| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09134903B2 |
Content selecting technique for touch screen UI
Techniques are disclosed for providing a content selecting mode in electronic touch sensitive devices. The content may be, for instance, text, photos, and/or other consumable content. The user can engage the mode with a gesture that includes a combination of contact points on the touch sensitive surface that identifies the content selecting mode is desired. The combination may include, for example, a first contact point at a starting location in the content, and a second contact point at an end location in the content to be selected. Upon receiving the second contact point, the content between the first and second contact points is selected. The selection may be traverse section breaks, column breaks, and page breaks as needed, depending on the placement of the contact points. Intervening navigation gestures such as scrolling or paging swipes between the two contact points can be used to locate the desired end location. |
| US09134901B2 |
Data analysis using gestures
In a method for data analysis using gestures, using a first gesture on a graphical representation of a data set, a first dimension is defined. Using the first dimension, a shape is defined on the graphical representation of the data set. A grid segments the graphical representation of the data set into several subsets represented as a several grid blocks. A subset corresponds to a grid block. The shape is a visual shape of the grid block, and the shape serves to define the bounds of the corresponding subset. A second gesture is made relative to a first target grid block in the several grid blocks. In response to the second gesture, a first data analysis computation is performed on a first target subset corresponding to the first target grid block. A result of the first data analysis computation is presented using a hardware device. |
| US09134900B2 |
Traversal of a soft bar to unlock an application
Illustrated is a system and method to receiving input at a soft bar, the input received at a middle position on the soft bar equal distance from a first position and a second position on the soft bar. The system and method also including a traversing of the soft bar from the middle position to one of the first or second position, using the input, a plurality of times to generate a candidate password, each traversal to generate a position value that is part of the candidate password. Further, the system and method to include unlocking a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for use, the unlocking to occur where the candidate password is equivalent to a stored password. |
| US09134898B2 |
Display control apparatus and control method thereof
There is provided an apparatus that can prevent invoking of unintended functions in gesture operation. The apparatus displays gesture functions executable by movement of touch position, and when movement of touch position satisfies a first condition, confirms executable gesture functions to display confirmed functions. When the movement of touch position satisfies a second condition after the confirmation, the apparatus cancels the confirmation. When the touch input is released in the confirmed state, the apparatus executes the confirmed functions, and when the touch input is released in the canceled state, control does not execute gesture functions. |
| US09134895B2 |
Wiring method for a graphical programming system on a touch-based mobile device
A touch-gesture wiring method for connecting data flow wires to input/output terminals of nodes in a graphical program is described. The method may be implemented by a graphical programming application that executes on a mobile device that includes a touch-sensitive screen configured to receive user input as touch gestures. The method may aid the user by displaying a magnified view of the input/output terminals that makes it easier (relative to the default view of the graphical program) for the user to see the input/output terminals and/or easier to select a desired one of the input/output terminals. |
| US09134893B2 |
Block-based content selecting technique for touch screen UI
Techniques are disclosed for providing a content selecting mode in electronic touch screen devices. The content may be, for instance, text, graphics, images, files, and/or other consumable content. The user can engage the mode with a combination of gestures and touch points on the touch screen. The combination may include, for example, multiple initial touch points within a given content block, followed by a dragging gesture that moves the touch points into or otherwise within the given content block, wherein the entire content block is then highlighted/selected. The initial touch points may touch, for instance, any piece of content within that block and the subsequent dragging gesture moves those initial touch points toward another piece of content within that block. As the drag continues into other blocks, so does selecting. The techniques can be used, for example, to select entire sentences or paragraphs or other content blocks. |
| US09134890B2 |
Display input device and image forming apparatus having touch panel
A display input device includes a display portion, a touch panel portion, and a determination portion. The display portion displays a screen and an image, and displays a plurality of objects as images whose display positions are movable. The touch panel portion is provided for the display portion, and accepts a user's input, and detects a plurality of positions being touched. The determination portion determines whether two points being touched are in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction. The touch panel portion accepts an input of selecting, as selected objects, some or all of the objects displayed on the display portion. When the touch panel portion has detected that two-point touching has been performed thereon in the state where the objects are selected, the display portion aligns the display positions of the selected objects, based on the direction of the touched two points and movement of the touched points. |
| US09134889B2 |
Variable refresh rates for portions of shared screens
Illustrative embodiments disclose setting refresh rates for different portions of a shared screen in a sharing session. A processor sets an initial refresh rate for the sharing session. The processor selects a portion of the shared screen. The processor selects a refresh rate for the selected portion of the shared screen that is different from the initial refresh rate for the sharing session. The processor refreshes the selected portion based on the selected refresh rate and a portion not selected based on the initial refresh rate. |
| US09134886B2 |
Providing indoor facility information on a digital map
A digital map of a geographic area, along with a representation of a building located in the geographic area, is displayed at a selected zoom level via a user interface of a computing device. Availability of indoor facilities at the building is determined. When the selected zoom level has a first value, the one or more indicators of indoor facilities available at the building are displayed inside the representation of the building at respective locations of these indoor facilities. However, when the selected zoom level has a second value, the one or more indicators of indoor facilities available at the building are displayed over or proximately to the representation of the building at a location unrelated to the respective locations of the indoor facilities. |
| US09134880B2 |
System and method for summoning user interface objects
Provided is a system and method for summoning user interface object(s) of a display to a gesture position of a user. In a pressure sensitive display embodiment, a user maintains a convenient touch position to the display, performs a summon gesture, and user interface object(s) are automatically moved to the user's touch position as requested. When a summon gesture is recognized, a user interface object, or point or interest thereof, automatically transitions to a desired position where the gesture was recognized. Objects can transition in a variety of manners. Also, a magnetic mode can be activated for virtually magnetizing objects of interest to a user's position, for example as the user touches various places on the display. A user's configurations can be stored into a cloud system for convenient access and use at a plurality of different data processing system user interfaces. |
| US09134872B2 |
Touch screen, color filter substrate and manufacturing method thereof
A touch screen, a color filter substrate and a manufacture method thereof are provided in the embodiment of the invention. The touch screen comprises a substrate; a plurality of first signal lines and a plurality of second signal lines forming on the substrate and intersecting with each other to define a plurality of touch regions; a plurality of sensing electrodes, each of the sensing electrodes being connected between one first signal line and one second signal line. Charges are generated on at least one of the sensing electrodes when the sensing electrode is pressed, so that detecting signals for determining coordinates of a touch point are generated on the first signal line and the second signal line that correspond to the sensing electrode. |
| US09134870B2 |
Capacitive touch-sensitive panel and mobile terminal using the same
Disclosed is a capacitive touch-sensitive panel. The capacitive touch-sensitive panel includes a dielectric substrate, a plurality of first conductive traces which extend in a first direction and are formed on one surface of the dielectric substrate, and a plurality of second conductive traces which are formed on the other surface of the dielectric substrate. Here, the second conductive traces include a main trace which extends in a second direction, a first branch which extends so as to obliquely intersect the main trace, and a second branch which is connected to the first branch, and the second branch connected to the first branch so as to intersect the first branch. |
| US09134869B2 |
Test method of pressing a touch panel
A test method of pressing a touch panel includes driving at least one pressing element such that a bottom surface of the at least one pressing element presses on a top surface of the touch panel. Pressing forces and corresponding pressing strokes are recorded while the touch panel is continuously pressed. The recorded pressing forces and the pressing strokes are converted into a test curve diagram, according to which a first turning point is determined at which the corresponding pressing force represents a force when the pressed touch panel contacts a test platform. |
| US09134867B2 |
Touch panel, display device including the touch panel, and method of manufacturing the touch panel
An internal connecting terminal (33) includes a first interconnect layer (34A) formed of a same film as a first conductive pattern for touch position detection under an interlayer insulating film (23), and a second interconnect layer (34B) formed of a same film as a second conductive pattern for touch position detection on the interlayer insulating film (23). The first and the second interconnect layers are electrically connected to a lead line (31) at a portion overlapping the lead line (31), and electrically connected together at a portion outside the lead line (31). |
| US09134861B2 |
Touchscreen
A touchscreen includes a plurality of X electrodes extending in a first direction and arranged in parallel in a second direction, a plurality of Y electrodes extending in the second direction so as to intersect the X electrodes and arranged in parallel in the first direction, and pedestal layers formed at respective intersections between the plurality of X electrodes and the plurality of Y electrodes, wherein an intersection portion of each Y electrode is formed under the pedestal layer, wherein a part of an intersection portion of each X electrode is formed on the pedestal layer and both ends thereof are electrically connected to adjacent electrode portions of the X electrodes, and wherein a profile of a portion of the pedestal layer intersecting the intersection portion of the X electrode has a nonlinear shape when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the substrate. |
| US09134860B2 |
Method of making a display device
A method of making a display device includes providing a display substrate having a first display substrate side, a second display substrate side opposed to the first display substrate side, and an array of pixels formed in rows and columns on or over the first display substrate side. A transparent dielectric layer is located over the display, the transparent dielectric layer having a row side and an opposed column side. Row electrodes are provided on the row side and column electrodes are provided on the column side. Each row electrode extends exclusively over all of the pixels in a row and each column electrode extends exclusively over all of the pixels in a column. |
| US09134856B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling a user interface of a device based on vibratory signals
Certain aspects of an apparatus and a method for controlling a user interface of a device may comprise one or more sensors coupled to a vibratory surface associated with the apparatus. The one or more sensors may detect one or more vibrations of the vibratory surface caused by an interaction of an object with the vibratory surface. The one or more sensors may generate one or more vibratory signals in response to the detected one or more vibrations. One or more processors that are communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors may generate a control signal corresponding to the one or more generated vibratory signals to control the user interface of the device. |
| US09134854B2 |
Detecting the locations of a plurality of objects on a touch surface
An apparatus is controlled to detect locations of a plurality of objects on a touch surface of a panel. An input scanner arrangement introduces at least three beams of radiation into the panel for propagation by internal reflection, and sweeps the beams inside the panel across a sensing area, preferably in at least two different principal directions. At least one radiation detector is arranged to receive the beams from the input scanner arrangement while they are swept across the sensing area. A data processor is connected to the radiation detector(s) and operated to identify the locations based on an attenuation of the beams caused by the objects touching the touch surface within the sensing area, the attenuation being identifiable from an output signal of the radiation detector(s). Each output signal may be further processed to generate a transmission signal, by dividing the output signal by a background signal which represents the output signal without any object on the touch surface. |
| US09134850B2 |
Method and system for updating reference data of capacitive multi-touch screen
A reference data updating method and system for a capacitive multi-touch screen are disclosed. The method includes the steps of step A: one-frame sampling touch detection nodes, calculating a difference between sampled data of each touch detection node and corresponding current reference data and saving the difference as detection data to obtain a current detection data frame; step B: judging whether the current detection data frame is a damaged detection data frame; and step C: executing a touch screen reference update processing procedure under abnormal condition if the current detection data frame is a damaged detection data frame; otherwise, executing a touch screen reference update processing procedure under normal condition. The disclosed method and system can be used in capacitive multi-touch screens fabricated with different materials in different processes and having difference specifications to timely and reliably update the reference data, thereby increasing the reliability of the capacitive multi-touch screens. |
| US09134849B2 |
Pen interface for a touch screen device
A system and method that allows pen input and touch input to better co-exist during writing on a touch screen device, such as a tablet device. If the pen/stylus is detected as present and is pointed at the surface, inputs initiated by a user's finger (or other) touch are rejected and pen inputs are allowed. If the pen is detected as present, but is pointed away from the writing surface of the touch screen, stylus/pen inputs are rejected and touch inputs are allowed. If pen is not detected as present, the system ignores all pen inputs. Erasing functions are also provided. The size of the eraser can be made proportional to the pressure level, contact size or signal level of the pen or the user's finger performing the erasing. |
| US09134844B2 |
Optical touchpad with power saving functions based on detected light
Optical touchpad includes a light source for emitting light of a specific wavelength, a specific-light sensing array for sensing the specific light after being reflected by an instruction object for accordingly generating a specific-light sensing image, a proximity detector for determining an instruction distance between the instruction object and the optical touchpad according to the specific-light sensing image, and a motion detector for determining path of the instruction object and then outputting a motion signal according to the specific-light sensing image. When the instruction distance is greater than a predetermined value, the motion detector is turned off. |
| US09134843B2 |
System and method for distinguishing input objects
The embodiments described herein provide devices and methods that facilitate improved sensor device usability. Specifically, the devices and methods provide the ability to determine more reliably that sensed object positions correspond to a single input object or multiple input objects. For example, the devices and methods may be used to determine if a first sensed object position and a second sensed object position correspond to a single input object. The determination of a single input object or multiple input objects may be used to facilitate the reliable activation of user interface actions, such as cursor control and the use of virtual button zones, and thus can improve sensor device usability. |
| US09134841B2 |
Single point-multi-finger gestures for touch panel
A controlling device applied to a touch panel. The controlling device includes a sampling module, a determining module and a reporting module. The sampling module samples electrical signals of the touch panel, and generates at least one trigger signal corresponding to the at least one touch event when at least one touch event occurs on the touch panel. The determining module determines whether the at least one touch event is a single-point-multi-finger gesture according to a position of the at least one trigger signal and sampled physical quantity. The reporting module reports the at least one touch event when the determining module determines that the at least one touch event corresponding to the at least one trigger signal is the single-point-multi-finger gesture. |
| US09134836B2 |
Electronic device with touch panel for decreasing pointer wobble
Provided is an electronic device. The electronic device includes a planar display unit, and a touch panel which is disposed so as to overlap the display unit and is capable of detecting a vertical distance between two-dimensional coordinates along a surface of the display unit and a finger. Resolution of the two-dimensional coordinates becomes finer as the vertical distance decreases. Thus, even when the operating finger is immobilized in a state where the electronic device is fixed, a display of a pointer is not wobbled or a display of a screen is not wobbled. In addition, when a line is drawn using a drawing mode, the line is not displayed jaggedly. |
| US09134835B2 |
Detecting and filtering edge touch inputs
An aspect provides a method, including: detecting, on a touch screen of an information handing device, user input; determining, using a processor, that the user input occurs within a predetermined edge region of the touch screen; adjusting, using a processor, display output of the touch screen based on the user input that occurs within a predetermined edge region; and filtering, using a processor, the user input that occurs within a predetermined edge region such that the user input does not commit an input action on the information handling device. Other aspects are described and claimed. |
| US09134829B2 |
Electronic device and method for unlocking electronic device
A method for unlocking an electronic device, touch signals are received on an obverse touch panel and a reverse touch panel of the electronic device. The method determines a first touch number on the obverse touch panel and a second touch number on the reverse touch panel according to the received touch signals, and unlocks the electronic device when the first touch number is equal to a first preset value and the second touch number is equal to a second preset value. |
| US09134826B2 |
Touch panel and touch type input device
A touch panel which includes a molecule oriented polylactic acid film, the polylactic acid film has a first principal plane and a second principal plane formed with electrodes, and the electrode on the first principal plane includes divided electrodes which are electrically divided into at least four sections. A touch panel input device having the touch panel is configured to have the respective divided electrodes connected to a processor which outputs position information and/or pressed information based on voltages detected independently from the divided electrodes. |
| US09134822B2 |
Dot pattern recognizing device and content executing device
Disclosed is a device for recognizing a dot pattern, including: a dot pattern recognizing unit configured to recognize a first dot pattern and a second dot pattern on a recording medium, on which a dot pattern is formed; a location information extracting unit configured to extract first location information from the first dot pattern, and extract second location information from the second dot pattern; a communication unit configured to transmit the first location information and the second location information to the content executing device; and a controller configured to control the dot pattern recognizing unit, the location information extracting unit, and the communication unit, in which the first dot pattern is a dot pattern recognized when the device is spaced apart from the recording medium, and the second dot pattern is a dot pattern recognized when the device is in contact with the recording medium. |
| US09134821B2 |
Method and device for implemeting original calligraphy of handwriting
Provided are a method and device for implementing the original calligraphy of handwriting. The method comprises: carrying out a real time sampling of a contact to obtain position information about the sampling point and the pen width at the sampling point; determining a central line of the stroke determined by adjacent sampling points; determining position information about a key point of the corresponding stroke according to the central line and the pen width at the sampling point; dividing the key point of the stroke into groups to determine the type thereof; generating a calligraphy outline of the corresponding stroke by drawing an arc and/or a line according to the type of the key point and the position information about the same; and finally filling the outline for displaying. The displayed handwriting trace has the same calligraphy of handwriting as characters written on paper. |
| US09134817B2 |
Slim profile magnetic user interface devices
Slim profile magnetic user interface devices (slim UIDs) are disclosed. A slim UID may include a slim profile housing, a movable actuator assembly having user contact surfaces on opposite sides, along with a magnet, magnetic sensor, restoration element, and processing element. User mechanical interaction with the actuator element may be sensed by the magnetic sensor and processed to generate output signals usable by a coupled electronic computing system. |
| US09134813B2 |
System for demodulating a signal
A demodulating system (100) for demodulating a phase-modulated input signal (Si) comprises: a complex demodulator (110), having a first input (111) for receiving the phase-modulated input signal (Si) and being designed to perform complex multiplication of this signal with an approximation of the inverse of the phase modulation; a spectrum analyzing device (130) receiving the demodulated product signal produced by the complex demodulator (110) and capable of analyzing the frequency spectrum of the demodulated product signal. |
| US09134812B2 |
Image positioning method and interactive imaging system using the same
There is provided an image positioning method including the steps of: capturing an image frame with an image sensor; identifying at least on object image in the image frame; comparing an object image size of the object image with a size threshold and identifying the object image having the object image size larger than the size threshold as a reference point image; and positioning the reference point image. There is further provided an interactive imaging system. |
| US09134807B2 |
Pressure sensitive key normalization
Pressure sensitive key techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a device includes at least one pressure sensitive key having a flexible contact layer spaced apart from a sensor substrate by a spacer layer, the flexible contact layer configured to flex responsive to pressure to contact the sensor substrate to initiate an input, for a computing device, associated with the pressure sensitive key. At least one of the flexible contact layer or the sensor substrate are configured to at least partially normalize an output resulting from pressure applied at a first location of the flexible contact layer with an output resulting from pressure applied at a second location of the flexible contact layer that has lesser flexibility than the first location. |
| US09134806B2 |
Mobile terminal device, storage medium and display control method
A mobile terminal device includes: a display surface; a display control module that displays on the display surface a first input screen with a plurality of character keys which input characters and a second input screen having larger intervals between at least some of adjacent character keys than intervals between all of adjacent character keys of the first input screen, in a switchable manner between the two input screens; and a delete key for deleting a character input by the character key. In this arrangement, the display control module executes control for changing the first input screen to the second input screen based on fulfillment of a condition for changing including deletion of a character by the delete key when the first input screen is displayed on the display surface. |
| US09134800B2 |
Gesture input device and gesture input method
A gesture input device includes: a coordinate input detecting unit which sequentially detects coordinate set sequences of a user hand position; a gesture start detecting unit which detects a component indicating a first hand movement for starting a gesture, from a detected first coordinate sequence; a guide image generating unit which generates a gesture guide image for guiding the user to make a gesture including a second hand movement, when the first hand movement component is detected; an intended action component detecting unit which detects a second hand movement component as an intended action component, from a second coordinate sequence detected after the gesture guide image is displayed on the display screen; and a control signal generating unit which detects a component indicating a hand movement corresponding to the gesture from the second coordinate sequence when the intended action component is detected, and generate a control signal according to the detection result. |
| US09134796B2 |
Foldable tactile display
The present invention relates to a foldable tactile display (1) and a method of operating it. The foldable tactile display comprises a plurality of actuators (2), one or more sensors (3-6), and a computing unit (7). The computing unit is able to control the plurality of actuators in response to the received command signals and sensor signals. In an embodiment, the tactile foldable display is used in connection with multimedia content. The foldable tactile display may be in the form of a tactile blanket. |
| US09134794B2 |
System to identify user and device the user is intending to operate
A system to manage operation of plural devices has an acquiring unit configured to acquire information from a user giving a physical signal to use one of the devices, a user identification unit configured to identify the user based on the information acquired by the acquiring unit, a device identification unit configured to identify a device the user intends to use based on the information acquired by the acquiring unit, a signal identification unit configured to identify the physical signal based on the information acquired by the acquiring unit, and a control unit configured to recognize the meaning of the physical signal based on the identified user, identified device, and identified physical signal, and transmit a control signal corresponding to the physical signal to the identified device. |
| US09134791B2 |
Service and commerce based cookies and notification
A computer implemented method, a computer program product, and a data processing system alert a real world representative of an action within a virtual world. An indication of an avatar within a virtual world interacting with a virtual object is received. Responsive to the avatar interacting with a virtual object, a historical profile for the avatar is identified. A notification trigger is then forwarded to an electronic device external of the virtual world that the avatar has interacted with the virtual object, wherein the notification includes the historical profile. |
| US09134786B2 |
Methods and systems for implementing wake-on-LAN
Methods and systems for a device in a network are disclosed. The methods and systems compare priority data of the device to priority data of a set of other devices in the network. In addition, the methods and systems determine the device has a priority greater than or equal to a priority of each device in the set of other devices based, at least in part, on the comparison. The methods and systems also select the device as an elected device based, at least in part, on the priority determination. In addition, the methods and systems transmit, using the elected device, a Wake-On-LAN command. |
| US09134782B2 |
Maintaining optimum voltage supply to match performance of an integrated circuit
Power supply voltage to an integrated circuit (IC) or a portion of an IC is maintained at an optimum level matching the IC performance. Voltage ranges and delay measures for corresponding operating frequencies are stored in tables in a voltage control block. When a new frequency of operation is desired, the voltage control block measures delay performance of the IC, and sets the supply voltage to a value specified in a corresponding entry in a table. The voltage control block then continues to measure delay performance, and dynamically adjusts the power supply voltage to an optimum value thereby minimizing power consumption. |
| US09134781B2 |
Inquiry system of power bank
The present invention discloses an inquiry system having a database and a first testing module as well as a memory unit, a second testing module and a maximum power efficiency control unit built in a power bank. In addition to the information exchange performed by the first testing module through an external computer, the built-in second testing can perform information exchange with a device to be charged (such as a handheld electronic device) directly. Meanwhile, the charging time of the power back can be reduced through the maximum power efficiency control unit. |
| US09134770B2 |
Expansion apparatus for serial advanced technology attachment dual in-line memory module device
An expansion apparatus includes a shell defining an opening, a baseboard mounted in the shell, and a serial advanced technology attachment dual in-line memory module (SATA DIMM) device. A memory slot, a power converter, a hard disk drive (HDD) signal expander, and a connector exposed through the opening are all arranged on the baseboard. The memory slot includes a protrusion, first power pins connected to the power converter, first ground pins, and first signal pins connected to the HDD signal expander. A control chip and storage chips are all arranged on the SATA DIMM device. An edge connector and a notch are arranged along a bottom edge of the SATA DIMM device to be detachably engaged in the memory slot. The edge connector includes second power pins connected to the control chip and the storage chips, second ground pins, and second signal pins connected to the control chip. |
| US09134767B2 |
Structure of planetary type dual-shaft hinge
A planetary type dual-shaft hinge includes a female shaft, a male shaft set including first and second male shafts respectively inserted through the female shaft, and a transmission mechanism including first and second transmission members respectively connected to the first and second male shafts and a link pivotally coupled between the first and second transmission members in such a manner that the pivoting points between the link and the first and second transmission members are disposed at two opposite sides relative to the central axes of the first and second transmission members so that when the user opens the cover member of the flip-up electronic device in which the hinge is used, the first male shaft is turned around the second male shaft to smoothen the movement of the cover member. |
| US09134766B2 |
Keyboard hold down mechanism
A keyboard is within a cavity of a receptacle. A keyboard hold down mechanism is connected to the receptacle outward of a perimeter of the keyboard and is connected to the keyboard at a central portion of the keyboard inward of the perimeter. |
| US09134764B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling a display based on a manner of holding the apparatus
A device includes a display panel configured to display one or more interfaces. The device includes one or more motion sensors. The device includes circuitry configured to determine, based on an input from the one or more motion sensors, a tilt angle of the device. The circuitry is configured to select, based on the determined tilt angle, an interface, of the one or more interfaces, and to control the display panel to display the selected interface. |
| US09134760B2 |
Changing power mode based on sensors in a device
An orientation of a device is detected based on a signal from at least one orientation sensor in the device. In response to the detected orientation, the device is placed in a full power mode. |
| US09134755B2 |
Tilt mechanism for information device
A tilt mechanism for an information device including a body and a display is capable of changing a tilt angle of the display after the display is tilted on the body by pulling up an upper end of the display laid on the body and sliding a lower end of the display over the body. One of two links is rotatably connected to the display, the other of the links to the body, the two links engage each other. Until a roller provided at the lower end of the display engages a support provided on the body, the two links firmly engage each other so as to maintain the total length of the two links, and after the roller engages the support, the two kinks are capable to change the tilt angle by changing the total length of the two links. |
| US09134754B2 |
Fixing apparatus for a hard disk
A fixing apparatus for a hard disk is disclosed. The fixing apparatus for a hard disk is used to accommodate a hard disk and includes a fixing bracket and a quick release device. The fixing bracket includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall, wherein the first sidewall and the second sidewall include a front perforation and a front fixed element, respectively. The quick release device includes a pair of resilient arms pivotally connected to the first sidewall and the second sidewall, respectively, so that each of the resilient arms can be rotated respectively relative to the first sidewall and the second sidewall to form a first state and a second state. |
| US09134749B2 |
Internal voltage generator and method of generating internal voltage
An internal voltage generator includes an internal voltage control unit suitable for generate an enable signal based on a voltage level of an internal voltage, a clock control unit suitable for generate a control clock having a restricted toggling period based on the enable signal and a clock while controlling the toggling number of the control clock, and an internal voltage generation unit suitable for generate the internal voltage based on the control clock. |
| US09134745B2 |
Circuit arrangement for operating a load having a reactive characteristic
A circuit arrangement is for operating a load having a reactive characteristic on an AC power supply. The circuit arrangement enables the best possible reactive power compensation, that is, enables operation close to a cos θ of 1, in order to increase the overall efficiency of the arrangement or to achieve optimal energy savings. In order to control critical operating states, a feedback loop is provided that supplies a control current to a further reactive circuit element. This further circuit element is arranged parallel to the load or to the power factor correction capacitor, and is acted upon by a control current such that the control current counteracts a change in the reactive component of the load. The control current is derived from the load current as a variable proportional to the load current. In this way, a reactor for optimizing electromagnetic consumption is created. |
| US09134744B2 |
Low current DC-DC converter with integrated low current Coulomb counter
A power supply system includes a regulator circuit responsive to an input signal at the input node for producing an output signal at the output node at a desired level. The regulator circuit has a controller, an inductive element and a first switch coupled to the inductor element and controlled by the controller to produce the output signal. Also, the power supply system includes a Coulomb counter for producing a Coulomb count signal proportional to the number of Coulombs passing from the input node to the output node. The Coulomb counter is enabled by an enabling signal representing a predetermined time period, for determining the number of Coulombs passing from the input node to the output node during that predetermined time period. |
| US09134737B2 |
Thermostatic mixing valve
A thermostatic mixing valve includes a mixing slide arranged between two seats for mixing fluids at different temperatures and capable of flowing between the mixing slide and the two seats, respectively, so as to supply a mixed fluid; and an axial thermal actuator arranged between the mixing slide and an absorption member sensitive to the temperature of the mixed fluid for creating a controlled movement of the position of the mixing slide between the two seats in order to supply the mixed fluid at a controlled temperature, where the absorption member includes one of the seats and is capable of moving in a direction that increases the distance between the seats when the mixing slide is bearing on the other seat so as to absorb an excess of axial movement of a rod of the absorption member due to excessive variation of the mixed fluid temperature. |
| US09134733B2 |
Robot cleaner, docking station, robot cleaner system including robot cleaner and docking station, and method of controlling robot cleaner
A robot cleaner system is described including a docking station to form a docking area within a predetermined angle range of a front side thereof, to form docking guide areas which do not overlap each other on the left and right sides of the docking area, and to transmit a docking guide signal such that the docking guide areas are distinguished as a first docking guide area and a second docking guide area according to an arrival distance of the docking guide signal. The robot cleaner system also includes a robot cleaner to move to the docking area along a boundary between the first docking guide area and the second docking guide area when the docking guide signal is sensed and to move along the docking area so as to perform docking when reaching the docking area. |
| US09134731B2 |
Locality adapted computerized assisted or autonomous driving of vehicles
Apparatuses, methods and storage medium associated with computerized assist or autonomous driving of vehicles are disclosed herein. In embodiments, a method may include receiving, by a computing device, a plurality of data associated with vehicles driving at various locations within a locality; and generating, by the computing device, one or more locality specific policies for computerized assisted or autonomous driving of vehicles at the locality, based at least in part on the data associated with vehicles driving at various locations within the locality. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US09134727B2 |
Method for displaying information from an ID transmitter
The invention relates to a method for displaying a piece of information, using a mobile ID transmitter (10) and a cellular telephone (20) having a display (21), wherein the mobile ID transmitter (10) is used to activate a security system of a motor vehicle, the mobile ID transmitter (10) has an electronics unit (11), the electronics unit (11) is used for data communication (30) with a vehicle-side device, a vehicle-side piece of information is transmitted from the vehicle-side device to the electronics unit (11) by means of the data communication (30), the vehicle-side piece of information is stored in a data memory (12), the electronics unit (11) communicates with the cellular telephone (20) by means of a communication connection (40), and the vehicle-side piece of information is transferred to the cellular telephone (20) by means of the communication connection (40) and displayed there by means of the display (21). Furthermore, the invention is also directed at a system for displaying a vehicle-side piece of information on a cellular telephone (20) by means of a mobile ID transmitter (10) and also only at an ID transmitter. |
| US09134726B2 |
Method for configuration SOA-based automation devices and for developing an orchestration machine, production method and production system in service-oriented architecture having embedded service orchestration engine
A method for configuring an automation device or simulator for controlling mechatronics components of an automation system, including: generating HLPN component models for each type of the mechatronic components of the automation system, creating a component instance model from an HLPN component model for each physically present mechatronic component, creating a layout configuration file, which describes relationships of the component instance models to be connected, composing the component instance models into a system model based on the layout configuration file, wherein logic ports of the component instance models are connected/linked to each other, generating configuration files based on a system model and device description files and WSDL files of the component instance models, loading the configuration files into the automation device or simulator containing the HLPN orchestration machine, and executing the configuration files by the HLPN orchestration machine of the automation device or the simulator. |
| US09134722B2 |
Robot controlling apparatus and robot controlling method
To allow a robot body to quickly resume operation, using simple control, when a main power supply is restored after a failure. A calculation unit divides a series of operations of the robot body into a plurality of operation blocks in advance and causes the robot body to perform operations sequentially from one operation block to another using power supplied from the main power supply (S21 to S25). The calculation unit causes the robot body to continue operation using the power supplied from an auxiliary power supply, even if the main power supply fails, until the operation block being processed at the time of the failure of the main power supply out of the plurality of operation blocks is finished (S27). The calculation unit causes the robot body to stop operation, when the operation block being processed at the time of the failure of the main power supply is finished, until the main power supply is restored from the failure (S28). When the main power supply is restored from the failure, the calculation unit causes the robot body to resume operation beginning with an operation block next to the operation block caused by the calculation unit to be performed by the robot body in the process of step S27 (S30, S31, and S22). |
| US09134721B2 |
Worksite system having awareness zone mapping and control
A worksite system is disclosed. The worksite system may have an input module configured to receive at least one of a boundary and a characteristic of an awareness zone at a worksite, and at least one locating device configured to determine a position of a mobile machine and another mobile entity at the worksite. The worksite system may also have a controller in communication with the input module and the at least one locating device. The controller may be configured to track movement of the mobile machine, and to make a determination of a presence of the other mobile entity. The controller may also be configured to initiate a collision avoidance strategy in response to at least one of the mobile machine nearing or entering the awareness zone when the other mobile entity is in the awareness zone. |
| US09134706B2 |
Solar panel and timepiece including solar panel
