel pump (1). A needle valve (44) is provided integrally with a valve element (35a) of an electromagnetic spill valve (30), and the opening (42b) of the valve element (42) can be opened and closed with a tip portion of the needle valve (44). When the high pressure fuel pump (1) switches from the drive state to the stopped state, the needle valve (44) retreats from the opening (42b) of the valve element (42) in conjunction with the movement of the valve element (35a) of the electromagnetic spill valve 30, thus forming a micro gap. When the high pressure fuel pump (1) is driven and the intake stroke is performed, the needle valve (44) obstructs the opening 42b of the valve element (42) in conjunction with the movement of the valve element (35a) of the electromagnetic spill valve 30, thus preventing the back-flow of fuel due to the existence of the micro gap.
US08911216B2	Method, apparatus, and computer-readable storage medium for controlling torque load of multiple variable displacement hydraulic pumps Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for controlling the torque load of multiple variable displacement hydraulic pumps are described herein. A pump displacement limit for each variable displacement hydraulic pump is determined using a nonlinear control law to limit the total pump torque load of the variable displacement hydraulic pumps on the engine. The value of the actual pump displacement of each variable displacement hydraulic pump is controlled based upon the respective determined pump displacement limit.
US08911214B2	Wind turbine blade, wind turbine generator including wind turbine blade, and method for designing wind turbine blade When a distance from a front edge along a blade chord line is represented by X and a distance from the blade chord line to a blade back side is represented by Y, a blade back shape of a wind turbine blade includes a first region extending from the maximum blade thickness position toward the rear edge with dY/dX as a primary derivative amount of Y to X decreasing by a first amount of change, a second region on a side of the rear edge of the first region and extending toward the rear edge with dY/dX having a second amount of change smaller than the first amount of change, and a third region on the side of the rear edge of the second region and connected to the rear edge with dY/dX decreasing by a third amount of change larger than the second amount of change.
US08911213B2	Rotor blade for a gas turbine A rotor blade (10) for a gas turbine includes a blade airfoil (11), a blade tip (15), a blade root (14), and a platform (12) which is formed between the blade tip (15) and the blade root (14), and is assembled from a plurality of individual sections (16, 17, 18), the material of which is adapted in each case to the intended purpose of the individual section concerned. With such a rotor blade, a simplified production is achieved as a result of each of the individual sections (16, 17, 18) from the dimensions being significantly smaller than the assembled rotor blade (10).
US08911212B2	Turbomachine rotor with anti-wear shim between a disk and an annulus A turbomachine rotor including a disk with a rim and axial cavities machined into the rim to individually house blades; and an annulus attached to one side of the rim and pierced with stress-relief holes, in which part of the stress-relief holes are situated in the axial continuation of the cavities, is disclosed. An annular shim is attached and interposed between the disk and the annulus, the shim forming a removable device for closing off the holes and an axial bearing surface against which the blades housed in the cavities can bear.
US08911206B2	Brush-type seal for an air-handling unit An air-handling unit including a housing with a discharge opening, and a fan disposed substantially within the housing. The fan includes a fan discharge that extends through the discharge opening thereby defining a gap between the fan discharge and the housing surrounding the discharge opening. A brush seal is coupled to one of the housing about the discharge opening and the fan discharge such that the brush seal extends across the gap forming a seal between the discharge opening and the fan discharge.
US08911203B2	Fan rotor support A turbofan engine comprises an engine case. A gaspath extends through the engine case. A fan has a circumferential array of fan blades. A fan case encircles the fan blades radially outboard of the engine case. A plurality of fan case vanes extend aftward and outward from the engine case to the fan case. A forward frame comprises a plurality of vanes radially across the gaspath. A torque box couples the fan case vanes to the forward frame. A transmission couples a shaft to a fan shaft to drive the fan. A fan bearing assembly couples a stationary forward hub structure to the fan shaft.
US08911202B2	Turbocharger rotating assembly A turbocharger rotating assembly includes a bearing; a shaft and turbine wheel assembly supported by the bearing; a seal ring disposed about the shaft; and a sleeve that supports the bearing and that includes a compressor end and a turbine end, a bore extending axially from the compressor end to the turbine end, a first counter bore that forms an axial face that axially locates the bearing in the bore, a second counter bore disposed axially between the first counter bore and the turbine end wherein the second counter bore comprises a seal surface that forms a lubricant and exhaust seal with the seal ring disposed about the shaft, and a securing feature to secure the sleeve with respect to a turbocharger housing. Various other examples of devices, assemblies, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
US08911198B2	Apparatus for turning steel products The present invention relates to an apparatus for turning steel products. The apparatus comprises a rotating shaft, a first turning plate, and a second turning plate. The first turning plate is fixedly mounted to the rotating shaft with a longitudinal axis of the first turning plate perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the rotating shaft. The second turning plate is movably mounted to the rotating shaft with a longitudinal axis of the second turning plate perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the rotating shaft.
US08911196B2	Motorhome with onboard touring car, elevator, and crew cabin The invention relates to a two-level motorhome with, on the lower level: a receptacle for a car, accessed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the motorhome; and, on the upper level: two independent living areas. One is at the front, with three slide-outs, two of them right above the car receptacle, served by a staircase and an elevator car that goes right down to the ground, and adapted to accommodate four people enjoying a living room that can be converted into a room with twin beds closed off by rigid partitions. One is at the rear, used as a cabin to house a two-person crew, served by an independent staircase. The motorhome according to the invention is adapted for land tours for four individuals who wish to have use of a car and elevator, and to leave all the operating logistics to a crew. It is particularly suited to time-sharing and rental.
US08911184B2	Regulating element The invention relates to a regulating element for a cutting member clamped in a tool seat of a cutting tool, comprising a cylindrical basic body, and an active surface impacting the cutting member at a face side when in a mounted state, having a contour deviating from the cylindrical shape at the cylinder sleeve of the basic body as anti-twist protection for the regulating element.
US08911182B2	Agricultural equipment drive system An agricultural equipment drive system comprises a main drive shaft connectable to a power source, a first gear box, a second gear box and a second drive shaft. The first gear box has a first gear box input connected to the main drive shaft and a first gear box output at a first angle to the first gear box input. The second gear box has a second gear box input connected to the first gear box output and a second gear box output at a second angle to the second gear box input. The second drive shaft connects the first gear box output to the second gear box input.
US08911181B1	Soil stabilization method and apparatus A method of inline mixing the exact amount of sodium silicate, catalyst and water to form a grout for injection into underground construction applications in order to eliminate waste of resources. The invention is comprised of a sodium silicate pump assembly and a water and catalyst pump assembly. A metering pump injects a catalyst into the water loop. The sodium silicate pump and the water and catalyst pump discharge lines are merged into one pipeline downstream. The single pipe is connected to a static inline mixer that ensures uniform mixing of all the components. The sodium silicate pump assembly and the water and catalyst pump assembly are hydraulically controlled. This allows an operator to vary the speed of the pump thereby controlling pump discharge.
US08911180B2	Underwater work assembly and method for anchoring thereof The invention relates to an underwater work assembly and to a method for anchoring the underwater work assembly in a bed of a lake, sea or river. The work assembly comprises a service platform which can be lowered and a plurality of supporting feet which are mounted so that they can be adjusted on the service platform for positioning on the lake, sea or river bed and can be moved in and out relative to the service platform by means of an actuating cylinder. In order to improve anchoring it is provided that at least one supporting foot is mounted rotationally relative to the service platform and that a rotary drive facing the supporting foot is provided, with which the supporting foot is driven in rotation for screwing into the lake, sea or river bed.
US08911175B2	Drainage management system and method Systems and methods for drainage management, including a pipe that is cut along a longitudinal section thereof; and a pipe block having a curved section corresponding to a diameter of the cut pipe and including supporting legs. The curved section of the pipe block is configured to support the cut pipe.
US08911174B2	Watercraft lift and automatic water craft cover A watercraft lift with hydraulically actuated arms which self-installs a fitted three-dimensional boat or other watercraft cover on a powerboat or other watercraft. Control logic allows for cover operation only when the lift is raised, and has a single control for both the lift and cover system. A spring-tensioned roller keeps the cover tight and self-rolls the cover on the roller when the actuated arms are pivoted forward. The roller is hidden behind the watercraft when in a “cover-on” position.
US08911173B2	Pavement slabs with sliding dowels A pavement slab including top and bottom surfaces, first and second longitudinal side surfaces, and first and second transverse side surfaces. The slab includes a first and second plurality of transverse holes formed within the first and second longitudinal side surfaces, respectively, a first and second plurality of longitudinal holes formed within the first and second plurality of transverse holes, respectively, and plurality of dowel bars. Each of the holes is sized and shaped to receive slidably a corresponding one of the plurality of dowel bars. Each of the dowel bars is slidable between a retracted position and an extend position in which the dowel bar forms a joint between the slab and another slab or preexisting pavement.
US08911172B2	Apparatuses, systems and methods for selectively affecting movement of a motor vehicle A non-lethal vehicle device provides for the selective, remotely-deployed controlled stop of a targeted vehicle regardless of wheel or undercarriage configuration. The device is comprised of a combination of a remote arm/safe mechanism, a remote deployment controller, spike/snare deployment mechanism(s), a “speed bump” type housing that can protrude (be driven over until deployed) or be submerged, and one or more snares with a plurality of spikes. A combination of sensors may provide independent deployment once armed.
US08911165B2	Overloaded typing apparatuses, and related devices, systems, and methods Overloaded typing apparatuses, and related devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a typing apparatus is provided. The typing apparatus comprises a plurality of overloaded keys in a key layout. The plurality of overloaded keys comprises at least three injectively overloaded keys disposed in a first row of keys. At least one first injectively overloaded key among the at least three injectively overloaded keys is injectively overloaded with a first at least three characters assigned to a first finger in a represented non-overloaded keyboard. The plurality of overloaded keys also comprises at least one second injectively overloaded key disposed outside the first row of keys. The at least one second injectively overloaded key is injectively overloaded with a second at least three characters assigned to the first finger in the represented non-overloaded keyboard. Other embodiments and related methods are also disclosed.
US08911164B2	Embedded linear motor drive for IR camera shutter An embedded linear motor drive for an IR camera comprising linear motor components that integrates into a sliding shutter is disclosed. The linear motor components can be a linear array of magnets, or a series of ridges or gear teeth. A motor drive is aligned with the linear motor components. The drive can be a series of coils connected to a power source that can move the shutter when the coils are energized in series. The drive can also be a pinion shaft with a friction wheel at one end or pinion gear that can connect to the ridges or gear teeth and move the shutter when the shaft is rotated.
US08911158B2	Z-pluggable optical communications module, an optical communications system, and a method A Z-pluggable optical communications module (OCM) is provided that contains multiple parallel OCMs (POCMs) and that is configured to be removably plugged into an opening formed in a front panel of an optical communications system. When the Z-pluggable OCM is plugged in a forward Z-direction into the opening formed in the front panel, an actuator mechanism is actuated to impart motion to the Z-pluggable OCM in the downward Y-direction to cause the Z-pluggable OCM to be mounted on an upper surface of a motherboard PCB. In order to unplug the Z-pluggable OCM, the actuator mechanism is actuated to impart motion to the Z-pluggable OCM in the upward Y-direction to cause it to be dismounted from the motherboard PCB.
US08911151B2	Substrate support bushing A bushing assembly for supporting a substrate within a processing chamber is generally provided. In one aspect, the bushing assembly comprises a tubular body having an outer perimeter and an aperture extending therethrough, a first ring having a first inner edge, the first ring disposed in the aperture in an upper portion of the tubular body, and a second ring having a second inner edge, the second ring disposed in the aperture in a lower portion of the tubular body. In another aspect, the first inner edge has a first radius of curvature, and the second inner edge has a second radius of curvature. In another aspect, a first inner edge diameter, a second inner edge diameter, the first radius of curvature, and the second radius of curvature are selected such that a support pin extending through the aperture contacts the bushing assembly on at most two points.
US08911150B2	Valve A one-way valve is disclosed, particularly for foodstuff packages, the valve designed to be mounted on a package and arranged to open in response to an excess pressure inside said package. The valve includes an aperture formed in the package material. On top of the aperture an adhesive layer is arranged. The adhesive layer is arranged in such a manner that the valve, upon opening, exhibits a pre-defined channel allowing passage-through.
US08911149B2	X-ray computed tomography device calibration and verification apparatus An apparatus for calibrating an x-ray computed tomography device has a plurality of objects formed from a material that is visible to x-rays, and a base at least in part fixedly supporting the plurality of objects so that each of the plurality of objects contacts at least one of the other objects. Each one of the plurality of objects: 1) is configured to receive x-rays without changing shape, 2) has substantially the same shape and size as the other objects, 3) has an attenuation value to x-rays (“object attenuation value”), and 4) is symmetrically shaped relative to its center point. Like the objects, the base also has an attenuation value to x-rays (the “base attenuation value”). The object attenuation value is greater than the base attenuation. Each of the plurality of objects is kinematically locked in place on the base.
US08911145B2	Method to measure the characteristics in an electrical component A method of generating a function that correlates semiconductor temperature with semiconductor lifetime including applying resonant frequency laser illumination to the semiconductor.
US08911132B1	Edgelit optic entrance features Optic entrance features may be used to optically control light transfer from a light source to a light emitting panel (LEP). In a particular embodiment, an LEP includes a first LEP side configured to emit light. The LEP also includes a second LEP side. The first LEP side and the second LEP side are opposite sides of the LEP. The LEP further includes a cutout area providing an air gap in the LEP through the first LEP side and the second LEP side. The LEP also includes a light receiving side. The cutout area is proximal to the light receiving side, and the light receiving side is configured to pass light through towards the cutout area.
US08911131B2	Energy efficient concentric illuminators for illuminating a sheet An apparatus and method for coupling light from concentric illuminators into a light source in the form of a surface are disclosed. According to one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a plurality of concentric tubes, each tube including a light diffuser. The apparatus also has a sheet having a first edge with the plurality of concentric tubes placed along the first edge. Each tube of the plurality of concentric tubes diffuses light such that the light emanates in a predetermined pattern along the first edge of the sheet.
US08911130B2	Light engine for a fiberoptic illuminator A light engine for a fiberoptic illuminator is disclosed. The light engine has a light emitting diode (LED) and collimating optics for gathering, transmitting and focusing light emitted from the LED. The collimating optics is provided by a fused fiberoptic rod having an outer glass cladding which provides a seal for a bundle of optic fibers drawn and tightly packed and fused together. The fused fiberoptic rod has an elongate cylindrical distal end and a frustoconical proximal end forming a fused tapered tip. The fused tapered tip having a proximal end face disposed adjacent the LED for receiving light emitted by the LED.
US08911125B2	Circuit module, light emitting module, and automotive lamp A circuit module includes: a lighting control circuit that controls lighting of a semiconductor light emitting element; a first heat radiating member on which the lighting control circuit is mounted; a second heat radiating member that is separated from the first heat radiating member and has a surface on which the semiconductor light emitting element is mounted; and a connecting mechanism having both a housing that connects the first heat radiating member and the second heat radiating member together and a conductive portion that transmits a signal from the lighting control circuit to the semiconductor light emitting element. The housing is formed of a material having a coefficient of thermal conductivity lower than those of the first heat radiating member and the second heat radiating member.
US08911124B2	Backlight assembly and display apparatus having the same A backlight assembly includes a light guiding plate, a light source and a bottom receiving plate. The light source is disposed at a first side of the light guiding plate. The bottom receiving plate includes a bottom surface and a side wall to form a receiving space in which at least a portion of the light guiding plate is placed. The bottom surface is smaller than a lower surface of the light guiding plate and has a plurality of openings formed through the bottom surface. The side wall extends from the bottom surface.
US08911123B2	Assembling structure and lighting device with assembling structure An assembling structure includes a base, an assembling body and a fastening element. The base has a ring groove. The assembling body includes at least two first fastening portions. The fastening element is disposed inside the ring groove and can be rotatably installed on the base. The fastening element includes at least two second fastening portions. The fastening element can rotate relative to the base and has a fastening position and a releasing position. When the fastening element is at the fastening position, the two first fastening portions are fastened with the two second fastening portions respectively. When the fastening element is at the releasing position, the two first fastening portions are detached from the two second fastening portions respectively.
US08911120B2	Light beam framing system with merged shutter blades The present invention relates to a framing system for shaping a light beam. The framing system comprises a frame support comprising a number of shutter blades surrounding said light beam and a number of actuators adapted to move said shutter blades in and out of said light beam. The shutter blades form a merged pile, where part of a first shutter blade is in placed over a part of a second shutter blade and where another part is placed below a part of a third shutter blade. A first actuator rotates at least one of said shutter blades in relation to a first rotational point and a second actuator moves the first rotational point in relation to said light beam. The present invention relates further to a method of shaping a light beam comprising the steps of rotating a shutter blade around a first rotation point using a first actuator and moving the first rotation point in relation to the light beam using a second actuator.
US08911119B1	Bulb including cover A three-way bulb including light emitting diodes is used to achieve a variety of light output colors and/or intensities. In some embodiments, the inputs to a three-way bulb are configured to perform other functions, such as power a motor. In some embodiments, a bulb including light emitting diodes includes a replicable cover. This cover may be configured to project images or support a shade made of a heat sensitive material.
US08911117B2	LED lighting apparatus with a high efficiency convective heat sink An LED lighting apparatus including an LED chip having at least one LED, a light reflector configured to direct light emitted by the LED at a predetermined direction and dispersion angle, a heat sink including a mounting base and cooling fins extending from a first side of the mounting base and with the LED chip secured to an opposite second side of the mounting base, a cooling fan attached to the heat sink adjacent distal ends of the plurality of fins, an electrical regulator electrically connected to the cooling fan to provide regulated power to the cooling fan, an LED driver electrically connected to the LED chip, and a thermal limit switch mounted to the heat sink and configured to cut off power to the LED chip if a sensed temperature of the heat sink exceeds a temperature set point to thereby provide thermal protection to the LED chip.
US08911116B2	Light-emitting diode (LED) floodlight A light emitting diode (LED) floodlight is described herein. The LED floodlight can include a LED housing assembly coupled to a driver assembly. The LED housing can include a number of LEDs mounted on a front side of a LED housing and a number of heat sink protrusions extending from a back side of the LED housing. The driver assembly can include a driver mounted within a driver housing, where the front side of the driver housing couples to the end of the heat sink protrusions that extend from the back side of the LED housing. The LEDs may be coupled to a number of reflectors. The reflectors can include a reflector body having a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion can form a shape that is an elongated version of the shape formed by the bottom portion.
US08911111B2	LED backlight system and display device The present invention provides an LED backlight system and display device. Backlight system includes power source module, LED array, master switch module, current detection module, current equalizer module and current shunt module. LED array is connected to power source module and includes LED strings with common anode. Master switch module includes first switch transistors for receiving switch control PWM signal of LED strings. Current detection module outputs current feedback signals corresponding to currents of LED strings. Current equalizer module is connected to current detection and includes equalizer control unit and equalizer switch unit. Based on current feedback signal, equalizer control unit controls on-and-off of equalizer switch unit. Current shunt module is connected in parallel with current equalizer module and performs current shunt on current equalizer module. As such, the present invention reduces energy-consumption of current equalizer module and temperature of LED drive chip.
US08911101B2	Lava lamp display device A lava lamp display device comprising: a frame having a permeable vision window at a front surface thereof, and a lamp base and a projection light at a bottom of inner side thereof; a film-coated glass mounted on the vision window; a support bracket having at least one positioning hole thereon; a transparent bottle arranged in the positioning holes; and two reflection mirrors having a center serving as a reference to define the two symmetrical reflection mirrors, and both sides thereof inclined forward to form an angle θ being not parallel with the film-coated glass with 180° angle. After the filler of the transparent bottle is reflected repeatedly by the two reflection mirrors, the vision window shows shapes in an inward serial arrangement in the middle and unlimited extension on both sides, having effects of an illumination lamp device, an art decoration, and special visual in one unit.
US08911099B2	Method of developing and manufacturing optical elements and assemblies Alternative methods of designing, developing and manufacturing optical elements and assemblies are provided which enable improvements in effectiveness and efficiency. Subtractive processes using lasers or other tools are utilized to create embedded void spaces that provide reflecting walls within internally reflective optical elements. The designs have advantages in cost, reduced development time, and performance. Light from multiple light sources can be mixed and collimated. Some embodiments provide the ability to integrate a large number of internally reflective optics into a single component and very large components can be made. Embodiments of the invention are designed for manufacturing and can be made without molding tooling.
US08911097B2	Display device A display device includes a substrate, a light shielding layer, at least one fading pattern and a display module. The display module is disposed on the substrate and has a display area. The light shielding layer is disposed on a periphery of the substrate and has a first side and a second side, wherein the first side is opposite to the second side. The at least one fading pattern is disposed on the substrate, is adjacent to at least one side of the first side and the second side of the light shielding layer, and does not overlap the display area of the display module. Each fading pattern includes N light transmissible areas, the N light transmissible areas are adjacent to each other, and transmittances of the N light transmissible areas are different from each other, wherein N is a positive integer larger than one.
US08911094B2	Distortion correction for projector An image processing device for a projector including an image formation section that emits light of an image, and a projection system that projects the emitted light onto a projection surface. The image processing device has a distortion correction technique for images displayed on the projection surface. The image processing device has a target display area determination section that determines, in a display area serving as a reference on the projection surface, based on a current value of a parameter, any of target display areas set for values possibly taken by the parameter within an allowable range to be targeted on a distortion-free image for display on the projection surface; a reference formation area determination section that determines a reference formation area to be formed with a virtual distorted image and a correction application section that generates corrected image data for supply to the image formation section.
US08911090B2	System for at-home eye movement monitoring An apparatus for monitoring eye movement in a patient, includes a frame structured to be worn on the head of the patient. An infrared illumination device structured to illuminate an eye of the patient is supported by the frame. A camera structured to capture images of the eye when illuminated by the infrared illumination device is also supported by the frame. A number of sensors structured to generate data relating to one or more characteristics of the user or environment is further supported by the frame. The apparatus also includes a data storage device associated with the frame for recording the images and the data relating to one or more characteristics of the user or environment along with time information associated therewith. The apparatus is structured to generally not obstruct the patient's view of their surroundings.
US08911087B2	Systems and methods for measuring reactions of head, eyes, eyelids and pupils Systems and methods are provided to measure reaction times and/or responses for head, eye, eyelid movements, and/or changes in pupil geometry. The system includes eyewear or headwear including one or more eye-tracking cameras for monitoring the position and geometry of at least one eye and its components of the user, one or more scene cameras for monitoring the user's surroundings, and one or more processors to determine reaction times. Optionally, the system may include one or more of a multi-axis accelerometer to monitor head movements, light sources to trigger visual evoked responses, and/or electronic inputs that may be used to indicate the time of occurrence of external reference events. Measured reaction times and other measurements may be monitored for use in a range of applications. Responses and reaction times may be measured continuously over extended periods, even over a lifetime to measure consequences of the aging process.
US08911086B2	Compound modulation transfer function for laser surgery and other optical applications Methods, devices, and systems establish an optical surface shape that mitigates or treats a vision condition in a patient. An optical surface shape for a particular patient can be determined using a set of patient parameters for the specific patient by using a compound modulation transfer function (CMTF). The compound modulation transfer function can include a combination of modulation transfer functions (MTF's) at a plurality of distinct frequencies.
US08911081B2	Nylon polarized lens and moulding mold thereof A nylon polarized lens includes a nylon material layer and a polarized film. The nylon material layer has four corners formed with positioning portions to position the polarized film. The nylon material layer has buffer grooves at two opposing end surfaces thereof. A moulding mold to manufacture a nylon polarized lens includes an upper die and a lower die. The lower die has a top surface which is an arc concave surface. Two opposing sides of the top surface of the lower die are formed with buffer flanges which are adapted to form buffer grooves of the nylon polarized lens. The top surface of the lower die is further formed with positioning portions to position the polarized film. The upper die has a bottom surface which is an arc convex surface. The upper die cooperates with the lower die to form a chamber for shaping the lens.
US08911079B2	Translating presbyopic contact lens Lenses for correcting presbyopia are translating, multifocal contact lenses with pseudotruncations which are asymmetric about the vertical meridian.
US08911075B2	Eyeglasses A pair of eyeglasses includes a frame and two temples. The frame includes two rims whose inner edges are connected with each other. An inner wall of each of the rims has a slot in which the lens is inserted. An outer edge of each rim has a first connecting end and a second connecting end capable of connecting with or being separate from each other. Outer edges of the first and second connecting ends of each rim are respectively configured with connecting portions. A front end of each temple has a connecting recess for containing the two connecting portions of one of the rims to connect the first and second connecting ends of the rim. With the frame structure, the slot of the rim can be allowed greater depth, so that the lenses can be more firmly fixed to the rims respectively.
US08911073B2	Printing method and printing system A printing method includes applying a curable resin-containing ink onto an inked surface of a transfer sheet, heating the ink applied on the inked surface of the transfer sheet to increase viscosity of the ink, transferring the heated ink on the inked surface of transfer sheet to a printing object directly or indirectly, and curing the ink transferred to the printing object.
US08911072B2	Pre-applying liquid applying apparatus for inkjet printer and image forming system A pre-applying liquid applying apparatus for an inkjet printer is disclosed. The apparatus includes an applying roller which applies a treatment agent onto a recording medium before an image is formed; a squeeze roller which abuts against the applying roller; and a treatment agent supplying unit which supplies the treatment agent to a nip portion of the applying roller and the squeeze roller. A squeeze pressure adjusting mechanism is provided which adjusts an abutting force of the squeeze roller against the applying roller.
US08911070B2	System for recycling inkjet-printing material The present invention provides a system and a method for recycling an inkjet-printing material. The recycling method comprises the following steps: utilizing a wiper configured to withdraw the inkjet-printing material dispensed by the nozzles, and collecting the inkjet-printing material by means of a recycling tank; mixing a fresh inkjet-printing material with the inkjet-printing material collected by the recycling tank, so as to form a reuse inkjet-printing material; and providing the reuse inkjet-printing material to the nozzles. The present invention can greatly save the inkjet-printing material.
US08911068B2	Ink cartridge and image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device to form an image and an ink cartridge that includes a deformable ink supply bag having an ink supply port; a deformable waste ink collection bag having a fluid gateway; and a cartridge housing to accommodate the deformable ink supply bag and the deformable waste ink collection bag at the same time. A connecting member having a non-return valve is provided to connect the deformable ink supply bag and the deformable waste ink collection bag with each other at a section other than the ink supply port and the fluid gateway. The non-return valve prevents ink from flowing from the waste ink collection bag into the ink supply bag. A non-return valve control mechanism is provided not to operate the non-return valve in an initial state in which the ink supply bag is initially filled with ink.
US08911059B2	Liquid ejection device, method, and non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium for liquid ejection device A liquid ejection device may include a liquid ejection head, a conveyor mechanism, a liquid discharging device, and a control device. The control device may be configured to determine a dimension of a recording medium, and determine one or more first ejection nozzles of the liquid discharging device, which correspond to an edge of the recording medium, based on the dimension. The control device may be further configured to control the liquid discharging device to perform a liquid discharging process after the liquid ejection head records an image onto the recording medium, wherein in the liquid discharging process, an amount of liquid discharged from each of the one or more first ejection nozzles is larger than an amount of liquid discharged from each of one or more second ejection nozzles, which correspond to a more inward area of the recording medium than an area corresponding to the one or more first ejection nozzles.
US08911058B2	Recording apparatus An ink jet printer includes a carriage that includes a recording head which performs recording on a medium and is movable in a scanning direction of the recording head, a first sliding portion that is provided so as to be able to displace a relative position to a carriage main body in a direction in which a gap between the recording head and the medium changes and moves in the scanning direction together with the carriage, a guide member with which the first sliding portion makes contact and that is provided so as to extend in the scanning direction, and a gap adjusting unit that adjusts the gap by adjusting a position of the carriage main body relative to the first sliding portion.
US08911055B2	Dot position measurement method and dot position measurement apparatus A dot position measurement method and a dot position measurement apparatus provide a plurality of common line blocks and averaging measurement values of positions of lines in each common line blocks when correcting the measurement positions in each line block by taking a common line block (reference line block) as a reference position, and it is possible to reduce effects of random positional variation in a main scanning direction of an image reading apparatus.
US08911051B2	Dot data generating method, dot data generating device, inkjet recording device, and inkjet recording system In a case where a first image is printed on a recording medium based on first dot data using the first inkjet recording device and a second image is printed based on second dot data on another recording medium using the second inkjet recording device in which ejected ink drops land onto a recording medium with a small degree of dispersion in a main scanning direction compared to the first inkjet recording device, the first dot data is converted to generate the second dot data such that data of a large dot and a medium dot is converted so as to form a plurality of dots having sizes smaller than the dot size at predetermined intervals between the dots in the main scanning direction in place of the large dot and the medium dot.
US08911048B2	Image processor and image processing method having correcting unit performing correction based on correction parameters When printing an image using a plurality of inks, color unevenness caused by variations in ejection characteristics among nozzles is corrected at suitable timings in accordance with change in the color unevenness over time, and favorable image output without noticeably color unevenness is maintained. For this purpose, parameters are prepared, for colors formed by combinations of at least two colors of ink, the parameters being determined so as to reduce differences in coloration on a print medium caused by individual variations in the ejection characteristics of a plurality of nozzles. When printing, a first color signal included in individual pixels is corrected for a second color signal by using the parameters. Information regarding the ejection volume characteristics of a plurality of nozzles is acquired as appropriate, and by estimating changes in coloration from this information, suitable timings for overwriting such parameters are determined.
US08911047B2	Fluid ejecting apparatus and fluid ejecting method A fluid ejecting apparatus repeats an ejecting operation which ejects a fluid from nozzles while a first nozzle row and a second nozzle row move in a movement direction with respect to a medium and a relative movement operation in which the first nozzle row, the second nozzle row and the medium relatively move to the nozzle row direction, and repeatedly performs the ejecting operation so as to include the ejecting operation which does not perform a control which changes the movement distance in the movement direction of the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row according to a position of an end in the movement direction of the image when a main image and a background image are formed to be overlapped on the medium at different ejecting operations.
US08911044B2	Inkjet recording apparatus and recording method According to one embodiment, an inkjet recording apparatus includes a plurality of inkjet heads of a multi-drop method, a first controller, and a second controller. The first controller controls ejection of ink drops from a first inkjet head for ejecting a first ink for which print resolution is required, in a manner that a number of ink dots formed in a main scanning direction is great, and that the number of ink drops ejected for each one of the ink dots is small. The second controller controls ejection of the ink drops from a second inkjet head for ejecting a second ink for which coverage over a recording surface of the recording medium is required, in a manner that a number of ink dots formed in the main scanning direction is small, and that the number of ink drops ejected for each of the ink dots is great.
US08911041B2	Water-filter mounting structure for refrigerator A water-filter mounting structure for a refrigerator has a filter receiving section provided below a dispenser that is mounted at a door for selectively opening and closing a storage space and discharges water or ice to the outside. A water filter mounted in the filter receiving section purifies water supplied from a water supplying source. It is possible to minimize reduction in a storage capacity, loss in cold air and damage to the water filter and improve product compatibility.
US08911034B2	Housing having quick-dismounting structure A housing having a quick-dismounting structure includes a base plate, a covering plate and a switch module. The base plate has a retaining portion. The covering plate has one side against the retaining portion and a switch recess corresponding to the side. The switch module is rotatably disposed in the switch recess and including a holding portion exposed outside the switch recess, a hooking board extended from the holding portion toward the matching board, and an elastic element. The hooking board has a fastening end faced the retaining portion. When the holding portion is moved, the hook piece shifts accordingly and the hooking end-portion is selectably hooked the retaining portion which then lock or disengage the covering plate, for dismounting the covering plate conveniently.
US08911030B2	Electric brake actuator and vehicle brake system An electric brake actuator (motor cylinder apparatus) for generating hydraulic brake pressure on the basis of at least an electric signal corresponding to brake manipulation by an operator, which is incorporated in a vehicle brake system with an input apparatus being arranged separately from the electric brake actuator and receiving the brake manipulation. A reservoir reserving brake fluid is attached to a cylinder body included in the electric brake actuator, and the ceiling of the reservoir is inclined from the axis of the cylinder body in correspondence with an arrangement of the main body inclined from the horizontal line.
US08911025B2	Wheel having an interlocking tire and rim, and a method for producing the same A wheel, in particular for mobile apparatus such as carriages or the like, having an interlocking tire and rim and including: a central hub defining an annular external surface; a tread, associated to the external surface of the hub; and anchoring elements extending from the annular external surface in order to constrain the tread to the hub; the anchoring elements including at least one groove for housing at least a first portion of the tread.
US08911023B2	Soldier support system in a vehicle A soldier restraint system and method secure a soldier in a vehicle. In one embodiment, the soldier restraint system is secured in a military vehicle. The soldier restraint system includes a seat assembly comprising a seat and straps. The soldier restraint system also includes a restraint harness belt. The restraint harness belt is secured to the seat assembly. In addition, the soldier restraint system includes mounting assemblies. The straps attach the seat to the mounting assemblies. The mounting assemblies are securable in the vehicle. Attachment of at least one of the straps to the seat is releasable by a release assembly.