A solar panel of the present invention, above which a pointer mounted on a pointer shaft inserted in a through hole in a center portion of the solar panel moves, includes a plurality of solar cells arranged in a substantially circular shape, and these solar cells have been divisionally formed into a substantially spiral shape so that the pointer is positioned over two of the plurality of solar cells. Accordingly, the pointer can always be positioned over two of the plurality of solar cells, and therefore a decrease of light-receiving area due to the pointer can be distributed between the two solar cells. As a result, a decrease in the output current of the plurality of solar cells over which the pointer is positioned can be suppressed, and the output current of the entire plurality of solar cells can be improved. |
| US09134705B2 |
Tuning-fork resonator for mechanical clock movement
A tuning-fork mechanical resonator for a mechanical clock movement with free escapement includes an oscillator of the tuning fork type, of which at least one first prong is intended to oscillate about a first axis and bears at least one first pin associated with at least one first fork tooth of a pallet assembly to cause this assembly to pivot between first and second angular positions and alternately lock and release an escapement wheel. The resonator comprises a conversion member secured to the first pin and designed to on the one hand, convert the oscillations of the first prong of the oscillator into rotational movements of the pallet assembly by transmitting first impulses thereto, and on the other hand, transmit mechanical energy from the pallet assembly to the first prong of the oscillator in the form of impulses. |
| US09134702B2 |
Mechanism preventing rate variations caused by gravity on a balance-spring regulating device and timepiece incorporating this improvement
The mechanism preventing rate variations caused by the effect of gravity on a regulating member (2, 3) of a timepiece movement comprises a regulating member comprising a balance-spring (2) and an escapement wheel (3) which are mounted on a platform (4). This platform (4) comprises an unbalance and is mounted so as to freely rotate about at least one first axis (A-A) with respect to a plate (1) of the movement so that the platform (4) rotates about said first axis (A-A) under the effect of the Earth's gravity. The mechanism comprises a going train comprising a kinematic drive chain (M) arranged to connect the escapement wheel (3) to a barrel system (10) of the timepiece as well as a kinematic correcting chain (C) which compensates for the displacements and speed of the platform (4) with respect to the plate (1). This mechanism is characterized in that it further comprises a regulator device comprising a regulator member (50) connected to the platform (4) and driven by the relative movements between the platform (4) and the plate (1) of the timepiece movement. |
| US09134701B2 |
Timepiece movement with a balance and hairspring
A timepiece movement includes a balance-and-hairspring regulator and an escapement co-operating with the regulator, the outer turn (5) of the hairspring including a stiffened portion (6′; 6″; 6″′) arranged to make the development of the hairspring more concentric, is characterized in that the stiffened portion (6′; 6″; 6″′) is also arranged to at least partially compensate for the variation in the rate of the movement in dependence upon the oscillation amplitude of the balance caused by the escapement. |
| US09134700B2 |
Display device
A display device (1) includes: a light source (101) that outputs a laser beam; an illumination optical system (102) that emits illumination light of the laser beam; a diffraction pattern generation unit that generates a diffraction pattern from original image data; a spatial modulation element (103) that diffracts the illumination light by displaying the diffraction pattern; and a display control unit that performs at least one of a change in a display timing of a diffraction pattern the spatial modulation element (103) displays and a change in a size of a diffraction pattern the diffraction pattern generation unit generates. |
| US09134696B2 |
Cartridge with first and second coupling members for engaging main assembly
A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the main assembly including a first coupling member which is rotatable about a first axis and which has a first edge line provided at a free end portion with respect to a direction of the first axis, includes a second coupling member which is rotatable about a second axis and which has a second edge line provided at a free end portion with respect to a direction of the second axis, the second coupling member being engageable with the first coupling member to receive a driving force from the first coupling member; and a rotatable member rotatable by the driving force received by the second coupling member; wherein when the first edge line and the second edge line are contacted to each other before the first coupling member and the second coupling member are engaged with each other, upon mounting the cartridge to the main assembly of the apparatus so as to bring the second coupling member close to the first coupling member in a state in which the first axis and the second axis are substantially aligned with a common phantom line, (i) the first edge line and the second edge line projected on a first phantom plane including the phantom line are crossed with each other, and (ii) the first edge line and the second edge line projected on a second phantom plane perpendicular to the phantom line are crossed with each other, and at least one of a normal line of the first edge line and a normal at a second edge line at a crossing point does not pass through the phantom line. |
| US09134695B2 |
Image forming apparatus with movable cartridge pressing member
An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material includes a detachably mountable cartridge and a pressing member movable between a pressing position for applying a pressing force to the cartridge to fix the cartridge to an image forming position and a non-pressing position. In addition, a limiting member moves between a limiting position and a non-limiting position. In the limiting position, the limiting member is close to the cartridge placed in the image forming position, with a gap therebetween to limit movement of the cartridge if the cartridge moves against the pressing force of the pressing member. The limiting member permits the cartridge to move from the image forming position to a retracted position, by moving from the limiting position to the non-limiting position. |
| US09134692B2 |
Image forming apparatus that accommodates cartridge with sufficient amount of developer
An image forming apparatus includes a main casing, a supporting frame movable relative to the main casing in a first direction between an internal position and an external position, and a developer container supported in the supporting frame. The main casing includes first and second walls extending in the first direction and opposing each other in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The supporting frame includes first and second plates opposing the first and second walls in the second direction respectively. The developer container includes: a first chamber disposed between the first plate and the second plate; a second chamber for storing developer and disposed between the first wall and the first plate; a third chamber for communicating between the first chamber and the second chamber; and a conveying portion for conveying the developer in the second chamber to the first chamber via the third chamber. |
| US09134691B2 |
Image forming apparatus and tandem type photosensitive unit
An image forming apparatus is described. An image forming apparatus may include an image forming apparatus body and a tandem type photosensitive unit slidable with respect to the body, wherein the unit includes: a frame; a plurality of photosensitive bodies; a plurality of developer cartridges, including developer carriers, detachably mountable on the frame; and a pressing portion provided on the frame for pressing each of the cartridges so that the developer carrier thereof is directed toward the corresponding photosensitive body, each of the cartridges is pivoted to be movable to an imaging position pressed by the pressing portion and a detached position released from the pressing by the pressing portion, and the body is provided with an abutting portion abutting the cartridge located on the detached position thereby pivoting the cartridge and moving the same to the imaging position when the unit is mounted on the body. |
| US09134680B2 |
Driving force transmission unit and image forming apparatus including same
A driving force transmission unit includes on a driving force transmission path a first driving rotary body with a plurality of first contact portions, a first driven rotary body with a plurality of first contact targets, a second driving rotary body with a plurality of second contact portions, and a second driven rotary body with a plurality of second contact targets. Each of the plurality of the first contact portions and each of the plurality of the first contact targets are disposed such that peaks of periodical shock generated as a first connecting portion defined by one of the first contact portions contacting one of the first contact targets changes from one to another do not overlap with peaks of periodical shock generated as a second connecting portion defined by one of the second contact portions contacting one of the second contact targets changes from one to another. |
| US09134678B2 |
Display portion and image forming apparatus comprising the same
An image forming apparatus includes an ejection tray, a printing portion and a display position. The printing portion prints, on a sheet, an image based on image data and ejects the printed sheet to the ejection tray. The display portion displays ejected-sheet information for notifying the orientation of the front and back surfaces of the printed sheet ejected to the ejection tray and the orientation of the printed image on the printed sheet. |
| US09134677B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus including an endless belt; a driving roller to move the endless belt in circulation; a driven roller to rotate along with circulation of the endless belt; a first bearing arranged on a first-side end of the driven roller along an axial direction to movable and to support the driven roller rotatably; a resilient member to apply a resilient force to the driven roller; and a frame having a first guide to the first bearing to move in an inclined direction, which inclines with respect to a virtual line extending through a rotation axis of the driving roller and the rotation axis of the driven roller, is provided. The first guide is formed to incline with respect to the virtual line to be closer to a virtual plane containing the strained plane of the endless belt as the first guide extends farther from the driving roller. |
| US09134675B2 |
Predicting remaining useful life for a consumable using a weighted least square regression prediction technique
An apparatus and method of predicting the end of life of a consumable. A basic weighted least squares algorithm has been extended and augmented to compensate for observed common consumable/printer behavior. The system uses consumable usage data (such as toner level) acquired from the device to predict the current and future consumable level and to predict the remaining life. The apparatus and method monitors the consumable's usage and updates the prediction so that when the predicted remaining life matches a preset threshold, it automatically triggers an order placement event to ship product to customer. |
| US09134672B2 |
Recording medium determination apparatus and image forming apparatus
A recording medium determination apparatus that determines grammage of a recording medium by using an ultrasonic wave includes a transmission unit configured to output an ultrasonic wave having a predetermined frequency, a reception unit configured to receive the ultrasonic wave output from the transmission unit and transmitted through the recording medium and output a received signal, a calculation unit configured to calculate a signal having a peak component according to a cycle of the received signal, and a determination unit configured to determine the grammage of the recording medium based on the signal calculated by the calculation unit. |
| US09134671B2 |
Image reading device and image forming apparatus
An image reading device includes a light source member having a substrate extending in a predetermined main scanning direction, and light source portions releasing light and supported by the substrate in the main scanning direction; a light guide member that has an input section disposed facing the light source portions and receiving the light, and an output section outputting the light, and that guides the light toward a predetermined radiation position; a support member supporting the light source member and the light guide member and having higher rigidity than the light guide member and the substrate; a first positioning section positioning the light guide member in the main scanning direction and a sub scanning direction; a second positioning section positioning the light guide member in the sub scanning direction; and a reader member receiving the light from the radiation position so as to read an image thereof. |
| US09134670B2 |
Image forming apparatus that detects phase of photosensitive drum
An image forming apparatus which reduces a time period required to detect a phase of a photosensitive drum without an increase in costs. The apparatus performs exposure control according to a phase of rotation of the drum. A reference position serving as a reference for rotation of the drum is detected when the drum is rotating at a predetermined speed. After the speed of the drum is reduced from the predetermined speed, a first time period is measured which has elapsed from detection of the reference position to a command to stop rotation of the drum. After rotation of the drum is started again, a third time period is measured which has elapsed from reaching of the predetermined speed to detection of the reference position. The phase of the photosensitive drum for performing the control is determined based on the first time period and the third time period. |
| US09134669B2 |
Image forming apparatus having exposure operation control
An image forming apparatus is provided that includes a controller configured to perform an acquiring operation of acquiring an exposure completion time point when an exposure operation of exposing a photoconductive body using image data has been completed and a trailing-end detecting time point when a detector has detected a trailing end of a sheet, and a determining operation of determining whether a developer image would be transferred outside the sheet, based on the exposure completion time point and the trailing-end detecting time point acquired in the acquiring operation, a transfer time period required for an arbitrary point on the photoconductive body to move to a transfer position from an exposure position, and a conveyance time period required for a trailing end of the sheet to move to the transfer position since the detector detects the trailing end of the sheet. |
| US09134667B2 |
Fixing apparatus having cooling device for pressure roller
A fixing apparatus that fixes a toner image on a sheet includes each of fans configured to respectively cool areas adjacent to a longitudinal center and longitudinal both ends of a pressure roller, and in a case where fixing processing is performed on thin paper of a maximum width size, includes a first mode in which the fixing processing is started after the fan configured to cool the area adjacent to the longitudinal center of the pressure roller is actuated for a predetermined time and a second mode in which the fixing processing is started after the fan configured to cool the area adjacent to the longitudinal both ends of the pressure roller is actuated for a predetermined time. |
| US09134661B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a heating element group including a plurality of heating elements arranged in a main scanning direction; a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor that detect a temperature of a heating element of the plurality of heating elements; and a correction unit that corrects an output value from the first temperature sensor based on the output value from the first temperature sensor and a distance between the first temperature sensor and the heating element and corrects an output value from the second temperature sensor based on the output value from the second temperature sensor and a distance between the second temperature sensor and the heating element. |
| US09134660B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus
A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressurizing member, a heat source, and a temperature sensing device. The fixing belt is rotatably provided. The pressurizing member is rotatably provided and is in pressed contact with the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the pressurizing member and the fixing belt. The heat source heats the fixing belt. The temperature sensing device detects the temperature of the fixing belt. The temperature sensing device has a sensing element that is in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt in a neighboring region of an end portion of the fixing nip and a pressing member configured to press the sensing element against the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt. |
| US09134655B2 |
Digital printer with supply arrangement to supply print groups with fluids and to accept used and unconsumed fluids
In a digital printer, print groups are provided each having a respective developer station using liquid developer comprising carrier fluid and toner. A supply arrangement to supply the print groups is provided with fluids and to accept used and unconsumed fluids from the print groups. The supply arrangement has a first supply unit common to all print groups to supply the print groups with the fluids, at least one reservoir containing a carrier fluid. A second supply unit per color supplies the respective print group for the color with liquid developer. The second supply unit comprises a first buffer container connected with a reservoir, the reservoir containing carrier fluid and concentrated toner as toner concentrate. A second buffer container for carrier fluid is connected with the carrier fluid reservoir in the first supply unit. A mixing unit is connected with the first and second buffer containers for mixing together the liquid developer, the mixing unit being connected via a feed pump to supply the liquid developer for the color to the respected developer station of the respective print group. |
| US09134654B2 |
Developer collection apparatus and image forming apparatus
A developer collection apparatus is provided with a suction duct, a collection box, and an auxiliary fan. One end of the suction duct is arranged near a developing unit. The collection box is connected to the other end of the suction duct and includes a suction fan, where a developer around the developing unit is suctioned and collected via the suction duct by using the suction fan. The auxiliary fan blows air through the suction duct at a certain middle point thereof. |
| US09134653B2 |
Image forming apparatus with a toner collection mode that collects toner dropped on a restriction blade from a development roller
When image formation is not performed, an image forming apparatus performs a toner collection mode that includes a first positive rotation step of rotating a developer carrying member and a toner carrying member in the same direction as a direction at the time of image formation, in a state where a second bias applied to the toner carrying member is set at a higher voltage on the same polarity side as a toner than a first bias, and a reverse rotation step of rotating the developer carrying member and the toner carrying member in a direction reverse to the direction at the time of image formation after the first positive rotation step is performed, in a state where the first bias is set at a higher voltage on the same polarity side as the toner than the second bias. |
| US09134650B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus
Disclosed herein is a developing device including: a developer housing section configured to house a developer including toner and carrier; a carrier replenishing section configured to supply the carrier to the developer housing section; a carrier concentration detecting section provided at a position near a carrier replenishment position at which the carrier is received from the carrier replenishing section in the developer housing section, the carrier concentration detecting section being configured to detect a carrier concentration in the developer housing section; and a carrier replenishment determination section configured to determine whether the carrier is properly supplied to the developer housing section on the basis of a result of detecting by the carrier concentration detecting section. |
| US09134649B2 |
Image forming apparatus
In an image forming apparatus having a photosensitive drum capable of carrying a toner image, a developing roller that is provided to be capable of rotating while carrying toner, and that supplies the toner to the photosensitive drum by contacting the photosensitive drum, a regulating blade that regulates a layer thickness of the toner carried on the developing roller, and a voltage applying device for applying a voltage to the developing roller and the regulating blade. The developing roller includes a conductive base layer and a surface layer covering the base layer, and a surface charge density of the developing roller is equal to or smaller than a surface charge density of the toner. |
| US09134648B2 |
Image forming unit and image forming apparatus
An image forming unit includes a developer bearing body that bears a developer, and a supplying member provided so as to face the developer bearing body. The supplying member rotates to thereby collect the developer from the developer bearing body and supply the developer to the developer bearing body. The image forming unit further includes a developer storage portion that stores the developer to be supplied to the supplying member, and a charge providing member that charges the developer held on the supplying member. In a rotating direction of the supplying member, the charge providing member is disposed on a downstream side of an opposing portion between the developer bearing body and the supplying member and on an upstream side of a region where the developer storage portion supplies the developer to the supplying member. |
| US09134637B2 |
Toner
The toner of the present invention includes toner particles containing polyester resins A and B and a colorant, the A has a polyester portion including a portion capable of forming a crystal structure and a crystal nucleating agent portion, which is bonded to an end of the polyester portion, the B is free from any portions capable of forming a crystal structure, in a chart obtained as a result of GPC of a THF-soluble matter of the B, a ratio of a component having a molecular weight of 1500 or less in the B is 5.0 to 15.0% by area, and when an SP value of the polyester portion of the A is represented by Sa ((cal/cm3)1/2) and an SP value of the B is represented by Sb ((cal/cm3)1/2), the SP values Sa and Sb satisfy the following relationships: 9.50≦Sa≦11.00 −0.65≦Sb−Sa≦0.70. |
| US09134633B2 |
System and method for dark field inspection
The present disclosure provides a method for fabricating a semiconductor structure. The method comprises providing a substrate and a patterned layer formed on the substrate, one or more overlay marks being formed on the patterned layer; performing a pre-film-formation overlay inspection using a bright field (BF) inspection tool to receive a pre-film-formation data on the one or more overlay marks on the patterned layer; forming one or more layers on the patterned layer; performing a post-film-formation overlay inspection using a dark field (DF) inspection tool to receive a post-film-formation data on the one or more overlay marks underlying the one or more layers; and determining whether the pre-film-formation data matches the post-film-formation data. |
| US09134632B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
Lithography apparatus and device manufacturing methods are disclosed in which means are provided for reducing the extent to which vibrations propagate between a first element of a projection system and a second element of a projection system. Approaches disclosed include the use of plural resilient members in series as part of a vibration isolation system, plural isolation frames for separately supporting first and second projection system frames, and modified connection positions for the interaction between the first and second projection system frames and the isolation frame(s). |
| US09134631B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
In a lithographic apparatus, a control system is provided to automatically reduce throughput in the event that lens-heating aberrations exceed a certain threshold. The determination of whether lens-heating aberrations will exceed the threshold may be based upon a prediction, e.g. using a lens-heating model, or on measurements taken from a previously exposed substrate. Reduction of throughput of the device manufacture may be effected by reducing beam power or the duty cycle of the apparatus. In a particular embodiment, the time taken for substrate movement between exposure portions is increased. |
| US09134625B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method for measuring wafer parameters using non-standard alignment settings
A method produces at least one monitor wafer for a lithographic apparatus. The monitor wafer is for use in combination with a scanning control module to periodically retrieve measurements defining a baseline from the monitor wafer thereby determining parameter drift from the baseline. In doing this, allowance and/or correction can be to be made for the drift. The baseline is determined by initially exposing the monitor wafer(s) using the lithographic apparatus, such that the initial exposure is performed while using non-standard alignment model settings optimized for accuracy, such as those used for testing the apparatus. An associated lithographic apparatus is also disclosed. |
| US09134623B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
An immersion lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed in which liquid is provided between a projection system of the apparatus and a substrate. The use of both liquidphobic and liquidphilic layers on various elements of the apparatus is provided to help prevent formation of bubbles in the liquid and to help reduce residue on the elements after being in contact with the liquid. |
| US09134621B2 |
Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method for producing device
Exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by irradiating the substrate with exposure light via a projection optical system and a liquid. The exposure apparatus is provided with a liquid immersion mechanism for supplying the liquid and recovering the liquid. The liquid immersion mechanism has an inclined surface, which is opposite to a surface of the substrate and is inclined with respect to the surface of the substrate, and a liquid recovering port of the liquid immersion mechanism is formed in the inclined surface. A flat portion is provided between the substrate and the projection optical system. A liquid immersion area can be maintained to be small. |
| US09134620B2 |
Double EUV illumination uniformity correction system and method
A lithographic apparatus includes a uniformity correction system located at a plane and configured to receive a substantially constant pupil when illuminated with the beam of radiation. The uniformity correction system includes fingers that move into and out of intersection with a beam so as to correct an intensity of respective portions of the radiation beam. According to another embodiment, a method includes for: focusing a beam of radiation at a first plane to form pupil; adjusting the intensity of the beam near the first plane by moving fingers located near the first plane into and out of a path of the beam of radiation, wherein a width of a tip of each of the fingers is larger than that of corresponding actuating devices used to move each corresponding one of the fingers; patterning the beam; and projecting the patterned beam onto a substrate. |
| US09134619B2 |
Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method using same
An exposure apparatus includes a light shielding plate that is arranged on a plane conjugate to a substrate plane and shields against light to prevent the light; a first driving unit that rotationally drives the light shielding plate about an axis parallel to an optical axis of the illumination system; a second driving unit that linearly drives the light shielding plate within a plane perpendicular to the optical axis; a detecting unit that detects a light-shielding position; and a control unit that stores a light-shielding position at reference time point and prior to and after change of the light shielding plate, and calculates a variation amount of the light-shielding position based on a light-shielding position detected by the detecting unit at any time point after the light shielding plate is changed, a light-shielding position at the reference time point, and the difference between stored light-shielding positions. |
| US09134616B2 |
Generalization of shot definitions for mask and wafer writing tools
Techniques for reducing the number of shots required by a radiation beam writing tool to write a pattern, such as fractured layout design, onto a substrate. One or more apertures are employed by a radiation beam writing tool to write a desired pattern onto a substrate using L-shaped images, T-shaped images, or some combination of both. By reducing the number of shots required to write a pattern onto a substrate, various implementations of the invention may reduce the write time and/or write complexity of the write process. |
| US09134615B2 |
Exposure method for glass substrate of liquid crystal display
An exposure method for an LCD glass substrate is revealed and includes: providing at least two photo masks, wherein each the photo mask includes active and inactive area with alignment-precision measurement-and-check marks disposed around the active area; performing exposure with each the photo mask on a separate reference substrate at a corresponding position, performing measurement of the alignment-precision measurement-and-check marks formed on the reference substrate, determining whether to modify a parameter of the exposure based on the measurement result, and obtaining accurate exposure parameter of each the photo mask; and combining the accurate exposure parameter of each the photo mask, using the combined exposure parameter to perform exposure sequentially with the at least two photo masks on the same substrate at corresponding positions, thereby obtaining an exposed pattern. Accordingly, the alignment precision between the TFT array and color filter substrates is enhanced and the LCD-panel production yield is increased. |
| US09134613B2 |
Illumination and displacement device for a projection exposure apparatus
An illumination and displacement device for a projection exposure apparatus comprises an illumination optical unit for illuminating an illumination field. An object holder serves for mounting an object in such a way that at least one part of the object can be arranged in the illumination field. An object holder drive serves for displacing the object during illumination in an object displacement direction. A correction device serves for the spatially resolved influencing of an intensity of the illumination at least of sections of the illumination field, wherein there is a spatial resolution of the influencing of the intensity of the illumination of the illumination field at least along the object displacement direction. This results in an illumination and displacement device in which field-dependent imaging aberrations which are present during the projection exposure do not undesirably affect a projection result. |
| US09134611B2 |
Composition for forming resist underlayer film and pattern-forming method
A composition for forming a resist underlayer film includes a polymer having a repeating unit represented by a following formula (1), and a solvent. R1 represents a hydroxy group, or the like. n is an integer of 0 to 5. X represents a divalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms or an alkanediyloxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms. m is an integer of 1 to 7. A sum of m and n is no greater than 7. R2 represents a single bond or an alkanediyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms. R3 represents an alicyclic group having 4 to 20 carbon atoms or an aryl group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms. A part or all of hydrogen atoms included in the alicyclic group or the aryl group represented by R3 are unsubstituted or substituted. |
| US09134608B2 |
Positive photosensitive resin composition, method for producing patterned cured film and electronic component
A positive photosensitive resin composition including: (a) a resin capable of being dissolved in an aqueous alkaline solution; (b) a compound having two or more oxetanyl groups; (c) a diazonaphthoquinone compound; and (d) a solvent. |
| US09134604B2 |
Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask and method of fabricating the EUV mask
A Cu-containing material is provided as an absorber layer of an EUV mask. With the absorber layer of the Cu-containing material, the same lithography performance of a conventional absorber in 70 nm thickness of TaBN can be achieved by only a 30-nm thickness of the absorber layer according to the various embodiments of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the out-off-band (OOB) flare of the radiation light in 193-257 nm can be reduced so as to achieve the better lithography performance. |
| US09134602B2 |
Method of manufacturing an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask and the mask manufactured therefrom
Any defects in the reflective coating or absorber layer of an EUV mask are problematic in transferring a pattern of the EUV mask to a wafer since they produce errors in integrated circuit patterns on the wafer. In this regard, a method of manufacturing an EUV mask is provided according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. According to the method of the present disclosure, the defects in the EUV mask can be detected and repaired with an defect-free multilayer body. A substantially defect-free EUV mask can be made in a cost benefit way accordingly, so as to overcome disadvantages mentioned above. |
| US09134601B2 |
3D image display optical member and 3D image display device
A polarizing-axis control plate includes first and second polarization areas and a polarizing-axis control plate area shading part arranged at a boundary between these polarization areas and arranged in a position corresponding to an image generating area shading part to shade all or part of right-eye and left-eye image lights. When these image lights enter the first and second polarization areas respectively, the polarizing-axis control plate emits these image lights in the form of linearly-polarized lights whose polarizing axes intersect with each other at right angles or circularly-polarized lights whose polarizing axes are rotated in opposite directions. The image generating area shading part is arranged at a boundary between first and second modulated-light generating areas to shade incident light. The polarizing-axis control plate area shading part is formed to contain a plurality of straight lines each having a width narrower than a linewidth of the image generating area shading part. |
| US09134599B2 |
Underwater image projection controller with boundary setting and image correction modules and interface and method of using same
An underwater projection system, a controller and method of controlling are herein described. The controller providing, at least in part, a boundary setting module or methodology and/or an image correction module or methodology through a user interface for the underwater projection system. A user interface is provided to enable user control and input and adjustment of the image controller from an observation point outside of the media of the underwater projection system, while the adjustments are made in-situ. An optional automated edge or edge and surface detection system is also contemplated to assist in boundary detection within the water feature for the underwater image projection system. |
| US09134593B1 |
Generation and modulation of non-visible structured light for augmented reality projection system
A display system having a modulated light source is configured to include one or more non-visible wavelengths as part of the display sequence. In one implementation a color wheel, configured to modulate the wavelengths emitted by a projector, includes an infrared (IR) segment, allowing for projection of an IR image. The wavelength modulated non-visible light may be spatially modulated to generate a structured light pattern, for signaling, to synchronization with other devices, and so forth. |
| US09134581B2 |
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display includes first and second gate lines arranged in parallel to each other and sequentially transmitting a gate voltage, a data line crossing the first and second gate lines and transmitting a data voltage, a pixel electrode constituted by first and second sub-pixel electrodes and electrically disconnected from each other, a first switching element connected to the first gate line, the data line, and the first sub-pixel electrode, a second switching element connected to the first gate line, the data line, and the second sub-pixel electrode, a third switching element connected to the first sub-pixel electrode across a charge-sharing capacitor, and a fourth switching element connected to the second gate line and the second sub-pixel electrode and connected to the first sub-pixel electrode across the charge-sharing capacitor. |
| US09134580B2 |
Lateral electric field liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method thereof
The liquid crystal display device includes a transparent electrode formed in a plan form and a strip or strips transparent electrode disposed thereon via an insulating film, and controls display by rotating the liquid crystal aligned substantially in parallel to a substrate within a plane that is substantially in parallel to the substrate by an electric field between the both electrodes. Each pixel constituting the display is divided into two regions, the extending directions of the strip electrode in each of the regions are orthogonal, the alignment azimuths of the liquid crystal of each of the regions are orthogonal, and the angles formed between the extending directions of the strip electrode and the alignment azimuth of the liquid crystal are the same. |
| US09134579B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates. The first substrate includes a pixel electrode having a main pixel electrode in the shape of a belt and a first alignment film covering the pixel electrode. The first alignment film is alignment processed in a first alignment treatment direction substantially in parallel with an extending direction of the main pixel electrode. The second substrate includes a common electrode arranged on both sides sandwiching the pixel electrode and extending substantially in parallel with the extending direction of the main pixel electrode. A sub-common electrode extends in a direction crossing the extending direction of the main pixel electrode on one end side of the main pixel electrode located on a starting side of the first alignment treatment direction. A second alignment film is alignment processed in a second alignment treatment direction substantially in the same direction as the first alignment treatment direction. |
| US09134577B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate including a T-shaped pixel electrode including a strip-shaped first main electrode positioned midway between a first source line and a second source line, and a strip-shaped sub-electrode, a second substrate including a counter-electrode which includes a strip-shaped second main electrode positioned above the first source line and the second source line, and a liquid crystal layer, wherein when an inter-electrode distance between the first main electrode and the second main electrode is L and a cell gap is GP, a formed angle Θ, which is expressed by a relationship of tan Θ=GP/L, is greater than a pre-tilt angle α of a liquid crystal molecule. |
| US09134576B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
An array substrate includes a gate line extending in a first direction, a source line extending in a second direction orthogonally crossing the first direction, and a switching element electrically connected with the gate line and the source line. A first sub-common electrode extends in the first direction facing the gate line. A first main-common electrode is connected with the first sub-common electrode and extends in the second direction facing the source line. A pixel electrode includes a main-pixel electrode linearly extending in a direction different from the first and second directions. A second substrate includes a second main-common electrode extending in the second direction so as to face the first main-common electrode. The potential of the second main-common electrode is the same as the first main-common electrode. |
| US09134575B2 |
Liquid crystal lens, operation method thereof and photoelectric device
A liquid crystal lens, a manufacturing method thereof, an operation method thereof and a photoelectric device are provided. The lens comprises: a first electrode layer; a first transparent substrate; a second transparent substrate, provided to a lower surface of the first electrode layer and opposite to the first transparent substrate; a second electrode layer, provided to an upper surface of the first transparent substrate and comprising a first sub-electrode-layer and a second sub-electrode-layer which are separated from each other; and a liquid crystal layer provided between the second transparent substrate and the second electrode layer. |
| US09134573B2 |
Method of producing photo-alignment layer of liquid crystal display
A method of manufacturing a photo-alignment layer, includes: disposing a polymer material on a substrate; pre-baking the polymer material disposed on the substrate; irradiating a light to the pre-baked polymer material, to photo-align the pre-baked polymer material; and thermal-treating the irradiated pre-baked polymer material, to harden the irradiated pre-baked polymer material. The thermal-treating includes a first thermal-treatment, and a second thermal-treatment at a higher temperature than the first thermal-treatment. |
| US09134563B2 |
In-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device including multi-layer electrode
An in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates facing each other, a gate line and a data line arranged on the first substrate crossing each other and defining a pixel region, a switching device at a crossing of the gate line and the data line, a common electrode and a pixel electrode alternately disposed in the pixel region, at least one of the common electrode and the pixel electrode including a multi-layer having a conductor layer and a reflectance reducing layer, and a liquid crystal layer formed between the first and second substrates. |
| US09134559B2 |
Method for preparing conducting film on ultra-thin glass substrate, LCD substrate, liquid crystal panel and LCD device
The invention is related to a method of preparing a conducting film on an ultra-thin glass substrate. The preparing method uses magnetron sputtering, setting an initial magnetron sputtering power and/or an initial flow rate of argon to deposit the conducting film, detecting film layer stress of the conducting film by a pressure sensor on provided on the ultra-thin glass substrate, and adjusting a magnetron sputtering power and/or a flow rate of argon gas in real time according to the detected film layer stress, such that an absolute value of the film layer stress is kept below a predetermined value; the ultra-thin glass substrate has a thickness less than 0.1 mm. |
| US09134558B2 |
Thin display device
A flat display device includes a display unit and an outer casing accommodating the display unit. Upper corner regions and lower corner regions of the outer casing are held by upper corner shock-absorbing members and lower corner shock-absorbing members disposed separately at upper corners and lower corners of a packing box when the flat display device is accommodated in the packing box. The outer casing includes a front cabinet disposed on a side of a display surface of the display unit and a back cabinet covering a rear surface of the display unit. The back cabinet is attached to the front cabinet by screw fastening portions at a peripheral portion of the back cabinet. In the upper and lower corner regions of the outer casing, the screw fastening portions of the back cabinet are positioned within regions held by the shock-absorbing members. |
| US09134557B2 |
Back frame and backlight system of flat panel display device
The present invention provides a back frame of a flat panel display device. The back frame includes at least two assembling pieces. The at least two assembling pieces are joined to form the back frame. The back frame further includes a bracing piece that is fixed to the assembling pieces, wherein the assembling pieces are mountable to at least two different positions of the bracing piece in a lengthwise direction of the bracing piece and the bracing piece is mountable to at least two different positions of the assembling pieces in a lengthwise direction of the assembling piece. The present invention also provides a backlight system. The back frame and the backlight system of the flat panel display device of the present invention have a simple structure of mold for the back frame, reduce the cost of back frame mold, save the material used for back frame, and thus lower down the manufacturing cost of flat panel display device. Further, by making the mounting position of a bracing piece to an assembling piece adjustable in a two-dimensional manner, a single bracing piece may meet different needs for mounting so as to further reduce the manufacturing cost of the flat panel display device. |