US08911022B2	Fastening system, covering apparatus, seating device, and vehicle A fastening system for fastening a covering apparatus to a support structure is provided. The fastening system comprises a support frame having a fastening edge configured as a beading and a fastening device for fastening the covering apparatus on the support frame. The fastening device has a fastening opening into which a fastening unit projecting from the support frame engages at least partially so that a fastening fixed in at least six degrees of freedom is ensured.
US08911021B1	Apparatus for raising and lowering a human foot An apparatus for lifting an adult human foot includes a frame, a foot rest, and a lifting mechanism. The frame is configured to rest on a floor with the lifting mechanism being positioned on the frame and the foot rest being secured to the lifting mechanism. In operation, the lifting mechanism functions to selectively raise and lower the foot rest with respect to the floor.
US08911020B2	Adjustable head rest Described are passenger seats having a seat back support and a head rest assembly coupled to the seat back support. The head rest assembly includes a head support and a lower head support with a rest bar and a pair of extensions, wherein a first end of each extension is slidingly coupled to the rest bar and a second end of each extension is pivotally coupled to the head support. The rest bar is positioned adjacent the head support when the lower head support is in a stowed position and is positioned a distance forward of the head support when the lower head support is in a deployed position.
US08911015B2	Car seat Embodiments of a highly protective, safe and strong car seat are disclosed and include an outer protective shell, an inner seat, a suspension system connecting and permitting relative movement between the inner seat and the outer protective shell, and a harness adapted to hold an occupant to the inner seat and not attached to the outer protective shell. In the case of an accident, regardless of the direction in which the seat is facing and regardless of whether the result is a sudden acceleration and/or deceleration, the inner seat will move inside the frame, and the suspension system will absorb some, much, or all of the energy. Energy not absorbed by the suspension system may be absorbed by the inner seat itself. The frame is of extremely high strength and will remain structurally intact in almost all circumstances thereby protecting the occupant of the car seat.
US08911013B2	Safety seat for motor vehicles A safety seat for a motor vehicle includes a seat unit and a back unit having an upper part and a lower part. The safety seat can be connected by way of the upper part to the structure of a motor vehicle, and the lower part can be dropped with respect to the upper part. The lower part is guided on the upper part and is connected to the upper part by at least one energy-absorbing support strap. The seat unit has a forward part connected in articulated fashion to the upper part of the back unit, and a rear part which is connected in articulated fashion to the lower part of the back unit. The rear part of the seat unit drops farther than the forward part of the seat unit when a force resulting from an accident or an explosion acts on the vehicle.
US08911010B2	Pivoting swing seat with control system A swingable and pivotable seating system includes a base portion, a swing arm, a seat and a control system. The swing arm is pivotable about a generally vertical first pivot axis and has a first end pivotally mounted at the base portion and a second end opposite the first end. The seat is pivotally supported at or near the second end of the swing arm and pivotable about a generally vertical second pivot axis. The control system controls pivotal movement of the seat about the second pivot axis responsive to a degree of pivoting of the swing arm about the first pivot axis. The seating system may include a desk portion, and the control system may limit pivotal movement of the seat when the seat is near the desk portion and may allow greater pivotal movement of the seat when the seat is swung away from the desk portion.
US08911007B2	Vehicle front structure Provided is a vehicle front structure including a front bumper and a lower grille. The front bumper includes a front-bumper lower surface extending in a vehicle rear direction, the front-bumper lower surface having a pair of bottom surface portions at respective side portions and a recessed surface at a center portion, the recessed surface extending from the pair of bottom surface portions and being recessed in an upper direction. The lower grille includes an annular portion arranged at the lower side of a rear end of the recessed surface and forming an opening, a protruding portion protruding from a lower portion of the annular portion so as to protrude in a front direction and oppose to the recessed surface, and a reinforcing portion extending from an upper portion of the annular portion to a back surface of the recessed surface and reinforcing the front-bumper lower surface.
US08911004B2	Vehicular center pillar and vehicle A vehicular center pillar with improved proof stress against loads input from above a vehicle includes a pillar body that extends in a vertical direction of the vehicle and has flanges, formed on the front and rear sides of the pillar body, that extend in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and a reinforcing member that connects the front flange to the rear flange. The reinforcing member includes a predetermined connection portion that rectilinearly connects the front flange to the rear flange in the longitudinal direction.
US08911001B1	Method and system for transporting, loading, and unloading various types of goods A method and system for transporting, loading, and unloading various types of goods can include a motor vehicle having a tractor portion and a rectilinear shaped cargo area portion. The cargo area portion can include three traditional sides and a curtain side. The various parts of the system can include, but are not limited to, the following: a front, first width, solid side of the rectilinear shaped cargo area that is adjacent to a tractor portion. The system can further include a solid side along a first length of the rectilinear shaped cargo area. A first door can be contained with the solid side along the first length. Adjacent to the first door, a side-mount liftgate can be positioned. A rear, second width, solid side of the rectilinear shaped cargo area can contain a second door. The second door can be a rolling type door.
US08910997B2	Adjustable automobile shade cover An adjustable automobile shade cover and a method for covering the windows of a vehicle are disclosed. The shade cover includes a flexible and collapsible shade panel covering the windshield, the window and passenger compartment of the vehicle to provide temporary shading from the sun and other weather elements, and is adjustably anchored to the closed trunk on one end of the shade panel, and to a front or side area of the vehicle on the other end of the shade panel.
US08910987B1	Vehicle body trim structure A rear body panel has a pillar portion extending upward from a vehicle body waistline defined along the rear body panel. An outboard facing surface of the pillar portion has a front peripheral edge section at least partially defining a side opening. A rearward facing surface of the pillar portion has an inboard peripheral edge section partially defining a rear window opening. The rear window glass is installed within the rear window opening overlaying at least a portion of the inboard peripheral edge. A first section of the exterior trim panel extends rearward from the front peripheral edge section along the outboard facing surface at the vehicle body waistline. A second section extends in a lateral inboard direction from a rearward end of the first section to the inboard peripheral edge section along the rearward facing surface to the rear window opening at the vehicle body waistline.
US08910977B2	Steering device A steering device includes a steering column that rotatably supports a steering wheel, a column side bracket that supports the steering column, a vehicle body side bracket coupled to the column side bracket and an impact absorption mechanism that moves the steering column in a direction along the steering column in a second collision. The impact absorption mechanism includes an impact absorption member and a supporting member. The impact absorption member is integrally formed with an elastic supporting portion and an extending portion. The elastic supporting portion is supported by the vehicle body side bracket and elastically supports the steering column. The extending portion extends in a direction along the steering column. The supporting member is supported by a vehicle body and supports a part of the extending portion in a longitudinal direction of the extending portion.
US08910976B2	Steering apparatus for vehicle A steering apparatus for a vehicle provided with a steering wheel includes a main housing, a movable column member, a fixing bracket fixing the main housing to a vehicle body, a link mechanism, and a drive mechanism connected to the link mechanism, wherein the drive mechanism includes a motor, a threaded shaft, and a nut member moving in an axial direction of the threaded shaft, the nut member includes a female threaded portion threadedly engaged with the threaded shaft and a pivot shaft portion including a rotational axis orthogonal to an axis of the female threaded portion and including two flat surface portions being parallel to the rotational axis and facing each other while leaving a predetermined distance therebetween, and the link mechanism includes a bearing portion including a bearing hole and a cut-out portion including two flat surfaces configured to be parallel to the two flat surface portions.
US08910972B1	Airbag door Provided is an airbag door in which a front rib and a rear rib are formed integrally with a door plate, and a hook, which forms a catching region with a crash pad, is formed on the front rib, the airbag door including: a catching amount increasing portion which is formed to protrude at an inner side of the front rib which is directed toward an airbag deployment space, and leads a deployment direction of the airbag toward the rear rib so that the catching region is increased, and the airbag door provides an advantageous effect that prevents the hook from being separated from the crash pad when the airbag is deployed, thereby preventing the airbag from being abnormally deployed.
US08910971B1	Rotatable airbag module mounting mechanism An apparatus includes a mount assembly configured to rotatably couple to a vehicle beam and configured to support an airbag module. The apparatus further includes a connecting mechanism configured to selectively fix the mount assembly to the beam in a first position and configured to disengage at a threshold torque. The mount assembly includes a first stop member configured to engage the beam upon rotation of the mount to a second position.
US08910969B2	Low profile seat frame A wheelchair includes a chassis, a positioning module, a seat frame, and a seat. The positioning module is mounted to an upper portion of the chassis. The seat frame includes a support member secured to and spanning a seating area of the positioning module and a front frame member secured to a front end of the support member and overhanging a front edge of the seating area of the positioning module, such that the seat frame at least partially straddles the positioning module. The front frame member is connected with and at least partially supports at least one of a side frame member, foot rest, leg rest and arm rest assembled with and supported by the front frame member. The seat is secured to an upper surface of the support member.
US08910967B2	Ski binding A binding (1, 100) for a ski, in particular a ski binding for a cross-country or touring ski is described, in which a portion is adapted to interact with the ski, or a mounting plate (2, 110) attached to the ski, for attaching the binding to the ski in a displaceable manner, such that the binding can be positioned in a plurality of locations on the ski. A toothed interaction device (120), which is arranged so as to interact with matching indents or notches (112) on the ski or on the mounting plate (110), is provided, wherein the interaction of the teeth of the toothed interaction device with the matching indents or notches on the ski, or mounting plate, one or more than one of: determines, changes and/or fixes the position of the binding with respect to the ski.
US08910966B1	Snow ski and snowboard wing A foil wing for creating lift force on snowboards and skis is disclosed. By use of this invention on skis or snowboards, the act of translating through powder creates the necessary lift force on the leading end and down force on the aft end that is required to stay afloat in powder. The snow wing generates lift upon need when the snow gets deep enough. Therefore, the rider is kept afloat in unforeseen loose-snow areas, carrying him safely over and out. On overall snow powder days, the use of this invention keeps riders from tiring so quickly and, therefore, makes the rider more in control, and thus safer.
US08910962B2	Vehicle suspension transverse link A vehicle suspension transverse link, including a bearing journal assembly having a pin-shaped portion and an anchor portion that attaches to a connecting point on the link. The anchor portion has an unrounded configuration.
US08910960B2	Twist beam suspension with dual beam control arm A suspension arrangement for interconnecting a frame and an axle in a vehicle includes a control arm having an upper beam and a lower beam, each beam having a first end and a second end, the first end of each beam being pivotally connectable to a vehicle frame at a common pivot point, and the second end of each beam being connected to a bushing arrangement mountable to the vehicle axle, the bushing arrangement having an upper portion connected to the upper beam and a lower portion connected to the lower beam.
US08910957B1	Self-loading mini dolly A self-loading mini dolly includes a dolly frame; a front dolly arm carried by the dolly frame; a wheeled front axle carried by the front dolly arm; a front dolly platform carried by the front dolly arm, the front dolly platform selectively deployable between lowered and raised positions; a rear dolly arm carried by the dolly frame in spaced-apart relationship to the front dolly arm; a wheeled rear axle carried by the rear dolly arm; and a rear dolly platform carried by the rear dolly arm, the rear dolly platform selectively deployable between lowered and raised positions.
US08910956B2	Multi-function cart A multi-function cart for storing and transporting emergency or other supplies. The multi-function cart comprises a shell and lid or two shells that can be secured together to form a transportable storage container. When separated, each shell is convertible into various configurations that can be used to sustain life during and after a disaster as well as to clean up and rebuild after a disaster has occurred. In this manner, the multi-function cart enables victims to quickly care for themselves, and encourages victims to immediately begin the clean-up and rebuilding process. The multi-function cart can also be used recreationally. Each shell is convertible into different configurations using various tubes. Hub brackets on opposing sides of the shell include adapters to which any of the tubes can be connected. The tubes can be connected to the adapters in an upward or a downward orientation to form different configurations.
US08910954B2	King-pin height adjuster A height adjuster may be provided. The height adjuster may comprise a hydraulic lift cylinder and a ram configured to receive the hydraulic lift cylinder. The height adjuster may further comprise a wheel motor housing connected to a lower end of the ram. A lower end of the hydraulic lift cylinder may be connected to the wheel housing. In addition, the height adjuster may comprise a king-pin configured to receive the ram.
US08910953B2	Device for actuating brake means of mobile appliances A device (1) for generating tensile force and/or pressing force to thereby actuate at least one brake means (19) so as to brake or lock at least two caster wheels (11) of a mobile appliance includes at least one lever (5, 7) prepared for rotation thereof about a fulcrum (15); and at least one transmission means (9) disposed at the lever (5, 7) for transmitting the tensile force and/or pressing force generated during a rotation of the lever (5, 7) to the brake means (19). In addition, a mobile rack and device thereby equipped are specified.
US08910952B2	Active geometry control suspension system of vehicle An active geometry control suspension system may include a toe control mechanism having an assist link disposed between the wheel carrier and the sub-frame, a housing unit integrally formed with the sub-frame and having hinge brackets integrally formed at both sides of a wheel side one surface, a guide unit configured to guide a vehicle body side connection portion of the assist link along a predetermined trajectory through a cam guider which slides upward and downward along guide, a drive unit configured to transmit rotating driving torque, and a power transmission unit configured to transmit the linear motion to the vehicle body side connection portion of the assist link so that the vehicle body side connection portion of the assist link is raised and lowered along a predetermined trajectory of the guide unit by the rotating driving torque of the screw shaft.
US08910946B2	Rotary oil feedthrough A rotary oil feedthrough is provided for sealing off a pressurized oil compartment between a rotatable shaft and a shaft mount, where the rotary oil feedthrough displays a radial oil passage for connecting an oil duct of the shaft and/or the mount to the pressurized oil compartment in fluid-permeable fashion, and has a seal arrangement that seals off the pressurized oil compartment on both sides in the axial direction of the shaft. The rotary oil feedthrough displays a sealing ring carrier that can be fastened to the shaft or the mount in non-rotating and fluid-tight fashion, the sealing ring carrier being arranged coaxially to the shaft or the mount, and an adapter that can be positioned on the other component of shaft and mount in fluid-tight fashion, and is surrounded laterally by the sealing ring carrier in the axial direction of the shaft. Located between sealing ring carrier and adapter are two axially separated sealing rings that each lie on the sealing ring carrier and the adapter in sealing fashion in order to seal off the pressurized oil compartment in the axial direction of the shaft, and that can be rotated relative to the sealing ring carrier and/or the adapter. The rotary oil feedthrough displays the longest possible service life, the minimum possible leakage, and good response characteristics, and is of simple structural design.
US08910942B2	Puzzle A puzzle having a plurality of puzzle pieces configured to be assembled into a plurality of different coherent images.
US08910934B2	Sheet ejecting device Disclosed is a sheet ejecting device. The sheet ejecting device includes a sheet stacking section; a bumping section; a sheet ejecting section; a mode selecting section; and a control section. The sheet ejecting section includes a pair of sheet clamping members which clamps one sheet or a plurality of overlapped sheets at a sheet clamping position and moves the one sheet or the plurality of overlapped sheets to a sheet stacking position in the sheet stacking section. The mode selecting section allows selection of an operation mode of the pair of sheet clamping members between a normal mode in which speed of the pair of sheet clamping members is a normal speed and a low speed mode in which a speed is lower than the normal speed.
US08910928B2	Flanged material and standing seam clamp A clamping assembly for attaching loads to various kinds of flanged seams, the assembly comprising a generally U-shaped clamp body, at least one clamping hammer disposed interior of the clamp body, the clamping hammer is secured to the clamp body along the longitudinal axis of the clamp body, at least one adjustment screw extending through the clamp body and adapted to selectively impinge against the clamping hammer and cause it to pivot about its axis or otherwise move inwardly within the clamp body, the adjustment screw extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the clamping hammer, at least one locking screw adapted to selectively impinge against the clamping hammer to prevent pivoting of the same may be optionally provided whereby a standing seam received within the clamp body may be tightly grasped between the clamp body and the clamping hammer under action of the adjustment screw.
US08910924B2	Twin cam mechanism for a drop leg jack A jack for use with a towed vehicle is disclosed. The jack may include a first housing, a pair of cam surfaces, and a second housing telescopically moveable relative to the first housing. The jack may also include a pair of engaging members positionable to a first position generally inhibiting relative telescopic movement between the first and second housings and a second position generally not inhibiting relative telescopic movement between the first and second housings, and a handle attached to the engaging members, where the handle is selectively positionable along the cam surfaces positioning the engaging members to the first and second positions.
US08910922B1	Portable crane for installing and removing windows A portable crane for installing and removing windows. The portable crane for installing and removing windows includes a wheeled base with a platform having front and rear ends; a boom support assembly removably fastened to the wheeled base; and a boom assembly supported by the boom support assembly.