| US09134556B2 |
Liquid crystal variable drive voltage
A voltage may be provided to a liquid crystal addressable element as part of a liquid crystal device. The provided voltage may be reduced from a driven state to a relaxed state in a time period greater than 1 μs. The reduction may further be performed in less than 20 ms. The liquid crystal device may be a polarization switch, which in some embodiments may be a multi-segment polarization switch. In one embodiment, pulses of limited duration of a light source may be provided to the polarization switch. The manner of voltage reduction may reduce optical bounce of the liquid crystal device and may allow one or more of the pulses of the light source to be shifted later in time. |
| US09134555B2 |
Liquid crystal optical device to change distribution of refractive index by applying voltages to utilize birefringence of liquid crystal molecules, image display apparatus, and drive device
A liquid crystal optical device includes a liquid crystal optical unit and a drive unit. The liquid crystal optical unit includes a first substrate unit, a second substrate unit, and a liquid crystal layer. The first substrate unit includes a first substrate, a plurality of first electrodes, and a second electrode. The second substrate unit includes a second substrate and a first opposing electrode. The drive unit applies a first voltage between the first opposing electrode and the first electrodes and applies a second voltage between the first opposing electrode and the second electrode in a refractive index distribution forming operation. The drive unit applies a third voltage between the first opposing electrode and the first electrodes and applies a fourth voltage between the first opposing electrode and the second electrode in a first preliminary operation prior to the refractive index distribution forming operation. |
| US09134554B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a flexible display panel with a magnetic pattern, the magnetic pattern including a magnetic substance, a magnetic sensor configured to recognize magnetism of the magnetic pattern and to sense a display area of the flexible display panel in accordance with the magnetic pattern, the display area being variable in a first direction, and a controller connected to the magnetic sensor and to the flexible display panel, the controller being configured to display on the flexible display panel an image corresponding to the display area of the flexible display panel sensed by the magnetic sensor. |
| US09134549B2 |
Methods and structure for affixing frames elements to eyeglass lenses
Eyeglass frame elements may include a bridge and temples, and for an accessory attached to eyeglasses, one or more clips. Each of these elements includes an attachment point to the lens. For this attachment point a terminal portion of a metal wire is received through a first of two apertures formed through a lens adjacent an edge thereof. A remaining portion of the metal wire is received through a second of the two apertures. A first bend in the metal wire between the terminal portion and the remaining portion located is formed between the two apertures. This first bend is adjacent to a surface of the lens. A second bend in the metal wire is formed adjacent the second of the two apertures so that at least part of the terminal portion is adjacent an outside edge of the lens. |
| US09134548B1 |
Retention member for a lens system
According to aspects of the disclosure, a lens system may include lenses and a retention member. The lenses may be removably secured to a lens mounting surface of the retention member by one or more fixation elements. The retention member may also include a channel to receive a headband portion of a head wearable device. |
| US09134544B2 |
Eyeglasses and frames therefor
A frame for eyeglasses comprising a front frame portion adapted to support lenses and first and second side portions extending from opposing sides of the front frame portion and configured to end at a user's temples so as to be supported by the user's temples when worn, without being supported by the user's ears. |
| US09134536B2 |
Head-up display device
Provided is a heads-up display device that stably achieves a low brightness display in which the display does not feel too bright in a dark environment at night, which further does not give a vehicle driver discomfort with continuous changes in brightness, and which has excellent white balance in the entire range of display brightness. A heads-up display device (1) is provided with an external light illuminance detection section (70) that detects the illuminance of external light and adjusts the display brightness (B) for display of images, which are displayed, on the basis of external light illuminance (P) measured by the external light illuminance detection section (70). The heads-up display device (1) is further provided with a display brightness adjusting means (81a) that adjusts the display brightness (B) of the display image to a low level when a display image is displayed in a low brightness region that is lower than a prescribed brightness by controlling the polarization angle of a polarized light control element (11) and adjusting the transmittance (Z) for laser light (R, G, B) in a polarized light section (14). |
| US09134535B2 |
Display device having a holding device that can be placed on the head of a user
A display device includes a holding device that can be placed on the head of a user. An image-generating module and an imaging lens system can be secured on the holding device. The latter includes a spectacle lens with a curved front and a curved back. It projects the image generated when the holding device is placed on the head such that the user can perceive it superimposed on the surroundings. Light from the image-generating module is coupled into an optical channel in the spectacle lens. It is conducted in the optical channel to an exit section and coupled via the exit section out of the spectacle lens. The optical channel includes in the region of the front and back a Fresnel structure with a plurality of facets on which the light conducted in the optical channel is reflected, and which are aligned parallel to one another. |
| US09134530B2 |
Display apparatus incorporating dual-level shutters
This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for modulating light to form an image on a display, as well as methods manufacturing such apparatus. The display apparatus includes shutters having asymmetric light obstructing portions extending out from opposing sides of a shutter aperture along an axis of motion of the shutter. Actuators move the shutters laterally along the axis of motion to move the shutter between fully closed, partially open, and fully open states to modulate light, thereby forming an image. |
| US09134528B2 |
Method of manufacturing an optical display
A method for manufacturing an electrowetting device provides a first fluid on a surface of a substrate. The method includes the steps of immersing part of the substrate in a second fluid, the second fluid being immiscible with the first fluid, and a surface of the second fluid forming a gutter along the surface of the substrate; providing a quantity of the first fluid in the gutter; and moving the gutter along the surface of the substrate, the surface of the substrate and a horizontal plane forming an angle between 100 degrees and 170 degrees. Also disclosed is an apparatus for performing the method. |
| US09134527B2 |
Pixel via and methods of forming the same
This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatuses for pixel vias. In one aspect, a method of forming an electromechanical device having a plurality of pixels includes depositing an electrically conductive black mask on a substrate at each of four corners and along at least one edge region of each pixel, depositing a dielectric layer over the black mask, depositing an optical stack including a stationary electrode over the dielectric layer, and depositing a mechanical layer over the optical stack. The method further includes providing a conductive via in a first pixel of the plurality of pixels, the via disposed in the dielectric layer and electrically connecting the stationary electrode to the black mask, the via disposed in a position along an edge of the first pixel, spaced offset from the edge of the first pixel in a direction towards the center of the first pixel. |
| US09134524B2 |
Microscope control device, image display device, image management server, in-focus position information generating method, image display method, image management method and microscope image management system
In one example embodiment, a microscope control device a controller configured to store a plurality of images having different depth positions. In one example embodiment, the microscope control device divides the plurality of images into a plurality of sub-regions. In one example embodiment, the microscope control device, for each sub-region, generates in-focus position information which corresponds to a depth position. |
| US09134520B2 |
Microscope objective lens including a first lens group with a positive refractive power, a second lens group with a positive refractive power, and a third lens group having a negative refractive power
A microscope objective lens includes a first lens group, a second lens group, and a third lens group. The first lens group includes a positive lens component having a lens surface positioned nearest the object side and having a negative refractive power and at least one cemented lens component having a combined positive refractive power. The second lens group includes a diffractive optical element that joins two diffractive element components made from different optical materials and has a diffractive optical surface on which diffractive grating grooves are formed on the bonded surface of the two diffractive element components, and at least one cemented lens component. The third lens group includes at least one achromatic lens component having a combined negative refractive power, and a lens surface of the third lens group nearest the image side is arranged so that a concave surface of the lens surface faces the image side. |
| US09134515B2 |
Optical system and optical apparatus
The optical system includes first (positive) and second (negative) lens units arranged in order from an object side to an image side, and an aperture stop disposed further on the image side than the second lens unit. The first lens unit includes at least one first optical element satisfying φGH>0.0, νdGH<39.5 and ndGH>1.70. The optical system satisfies 0.65<|φ2/φ1|<6.00 and 0.45<|ΣφGH×φ2/φ12|<4.00. φGH represents a refractive power of the first optical element when light-entrance and light-exit surfaces thereof are in contact with air, νdGH and ndGH respectively represent an Abbe number and a refractive index of a material forming the first optical element for a d-line, φ1 and φ2 respectively represent the refractive powers of the first lens unit and the second lens unit, and ΣφGH represents a sum total of the refractive power φGH of the at least one first optical element. |
| US09134511B2 |
Imaging lens
A low-cost, compact and low-profile imaging lens with relatively high brightness, which provides a wide angle of view of about 90 degrees and corrects various aberrations properly. It is designed for use in a solid-state image sensor and includes the following elements arranged in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens as a positive or negative double-sided aspheric lens having a convex object-side surface near an optical axis; an aperture stop; a positive second lens having a convex image-side surface; a negative third lens having a concave image-side surface; a positive fourth lens having a convex image-side surface; and a fifth lens as a negative meniscus lens having a concave image-side surface near the optical axis. It satisfies a conditional expression (1) below: 0.9 |
| US09134509B2 |
Imaging lens
An imaging lens includes a first lens having negative refractive power; a stop; a second lens having positive refractive power; a third lens having negative refractive power; and a fourth lens having positive refractive power, arranged in the order from an object side to an image plane side. The first lens has an object-side surface and an image plane-side surface, curvature radii of which are both negative. The second lens has an object-side surface and an image plane-side surface, curvature radii of which are both positive. The third lens has an object-side surface and an image plane-side surface, curvature radii of which are both negative. The fourth lens has an object-side surface, a curvature of which is positive. |
| US09134507B2 |
Imaging lens, camera, and portable information terminal device
An imaging lens, includes: in order from an object side to an image side, a first negative lens group including a negative lens a concave surface of which faces the image side; a second positive lens group including a negative lens a concave surface of which faces the object side, and a positive lens, or a cemented lens entirely having a positive refractive power in order from the object side to the image side; an aperture; a third positive lens group including a cemented lens of a biconvex lens and a biconcave lens from the object side; and a fourth lens group having a weakest refractive power among all of the lens groups and including a single lens, or a cemented lens, a surface on the object side of which is concave and a surface on the image side of which is convex. |
| US09134506B2 |
Imaging lens
An imaging lens includes a first lens having positive refractive power; a second lens having negative refractive power; a third lens having negative refractive power; a fourth lens having positive refractive power; and a fifth lens having negative refractive power, arranged in this order from an object side to an image plane side. The first lens has an Abbe's number νd1, the second lens has an Abbe's number νd2, and the fourth lens and the fifth lens have a composite focal length f45 so that the following conditional expressions are satisfied: 45<νd1<75, 20<νd2<35, −10.0 |
| US09134505B2 |
Imaging lens, and electronic apparatus including the same
An imaging lens includes first to fifth lens elements arranged from an object side to an image side in the given order. The image-side surface of the first lens element has a convex portion in a vicinity of its periphery. The object-side surface of the second lens element has a concave portion in a vicinity of its periphery. The image-side surface of the second lens element has a convex portion in a vicinity of its periphery. The object-side surface of the third lens element has a concave portion in a vicinity of its periphery. The fourth lens element has a positive refractive power, and the object-side surface thereof has a concave portion in a vicinity of an optical axis. The fifth lens element is made of a plastic material. |
| US09134504B2 |
Optical arrangement in an optical system, in particular in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus
An optical arrangement in an optical system, such as a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, includes: at least one heat-emitting subsystem which emits heat during the operation of the optical system; a first heat shield which is arranged such that it at least partly absorbs the heat emitted by the heat-emitting subsystem; a first cooling device which is in mechanical contact with the first heat shield and is designed to dissipate heat from the first heat shield; and a second heat shield which at least partly absorbs heat emitted by the first heat shield. The second heat shield is in mechanical contact with a cooling device that dissipates heat from the second heat shield. |
| US09134497B2 |
Fiber optic cable management module and panel
An optical module is provided. The optical module includes a base module and a cable management bracket removably attached to the base module. The base module includes a first adapter configured to interface with a first cable. The base module further includes a plurality of second adapters configured to interface with a plurality of optical fibers and a plurality of second cables. The cable management bracket includes a plurality of cable routing slots for routing the plurality of second cables. A fiber optic panel is also provided. The fiber optic panel includes a base, a plurality of module guides removably attached to the base, and a plurality of the optical modules slid between the module guides. A fiber management system is further provided. The fiber management system includes a rack and the fiber optic panel mounted on the rack. |
| US09134495B2 |
Optical fiber
A coated glass fiber 1 comprising a glass fiber 10 and a resin coating layer containing an inner layer 20 and an outer layer 30 provided on the outer circumference of the glass fiber 10, wherein the resin constituting the inner layer 20 is formed by curing a urethane-based ultraviolet curable resin composition containing a surfactant in an amount of 0.1 to 1.0% by weight and Young's modulus thereof is from 0.3 to 10 MPa. The coated optical fiber has a good water immersion resistance. |
| US09134490B2 |
Passive alignment multichannel parallel optical system
The invention provides an optical system, in particular, a multi-channel parallel optical transceiver system and methods of forming the same. The multi-channel parallel optical system includes a first substrate with at least one optical component mounted on its first side, a second substrate with optical fibers affixed in fiber fixing structures (grooves), the second substrate being mounted on the first side of the first substrate perpendicular to the first side of the first substrate so that the optical signal can be transmitted and received between the optical fibers and the mounted optical components with minimum loss. Passive alignment assembly is realized by using a series of alignment pins and holes and/or grooves pre-fabricated on the substrates. The optical systems may additionally include other structures to provide additional functionalities, in-line monitor photodetectors, and mechanical support or substrate elevation. |
| US09134488B2 |
Optical coupling connector and optical coupling assembly
An optical coupling connector includes a main body and at least one optical fiber fixed to the main body. The main body includes a top surface, a first bottom surface, an outer side surface perpendicularly connecting with the top surface. The top surface defines an opening. The opening includes a second bottom surface. The first bottom surface includes at least one second coupling lens, the second bottom surface includes at least one first coupling lens, central axis of each first coupling lens and central axis of each second coupling lens are coaxial with each other. Each optical fiber includes an incident surface, an angle between the incident surface and a horizontal surface is about 45 degrees, and the incident surface is arranged toward the first coupling lens. |
| US09134486B2 |
Optical fiber connector socket
An optical fiber connector socket is disclosed, which includes an insulated shell and a fastener. The insulated shell has a plug slot. A first opening and a second opening individually are formed on two opposite sides walls of the plug slot. A flexible hook is disposed corresponding to the second opening in the plug slot. The flexible hook is separated from an inner wall of the insulated shell. The fastener can slide along an axis of the plug slot between a lock position and a release position. The fastener extends to form a blocking piece between the flexible hook and the insulated shell. When the fastener is at the lock position, two sides of the blocking piece individually press against an inner edge of the second opening and the flexible hook. When the fastener is at the release position, the blocking pieces corresponds to the first opening. |
| US09134484B2 |
Cable connector
A cable connector (100) includes an insulative housing (1), a plurality of contacts (2) retained in the insulative housing (1), a cable (3) connecting to the contacts (2), an optical member (4) retained in the insulative housing (1) and a retaining member (5). The insulative housing (1) includes a pair of opposite front and rear walls (11, 12), a pair of opposite top and bottom walls (13, 14) and a receiving space (121) depressed forwardly from the rear wall (12). The retaining member (5) includes two springs (52) forwardly abuts against the optical member (4) and a positioning block (51) forwardly abuts against the spring (52). |
| US09134482B2 |
Polarization splitting optical coupler having an interposed guide segment extending between first and second coplanar waveguides
A coupler/splitter including two neighboring coplanar waveguide portions extending in a same direction, the first portion having a constant cross-section, the second portion having a variable cross-section so that the effective index of the second waveguide portion varies, in the upstream-to-downstream direction, from a first lower value to a second value higher than the effective index of the first portion, in adiabatic coupling conditions. |
| US09134475B2 |
Front light and method for producing same, reflective display device provided with front light, and electronic equipment provided with reflective display device
A front light (1) includes a light source (8), a light guide plate (9), and a plurality of dots (4) that are provided on a surface of the light guide plate (9), which surface faces a light exit surface of the light guide plate (9). Each of the plurality of dots (4) includes (i) a light reflective layer (2) for reflecting light toward the light guide plate (9), and (ii) a dark layer (3) for absorbing light, the dark layer completely covering the light reflective layer (2) so as to be in contact with the light guide plate (9) without any gap between the light guide plate (9) and the dark layer (3). |
| US09134470B2 |
Optical filter including a step section, and analytical instrument and optical apparatus using the optical filter
An optical filter includes a first substrate, a second substrate that is opposed to the first substrate, a first reflecting section that is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, a second reflecting section that is disposed between the first reflection section and the second substrate, a first gap existing between the first reflecting section and the second reflecting section, a first electrode that is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, a second electrode that is disposed between the first electrode and the second substrate, a second gap existing between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a third electrode that is disposed between the first substrate and the second electrode. The second gap is larger than the first gap. |
| US09134458B2 |
Prediction of solar obscuration events based on detection of spectral distribution shifts caused by approaching clouds
A physical effect (optical effect), which may be observed in solar irradiance as shading due to a cloud passing overhead may be approaching a given location (e.g., a location at or proximate a solar power generator), has been discovered. This optical effect takes place prior to an occurrence of a solar obscuration event by the cloud, and thus this optical effect may be effectively sensed and processed in apparatuses, systems and methods to predict the occurrence of a solar obscuration of the power generator. |
| US09134457B2 |
Multiscale digital rock modeling for reservoir simulation
Methods for upscaling digital rock modeling data are described. Core-plug samples for pore-scale modeling are chosen using whole-core mini-permeability grids and conventional CT scans. Pore models or pore-network models are used for flow modeling. Borehole-scale models use MPS (Multi-Point Statistics) to combine mini-permeability grids and conventional CTscans of whole core with electrical borehole images to create 3D numerical pseudocores for each RRT (Reservoir Rock Type). Effective SCAL properties computed from various MPS borehole-scale realizations or models are used to populate interwell-scale models for each RRT. Effective properties computed from flow simulations for interwell volumes are used to populate full-field scale models. At the full-field scale, outcrop analogs, sequence stratigraphy, forward stratigraphic models, diagenetic models, and basin-scale models are combined using MPS to improve flow simulations. At every stage, REVs (representative element volumes) are computed to be certain rock heterogeneities have been captured. |
| US09134455B2 |
High performance and grid computing with history quality of service control
High performance computing (HPC) and grid computing processing for seismic and reservoir simulation are performed without impacting or losing processing time in case of failures. A Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard is implemented in High Performance Computing (HPC) and grid computing platforms, to avoid the shortcomings of current Message Passing Interface (MPI) communication between computing modules, and provide quality of service (QoS) for such applications. QoS properties of the processing can be controlled. |
| US09134453B1 |
Forecasting hydrocarbon production
A method for forecasting hydrocarbon production of a well. The method includes receiving one or more parameters that describe hydrocarbon properties of the well and receiving an amount of proppants that corresponds to the well. After receiving the parameters and the amount of proppants, the method includes determining a forecast of hydrocarbon production of the well based on the parameters and the amount of proppants. |
| US09134449B2 |
Directional resistivity measurement for well placement and formation evaluation
The present disclosure relates to a method to determine a formation property of a subsurface formation. A downhole logging tool having two or more antennas, at least two of the antennas having a transversely-sensitive element and an axially-sensitive element is provided. Azimuthally-sensitive measurements are obtained using the antennas of the downhole logging tool. The measurements are fitted to a Fourier series having Fourier coefficients that include channel gains, if any. A DC component, a first harmonic component, and a second harmonic component are determined from the Fourier series, a measurement type is determined using the DC component, the first harmonic component, and/or the second harmonic component, and the formation property of the subsurface formation is determined using the determined measurement type. |
| US09134446B2 |
Method and device to acquire seismic data
Streamer and method for deploying the streamer for seismic data acquisition related to a subsurface of a body of water. The method includes a step of releasing into the body of water, from a vessel, a body having a predetermined length together with plural detectors provided along the body; a step of towing the body and the plural detectors such that the plural detectors are submerged; and a step of configuring plural birds provided along the body, to float at a predetermined depth from a surface of the water such that a first portion of the body has a curved profile while being towed underwater. |
| US09134445B2 |
Processing seismic data
Embodiments of the invention provide a method of processing marine seismic data, the data having been acquired using a “dense over/sparse under” streamer array having N over streamers disposed at a first depth and M under streamers disposed at a second depth greater than the first depth, where 0 |
| US09134441B2 |
Tomographic equipment, imaging system provided therewith, and imaging data acquisition method
A cross-sectional area calculation section calculates a cross-sectional area of a subject as physical quantity with respect to a size of the subject, and an NEC calculation section calculates a noise equivalent count NEC as physical quantity for evaluating an image. The C-NEC calculation section calculates a noise equivalent count per unit area C-NEC as physical quantity for evaluating an image as per size of the subject in accordance with the cross-sectional area of the subject calculated in the cross-sectional area calculation section and the noise equivalent count NEC calculated in the NEC calculation section. Accordingly, the noise equivalent count per unit area C-NEC is calculated as noted above, whereby an index may be determined that is independent of the cross-sectional area of the subject in evaluating the image. |
| US09134436B2 |
X-ray apparatus and X-ray detector
An X-ray apparatus includes an X-ray radiation unit configured to radiate X-rays to an object; and a main control unit configured to acquire orientation information of the X-ray radiation unit and orientation information of an X-ray detector and select the X-ray detector based on the orientation information of the X-ray radiation unit and the orientation information of the X-ray detector. |
| US09134433B2 |
Nuclear reactor fuel integrity monitor
A nuclear reactor fuel integrity monitor includes: a γ-ray detector which detects γ-ray of a specific radionuclide of a subject measurement medium of a nuclear reactor; a sample container which retains the subject measurement medium therein and surrounds the circumference of the γ-ray detector; and a measurement control device which performs a control so that a predetermined amount of the subject measurement medium is introduced into the sample container and calculates a concentration of the specific radionuclide from γ-ray data per each unit time detected by the γ-ray detector and a volume of the subject measurement medium introduced into the sample container. |
| US09134432B2 |
Radiation imaging apparatus, method for controlling the same, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
A radiation imaging apparatus, comprising a sensor array in which a plurality of sensors configured to output signals corresponding to irradiated radiation, a detection unit configured to detect radiation, a driving unit configured to drive the sensor array, so as to initialize the plurality of sensors for each row repeatedly at least until the detection unit detects irradiation of radiation and to read out signals from the plurality of sensors for each row sequentially, and a processing unit configured to process signals from the sensor array, so as to correct a signal from the sensor on a row, of the plurality of sensors, which has been initialized during the irradiation of radiation, based on a timing of the initialization. |
| US09134427B2 |
Determination of time zone and DST participation
A local time zone setting for a device is automatically provided based on a location and a date and time. Location information is obtained for a present location of the device within a geographical area and the date and time. An association is established between the present location and a geopolitical portion of the geographical area, the geopolitical portion including time zone application rules. The local time zone setting is automatically provided based on the time zone application rules, which can include daylight savings time (DST) participation, and the present date and time. |
| US09134425B2 |
System and method for managing ephemeris requests from client devices
A system and method for reducing peak loads on a network, includes: a server in communication with a plurality of GPS receivers, the receivers sending requests for an ephemeris to the server when a time of ephemeris (TOE) for a previous ephemeris expires; and the ephemeris received by the receivers being adjusted by the addition of a value to the TOE of the ephemeris, the value being randomly adjusted to a 16 second interval between 16 seconds and 30 minutes. |
| US09134420B2 |
Three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound system for scanning object inside human body and method for operating 3D ultrasound system
Provided is a three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound system and a 3D ultrasound system operating method that may obtain 3D ultrasound data with respect to an object inside a human body to determine an accurate sagittal view. The 3D ultrasound system may include a scanner to generate ultrasound data including image data generated by scanning an object inside a human body, a processing unit to detect a center point of the object from the generated ultrasound data, and to generate, on the ultrasound data, a virtual plane on which the detected center point is placed, and a controller to rotate the ultrasound data based on the image data included in the virtual plane and to determine a sagittal view with respect to the object. |
| US09134415B2 |
Wideband waveform synthesis using frequency jump burst-type waveforms
Methods are provided for obtaining wideband waveforms from a set of narrowband waveforms. The synthesized wideband waveforms are suitable for generating fine range resolution synthetic aperture radar images. Furthermore, narrowband pulse compressed data can be siphoned from the processing chain to be used in multi-look GMTI processing either independently or jointly. |
| US09134412B2 |
Transponder device
A transponder system including first and second arrays of receiving and transmitting antenna elements arranged in spaced apart relationship with a predetermined spacing. The antenna elements of the first array are connected, via respective transmission modules, to respective antenna elements of the second array in accordance with their positions in the arrays thus forming receiving and transmitting pairs of antenna elements. The transmission modules include: a sampler adapted for digitizing signals received by the receiving antenna element of the corresponding pair, a memory for storing a digital representation of the received signals, and a signal generation module operable for generating from the digital representation a signal to be transmitted by the transmitting antenna element of the corresponding pair with a predetermined temporal delay to thereby provide a predetermined angular shift between a waveform of the received input signal and a waveform of the collective output signal. |
| US09134401B2 |
Range sensor and range image sensor
A charge generating region is arranged within a region of a polygonal pixel region excluding a corner portion thereof. A signal charge collecting region is arranged at a center portion of the pixel region on the inside of the charge generating region so as to be surrounded by the charge generating region. A photogate electrode is arranged on the charge generating region. A transfer electrode is arranged between the signal charge collecting region and the charge generating region. A semiconductor region has a portion located at the corner portion of the pixel region and the remaining portion located on the outside of the pixel region, and has a conductivity type opposite to that of the signal charge collecting region and an impurity concentration higher than that of surroundings thereof. A readout circuit is arranged in the semiconductor region. |
| US09134400B2 |
Comparator of mono-pulse radar and signal generation method thereof
A comparator of a mono-pulse radar and a signal generation method thereof are provided. The comparator includes an antenna array, a TEM mode cavity power combiner and a switch device. The antenna array includes N antennas. The TEM mode cavity power combiner includes a combination port and M input port sets, and each of the input port sets has a positive input port and a negative input port, wherein N and M are integer greater than 1. The switch device is coupled between the antenna array and the TEM mode cavity power combiner and is used for transmitting the reflected signal received by the antenna array to the positive input port or the negative input port of one of the input port sets. The combination port of the TEM mode cavity power combiner generates an output signal according to the reflected signals received from the input port sets. |
| US09134399B2 |
Attribute-based person tracking across multiple cameras
Techniques for tracking an individual across two or more cameras are provided. The techniques include detecting an image of one or more individuals in each of two or more cameras, tracking each of the one or more individuals in a field of view in each of the two or more cameras, applying a set of one or more attribute detectors to each of the one or more individuals being tracked by the two or more cameras, and using the set of one or more attribute detectors to match an individual tracked in one of the two or more cameras with an individual tracked in one or more other cameras of the two or more cameras. |
| US09134396B2 |
Reducing bending effects in touch sensor devices
A capacitive image sensor for detecting an input object includes a first substrate and a second substrate. A compressible region is defined between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first substrate is deflectable towards the second substrate. A transmitter electrode, receiver electrode, and bending effect electrode are disposed on the first substrate. The bending effect electrode is disposed between the transmitter electrode and receiver electrode and is configured to reduce a change in resulting signals detected from the receiver electrode caused by deflection of the first substrate towards the second substrate. |
| US09134394B2 |
Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and image processing apparatus
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a first data acquisition unit, a second data acquisition unit and an image data generating unit. The first data acquisition unit acquires first data from a slice to be a target after a first delay time from a reference of a first heart rate in synchronization with an electrocardiogram. The second data acquisition unit acquires second data from the slice after a second delay time from a reference of a second heart rate which is different from the first heart rate. The image data generating unit generates image data with image reconstruction processing using the first data and the second data. |
| US09134386B2 |
Giant magnetoresistive sensor having horizontal stabilizer
A giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor for reading information from a magnetic storage medium has a first non-magnetoresistive layer, a first magnetoresistive layer formed on the first non-magnetoresistive layer, a second non-magnetoresitive layer formed on the first magnetoresistive layer, a second magnetoresistive layer formed on the second non-magnetoresistive layer, and a third non-magnetoresistive layer formed on the second magnetoresistive layer. The first non-magnetoresistive layer is provided with a single step on a surface of the first non-magnetoresistive layer. The step has an edge extending in a direction substantially parallel to a plane of a working surface of the GMR sensor. |
| US09134380B2 |
Battery detection and user experience
Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media are provided for enabling a reliable indication of the amount of time a battery will provide sufficient charge to power a computing device. One or more profiles of user activity on a computing device are created. A drain rate for each profile of user activity is determined and stored. An analysis of the user activities being engaged in on the computing device is conducted, and a profile of user activity is determined to describe the user activities. An amount of remaining charge stored in the battery is determined, and the period of time that the battery will provide sufficient charge to the computing device is determined based on the amount of remaining charge and on the drain rate at which charge is drained from the battery for the determined profile of user activity. |
| US09134377B2 |
Method and apparatus for device testing using multiple processing paths
According to some aspects, a method of operating an automatic test system comprising a plurality of paths and programmed with a test pattern is provided. One such method comprises executing vectors in the test pattern with circuitry comprising a plurality of paths, the executing comprising upon processing, in a first of the plurality of paths, the operation portion of a vector specifying an operation capable of generating a branch in the flow of execution of the vectors in the test pattern to a non-sequential location in the test pattern, initiating processing of the test pattern in a second of the plurality of paths from the non-sequential location. Some aspects include a system for executing instructions comprising a plurality of paths comprising control circuitry to initiate processing of operation portions from sequential locations of a memory within an available path of the plurality of paths. |
| US09134375B1 |
Hierarchal test block test pattern reduction in on-product test compression system
A method of creating a scan pattern test file for testing hierarchal test blocks (HTBs) of scan channels on a semiconductor chip is described. The method includes determining a maximum number of channel mask enable encodes on the semiconductor chip. A maximum number of channel mask enable encodes used for the first HTB and the second HTB are determined. A plurality of test patterns used to test the first and the second HTB into one or more mask sets dependent on the number of masks each test pattern needs are sorted. The test patterns of the mask sets of the first and second HTB to be performed in a same test pattern are combined. The number of masks per scan cycle of the combined mask sets is no more than the maximum number of channel mask enable encodes on the semiconductor chip and there is no scan slice overlap. |
| US09134372B2 |
IC linking module gating inputs of TAP select and enable
A TAP linking module (21, 51) permits plural TAPs (TAPs 1-4) to be controlled and accessed from a test bus (13) via a single TAP interface (20). |
| US09134371B2 |
Translating operate state into operate scan paths, A, B, C
Scan architectures are commonly used to test digital circuitry in integrated circuits. The present disclosure describes a method of adapting conventional scan architectures into a low power scan architecture. The low power scan architecture maintains the test time of conventional scan architectures, while requiring significantly less operational power than conventional scan architectures. The low power scan architecture is advantageous to IC/die manufacturers since it allows a larger number of circuits (such as DSP or CPU core circuits) embedded in an IC/die to be tested in parallel without consuming too much power within the IC/die. Since the low power scan architecture reduces test power consumption, it is possible to simultaneously test more die on a wafer than previously possible using conventional scan architectures. This allows wafer test times to be reduced which reduces the manufacturing cost of each die on the wafer. |
| US09134368B2 |
Contactless wafer probing with improved power supply
Some embodiments relate to an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes an inductive or capacitive wireless communication structure located on a die region of the integrated circuit. This wireless communication structure is configured to wirelessly receive a test stimulus vector to test circuitry on the die region. The integrated circuit also includes a landing region having a size and location suitable to allow a conductive needle or conductive probe to come into direct physical and electrical contact with the landing region. The landing region provides a DC power supply to the circuitry on the die region while the test stimulus vector is wirelessly received. |
| US09134366B2 |
Method for forming a packaged semiconductor device
A method of fabricating a packaged semiconductor device includes integrating a plurality of singulated semiconductor die in a die carrier, and forming one or more interconnect layers on the die carrier. The interconnect layers include at least one of conductive intra-layer structures and inter-layer structures coupled to contact pads on the plurality of singulated semiconductor die. A set of landing pads is formed coupled to a first subset of the contact pads via a first set of the conductive intra-layer structures and inter-layer structures. A set of probe pads is formed coupled to a second subset of the contact pads via a second set of the conductive intra-layer structures and inter-layer structures. The die carrier is singulated to form a plurality of packaged semiconductor devices. The set of probe pads is removed during the singulating the die carrier. |
| US09134365B2 |
System for testing semiconductor modules
A system for testing semiconductor modules may include a first testing unit, a second testing unit, a classifying unit and a transferring unit. The first testing unit may test functions of the semiconductor modules mounted on a main board. The second testing unit may test the semiconductor modules tested by the first testing unit using a terminal. The classifying unit may classify the semiconductor modules tested by the second testing unit into normal semiconductor modules and abnormal semiconductor modules, or pass/fail. The transferring unit may be connected in-line between the first testing unit and the second testing unit, and between the second testing unit and the classifying unit to transfer the semiconductor modules from the first testing unit to the second testing unit and the classifying unit. Thus, the semiconductor modules may be automatically transferred to the units, so that a test time may be reduced. |
| US09134360B2 |
Method and apparatus for feedback-based resistance calibration
A circuit has a first circuit module including a first resistor and first and second transistors coupled in parallel with the first resistor. The first resistor and the first and second transistors are coupled together at a first node. An equivalent resistance across the first circuit module increases as a voltage of the first node is increased from a first voltage to a second voltage, and the equivalent resistance across the first circuit module decreases as the voltage of the first node is increased from the second voltage to a third voltage. |