US08910920B1	Shutter valve with pivot arms A shutter valve for regulating pressure and controlling fluid flow comprising: an actuator ring comprising a plurality of gear teeth, the gear teeth driven by a mating gear; a plurality of arm pin bosses, each pin boss affixed within an inside circumference of the actuator ring, each arm pin boss further comprising a hinge pin aperture; three or more pivot arms, each pivot arm having a first end and a second end, the first end forming a hinge and mounted to a hinge pin aperture of an arm pin boss; three or more obturator elements; and a housing defining a cavity for holding the actuator ring, the pivot arms and the obturator elements.
US08910919B2	Selectively sealable male needleless connectors and associated methods The various embodiments include a tubular member having an outlet. A sealing member provides a selective seal over the outlet. When the male connector is connected to a female connector, the tubular member establishes fluid communication between the connectors. In certain embodiments, fluid communication between the connectors may be interrupted even while the connectors are still connected. When the male connector is disconnected from the female connector, the sealing member reestablishes a seal over the outlet.
US08910917B1	Moveable motor support A motor support has a slidable carriage that includes a pair of elongated tubes slidably encompassing parallel elongated fixed cylindrical rails on a stationary base bed with bearing sleeves press fitted in the end portions of the glider tubes. The bearing sleeves support the guide tubes on the rails and transfer the motor load on the glider tubes to the rails with a reservoir of a viscous lubricant within the center portions of the glider tubes. A spring commands the strength of the movement of the slidable carriage and is sealed in a spring housing using one or more gusset plates.
US08910916B2	Security mounting pole apparatus and method of use A security mounting pole apparatus comprising a pipe having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a longitudinal bore therethrough, the pipe having a first end and an opposite second end, and one or more reinforcing members disposed in the longitudinal bore of the pipe.
US08910909B2	Emergency collective actuator and method for a helicopter A helicopter includes a rotor system having a rotor with an adjustable pitch that is controlled at least in part by a pilot using a collective control and which helicopter generates a Low RPM signal that is indicative of a threshold low rotational speed of the rotor. An actuator arrangement can move the collective control by exerting a force on the collective control such that the pilot is able to overcome the actuator force but which otherwise can move the collective control from a current operational position toward a minimum pitch position. A clutch can co-rotate with a motor to serve in transferring the actuation force to reduce the adjustable pitch and can slip relative to the actuator shaft assembly responsive to an application of a counterforce applied by the pilot to the collective control such that the counterforce overcomes the actuation force.
US08910908B2	Two-piece stiffening element The invention provides a stiffening element, in particular for a shell component of an aircraft or spacecraft, which has a stiffening profile part and a foot part. The stiffening profile part is in this case composed of a lightweight metal material, and the foot part is composed of a material which is highly resistant to corrosion. A method is also provided for production of a stiffening element, in particular for a shell component of an aircraft or spacecraft. A stiffening profile semi-finished product is first of all produced from a lightweight metal material, and a foot part is produced from a material which is highly resistant to corrosion. The foot part and the stiffening profile semi-finished product are then integrally connected. The stiffening profile semi-finished product together with the foot part is then subjected to machining to form an intended shape for the stiffening element.
US08910907B2	Variable seat separation adjustment in an airplane According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a system for simultaneous longitudinal shifting of several selected seats or seat rows in an aircraft is stated, in which system a drive device for shifting the seats is provided, wherein shifting the seats takes place according to a change in seat configuration planning.
US08910904B2	Engine attachment pylon An engine attachment pylon for mounting an aircraft engine to an aircraft structure while minimizing vibrations induced into the engine attachment pylon during flight and operation of the engine. The engine attachment pylon comprises a rigid box like structure housing a resonator which is tuned to attenuate tension and compression vibrations experienced by the engine attachment pylon. The engine attachment pylon is primarily used in combination within another identical engine attachment pylon, both being linked together on a vertical plane within the fuselage by a hinge like junction, and each engine attachment pylon being raised approximately 30° from the horizontal axis of the fuselage.
US08910896B2	Precision wind synthetic elastomeric fiber and method for same A method of winding an elastomeric yarn, such as spandex, onto a spool includes the steps of providing a spool; providing an elastomeric yarn; rotating the spool at a speed to define a spool rotation speed; moving the yarn traversely with respect to the spool in an alternating to and fro manner to define a traverse frequency; winding the yarn onto the spool; controlling the ratio of the spool rotation speed to the traverse frequency to define a wind ratio during the winding of the yarn onto the spool; and decreasing the traverse speed as the yarn is wound onto the spool in an inverse proportion to an amount of yarn that has been wound. The winding of the yarn onto the spool forms a yarn cake on the spool. The traverse speed may be decreased in inverse proportion to a diameter of the yarn cake. The method may further include the step of shifting the yarn by a pitch for each rotation of the spool.
US08910895B2	Cable winding device Disclosed herein is a cable winding device including: a base member disposed in a fixed state; a winding reel that is connected to part of a cable and that can be rotated relative to the base member in a winding direction and an unwinding direction; a lever supported on the winding reel and rotated together with the winding reel relative to the base member; a biasing member biasing the winding reel in the winding direction; a rotatable member that is disposed to face the base member, that can be rotated around a fulcrum axis relative to the base member, and that has a control part operative to control winding of the cable; and a control rib located on a locus of rotation of the rotatable member. The winding of the cable is controlled according to the position of the control part relative to the control rib.
US08910894B2	Seat-belt pretensioner A seat belt pretensioner having a housing, a belt shaft (10), a load limiting device (70) and a pretensioner drive wheel (20) coupled to the belt shaft (10). A coupling element (60) is fixed to the drive wheel (20) via a detachable connection, and can be locked by a blocking device (90). An engagement wheel (50) is provided for connecting the belt shaft (10) with the pretensioner drive wheel (20) having engagement portions (51) engaging into corresponding recesses (12) on the belt shaft (10) or on the pretensioner drive wheel (20) and is fixed by the coupling element (60). The detachable connection can be disconnected by locking of the coupling element (60) and rotation of the belt shaft (10) in the belt webbing extraction direction, thereby the engagement wheel (50) undergoes relative rotation in relation to the pretensioner drive wheel (20) or to the belt shaft (10).
US08910893B2	Drive device There is provided a drive device including: a hub around which a recording tape is wound; a pair of flanges that are provided at both axial direction sides of the hub so as to be able to rotate relative to the hub, and that restrict a position, in a transverse direction, of the recording tape; a connecting member that connects outer peripheral portions of the pair of flanges together at least at a portion other than a traveling path of the recording tape; and a casing having, at an interior, a space in which the hub and the pair of flanges are accommodated and in which the recording tape travels, a fixing portion, that is provided at at least one of the pair of flanges or at the connecting member, being fixed to the casing.
US08910890B2	Seeding device Tracer particles together with air are jetted from a nozzle of a seeder into a hood, the air is guided by a collision surface of the hood, deflected to a downstream side in an airflow direction in a wind tunnel, and flows out into the wind tunnel through an opening of the hood. Tracer particles having a large diameter fly straightly without being drifted by the deflected air and collide with the collision surface and are trapped thereon and are prevented from being supplied into the wind tunnel. Tracer particles having a small diameter are drifted by the deflected air, thereby deflected, and supplied into the wind tunnel without collision with and adhesion to the collision surface.
US08910886B2	Rotary mechanism for sprinkler and sprinkler using the same A sprinkler rotary mechanism and a sprinkler are provided. The rotary mechanism comprises a bracket and a reversing carrier, with the latter disposed on the rotation shaft of the bracket. A transmission shaft is disposed on the reversing carrier so as to drive the bracket. The sprinkler comprises a tube, a gasket, an adaptor, an angle carriage, the rotary mechanism, a reversing mechanism, a sprinkler head tube, and a nozzle. The reversing mechanism is rotated to strike the rotary mechanism, and in turn activate the sprinkler head tube to rotate. The water stream sprayed out of the nozzle impacts the reversing mechanism at the other side, and so repeated in order to achieve the rotation of the sprinkler. The present sprinkler uses mechanical transition to replace spring deformation used in the prior art to achieve water stream rotation. The sprinkler is resistant to damage and has simpler structure and larger cover range.
US08910885B2	High pressure washer apparatus and cart A high pressure washer apparatus in combination with a lightweight fastenerless cart. The cart is characterized by a rigid structure which essentially consists of a continuous folded aluminum plate having a horizontal platform wall portion for supporting said washer apparatus; downward extending side wall portions; an upward extending front wall portion and an upward extending rear wall portion. A telescoping handle is mounted on the rear wall portion for pushing, pulling, and lifting the pressure washer apparatus. Accessories, mounted in “built-in” provisions are readily available to an operator of the pressure washer apparatus.
US08910884B2	Coaxial flow injector An injector for injecting a reagent includes an axially translatable valve member positioned within a housing. An electromagnet is positioned within the housing and includes a coil of wire positioned proximate the valve member such that the valve member moves between a seated position and an unseated position relative to an orifice in response to energizing the electromagnet. A connector coupled to the housing includes an inlet tube concentrically aligned with and surrounding a return tube. The inlet tube is adapted to receive pressurized reagent from a source of reagent. The return tube is adapted to return reagent to the source.
US08910883B2	Cap for a drinking straw A cap for a drinking straw preferably includes a container provided with an inner chamber and with an element to be torn from one of the wall of the container for enabling access within the chamber, and a body attached to the container and provided with a portion adapted to enter at least partly within the drinking channel, whereby the body is adapted so as to form an air passage between the drinking channel and the gas atmosphere when the body extends within the drinking straw.
US08910872B2	Imaging reader and method with dual function illumination light assembly An imaging reader for, and a method of, imaging targets, include a solid-state imager supported by a housing for capturing return light from a target over a field of view. An illumination light assembly performs both illumination and aiming functions. Illumination light is projected along an optical path through a passage in the housing to illuminate the target. The housing has boundary walls spaced along the optical path away from the imager and the illumination light assembly for clipping the illumination light projected through the passage to form on the target an aiming light distribution that visually indicates a periphery of the field of view to assist in positioning the target entirely within the field of view.
US08910871B1	Barcode reader that reads electronically displayed barcodes differently than physically printed barcodes A barcode reader includes a first set of characteristics that are optimized for reading an electronically displayed barcode. The barcode reader also includes a second set of characteristics that are optimized for reading a physically printed barcode. The first set of characteristics may include a first optical path that is optimized for reading the electronically displayed barcode. The second set of characteristics may include a second optical path that is optimized for reading the physically printed barcode.
US08910869B2	Method and apparatus for checking value documents A method of checking value documents having a security element with a plurality of magnetic areas, including a high-coercivity magnetic area, a low-coercivity magnetic area and a combined magnetic area, which contains both the high-coercivity and the low-coercivity magnetic material. When all magnetic areas have been magnetized in a first direction, second magnetization is performed, which involves only the low-coercivity magnetic material being remagnetized parallel to the first magnetization in the opposite direction, but the high-coercivity magnetic material remaining oriented in the first direction of magnetization. Next, first magnetic signals from the security element are detected using a first magnetic detector, and second magnetic signals are detected using a second magnetic detector. The magnetic signals are used to identify each magnetic area of the security element as a high-coercivity, a low-coercivity or a combined magnetic area.
US08910866B2	Code reader and method for the online verification of a code A code reader (10) having an image sensor (20) for the generation of images of a detection zone (12) resolved into pixels is provided having a decoding unit (24) in order to identify code regions (14) in the images and to readout their coded information, as well as having a verification unit (28) for evaluating the code quality in accordance with predefined criteria. In this connection the verification (28) is configured to initially generate a normalized verification image of the code from the code regions (14) by means of image processing for the verification.
US08910862B2	Retail point-of-transaction systems, program products, and related methods to provide a customized set of identification data to facilitate a retail transaction using electronic coupons Retail point-of-transaction systems, program products, and related computer implemented methods to provide a customized set of identification data to facilitate a retail sales point-of-sale transaction which includes the use of one or more electronic coupons is provided. The retail point-of-sale system can include a computer having memory and configured to facilitate one or more transactions each of which include the use of one or more electronic coupons through a retail point-of-transaction terminal positioned remote from, and adapted to be in communication with, the computer. The computer can also include a set of instructions that when executed by the computer cause the computer to redeem one or more electronic coupons for one or more retail transactions responsive to a customized set of identification data provided by the computer responsive to a data profile derived from a set of personal data of at least one of a plurality of remotely positioned users.
US08910857B1	Laundry basket A laundry basket which includes a main body and a chute that extends from, and away from, the main body. The main body has an enclosing side portion and an end portion, the enclosing side portion and end portion cooperating to form an enclosure having an open end and a closed end defined by the end portion. The main body is totally enclosed by the enclosing side portion except for a slit in the enclosing side portion that extends from the open end towards the closed end of the main body.
US08910853B2	Additives for grain fragmentation in Pb-free Sn-based solder In one embodiment of the present invention, inert nano-sized particles having dimensions from 1 nm to 1,000 nm are added into a solder ball. The inert nano-sized particles may comprise metal oxides, metal nitrides, metal carbides, metal borides, etc. The inert nano-sized particles may be a single compound, or may be a metallic material having a coating of a different material. In another embodiment of the present invention, a small quantity of at least one elemental metal that forms stable high melting intermetallic compound with tin is added to a solder ball. The added at least one elemental metal forms precipitates of intermetallic compounds with tin, which are dispersed as fine particles in the solder.
US08910850B2	Method and device for controlling a thermal cycle of a weld joining ends of strip together A method and a device for controlling a thermal cycle of a weld joining one end of a first strip to an end of a second strip, suited to a joining machine of a strip treatment plant. The control device includes connections intended to connect the control device to a central automation system of the strip treatment plant and to the joining machine respectively, so as respectively to allow an exchange of at least one strip data item and an exchange of at least one operating data item. A computer is capable of computing, from the strip and operating data items, at least one thermal parameter of the weld. A weld control and characterization device is capable of controlling the welding as a function of the thermal parameter.
US08910849B2	High temperature brazing fixture and method of manufacture A high temperature brazing fixture and method of manufacture for a gas turbine component made of a superalloy is disclosed herein. The high temperature brazing fixture includes a first and second frame member, a support member, and positioning member, all of which are made from the superalloy and fastened together using tab and tab lock couplings. The support member is configured to interface with and support the gas turbine engine component, and the positioning member is configured to interface with and position at least a first location of or hold a first dimension of the gas turbine component.
US08910845B2	Method for cutting glass sheet Provided is a method for cutting a glass sheet whereby even a thin glass sheet having a thickness of 1 mm or less can be suitably cut. A nick (20a) is formed on a section of a planned cutting line (L) of a glass sheet (20). The glass sheet (20) is placed on a surface (10a) of a jig (10) in which an uneven portion (10b) having a shape corresponding to the planned cutting line (L) is formed. The glass sheet (20) is cut by deforming a portion thereof located above the uneven portion (10b) and developing a crack originating from the nick (20a).
US08910841B2	Method and portable apparatus for transporting, displaying and serving food A method and apparatus providing self-service of food items, such as snacks, including a portable food displaying and serving apparatus capable of transforming a vehicle, such as a golf cart, into a traveling food purveying apparatus permitting the selection of food items for consumption from an array of displayed food items by possible consumers.
US08910839B2	Locking device safety mechanism and related holster assembly A firearm holster assembly includes a holster pocket having an interior volume for accommodating a firearm within, a locking device mounted within the interior volume for selectively impeding the withdrawal of the firearm therefrom, the locking device including an operating lever extending outwardly from the holster pocket and operable to disengage the locking device from the firearm, and a locking device safety mechanism mounted to the holster pocket and including an operating arm operable to selectively inhibit operation of the operating lever.
US08910838B2	Lap desk A lap desk having a highly adjustable surface to hold a variety of electronics and media, including tablet and handheld devices, laptops, portable gaming and electronic devices, writing pads, books and magazines for use while sitting, laying down, reclining, and standing, including multiple angle adjustments between 0 and 90 degrees, a foam base for comfort, and storage and pocket areas for devices, cables, and other accessories. The lap desk can include a removable or permanent travel cover that holds the entire unit and any stored equipment, and it can include a detachable stuffed animal to make it more child friendly.
US08910833B2	Dispensing machine valve and method A one-way valve is connectable in fluid communication with a fluid-receiving chamber, such as a dilution chamber or a mixing chamber for diluting or mixing a perishable food product, such as a milk product or chocolate product, and forming a substantially fluid-tight seal therebetween. The valve comprises a relatively rigid valve seat, and a relatively flexible valve member overlying the valve seat and forming an axially-elongated, normally-closed valve opening therebetween defining an inlet at one end of the valve seat, an outlet at an opposite end of the valve seat, and an axially-extending seal therebetween that forms a fluid-tight seal between the inlet and outlet of the normally-closed valve opening. An axially-extending valve body is radially spaced relative to the valve member and forms a space therebetween allowing fluid-flow therethrough for cleaning the valve and the fluid-receiving chamber. A seal is engageable with the fluid-receiving chamber and forms a substantially fluid-tight seal therebetween to seal the valve outlet and fluid-receiving chamber with respect to ambient atmosphere. The valve member is movable radially away from the valve seat in response to substance at the inlet to the valve opening exceeding a valve opening pressure to flow into the normally closed valve opening, through the outlet, and into the fluid-receiving chamber.