| US09134355B2 |
Apparatus for very high speed adaptive spectrum analysis
This invention describes a method by which Broadband Spectrum Analysis can be performed in the RF and Microwave frequency range with significantly higher speed, accuracy, and flexibility than existing RF and Microwave Spectrum Analyzers. This is done by eliminating the need for the filtering of the incoming signal, a process called preselection that needs to track in frequency with the scanning local oscillator in the instrument. By eliminating this requirement, this invention makes possible the identification and analysis of very broadband signals in a single sweep using an Adaptive Sweep Methodology and a Simultaneous Sweep capability that the present invention makes possible. |
| US09134351B2 |
Bi-directional direct current sensing circuit and current sensing assembly including the same
A current sensing assembly includes a conductor, first and second magnetic sensors disposed proximate to opposite sides of the conductor and being structured to output first and second voltage signals, a current direction detector circuit structured to detect a direction of a current flowing through the conductor, a switching circuit having first and second outputs and being structured to switch between a first condition where the first voltage signal is output to the first output and the second voltage signal is output to the second output and a second condition where the first voltage signal is output to the second output and the second voltage signal is output to the first output based on the switching signal, and an output circuit including a differential amplifier structured to amplify a voltage difference between the first and second voltage signals and to output the amplified voltage difference. |
| US09134349B2 |
Amplifier circuits and methods
A chopper amplifier circuit for sensing Hall voltage with reduced offsets includes a Hall sampling circuit with a first switching circuit for selectively coupling each of four nodes of a Hall plate to either a power source or a ground terminal. The circuit also includes a differential amplifier and a second switching circuit configured for selectively coupling each of the four nodes to inputs of the differential amplifier. A Hall voltage signal retaining circuit includes two groups of four storage devices and a second group of four storage devices. A third switching circuit is configured for outputs of the differential amplifier to selected ones of the storage devices. A fourth switching circuit is configured for selectively coupling the storage devices outputs of the chopper amplifier circuit. |
| US09134348B2 |
Distributed electricity metering system
Apparatus and methods are provided for the measurement of a power factor at points of interest, such as circuit breakers, machines, and the like. Accordingly, means are provided for measurement of a power factor for each electrical sub-network that is controlled by a circuit breaker. Each apparatus is enabled to communicate its respective data, in an environment of a plurality of such apparatuses, to a management unit which is enabled to provide finer granularity power factor profiles. |
| US09134344B2 |
Optical sensor assembly for installation on a current carrying cable
An optical sensor assembly, for installation on a current carrying cable, senses the current in the cable and provides an electrical output indicating the current. To sense the current, a magnetic concentrator is placed in close proximity to the cable and creates a magnetic field representing current in the cable. An optical current sensor, within the created magnetic field, exposes a beam of polarized light to the magnetic field. The beam of polarized light is rotated thereby, by Faraday effect, according to the current in the cable. The amount of rotation is analyzed and converted to electrical signals to portray the current in the cable. The electrical signals may be processed, evaluated and analyzed to provide one or more of several elements of quality of the current in the cable. |
| US09134343B2 |
Sort probe gripper
An apparatus includes a robot and a sort probe gripper. The sort probe gripper includes a body, a jaw mount inserted into the body, a plurality of grippers mounted in the jaw mount and an actuator sleeve slidable along the body to engage the plurality of grippers. |
| US09134339B2 |
Directed registration of three-dimensional scan measurements using a sensor unit
A laser scanner measures 3D coordinates from a first position and a second position and uses a sensor unit that includes at least an accelerometer and gyroscope to register the 3D coordinates, the registration based at least in part on comparison to a measured sensor displacement to a preferred displacement value. |
| US09134333B2 |
Sample processing apparatus and sample processing method
A sample processing apparatus comprising: an aspiration section for aspirating a sample from a sample container; a sample container take-out/returning section for taking out a sample container containing a sample from a sample rack holding a plurality of sample containers, and for returning the sample container, from which the sample has been aspirated, to the sample rack; a sample processing section for processing the aspirated sample; a transport section for transporting the sample rack to a take-out position for taking out the sample container from the sample rack; and a transport controller for controlling the transport section to transport the sample rack to a processing position for performing a predetermined process on another sample container held by the sample rack when one sample container has been taken out from the sample rack by the sample container take-out/returning section is disclosed. A sample processing method is also disclosed. |
| US09134332B2 |
Instrument and process for the automated processing of liquid samples
An automated instrument and process for processing samples is presented. The instrument comprises a sampling area for receiving samples and reaction vessels; an analytical area with a first device resource comprising at least one analyzer; a reaction area comprising a conveyor for reagent containers; an incubator; a second device resource comprising first functional devices, the first functional devices having access to the sampling area and the incubator such as to transfer reaction vessels from the sampling area to the incubator and/or to pipette samples and/or reagents into the reaction vessels; a third device resource comprising second functional devices, the second functional devices having access to the incubator and the analytical area such as to transfer the reaction vessels from the incubator to the analytical area and/or to dispense liquids or withdraw liquids from the reaction vessels. |
| US09134330B2 |
Detection method
The object of the present invention is to provide a biomarker which is highly correlated to the conventional biomarkers of metabolic syndrome or life-style related disease in a wide range of subjects to be tested, including subjects of special health check-up aged between 40 and 74, or an advantageous method for detecting metabolic syndrome or life-style related disease. The object can be solved by a method for detecting metabolic syndrome or life-style related disease by measuring the concentration of choline plasmalogen in a sample to be tested. |
| US09134326B2 |
Biomarkers for liver fibrosis
Methods and systems for diagnosing or prognosing liver fibrosis in a subject are provided. In some examples, such methods and systems can include detecting liver fibrosis-related molecules in a sample obtained from the subject, comparing expression of the molecules in the sample to controls representing expression values expected in a subject who does not have liver fibrosis or who has non-progressing fibrosis, and diagnosing or prognosing liver fibrosis in the subject when differential expression of the molecules between the sample and the controls is detected. Kits for the diagnosis or prognosis of liver fibrosis in a subject are also provided which include reagents for detecting liver fibrosis related molecules. |
| US09134318B2 |
Detection of oxidized polypeptides
A diagnostic method for determining the absence or presence of a disease is provided. The method generally includes assaying the amount and/or types of oxidized peptides in a sample from a subject, and comparing these to the amount and types of reference oxidized polypeptides. The method may include the use of stable isotope label, affinity selection, to identify and quantify changes in oxidized peptides or oxidized proteins associated with diseases such as type II diabetes mellitus, breast cancer, and Parkinson's disease, to monitor a patient's response to a therapeutic agent (e.g., an antioxidant), and/or to monitor disease recurrence. |
| US09134316B2 |
Sensor and package
A fluid sensor comprises a formed plastic body and a reagent. The body has a top face with an integral first surface. The body also has a bottom face opposed to the first surface and a sidewall that extends from the periphery of the top face. The first surface is adapted to accept a fluid sample. The reagent is disposed on the integral first surface and causes a color change detectable on the bottom face when the reagent reacts with an analyte in the fluid sample. |
| US09134315B2 |
Use of the lactosylceramide synthase isoform B1,4GalT-V as a biomarker for cancer
In one aspect, B1,4GalT-V, an isoform of the enzyme lactosylceramide synthase, is provided as a biomarker for cancer. Also provided are methods and compositions directed at cancers characterized by the overexpression or upregulation of the lactosylceramide synthase isoform B1,4GalT-V. |
| US09134307B2 |
Method for determining ion channel modulating properties of a test reagent
The invention provides methods for identifying modulators of ion channels without the use of recombinant cell lines over-expressing the ion channel proteins or the use of detection labels. |
| US09134305B2 |
Molecular imprinted nanosensors
An apparatus for detecting the presence of a target molecule is disclosed which includes a conductive nanostructure, a non-conductive polymer coating on at least a portion of the nanostructure, and a cavity formed in the polymer coating having a shape corresponding to the shape of the target molecule. A property of the nanostructure depends on the presence of the target molecule at the cavity. |
| US09134302B2 |
Analyte detection utilizing polynucleotide sequences, composition, process and kit
A method of detecting in a sample an analyte (A) having a molecularly recognizable portion thereon, which comprises: providing (B) a molecular bridging entity having thereon: (i) a portion capable of recognizing the molecularly recognizable portion on the analyte; and (ii) a portion comprising a polynucleotide sequence; and (C) a signalling entity having thereon: (i) a polynucleotide portion capable of annealing to the polynucleotide portion of the bridging entity, thereby to form a stable polynucleotide hybrid, and (ii) a signal generating portion; forming a complex comprising: (1) the analyte (A) complexed through its molecularly recognizable portion to (2) the recognizing portion of the entity (B); the entity (B) being complexed through the polynucleotide portion thereon to (3) the polynucleotide portion of the signalling entity; and detecting a signal by means of the signal generating portion present in the complex. |
| US09134301B2 |
Sorting of adherent cells by selective transformation of labels
Adherent cells bearing characteristics that are detectable only in the adherent state can be sorted on the basis of these characteristics independently of their adherent state, by applying a transformable label to the entire population of cells, both those bearing the characteristics of interest and those not, in their adherent state and identifying the locations of the cells of interest on the adherent surface. The cells of interest, or all cells other than those of interest, are then selectively treated to transform the labels and achieve differentiation between the cells of interest and the remaining cells. All cells are then released from the adherent state and sorted in the same manner as non-adherent cells but on the basis of whether the labels are transformed or not transformed. |
| US09134298B2 |
Compositions and methods to prevent cancer with cupredoxins
The present invention relates to compositions comprising peptides that may be variants, derivatives and structural equivalents of cupredoxins that inhibit the development of premalignant lesions in mammalian cells, tissues and animals. Specifically, these compositions may comprise azurin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and/or the 50-77 residue region of azurin (p28). The present invention further relates to compositions that may comprise cupredoxin(s), and/or variants, derivatives or structural equivalents of cupredoxins, that retain the ability to inhibit the development of premalignant lesions in mammalian cells, tissues or animals. These compositions may be peptides or pharmaceutical compositions, among others. The compositions of the invention may be used to prevent the development of premalignant lesions in mammalian cells, tissues and animals, and thus prevent cancer. |
| US09134285B2 |
Apparatus with timed color change indication
An apparatus with time controlled color change indication comprises an apparatus includes a disposable, limited or restricted use product and an oxygen sensing color changeable dye disposed on a portion of the apparatus, the dye being translucent or having a first color upon application and for a defined time thereafter and the dye changing color after exposure to oxygen for the defined time. For example, a packaging for containing a product for human consumption has a portion with a color changeable dye disposed thereon. The dye changes color after being exposed to oxygen for a controlled and predetermined period of time indicating that the product for human consumption should no longer be consume or has decreased in freshness, quality of taste or potency. |
| US09134282B2 |
Automated installation procedure for a disposable flow path
This invention provides an automated installation procedure for assembling a disposable flow path: providing a disposable flow path comprising tubing and a plurality of sensors onto a re-usable instrument; qualifying said tubing and said plurality of sensors to be on the flow path based on a standard; and determining if the tubing and the plurality of sensors comply with characteristics and performance according to limits for specifications or acceptance criteria. |
| US09134281B2 |
Moisture sensor including, as a moisture-absorbing layer, a polymer layer including a mixture of polyamides
The invention relates to a humidity sensor including, as a humidity absorbent layer, a polymer layer including a blend including a first polyamide and a second polyamide, where the said second polyamide includes, in its repetitive units, a number of carbon atoms greater than that of the repetitive units of the first polyamide. |
| US09134271B2 |
Particle quantifying systems and methods using acoustic radiation pressure
The present invention comprises methods and systems that use acoustic radiation pressure. |
| US09134268B2 |
Manufacturing method for oxygen sensor
A manufacturing method for an oxygen sensor that includes an oxygen sensor element includes: coating both surfaces of a solid electrolyte element of the oxygen sensor element with Pt films as a pair of electrodes; and heating at least one of the coated Pt films, coated on a side exposed to measured gas, in a gas atmosphere having a higher oxygen gas concentration than atmospheric gas to align a crystal orientation of the at least one of the Pt films with a (001) plane. |
| US09134265B2 |
Gas sensitive material comprising microcrystalline selenium and gas sensor using same
The invention provides a gas sensitive material made from microcrystalline selenium (preferably selenium nanowire) and a gas sensor having an element structure wherein the gas sensitive material is disposed between two electrodes.The invention allows for the kind of organic gas to be distinguished, because microcrystalline selenium reacts with organic gas molecules with high sensitivity at room temperature without being influenced by humidity, and the magnitude of change of the value of the current flowing at a fixed voltage varies depending on the kind of an organic gas to be sensed. |
| US09134264B2 |
Monitoring method
A method for monitoring the effectiveness of an ion exchange module in an ultrapure water purification circuit containing ultrapurified water and having a purified water inlet and a point of use outlet and a memory, the method including the steps of measuring the resistivity of ultrapurified water using one or more sensors to provide an ultrapurified benchmark resistivity value Ri; introducing purified water into the circuit and passing the water through the ion exchange module; measuring the resistivity of the water to provide a new water resistivity value Rnew; and comparing Ri and Rnew to determine the effectiveness of the ion exchange module. |
| US09134263B2 |
Gem tester
A gem tester for testing a gem under test and a kit including a horizontal recharging stand are disclosed. In one embodiment of the gem tester, an elongated body has a line-of-sight contour tapering from a bulbous end to a radially deviating frontal nose having a probe extending therefrom. Internal circuitry measures electrical and thermal conductivity of the gem under test in order to identify the type of gem under test and drive a color control signal in response thereto. A luminescent mounting extends about the contact to provide, in response to the control signal, a color indication of the identified gem type. |
| US09134259B2 |
X-ray source grating stepping imaging system and image method
An X-ray imaging system comprising: an X-ray source, a source grating, a fixed grating module and an X-ray detector, which are successively positioned in the propagation direction of X-ray; an object to be detected is positioned between the source grating and the fixed gating module; said source grating can perform stepping movement in a direction perpendicular to the optical path and grating stripes; wherein the system further comprises a computer workstation for controlling said X-ray source, source grating and X-ray detector so as to perform the following processes: the source grating performs stepping movement in at least one period thereof; at each stepping step, the X-ray source emits X-ray to the object to be detected, and the detector receives the X-ray at the same time; wherein after at least one period of stepping and data acquisition, the light intensity of X-ray at each pixel point on the detector is represented as a light intensity curve; the light intensity curve at each pixel point on the detector is compared with a light intensity curve in the absence of the object to be detected, a pixel value of each pixel point is calculated from change in said light intensity curve; an image of the detected object is reconstructed according to the calculated pixel value. |
| US09134256B2 |
Metrology method and apparatus, lithographic system and device manufacturing method
A lithographic process is used to form a plurality of target structures (T) on a substrate (W). Each target structure comprises overlaid gratings each having a specific overlay bias. Asymmetry (A) of each grating, measured by scatterometry, includes contributions due to (i) the overlay bias, (ii) an overlay error (OV) in the lithographic process and (iii) bottom grating asymmetry within the overlaid gratings. Asymmetry measurements are obtained for three or more target structures having three or more different values of overlay bias (e.g., −d, 0, +d). Knowing the three different overlay bias values and a theoretical curve relationship between overlay error and asymmetry, overlay error (OV) can be calculated while correcting the effect of bottom grating asymmetry. Bias schemes with three and four different biases are disclosed as examples. Gratings with different directions and biases can be interleaved in a composite target structure. |
| US09134255B1 |
Pipe inspection system with selective image capture
Various pipe inspection systems include a camera head operatively connected to the distal end of a push-cable. Images may be automatically captured at predetermined distances of travel, or may be automatically captured based on the output signals from the auto-focus, auto-exposure and/or auto-white balance engines indicating, for example, that the camera motion within the pipe is substantially zero. Images may be captured in an automatic mode at predetermined intervals as the camera head travels within the pipe or in an override mode initiated by operator command. The system may include a data transmission circuit that transmits data between a plurality of nodes at a frequency that does not substantially interfere with a normal base band video transmission frequency. |
| US09134252B2 |
Head for an evanescent-wave fibre-optic sensor
The present invention relates to a head (500) for a sensor comprising two sections of optical fiber enabling the propagation of infrared light having at least one infrared wavelength and generating evanescent waves toward the outside in order to detect infrared signatures of an external medium, said head (500) comprising: an optical fiber forming a curved portion (15) for connecting the two sections of fiber, and for coming into contact with the external medium so as to detect the infrared signatures interfering with the propagation of the evanescent waves propagating along the fiber, and means (504, 506) for protecting the curved portion (15) against external mechanical stress, while ensuring that a contact area (30) exists between the external medium and said curved portion (15). |
| US09134250B2 |
SERS-sensor with nanostructured layer and methods of making and using
A nanostructured arrangement includes a substrate having a surface and comprising a metal and a nanostructured layer formed on the substrate surface by an ion beam. The nanostructured layer includes a plurality of hollow metal nanospheres. Each of the plurality of nanospheres includes a chemical compound formed from the metal of the substrate by the ion beam. An example of a nanostructured arrangement is a surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensor. |
| US09134248B2 |
Systems for analyte detection
This disclosure provides a system component and method for analysis of airborne analytes by absorbing the analytes into a liquid and interrogating the liquid with an analytical instrument. In some examples, a cartridge with a microfluidic chip contains a vessel of a colloidal solution of nanostructured particles in a liquid. The vessel is broken, releasing the solution into microfluidic containers on the chip. Air having analytes is passed over the chip leading to absorption of airborne analytes into the solution. The analytes bind with the nanostructures and are detected optically. Techniques are disclosed for filling the vessel in a way that maintains the efficacy of the solution until it is needed for measurement. |
| US09134245B2 |
Cell-based antioxidant protection assay
Methods are provided herein for determining antioxidant activity of a test sample in intact cells. The method includes determining the antioxidant capacity of a test sample in intact red blood cells, wherein the test sample is added to intact red blood cells and oxidative damage is measured by alteration of fluorescence intensity of an oxidation-sensitive fluorescent indicator dye. |
| US09134243B2 |
System and method for sub-surface fluorescence imaging
A system for sub-surface fluorescence imaging is provided, the system comprising: an excitation source for selectably emitting light at at least one of at least two excitation wavelengths or wavelength ranges at a target surface; and a light detector for detecting fluorescence emission wavelengths or wavelength ranges from the target surface; wherein at least one of the at least two excitation wavelengths or wavelength ranges causes fluorescing of at least one marker at a sub-surface depth, the emitted light at each of the at least two excitation wavelengths or wavelength ranges having different depths of optical penetration and causing fluorescing at respective different depths. A method for sub-surface fluorescence imaging is also provided, in some cases exemplified by a reconstruction of the sub-surface fluorescence topography. |
| US09134242B2 |
Method and apparatus for retrieval of amplitude and phase of nonlinear electromagnetic waves
The present invention discloses a method and its associated apparatus to retrieve the amplitude and, especially, the phase of nonlinear electromagnetic waves. The application field of the present invention is optical imaging. A sample is probed by coherent electromagnetic radiation, and by a nonlinear interaction such as harmonic generation a nonlinear object wave is emitted. A nonlinear reference wave is generated by interaction of the same nature with the coherent electromagnetic radiation, and an interference between the nonlinear object wave and the nonlinear reference wave is sensed by a detector array. As an example, the technique makes possible real-time nanometric localization and tracking of nonlinear field emitters, such as, but not limited to, nanoparticles. |
| US09134240B2 |
System and method for evaluating material in rotary motion
Systems and methods evaluate material in rotary motion. Exposure duration is calculated based upon an intensity of radiation incident upon a sample area of the material and a desired radiation exposure for the material. Angular velocity for a rotational stage is calculated based upon the sample area, the calculated exposure duration, and an initial position of a linear stage. The initial position of the linear stage, the initial velocity of the linear stage, and the initial angular velocity of the rotational stage are set and a radiation generator is activated. The system then waits for time to read the next data sample based upon the calculated exposure duration and a fluorescence level of the material is determined. Angular velocity of the rotational stage and linear velocity of the linear stage are controlled based upon positional sensors to capture data from all areas of the material at the desired radiation exposure. |
| US09134239B2 |
Thin layer high explosive fluorescent polymer sensing methods, sensors and kits
A sensor for high explosives, comprising a thin layer of fluorescent polymer covalently linked to a silica support with an oxide surface. The support preferably is a silica support, and in a preferred embodiment is a silica chromatographic support. In preferred embodiments, the fluorescent polymer is one or a few monolayers. A preferred embodiment sensor for high explosives is fluorescent polymer within or upon a porous nanostructure. In preferred embodiments the nanostructure is a porous silica nanoparticle. Embodiments of the invention provide methods, sensors, sensor kits, and sensor fabrication processes that enable detecting traces of high explosives by fluorescence quenching in combination with a chromatographic separation. A method for forming a sensor for high explosives includes preparing a fluorescent polymer, capping the reactive polymer with a reactive capping group that covalently reacts with hydroxide groups, and reacting the reactive capping group with surface hydroxides of an oxide support. |
| US09134235B2 |
SPFS sensor equipped with mechanism purifying non-specifically adsorptive contaminants
[Object] It is an object of the invention to provide a sensor area which can suppress a decrease in assay signal and an increase in assay blank in an SPFS measurement.[Solution] An SPFS sensor chip of the invention includes a purification area and a sensor area arranged upstream and downstream, respectively, relative to each other along a flow direction in a channel for surface plasmon-field enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy [SPFS]. |
| US09134231B2 |
Optical measurements of properties in substances using propagation modes of light
This application describes designs, implementations, and techniques for controlling propagation mode or modes of light in a common optical path, which may include one or more waveguides, to sense a sample. |
| US09134225B2 |
Additive photometric analysis
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to discharge a plurality of spike fluids into a fluid flowing in a flow channel, transmit energy to the fluid using an energy source coupled to the flow channel, receive the energy modified by the fluid as photometric energy, convert the photometric energy to at least one photometric signal, compare the at least one photometric signal with a reference signal to determine at least one photometric property of the fluid, and determine at least one component of the fluid using the at least one photometric property supplied to a generalized standard addition method (GSAM). Additional apparatus, systems, and methods, including the use of multivariate curve resolution (MCR) to refine GSAM results, are disclosed. |
| US09134224B2 |
Gas component detection device
An optical path of infrared rays (see the broken lines in FIG. 1) is modified to a substantially U-like shape by a first reflecting mirror and a second reflecting mirror. An incidence angle of the infrared rays incident on the wavelength filter (an angle between the infrared rays incident on the surface of the wavelength filter and the line perpendicular to the surface of the wavelength filter) is nearly zero. For this reason, as compared with a conventional example, the influence of the incidence angle dependence of the wavelength filter can be reduced. As a result, the amount of the infrared rays reaching the light receiving unit through the wavelength filter is increased, thereby suppressing a decline in the detection accuracy of the gas component. |
| US09134220B2 |
Enhancing flow cytometry discrimination with geometric transformation
In flow cytometry, particles (2) can be distinguished between populations (8) by combining n-dimensional parameter data, which may be derived from signal data from a particle, to mathematically achieve numerical results representative of an alteration (48). An alteration may include a rotational alteration, a scaled alteration, or perhaps even a translational alteration. Alterations may enhance separation of data points which may provide real-time classification (49) of signal data corresponding to individual particles into one of at least two populations. |
| US09134219B2 |
Permeability flow cell and hydraulic conductance system
The present invention relates to devices and methods for measuring the permeability of dentin. More particularly, the invention relates to devices and methods of quickly and accurately measuring the permeability of dentin using a flow cell. |
| US09134217B2 |
Permeability flow cell and hydraulic conductance system
The present invention relates to devices and methods for measuring the permeability of dentin. More particularly, the invention relates to devices and methods of quickly and accurately measuring the permeability of dentin using a flow cell. |
| US09134216B2 |
Soot sensor system
A soot sensor includes a soot sensor including a sensor element and heater element disposed on a first surface of the soot sensor. A soot sensing system may include a soot sensor and circuitry electrically coupled to the sensor and heater elements of the soot sensor. The circuitry is configured to determine an amount of soot accumulated on the soot sensor and to control heating of the heater element in response to the soot accumulation. |
| US09134215B1 |
Sentiment analysis of content items
Disclosed herein is technology for providing sentiment analysis of content items. The technology involves labeling one or more portions of a content item and having the content item analyzed for sentiment. A graphical user interface may accept inputs from a user that indicate a portion of the content item should be labeled and the use may provide an associated sentiment for the item, e.g., positive, negative, or neutral. When a user has labeled a portion of a content item and provided an associated sentiment, the label and the sentiment are stored in a data store and the content items in the data store may be re-analyzed the content item to reflect the user's labeling and the changes are displayed in near real-time in the user interface. |
| US09134213B2 |
Methods for testing structures, and selection methods using these
Test method for structures, e.g., such as carriers and/or catalysts. The methods may be used to select the carriers and/or catalysts for future use. Carriers and catalysts so selected, and processes making use of these, are also provided. |
| US09134207B2 |
Microfluidic chips and assay systems
The systems and methods described herein include a microfluidic chip having a plurality of microfeatures interconnected to provide a configurable fluid transport system for processing at least one reagent. Inserts are provided to removably interfit into one or more of the microfeatures of the chip, wherein the inserts include sites for interactions with the reagent. As will be seen from the following description, the microfluidic chip and the inserts provide an efficient and accurate approach for conducting parallel assays. |
| US09134204B2 |
Apparatus and method for maintaining consistent fluid velocity and homogeneity in a pipeline
A method and device for generating an ongoing consistent velocity within a pipeline flow in order to achieve fluid homogeneity prior to oil water measurement. A recirculation flow loop withdraws flow from a first point in a pipeline, accelerates that flow with a pump, and reinjects the outflow from the pump through turbulence inducing outlets at a second point in the pipeline upstream of the first flow withdrawal point. The increased turbulence and mixing of the fluid flowing in the pipeline enhances the homogeneity of the oil/water suspension. The more homogeneous fluid recirculating in the flow loop passes through a measurement probe of an oil/water detector, thus increasing the accuracy of the oil/water measurement of the fluid. |
| US09134202B2 |
Robotic end effector for frozen aliquotter and methods of taking a frozen aliquot from biological samples
A robotic end effector for collecting frozen aliquots from an array of frozen samples in a plurality of containers has a coring bit for taking frozen sample cores from the frozen samples and a frozen sample core extraction system adapted to extract frozen sample cores from the frozen samples. A fill level detection system is adapted to detect the positions of the surfaces of the frozen samples. A processor is adapted to receive signals from the fill level detection system and use the signals and information concerning operation of the frozen sample core extraction system to determine at least one of the following: (a) the amount of material contained in a frozen sample core obtained by the coring bit; and (b) the number of frozen sample cores needed from a particular frozen sample to obtain a predetermined amount of material from that frozen sample. |
| US09134201B2 |
Fluid providing apparatus
The invention relates to a fluid providing apparatus (5; 34) for providing a fluid to an analyzing apparatus (17; 33) for analyzing the fluid and to the analyzing apparatus (17; 33). The fluid providing apparatus (34) comprises a casing (35), which has an introduction opening (7), through which a fluid transferring element (1) is introducible into the casing (35) for transferring the fluid to the fluid providing apparatus (34). The casing (35) comprises further a fluid releasing section (8) for releasing the fluid from the fluid transferring element (1) and a fluid transferring element detection section (36) for detecting whether the fluid transferring element (1) is introduced into the casing (35) by interacting with a fluid transferring element detection unit of the analyzing apparatus (17; 33). |
| US09134200B2 |
Motor vehicle chassis sensor
A vehicle chassis sensor assembly comprising a housing member defining a sensor cartridge slot, a rotatable shaft with a magnet and retained in a sleeve, and a rotatable arm coupled to the shaft. A sensor cartridge is mounted in the slot through the interior of a connector socket and an opening between the slot and the connector socket. A plate on the sensor cartridge covers the opening. The sensor cartridge includes a terminal header and a separate board mounted to the terminal header. The board includes the sensor. Deformable posts on the terminal header and the sensor assembly extend through respective apertures in the board and the terminal header for securing the board and the sensor cartridge to the terminal header and the sensor assembly respectively. |
| US09134197B2 |
Bi-directional multi-pulsewidth optical time-domain reflectometer
There is provided a bi-directional optical reflectometric method for characterizing an optical fiber link. The method comprises: performing a plurality of forward-direction light acquisitions from one end of the optical fiber link and performing a plurality of backward-direction light acquisitions from the opposite end, wherein each light acquisition is performed by propagating at least one test light signal corresponding to given spatial resolution and detecting corresponding return light so as to obtain a reflectometric trace representing backscattered and reflected light as a function of a distance on the optical fiber link, and wherein said plurality of forward-direction light acquisitions and said plurality of backward-direction light acquisitions are each performed with mutually different spatial resolutions; and deriving a value of at least one parameter characterizing an event along said optical fiber link at least using a forward-direction light acquisition and a backward-direction light acquisition performed with mutually different spatial resolutions. |
| US09134194B2 |
Tire pressure decrease detection apparatus and method, and computer readable medium therefor
A tire pressure decrease detection apparatus comprising: rotation speed information detection means, rotation acceleration information calculation means, resonance frequency estimate means for time-series estimating a torsional resonance frequency of the rotation speed information, correlation calculation means for, regarding front and rear right wheels and front and rear left wheels, respectively calculating time series correlations of the rotation acceleration information, and judgment means for judging a decrease in pressure of the tires based on the estimated torsional resonance frequency. In a case where the correlations exceed predetermined threshold values, the resonance frequency estimate means takes that a periodic noise from a road surface is generated in the vicinity of the torsional resonance frequency and stops estimating the torsional resonance frequency of the front and rear wheels of the side exceeding the threshold value. |
| US09134188B2 |
Active mechanical force sensor
A contactless force measurement sensor for measuring an applied force onto an object is provided. The contactless force measurement sensor includes a first facing orientation which facing orientation defines an orientation pointing towards a surface of the object, a first magnetic field generating unit being adapted for generating a magnetic field towards the facing orientation, a first magnetic field detector unit being adapted for detecting a first magnetic field which field being generated by the first magnetic field generating unit and being influenced by an applied force to be measured, wherein the first magnetic field detector unit is further adapted for outputting a first signal being representative for the detected magnetic field, and an evaluating unit being adapted for evaluating a signal strength of the first signal and determining the applied force based on the first signal. |
| US09134178B2 |
Observer metameric failure compensation method
A method for color correcting an input color image having input color values adapted for display on a reference display device having a plurality of input color primaries to account to provide reduced observer metemaric failure on a narrow-band display device. A metamerism correction transform is applied to the input color image to determine an output color image having output color values in an output color space appropriate for display on the narrow-band display device. The metamerism correction transform modifies colorimetry associated with the input colors to provide output color values such that an average observer metameric failure is reduced for a distribution of target observers. |
| US09134176B2 |
Device for acquiring optical information of object
An information acquiring device that acquires information on a measurement object includes: a dividing section that divides pulsed light having a center wavelength λc emitted from a light source into lights for a plurality of optical paths; waveguides provided in each of the optical paths; a multiplexing section that multiplexes lights emitted from the waveguides; and an information acquiring section that acquires information through detection of a light obtained by the multiplexing by the multiplexing section and applied to the object. In the information acquiring device, the waveguides provided in the optical paths, respectively are waveguides having different zero dispersion wavelengths, and the waveguides generate a plurality of wavelength-converted lights each having a center wavelength different from the center wavelength λc of the pulse light. |
| US09134175B2 |
Measurement device
A spectrometry device includes a wavelength-tunable interference filter that is provided with a stationary reflection film, a movable reflection film and an electrostatic actuator which changes a gap dimension between the stationary reflection film and the movable reflection film; a detector that receives incident light; a filter control unit that sets the gap dimension between the stationary reflection film and the movable reflection film to be a first dimension corresponding to light having a first wavelength which is smaller than that of a measurement target wavelength region; a cutoff filter that cuts off the light having a wavelength which is smaller than that of the measurement target wavelength region; and a light quantity acquisition unit that acquires the light quantity of stray light received by the detector when the gap dimension is changed to be the first dimension. |
| US09134162B2 |
Magnetic level indicator
A magnetic level indicating system includes a chamber for fluidic coupling to a process vessel. Material level in the vessel equalizes with material level in the chamber. A magnetic float in the chamber rises and falls with the material level in the chamber. A magnet actuated visual indicator is mounted to the chamber for indicating level of the magnet in the chamber and thus material level in the vessel. The indicator comprises an elongate transparent tubular housing defining an interior space open at opposite ends. An indicator assembly is mounted in the housing interior space and responsive to movement of the float and visible through the housing to indicate material level in the chamber. An end cap is received in each of the opposite ends of the tubular housing and a seal member is disposed between each end cap and the tubular housing. |
| US09134161B2 |
Volumetric measurement
Disclosed is a method of determining a volume of liquid in a sample tube, comprising the steps of capturing an image of the sample tube, determining a first region of interest within the sample tube based upon pre-stored information concerning dimensional properties of the sample tube, scanning the first region of interest to detect the position of a meniscus indicative of an upper extent of the liquid, and using said meniscus position together with certain pre-stored properties of the sample tube to determine a volume of liquid in the tube, and outputting said volume. Also disclosed is an apparatus for performing the method. |
| US09134154B2 |
Percentage deviation based evaluation of velocity dependent characteristics in ultrasonic flow metering systems
Apparatus and method for monitoring operation of an ultrasonic flow meter. In one embodiment, an ultrasonic flow metering system includes a passage for fluid flow, an ultrasonic flow meter, and a condition monitor. The ultrasonic flow meter is configured to measure transit time of an ultrasonic signal through the fluid flowing in the passage. The condition monitor is coupled to the ultrasonic flow meter and is configured to monitor a parameter of operation of the ultrasonic meter, and to acquire a plurality of values of the parameter over time. The condition monitor is also configured to compute, for each of the acquired values, a difference between the acquired value and a predetermined reference, and to arrange the differences in time sequence. |
| US09134153B2 |
Flowmeter
A flowmeter that improves a corrosion resistance is provided.The flowmeter includes a silicon substrate having a diaphragm where a heater is formed, an aluminum pad formed on a silicon substrate, an organic protective film laminated on the silicon substrate, and a mold resin that covers the silicon substrate. The diaphragm has an exposed portion exposed from the organic protective film, an adhesion surface high in adhesion property to the mold resin is laminated on the silicon substrate, and an adhesion film of the mold resin to the adhesion film is provided between the exposed portion and the aluminum pad. |
| US09134150B2 |
Targets, fixtures, and workflows for calibrating an endoscopic camera
The present disclosure relates to calibration assemblies and methods for use with an imaging system, such as an endoscopic imaging system. A calibration assembly includes: an interface for constraining engagement with an endoscopic imaging system; a target coupled with the interface on as to be within the field of view of the imaging system, the target including multiple of markers having calibration features that include identification features; and a processor configured to identify from first and second images obtained at first and second relative spatial arrangements between the imaging system and the target, respectively, at least some of the markers from the identification features, and using the identified markers and calibration feature positions within the images to generate calibration data. |
| US09134149B2 |
Vehicle seat comprising load sensor and pan frame
A vehicle seat includes a load sensor that is configured to measure a load applied from an occupant, a seat cushion frame that includes a right side frame and a left side frame, and a pan frame. The load sensor is provided at the seat cushion frame. Front parts of the right and left side frames are covered with the pan frame from above, and the pan frame includes a downward extending section that is arranged more frontward than a shaft center of the rod of the load sensor and that is arranged, with respect to a center of the vehicle seat, outside of one of the right and left side frames. |
| US09134147B2 |
Measuring arrangement system for a universal process connection
Provided is a measuring arrangement system operative for measuring a physical and/or chemical process variable of a process medium, which is held in a container, having a measuring device with a process connection and a sensor housing attached to it, such that the process connection comprises a measuring cell housing with a measuring cell, wherein a circumferential web, which divides the circumferential surface into a first and second circumferential section, is provided on the circumferential surface of the measuring cell housing; the process connection comprising a union nut with an inside thread and interior ring stop; and a tubular flange having first and second ends, having on its first end an outside thread, designed to correspond to the inside thread of the union nut, such that the circumferential web is designed so the measuring cell housing can be clamped between the flange and the union nut in two different directions. |
| US09134140B2 |
Protective skin for robots
Detector device arranged to cover at least one portion of a mobile appliance; the device has an electromechanical transducer including a substrate, a first series of electrodes, a second series of electrodes, and a deformable layer associated with the electrodes of the two series, the substrate, the electrodes, and the deformable layer forming a single unit mounted on the portion of the mobile appliance and arranged so that a current flowing between one of the electrodes of the first series and an adjacent electrode of the second series is proportional to a thickness of the deformable layer in register with the electrodes. The substrate including a base layer to which are attached the electrodes of the first series and the electrodes of the second series, which have facing portions, and a variable conduction layer that covers the base layer and the electrodes. |
| US09134137B2 |
Mobile search based on predicted location
A method includes receiving one or more search terms at a mobile computing device while the mobile computing device is located at a particular location. A search query that includes the one or more search terms and a location history of the mobile computing device is transmitted to a server. The method also includes receiving one or more search results in response to the search query, where the one or more search results include content identified based on a predicted destination of the mobile computing device. An interface identifying the one or more search results is displayed at the mobile computing device. |
| US09134130B1 |
Mission planning system and method
A system and method for planning missions is provided. The system includes at least one client computer coupled to a network, and a server, coupled to the network, that includes a processor coupled to a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform a method for planning missions that includes providing a graphical user interface (GUI) to the client computer, creating a mission including a plan, updating the plan and providing the updated plan to the client computer. |
| US09134128B2 |
Method for detecting accelerations and rotation rates, and MEMS sensor
The invention concerns a MEMS sensor and a method for detecting accelerations along, and rotation rates about, at least one, preferably two of three mutually perpendicular spatial axes x, y and z by means of a MEMS sensor (1), wherein at least one driving mass (6; 6.1, 6.2) and at least one sensor mass (5) are moveably arranged on a substrate (2) and the at least one driving mass (6; 6.1, 6.2) is moved relative to the at least one sensor mass (5) in oscillation at a driving frequency and when an external acceleration of the sensor occurs, driving mass/es (6; 6.1, 6.2) and sensor mass/es (5) are deflected at an acceleration frequency and, when an external rotation rate of the sensor (1) occurs, are deflected at a rotation rate frequency, and the acceleration frequency and rotation rate frequency are different. At the MEMS-sensor the driving mass/es (6; 6.1, 6.2) and sensor mass/es (5) are arranged on the substrate (2), and are balanced in the resting state by means of at least one of the anchors (3). In the driving mode the driving mass/es (6; 6.1, 6.2), when vibrating in oscillation about this at least one anchor (3), generate/s an imbalance of the driving mass/es (6; 6.1, 6.2) and the sensor mass/es (5) with respect to this at least one anchor (3), and the sensor elements detect deflections of the driving and sensor masses, due to torques and Coholis forces generated, with an acceleration frequency and/or a rotation rate frequency. |
| US09134126B2 |
Image processing device, and image processing method
An image processing apparatus (10) includes: an imaging device (20); an optical system (22); and a distance determining unit (16) determining an object distance between the optical system and the object based on a size of a blur developed on the image. The optical system (22) has a characteristic which simultaneously satisfies both of conditions that (i) variation in magnification is equal to or smaller than the predetermined number of pixels in the case where a focused point is set farthest from and closest to the optical system (22) in a range of the distance of the object determined by the distance determining unit (16) and (ii) variation in a PSF due to an image height of the optical system (22) is equal to or smaller than a predetermined degree so as not to affect the determination of the distance of the object by the distance determining unit (16). |
| US09134125B2 |
Self-centering wheel clamp with no wheel contact
A wheel clamp attaches to a vehicle wheel for performing a wheel alignment on the vehicle. The wheel clamp has a body for supporting a target or measuring head, and three extendable arms slidably mounted to the body. Each arm has a gripping portion for gripping the tire's tread surface and a sidewall contact portion for contacting the tire sidewall such that the clamp body is substantially parallel to the vehicle wheel and the wheel clamp has no contact with the rim. A self-centering linkage has enmeshed gears and link arms respectively connecting the arms to the gears, such that when the gears are rotated, the arms simultaneously proportionally slide relative to the clamp body, so the gripping portions of the arms engage and grip the tire tread surface and tighten the clamp onto the tire, while the sidewall contact portions of the arms contact the tire sidewall. |
| US09134121B2 |
Determining material properties using speckle statistics
A property of a material is determined. The material is illuminated with a light beam of controlled spectral and coherence properties. A stack of speckle field images is recorded from speckle fields reflected from the illuminated material in multiple spectral channels. The stack of speckle field images includes multiple speckle field images each being recorded in a respectively different spectral channel. Statistical properties of the speckle field images in the stack of speckle field images are analyzed to determine at least one property of the illuminated material. |
| US09134120B2 |
Method for adjusting or calibrating a vehicle surrounding sensor, and a vehicle surrounding sensor adjustment or calibration system
A method for calibrating a vehicle surroundings sensor (15) includes the steps of attaching at least one target pair (20, 22) to the rear wheels (12, 14) of a motor vehicle (7); recording the target pair (20, 22) using at least one measuring unit (32, 46) and determining the vehicle axis (64) from the recording; placing a target (16, 18) in a known position relative to a vehicle surroundings sensor adjustment or calibration element (62); fastening at least one measuring unit (32, 46) by means of fastening adapters (34, 48) to a running rail (4, 6); recording the target (18) placed on the vehicle surroundings sensor adjustment and determining the angular position of the vehicle surroundings sensor adjustment or calibration element (62) relative to the vehicle axis (64); aligning the vehicle surroundings sensor adjustment or calibration element (62) relative to the vehicle axis (64); and adjusting the vehicle surroundings sensor (15) relative to the vehicle axis (64). |
| US09134119B2 |
Optical fiber orientation detection method and apparatus
A method is provided for detecting an orientation of an optical fiber including a flat surface as a part of a surface of the maintaining member. The method includes directing collimated light to the optical fiber through the flat surface of the maintaining member, receiving reflected light of the collimated light by using an optical sensor device, generating a brightness distribution image according to an output signal from the optical sensor device, identifying a reference point on a brightness distribution line appearing on the generated brightness distribution image, according to a position of the brightness distribution line in relation to a target orientation for the optical fiber, the brightness distribution line detectable on the brightness distribution image in correspondence to the reflected light received by the optical sensor device, and detecting the orientation of the optical fiber according to a coordinate of the reference point on the brightness distribution image. |
| US09134117B2 |
Distance measuring system and distance measuring method
The present invention provides a distance measuring system including a light source, an image sensor and a control and processing unit. The light source projects a light section onto an object with a projection angle. The image sensor senses reflected light from the light section on the object. The control and processing unit controls the light source to project the light section with the projection angle and determines a window of interest of the image sensor according to the projection angle and a predetermined system parameter. The present invention further provides a distance measuring method. |
| US09134116B2 |
Method and apparatus for measurement of the profile geometry of cylindrical bodies
A two-dimensional light-section method for measuring the profile geometry of cylindrical bodies is disclosed. A fan-shaped laser line forming a light-section line on the surface of the body is imaged with at least one laser, and the laser radiation reflected from the surface of the body is captured by at least one area imaging camera, wherein the laser and the camera are arranged at a triangulation angle in a normal plane aligned with the cylinder axis. The profile geometry is then measured by pivoting the laser out of the normal plane about the cylinder axis. The angle with respect to the normal plane is selected such that the optical axis of the area imaging camera with respect to the surface of the cylinder is located within the glancing angle range of the reflected beams. |
| US09134115B2 |
Vibrating mirror element, distance measuring apparatus, and projector
A vibrating mirror element includes a drive control portion configured to control the driving of a correction drive portion to keep the turning angle velocity of a mirror portion substantially constant by oscillating the mirror portion about an axis at a non-resonance frequency in a direction opposite to a direction in which a resonant drive portion oscillates the mirror portion. |
| US09134114B2 |
Time of flight sensor binning
A time-of-flight sensor device generates and analyzes a high-resolution depth map frame from a high-resolution image to determine a mode of operation for the time-of-flight sensor and an illuminator and to control the time-of-flight sensor and illuminator according to the mode of operation. A binned depth map frame can be created from a binned image from the time-of-flight sensor and combined with the high-resolution depth map frame to create a compensated depth map frame. |
| US09134108B2 |
Angle detection apparatus
Provided is an angle detection device capable of detecting the angle with high sensitivity by a very simple assembly process without requiring complicated processing. The angle detection device is provided with: a rotor (5) which is formed by a disk plate body produced from a magnetic substance having uniaxial magnetic anisotropy, the disk plate body rotating around a center point within the disk plate surface; a stator (3) which is provided to face the plate surface of the disk plate body of the rotor (5), has approximately the same external shape as that of the rotor, and is divided into a plurality of fan-shaped regions, and in which an exciting coil or a detection coil is wound along the outer periphery of each of the divided regions. |
| US09134106B2 |
Testing device
A testing device includes a position assembly, a benchmark assembly, and a measuring assembly. The position assembly includes a fixing base and a position member movably mounted on the fixing base. The benchmark assembly includes a mounting base oppositely configured to the fixing base, and a benchmark member rotatably positioned on the mounting base. The measuring assembly is positioned on the mounting base. The benchmark member includes a rotating portion and a locating portion coaxially connected with the rotating portion, the rotating portion is movably received in the mounting base, the locating portion protrudes from the mounting base and facing the position member. The measuring assembly includes a loading member movably positioned on the mounting base and a gauge mounted on the loading member. |
| US09134105B2 |
Contour shape measurement method
A contour shape measurement method that can more accurately align an article to be measured to a predetermined position to enable high-precision evaluation even in a state where a probe measurement axis and a table rotation axis do not match with sufficient precision is provided. A spatial position of the table rotation axis relative to the probe measurement axis is obtained as a rotation axis vector. Alignment data obtained in at least two directions is coordinate-transformed around the rotation axis vector, to constitute synthesized alignment data. The article is aligned based on the synthesized alignment data. Since three-dimensional data of a surface to be measured of the article can be calculated, the article can be directly aligned to the probe measurement axis. |
| US09134102B2 |
Light weight projectiles
A non armor piercing monolithic composite projectile includes a high temperature polymer and a filler material. The filler material is intimately dispersed throughout the high temperature polymer such that the projectile is uniform in appearance and composition and a portion of the filler forms a portion of an outer surface of the body. The projectile is preferably lead-free. |
| US09134101B2 |
Bowfishing slider
A bowfishing arrow with a medium that receives a slider and allows the slider to traverse a substantial length of the arrow shaft. The slider can receive a fishing line and when being drawn, the slider allows the slider and fishing line to remain in front of the bow and, upon release, the slider traverses to the back of the arrow during flight but, the slider at all times remains in front of the bow. |
| US09134098B1 |
Countermeasure system and method for defeating incoming projectiles
A countermeasure system for intercepting an incoming weapon, such as a rocket propelled grenade (RPG), includes a launcher that is used to launch a countermeasure. A door covers and protects the countermeasure in an opening in the launcher prior to the launch of the countermeasure. The door is separated (pushed away) from launcher when the countermeasure is launched, for example being pushed out into a flight path of the countermeasure by the countermeasure itself. The door may be attached to the countermeasure, or may be a separate piece that flies away from both the countermeasure and the launcher after launch of the countermeasure. Pitch over motors or other orientation adjustment devices may be used to change the orientation of the countermeasure after launch. The countermeasure may be used to defeat the incoming weapon in any of a variety ways. |
| US09134095B1 |
Verticalness indicating apparatus for use with archery sights
The invention provides a verticalness indicating apparatus for a bow in which the axial position of a pendulum member with respect to the housing in which the pendulum is mounted controls one or both of the color and intensity of light delivered via a light guide from the apparatus to one or more sight pins of a bow sight mounted on the bow. In this manner, the apparatus provides visual cues to the archer as to the vertical alignment of the bow contemporaneously with the archer's focus on the sight pin. |
| US09134091B2 |
Toy launch apparatus with momentum feature
A toy launch apparatus for discharging soft foam darts, the launch apparatus having a cylinder, a piston, a launch spring and a dart tube. An air chamber with variable volume is formed between the cylinder and the piston and is divided into two or more sections, a first section where there is little or no resistance to relative movement between the cylinder and the piston so that there is a momentum gain, and a second section where there is rapid compression and increasing pressure to cause a loaded dart to be discharged. A third section may be a transition section between the first and second sections. |
| US09134090B1 |
Split type magazine of air rifle
A split type magazine of an air rifle includes a lock unit to prevent the rotation of a pellet rotating and conveying unit, A magazine body and a magazine fixing block of the split type magazine are divided from each other. The split type magazine allows the user to separate the magazine without moving the breechblock. It is safe because the pellet is not loaded in the chamber when the user inserts the magazine into the rifle body. Further, the lock unit of the pellet rotating and conveying unit enhances safety because the pellet rotating and conveying unit is locked when the magazine is separated. |
| US09134088B2 |
Sling bracket devices and methods of use with archery bow
In one embodiment of the present invention, a bracket for use with an archery bow, including a main body having a length extending between a first end and a second end, at least one throughbore through which a portion of a sling can be positioned, at least one passageway intersecting the throughbore, and at least one securing element positionable through the passageway and into at least a portion of the throughbore, the securing element adapted to releasably secure the portion of the sling within the throughbore. The bracket can also include at least one vibration dampener. |
| US09134087B2 |
Gun bore cleaning device
A device for cleaning a bore of a firearm. One or more bore-cleaning bodies may include a core and a fabric cover, and a central member used to compress the core longitudinally and expand it radially to apply radial force pressing the fabric cover against the interior bore surface. A small-bore version may include flexible portions to be able to negotiate a breech mechanism of a repeating small arm. |
| US09134086B2 |
Apparatus for supporting firearm, firearm assembly, and method of reducing shock of firing
There is provided a firearm assembly including: a base; a firearm coupling unit configured to move forward or backward with respect to the base; an elastic support unit configured to elastically support the firearm coupling unit; and a firearm mounted on the firearm coupling unit and including: a bolt assembly configured to move backward or forward; and a return spring configured to elastically support the bolt assembly, wherein upon firing the firearm, the firearm coupling unit is configured to return to a coupling unit original forward position after completion of the bolt assembly returning to a bolt assembly original forward position. |
| US09134085B2 |
Multipurpose firearm securing device and methodology
Consistent with various embodiments, a firearm securing apparatus has a first securing interface that is configured to generate a holding force between the apparatus and a support surface in response to an applied pressure. A second securing interface is configured and arranged to receive and secure a firearm barrel and includes a graspable feature. A support piece is configured and arranged to physically connect the two securing interfaces and to provide space, to allow a person's fingers to seize a graspable feature and to allow the person to apply pressure sufficient to overcome the holding force between the apparatus and the surface in order to remove the firearm from the apparatus when desired. |
| US09134084B1 |
Firearm muzzle brake
A muzzle brake attachment for a firearm. The muzzle brake utilizes an inner perforated tube approximating or slightly larger than the bore diameter of a firearm barrel, and an un-perforated or substantially un-perforated outer shield tube. The muzzle brake substantially routes exhausted propellant gases out of the forward end of the muzzle brake, effectively controlling felt recoil while stabilizing the muzzle. |
| US09134081B2 |
Improvised adjustable guide rod for semiautomatic pistols
An improvised guide rod assembly for semiautomatic firearms is provided for adjusting the tensile force on a spring internal to the firearm. The assembly included a guide member distending distally from the firearm's forward components, creates a tension in the mechanical workings of the firearm during discharge, and enhances accuracy, bullet velocity, and defensive functionality. A guide rod positions inside a firearm guide channel, protruding outside the firearm from a distal end. The guide member passes through a similarly sized and dimensioned spring. Tension on the spring transfers to an adjacent firearm slide member, whereby during discharge of the firearm, the slide member meets resistance while in motion. Using the adjustable guide rod to realize spring resistance increases, the velocity of a bullet is improved as is control of the firearm after recoil. The guide rod also serves as a close proximity weapon. |
| US09134080B2 |
Reconfigurable front and upper one piece baffles for directing incoming air from a vehicle front fascia to a radiator cooling module
A baffle construction constructed of a two part/two shot injection molded material having an integral and three sided body. Each of the sides including a panel section surrounded by a softer interconnecting hinge such that a plurality of living hinges are configured into the body and are located around and between each of a central panel and interconnected side panels. A secondary article is provided and includes an upper baffle assembled along with the lower baffle to define a four sided box-like structure around a vehicle radiator and in order to direct incoming air through a fascia opening and into a cooling module associated with the radiator. |
| US09134072B2 |
Geometry of heat exchanger with high efficiency
The present disclosure includes geometry of a two-fluid heat exchanger to provide higher energy efficiency than conventional heat exchangers. The geometry is based upon sequential branching of nearly circular passages in sets, followed by some deformation and twisting of the sequential branches that intermingle flow passages of one fluid with flow passages of another fluid. The flow passages gradually vary in dimension from larger branching at fluid entrance and exit to smaller branching in the middle section of the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is substantially symmetric, with the sequential branching in the first half being mirrored as serial regrouping in the second half. The present disclosure also provides stacking methods and layered manufacturing methods for fabricating the three-dimensional geometry of the heat exchanger. |
| US09134061B2 |
Flow control of a cryogenic element to remove heat
A system provides the flow control of a cryogenic element to remove heat from an environment. The system includes a cryogenic storage to store a cryogen; a cryogenic delivery system coupled to the cryogenic storage to transport the cryogen; a distributor coupled to the cryogenic delivery system, the distributor having a plurality of distribution lead tubes to evenly distribute the enthalpic potential of the cryogenic element; and a heat exchanger coupled to the distribution lead tubes. |
| US09134055B2 |
Thermo-electric heat pump systems
This invention relates to providing energy efficient thermo-electric heat pump systems for iso-thermal transport and storage, of perishable goods, such as vaccines, chemicals, biologicals, and other temperature sensitive goods. Also this invention relates to providing energy efficient iso-thermal transport and storage systems, of perishable goods, which are compact, light weight. This invention further relates to providing on-board energy storage for sustaining, for multiple days, the ability of such iso-thermal transport and storage systems to maintain temperature sensitive goods at a constant-temperature. |
| US09134042B2 |
Integrated structure of air heater
An integrated structure of an air heater includes at least an air blowing unit, at least an air passage housing, a heating arrangement, and a overheat protection unit, which are fastened with each other to form the integrated structure, wherein the air blowing unit and the overheat protection unit are respectively fastened with the air passage housing, and the air passage housing is connected to the heating arrangement with screws. A simple and compact integrated structure for air heater is provided wherein its assembling method is easy and its manufacturing cost is low. |
| US09134041B2 |
Vapor vacuum condensing boiler designs
One embodiment of the present invention is a boiler for boiling water to produce steam, having (1) an evaporating section comprising (a) a combustion chamber for burning fuel with air and generating hot flue gas, (b) an evaporating heat exchanger around the combustion chamber for exchanging heat between the flue gas and water to produce the steam which exits the boiler; and (2) a condensing section comprising (c) a condensing heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the hot flue gas from the combustion chamber and a low-temperature water return having a temperature below approximately 100° F., generating flue gas condensate, which leaves the boiler, wherein the low-temperature water return is heated by the hot flue gas in the condensing heat exchanger before entering the evaporating heat exchanger for additional heating. The disclosed vacuum condensing boilers make vapor vacuum steam more efficient and economical for industrial, commercial, and home applications. |
| US09134039B1 |
Air conditioner mister, apparatus and method
A method and apparatus for increasing the efficiency of an air conditioning system. Misting the air conditioning system's condenser with water cools the condenser and enables the system to more rapidly condense the refrigerant therein. By increasing the rate at which the refrigerant is condensed, energy and wear and tear on the system is reduced. Control of the misting is important, and sensing environmental and other present metrics to assist that control increases the efficiency offered by the present method and apparatus. |
| US09134037B2 |
Equipment for producing domestic hot water
The equipment of the invention includes a boiler, a hot water storage tank, a duct for supplying domestic cold water, and a duct for tapping domestic hot water, wherein said equipment is characterized in that the duct for supplying cold water comprises a T-shaped connector connected by a duct provided with a storage vessel to a re-circulation duct connecting the tank to the inlet duct, provided with a pump, of the boiler, and in that the outlet duct of the boiler is provided with a three-way valve connected by a by pass duct to said T-shaped connector, wherein said valve can selectively assume a position in which it ensures communication between the boiler outlet and the central portion of the tank, or a position in which it ensures communication between the boiler outlet and said bypass duct. |
| US09134036B2 |
Oven exhaust hood methods, devices, and systems
An exhaust device for convection or combi ovens captures exhaust from opening side-opening oven doors with minimal energy waste. |
| US09134029B2 |
Radial midframe baffle for can-annular combustor arrangement having tangentially oriented combustor cans
A can-annular gas turbine engine combustion arrangement (10), including: a combustor can (12) comprising a combustor inlet (38) and a combustor outlet circumferentially and axially offset from the combustor inlet; an outer casing (24) defining a plenum (22) in which the combustor can is disposed; and baffles (70) configured to divide the plenum into radial sectors (72) and configured to inhibit circumferential motion of compressed air (16) within the plenum. |
| US09134027B2 |
Air fire lighter
An air fire lighter having fuel, an igniter and a ducted fan for igniting a solid fuel fire. The fuel travels through the fire lighter to a collar at a distal end of the fire lighter, transforming into a vapor that is ignited by an igniter. As the solid fuel begins to glow at the initiation of the fire, the fan is activated, shutting off the vapors from the fuel. The fan blows air through a chamber onto the fire, causing the fire to spread throughout the solid fuel, establishing and spreading the fire through an ignition period. The chamber has a volume and ducting for providing optimal airflow to the fire. The fan is battery-operated. The lighter is lightweight and compact with a swiveling handle that adjusts for optimal placement of the lighter for addressing the solid fuel, folding for portability and storage. |
| US09134019B2 |
Multiple use LED light fixture
An LED light fixture is provided and includes a housing with a circular main body portion with a rear wall. A plurality of fins integrally extends from an outer surface of the rear wall of the main body portion. A spindle with an internal bore integrally extends from the outer surface of the rear wall of the main body portion wherein the spindle is positioned among the fins. A light engine assembly is positioned within the main body portion and includes a plurality of LED light modules mounted to a printed circuit board. Each module comprises a LED and a lens extending from the printed circuit board, wherein the printed circuit board resides against an inner surface of the rear wall. An external enclosure configured to enclose power management components is connected to a rear portion of the housing proximate the fins. The enclosure includes a housing wall arrangement and leads that extend through both an opening in the housing wall and the internal bore of the spindle, past the rear wall of the main body portion and to the printed circuit board. |
| US09134018B2 |
Backlight module for liquid crystal display device and method for making heatsink
A backlight module for a liquid crystal display and a method for manufacturing a heat dissipation part of the backlight module. The method includes the steps of: preparing a hollow pipe (20), wherein the hollow pipe (20) has a hollow structure, the section of the hollow pipe (20) in a transverse direction is a “” shape, and the hollow pipe (20) comprises a first bearing part (211), a second bearing part (212), a first vertical part (221) and a second vertical part (222); and cutting the hollow pipe (20), wherein the first vertical part and the second vertical part are respectively cut in a vertical direction to cut the hollow pipe into two heat dissipation parts, a heat dissipation part is formed by the first bearing part (211) and the first vertical part (221), and the other dissipation part is formed by the second bearing part (212) and the second vertical part (222). According to the method, the production cost can be reduced and the product can be thinned and lightened. |
| US09134009B2 |
Method and apparatus for correcting light guide patterning with a secondary diffuser
An illuminator includes a light guide having a light source that is configured to emit light along a length of the light guide. The light guide further includes outcoupling zones affixed to a rear portion of the light guide, each zones affixed a predetermined distance from each other zone, which are configured to direct at least a portion of the emitted light. The light guide also includes a first diffuser that corresponds to a front portion of the light guide, and which operates to diffuse emitted light exiting the front portion of light guide. The illuminator further includes a secondary diffuser that is located a predetermined distance from the front portion of the light guide forming an air gap there between. The secondary diffuser is configured to further diffuse the at least a portion of the emitted light diffused by the first diffuser after passage through the air gap. |
| US09134008B2 |
Light emitting decorative panels
Light emitting decorative panels using a light source at the edge thereof that may have a desired uniformity of light emission from a pattern thereon, and which are not subject to local shadows (shading) in a pattern part from patterns or pattern parts between the respective pattern or pattern part and the light source. The elimination of shading is achieved by the depressions of a given geometry disposed in an arc having a center at the light source, and sizes each depression or arc segment of a depression in being chosen accordance with 1), the distance of the respective depression or depression segment from the source of light, and 2), the number of depressions between the respective depression and the source of light, with a second order correction for the position of depressions between the respective depression and the source of light. |
| US09134004B2 |
Lighting system for art works
A lighting system and process for lighting objects particularly art works such as paintings and sculptures, comprising a diffusing film that scatters the light such that the object is illuminated substantially uniformly. The preferred embodiment employs one row of such lighting sources for small objects, and two or more rows for larger objects. The inner row is directed towards the top portion of the object and the outer row is directed towards the bottom portion of the object. The rows need not be placed next to each other. For 3-dimensional objects, one row may be below the object and the other row above to eliminate shadows. |
| US09134002B2 |
Vehicle lighting unit
A vehicle lighting unit can be configured such that it is difficult or impossible for an observer to visually recognize a light source, a light guide and the like through an outer lens and to suppress brightness unevenness. The vehicle lighting unit can project light outwardly through an opening portion formed in a mirror housing of a sideview mirror along a vehicle length direction and near an outer side of the sideview mirror in a vehicle width direction. The vehicle lighting unit can include: a housing provided inside the mirror housing, an outer lens inside the mirror housing so as to close the opening portion, a light source disposed in a lighting chamber at a position vertically shifted from the position of the opening portion, and a light guide disposed in the lighting chamber while shifted from the position of the opening portion toward the light source. |
| US09134001B2 |
Vehicle lamp color-changing device with swingable arm
A vehicle lamp color-changing device includes a bracket, a swinging unit mounted to the bracket and swingable about an imaginary axis, and a rotary driving unit. The swinging unit includes a colored lens and an eccentric member disposed offset from the imaginary axis. The rotary driving unit has a rotary drive mounted to the bracket, a swingable arm connected with the rotary drive, and a pulling rod connected with the swingable arm and the eccentric member pivotally. In this way, the swingable arm is drivenable by the rotary drive to drive the pulling rod to move the eccentric member and thereby cause the swinging unit to swing in a way that the colored lens is swingable between an active position and an inactive position. As a result, the vehicle lamp color-changing device responds fast and is small-sized so as to be easily arranged in the vehicle lamp. |
| US09133999B2 |
Vehicle headlamp
The present invention provides a semiconductor-type light source 2, a reflector 3, and a lens 4. The semiconductor-type light source 2 has a light emission surface 24. The reflector 3 has a first reflection surface 31 and a second reflection surface 32. The lens 4 has a plurality of convex surfaces (emission surfaces 46 and 47), a first lens portion 41, and a second lens portion 42. As a result, according to the present invention, an appropriate light distribution pattern for low beam LP can be obtained in a lamp unit. |
| US09133997B2 |
Method of controlling vehicle lamp and vehicle lamp
A vehicle lamp includes a two-dimensional image forming device, a light source, and a controller. The image forming device is disposed near a rear focal point of a projection lens and has a projection plane formed of plural optical elements arranged in a matrix manner. The light source irradiates with light the projection plane. The controller individually drives the optical elements to form, on the projection plane, an illumination pattern having a shape corresponding to a light distribution pattern projected by the projection lens ahead the vehicle lamp. The controller sets an output rate per unit time of the optical elements disposed at an end portion of the projection plane to be lower than that of the other optical elements. The light is output from the optical elements disposed at the end portion of the projection plane towards the projection lens at the output rate per unit time thereof. |
| US09133992B2 |
Portable electric candle having a lamp pendulating and rotating simulataneously
Disclosed is a portable electric candle having a lamp pendulating and rotating simultaneously, including: a lamp unit (10) having a lamp (12), a weight (18), and a permanent magnet (19), wherein the lamp unit (10) can perform a pendulating motion using both a magnetic force and a repulsive force and repeats the pendulating motion using a restoring force; a rotator (20) including a cylindrical base (22), an inner container body (24), a contact terminal (26), the electromagnet (27), a magnetized body (28), and a power supply terminal part (29); a rotator housing (30) for inducing a rotation of the rotator (20) therein; and a motion selecting switch (102) for selecting a motion of the lamp (12) so as to perform one of a rotating motion and a pendulating motion selectively or to perform both the rotating motion and the pendulating motion simultaneously. |
| US09133991B2 |
Cylindrical flashlight with antiroll device
The present invention relates to a cylindrical flashlight and a ring element for use as a roll-away safeguard of a cylindrical flashlight. In order to prevent a cylindrical flashlight from rolling away, the invention proposes a cylindrical flashlight having a ring element that is connected to the flashlight and has radially protruding elevations which have surface sections that are arranged at a distance from the surface of the cylindrical flashlight in some areas in the assembled state. Also proposed is a ring element for use as a roll-away safeguard of a cylindrical flashlight, which can be detachably connected to the flashlight and has radially protruding elevations which have surface sections that are arranged at a distance from the cylindrical surface of the flashlight in the assembled state. |
| US09133986B2 |
Rail and clip mounting for LED modules for fluorescent application replacement
In accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a mounting arrangement for use with an LED power strip module is provided. The mounting arrangement comprises one or more one frames having a first end and a second end, a first holding base configured to mate with the first end and a second holding base configured to mate with the second end, and at least one LED module having a first and second edge and comprising a plurality of LEDs, said LED module being adapted to removably attach to the one or more frames. The first and second holding bases are adapted to secure the one or more frames to an existing raceway structure. |
| US09133981B2 |
Hanger system for suspendible illuminated fixtures
A hanger system for the secured attachment of an illuminated fixture to a load bearing element is presented. The hanger system includes a crossbar, a canopy, and at least two cables. The crossbar further includes at least two sockets each having a first slot. The canopy is disposed along and contacts one side of the crossbar. The canopy further includes at least two second slots. Each first slot is separately aligned with one second slot. Each cable includes an anchor at a first end. Each anchor is rotatably disposed within one socket so that the cable extends through the first and second slots. The cable is rotatably disposed within the paired arrangement of slots. Each cable also has a second end attachable to the illuminated fixture. The hanger system could further include optional features such as a power cord or a stem. The stem may be configured in a fixed or rotational arrangement between crossbar and illuminated fixture. |
| US09133979B2 |
Support structure for an article, method of mounting the support structure, and support bracket
The invention relates to a support structure for an article. In particular, the invention relates to a support structure for mounting modular articles such as display units and the like upon a wall. The support structure comprises a support bracket (1), the support bracket having at least one opening (15), the opening being sized to accommodate a fixing (4) by which the support bracket may be secured to a wall (3), the opening being larger than the fixing whereby the position of the support bracket (1) may be adjusted relative to the fixing (4). The support structure also comprises a support element (2), the support element having a dimension (d) which is larger than the opening (15), the support element having a fixing hole (14) therethrough, the distance between the fixing hole (14) and the periphery of the support element (2) being non-uniform. The support bracket (1) has a support surface (12) adapted for engagement by the periphery of the support element (2). The invention also provides a method of mounting the support structure, and a support bracket for use in the structure and method. |
| US09133978B2 |
Mountable attachment apparatus and method
A mountable attachment apparatus and method includes an attachment shaft where the attachment shaft is at least partially tapered. A combination headless drive shaft-hang shaft is connected with the attachment shaft. The headless drive shaft-hang shaft includes a hang shaft connected to the attachment shaft and the hang shaft includes a mounting element in the hang shaft. The combination headless drive shaft-hang shaft also includes a drive shaft connected to the hang shaft and the drive shaft includes a drive element in the drive shaft. In combination the attachment shaft and the combination headless drive shaft-hang shaft form a single, rigid, undivided, straight shaft. Further, a stability plate is connected transversely between, and extending outwardly from, the attachment shaft and the hang shaft where the stability plate includes a first side facing the attachment shaft and a second side. |
| US09133976B2 |
Variable height trolley and height displaying assembly thereof
A variable height trolley and a height displaying assembly thereof, and the height displaying assembly includes a height indicator unit, a spool and an connecting unit. The height displaying assembly obtains a height of platform from a serial mechanical action between the connecting unit and the platform. The height displaying assembly uses mechanical approach to instantly show the height of the platform. |
| US09133967B2 |
Rotary union with pressure controlled seal actuator
A rotary union includes a rotating seal carrier having a rotating seal member connected thereon, and a non-rotating seal carrier having a non-rotating seal member connected thereon. A piston portion of the non-rotating seal carrier has a flow restrictor ring disposed thereon, and both are slidably and sealably disposed within a piston bore formed in a housing. A gap is formed between an outer diameter of the flow restrictor ring and an inner diameter of the piston bore. The enlarged diameter of the piston portion provides a net pneumatic or hydraulic surface that can be acted upon by a fluid at a positive or negative atmospheric pressure present within the piston bore of the housing. |
| US09133966B2 |
Joining device
A device having a first part shrink-fitted with a first shrink ring, the first shrink ring being shrink-fitted with a second shrink ring exhibiting a lower thermal expansion coefficient than a thermal expansion coefficient of the first shrink ring. |
| US09133961B2 |
Valve in particular for tanks carried by vehicles
An anti-freezing valve (1) comprises: a valve body (2) made of metal material (M), defining a passageway (5) for a liquid; an open/close member (9), mounted displaceable in the valve body (2), an anti-freezing arrangement. The valve body (2) is a valve body obtained by casting, which defines a valve seat (8), with respect to which the open/close member (9) is displaceable in a slidable manner between a raised position of opening and a lowered position of closing of the passageway (5).Embedded in the metal material (M) constituting the valve body (2) is an axially extended hollow member (13), belonging to the anti-freezing arrangement, for the passage of a thermovector fluid (F), the hollow member (13) having respective ends (14) accessible from outside the valve body (2), for connection to a circuit of the thermovector fluid (F).The valve (1) has preferred application on vehicles for the transport of liquids, in particular tankers, gully emptiers and similar vehicles for transporting waste water and sewage. |