US08910830B2	Container assembly A container assembly has a first container that operably houses a second container. The first container is configured to hold a first flowable substance, and the second container is configured to hold a second flowable substance. The second container is rupturable, preferably by manipulation through the first container, wherein the second flowable substance can mix with the first flowable substance to form a mixture. The first container is also rupturable to dispense the mixture therefrom.
US08910828B2	Small volume container A single-use storage and dispensing container is provided for use with small volumes of consumer products. The container is generally sleeve-like, sealed at both ends to contain the flowable material, and is scored or otherwise includes a break point for rupture by a user to dispense the container contents. Application of a threshold pressure to the container by the user will cause the container to rupture at the break point, dispensing flowable material therefrom. The container is suitable for one-handed use. Various cross sectional shapes of the sleeve are possible.
US08910825B2	Apparatus and method for non-intravenously administering a medication A computer-based apparatus for dispensing a medication, including: at least one specially programmed computer; and a medication device. The at least one computer is arranged to automatically generate a medication regimen for a patient, the medication regimen including designation of a measure for an orally-administered or injectable medication; or automatically modify a medication regimen for a patient, by modifying a designation of a measure for an orally-administered or injectable medication. The medication device is arranged to: extract the orally-administered or injectable medication from a medication storage element; and non-intravenously dispense an amount of the orally-administered or injectable medication equal to the designated measure or the modified designated measure into a container. The at least one specially programmed computer is part of the medication device, is attached to the medication storage element, or is located remote from the medication device.
US08910822B2	Method of forming sealed enclosure A method of sealing a first part to a second part of an enclosure. The first part is a metal extrusion having a channel-shaped cross-section and the second part is a light-transmissive plate, together forming the enclosure. An electrical light source located in the enclosure shines light through the light-transmissive plate. The sealing method includes placing an elongate seal member into a groove of a first part of the enclosure, extending along the groove, and inserting an edge of a second part of the enclosure into the groove of the first part.
US08910821B1	Waste disposal devices with waste treatment component Waste container includes a base defining a waste-receiving compartment and including a body and a closure component adapted to retain a membrane. The closure component includes a support portion defining an opening through which a bag is partly inserted into the compartment and then into which waste is insertable. The closure component is pivotally attached to the body to provide the compartment with either an open or closed position. The body includes a closure component support portion that supports the closure component. A lid is movably attached to the base and moves between a closed position covering the opening and an open position in which it does not obstruct the opening. A waste treatment component is arranged on an underside of the lid and is positioned to at least partly press against the membrane, when the membrane is present, when the lid is closed.
US08910820B2	Life safety mounting system and method A life safety assembly includes an attachment stud configured to attach to a surface, and a life safety device that is mountable on the attachment stud. The life safety device has a receptacle configured to receive and interlock with the attachment stud to mount the life safety device with respect to the surface.
US08910816B2	Remotely activated tank hatch system A remotely activated tank hatch system includes an upper frame and a lower frame joined by a hinge assembly. The lower frame is coupled to a collar of an opening of a tank and a hatch is coupled to the upper frame. The hinge assembly allows the upper frame to pivot the hatch between open and closed positions. The lower frame includes at least one catch to receive an edge of the hatch, when the hatch is closed. Spring members on the upper frame urge the hatch toward the upper frame so that the hatch may be swung away from the opening. Inflating a bladder positioned between the upper frame and hatch overcomes the spring pressure and urges the hatch into tight contact with the collar. The hatch system includes a remote control for inflating the bladder and for opening and closing the hatch.
US08910811B2	Closure for a sealed container of a pourable food product, and method of producing thereof There is described a closure for a sealed container of a pourable food product, comprising a pouring spout defining a pour opening externally closed by a cover portion, a cap fitted to the pouring spout in a removable way, an opening member interposed between the cap and the cover portion of the pouring spout and joined to the cover portion, and a driving mechanism carried by the cap to engage and pull the opening member along a direction transversal thereto upon removal of the cap from the pouring spout so as to detach the cover portion from the neck portion and free the pour opening when the closure is first unsealed by the user.
US08910810B2	Baby bottle with flexible nipple regions According to a first embodiment, a feeding bottle comprises a vessel, collar, and nipple. The nipple comprises a base portion, a teat portion, an areola portion allowing movement of the teat portion towards and away from the base portion. According to a second embodiment, a feeding bottle comprises a vessel, collar, nipple and handle portion removeably secured to the vessel by the collar. The invention includes a flexible region or regions to provide a more natural feeding by closely mimicking the human breast.
US08910807B2	Compressible stop member for use on a crane A compressible stop member for use on a crane includes: a housing having a first sealed end, a second end, a first cylindrical surface and a second cylindrical surface; a free piston slidably contained within the housing in a sealing engagement with the first cylindrical surface; a compressed gas chamber in the housing between the free piston and the first sealed end; and a rod comprising a cylindrical portion with a diameter less than the diameter of the second cylindrical surface and a rod support portion that separates a first liquid chamber comprising the volume inside the housing between the free piston and the rod support portion from a second liquid chamber comprising the volume between the rod support portion and the second end of the housing. Also, the rod support portion includes at least one flow channel allowing liquid to flow between the first and second liquid chambers.
US08910793B2	Split case system for display containers This invention pertains to a U-board split case assembly (10) and includes a generally U-shaped case (12) formed from a single blank. A plurality of display containers (14) are attached to and aligned within the U-shaped case. The U-shaped case is folded to include a bottom panel (20) with two opposed parallel side panels (16) extending from opposing edges of a bottom panel, and a shortened lip (22) extend from the front edge of the bottom panel. The plurality of display containers are attached to the side panels to secure the display containers within the U-shaped case. The display containers are removable from the U-shaped case by use of the severing zone (40) on the side panels.
US08910789B2	Reclosable wiper blade package with improved package closure arrangement A reclosable package well suited for holding pre-curved beam-type wiper blades in a package cavity formed in a base that releasably engages with a cover via a reclosable closure arrangement that includes an arrangement of bar snaps each formed of a bar with an elongated bulbous head received in a complementarily configured bar snap pocket during package closure. Each bar includes inclined endwalls that facilitate location and entry of the head into a narrower mouth of the pocket until the head is received in a head-anchoring chamber releasably clamping the bar head in place. The closure arrangement can include an interlocking rib-and-channel arrangement having a rib segment extending along a hinge joining the cover to the base and rib sections extending along end flanges and part of an outer flange that stiffen and strengthen the package while guiding bar snaps into snap-fit engagement during package closure.
US08910785B2	Golf bag with a stabilization and reinforcement system and methods to manufacture a golf bag with the stabilization and reinforcement system Embodiments of golf bag having a stabilization and reinforcement system and methods to manufacture such a golf bag are generally described herein. Other embodiments of a golf bag having a stabilization and reinforcement system including a first bracket engaged to a second bracket through a flexible rod may be described and claimed.
US08910784B2	Packet sleeve including pocket A combined article package includes a sleeve having a pocket formed integrally therein with a cigarette package in the sleeve and an insert in the pocket. The sleeve can be formed from a single piece blank. The insert can be a coupon or a separate consumer product, such as smoking articles, smokeless tobacco, and the like. For instance, the insert can be a foil pack containing one or more promotional smokeless tobacco products. The combined article package can be sized to be compatible with cigarette cartons, cigarette display racks, tax-stamping equipment and the like.
US08910783B2	Electronic cigarette case An electronic cigarette case includes a box body, a box cover hinged to the box body and an opening and closing mechanism. The opening and closing mechanism includes a spring piece built in the box body and an arc-shaped bulge formed on the box cover. The arc-shaped bulge clamped between the spring piece and inner wall of the box body and slidingly contact with the spring piece. When the box cover rotates a first predetermined angle relative to the box body, the spring piece drives the bulge to slide relative to the spring piece until the box cover is fully open. When the box cover rotates a second predetermined angle relative to the box body, the spring piece drives the arc-shaped bulge to slide relative to the spring piece until the box cover is fully closed. Thus, it is convenient to open or close the electronic cigarette case which has a simplified structure.
US08910782B2	Adhesively joined multipack A multipack having a plurality of cuboidal cigarette packs (13), which are partially surrounded by an outer wrapper (14) made of packaging material, the packs (13) being subject, in the region of base side faces (18) thereof, to subsequent application of tax markings (23), and the outer wrapper (14) not extending over the regions of the packs (13) at which the tax markings (23) are to be applied to corresponding faces of the packs (13), that is, not in or substantially not in the region of a base side (19) of the multipack (10), with the outer wrapper (14) being detachably connected to the packs (13) by glue points (31).
US08910781B2	Container for smokeless tobacco products and related packaged product assembly and method A container configured to hold one or more units of a product is provided. The container may comprise a lid and a base. The lid may comprise a top wall and one or more lid sidewalls extending to a lower lip. A sealing member may be provided at the top wall in a channel defined therein. The base may comprise a bottom wall and one or more base sidewalls extending to an upper lip. Protrusions may extend from the base sidewalls. The lid may be moveable with respect to the base between a decoupled configuration and a coupled configuration. In the coupled configuration, the upper lip of the base may contact the sealing member of the lid to seal shut a storage compartment defined in the base. Further, the lower lip may engage the protrusions to retain the lid in the coupled configuration. A related method is also provided.
US08910774B2	Woodworking facility A woodworking facility with a workpiece support and a belt or chain arrangement for registering the movement of a workpiece that lies on the workpiece support and is transported thereon in order to be processed. The belt or chain arrangement includes a belt or chain that is guided over at least two deflection pulleys and is designed for contacting the workpiece transverse to the moving direction of the belt or the chain by a pressing device assigned to the belt or chain. The pressing device includes several pressing elements that are moved together with the belt or chain in the moving direction thereof.
US08910769B2	Lubricating structure of transmission A lubricating structure of a transmission is capable of supplying a lubricating oil with respect to a clutch promptly and stably. The lubricating structure of the transmission includes a first oil passage 53 which extends in a second input shaft 18 from one end side thereof to a first position, and the lubricating oil is supplied from the one end side, a second oil passage 54 which connects to the first oil passage 53 at the first position and extends in the second input shaft 18 to a second position, a first lubrication hole 55 which distributes the lubricating oil to the second clutch 20 at the first position, and a second lubrication hole 56 which distributes the lubricating oil to a transmission mechanism 40 at the second position.
US08910765B2	Left and right interchanging device for a lock clutch A left and right interchanging device for a lock clutch includes a clutch pin, an inner rotary clutch shaft, and an outer rotary clutch shaft. The clutch pin is movably placed in a hole of the inner rotary clutch shaft and connected with a built-in driving module of the inner rotary clutch shaft. The module controls the clutch pin so that the clutch pin can retract into or extend out of the inner rotary clutch shaft. The inner rotary clutch shaft is placed in a central hole of the outer rotary clutch shaft, and both can rotate about a same central axis. A first stop edge and a second stop edge are provided on the inner rotary clutch shaft and connected with a driving output shaft. A third stop edge and a fourth stop edge are provided on the outer rotary clutch shaft and connected with a driving output and input shaft. When a door is left-opened, the third stop edge correspondingly contacts the clutch pin and the fourth stop edge correspondingly contacts the second stop edge. When the door is right-opened, the third stop edge contacts the second stop edge, and the fourth stop edge contacts the clutch pin.
US08910756B2	Brake disc Provided is a brake disc capable of suppressing wear of a brake pad, improving braking performance, and preventing occurrence of heat shrinkage between weight reduction holes. In a brake disc 1 for a two-wheeled motor vehicle, the brake disc 1 including a plurality of weight reduction holes 12 for weight reduction formed in a slide section 11 making sliding contact with a brake pad 2, a plurality of grooves 13 is formed at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction so as to pass through a plurality of adjacent ones of the weight reduction holes 12, the grooves being formed on at least one of slide surfaces 11a of the slide section 11. Each of the grooves 13 is formed into a linear or curved shape from an inner circumference through an outer circumference of the slide section 11. The grooves 13 are formed to be inclined so that one end portion of each of the grooves 13 at the inner circumferential side is positioned forward of the other end portion thereof at the outer circumferential side in a rotation direction of the brake disc 1. At least the end portion of each of the grooves 13 at the outer circumferential side opens.
US08910748B2	Panel The present invention relates to panels that can be used to cover interior surfaces in buildings, for instance in auditoriums, open-plan offices etc., where the panels can be used in buildings with thermally activated building systems (TABS) in which balancing of acoustics and thermal comfort is a well-recognized challenge. According to a first embodiment of the invention there is provided a panel comprising one or more sound-absorbing elements (3) and sub-regions (7, 8, 9) that connect the front (11) of the panel with the rear (12) of the panel, and in which sub-regions (7, 8, 9) sound-absorbing elements (3) are not present, whereby said sub-regions (7, 8, 9) ensure thermal transmission through the panel. According to a second embodiment of the invention the panels comprise a substantially rigid frame (1) defining a region within the frame, where the region is provided with one or more sound-absorbing elements comprising a front face and a rear face, where the one or more sound-absorbing elements extend(s) over the entire region defined by the frame (1) and where said sub-regions (22) are provided through said sound-absorbing elements, such that the sub-regions (22) connect said front face and rear face of the one or more sound-absorbing elements.
US08910747B2	Tail pipe assembly for vehicle A tail pipe assembly for a vehicle includes a tail pipe mounted to a muffler of the vehicle and discharging exhaust gas and condensation water to an outside, and at least one main collecting element that is mounted within the tail pipe, suppresses flow of the condensation water and temporarily stores the condensation water.
US08910745B2	Ported weapon silencer with spiral diffuser A firearm muzzle silencer includes an elongated cylindrical body having a cylindrical bore, a firearm mounting end, and a projectile discharge end. At least one helical insert is positioned in the cylindrical bore and proximate to the firearm mounting end. The helical insert has an insert axial bore that extends through the helical insert and a spiral groove formed on an exterior of the helical insert to define a spiral path between the helical insert and the cylindrical bore. A chamber is defined in the elongated cylindrical body adjacent to the helical insert, and the helical insert is positioned between the chamber and the firearm mounting end. A plurality of ports is formed in the elongated cylindrical body adjacent to the spiral path, wherein the plurality of ports is in communication with the chamber via the spiral path.
US08910742B2	Electric power-steering apparatus Structure of an electric power-steering apparatus is achieved that is capable of both preventing damage to a connector 18a that is used for supplying electric power to an electric component, and improving the workability of the work for connecting the connector 18a. The connector 18a is located in a portion that is located below a housing 10a, and is located on the rear side of a worm wheel housing section 48a and below a torque sensor housing section 49a. Moreover, a protective wall section 21 is formed on the bottom surface of the worm wheel housing section 48a and extends downward, and when it is presumed that the electric power-steering apparatus is placed on a flat plane α, the edge on the bottom end of the protective wall section 21 and the bottom end sections of the support bracket 23 come in contact with the flat plant α such that a gap 52 is formed between the flat plane α and the connector 18a.
US08910733B2	Chassis for a vehicle A chassis front assembly, a chassis rear assembly and a chassis intermediate assembly are disclosed. The chassis front assembly and the chassis rear assembly are connected to the chassis intermediate assembly for forming a chassis. A kit is also disclosed. A method is also disclosed.
US08910732B1	Axle arrangement for mobile crane and related methods A mobile crane includes a main body and extendable axles, which are selectively re-positioned relative to the main body through strategically positioned apertures. The axles may be automatically locked to the main body in a desired one of the multiple positions without operator intervention. The axles one or more tapered ends for connecting to side frames, which may support crawler tracks. The tapered ends of the axles extend through openings located in the frames such that they are removably connected to an outside or exterior portion of the frames relative to the main body.
US08910730B2	Cutting element A cutting element includes a multilayer polycrystalline diamond element bonded to a substrate of a less hard material. The polycrystalline diamond element defines a matrix of interstitial volumes. The interstitial volumes of a first region of the diamond layer are adjacent a working surface thereof being substantially free of a catalyzing material. The interstitial volumes of a second region of the diamond layer are remote from the working surface containing the catalyzing material.
US08910729B2	Method and apparatus for drilling large-diameter hole in ground An apparatus for drilling a hole in the ground has a hammer drill installed at a bottom of a rod assembled in multi-stages at support structure on the ground. The hammer drill has a pilot hammer drill and a reamer hammer drill coupled to each other through a key structure formed in the vertical direction so as to allow simultaneous rotations and up-and-down movements relative to each other.
US08910728B2	Electric power tool In an electric power tool in which a metal front housing that accommodates a driving mechanism is assembled to the front of a main housing that accommodates a motor, an output shaft is protruded from the distal end of the front housing, and the outer periphery of the front housing is protected by a cylindrical transparent cover made of synthetic resin, a decorative pattern is formed on the inner surface of the transparent cover. The decorative pattern is formed of bumps and dips formed on the inner surface.