| US09133949B2 |
Valve seat body and valve device
A valve device includes a valve body and a valve seat body. The valve seat body has a thick cylindrical shape extending in an axis line direction. The valve seat body includes a seal groove on an outer periphery thereof, the seal groove extending in a circumferential direction. The valve seat body includes a large-diameter portion and a small-diameter portion on an inner periphery thereof, the large-diameter and small-diameter portions connected to each other in the axis line direction. The valve seat body includes a valve seat portion between the large-diameter and small-diameter portions, the valve body being seated on the valve seat portion. The position of the seal groove in the axis line direction coincides with the position of the valve seat portion in the axis line direction or is located on a high-pressure side of the position of the valve seat portion in the axis line direction. |
| US09133944B2 |
Switching valve to control a fluid subject to high pressure
A switching valve, in particular for controlling a fluid subject to high pressure is described. The switching valve has at least one valve unit, which includes a valve seat element and a switching element guided movably in a guide element, wherein the valve seat element and the switching element interact to provide a switching valve function. The valve seat element and the guide element are provided in a housing. The valve seat element, the guide element and the housing form a through flow channel for the fluid to be controlled. An elastically and/or plastically deformable sealing body is provided in a fully enclosed space between the inner wall of the housing and the outer walls of the valve seat element and of the guide element. The sealing body can be subject to a predetermined pressure to seal off the through flow channel from the housing and subject the valve seat element and the guide element to an inward-directed preload. |
| US09133941B2 |
Valves having removable internal actuation mechanisms
Internal valve apparatus are described. An example internal valve includes a body having a valve seat disposed in a fluid flow passageway between an inlet and an outlet. A flow control member is operatively coupled to the body and movable between a first position to engage the valve seat to restrict fluid flow through the valve and a second position to move away from the valve seat to allow fluid flow through the valve. A removable actuator is coupled to the body and operatively coupled to the flow control member to cause the flow control member to move between the first and second positions. A portion of the removable actuator is cantilevered in the fluid flow passageway between the inlet and the outlet when the removable actuator is coupled to the body. |
| US09133940B1 |
Unidirectional labyrinth seal
A unidirectional annular labyrinth seal having flexible annular fins positioned on a circular plate near an outer edge of the circular plate wherein the fins are biased towards a center of the circular plate. Annular ribs are positioned on an end of an idler roller. The fins project into recesses formed by the annular ribs, thereby forming the unidirectional annular labyrinth seal. The annular fins engage the annular ribs when the temperature of air within an interior of the roller is similar to the temperature of air exterior to the roller, thereby closing the labyrinth seal. The flexible annular fins bend away from the annular ribs when the temperature of air within the interior of the roller is higher than that of air exterior to the roller, thereby opening the labyrinth seal and allowing heated air within the interior of the roller to escape through the labyrinth seal. |
| US09133935B2 |
Semicorrugated gasket
An elastomer sealing gasket (10) having a length (L) along a contour (C) and a cross section (S) of width (I) and of height (H) considered in a transverse plane (T) perpendicular to said length (L), wherein the cross section (S) has a geometry that is continuously varying along the length (L) of the gasket. |
| US09133933B1 |
Piston ring
A piston ring for a reciprocating compressor is disclosed, including a one-part annular sealing ring with an arcuate outer surface and having a gap between butt ends of the sealing ring. A joint seal seals the gap symmetrical, having two limbs that extend at both sides in the peripheral direction over an angular range of 20° to 180° and having a radially outwardly directed, arcuate limb outer face. The joint seal includes a contact part that extends at both sides in the peripheral direction and projects beyond the limbs in the axial direction. The sealing ring and the joint seal are adapted to each other such that, when assembled, the joint seal rests laterally against the sealing ring via a stop and runs along the gap and covers same in the peripheral direction. |
| US09133932B2 |
Pushrod connection to a journal
Reciprocating motion can be converted to rotary motion through a crankshaft and a connecting rod. In a connecting rod that is primarily in compression, two opposing connecting rods can be coupled to a single journal. Two bearing shell portions are placed over the journal with a pushrod placed over each bearing shell portion. The pushrods are normally in compression. To overcome the potentiality of the pushrods briefly being in tension, retainers can be coupled to the pushrods. Because both pushrods are coupled in-line, the width of the journal that can accommodate these pushrods is shorter than for a journal on which the two pushrods are side by side. The crankshaft can be shorter, stronger, and lighter weight. |
| US09133923B2 |
Rotary actuator
A cylinder is installed within a case. An output shaft is installed in a hollow space within the cylinder. A pair of pistons extend in an arc, and is supported so as to be able to slide and be displaced along a circumferential direction of the cylinder within the cylinder. The pair of pistons is able to urge an arm integrated with the output shaft from two sides of the arm. Pressure chambers into which a pressure medium is introduced are defined between the cylinder and each piston in the pair of pistons. The pressure medium is fed to one of the pressure chambers and drained from the other, and thus the arm is displaced, and the output shaft pivots in a rotational direction. |
| US09133920B2 |
Apparatus and method of controlling an automatic transmission throttle valve
A system for controlling a transmission throttle valve allows the transmission response to be correlated with changes in engine torque. The apparatus described herein solves the problem of older vehicles which utilize a fuel management device having a throttle lever that contains no ready attachment point for a throttle valve control device. The apparatus includes an eccentric mount which is installed on the rotatable throttle member of a the management device. The eccentric mount is positioned so as to have an axis of rotation nominally aligned with the axis of rotation of the throttle shaft. An eccentric having an attachment point for a throttle valve cable is installed on the eccentric mount, establishing a fixed mechanism so as to correlate the rate of the transmissions throttle valve travel via displacement of the cable as the throttle member rotates the eccentric. |
| US09133919B2 |
Actuator
At least a motor, a gear unit and an adjustment connection form an actuator. The gear unit is fitted with at least two mutually movable gear parts, as well as a spring acting on two of these that counteracts their movement out of an idle state. The gear unit is designed such that when an adjustment connection is blocked the motor moves the gear parts out of the idle state during operation to an operating point. In addition, the gear unit is designed such that during the movement out of the idle state it reduces the extent to which the movement is counteracted from a particular point upstream of the operating point. |
| US09133917B2 |
Automated manual transmission for vehicle
An automated manual transmission for a vehicle may include a shifting section provided with a plurality of shifting units, an input shaft, an output shaft, and a continuously variable power transfer unit disposed between a power providing device and the input and output shafts, wherein the continuously variable power transfer unit includes, a driving conical body selectively engaged to the power providing device, a driven conical body coupled to the output shaft, wherein the driving conical body and the driven conical body have mutual inclination faces correspondingly spaced from each other, and a driving member outer-engaged simultaneously with the mutual inclination faces of the driving conical body and the driven conical body. |
| US09133915B2 |
Multi-speed transmission
A transmission has an input member, an output member, at least four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes actuatable in combinations of four or more to establish a plurality of forward gear ratios and at least one reverse gear ratio. |
| US09133913B2 |
Multi-speed transmission
A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, at least four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes actuatable in combinations of three to establish a plurality of forward gear ratios and at least one reverse gear ratio. |
| US09133908B2 |
Push belt for a continuously variable transmission, comprising different types of transverse elements
A push belt (6) for a continuously variable transmission comprises transverse elements (10) of at least two different types, wherein the differences between the transverse elements (10) reside in a profile (24) which is present at pulley sheave contact surfaces (18) of the transverse elements (10). On the basis of the use of at least two different types of transverse elements (10) as mentioned, many advantages are achieved, including improved traction, reduction of wear, and noise reduction. The design of the profile (24) can be such that a pattern of voids (28) is created at a contact side of the push belt (6), which voids (28) are used for receiving oil. The pattern of voids (28) can be random, or not. In the latter case, it is possible to have a path (28) for discharging oil, extending along the contact side of the push belt (6). |
| US09133904B2 |
Torsional vibration damper
A torsional vibration damper has a drive-side transmission element; a damping device having a plurality of energy accumulators; a driven-side transmission element configured to be rotationally deflected coaxial to the drive-side transmission element and which is connected to the drive-side transmission element via the damping device; and sliding elements arranged in one of the drive-side transmission element and driven-side transmission element so as to be movable in a circumferential direction. The sliding elements have: (i) circumferential projections for the energy accumulators, these circumferential projections being directed toward adjacent sliding elements, and/or (ii) penetration spaces for circumferential projections provided at the adjacent sliding element. The energy accumulators are supported at the sliding elements, the sliding elements having in sequence in an axial direction at least one circumferential projection and/or at least one penetration space at their circumferential side which faces a sliding element adjacent in the circumferential direction. |
| US09133903B2 |
Hydroelastic fluids for fluid filled elastomeric damping devices
A vibration damping device has a first support member and a second support member. A first component and a second component are disposed between the first support member and the second support member to define a first fluid chamber and a second fluid chamber. A channel extends between the first and second chambers. During compression and extension of the vibration damping device, fluid transfers between the first and second chamber to provide a damping force for the vibration damping device. The fluid within the chambers of the vibration damping device has a fluid density in the range of 1.25 g/cm3 to 2.2 g/cm3, a fluid viscosity below 10 cSt @ 20° C. and a fluid surface tension below 40 dynes @ 20° C. |
| US09133901B2 |
Spiral air pressure spring
A spiral air pressure spring designed by the invention solves the technical problems of complex structure and low compressive strength in the current gas springs. The spiral air pressure spring comprises a spring body, and is characterized in that the spring body is formed by an air column having a pressure air containing cavity, the air column is spiral, and at least one vent hole communicated with the containing cavity is arranged on the air column. The hardness of the spiral air pressure spring is adjusted by filling pressure air, the spiral air pressure spring is particularly large in deformation stroke and good in transverse and longitudinal ventilation, is used for manufacturing mattress, sofa, massage chair, cushion and the like, and is easy to remove moisture so that the influence on human body health is eliminated; the spiral air pressure spring is convenient in hardness adjustment and wide in one-way deformation range, meets the demands on various occasions and can be adjusted in real time to enhance the comfortable level; in addition, the spiral air pressure spring is convenient for coiled package to save the transportation cost, and can be unfolded by inflation when used by a user. |
| US09133898B2 |
Heavy duty stamped spider
A brake spider for a drum brake is provided. The brake spider includes a mounting portion configured for mounting the spider to a vehicle frame and an anchor pin support portion extending from the mounting portion. The mounting portion defines an aperture centered about a first axis and configured to receive a vehicle axle extending therethrough along the first axis. The anchor pin support portion includes a pin receiving section defining a bore centered about a second axis and configured to receive an anchor pin extending therethrough along the second axis. The pin support portion further includes bracket support sections extending axially from opposite sides of the pin receiving section. The bracket support sections face one another and diverge from one another approaching the mounting portion of the spider. |
| US09133893B2 |
Clutch arrangement and actuation method
A clutch arrangement (1) for transmitting a drive torque from a drive shaft (2) to a secondary assembly, in particular to a fan wheel (11) of a motor vehicle, comprising a drive shaft (2), an output (10) and a friction disc clutch (12) which can be shifted by means of an electromagnetic arrangement (13). The clutch arrangement (1) comprises, in addition to the friction disc clutch (12) for transmitting torque from the drive shaft (2) to the output (10), a fluid friction clutch (4) whose hydraulic control valve (5) can be actuated by means of the electromagnetic arrangement (13) of the friction disc clutch (12) in order to set the slip. |
| US09133886B2 |
Constant velocity universal joint
A constant-velocity universal joint includes an outer joint member; an inner joint member arranged in an inside of the outer joint member; and torque transmitting members. At least one of the outer joint member and the inner joint member comprises track grooves that are engaged with rolling surfaces of the torque transmitting members. At least one of the components of the constant-velocity universal joint is formed of a metal sintered compact. The metal sintered compact has a relative density of 80% or more and less than 100%. The metal sintered compact comprises a hardened layer formed on a surface thereof through heat treatment. Among the components each formed of the metal sintered compact, a component having a ring shape is subjected to a cold rolling process. |
| US09133883B2 |
Coupling device for connecting rotary members
A coupling device including a first rotary member and a second rotary member are opposed and connected to each other on the same axial line, wherein a cap to cover a connection part is a cylindrical shape having a bottom wall and a protrusion insertion hole formed on the bottom wall and covers the first rotary member from a connection end-side of the first rotary member, wherein the cap is axially urged by an elastic member to bring at least one of an opening-side end face and the bottom wall of the cap into contact with an annular end face formed on the first rotary member, and wherein an accommodation chamber of the connection part is formed in the cap to reserve lubricant, and an exit of the accommodation chamber of the connection part is blocked or narrowed by a force of the elastic member. |
| US09133880B2 |
Linear motion guide unit
A lubricating member is composed of a lubricant reservoir plate of a porous compact and a lubricant-containing member of fibrous material. The lubricating member is packed in an empty space in the end cap to make sure of maintenance-free operation for lubrication over a prolonged period of time. The lubricant reservoir plate is stowed in a recess formed on an outward end surface of the end cap major body and the lubricant-containing member is placed in the space lying deeper than the recess. A packing plate is placed between the lubricant reservoir plate and the lubricant-containing member with making close engagement with an edge defining the recess on the end cap to cover entirely a whole area of the lubricant reservoir plate to seal the lubricant impregnated in the lubricant reservoir plate inside the end cap. |
| US09133878B2 |
Seal mechanism of linear guide apparatus
To improve sealability of end portions of under seal in a linear guide apparatus. A seal mechanism of the linear guide apparatus includes under seals and side seals to provide seals between a guide rail and a slider. Auxiliary lip is attached on an inner surface of an end cap and in sliding contact with the guide rail. The auxiliary lip is bent in its middle and covers the end portion of the under seal from two directions. The auxiliary lip includes an axial direction lip and an intersecting direction lip integrally formed with the axial direction lip and continuously extending from an end portion of the axial direction lip. |
| US09133874B2 |
Mounting hardware
A hardware apparatus includes a base portion formed by a disc-shaped base plate and a cylindrical member. The cylindrical member includes a first threaded surface. The disc-shaped base plate includes a first opening and the cylindrical member includes a second opening, with the first and second openings being concentric. The hardware apparatus further includes a cap portion including a second threaded surface. The cap portion is attachable to said base portion through engagement of the first and second threaded surfaces. In one implementation, the first threaded surface is an outer surface and the second threaded surface is an inner surface. In an alternative implementation, the second threaded surface is an outer surface and the first threaded surface is an inner surface. |
| US09133873B2 |
Engagement member with fastening pin and method for interconnecting two components
The invention relates to an engagement member that is adapted to be fixed in a groove of a component and to a method for interconnecting two components via an engagement member. In order to provide an engagement member and a method, which provide for an easy assembly of the engagement member in the groove, while still providing sufficient forces for interconnecting the two components, the invention provides that the engagement member comprises a fastening pin that can be pushed into a cavity of one of the two components. |
| US09133872B2 |
Tolerance compensator
TOLERANCE COMPENSATOR, of the type used to attain the fastening of two elements together that may be located at a slightly variable distance, which is utilized, for instance, in automobile vehicles and is formed, at least, by an inner nut and an outer nut, in which said inner nut can a sheet coiled on itself, it being fitted with at least two threaded perimeter sectors for said outer nut; at least one side thereof also being the support for respective retaining elements towards the inside of said inner nut that provide friction spots against said threading of said screw. |
| US09133868B2 |
Fastener with radial loading
A fastener is provided including a bolt having at least one threaded end, a first sleeve configured to fit over the bolt, and a second sleeve configured to fit over the first sleeve. At least one nut is configured to cooperate with threads in the threaded ends of the bolt. The first and second sleeves are configured to impart an outwardly radial load when the nuts are tightened on the bolt. |
| US09133866B2 |
Cylinder device with force multiplier
An output rod (2) is inserted in a housing (1) so as to be movable vertically. A first piston (21) inserted in an upper part of the housing (1) is fixed to the output rod (2), and a second piston (22) inserted in a lower part of the housing (1) is fitted on the output rod (2) so as to be movable vertically. A lock chamber (25) is arranged between the first piston (21) and the second piston (22), and a first release chamber (31) and a second release chamber (32) are arranged above the first piston (21) and below the second piston (22), respectively. Supply of a pressurized fluid into the lock chamber (25) in lock driving of the output rod (2) first causes the first piston (21) to be driven upward to drive the output rod (2) upward, and then causes the second piston (22) to be driven downward to drive the output rod (2) upward in a force-multiplying manner via a force multiplier (36). |
| US09133865B2 |
Position control apparatus
Particular embodiments of the inventive technology may be described as a position control apparatus capable of moving at least one side guide component of an item conveyance system to any of a plurality of component positions, as desired, within a component position range. The apparatus may comprise a fluidic drive system configured to drive, with a single fluidic displacement, a plurality of positioners in a first relative direction; and a bias system that includes a plurality of biasers that bias the positioners in a direction that is opposite the first relative direction. The bias system may include at least one biaser for every positioner, and the apparatus may enable adjustment of the positioners to a plurality of positions within a positioner range. The positioners may effect positioning, as desired, of the at least one component to a desired component position within the component position range. |
| US09133861B2 |
Brake servo
A pneumatic brake servo for motor vehicles having a servo housing, the interior of which is divided into at least one working chamber and at least one vacuum chamber by at least one axially movable wall which can be loaded with a pneumatic differential pressure, having a control valve which controls the differential pressure and is arranged in a control housing for connecting the working chamber to the vacuum chamber or to atmosphere. The movable wall includes a diaphragm plate and a rolling diaphragm, and the working chamber is sealed by a sealing ring which bears against the control housing and which is clamped in the radial direction in relation to a longitudinal axis of the brake servo. An actively loaded area of the movable wall is reduced by division of the working chamber into a prechamber and a main chamber to avoid stick/slip effects and reduce disruptive noises. |
| US09133850B2 |
Method for preventing surge in a dynamic compressor using adaptive preventer control system and adaptive safety margin
A method of preventing surge in a dynamic compressor is disclosed. The method includes providing an anti-surge valve having an adjustable opening for increasing the flow through a dynamic compressor. The next step is sensing process conditions in the dynamic control to determine a compressor load variable. A control system estimates a process disturbance model using the compressor load variable. The control system then adjusts a safety margin using a rate limited response and initiates a closed loop response using process feedback based on the process disturbance model. The control system adjusts the opening of the anti-surge valve according to the safety margin and closed loop response. |
| US09133849B2 |
Impeller vane with leading edge enhancement
A centrifugal pumping system having a stack of impellers and diffusers for pressurizing fluid. The impellers are rotated by a motor for pressurizing and lifting fluid from within a wellbore. Undulating profiles are provided on leading edges of the impellers for inducing turbulence in the fluid being pumped. Increasing turbulence better homogenizes the fluid, so that choked flow is avoided when different density components are present in the fluid. Reducing the possibility of choked flow increases pump efficiency and lift capacity. |
| US09133848B2 |
Turbocharger embedding an electrical machine with a DC coil
An electrical machine (20) coupled to a compressor (12) having a rotatable shaft (16), comprising: a rotor forming part of the rotatable shaft and having at least two magnetic portions (22A, 22B) separated by an inclined non-magnetic portion (24) shaft, a stator comprising a laminated magnetic iron stack (28) surrounded by a winding (30) and disposed along a periphery of the rotor to define a first annular gap (32), a ring (34) of non-magnetic material disposed around the stator, a DC coil (38) disposed around the non-magnetic ring, and a casing (40) of magnetic material disposed around the DC coil and having radial walls (40A, 40B) that project inwardly towards the rotor by defining a second annular gap (42) therebetween. |
| US09133847B2 |
Disposable magnetically-levitated centrifugal pump
A magnetically-levitated centrifugal pump comprises a pump head section and a pump section, where the pump section comprises a stator, a torque transmission disc, a motor, a displacement sensor, and a pump housing. |
| US09133845B2 |
Scroll compressor having a back pressure adjustment device
A scroll compressor includes a back pressure chamber formed at the rear of a swivel scroll to support the swivel scroll, the swivel scroll swiveling while engaging with a stationary scroll to compress a refrigerant, and a back pressure adjustment device to automatically apply first middle pressure or second middle pressure lower than the first middle pressure to the back pressure chamber based on a compression ratio. |
| US09133842B2 |
Variable displacement pump
Variable displacement oil pump for supplying oil to an internal combustion engine. Included is a cam ring having an inner peripheral section for accommodating the pump element thereinside, and an outer peripheral section having a swinging movement fulcrum. A control device for changeover controlling supply of a discharge pressure to first and second pressure chambers so the cam ring is swingingly movable to change an eccentricity amount of the cam ring relative to an axis of the rotor, wherein the first pressure receiving surface is set larger in pressure receiving area than the second pressure receiving surface, wherein a part of each of the first and second pressure chambers is disposed overlapping with the discharge region in a radial direction of the rotor, and wherein the first and second pressure chambers are disposed nearer to the swinging movement fulcrum than to the axis of the cam ring. |
| US09133840B2 |
Manual pump also capable of dispensing high pressure compressed gas cartridges
The present invention relates to a versatile manually-actuated barrel style pump also capable of controllably dispensing a compressed gas cartridge. The current invention addresses the shortcomings of the prior art dual function pumps available providing the user with a more versatile dual function barrel pump integrated with a compressed gas cartridge dispenser as well as addresses the deficiencies from the prior art dual function pumps. Compressed gas cartridge storage methods that incorporate with the pump and user ergonomics and increased user safety will also become evident. |
| US09133836B2 |
Vacuum pumping system
A vacuum pumping system comprises a primary foreline for receiving a gas stream from an outlet of a chamber, a first vacuum pump for evacuating the chamber, a second vacuum pump for evacuating the chamber, a first secondary foreline for conveying gas from the primary foreline to the first vacuum pump, a second secondary foreline for conveying gas from the primary foreline to the second vacuum pump, and valve means for selectively connecting a chosen one of the first and second secondary forelines to the primary foreline. The condition of the vacuum pumps is monitored during use. When both vacuum pumps are operating normally, the valve means is controlled to divert a first reactant-rich gas from the primary foreline into the first secondary foreline, and to divert a second reactant-rich gas from the primary foreline to the second secondary foreline, thereby inhibiting mixing of the first and second reactants within the vacuum pumps. However, in the event that the condition of one of the vacuum pumps indicates that one of the pumps is likely to fail during a current process within the chamber, the valve means is controlled to divert both the first reactant-rich gas and the second reactant-rich gas to the other vacuum pump, thereby preventing the potentially costly loss of a batch of substrates within the chamber. |
| US09133831B2 |
Foldable handle for hand pump
A hand pump includes a piston slidably engaged in a housing and coupled to a piston rod, a handle having a compartment for receiving the piston rod at an inwardly folding position and having a guiding passage formed in one of the two end portions of the handle, a stud extended from a middle portion of the handle and having a slot communicating with the passage of the handle for allowing the piston rod to be rotated relative to handle between the inwardly folding position and an outwardly working position where the piston rod is engaged in the stud and perpendicular to the handle, and a control ferrule is attached onto the piston rod for anchoring the piston rod to the housing at the outwardly working position. |
| US09133822B2 |
Horizontally-laid tangential rooftop wind power generator
The present application is directed to a horizontally-laid tangential rooftop wind power generator comprising: a generator mounted on a chassis and coupled to a tangential fan wheel or a plurality of tangential fan wheels, all housed in a cover with two long fan openings one at each of the two sides. Wind-directing panels extend outwardly from the two fan openings to form two shrouded duct openings. |
| US09133821B2 |
System and methodology for wind compression
A wind compressor system having one or more wind turbines and a plurality of wind compressors located proximate the one or more wind turbines. The wind compressors optimize the energy created by the wind turbines by redirecting and converging the wind from the wind compressor to the wind turbines. Each of the wind compressors comprises an obstruction having a size and shape adapted to converge the wind currents by means of a Venturi effect toward the one or more turbines thereby increasing the velocity and force of the wind hitting the wind turbine. A plurality of transporters coupled to the wind compressors. The transporters configured to move at least one wind compressors to a location that maximizes the force of the wind encountered by the turbine. |
| US09133819B2 |
Turbine blades and systems with forward blowing slots
A blade for use in a wind turbine comprises a pressure side and suction side meeting at a trailing edge and leading edge. The pressure side and suction side provide lift to the turbine blade upon the flow of air from the leading edge to the trailing edge and over the pressure side and suction side. The blade includes one or more openings at the suction side, in some cases between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The one or more openings are configured to provide a pressurized fluid towards the leading edge of the blade, in some cases at an angle between about 0° and 70° with respect to an axis oriented from a centerline of the blade toward the leading edge. |
| US09133812B2 |
Ignition apparatus and ignition system
An ignition apparatus which facilitates improvement in energy efficiency as well as materializing an excellent ignitability through effectively utilizing energy used for inductive discharge as a blowout power. The ignition apparatus is used for an ignition plug that includes a center electrode, a ground electrode and a cavity surrounding at least a portion of a clearance formed between the two electrodes to thereby form a discharge space. The ignition apparatus includes a voltage application portion which applies voltage to the clearance and a power supply portion which supplies electric power to the clearance. In addition, a capacitance portion for storing a capacitance is provided, in parallel with the ignition plug, in a voltage application path of the voltage application portion. |
| US09133810B2 |
Method and apparatus for starting an engine
A method of starting an engine is disclosed in which two or more starter motors are used to start the engine in an alternating sequence so as to equalize wear and reduce the wear of each starter motor by a factor equal to the number of starter motors provided. The starter motors are preferably positioned so as to minimize overlap between wear patterns produced by the starter motors on a cooperating ring gear 8 thereby extending the life of the ring gear. |
| US09133808B2 |
Fuel injection system and method for a combustion engine
Apparatus and methods for injecting gaseous fuel into a compression ignition engine are disclosed. A gaseous fuel injector includes a pintle valve and an intensifier. The pintle valve includes a pintle body defining a pintle bore therethrough, a first sealing surface disposed on a distal end of the pintle body, and a pintle disposed within the pintle bore. The pintle includes a shaft, a radially flared portion, and a second sealing surface disposed on a proximal face of the radially flared portion, such that the first sealing surface faces the second sealing surface. The intensifier includes an intensifier body defining a fuel pump chamber therein, the fuel pump chamber being fluidly coupled to a gaseous fuel supply and the pintle bore, a plunger having a distal end disposed in the fuel pump chamber, and an intensifier piston disposed on a proximal end of the plunger. |
| US09133807B2 |
Flow control system
A flow control system for a fuel injector for an internal combustion engine is provided and includes an inlet port, an outlet, a return port, a 2-way control valve including a control valve member, a shuttle valve and a main valve. The control valve includes a first seat, a first resilient arrangement configured to force the control valve member towards the seat so as to close the control valve, and a first abutment that limits the lift of the control valve member away from the first seat. The first seat of the control valve is slidably arranged in the shuttle control chamber. An end stop for the first seat is provided such that the pressure in a shuttle control chamber tends to move the first seat towards the end stop. The first seat, upon its mechanical contact with a valve member is able to transmit at least a part of the force of the resilient means onto a shuttle valve body in the opening direction of the shuttle valve. |
| US09133806B2 |
Shutdown pressure relief valve for common rail fuel system
A passive hydraulically actuated non-electric shutdown pressure relief valve relieves pressure in the high pressure volume of a low static leak common rail fuel system after shutdown. When the common rail fuel system is in operation, a transfer pump provides medium pressure to hold the shutdown pressure relief valve closed. At shutdown, the residual medium pressure downstream from the transfer pump decays back to tank, and the residual high pressure trapped in the common rail and fuel injectors pushes open the shutdown pressure relief valve to release the high pressure after back to tank. |
| US09133802B2 |
Device for sealing orifices on nozzle of fuel injector for autofrettage process
A device for sealing one or more orifices on a vessel for pressurizing fluid is provided. The device includes an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface includes one or more substantially semi-spherical protrusions corresponding to the orifices. The protrusions are configured to contact with edges of the orifices and seal the orifices. |
| US09133799B2 |
Attaching method of fuel rail assembly for direct-injection engine
An injector comprises a cylindrical body portion, a holding ring capable of centering an axial center of the injector, and a small-diameter cylindrical portion. There are provided an assembly forming step of forming a fuel rail assembly by inserting the injectors into respective cup portions via spring members for reaction force absorption, a press inserting step of pressing and inserting respective tip-side portions of the injectors by pressing pressure-receiving portions such that the respective spring members are compressed up to a middle compressive state thereof with a pressing movable apparatus which is capable of pressing the pressure-receiving portions of a fuel rail via respective pressing springs, and a fastening step of fastening plural boss portions concurrently to a cylinder head in a state in which a pressing force of the press inserting step is maintained. |
| US09133795B2 |
Engine using split flow exhaust system and methods
An engine system utilizing a split flow exhaust system for distributing different portions of exhaust gases to a turbocharger and to an EGR system and methods of controlling the flow of the exhaust gases are provided. The split flow exhaust system includes a high-pressure exhaust valve in fluid communication with a turbine of a turbocharger and a high-pressure exhaust manifold interposed therebetween. Also, a low-pressure exhaust valve is in fluid communication with an intake system and a low-pressure exhaust manifold is interposed therebetween. Initial exhaust gases expelled from the engine are delivered to the turbine while secondary exhaust gases expelled from the engine are delivered as EGR to the intake system. The flow to the turbine and the intake system is controlled using the high-pressure exhaust valves and low-pressure exhaust valves of the engine rather than an EGR valve. |
| US09133791B2 |
Carrier housing and internal combustion engine
The disclosure relates to a carrier housing for an internal combustion engine having an engine block with a V arrangement of cylinders and having a charging group, designed for two-stage charging. The carrier housing is designed to bear at least a number of components of the charging group, and is designed to be arranged on an upper face of the engine block in an intermediate space of the V arrangement. The carrier housing includes a bottom fastening mechanism for attaching the carrier housing to the upper face of the engine block, a charge air channel formed in the interior of the carrier housing for conducting the charge air of a high-pressure and/or low-pressure stage of the charging group, a cooling fluid channel formed in an interior of the carrier housing for conducting the cooling fluid of an exhaust gas recirculation of the charging group, a channel for coolant and a channel for lubricant formed in the interior of the carrier housing for the high-pressure and/or low-pressure stage of the charging group, and upper carrying elements for components of at least the high-pressure and/or low-pressure stage of the charging group. |
| US09133790B2 |
Aircraft propulsion system provided with reverse thrust means
A propulsion system has a nacelle, and inside this nacelle, a dual flow turbojet engine includes a fan case in which are located a fan and an assembly of fixed flow-rectifying vanes. This propulsion system includes a thrust inverter located between the fan and the assembly of the fixed flow-rectifying vanes. In particular, the thrust inverter includes a plurality of windows formed in the fan case and thrust inversion flaps to send back the secondary airflow toward the outside and toward the front of the nacelle, through the windows. The thrust inversion flaps pivotally move between a normal operating position in which they allow the passage of the secondary airflow and block the windows, and a thrust inversion position in which they block the passage and clear the windows. |
| US09133787B2 |
Method for estimating an instantaneous pressure value in a fuel line of a fuel injection system
A method is provided for estimating an instantaneous pressure value Pinst in a fuel line of a fuel injection system during a fuel multi-injection pattern. The method includes, but is not limited to determining a mean pressure value P inside the fuel line of the fuel injection system (15), and correcting the mean pressure value P with pressure contributions generated by the previous injections of the multi-injection pattern. |
| US09133784B2 |
Vehicle having key-based performance mode
A system or method for controlling a vehicle having a normal operating mode and a performance operating mode include detecting a removable key unique to each vehicle associated with the performance operating mode, operating the vehicle in the performance operating mode in response to detecting the removable key, and operating the vehicle in the normal operating mode otherwise. Operation in performance or track mode may include adjusting valve timing using a variable cam timing device, adjusting idle speed control, adjusting torque response, and/or enhancing engine braking. Performance mode operation may also disable one or more features, such as a transmission skip shift feature. |
| US09133783B2 |
Method and system for estimating fuel system integrity
Methods and systems are provided for operating a fuel system configured to deliver a gaseous fuel to an engine. While the engine is shutdown, diagnostic routines may be performed to identify fuel system leaks or breaches. When the engine is subsequently restarted, fuel rail pre-priming is adjusted based on the presence of fuel system leaks. |
| US09133782B1 |
System and method of multi-fuel engine control
A system controlling a multi-fuel compression ignition engine includes a crankshaft position sensor, an electronic control module for receiving an original time signal from the crankshaft position sensor and signaling the fuel injectors when to inject fuel into the combustion chamber in relation to when each piston is at top-dead-center, an injection pulse duration, and quantity and pressure under which the fuel is injected, and an electronic phase adjustor module for intercepting the time signal before it reaches the electronic control module, and when the fuel supplied to the engine is other than 100% No. 2 diesel or petroleum diesel fuel. The electronic phase adjustor module generates a revised time signal relative to time signal in terms of degrees of rotation of the crankshaft, so that when the engine is running on other than 100% No. 2 diesel or petroleum diesel fuel, harmful exhaust emissions are minimized. |
| US09133781B2 |
Vehicle integrated control device
A vehicle integrated control device that can request torque having an appropriate magnitude and change speed to be given to an engine control unit from a drive system manager. A first maximum torque and a second maximum torque are presented to a drive system manager from an engine control unit. The drive system manager refers to the first maximum torque and the second maximum torque which are presented, and determines a request torque to be given to the engine control unit. The first maximum torque is a maximum torque that can be realized when only an operation amount of a throttle is actively changed without actively changing an operation amount of a wastegate valve. The second maximum torque is a maximum torque that can be realized when both the operation amount of the throttle and the operation amount of the wastegate valve are actively changed. |
| US09133777B2 |
ISG system and control method thereof
The ISG (Idle Stop & Go) system may include a vehicle information receiving unit receiving a vehicle information, and a control unit including an ISG operation logic which performs an idle stop when a preset idle stop condition is satisfied and restarts the engine when a preset restart condition of the engine is satisfied, and an ISG deactivation determination logic which determines whether a preset ISG deactivation condition is satisfied or not, based on the accumulated number of determinations that the idle stop condition is not satisfied, the accumulated number of idle stops, and the accumulated number of determinations that a performance time of the idle stop is smaller than a preset idle stop retention time, and deactivates the ISG operation logic when the ISG deactivation condition is satisfied. |
| US09133776B2 |
Control apparatus and control method for internal-combustion engine
A control apparatus and a control method diagnose whether an internal-combustion engine is rotated in forward or reverse directions is being properly implemented. Specifically, based on a pulse width WIPOS of a rotation signal POS output by a crank angle sensor, it is determined whether a crankshaft is rotated in the forward or the reverse directions. Based on the determination of the rotating direction of the crankshaft, a counter CNTPOS, which denotes a count value of rotation signal POS, is updated. At the time of restarting the engine, counter CNTPOS is updated, using a value on counter CNTPOSz at the time of stopping the engine as an initial value. If the value on counter CNTPOS at a crank angle position determined after the starting of the engine differs from an expected value, then the function for determining the rotating direction of the crankshaft is diagnosed to be abnormal. |
| US09133775B2 |