US08910727B2	Ultrasonic/sonic jackhammer The invention provides a novel jackhammer that utilizes ultrasonic and/or sonic vibrations as source of power. It is easy to operate and does not require extensive training, requiring substantially less physical capabilities from the user and thereby increasing the pool of potential operators. An important safety benefit is that it does not fracture resilient or compliant materials such as cable channels and conduits, tubing, plumbing, cabling and other embedded fixtures that may be encountered along the impact path. While the ultrasonic/sonic jackhammer of the invention is able to cut concrete and asphalt, it generates little back-propagated shocks or vibrations onto the mounting fixture, and can be operated from an automatic platform or robotic system.
US08910724B2	Telescoping coulter system and method A telescoping coulter system for an agricultural machine, operable on ground and having a frame and a moveable structure, includes a coulter arm, having a proximal end with a pivot point, and a distal end bearing a rotatable coulter disk. An extension mechanism connects the frame to the coulter arm, and is configured to translate the coulter arm between a raised transport position not in mechanical conflict with the moveable structure, and a lowered operational position in which the coulter disk can contact the ground and is proximate to the moveable structure.
US08910723B2	Sprinkler cover A sprinkler head cover including an end wall and a side wall extending from and around the end wall to form a cavity therebetween. The cavity is sized for receiving a deflector and arms of a sprinkler head. The side wall is adapted for engaging the sprinkler head to thereby releasably mount the cover to the sprinkler head. The sidewall includes a tear-away strip to facilitate removal of the cover from the sprinkler head.
US08910720B2	Downhole tool with roller screw assembly A downhole tool for positioning in a wellbore comprises a tool main body, an electric motor disposed within the tool main body, the motor comprising a rotor rotatably attached to a stator, and a linear actuator assembly disposed within the motor for transforming a rotary output of the motor into a linear displacement.
US08910718B2	System and method for a combined submersible motor and protector A system and method is provided for producing a hydrocarbon fluid from a subterranean environment. The system and method utilize an electric submersible pumping system having a motive unit comprising a combined submersible motor section and protector section.
US08910713B2	Gun upset and no-go system for deployment of perforating gun assemblies Devices and methods for deploying perforating guns through a wellhead production assembly and into a wellbore. In particular embodiments, the invention provides devices and methods for deploying multiple perforating guns through a wellhead production assembly. In the event that the perforating gun assembly is dropped into the wellhead production assembly, a safety clamp will land upon a landing profile within a deployment riser, preventing the perforating gun assembly from falling into the wellbore.
US08910711B2	Fluid container reloading tool A fluid container reloading tool for a downhole fluid sampling tool (114) is described. The reloading tool includes an elongated cylindrical body. The body may include a bottom opening sized to engage with a fluid sampling tool deployed within a borehole. A cache (263) of empty fluid containers (210) may be included within the body (201). A piston may be coupled to at least one of the fluid containers in the cache of fluid containers. The piston may be used to transfer the cache of fluid containers into the fluid sampling tool. The reloading tool may also include a pump in fluid communication with the piston.
US08910706B2	Heat sink apparatus with extendable pin fins An apparatus for cooling a heat-generating component is disclosed. The apparatus includes a cooling chamber containing a liquid metal. The cooling chamber has a heat-conducting wall thermally coupled to the heat-generating component. A plurality of extendable tubes making up an array of cooling pin fins is attached to the cooling chamber. Each of the extendable tubes has a port end that opens into the cooling chamber and a sealed end that projects away from the cooling chamber. Moreover, each of the extendable tubes has an extended position when filled with liquid metal from the cooling chamber and a retracted position when emptied of the liquid metal. A pump system is included for urging the liquid metal from the cooling chamber into the plurality of extendable tubes.
US08910700B2	Mold, method of manufacturing the same, article having fine uneven structure on surface, and method of manufacturing the same A mold in which a fine uneven structure is formed on the surface by anodizing a surface of an aluminum base material having a purity of equal to or more than 99.5% by mass, wherein a 60-degree gloss of the surface on the side where a fine uneven structure is formed is equal to or more than 750%.
US08910697B1	Drapery system A drapery system comprises a drapery. A drapery track is mounted to a support structure, while a plurality of drapery track carriers slide within the drapery track. A plurality of quick release decorative fasteners releasably retains the drapery to the drapery carriers.
US08910694B2	Portable modesty guard The present invention generally relates to a portable modesty guard apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a portable modesty guard for creating a private space in a public, or other, area. The portable modesty guard provides a unique construction which allows the user to collapse, store and carry the device in a way that allows it to be set-up quickly and packed away in a lightweight, portable unit.
US08910693B2	Device for demounting a tire from a rim as well as a tire demounting machine equipped with such device The present invention relates to a device for demounting a tire (T) from a rim (W) including at least one support element; an articulation pin element borne by the at least one support element; a spring shackle element having a first end and a second end articulated on the articulation pin; a demounting lever; an actuator borne by the at least one support element and set to act on the demounting lever in order to make the demounting lever angularly move during use; and friction or elastic loading means designed to slow the angular movement of the spring shackle element around the articulation pin with respect to its angular movement around the first axis (x-x).
US08910692B2	Label attaching device A label attaching device includes a substrate moving unit configured to move a substrate in a first direction, a labeler configured to attach a label to the substrate, and a first labeler moving unit coupled to the labeler, the first labeler moving unit being configured to move the labeler in the first direction.
US08910689B2	Apparatus for reducing downtime in web processes An apparatus for reducing downtime in processes utilizing continuous webs as a raw material upon the detection of a defective portion in a continuous web includes a defect detection member. The defect detection member detects the defects in the continuous web while a first engaging member can stop or slow the speed of the continuous web upon the detection of the defective portion. A second engaging member can receive the defective portion and separate the defective portion from the continuous web and can attach non-defective portions together. A storage element can provide a contingent amount of the continuous web to any downstream processes while the continuous web is stopped or slowed by the first engaging member.
US08910688B2	Low volume autoclave having configurable shape An autoclave may be reconfigured to accommodate differently shaped parts by relatively rotating portions of the autoclave.
US08910685B2	Tire for heavy-goods vehicle A tire comprising at least two working layers and at least one layer of reinforcing elements. The layer of circumferential reinforcing elements comprises at least a central part and two axially exterior parts, the extent to which the circumferential reinforcing elements of the central part are penetrated by the rubber compound with which they are coated being less than the extent to which the circumferential reinforcing elements of the axially exterior parts are penetrated by the rubber compound with which they are coated.
US08910682B2	Pneumatic tire A pneumatic tire having an enhanced cracking resistance at groove bottom, including at least one circumferential main groove 9 having such a sectional profile shape as including an axially inner wall portion 13, an inner arc portion 14 continuous with the inner wall portion 13, an axially outer wall portion 15 having a smaller length than the inner wall portion 13, an outer arc portion 16 continuous with outer wall portion 15, and a groove bottom portion 17 extending straight between the outer and inner arc portions while being inclined in a radially inward direction, in which the groove 9 has a maximum depth portion 18 on the tire equator side with respect to center position G1 of its width, and radius of curvature R1 of inner arc portion 14 and radius of curvature R2 of outer arc portion 16 satisfy the following relationships: R1≧0.6 mm and R2≧2×R1.
US08910681B2	Noise reducing device, manufacturing method for the noise reducing device, and pneumatic tire having the noise reducing device A pneumatic tire including a noise reduction device in a cavity portion thereof. The noise reduction device has a noise absorbing member formed of a porous material; a band member for attaching the noise absorbing member to the inner surface of a tire; and locking members formed of a thermoplastic resin. Preferably, the band member is formed of a thermoplastic resin, and the noise absorbing member is disposed between the band member and the locking members. Also, the locking members are bonded to the band member through the noise absorbing member by thermal fusion, and the constituent material of the band member and the constituent material of the locking members are the same thermoplastic resin.
US08910680B1	Flat screen dust cover The flat screen dust cover is a dust cover specifically suited for flat panel televisions having a relatively thin profile. The flat screen dust cover is manually placed over the television in order to prevent the accumulation of dust onto or within the television. The flat screen dust cover is placed onto the television between uses, and covers a top, front display surface, rear, and sides of the television. The flat screen dust cover features a cutout along a bottom, rear side of said dust cover, which is used to enable ingress and egress of a stand, mounting hardware, or wiring there from.
US08910678B2	Selective fuel nozzle inhibiting system A fuel intake assembly may include a main tube (24, 56, 98, 122) defining a fuel channel (25, 57, 99) at least one flapper (30, 94, 126, 166) pivotally secured within the main tube (24, 56, 98, 122), and a selective nozzle inhibitor (160) proximate the at least one flapper (30, 94, 126, 166). The least one flapper closes the fuel channel (25, 57, 99) in a closed position. The selective nozzle inhibitor (160) allows a first nozzle having a first diameter to move the at least one flapper into an open position. The selective nozzle inhibitor (160) allows a second nozzle having a second diameter to move the at least one-flapper into the open position, wherein the second diameter is greater than the first diameter. The selective nozzle inhibitor (160) prevents a third nozzle having a third diameter to open the at least one flapper, wherein the third diameter is less than the first diameter.
US08910677B1	Fuel tank filler port cap with nozzle adapter A fuel tank filler port cap assembly having an adapter for use with a vapor recovery dispensing nozzle to aid in filling a fuel tank of a motorcycle such as to allow complete filling of the tank while reducing spills and allowing the safety and environmental features of the vapor recovery dispensing nozzle to work is herein disclosed. The adapter includes a cylindrical cover base that engages the opening on the fuel tank and forms a vapor tight seal. A tubular inner sleeve is extendably from the cover base and has a top having an opening which engages the accordion-like collar on the fuel dispenser nozzle equipped with vapor recovery or vapor conservation nozzles. In such a manner, the tank and nozzle connection remain intact, but the nozzle remains mostly out of the tank allowing the fuel tank to be completely filled.
US08910671B2	Apparatus for supplying electrolyte An apparatus that supplies electrolyte inside a battery case disposed inside a reduced pressure chamber includes: a measuring unit where a piston moves in a first direction in a measuring space (S) inside a cylinder, a dispenser that injects electrolyte from above into a battery case, a first pipeline that connects an upper end portion of the measuring space (S) of the measuring unit and the dispenser, and a back pressure valve disposed on the first pipeline. The dispenser includes a discharge nozzle disposed inside the battery case or in a periphery of an upper end of the battery case, a needle valve that is disposed inside the discharge nozzle and opens and closes the discharge nozzle, and an actuator that drives the needle valve up and down.
US08910668B2	Hose for transporting fluids A hose for transporting fluids in which a plurality of carcass layers is disposed between an inner surface rubber layer and a cover rubber layer, and a visible design, continuous in a hose axial direction, is provided on an outer surface of the cover rubber layer. The hose for transporting fluids includes a sliding-surface layer that is embedded at least partially in the hose axial direction in the cover rubber layer and that is non-adhesive with respect to the cover rubber layer, and a constraining layer that is embedded so as to be wound partially in a hose circumferential direction on an outer side of the sliding-surface layer and that is adhesive with respect to the cover rubber layer.
US08910663B2	Uni-directional valve, filtering face mask A uni-directional valve for an air path of a ventilation device. A flexible valve element is held biased in a housing of the uni-directional valve to close at least one air passage located in a sealing section and with a sealing portion to at least partially open the air passage if the valve element is impinged by a sufficient air pressure against the bias. The valve element is designed as cylinder and the sealing portion is located on the lateral surface of the cylinder. The sealing portion is located opposite to a support portion located on the lateral surface of the cylinder. The support portion interacts with a support section of the housing. The distance between the support section and the sealing section of the housing is smaller than the distance between the support portion and the sealing portion in the unbiased state of the valve element.
US08910662B2	Diverter valve A diverter valve may include a body portion and a lid portion. The lid and body portions may define a fluid chamber. The lid portion may include a first stop and a second stop. A closure member may at least partially be received within the fluid chamber. A movable member, such as a handle, may be operatively associated with closure member. The movable member may be selectively movable relative to the lid portion between the first and second stops. A stop member may be selectively positioned on the lid portion. When positioned between the first and second stops, the stop member may limit movement of the movable member to between the stop member and one of the first and second stops. The first stop, the second stop, or both, may also comprise a stop member.
US08910661B2	Valve sound reducing trim assembly with pressure relief mechanism A cage for a control valve trim assembly includes a cage body having an opening at one end and a wall extending from the opening, a plurality of cage openings disposed in the wall, and a pressure relief mechanism disposed in the cage wall.
US08910660B2	Valve arrangement Exemplary embodiments are direct to a valve system for actuating the piston of a piston cylinder arrangement for a hydraulic or fluid device, and for actuating the piston cylinder arrangement for actuating the movable contact piece of a high-voltage circuit breaker. The system including a main control valve arrangement, having two 2/2-way valves used as main valves and which can be controlled by a pilot control valve arrangement. The main control valve arrangement directs a path for the high pressure fluid to the chamber above the piston and connects the chamber to a low-pressure tank for discharging the chamber above the piston. Two 2/2-way valves which form the pilot control valve arrangement are associated with the main control valve arrangement such that the 2/2-way valves direct or supply either a high-pressure control pressure or a low-pressure control pressure to the main control valve arrangement.
US08910658B2	Swivel top shaft valve actuator An actuator for operating a linear valve, such as a gate valve, includes a swivel coupling for detachably connecting an indicator stem to a plate within the actuator. In embodiments, the coupling includes a body with a lock ring groove. The detachable stem includes a downward facing recess having a groove on an inner diameter surface. The stem is placed on the body, and a lock ring engages both grooves to prevent axial movement of the stem relative to the body. The lock ring does not, however, prevent rotational movement of the stem relative to the body.
US08910657B2	Electrically controlled pilot operated pressure regulator valve apparatus and method of operation of the same The apparatus uses an electrical signal controlled valve, for instance, a proportional solenoid controlled valve, controlled by a controller, to control a pilot operated valve for regulating pressure of fluid in a port thereof in connection with a fluid operated system. A pressure sensor in connection with the port is used to monitor the regulated pressure. The regulated pressurized fluid in the port is also used, as required, as a component of the pilot signal. The valves are configured such that when the electrical control signal is absent or the electrically controlled valve is unresponsive thereto, the presence of pressurized fluid at a predetermined supply pressure, will automatically operate the pilot operated valve in cooperation with a biasing element thereof, for delivering pressurized fluid at a minimum or reduced regulated pressure.
US08910655B2	Gas valve having automatically blocking means Disclosed therein is a gas valve having automatically blocking means, which is mounted at an inlet side of a valve body having a ball valve so that the gas valve does not need additional blocking means for blocking a gas pipe at the time of a gas leak, and which returns a blocking member to its original position when the valve is opened after coping with the gas leak at the leaked portion, thereby making maintenance easy.
US08910651B2	Thermal pressure relief devices and related systems and methods Apparatus, methods and systems for inspecting and/or sensing defects in a thermal pressure relief device. The thermal pressure relief apparatus may comprise a bulb having a fluid therein. In some implementations, a sensor may be used to determine whether the fluid within the bulb exceeds a fill level threshold. Upon determining that the fluid is below the fill level threshold, an action may be taken. In some implementations, the action may comprise providing a notification.
US08910650B2	Method for operating a valve A method for process optimization for a valve (1) comprising a valve seat (5) arranged in a valve housing (3) between an inlet (7) and an outlet (8), comprising a valve disk (4) which is connected to an actuating rod (10) and comprising an actuating device (2) which acts on the actuating rod (10), by which means the valve disk (4) is brought into a closed position (23) for closing the valve (1) and is pressed onto the valve seat (5) and for opening the valve (1) is raised from the valve seat (5) and brought into an opening position (26), wherein fluid flows through the valve (1) for carrying out the method in the course of cleaning, can be improved with regard to a better cleaning effect in remote regions (14, 15, 16) of the interior (17) of the valve housing (3) whereby during cleaning the valve disk (4) is brought into at least one intermediate position (24, 24, 31) between the closed position (23) and the open position (26).
US08910649B2	Readily cleanable water storage system and method A readily cleanable water storage system and a method of maintaining cleanliness of water in said system are disclosed. The system comprises an overhead water tank, wherein said water tank comprises a floor, at least one inlet, a draining outlet with a stop cock, an overflow outlet, a supply outlet and a pump, characterized in that the floor of the tank is inclined at a pre-determined continuous and effective slope either towards another point on the periphery to form an inclined floor, or from all sides to form a conical bottom with the supply outlet located at the side wall of the tank above the conical bottom and the draining outlet is located at the periphery of the inclined floor at sloping end or at the convergence of the cone formed by the conical bottom.
US08910648B2	Connector device for a foldable tent A connector device for retaining a pair of pivotally connected tent poles. The connector device comprises male and female components coupled to one another to permit positioning of the poles such that the poles are axially aligned in an aligned configuration and such that the poles are pivoted 180 degrees substantially parallel and adjacent to each other in a folded configuration. The male component includes an axially extending first guiding member and a first locking member formed on the inner projection, and the female component includes a second guiding member and a second locking member. The first and second locking members are engaged so as to secure the poles in the aligned configuration, and the first and second guiding members are engaged when the poles are in the aligned and folded configurations so as to further secure the poles in the respective configurations and to prevent misalignment of the poles.
US08910646B2	Adjustable rotation base An outdoor umbrella includes an awning frame, a supporting shaft and an adjustable rotation base including a base housing and a transportation arrangement. The base housing is arranged to couple with the supporting shaft to support the awning frame in an upright manner, and includes a plurality of transferring wheels. The transportation arrangement is provided at the base housing to operate the base housing between an idle mode and a transportation mode, wherein in the idle mode, the transferring wheels are suspenedly lifted up to position above the bottom edge of the base housing such the base housing is sat on the ground surface in a stationary manner, wherein in the transportation mode, the base housing is lifted up by air pressure for allowing the transferring wheels to move out of the receiving cavity at a position below the bottom edge of the base housing.
US08910645B2	Apparatus for cleaning paint rollers and brushes An apparatus is provided for cleaning paint rollers and/or brushes. It comprises a roller cover/brush holder that may be coupled to a drill or other power tool, and a container and cap assembly. Advantageously, the container accommodates the holder and a roller cover or paintbrush with a minimal effective volume of cleanser. The cap closes and substantially seals the container to contain spray or spillage during high-speed rotation of the holder within the container. In use, the container is filled with cleanser, such as soapy water, and the roller is spun for several minutes. The container is drained, then refilled with rinse water and the process is repeated as needed. The roller or brush may be spun dry after cleaning, or between wash and rinse cycles. The apparatus provides effective cleaning with a reduced volume of water or cleanser and requires minimal clean-up.
US08910636B2	Support harness This publication discloses a support harness, which can be used particularly to support a woman in labor during childbirth, but also, for example, to increase the support and comfort of persons and patients using a wheelchair, and for similar purposes. An attenuator (5, 7, 10, 14), which is based on the friction between two belts, is fitted, between the attachment elements (9-13) and the shoulder straps (3, 4), to the support harness, which comprises attachment elements (9-13), for attaching to a chair, birthing frame, or other support point, and two shoulder straps (3, 4), which are placed around the shoulders of the person being supported.
US08910633B2	Method for estimating leaks from ventilator circuits Gas leakage from a ventilator circuit and patient interface is estimated by a method that relies on breath-by-breath or time-to-time variability in the pattern of pressure delivery by the ventilator, comprising generating signals that correspond to pressure (PCIRCUIT) and flow rate (Flow) in the ventilator circuit, integrating flow (Integrated Flow), measuring the change in Integrated Flow (ΔV) over an INTERVAL extending from a selected point in the expiratory phase of a ventilator cycle to a selected point during the expiratory phase of a nearby ventilator cycle, repeating the measurement of ΔV for at least two said INTERVALs, processing PCIRCUIT to produce an index or indices that reflect(s) the pattern of pressure delivery by the ventilator during each of said INTERVALs, applying statistical methods to determine the relation between the differences in ΔV among 1NTERVALs and the corresponding differences in said index or indices of PCIRCUIT, and establishing from said relation the leak rate at specified PCIRCUIT values.
US08910630B2	Cannabis drug delivery and monitoring system This invention relates to a new technology that enables administration of Cannabis to patients for medical purposes. In one embodiment, this invention is a component of a system of technologies, processes and concepts that creates a new method of producing, delivering, administering and regulating the use of medical cannabis.
US08910625B2	Inhalation device for use in aerosol therapy An inhalation device having a base unit, a mouthpiece, and an aerosol head is provided. The base unit has an air inlet, an air outlet opening, a groove for receiving the mouthpiece, and key lock member(s). The mouthpiece has two segments: a first segment which is insertable into the groove of the base unit and has an air inlet opening and a lateral opening for receiving an aerosol generator and a second segment with an aerosol outlet. The aerosol head has an aerosol generator, a liquid reservoir, and key lock member(s) complementary to those of the base unit. The base unit, mouthpiece and aerosol head are connectible with one another such that when engaging the members of the key lock with the complementary members, the aerosol generator is inserted into the lateral opening of the mouthpiece.
US08910623B2	Refractory panels with grout-capturing channels A refractory panel is formed with recesses delineating a pair of adjoining brick relief patterns. One or more depressions are formed in the recesses such that grout or the like placed in the recesses form fingers that harden into position.
US08910622B2	Hinged cooktop grids A cooking appliance includes a cooktop with a number of gas burners positioned below a grate. The grate is hinged to the cooktop so as to be pivotable between a raised position and a lowered position.
US08910621B2	Spring loaded rifle The invention relates to a spring-loaded air rifle which includes a trigger that actuates a firing mechanism that controls an interconnection part, which exerts a force on a counter-pawl that releases a spring that actuates a piston, in which said firing mechanism is an electronic firing mechanism which includes a flexible rod for actuating a switch.
US08910620B2	Fluid vessel with filler pipe A fluid vessel, in particular a liquid vessel, in particular for an exhaust-gas purification fluid for the treatment of exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, in particular for an aqueous urea solution, wherein the fluid vessel has a filler pipe which is connected in fluid-conducting fashion to an interior of the fluid vessel and which, at an end remote from the interior of the fluid vessel, has a filler head and is closed off by means of a removable tank cover, wherein the fluid vessel and the filler pipe are designed and arranged such that, when the fluid vessel is in an installed position, a geodetically highest point of the fluid vessel is situated geodetically lower than the filler head. One ventilation device is arranged in the tank cover and at the geodetically highest point, when the fluid vessel is in the installed position, of the fluid vessel.
US08910619B2	Enhanced combustion for spark ignition engine using electromagnetic energy coupling A method of improving the combustion of a spark-ignition internal combustion engine. Such engines have at least one cylinder, each cylinder having a compression chamber and operated such that an air-fuel mixture introduced into the combustion chamber is ignited to cause a combustion event. An antenna is placed within the combustion chamber, and is used to apply electromagnetic energy to the combustion.
US08910618B2	Reflux structure for blow-by gas A reflux structure for blow-by gas that returns blow-by gas generated in an engine to a clean side of an air cleaner to reflux the blow-by gas to the engine, the reflux structure for blow-by gas includes: a communication pipe that has a flow path introducing the blow-by gas from the engine to the clean side of the air cleaner; and an air funnel that is mounted on the clean side of the air cleaner and introduces intake air from a dirty side into the engine, wherein the communication pipe has a discharge port formed to discharge the blow-by gas to a side closer to a bottom than to an umbrella part of the air funnel around the air funnel.
US08910616B2	Carburetor system for outdoor power equipment A carburetor includes a passageway having a constricted section, a nozzle directed into the passageway proximate the constricted section, and a shaft having a surface that at least partially defines the constricted section. The nozzle is configured to deliver fuel to air passing through the passageway, and the surface includes a contour that is configured to be moved relative to the passageway to change the area of the passageway through the constricted section.
US08910615B2	Control apparatus for internal combustion engine An object of this invention is to provide a control apparatus for an internal combustion engine which makes it possible to reliably avoid an abnormal increase in in-cylinder pressure due to pre-ignition. The control apparatus of this invention controls an internal combustion engine including an injector that directly injects fuel into a cylinder. The control apparatus includes pre-ignition detection means that executes an operation to detect pre-ignition until a time of a crank angle θA, and injection instruction means that, at a time of a crank angle θB that is before the crank angle θA, sends to the injector an injection instruction to perform fuel injection that suppresses pre-ignition combustion. Preferably, the control apparatus includes energization stopping means that, when the pre-ignition detection means does not detect pre-ignition until the time of the crank angle θA, stops energization of the injector that is started by the injection instruction.
US08910610B2	Oil pump with dual scavenging for a twin cam engine The present invention is an oil pump used in combination with a twin cam type engine, such as a HARLEY DAVIDSON® type A or type B engine, that includes a first high pressure gerotor and cam chest scavenger gerotor housing, a separator plate that establishes an independent dual scavenging capability and a second crankcase sump scavenger gerotor housing that pulls oil from the crankcase sump. The oil pump also includes a high pressure gerotor that pulls oil from an oil reservoir and supplies oil under pressure through a stock or aftermarket cam plate to the engine, a cam chest scavenger gerotor to scavenge oil in a cam chest of the engine and return the oil to the oil reservoir, a crankcase sump scavenger gerotor to scavenge the oil in a crankcase sump of the engine and return the oil to the oil reservoir and an o-ring to prevent the oil from leaking into the cam chest of the engine.
US08910603B2	Device for varying the relative angle position of a camshaft with respect to a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine A device for varying the relative angle position of a camshaft with respect to a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine. A circlip fixes the valve housing in a positively locking manner. The circlip has at least one radially extending circumferential portion which is designed to engage into an annular groove arranged in the camshaft or in the rotor in the axial end region of said camshaft or rotor, wherein the circlip has at least one axially extending retaining portion, wherein the control piston has, in one of the face regions thereof, an annular groove which is designed for the engagement of the at least one axially extending retaining portion, and wherein the valve housing has, in one of its face regions, at least one hook-shaped portion for engaging behind at least one radially extending circumferential portion of the circlip.
US08910599B2	Multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, with a system for variable actuation of the intake valves and with compensation of the differences in the torque produced by the cylinders, and control method implemented in this engine A multi-cylinder internal combustion engine is provided with a system for the variable actuation of the intake valves, and such system is used to vary the amount of air taken in by each cylinder so as to reduce to the minimum or entirely eliminate the differences in the torque produced by the various cylinders and hence limit the irregularities in the rotation speed of the engine shaft.
US08910596B2	Adjustable buckle and collar A clip buckle assembly suitable for use in an animal collar has two releasably interlockable buckle members and an adjustment means having a tongue extending between a buckle member and a stop at the end of the tongue. The tongue is arranged to pass through a slider having a gripping means configurable between an open configuration, wherein the first tongue is free to slide through the first slider and a closed configuration, wherein the first tongue is held locked against the first slider when the first slider is urged in a slackening direction from the proximal towards the distal end of the first tongue, whereby the slider is arranged to be fixable against slackening at any of a plurality of positions along the first tongue. The stop is arranged to prevent the tongue from disengaging from the slider when the first slider is urged in the slackening direction.
US08910592B1	Waste less hay feeders A plurality of pliant scrapers are preferably secured to a feeder grille. The grille keeps an animal from walking in the feed. The scrapers are pliant to flex when the animal presses its head into a gap between adjacent scrapers, without causing undue pain or harm. When the animal pushes into the gap between adjacent scrapers, the pliant scrapers spread sufficiently to allow the animal's head to pass. When the animal subsequently backs out of the feeder, the pliant scrapers flip from pointing into the gap to pointing slightly out from the gap. As the animal continues to recede from the feeder, the scrapers wipe across the face and mouth of the animal. The wiping separates any unsecured hay or feed from the mouth of the animal. When the scrapers eventually separate from the animal, they spring towards the feeder interior, thereby propelling loose hay back into the feeder.
US08910590B2	Plasma deposition An apparatus for depositing a group III metal nitride film on a substrate, the apparatus comprising a plasma generator to generate a nitrogen plasma from a nitrogen source, a reaction chamber in which to react a reagent comprising a group III metal with a reactive nitrogen species derived from the nitrogen plasma so as to deposit a group III metal nitride on the substrate, a plasma inlet to facilitate the passage of nitrogen plasma from the plasma generator into the reaction chamber and a baffle having one or more flow channels for passage of the nitrogen plasma. The baffle is located between the plasma inlet and the substrate and prevents a direct line of passage for nitrogen plasma between the plasma inlet and the substrate.
US08910582B2	Row unit for a seeding machine having active downforce control for the closing wheels A planter row unit is disclosed having an active downforce control system for the closing wheels. This separate control of the downforce pressure for the closing wheels is provided from the row unit downforce control. A single operator input is used to set a desired downforce for all row units. The control system then operates to produce the desired downforce. Alternatively, the control system may display a downforce load to the operator who then manually makes adjustments as desired.
US08910579B2	Rail vehicle with laterally soft connection of the wagon body to the running gear Disclosed is a vehicle, in particular rail vehicle, with a wagon body and an running gear on which the wagon body is supported, wherein the wagon body and the running gear define a vehicle longitudinal direction, a vehicle transverse direction and a vehicle height direction. A tilting mechanism is arranged between the wagon body and the running gear, which is designed to impose, during a transverse displacement in the vehicle transverse direction, upon the wagon body a rolling motion about a rolling axis parallel to the vehicle longitudinal direction. The tilting mechanism comprises a transverse decoupling device, which is designed to reduce the stiffness of the tilting mechanism against a pure transverse displacement of the wagon body with respect to the running gear. The invention furthermore relates to a corresponding tilting mechanism.
US08910574B2	Mark detecting device, adjustment method, and printing apparatus A mark detecting device detects a positioning mark on a transfer medium based on light that is emitted to and then reflected from the transfer medium. The mark detecting device includes a light emitting unit that emits light to a target position on the transfer medium; a light receiving unit that receives light reflected from the target position; and an adjusting unit that rotatably supports a detecting unit including at least one of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit about a center of rotation, which passes through the target position, on the transfer medium and adjusts the rotation angle of the detecting unit with respect to the center of rotation.
US08910573B2	Method for controlling an inking unit of a printing press A method for controlling an inking unit of a printing press, includes resetting an ink metering element from first to second metered quantities for an intended inking level. The metering element is set to a temporary, third metered ink quantity by a control unit, for a time interval, during a non-steady phase of the inking unit before reaching the intended level. A value of a variable characterizing the inking state of printing material is determined and a plurality of sets of values for the variable are predefined, into which the determined value can be grouped. The temporary metering quantity is carried out: at a first rate and/or during a first time period if the value of the variable lies in a first set of values, and at a second rate and/or in a second time period if the value of the variable lies in a second, different set of values.
US08910570B2	Apparatus and method for calculating registration error of a rotary die A rotary die apparatus and method for determining a registration error of a pattern applied to a strip of material by a rotary die. The rotary die apparatus may comprise the rotary die and a control system which senses signals from a sensor and a rotary encoder to determine an actual position of the rotary die when a fiducial on the strip of material is sensed. The control system may calculate the registration error by comparing the actual position with a registration target corresponding to a pattern length. The pattern length may correspond to the number of encoder pulses output per revolution of the rotary die divided by the number of patterns spaced apart around the circumference of the rotary die. An encoder count used to determine the actual position of the rotary die may reset each time it reaches the pattern length.
US08910567B2	Compacting device The invention relates to a compacting device (1) for compacting empty containers, in particular beverage bottles or cans of plastic or metal, comprising at least one rotatable roller (1a, 1b), which is designed for compressing and perforating empty containers, wherein the roller (1a, 1b) has a roller base body (2a, 2b) and at least one pin element (3) protruding from the roller base body (2a, 2b), wherein the pin element (3) is formed as a hollow pin, at least the end face of the hollow pin that is facing away from the roller base body (2a, 2b) is open.
US08910565B2	Batch cooker Batch cookers, as well as methods for cooking using the batch cookers, are provided. A batch cooker comprises a cooking trough configured to hold a volume of heated cooking oil. An oil recirculation system delivers heated cooking oil from an external heat source (e.g., a heat exchanger) to the cooking trough through a series of valves and inlets. After use in cooking, used cooking oil is drained from the cooking trough and filtered (e.g., using a drum filter) before being recirculated into the heat source for reuse in subsequent cooking cycles. One application for the batch cooker of the present disclosure is to cook kettle-style potato chips. Accordingly, the batch cooker is configured to facilitate the multiple cooking temperatures required to produce kettle chips.
US08910564B2	Electrical appliance for preparing, storing and dispensing hot beverages A hot beverage maker produces a brewed beverage in a sealed infusion compartment. An air pump and selector establish a first flow path by which a pressure differential established by the air pump displaces water from a container, through a heater to the infusion compartment and then to a brewed beverage container. A second flow path produces a pressure in the brewed beverage container that displaces brewed beverage out a delivery spout.
US08910553B2	Machine for cutting paper logs Machine for cutting paper logs, comprising means for supporting one or more logs (3) disposed side by side, means for advancing the logs (3) on said support means, means for the transverse cutting of the logs (3) and means for blocking logs (3) during their cutting. The said cutting means comprise an annular band blade (4) having a bevel (400, 401) on both its edges, provided in correspondence to a cutting station (T) in which the logs (3) are cut and connected to corresponding guiding and actuating means, the said blade (4) featuring a portion (40) defining a corresponding cutting plane which is oriented orthogonally with respect to the longitudinal axes of logs (3), the said blade being provided with a sharpening device (100) continuously acting on both its bevels (400,401). The machine comprises means for the relative motion of logs (3) with respect to said blade (4) along the said cutting plane. The blade (4) acts on one log (3) at a time.