Valvetrain fault indication systems and methods using engine misfire
A system for a vehicle includes a misfire indication module, a valve control module, and a fault indication module. The misfire indication module selectively indicates that misfire occurred within a cylinder of an engine. The valve control module controls lifting of a valve of a cylinder of the engine and, in response to the misfire indication module indicating that misfire occurred within the cylinder, transitions lifting of the valve from one of a low lift state and a high lift state to the other one of the low lift state and the high lift state. The fault indication module selectively indicates that a fault is present in a variable valve lift (VVL) mechanism of the cylinder based on whether the misfire indication module indicates that misfire occurred within the cylinder after the transition to the other one of the low lift state and the high lift state. |
| US09133770B2 |
Fuel nozzle enclosure
An enclosure assembly for enclosing a portion of a fuel delivery system of an engine, such as a portion of a fuel nozzle body that extends away from the engine, is disclosed herein. The enclosure assembly includes a nozzle body cover portion operable to enclose a fuel nozzle body. The enclosure assembly also includes a fuel line cover portion unitary with the nozzle body cover portion and operable to enclose a portion of a fuel supply line connected to the fuel nozzle body. Both the nozzle body cover portion and the fuel line cover portion are defined by a first and second half-shells operable to cooperate together in a clam shell arrangement. |
| US09133769B2 |
Connection structure of exhaust chamber, support structure of turbine, and gas turbine
In a gas turbine, an exhaust casing and an exhaust chamber are connected by an exhaust chamber support that can absorb thermal expansion, and the exhaust chamber and an exhaust duct are connected by an exhaust duct support that can absorb thermal expansion. An insulator is mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the exhaust chamber, and the exhaust chamber support and the exhaust duct support are disposed outside the insulator in the form of a plurality of strips. Because the thermal stress at a connection portion of the exhaust chamber is reduced, the durability is enhanced. |
| US09133766B2 |
Internal combustion engine
An internal combustion engine including at least one cylinder, at least one in-block camshaft, at least one overhead intake valve and at least one overhead exhaust valve, as well as at least one rocker arm bracket per cylinder, the rocker arm bracket having an in particular tubular shaft on which are mounted at least one exhaust rocker arm and at least one intake rocker arm. |
| US09133762B2 |
Drive belt tensioner for motor generator unit
A drive belt tensioner for mounting to a motor-generator unit comprises a tensioner pulley support having a centrally located pivot defining a pivot axis and first and second reaction arms extending outwardly from the centrally located pivot to define an angle therebetween. Tensioner pulleys are rotatably mounted to the second ends of each of the first and second reaction arms. The reaction arms are configured to flexibly bias the tensioner pulleys when engaged by a drive belt force to maintain a desired drive belt tension. |
| US09133761B2 |
Method of operating a supercharger
A method of operating a supercharger (10) for an automotive engine (20) is disclosed. A supercharger (10) has an input shaft (30) for coupling to a crank shaft (22) of the engine and also for coupling to the rotor of a first electrical machine (40) and the annulus of an epicyclic gear train (60). An output shaft (70) is connected to a compressor (80) and a sun gear of the epicyclic gear train (60). A carrier carrying planet gears of the epicyclic gear train (60) is connected to the rotor of a second electrical machine (50). The first electrical machine (40) is selectively operable to supply electrical energy to the second electrical machine (50). The second electrical machine (50) is selectively operable as a motor or a generator to accelerate or decelerate the compressor (80), thereby tending to increase or decrease the power output of the engine. The first electrical machine (40) is selectively operable as a motor or a generator to control the torque transmitted from the input shaft (30) back to the crank shaft (22) caused by operation of the second electrical machine (50). |
| US09133760B2 |
Brake negative pressure generating device for vehicle
A brake negative pressure generating device of a vehicle includes: an electrically-driven supercharger for drawing in, compressing, and supplying outside air; a vacuum chamber connected to an inlet opening of the electrically-driven supercharger and supplying negative pressure for brake force boosting; a negative pressure supply passage for connecting the inlet opening of the electrically-driven supercharger and the vacuum chamber; and a first negative pressure control valve for opening and closing an inlet passage. Accordingly, the electrically-driven supercharger is run to supplement brake negative force if the brake negative force is not sufficient. |
| US09133759B2 |
Systems, devices and methods for providing airflow to an air compressor
Systems, devices, and methods are disclosed for diverting a portion of intake airflow from a pressure source to an air compressor in an internal combustion engine system. The intake airflow is diverted for air compressor airflow at the intake of the pressure source before it is pressurized by the pressure source. |
| US09133758B2 |
Split-cycle air-hybrid engine with air expander and firing mode
A split-cycle air hybrid engine includes a rotatable crankshaft. A compression piston is slidably received within a compression cylinder and operatively connected to the crankshaft. An expansion piston is slidably received within an expansion cylinder and operatively connected to the crankshaft. A crossover passage interconnects the compression and expansion cylinders. The crossover passage includes a crossover compression (XovrC) valve and a crossover expansion (XovrE) valve defining a pressure chamber therebetween. An air reservoir is operatively connected to the crossover passage. An air reservoir valve selectively controls air flow into and out of the air reservoir. In an Air Expander and Firing (AEF) mode of the engine, the engine has a residual expansion ratio at XovrE valve closing of 15.7 to 1 or greater, and more preferably in the range of 15.7 to 1 and 40.8 to 1. |
| US09133756B2 |
Method for determining when cooling system is restricted
A method for determining when a cooling system for a work vehicle is restricted with debris. A first temperature difference between an inlet and an outlet of a heat exchanger is determined when the airflow though said heat exchanger is substantially unrestricted. When a subsequent temperature difference is less than the first temperature difference by a predetermined amount, the direction of the airflow is reversed to remove debris from the heat exchanger. |
| US09133754B2 |
Muffler insert for motor vehicles and method for producing same
A first aspect of the present application relates to a method for producing sound-damping, sound-absorbing and/or insulating molded material. More specifically, the method according to the invention relates to a method for producing said molded materials, wherein the fibrous material is wound around at least two carriers and subsequently the wound blank thus obtained remains on the carriers so as to be permanently solidified in order to obtain the molded material according to the invention. A further aspect of the present application concerns the molded material thus obtained, in particular in the form of molded mats or molded objects. Said molded material can be used, in particular, in mufflers. Finally, the following application concerns a device for producing said molded materials from fibrous material. |
| US09133753B2 |
Muffler having coupling of a tailpipe by means of a coupling chamber
A muffler for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine having a housing wall, having a muffler housing with at least one inlet pipe guided through the housing wall and at least one outlet pipe guided through the housing wall, wherein the inlet pipe has at least one outflow opening via which the exhaust gas can flow from the inlet pipe into the outlet pipe, whereby, within the muffler housing, at least one coupling chamber with a chamber wall is provided with a center axis, which forms a flow channel between the inlet pipe and the outlet, whereby the chamber wall encloses the inlet pipe or the outlet pipe in the receiving direction E1 with respect to the center axis and is connected only indirectly via the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe or a muffler housing intermediate wall in a form- or material-fitting manner to the housing wall, whereby the chamber wall of the coupling chamber has a diameter D and whereby the exhaust pipe has an outer diameter d, whereby for the ratio of D/d, 20/10>−D/d>=11/10 or 18/10>=D/d>=11/10 is valid. |
| US09133750B2 |
Method and system for verifying the operation of an SCR catalyst
A method and control system for a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalytic converter and an ammonia dosing module that stores ammonia in a selective catalyst reducing (SCR) catalyst and that depletes the ammonia level by discontinuing or reducing dosing. The control system also includes an SCR conversion efficiency module that determines an SCR efficiency. An SCR efficiency comparison module compares the SCR efficiency to an efficiency threshold and generates a fault indicator when the SCR efficiency is not above the efficiency threshold. |
| US09133745B2 |
Split/dual plane integrated exhaust manifold for dual scroll turbo charger
An integrated exhaust manifold for use with an internal combustion engine and dual scroll turbocharger. The integrated exhaust manifold includes a first exhaust passageway fluidly connected between a first pair of piston cylinders and the dual scroll turbocharger for transporting exhaust gas from the first pair of piston cylinders to a first input of dual scroll turbocharger. The integrated exhaust manifold includes a second exhaust passageway fluidly connected between a second pair of piston cylinders and the dual scroll turbocharger for transporting exhaust gas from the second pair of piston cylinders to a second input of the dual scroll turbocharger. The second exhaust passageway is fluidly independent from the first exhaust passageway and the first and second exhaust passageways are positioned to define a septum area therebetween. A cooling system having a septum cooling jacket is use to cool the septum area between the first and second exhaust passageways. |
| US09133744B2 |
Vehicle exhaust gas treatment apparatus
A vehicle exhaust gas treatment apparatus includes a DPF with SCR coating. An inlet piping fluidly communicates with the DPF and is positioned generally parallel to the DPF. An outlet pipe fluidly communicates with the DPF and is positioned generally parallel to the DPF. The apparatus is arranged such that exhaust gas flows through the inlet pipe in a first direction from a first inlet pipe end to a second inlet pipe end. The exhaust gas flows through the DPF in a second direction, generally parallel to and opposite to the first direction. The gas flows through the outlet pipe generally in the first direction from a first outlet pipe end to a second outlet pipe end. |
| US09133739B2 |
Method for in-situ forming of low friction coatings on engine cylinder bores
A low friction coating for an internal combustion engine and a method of forming a low friction surface on at least one of the engine's friction-sensitive components. In one form, a solid lubricant precursor additive is combined with motor oil such that upon work being performed on the combination by adjacently-interacting engine components, the solid lubricant tribochemically reacts to form a friction-reducing coating or film. In one preferred form, the coating or film is triboformed on a cylinder bore or a liner configured to fit within the bore. The reciprocating movement between the cylinder or liner and a piston and/or piston rings promotes in-situ formation of the layer after the engine has already been manufactured rather than during engine fabrication or assembly. |
| US09133736B2 |
Valve timing adjusting system
A valve timing adjusting system includes a displacement mechanism unit that displaces a camshaft rotational phase relative to a crankshaft, a locking mechanism unit that locks the rotational phase, and a control unit that controls operations of a hydraulic control valve. The control unit includes a property obtainment unit that obtains property information regarding hydraulic properties, and a lock release process completes locking release by supplying oil pressure to the locking mechanism unit for moving the rotational phase from an intermediate locked phase toward one of a retard/advance position, and then supplying oil pressure to the locking mechanism unit for moving the rotational phase toward the other of the retard/advance position; the rotational phase stands by at a predetermined position of the one of the retard/advance position past the intermediate locked phase during the lock release process, until a standby time has elapsed. |
| US09133733B2 |
Turbine detuner for recovering kinetic energy from gas turbine engine exhaust gases
A gas turbine engine test cell has a turbine detuner capable of recovering kinetic energy from exhaust gases emitted by a gas turbine engine while also detuning the exhaust flow to reduce unwanted infrasound. The gas turbine engine test cell includes a test cell building, a thrust frame for mounting the gas turbine engine, and the turbine detuner disposed downstream of the thrust frame for extracting energy from the exhaust gases of the gas turbine engine when in operation. The turbine detuner has an inlet for receiving the exhaust gases, a kinetic energy recovery mechanism (e.g. stator and rotor) for converting the kinetic energy of the exhaust gases into rotary power, and an outlet through which de-energized exhaust gases are emitted after being de-energized by the kinetic energy recovery mechanism. By eliminating the augmentor, the test cell is more compact. The turbine detuner not only reduces infrasound but also recovers otherwise wasted energy. |
| US09133731B2 |
Joint assembly
A joint assembly for securing flanges of two casings comprising a plurality of bolts, a plurality of collars and a plurality of nuts. Each bolt extends through an aperture in the first flange and an aperture in the second flange, each collar being arranged around a shank of a respective bolt and each nut being secured on a respective one of the bolts. Each collar being arranged between one of the flanges and a nut or a head of a bolt. Each collar comprises a first member and a second member, the second member being arranged at a first end of the first member. The second member being substantially U-shaped in cross-section, the second member having first and second radially inner ends and a radially outer mid portion and an axial space is defined between the first radially inner end and the second radially inner end of the second member. |
| US09133725B2 |
Axial shaft seal for a turbomachine
A turbomachine has a housing having a passage extending along an axis and an annular axially directed housing face extending radially from the passage. A shaft extending axially in the passage has an outer shaft surface radially spaced from an inner surface of the passage and forming therewith an annular axially extending gap. A radial impeller fixed to the shaft outside the housing has an axially directed and radially extending impeller face axially spaced from and confronting the radial housing face and forming therewith a radially extending gap opening into the axially extending gap. An impeller housing forms a flow space with the impeller outside the housing. The radial gap opens into the flow space. A plurality of spaced seals engaged in the radial gap between the radial faces of the housing and impeller fluidically separates the axial gap from the flow space. |
| US09133724B2 |
Turbomachine component including a cover plate
A turbomachine component includes a body having a first end that extends to a second end. One of the first and second ends includes a mounting element, and a mounting component. A cover plate is arranged at the one of the first and second ends to establish an interface region. The cover plate includes a mounting member configured to align with the mounting element, and a mounting portion configured to align with the mounting element. A fastener member is configured and disposed to cooperate with the mounting element and the mounting member to constrain the cover plate to the body along at least two axes with the interface region being devoid of a metallurgical bond. |
| US09133722B2 |
Transition duct with late injection in turbine system
A system for supplying an injection fluid to a combustor is disclosed. The system includes a transition duct comprising an inlet, an outlet, and a passage extending between the inlet and the outlet and defining a longitudinal axis, a radial axis, and a tangential axis. The outlet of the transition duct is offset from the inlet along the longitudinal axis and the tangential axis. The passage defines a combustion chamber. The system further includes a tube providing fluid communication for the injection fluid to flow through the transition duct and into the combustion chamber. |
| US09133719B2 |
Thermal barrier coating system, components coated therewith and method for applying a thermal barrier coating system to components
A thermal barrier coating system on a base material includes a bond coat layer with a lower face in direct contact with the base material and an upper face, a first ceramic layer in direct contact with the upper face of the bond coating layer and a second ceramic layer disposed on an outermost surface of the coating system and configured to be exposed to hot gas. The first ceramic layer includes a layer, combination, mixture, alloy, blend or multilayer structure of at least one of yttria-stabilized zirconia with a yttria content in a range of 6-8 wt-%, YTaO4 doped zirconia, and titania doped zirconia. The second ceramic layer includes a layer, combination, mixture, alloy, blend or multilayer structure of at least one of YTaO4 doped zirconia, titania doped zirconia, scandia stabilized zirconia, ceria containing perovskite material, yttrium aluminum garnet material, Monazite material, and spinel material. A material of the second ceramic layer is different from a material of the first ceramic layer. |
| US09133714B2 |
Titanium foil as a structural heater element
An electrothermal heater assembly, configured to be embedded inside a component for anti-icing and/or deicing the component, includes a titanium foil configured for use as a heating element, at least one reinforcement layer adjacent the titanium foil, and an adhesive configured to bond the titanium foil to the at least one reinforcement layer. The heater assembly is configured such that the titanium foil carries a structural load within the heater assembly. |
| US09133713B2 |
Gas turbine engine turbine blade airfoil profile
A turbine blade for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil that includes leading and trailing edges joined by spaced apart pressure and suction sides to provide an exterior airfoil surface extending from a platform in a radial direction to a tip. The external airfoil surface is formed in substantial conformance with multiple cross-sectional profiles of the airfoil described by a set of Cartesian coordinates set forth in Table 1. The Cartesian coordinates are provided by an axial coordinate scaled by a local axial chord. A circumferential coordinate is scaled by a local axial chord, and a span location. The local axial chord corresponds to a width of the airfoil between the leading and trailing edges at the span location. |
| US09133710B2 |
Plowing device
The invention relates to a plowing device having a plow chain which is guided inside a channel (2) having an inner radius (A1) and the chain links of which each have chain bends (5) and chain limbs (6) connecting the latter. In cross section, the chain limbs (6) each have an outside radius that extends along a chord length, wherein the inner radius (A1) of the channel (2) and the outer radius of the chain limbs (6) have a ratio of 1:0.8 to 1:1.2 in relation to one another. |
| US09133707B2 |
Reliable downhole data transmission system
A downhole signal transmission system provides electric radiofrequency signals that are coupled to electrically conductive or non-conductive fluids through electrical insulators. A plurality of signal repeaters are tuned to the frequencies of the radiofrequency signals, and a plurality of transmission lines terminated by resonance circuits are also provided such that the terminating resonance circuits resonate on the frequencies of the electric radiofrequency signals. The plurality of signal repeaters and plurality of transmission elements are arranged to be redundant such that a failure of one or more of the signal repeaters or a failure of one or more of the transmission elements does not substantially affect the operation of the data transmission system. The signal repeaters and transmission elements also are arranged such that a failure of any of the signal repeaters or a failure of any of the transmission elements is communicated to the surface. |
| US09133705B2 |
Communications module for alternate path gravel packing, and method for completing a wellbore
A communications module and methods for downhole operations having utility with production of hydrocarbon fluids from a wellbore, including at least one alternate flow channel and an electrical circuit. Generally, the electrical circuit is pre-programmed to (i) receive a signal and, in response to the received signal, deliver an actuating command signal. The communications module further has a transmitter-receiver. The communications module allows a downhole tool to be actuated within a completion interval of a wellbore without providing an electric line or a working string from the surface. The tool may be actuated in response to a reading from a sensing tool, or in response to a signal emitted in the wellbore by a downhole carrier, or information tag. |
| US09133704B2 |
Magneto-optical sensor
A magneto-optic sensor for oilfield application, the sensor (1, 1′, 101, 101′) receives an incident beam IB, IBA, IBB, IBC, IBD and comprises a polarizing element (3, 103) for providing a determined state of polarization beam and a Faraday rotator (4, 104) for providing a response beam having a modified state of polarization. The sensor provides a response beam (RB, RBA, RBB, RBC, RBD having an intensity dependent on an external magnetic field representative of a particular characteristic of a well-bore casing CC, CR applied on the Faraday rotator (4, 104). |
| US09133692B2 |
Multi-acting circulation valve
A fracturing and gravel packing tool has features that prevent well swabbing when the tool is picked up with respect to a set isolation packer. An upper or multi-acting circulation valve allows switching between the squeeze and circulation positions without risk of closing the low bottom hole pressure ball valve. The multi-acting circulation valve can prevent fluid loss to the formation when being set down with the crossover tool supported or on the reciprocating set down device and the multi-acting circulation valve is closed without risk of closing the wash pipe valve. |
| US09133690B1 |
System and method for mitigating pressure drop at subsea pump startup
Disclosed are fluid handling systems and methods for mitigating the effects of pressure drops that occur at the startup of subsea pumps associated with liquid producing reservoirs. The systems and methods are particularly useful in conjunction with subsea pumps used for producing liquids from high-pressure, low permeability hydrocarbon reservoirs. The systems and methods can mitigate damage to reservoir completions and reservoirs caused by high pressure transients downstream of the pump. A choke valve is used to restrict the flow of the liquids prior to the startup of the subsea pump. After the start of the subsea pump, the choke valve is gradually opened while a recirculation valve is gradually closed, and a full bore valve is opened. |
| US09133688B2 |
Integral multiple stage safety valves
An integral multistage safety valve is designed to provide a second level of protection should a first stage fail. The valve may be used in oil and/or gas wells. The interior portion of the multiphase safety valve is designed so as to reduce turbulence and pressure loss through the valve when the valve is in an open position. The valves may be independently operable, or operable with a single control line. The multi-stage valve reduces the number of body joints required to construct two identical valves thereby reducing cost and potential leak paths and increasing reliability of the system. |
| US09133682B2 |
Apparatus and method to remotely control fluid flow in tubular strings and wellbore annulus
A method and apparatus is disclosed for remotely and selectively controlling fluid flow through tubular string disposed within a wellbore and further control fluid flow between the tubular string inner flow passage and the annular flow passage. The present invention further discloses a method of selectively and remotely receiving and interpreting a form of command or information at a desired apparatus within the wellbore caused by the operator on earth surface. |
| US09133681B2 |
Protected retaining bands
An improved downhole tool apparatus for limiting the extrusion of a sealing elements in downhole tools that use segmented retaining assemblies, retaining shoes or retaining limiters. The apparatus provides for locating the retaining bands for the retaining assemblies in a groove on the inner surface of the retaining assembly so that the bands are protected from breaking prematurely by inadvertently contacting the wellbore, casing within a wellbore, or other object. |
| US09133675B2 |
Downhole tool and method
A work string tool to be operably associated with a weight-set packer tool uses pressure applied by fluid circulated from the surface above the weight-set packer, to deploy a hydraulic hold-down anchor mechanism above the packer to reduce the risk of unsetting during a high pressure “positive” wellbore integrity test. An axial bore of a tool tubular body houses first and second inner sleeves, and is configured to accommodate independent axial movement of the sleeves to provide multiple fluid flowpath configurations through the tool which allow use of circulation fluid pressure to circulate a ball obturator to a valve seat in a sleeve when a configuration change is required to deploy or release the anchor mechanism. |
| US09133672B2 |
Back pressure valve
A system includes a back pressure valve configured to mount in a mineral extraction system. The back pressure valve comprises a cylindrical body comprising a venting port coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body and a plunger disposed in the venting port, wherein the plunger comprises a stem that extends from the venting port into an adjacent cavity of the cylindrical body. A method of operating a valve, includes biasing a plunger to an open position, biasing a valve locking mechanism to a locked position in relation to a bore of a mineral extraction system, and biasing a plunger to a closed position. |
| US09133670B2 |
System for conveying fluid from an offshore well
The riser system of the present invention includes an external production riser for floating structures with interfaces to the dry and subsea wellheads, internal tieback riser with a special lower overshot/slipping connector for elevated temperatures. The seals can be metallic and/or non-metallic dynamic seals. Special centralizing pipe connectors and a special subsea wellhead tubing hanger are also included. This riser system avoids the penalty of pipe within pipe differential thermal growth and the resulting unwanted effects on the floating structure. This is accomplished by allowing an overshot sealing slipping connector to swallow an expanding polished rod as thermal conditions cause pipe elongation axially. When elevated temperatures fall to ambient the opposite occurs as the pipe shrinks axially. Alternatively, a system is possible where a two pipe drilling riser is needed. The internal pipe in this case would be an inner riser rather than a tubing string. |
| US09133669B1 |
System for removing a tubular
A tubular lift safety system can include a wellbore tubular removal system for removing tubulars from wellbores, which can have an upper section movable relative to a lower section. The upper section and the lower section can both have gripping members for gripping and releasing the tubulars while the upper section is moved relative to the lower section; thereby removing the tubulars from the wellbore. The upper section can have cutting devices for forming lifting holes and a saw for cutting the tubulars. A fluid source can control extension and retraction of the upper section relative to the lower section, operation of the gripping members, and operation of the saw. A remote control can monitor pressure from the fluid source. |
| US09133666B2 |
Expandable downhole tool apparatus
An expandable downhole tool apparatus includes a body adapted to be incorporated into a drill string and at least one working member moveable relative to the body between an inward deactivated position and an outwardly deployed activated position in order to engage the wall of a borehole. An activation device moves at least one working member between the inward deactivated position and outwardly deployed activated position. At least one passage is formed through the body and extends from a location on the body adjacent at least one working member to a location remote from the respective working member to enable debris accumulating underneath the respective working member to move along the passage and exit the body. |
| US09133663B2 |
Fire and smoke rated fabric door
A vertically coiling door assembly that is used for emergency egress. Upon notice of a predefined alarm state, after a delay the door deploys by gravity, stopping upon contact with an obstruction. The door may be lifted at any time without power and after a set amount of lift powered movement is triggered moving the door to a preset height, pausing the door at that height, and then resuming gravity deployment. In the total absence of power the door may still be lifted, with resumption of gravity deployment upon removal of the lifting force. |
| US09133662B2 |
Awning type solar protection device equipped with an electrical power production system
The invention relates to an awning type solar protection device equipped with an electrical power production system, the device including a flexible panel, at least one photovoltaic panel arranged on the outer face of the flexible panel, a furling tube onto which the flexible panel is rolled and a system for tensioning the flexible panel during its deployment or its furling. According to the invention, the proximal edge of the flexible panel is fixed to the furling tube by forming around said furling tube a portion which cannot be unrolled. In addition, electrical connection means are arranged in the interior of the furling tube and pass through said furling tube on the portion of the flexible panel which cannot be unrolled, said electrical connection means being hooked up to the at least one photovoltaic panel at the proximal edge of the flexible panel. |
| US09133659B2 |
Seal profile of a door seal
A door seal for a doorway in a vehicle for public passenger transportation has at least one reinforcing element coated with an elastomer, the reinforcing element having a lesser elasticity in the longitudinal direction of the seal than in the transverse direction. |
| US09133657B2 |
Cover opening-closing mechanism and sheet feeder having the same
A cover opening-closing mechanism is provided, which is configured to allow a cover to rotate around a rotational axis with respect to a housing, the cover opening-closing mechanism including a connecting member configured to connect the housing with the cover, a first contact portion disposed at the cover, and a second contact portion disposed at the housing, the second contact portion configured to contact the first contact portion of the cover so as to hold the cover in a hold position relative to the housing. |
| US09133656B2 |
Inverted constant force window balance for tilt sash
A window balance may include a shoe body with an elongate portion and an enlarged portion. The elongate portion may include at least one carrier section for supporting a coil spring and an enlarged portion may include a locking element and a cam in communication with the locking element. The width of the enlarged portion may be greater than the width of the elongate portion. The spring may rest in the carrier section and may be secured to a window jamb with a fastener or a mounting element. |
| US09133653B2 |
Closure device
A closure device is provided for opening and/or re-closing a wall element, with an unlocking/locking device for opening and re-closing the wall element. A holding device is provided by which the wall element is arranged in a first function position from which it is re-closed again or by which the wall element is arranged in a second function position, from which the wall element is openably held. A control device is provided that releases a tensioning device of the unlocking/locking device. For a first release period with which the wall element is loaded with a force in the direction of the second function position. When the wall element on actuation of an actuating device is closed or arranged in the first function position and at least locks the tensioning device after the second release period when the wall element on actuating the actuating means is opened. |
| US09133652B2 |
Tire-encircling judderbarred cable loop
A tire-encircling judderbarred cable loop is an assembly that includes a loop of steel cable partially concentrically enclosed by a thick flexible sleeve, thereby defining an enclosed judderbarred portion of the cable and an exposed hitching portion of the cable. The area of the loop is large enough to encircle a contact area of an automobile tire. The flexible sleeve and the judderbarred portion collectively possess sufficient size and hardness to impart a humanly perceptible juddering signal to a driver of the automobile when the tire rolls over the enclosed portion. When the tire rests within the loop, the loop is confined and the weight of the automobile arrests movement of any object hitched to the hitching portion of the cable. |
| US09133642B2 |
Platform assembly mobile within a cylindrical structure
The invention concerns an assembly comprising a platform assembly (100) intended to receive passengers and a cylindrical structure (200), the platform assembly being mobile within the cylindrical structure. The assembly has very high stability as well as offering the passengers strong sensations of being raised up in the open air, with minimum obstruction of a panoramic view. |
| US09133641B2 |
High-performance shear friction damper
Disclosed is a high-performance shear friction damper provided in a building construction and attenuating a vibration which is applied to the building construction due to external loads such as an earthquake or strong wind. The high-performance shear friction damper includes first and second support bodies supported to a building construction or damping rods, two prop plates fixed to the second support body and extending to surround both side surfaces of the first support body, friction plates mounted between the first support body and the prop plates, and fastening units each including a tension bolt penetrating the first support body, the friction plates and the prop plates, and a nut fastened to an end of the tension bolt, wherein the first support body has slots extending in a horizontal direction, the tension bolts extend while penetrating the slots to allow the first support body to be slidably movable in the horizontal direction with respect to the friction plates. |
| US09133639B2 |
Pool cleaning robot
A pool cleaning robot comprising: a housing; an impeller and a motor; at least one filter compartment configured for accommodating a filter unit therein; an impeller outlet formed in a housing top surface; at least one additional outlet other than the impeller outlet configured for being fluidly connected to an external suction and filtering system; at least one bottom inlet formed in said housing bottom configured for a first fluid communication with the impeller outlet via said filter unit, thereby defining a first fluid path; and at least one bottom inlet formed in said housing bottom configured for a second fluid communication with said additional outlet via a second fluid path at least partially different from the first fluid path, said second fluid path constituting a part of an external suction and filtering fluid path created when said additional outlet is fluidly connected to an external suction and filtering system. |
| US09133637B1 |
Guy/guide wire anchor protector
A guy/guide wire anchor protector is provided to protect personnel and equipment in the oil and gas field. The anchor protector has a substantially truncated pyramid shape with an opening extending between a top face and a bottom face. |
| US09133634B2 |
Scaffolding system, as well as a coupling, a ledger and a standard
A scaffolding system provided with standards each with an imaginary standard longitudinal central axis, first ledgers each with two extremities, first ledger couplings each connected at the extremity of a first ledger to the first ledger and which are configured for connecting the extremity of the first ledger to a standard, supporting projections which, viewed in the direction of the standard longitudinal central axis, are provided at regular distances on the outer surface of a said standard, wherein with a first ledger in a condition coupled to a standard, the first ledger coupling of the respective first ledger rests on a said supporting projection. Also, a coupling, a ledger and a standard intended for such a scaffolding system are disclosed. |
| US09133632B2 |
Platform support device for lifting loads or persons the height of a structure
A device supports a platform that is used to lift loads or persons the height of a structure. Together with a platform, the device includes winch-type platform-lifting elements and modular mast-forming elements. Each mast element is attached using the load platform which can be connected to the masts by: (i) the winch-type lifting elements which can be disconnected at will from the masts, and (ii) elements for temporarily blocking the movement of the platform in relation to a modular element of each mast. In this way, when the movement of the platform is blocked, a modular element can be added to, or removed from the top of the masts in accordance with the desired platform lifting height. The platform is positioned between two modular independent masts which form a lifting and guiding path. |
| US09133618B2 |
Method and system for fabricating a non load bearing partition wall
The embodiments herein disclose a method and system for fabricating a non load bearing partition wall with an internal cavity having partition. The non load bearing partition wall comprises at-least two pre-cast concrete panels arranged in back to back fashion. The pre-cast concrete panel comprises several ribs for enhancing the stiffness matrix. The two ribs are adopted at the two opposite edges of the pre-cast concrete panel and one rib is adopted at the center. The non load bearing partition wall comprises a cavity formed between the pre-cast concrete wall panels. The cavity uses the concept of monolithic property to prevent bending along the width and length, with a special method of anchorage. The panel comprises an inbuilt duct facility to add service fixtures and also to allow for modifications after installation. |
| US09133609B2 |
Mounting driver for undermounted sinks
A mounting driver for undermounting a sink to a support surface includes a support bar shaped and dimensioned for positioning between an underside of the sink and a wall of a cabinet at an angular orientation relative to the wall. The support bar includes a first end and a second end. The mounting driver also includes a mounting bracket shaped and dimensioned for fixed attachment to the wall of the cabinet, the mounting bracket including a recess shaped and dimensioned to receive the second end of support bar. With the first end of the support bar pressed against the underside of the sink, the second end of the support bar is secured within the mounting bracket rigidly secured to the wall of the cabinet. |
| US09133606B2 |
Valve box platform
A valve box platform is disclosed. The valve box platform may include a peripheral wall having a receiving surface for receiving a valve box. A first recess may be positioned within the peripheral wall. The first recess may include a knockout portion selectively disclosed therein. The peripheral wall may also include a U-shaped recess having a rounded receiving portion with the U-shaped recess being aligned with the first recess. |
| US09133599B2 |
Skid device attachable to a bucket, bucket assembly for moving material, and method of forming the skid device
A bucket assembly and a skid device and a method of manufacturing thereof has a ski-shaped member and is configured to be attachable to a front end portion of a loading bucket. Two or more skid devices can be attached to the front edge portion of the bucket to enable the bucket to move materials on the ground. Each skid device has a mounting bracket configured to be attached to the front edge portion of the bucket and has a main fastening device for securing it to the bucket and a secondary securing device comprising a retaining member that maintains the skid device on the bucket when the main fastening device becomes loose or fails. The retaining member prevents the skid device from falling off the bucket and acts as an alarm by making rattling noise. Each skid device also allows mounting of an auxiliary member that enables the bucket to carrying items longer than the width of the bucket, such as logs or posts. |
| US09133597B2 |
Foundation structure
A foundation structure for locating an object mounted on the foundation structure on a sea bed or a river bed comprises an integral buoyancy device having variable buoyancy and a rigid control surface. The integral buoyancy device is movable relative to the foundation structure to vary the position of the rigid control surface and to control the position of the center of buoyancy relative to the position of the center of gravity. This stabilizes the foundation structure during submergence and surfacing. A method for controlling the deployment and retrieval of the foundation structure is also described. |
| US09133592B2 |
Pet waste scoop assembly
A pet scoop assembly and method of use. The assembly includes a scoop member; a receptacle detachably engageable with the scoop member; and a door disposed intermediate the two. A disposable bag may line the receptacle and be clamped in place between the receptacle and scoop member. The door opens inwardly into the receptacle. When the scoop assembly is turned into a vertical orientation, the door opens by gravity or by the weight of gathered pet waste sliding onto the door. A region of the scoop member adjacent the door is angled to allow pet waste to slide readily from the scoop member into the receptacle. In a variation, the scoop member is provided with a plurality of tines that enable pet waste to be removed from surfaces such as grass. An elongate handle is provided on this scoop to allow the user to stand upright during use. |
| US09133591B2 |
End treatments and transitions for water-ballasted protection barrier arrays
An end treatment array for crash attenuation includes a transition barrier module formed of side walls, end walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall, wherein the module walls together define an enclosed interior space. The end treatment array further includes a containment impact sled having an axially extending frame. The frame has a width sufficient to contain the transition barrier module within the frame when in an assembled configuration, and has an axial length which is at least one-half the length of the transition barrier module. The frame defines an interior volume, the purpose of which is to contain a substantial portion of the transition barrier module in the assembled configuration, and to contain debris caused by destruction of the plastic barrier modules in a vehicular impact. The containment impact sled is attached to the transition barrier module. |
| US09133590B2 |
Bollards
A bollard apparatus for use as a vehicle barrier including a plurality of bollard members (15) a plurality of separate foot members (3, 401) each adapted for ground engagement by placement upon a ground or floor surface, to each of which is fixed at least one bollard member upstanding therefrom. At least one flexible coupling line (17, 404) passes from at least one foot member to at least one other foot member thereby to couple separate foot members such that impact forces inducing movement in one coupled foot member are transmissible to another coupled foot member via the at least one flexible coupling line. |
| US09133585B2 |
System of superstructures and section presenting such system of superstructures
The present invention relates to a system of superstructures carrying renewable energy means along a section comprising, or in the proximity of a circulation area and addresses the goal of minimizing the visual impact resulting from such superstructures by means of a variation of at least some of the design parameters of said superstructures or of respective renewable energy means, preferentially at least as perceived by people circulating along said section. The present invention further relates to a section, for example of a traffic infrastructure, presenting such system of superstructures. |
| US09133584B2 |
Method of preparing a treated article and treated article formed therefrom