US08910550B2	Printer A printer according to the present invention includes a recording unit that makes recording on recording paper, a cutter unit that has a movable cutter edge to cut the recording paper, and a containing portion that receives recorded matter, which is the recorded paper cut by the cutter unit. Further, the printer includes a cut piece collecting portion that collects cut pieces, which are recording paper cut by the cutter unit, and a cut piece collecting portion cover that opens/closes in conjunction with a cutting operation of the cutter unit. The recording paper cut by the cutter unit is collected by a cut piece collecting portion if the cut piece collecting portion cover is in an open state and is made movable to the containing portion if the cut piece collecting portion cover is in a closed state. Further, the cut piece collecting portion cover performs one opening/closing operation for a predetermined number of cutting operations.
US08910548B2	Duct wrap dispenser A finishing apparatus for ductwork having a duct body with at least one open end. The finishing apparatus includes an operation platform for selectively supporting the ductwork and a first wrapping mechanism integrated with the operation platform, the first wrapping mechanism including a first dispenser for dispensing a first film. The finishing apparatus further includes a first cutting mechanism integrated with the first wrapping mechanism. In operation, the first wrapping mechanism selectively dispenses the first film adjacent to and against the open end of the ductwork as the ductwork is moved a predetermined distance down the operation platform. The first cutting mechanism selectively cutting the first film after the ductwork has moved the predetermined distance down the operation platform.
US08910543B2	Pedal device An object of the present invention is to provide a pedal device in which the pad member can be fixed to the stopper member easily at the time of mounting, and which does not tend to be degraded over the years. In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a pedal device including: a stopper member attached to a floor of a driver's seat of a vehicle; and a pad member which has a pad fitted into the stopper member and receives a depression force exerted by a driver.
US08910538B2	Robot A robot according to an embodiment includes a base, a first structure, a second structure, and a third structure. The first structure is connected to the base to be rotatable about a first axis. The second structure is connected to the first structure to be rotatable about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis. The third structure is connected to the second structure to be rotatable about a third axis parallel to the second axis. The first structure and the third structure are formed by using cast materials having a same shape.
US08910534B2	Rotation adjusting mechanism and adjusting machine using the same A rotation adjusting mechanism includes a first pedestal, a first sliding block and a first adjusting member. The first pedestal defines a first sliding surface, and an adjusting hole at the side, and an elongated hole on the first sliding surface, the elongated hole communicates with the adjusting hole. The first sliding block defines a second sliding surface and includes an engaging portion on the second sliding surface, the second sliding surface moves on the first sliding surface. The first adjusting member is partially received in the adjusting hole, a portion of the first adjusting member is partially exposed out of the elongated hole and engages with the engaging portion, the adjusting member is turned by hand to rotate to enable the first sliding block to slide along the first sliding surface. The embodiment further discloses an adjusting machine using the same.
US08910532B2	Rotation angle and torque sensor The rotation-angle and torsion sensor has two gears that are connected so as not to turn with shaft sections, which [gears] mesh with gears. On one of the gears a unipolar or multipolar magnet is attached. On the other gear, magnetic flux guides matching to number of poles are attached, that are configured as L shapes. One leg of the flux tranducers points in the direction of the multipolar magnet while the other legs run parallel to the gear and in fact one on one side and the other on the other side of the gear, with these legs enclosing a second sensor between them that is situated in the gear.
US08910531B1	System for determining target misalignment in turbine shaft and related method Systems and devices configured to determine misalignment of targets of a rotating shaft by monitoring axial and radial aspects of targets and the shaft. In one embodiment, a target monitoring system includes a first horizontal probe communicatively connected to at least one first horizontal target connected to the shaft, and a first axial probe located adjacent to the first horizontal probe and communicatively connected to the first horizontal target. The system also includes a second horizontal probe communicatively connected to at least one second horizontal target connected to the shaft, and a second axial probe located adjacent to the second horizontal probe and communicatively connected to the second horizontal target. The system may further include an end probe disposed proximate a first end of the shaft for monitoring axial movement of the shaft, and a computing device communicatively connected to the end probe and each horizontal and axial probe.
US08910527B2	Vortex flowmeter with optimized temperature detection Exemplary embodiments relate to a vortex flowmeter having a vortex body which projects into the flowing measurement medium in a measuring tube, a sensor for detecting the vortex frequency being connected downstream of said vortex body in the direction of flow and being provided with means for measuring the temperature of the measurement medium, and a downstream electronic evaluation unit determining the flow rate in a temperature-compensated manner, the sensor including a carrier body on which a plurality of piezoelectric elements, which are arranged at a distance from one another and are intended to measure the frequency, and a temperature-measuring element are placed.
US08910524B2	Linked bridge pressure transducer assemblies A gage/differential pressure transducer assembly having enhanced output capabilities, comprising a first pressure port adapted to communicate a first pressure to a first sensor, the first sensor comprising a first Wheatstone bridge adapted to output a first signal indicative of the first pressure, wherein the first pressure is a main pressure; and a second pressure port adapted to communicate a second pressure to a second sensor, the second sensor comprising a second Wheatstone bridge adapted to output a second signal indicative of the second pressure, wherein the second pressure is a reference pressure; and an output port connected to the first Wheatstone bridge and the second Wheatstone bridge for outputting a third signal representative of the difference between the first and second pressures.
US08910521B2	Vibrating structure gyrometer with at least one tuning fork Vibrating structure gyrometer with at least one tuning fork, produced by micro-machining from a thin plate, the said tuning fork comprising a pair of mobile inertial assemblies (EIM1, EIM2) linked by a coupling assembly (1). A tuning fork comprises two controlled electrodes (9, 9′) for electrostatic equilibration of the sense resonator along the sense axis y which are respectively associated with the two mobile inertial assemblies (EIM1, EIM2) of the said tuning fork, and control means (UCE) adapted for applying two respective continuous electrical voltages V1 and V2 to the said two electrodes (9, 9′) satisfying the relation V 1 2 - V 2 2 = c y_initial a ⁢ ⁢ λ , in which cy—initial represents the initial sensitivity of the gyrometer, when the two electrical voltages V1 and V2 are zero, to linear accelerations along the sense axis y, in deg·h−1·G−1, a represents a coefficient characterizing the influence of a discrepancy in stiffness between the two branches of the tuning fork on the sensitivity of the gyrometer to linear accelerations along the y axis, in deg·h−1·G−1·N−1·m, λ represents an electrostatic stiffness coefficient dependent on the said two electrodes (9, 9′) in N·m−1·V−2, V1 and V2 are expressed in Volts, and G equals 9.81 m·s−2.
US08910518B2	Self-test for yaw rate sensors A yaw rate sensor (10) includes a movable mass structure (12) and a drive component (13) which is suitable for setting the movable mass structure (12) in motion (14), and an analysis component (15) which is suitable for detecting a response (40) of the movable mass structure (12) to a yaw rate (Ω). A method for functional testing of a yaw rate sensor (10) includes the following steps: driving a movable mass structure (12), feeding a test signal (42) into a quadrature control loop (44) at a feed point (48) of the quadrature control loop (44), feeding back a deflection (40) of the movable mass structure (12), detecting a measure of the feedback of the movable mass structure (12), and reading out the response signal (47) from the quadrature control loop (44). In the yaw rate sensor (10) and also in the method, the readout of the response signal (47) in relation to a processing direction (45) of the test signal (42) is provided between a feed point (48) for a test signal (42) and an actuator (38) for feeding back a deflection (40) of the movable mass structure (12).
US08910516B2	Directional differential pressure detector Methods and apparatuses for indicating the presence of a directional differential pressure between separated adjacent spaces are provided. A differential pressure set point indicator may be configured to correlate multiple potential angles of inclination of an elongated conduit to respective threshold differential pressures between two spaces which generate net flow of fluid sufficient to cause a lightweight ball to move from one region of the conduit to an opposing region. The elongated conduit may be adjustable in length so as to accommodate installation of the device into walls of varying thickness. The device may include a sound attenuator that reduces noise upon impact of the ball with either end of the conduit. The device may also include a sealing material that is flexible yet firm enough to provide both a seal with the exterior surface of the conduit and support for the conduit when oriented in a tilted configuration.
US08910508B2	Early detection of overheating devices A sensor module is provided that monitors the odor within the physical enclosure of a computing device that includes one or more components. A recognition module determines whether the odor within the physical enclosure is indicative of an overheating component that is overheating within the physical enclosure of the computing device. The recognition module may use an artificial neural network (ANN) to determine whether the odor is indicative of an overheating component. An alert module initiates an overheating protocol in response to determining that the odor within the physical enclosure is indicative of an overheating component. The alert module may, for example, alert the user and/or applications that a component is overheating.
US08910506B2	Gas exchange system flow configuration Active compensation designs to offset the impact of gas diffusion sources and sinks in a photosynthesis and transpiration measurement system are disclosed. A sensor head for use in a gas exchange analysis system includes an active, piezoelectric flow splitting device for splitting a flow between a sample chamber and bypass pathway. The active flow splitting device is controlled by feedback from a downstream flow meter. A continuous measurement system for rapidly and accurately surveying large numbers of samples is described.
US08910505B2	System and method for simulating primary and secondary blast A blast tube includes three portions and three diaphragms. The first portion has a first length and a first cross section. The second portion has a second length and a second cross section. The third portion has a third length and a third cross section. The first diaphragm is disposed between the second portion and the third portion and switches from a closed state to an open state at a first time. The second diaphragm switches from a closed state to an open state at a second time after the first time. The third diaphragm is disposed between the first portion and the second portion and switches from a closed state to an open state at a third time after the second time. The third portion is disposed between the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm.
US08910502B2	Guided keeper and method for metal forming dies A locking collar assembly for metal forming dies includes a disc-shaped locking collar with a cylindrical outer surface closely received in a collar bore in one face of a first die member. A circular recess in the outer face of the locking collar has an internal retainer ring groove. A counter bore shaped fastener hole extends through the collar and a part of the recess, and has shank, head and shoulder portions. A socket head cap screw is inserted in the fastener hole with a threaded end anchored in a threaded end aperture in one of the guide pins, with the head seated on the shoulder of the fastener hole. A retainer ring is mounted in the collar ring groove and overlies the cap screw head to positively prevent the cap screw from unintentionally unfastening from the guide pin.
US08910498B2	Lockout cabinet The lockout cabinet can comprise a body with a front opening circumscribed by a front edge, and a rear wall recessed from the front edge, for receiving lockout equipment, a first side laterally opposite a second side, and a tab extending from the first side, passed the front edge, and having a plurality of shackle engagement apertures interspaced from one another in an orientation parallel to an adjacent portion of the front edge; and a door matching the shape of the front opening, being hingedly connected to the second side of the body and having a slot shaped and positioned for the tab to extend through it when the door is closed, with the plurality of shackle engagement apertures on a side of the door opposite the body, able to receive a corresponding plurality of padlock shackles for preventing subsequent unauthorized opening of the door.
US08910497B2	Process for melting and refining silica-based glass A process for making silica-based glass includes: (a) forming a glass precursor melt that includes glass network formers and glass network modifiers, the glass precursor melt being at a temperature in the range of 900 C to 1700 C and having a viscosity of not more than 3 Pa·s, and (b) refining the glass precursor melt. Either or both steps (a) and (b) can include stirring and/or be carried out under reduced pressure to enhance refining. The refined glass precursor melt preferably is mixed with additional materials including silica (SiO2) to form a silica-based glass melt.
US08910496B2	Interchangeable earring and necklace kits and methods for their storage and use Described is an interchangeable earring kit, an interchangeable necklace kit, a combination interchangeable earring and necklace kit and a system of add-on decorative elements for all of the kits. These kits can be used to create a jewelry wardrobe from interchangeable parts. The kits exist as single or combination systems for do-it-yourself jewelry design wear. The kits are contained in compartmentalized boxes to allow for separation of the components.
US08910489B2	Heat pump system for vehicle A heat pump system for a vehicle includes a water cooled condenser that uses a coolant as a heat exchange media and uses waste heat generated from a motor and an electronic device to improve heating performance, efficiency, and dehumidifying performance. A control method is also described.
US08910488B2	Display case including heat exchanger for reducing relative humidity A refrigerated case includes a housing including an interior display volume and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a circuit defined by a heat exchanger section including a plurality of tubes that define a flow path, a reheat section including a reheat tube, and a connecting tube fluidly connecting the flow path of the heat exchanger section with the reheat tube. Air flows over the plurality of tubes of the heat exchanger section and rejects heat to a refrigerant flowing through the plurality of tubes to heat the refrigerant. The heated refrigerant then flows through the reheat tube. As the air passes over the reheat tube, the air accepts heat from the heated refrigerant flowing through the reheat tube.
US08910485B2	Stoichiometric exhaust gas recirculation combustor with extraction port for cooling air The present application provides a stoichiometric exhaust gas recovery turbine system. The stoichiometric exhaust gas recovery turbine system may include a main compressor for compressing a flow of ambient air, a turbine, and a stoichiometric exhaust gas recovery combustor. The stoichiometric exhaust gas recovery combustor may include a combustion liner, an extended flow sleeve in communication with the main compressor, and an extraction port in communication with the turbine. The extended flow sleeve receives the flow of ambient air from the main compressor so as to cool the combustion liner and then the flow of ambient air splits into an extraction flow to the turbine via the extraction port and a combustion flow within the combustion liner.
US08910479B1	Method for cooling exhaust gases from energy units A system including an energy unit with an outlet for flue gases is disclosed. The system comprises a regulating nozzle for injecting water into the flue gases from the outlet, a condenser apparatus for extracting water from flue gases, a pump for pumping water from the condenser apparatus to the regulating nozzle, the water devoid of any chemical treatment, and a processor for receiving sensor data, calculating target water content of the flue gases at 100% humidity and a dew point of the flue gases and, calculating an amount of water to inject into the flue gases for: 1) increasing a water content of the flue gases to 100% humidity; 2) lowering a temperature of the flue gases to below the dew point and 3) such that the water is absorbed by the flue gases, and transmitting control signals to the regulating nozzle to inject said amount of water.
US08910471B2	Structure of exhaust pipe for exhaust heat recovery An exhaust pipe heats coolant with heat of exhaust gas. The structure of the exhaust pipe can increase heat exchange efficiency because a flow direction of the coolant is arranged to be opposite to a flow direction of the exhaust gas. The coolant can smoothly flow inside the housing, because density of the coolant decreases as the coolant is heated while flowing in a lower side of the housing and flowing out of an upper side of the housing. In addition, the heat transfer pipe of which one surface is in contact with the exhaust gas and the other side is in contact with the coolant has wrinkle portions which are formed on a surface of the heat transfer pipe, where heat exchange is performed, and thereby, a heat exchange area can be increased and the coolant can be more rapidly heated without increasing a size of the housing.
US08910470B2	Exhaust system having a flow rotation element and method for operation of an exhaust system An exhaust system in an engine is provided. The exhaust system includes an exhaust manifold include at least one exhaust runner having an inlet and a flow rotation element including at least one vane, the flow rotation element positioned in the inlet of the exhaust runner swirling exhaust airflow entering the exhaust runner.
US08910468B2	Exhaust gas treatment catalyst, exhaust gas treatment method, and exhaust gas treatment apparatus An exhaust gas treatment catalyst for removal of one or more pollutants in an exhaust gas, the catalyst comprising: a SO3-reducing catalyst powder which removes the above-described pollutants; and a diluent powder which is not the SO3-reducing catalyst powder nor a catalyst for reactions between exhaust gas components and a reagent, wherein the SO3-reducing catalyst powder is dispersed in the diluent powder.
US08910464B2	Lift fan spherical thrust vectoring nozzle A thrust-vectoring nozzle is disclosed that includes a cylindrical case and a flow director. The flow director includes a cylindrical ring having a dimension to fit within the cylindrical case. The cylindrical ring has an inner wall and an outer wall and a plurality of fixed vanes are coupled to the inner wall of the ring. The flow director is configured to rotate about first and second mutually perpendicular axes.
US08910462B2	Lay-out for splicing strips comprising cords A plain stepped splice lay-out scheme is presented that can be used for splicing strips to one another that comprise longitudinally arranged cords. The strips can take the form of a conveyor belt, transmission belt, timing belt, elevator belt, a rubber track or a reinforcing strip. The splice is optimised for uniform bending stiffness and maximum strength retention. The cross section of the strip and the splice are substantially equal: there is no increase in thickness or width at the splice. The splice lay-out is characterised by the fact that the abutments (130)—those positions where cord ends (111, 121) meet—are positioned sufficiently far away from one another and by preference as far away from one another as possible. Preferred embodiments in terms of length common between cords of the different strips and local strength are given.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10