A method of preparing a treated article comprises the step of providing a slurry comprising fibers. The method further comprises the step of combining the slurry and a first fluorinated composition to form a mixture. In addition, the method comprises the step of forming at least one sheet from the mixture. Finally, the method comprises the step of applying a second fluorinated composition on at least one surface of the at least one sheet to prepare the treated article. |
| US09133581B2 |
Non-cementitious compositions comprising vaterite and methods thereof
Non-cementitious compositions and products are provided. The compositions of the invention include a carbonate additive comprising vaterite such as reactive vaterite. Additional aspects of the invention include methods of making and using the non-cementitious compositions and products. |
| US09133580B2 |
Method for modernizing a multiroll calender, in particular for modernizing a supercalender and a modernized multiroll calender, in particular a modernized supercalender
A method for modernizing a existing multiroll calender, having at least one stack of calender rolls (10, 20), each stack comprising at least two calender rolls (11, 12, 13, 14, 21, 22, 23, 24) and at least one of the calender rolls being a smooth-surfaced press-roll (12, 22). In an existing multiroll calender the smooth-surfaced press roll (12, 22) is replaced by an ultra thermo roll that is a thermo roll with a diameter substantially the same or less than the thermo roll to be replaced, so that the surface temperature of the ultra thermo roll when heated is at least 110° C., and has at least 10° C. higher than the surface temperature of the existing roll with the same heating fluid temperature and having flow channels arranged in such a way that vibration excitation is minimized, by being arranged to form a spiral geometry in the mantle. |
| US09133576B2 |
Detergent supply apparatus and washing machine
A washing machine according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a washing tub that washes laundry; a storage drawer provided under the washing tub; a detergent bottle seat provided inside of the storage drawer, a detachable detergent bottle containing a liquid detergent being seated on the detergent bottle seat; a detergent bottle connecting part connected to the detergent bottle, the liquid detergent flowing into through the detergent bottle connecting part; and a detergent pump that supplies the liquid detergent to the washing tub. |
| US09133574B2 |
Washing machine
There is disclosed a washing machine including a spouting module with a variable spouting direction. The washing machine includes a cabinet forming an external appearance, an accommodating module arranged in the cabinet and including an accommodating case in which a space for accommodating laundry is formed, spouting units formed in a horizontal direction and arranged in the accommodating case to spout water, and a driving unit for having the spouting units perform reciprocating rotational motions. |
| US09133568B2 |
Lignin/polyacrylonitrile-containing dopes, fibers, and methods of making same
The invention relates to a process for preparing a composition comprising 10 to 45% of the total solids weight lignin, polyacrylonitrile or a polyacrylonitrile copolymer, and a solvent to form a lignin-based polyacrylonitrile-containing dope and the resulting products. The dope can be processed to produce fibers, including precursor, oxidized and carbonized fibers. The oxidized fibers are of value for their flame resistant properties and carbonized fibers are suitable for use in applications requiring high strength fibers, or to be used to form composite materials. |
| US09133560B2 |
Electroplating composition for coating a substrate surface with a metal
The object of the present invention is an electroplating composition intended in particular for coating a copper-diffusion barrier layer with a seed layer, This composition comprises a source of copper ions, in a concentration of between 0.4 and 40mM; at least one copper complexing agent chosen from the group of primary aliphatic amines, secondary aliphatic amines, tertiary aliphatic amines, aromatic amines, nitrogen heterocycles and oximes; the copper/complexing agent(s) molar ratio being between 0.1 and 2.5, preferably between 0.3 and 1.3; and the pH of the composition being less than 7, preferably between 3.5 and 6.5. |
| US09133558B2 |
Method for producing anodized film
A method for manufacturing an anodized film according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of: (a) providing a multilayer structure that includes a base, a sacrificial layer which is provided on the base and which contains aluminum, and an aluminum layer which is provided on a surface of the sacrificial layer; (b) partially anodizing the aluminum layer to form a porous alumina layer which has a plurality of minute recessed portions; and (c) after step (b), separating the porous alumina layer from the multilayer structure. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a self-supporting anodized film which includes a porous alumina layer can be manufactured more conveniently as compared with the conventional methods. |
| US09133555B2 |
Electrolytic cell stack with proton exchange membrane interlock sealing gasket
An electrolytic cell employs a plastic molded frame component with raised ridges on one surface to create seal with a proton exchange membrane and on the opposite surface a groove with an interlocking feature for accepting a tabbed elastomer gasket. The gasket and frame design when combined with a proton exchange membrane can be stacked in multiple layers using mechanical hardware. The frame captures the softer elastomeric sealing material preventing elastomeric creep and loss of positive seal caused by the relaxation of mechanical hardware under load and internal pressure fluctuations. The addition of the ridged sealing surface provides positive surface contact with the polymeric membrane to further prevent the loss of seal under mechanical load. The interlocking feature reduces assembly time and improves assembly accuracy. |
| US09133553B2 |
Externally-reinforced water electrolyzer module
A structural plate with external reinforcing means is provided for an electrolyzer module. The structural plate defines at least one degassing chamber and a half cell chamber opening. The external reinforcing means contact the structural plate for mitigating outward displacement of the structural plate in response to fluid pressure within the structural plate. The structural plate and the external reinforcing means define interlocking features for achieving contact and corresponding mechanical reinforcement. |
| US09133552B2 |
Electrolytic cell and method of use thereof
In one embodiment of the present invention an electrolytic cell is provided comprising a containment vessel; a first electrode; a second electrode; a source of electrical current in electrical communication with the first electrode and the second electrode; an electrolyte in fluid communication with the first electrode and the second electrode; a gas, wherein the gas is formed during electrolysis at or near the first electrode; and a separator; wherein the separator includes an inclined surface to direct flow of the electrolyte and the gas due to a difference between density of the electrolyte and the combined density of the electrolyte and the gas such that the gas substantially flows in a direction distal to the second electrode. |
| US09133549B2 |
Gas sensor using metal oxide nanoparticles, and method for manufacturing same
The present invention provides a gas sensor, including: a sensor substrate provided with an electrode; and a thin layer of sensor material formed by spraying a solution in which metal oxide nanoparticles are dispersed onto the sensor substrate. The gas sensor is advantageous in that a sensor material is formed into a porous thin layer containing metal oxide nanoparticles having a large specific surface area, thus realizing high sensitivity on the ppb scale and a high reaction rate. Further, the gas sensor is advantageous in that it can be manufactured at room temperature, and the thickness of a sensor material can be easily adjusted by adjusting the spray time, so that a thin gas sensor or a thick gas sensor can be easily manufactured. |
| US09133541B2 |
Article including environmental barrier coating system
An enhanced environmental barrier coating for a silicon containing substrate. The enhanced barrier coating may include a bond coat doped with at least one of an alkali metal oxide and an alkali earth metal oxide. The enhanced barrier coating may include a composite mullite bond coat including BSAS and another distinct second phase oxide applied over said surface. |
| US09133539B2 |
Method and equipment for shaping a cast component
A method for shaping a component cast from a titanium alloy including firstly heating the component to a plastic temperature such that it becomes plastically deformable and subsequently subjecting the component to a deformation process to thereby plastically deform the component to a desired geometric shape. |
| US09133536B2 |
Galvannealed steel sheet and producing method thereof
A galvannealed steel sheet includes: a steel sheet; a galvannealed layer which is formed on at least one surface of the steel sheet and includes Al, Fe, and the balance composed of Zn and inevitable impurities; and a composite oxide layer of Mn, Zn, and P which is formed on the surface of the galvannealed layer, includes Mn, P, and Zn, and has the P/Mn ratio of equal to or higher than 0.3 and equal to or lower than 50. The galvannealed layer includes a flat portion having an area ratio of equal to or higher than 10% and equal to or lower than 70% and a rough portion which is at a position closer to the steel sheet than the flat portion at the interface of the galvannealed layer and the composite oxide layer 5. The composite oxide layer of Mn, Zn, and P contains an amorphous compound. |
| US09133530B2 |
High magnetic hardening assembly and method
The present invention relates to an apparatus, system and method for heat treating metal parts that are stacked together and moved through an induction heating system and quench system. The present invention is specifically directed to an Induction Thermo Magnetic Processing (ITMP) apparatus, method and system which uses a magnetic field processing with induction high-frequency heat treatment to process metal components so as to inductively hardening materials. |
| US09133527B2 |
Cell wall protein CwpV (CD0514) as a diagnostic marker for Clostridium difficile ribotype 027
Accurate and rapid differentiation of the outbreak strain ribotype 027 from other possible Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) strains, using stool samples, facilitates decision making for treatment options. Cell wall protein V (CwpV) contains a cell wall binding domain conserved among C. difficile strains and a variable domain which is antigenically different among C. difficile strains. In embodiments, antibodies against the 027-specific region in CwpV are used in diagnostic tests to detect ribotype 027 in culture or fecal samples. |
| US09133522B2 |
Compositions and methods for the diagnosis and prognosis of mesothelioma
The present invention provides nucleic acid sequences that are used for identification and diagnosis of specific cancers. The nucleic acid sequences can also be used for prognosis evaluation of a subject based on the expression profile of a biological sample. |
| US09133521B2 |
Composition for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease using methylation status of HMOX1 gene and method for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease using the same
The present invention relates to a diagnostic composition for Alzheimer's disease which includes an agent measuring the methylation level of HMOX1 gene promoter, a diagnostic kit and a method for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease using the same. |
| US09133518B2 |
Method for determining predisposition to pulmonary infection
Provided herein are methods and materials for diagnosing a subject's predisposition for pulmonary infection in a CF subject by detecting a pulmonary infection genetic marker. Pulmonary infection markers have been identified in the IL-1 gene cluster and may be useful in predicting CF disease progression and assessing a CF subject's response to therapy. |
| US09133516B2 |
Methods for identification of alleles using allele-specific primers for amplification
The invention provides a method for identification of alleles. In this method, genomic DNA is used as target. Multiple allele-specific PCR amplification are carried out with a group of primers comprising one or more allele-specific primers for a target gene, a universal primer, and a common primer; and a DNA polymerase without 5′ to 3′ exonuclease activity. The PCR products are hybridized with tag probes immobilized on a DNA chip. Results are determined based on the signal intensity and the position of the probe immobilized on the array. Each allele-specific primer comprises a unique tag sequence at the 5′ end. Each tag probe immobilized on the DNA chip comprises a sequence identical to its corresponding tag sequence; and each tag probe hybridizes only with the complementary sequence in the PCR amplification product. |
| US09133515B2 |
Use of VEGFR1 as a biomarker
The present invention is related to the use of VEGFR1 or of a nucleic acid coding for VEGFR1 as a biomarker in a method for the treatment of a subject, wherein the method for the treatment comprises administering to the subject a PKN3 inhibitor. |
| US09133514B2 |
Method for identifying or detecting genomic rearrangements in a biological sample
A method for detection, visualization and/or comparison of polynucleotide sequences of interest using specially designed sets of long and short probes that enhance resolution and simplify visualization and detection. Probe compositions useful for practicing this method and procedures for identifying useful probes and probe combinations. These methods are useful for the detection of genomic rearrangements, especially those associated with various diseases, disorders and conditions including cancer or for assessment of genomic rearrangements associated with therapy. The probe compositions may be used in kits for detection of genetic rearrangements or in companion diagnostic products or kits, such as kits for the diagnosis or assessment of predisposition to cancer such as colorectal cancer. |
| US09133507B2 |
Apparatus and method for processing biological samples and a reservoir therefor
An apparatus for processing at least one biological sample accommodated on at least one carrier member (15) in a chamber includes, at least one reservoir (18) able to accommodate a fluid on a surface inside the chamber adjacent to and/or facing a substantial part of the at least one biological sample. The apparatus may comprise a bottom member (12) arranged to support at least one carrier member (15) carrying at least one biological sample and a lid (14) including at least one fluid reservoir (18). The reservoir filled with water provides humidity to the chamber and impedes drying out of the sample. |
| US09133504B2 |
Real time microarrays
This invention provides methods and systems for measuring the binding of analytes in solution to probes bound to surfaces in real-time. The method involves contacting a fluid volume having a plurality of different analytes with a solid substrate having a plurality of different probes. The probes are capable of specifically binding to the analytes. The method also involves measuring signals at multiple time points while the fluid volume is in contact with the substrate. The signals measured at multiple time points can be correlated with the amount of binding of the analytes with the probes. The method eliminates the need to wash the probes before measuring the binding characteristics. |
| US09133503B2 |
Kits for detection of nucleic acids
The present invention relates to compositions and methods for the detection and characterization of small nucleic acid molecules (e.g., RNA (e.g., small RNAs such as micro RNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs)) and other short nucleic acid molecules). More particularly, the present invention relates to methods for the detection and quantification of RNA expression. The present invention further provides for the detection of miRNA and siRNA variants. |
| US09133502B2 |
Methods and kits for synthesis of siRNA expression cassettes
Amplification-based methods and kits for rapidly producing siRNA expression cassettes are provided. Also provided are methods for expressing amplified siRNA expression cassettes in cells. |
| US09133501B2 |
Analysis of direct factor Xa inhibitors
The present invention relates to a method for detecting at least one direct factor Xa inhibitor in a sample other than citrate plasma, comprising the step of mixing a sample containing a factor Xa inhibitor with a composition containing factor Xa under conditions which allow the factor Xa to release a detectable substance from a chromogenic substrate. |
| US09133498B2 |
Rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing system based on bacterial immobilization using gelling agent, antibiotic diffusion and tracking of single bacterial cells
A testing method is disclosed. The testing method includes: providing a mixture solution of a gelling agent and a microbe to a gelling device; solidifying the mixture solution to form a solid thin film in which the microbe is immobilized; supplying a bioactive agent to the solid thin film and allowing the bioactive agent to diffuse into the solid thin film; and imaging the individual responses of the single microbial cells to the bioactive agent, and determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the bioactive agent based on the analysis of the images to obtain AST results. |
| US09133497B2 |
Systems and methods for detection of cells using engineered transduction particles
Systems and methods for detecting and/or identifying target cells (e.g., bacteria) using engineered transduction particles are described herein. In some embodiments, a method includes mixing a quantity of transduction particles within a sample. The transduction particles are associated with a target cell. The transduction particles are non-replicative, and are engineered to include a nucleic acid molecule formulated to cause the target cell to produce a series of reporter molecules. The sample and the transduction particles are maintained to express the series of the reporter molecules when target cell is present in the sample. A signal associated with a quantity of the reporter molecules is received. In some embodiments, a magnitude of the signal is independent from a quantity of the transduction particle above a predetermined quantity. |
| US09133486B2 |
Hydrogenase fusion protein for improved hydrogen production
Compositions of a fusion protein comprising a spatially tethered ferredoxin-NADP-reductase (FNR) and an active [FeFe] hydrogenase, genetic sequences encoding such fusion proteins, and methods of use thereof are provided. The fusion proteins of the invention link an FNR polypeptide to an active [FeFe] hydrogenase through a polypeptide linker. The fusion protein facilitates improved electron transfer through a ferredoxin, and allows direct electron transfer from NADPH to the hydrogenase. |
| US09133484B2 |
Transfection agent
A transfection agent is provided that has lower toxicity and can be applied in the clinical setting. The transfection agent comprises a peptide surfactant. |
| US09133479B2 |
Effective vector platform for gene transfer and gene therapy
The invention relates to the discovery that mutations of serine residues of an AAV capsid results in significantly greater transfection efficiency than the wild type AAV2 virus. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of improving efficiency of gene transfer and/or gene therapy to a cell by inhibiting phosphorylation of one or more serine residues of a virus capsid protein, where the inhibition of the phosphorylation of one or more serine residues results in a decrease of ubiquitination of the virus capsid protein in the cell. In another embodiment, one of the one or more serine residues is Serine 264. In another embodiment, the Serine 264 residue is mutated to Alanine (S 264 A). |
| US09133478B2 |
Modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) virus recombinants comprising heterologous coding sequences inserted into the intergenic regions between essential genes
The present invention relates to new insertion sites useful for the integration of exogenous sequences into an intergenic region (IGR) of a vaccinia virus genome, where the IGR is located between or is flanked by two adjacent open reading frames (ORFs) of the vaccinia virus genome, and where the ORFs correspond to conserved genes, and to related plasmid vectors useful to insert exogenous DNA into the genome of a vaccinia virus, and further to recombinant vaccinia viruses comprising an exogenous sequence inserted into said new insertion site as a medicine or vaccine. |
| US09133469B1 |
Methods for increasing renewable oil production
Methods of increasing renewable oil production are provided and include transforming a plant cell with an isolated nucleic acid encoding a Vernonia galamensis diacylglycerol acyltransferase (VgDGAT) polypeptide, where the expression of the VgDGAT polypeptide increases an amount of renewable oil in the plant. Transgenic plant cells comprising an isolated nucleic acid encoding a Vernonia galamensis diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (VgDGAT1) polypeptide are further provided. |
| US09133466B2 |
Method for isolation of transcription termination sequences
The invention relates to efficient, high-throughput methods, systems, and DNA constructs for identification and isolation of transcription termination sequences. The invention relates further to specific terminator sequences identified by said methods isolated from rice. |
| US09133465B2 |
Production of polyunsaturated fatty acids in oleaginous yeasts
The present invention relates to methods for the production of ω-3 and/or ω-6 fatty acids in oleaginous yeast. Thus, desaturases and elongases able to catalyze the conversion of linoleic acid (LA) to γ-linolenic acid (GLA); α-linoleic acid (ALA) to stearidonic acid (STA); GLA to dihomo-γ-linoleic acid (DGLA); STA to eicosatetraenoic acid (ETA); DGLA to arachidonic acid (ARA); ETA to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA); DGLA to ETA; EPA to docosapentaenoic acid (DPA); and ARA to EPA have been introduced into the genome of Yarrowia for synthesis of ARA and EPA. |
| US09133463B2 |
Engineering microorganisms
The present disclosure provides, inter alia, Thraustochytrium and relevant methods and reagents, including engineered regulatory sequences from and/or operative in Thraustochytrid or Thraustochytrium, selectable markers useful for engineering microorganisms such as Thraustochytrids, methods for mutagenizing microorganisms, novel strains produced by mutagenesis and methods and compositions related to production of particular compounds in microorganisms. |
| US09133462B2 |
dsRNA for treating viral infection
The invention relates to double-stranded ribonucleic acids (dsRNAs) targeting gene expression of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase (PI4K), in particular human phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase, catalytic, beta polypeptide (PIK4CB) or human phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase, catalytic, alpha polypeptide (PIK4CA), and their use for treating infection by positive stranded RNA viruses such as hepatitis C virus (HCV). Each dsRNA comprises an antisense strand having a nucleotide sequence which is less that 30 nucleotides in length, generally 19-25 nucleotides in length, and which is substantially complementary to at least a part of the PIK4CB or PIK4CA target mRNA. A plurality of such dsRNA may be employed to provide therapeutic benefit. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the dsRNA together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and including a delivery modality such as fully encapsulated liposomes or lipid complexes. The invention further includes methods for treating diseases caused by positive stranded RNA virus infection using the pharmaceutical compositions; and methods for inhibiting the propogation of positive stranded RNA viruses in and between cells. |
| US09133459B2 |
Therapeutic RNA interference technology targeted to the PDX-1 oncogene in PDX-1 expressing neuroendocrine tumors
A bifunctional shRNA-based composition and methods for knocking down the expression of the PDX-1 oncogene in target cells is described herein. The invention also provides methods to deliver the shRNA-containing expression vectors to target tissues overexpressing the PDX-1 oncogene. |
| US09133456B2 |
Treatment of antiviral gene related diseases by inhibition of natural antisense transcript to an antiviral gene
The present invention relates to antisense oligonucleotides that modulate the expression of and/or function of an Antiviral gene, in particular, by targeting natural antisense polynucleotides of an Antiviral gene. The invention also relates to the identification of these antisense oligonucleotides and their use in treating diseases and disorders associated with the expression of Antiviral genes. |
| US09133450B2 |
Thermostable enzymes and methods of making and using the same
Provided herein are compositions and methods for enhancing enzyme activity, half-life and/or thermostability. Also provided herein are compositions and methods including the enhanced enzymes. Also provided herein are methods and compositions related to improved pectinolytic enzymes, such as pectate lyase, which exhibit enhanced activity, thermostability and/or longer half-life. |
| US09133449B2 |
Mutant pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase, and method for production of protein having non-natural amino acid integrated therein by using the same
Method for incorporating a lysine derivative (particularly an Nε-benzyloxycarbonyl-lysine (Z-Lys) derivative) having useful functional group such as heavy atom, selenium, reactive functional group, fluorescent group or crosslinker, which is suitable as a non-natural amino acid, into a desired protein in a site-specific manner. A mutant pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase has substitution of at least one amino acid residue selected from tyrosine residue at position 306, leucine residue at position 309 and cysteine residue at position 348 each constituting a pyrrolysine-binding site in the amino acid sequence for pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase of SEQ ID NO:2. The substitution of the amino acid residue is: of tyrosine residue at position 306 by glycine or alanine residue, of leucine residue at position 309 by glycine or alanine residue, and/or of a cysteine residue at position 348 by valine, serine or alanine residue. |
| US09133440B2 |
Generation of new pancreatic beta cells
The present invention relates to novel therapies for treatment of new and existing type 1 and type 2 diabetes, PreDiabetes, Latent Autoimmune Diabetes of Adulthood, and diseases of insulin deficiency, beta cell deficiency, insulin resistance and impaired glucose metabolism. In particular, the present invention identifies common peptides within the human Reg1a, Reg1b, Reg3a and Reg4, as signaling peptides for beta cell generation acting through the human Reg Receptor on the surface of human pancreatic extra-islet tissue. This invention identifies a specific binding region of the Reg Receptor from which peptidomimetics and stimulating antibodies have been developed for the generation of new beta cells which may be administered directly to patients with said conditions including type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, PreDiabetes and other conditions of beta cell deficiency, and provides specific methodology for protecting new beta cells generated for usage in type 1 diabetes and Latent Autoimmune Diabetes of Adulthood. This invention also provides for ex-vivo generation and delivery of beta cells utilizing the inventions described within. |
| US09133437B2 |
Cell proliferation-promoting peptide and use thereof
A method for manufacturing at least one kind of eukaryotic cells or a biosynthetic substance derived from the eukaryotic cells by proliferating the cells, which includes preparing an artificially synthesized peptide for promoting proliferation of the at least one kind of eukaryotic cells, incubating the eukaryotic cells in a culture medium, and adding the synthesized peptide at least once to the culture medium during the incubation process. The synthesized peptide includes an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 18, and an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOS: 19 to 97. |
| US09133436B2 |
ICOS critically regulates the expansion and function of inflammatory human Th17 cells
The invention includes compositions and methods for generating and expanding therapeutic Th17 cells. The invention includes contacting T cells with a composition comprising a first agent that is capable of providing a primary activation signal to T cells and a second agent that is capable of activating ICOS on T cells in the presence of Th-17 polarizing agents. |
| US09133430B2 |
Apparatus for production of biogas by digestion of organic material
An apparatus for production of a biogas by anaerobic digestion of organic material, the apparatus comprising: a digester chamber defining: a gas generating zone and a gas collecting zone. A biogas outlet is defined in the gas collecting zone, and one or more nozzles is/are arranged to spray a gas cooling liquid into the gas accommodated in the gas collecting zone so as to cool the gas. A collecting member is arranged in the gas collecting zone to collect the gas cooling liquid when sprayed from the one or more nozzles towards the collecting member so as to prevent the gas cooling liquid from entering the organic material. The collecting member is arranged to cause the collected gas cooling liquid to flow into a liquid based safety valve. |
| US09133429B2 |
High throughput multiwell system for culturing 3D tissue constructs in-vitro or in-vivo, method for producing said multiwell system and methods for preparing 3D tissue constructs from cells using said multiwell system
The invention relates to a multiwell system, characterized that said multiwell system having at least 3 wells, wherein said wells have a volume between 0.125 and 4.0 mm3. |
| US09133427B2 |
Barley with low levels of hordeins
The present invention relates to methods of producing a food or malt-base beverage suitable for consumption by a subject with Coeliac's disease. In particular, the present invention relates to methods of producing a food or malt-based beverage with low levels of hordeins. Also provided are barley plants which produce grain that can be used in the methods of the invention. |
| US09133424B2 |
Stabilization and activation of protease for use at high temperature
Methods for use of select organic compounds for the activation and stabilization of thermally labile enzymes, including proteases, are disclosed. The invention further relates to compositions of certain organic compounds with enzymes to enable the use of such enzymes at high temperature conditions, such as for warewash temperatures and conditions. In particular, organic activator-stabilizers including heat-deactivated proteases and zwitterionic materials are combined with enzymes according to the invention. As a result, the invention provides enzyme cleaning efficacy for various high temperature conditions, including warewash applications. |
| US09133422B2 |
Sulfonic group-containing, maleic acid-based, water-soluble copolymer aqueous solution and powder obtained by drying the aqueous solution
Provided is a copolymer aqueous solution which exerts a high calcium carbonate-deposition suppressing ability even under high hardness condition, has excellent storage stability, and suppresses coloring of a detergent to yellow even when used as a detergent raw material. The water-soluble copolymer aqueous solution includes a water-soluble copolymer and hydrogen peroxide as essential components, in which: the water-soluble copolymer at least includes, as its structure, a structural unit originating from a monoethylenic unsaturated dicarboxylic acid (or dicarboxylate) monomer having 4 to 6 carbon atoms or its anhydride (a) at 30 to 60 mol %, a structural unit originating from a monoethylenic unsaturated monocarboxylic acid (or monocarboxylate) monomer having 3 to 8 carbon atoms (b), and a structural unit originating from a monoethylenic unsaturated monomer having a sulfonic (or sulfonate) group (c); the water-soluble copolymer has a weight average molecular weight of 1,000 or more and 50,000 or less; the water-soluble copolymer aqueous solution has a weight ratio of the hydrogen peroxide of 10 ppm to 50,000 ppm with respect to a solid content of the water-soluble copolymer aqueous solution; and the water-soluble copolymer aqueous solution has a weight ratio of water of 33% to 99%. |
| US09133421B2 |
Compositions comprising anti-foams
The present application relates to compositions comprising anti-foams and methods of making and using such compositions. Such compositions encompass consumer products, cleaning and/or treatment compositions, fabric care composition and liquid laundry detergents that provide the desired suds profile via the addition of an antifoamer, yet are stable. |
| US09133419B2 |
Reduction or removal of chlorhexidine and/or avobenzone from fabric materials
A method for removing chlorhexidine and/or avobenzone from fabric materials utilizes an acidic detergent composition including phosphoric acid and a surfactant in a flush cycle of a washing machine adapted to perform separate flush, wash, and bleaching cycles. The acidic detergent composition is present in the flush solution in a sufficient quantity to provide a pH less than about 5 and, advantageously, above about 2. The acidic detergent composition is advantageously substantially free of a chlorine-based oxidant. |
| US09133418B1 |
Non-silicated high alkaline cleaner with aluminum protection
Warewashing detergents suitable for dishwashing, immersion or dipping cleaning, and hard surface cleaning are disclosed for use on hard surfaces, including for example alkaline sensitive metals, such as aluminum or aluminum containing alloys. Alkaline compositions of a mixture of phosphono ethane carboxylates phosphono oligomers and methods employing the same are disclosed. The compositions eliminate the use of highly abrasive silicates, while retaining cleaning performance and corrosion prevention. The compositions according to the invention prevent the corrosive effect of highly alkaline compositions on aluminum or aluminum containing alloys. |
| US09133413B2 |
Viscosity index improvers for lubricating oil compositions
Polymers suitable for use as a viscosity index improver for lubricating oil compositions including linear polymers characterized by the formula: D′-PA-D″; and star polymers characterized by the formula: (D′-PA-D″)n-X; wherein D′ represents an “outer” block derived from diene having a number average molecular weight of from about 10,000 to about 120,000 daltons; PA represents a block derived from monoalkenyl arene having a number average molecular weight of from about 10,000 to about 50,000 daltons; D″ represents an inner random derived from diene having a number average molecular weight of from about 5,000 to about 60,000 daltons; n represents the average number of arms per star polymer formed by the reaction of 2 or more moles of a polyalkenyl coupling agent per mole of arms; and X represents a nucleus of a polyalkenyl coupling agent. |
| US09133412B2 |
Activated gaseous species for improved lubrication
The present application is directed to methods and devices for altering material properties of lubricants and other cross-linkable compounds comprising organic or organometallic materials through exposure to energized gaseous species. The energized gaseous species may create reactive sites among lubricant molecules that may alter their material properties by cross-linking at least a portion of the lubricant molecules. The cross-linked lubricant may reduce the ability of the lubricant to migrate away when force is applied between lubricated sliding friction surfaces. |
| US09133408B2 |
Reducing sulfur gas emissions resulting from the burning of carbonaceous fuels
A method of reducing sulfur emissions by applying remediation materials in a powder sorbent onto coal and combusting the coal with the materials applied. The powder sorbent contain sources of silicon, aluminum, calcium, iron, and magnesium, and ash from combustion contains the captured sulfur. |
| US09133407B2 |
Systems and processes for removing volatile degradation products produced in gas purification
Systems and process for volatile degradation removal from amine plant wash water are provided. The systems and processes include a separation device disposed within a water circulation loop and configured to continuously remove at least a portion of the volatile degradation products from the wash solutions. The separation device can be configured for stripping, distillation, and/or extraction of the volatile degradation products from at least a fraction of the spent wash water. Optionally, a chemical agent can be reacted with the volatile degradation products to form heat stable salts for subsequent removal. |
| US09133406B2 |
Production of fatty acid derivatives
Methods and compositions for producing fatty acid derivatives, for example, fatty esters, and commercial fuel compositions comprising fatty acid derivatives are described. |
| US09133405B2 |
Systems and methods for gasifying a feedstock
Systems and methods for gasifying a feedstock are provided. The method can include combining one or more feedstocks and one or more solid components in a treatment zone to provide a treated feedstock. At least a portion of the treated feedstock can be introduced to a reaction zone of a gasifier. The one or more solid components can have an average density and an average cross-sectional size that adjusts at least one of an average density of solids within a solids bed of the gasifier and an average cross-sectional size of the solids within the solids bed of the gasifier. |
| US09133404B2 |
Hydrocarbon conversion process
The invention involves a process for hydrocarbon conversion. The process can include providing a feed to a primary upgrading zone and then treating the product from the primary upgrading zone with a feed-immiscible ionic liquid to remove sulfur compounds. |
| US09133402B2 |
Hydrocarbon conversion process
The invention involves a process for hydrocarbon conversion. The process can include providing a feed to a primary upgrading zone and then treating the product from the primary upgrading zone with a feed-immiscible ionic liquid to remove nitrogen compounds. |
| US09133401B2 |
Catalyst for the first hydrodemetalization step in a hydroprocessing system with multiple reactors for the improvement of heavy and extra heavy crudes
An improved catalyst for hydrodemetallization of heavy crude oils and residua is disclosed. The catalyst is adopted for fixed bed hydroprocessing units. The invention is characterized for having a large pore diameter catalyst principally for hydrodemetallization of heavy oil and residue in a first reactor of a multi-reactor process. The catalyst has high demetallizing activity and high metal deposition capacity which results in good stability with time on stream (TOS). The hydrorefining catalyst is obtained by kneading a porous starting powder principally composed of gamma-alumina and having a pore capacity of 0.3-0.6 ml/g or larger and a mean pore diameter of 10 to 26 nm, extrudating and calcining, and after that supported with active metals component of elements belonging to groups VIIIB and VIB of the periodic table. |
| US09133399B2 |
Method for reducing the naphthenic acidity of petroleum feedstocks, and use thereof
The invention relates to a method for reducing the naphthenic acidity of a petroleum feedstock having a neutralization index of 0.5 to 10 mg of KOH/g and a water content lower than 0.2 wt %, wherein said method comprises contacting the petroleum feedstock with a compound selected from the oxides, hydroxides and alkoxides of an HA group alkaline earth metal, the contact being carried out at a temperature lower than or equal to 150° C. The implementation of the method according to the invention, and in particular in the absence of water, makes it possible to reduce the naphthenic acidity and to prevent the formation of naphthenate salts that may subsequently reform naphthenic acids. |
| US09133398B2 |
In-situ kerogen conversion and recycling
Methods for extracting a kerogen-based product from subsurface (oil) shale formations rely on chemically modifying the shale-bound kerogen using a chemical oxidant so as to render it mobile. The oxidant is provided to a formation fluid in contact with the kerogen in the subsurface shale. An alkaline material is also provided to the formation fluid to mobilize organic acids which are produced during oxidation of the kerogen. A mobile kerogen-based product which includes the organic acids is withdrawn from the subsurface shale formation and further processed to isolate the organic acids contained therein. These organic acids are valuable as hydrocarbon products for creating commercial products and a portion of these organic acids can also be used in the process for extracting the kerogen-based product from the subsurface shale formation. |
| US09133397B2 |
Tricyclic compound having a plurality of CF2O bonding groups, liquid crystal composition, and liquid crystal display device
To provide a liquid crystal compound having a large positive value of dielectric anisotropy and a small viscosity. The compound is represented by formula (1): wherein, in formula (1), R1 is alkyl having 1 to 20 carbons or the like; ring A1 is 1,4-cyclohexylene or the like; ring A2 is 1,4-phenylene, 2-fluoro-1,4-phenylene, 2,6-difluoro-1,4-phenylene or the like; ring A3 is 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene, 2-fluoro-1,4-phenylene, 2,6-difluoro-1,4-phenylene or the like; and X1 is halogen, alkyl having 1 to 10 carbons or the like, and in the alkyl, at least one of hydrogen may be replaced by halogen. |
| US09133395B2 |
Polymerizable compounds and the use thereof in liquid-crystal displays
The present invention relates to polymerizable compounds, to processes and intermediates for the preparation thereof, to liquid-crystal (LC) media comprising them, and to the use of the polymerizable compounds and LC media for optical, electro-optical and electronic purposes, in particular in LC displays, especially in LC displays of the PS (“polymer sustained”) or PSA (“polymer sustained alignment”) type. |
| US09133391B2 |
Luminescent material
According to one embodiment, the luminescent material exhibits a luminescence peak in a wavelength ranging from 500 to 600 nm when excited with light having an emission peak in a wavelength ranging from 250 to 500 nm. The luminescent material has a composition represented by Formula 1 below: (M1-xCex)2yAlzSi10-zOuNw Formula 1 wherein M represents Sr and a part of Sr may be substituted by at least one selected from Ba, Ca, and Mg; x, y, z, u, and w satisfy following conditions: 0 |
| US09133388B2 |
Optical materials, optical components, and methods
An optical component including an optical material comprising quantum confined semiconductor nanoparticles, wherein at least a portion of the nanoparticles are in a charge neutral state. Further disclosed is an optical component including an optical material comprising quantum confined semiconductor nanoparticles, wherein at least a portion of the nanoparticles are in a charge neutral state, and wherein the optical material is at least partially encapsulated. Methods, optical materials, and devices are also disclosed. |
| US09133386B2 |
Viscous settable fluid for lost circulation in subterranean formations
A method of treating a well the method including the steps of: (A) forming a fluid including: (i) a shear-thinning aqueous liquid phase; and (ii) an inorganic setting material; wherein the fluid is shear-thinning, pumpable, and settable; and (B) introducing the fluid into the well. |
| US09133384B2 |
Cellulose nanowhiskers in well services
A method is provided for use in various well services, the method including the steps of: (a) forming or providing a well fluid comprising cellulose nanowhiskers; and (b) introducing the well fluid into a well. The method can be used, for example, for increasing the strength of a cement, for increasing the viscosity of a water-based well fluid, such as for a kill pill, a fracturing fluid, a gravel packing fluid. |
| US09133383B2 |
Mixture of inorganic nitrate salts
The present invention concerns a mixture of inorganic nitrate salts, comprising LiNO3, NaNO3, KNO3 and CsNO3 wherein the LiNO3 content ranges from 17.5% by weight to 21.6% by weight, the NaNO3 content ranges from 10% by weight to 11% by weight, the KNO3 content ranges from 27.7% by weight to 32.6% by weight, the CsNO3 content ranges from 35.8% by weight to 43.8% by weight, including the interval bounds. |
| US09133382B2 |
Nitrate salt compositions comprising alkali metal carbonate and their use as heat transfer medium or heat storage medium
A nitrate salt composition comprising A) an alkali metal nitrate and optionally an alkali metal nitrite in a total amount in the range from 90 to 99.84% by weight and B)an alkali metal compound selected from the group B1) alkali metal oxide, B2) alkali metal carbonate, B3) alkali metal compound which decomposes into alkali metal oxide or alkali metal carbonate in the temperature range from 250° C. to 600° C., B4) alkali metal hydroxide MetOH, in which Met is lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, B5) alkali metal peroxide Met2O2, in which Met is lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, and B6) alkali metal superoxide MetO2, in which Met is sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, in a total amount in the range from 0.16 to 10% by weight, in each case based on the nitrate salt composition. |
| US09133379B2 |
Binary refrigerating fluid
The invention relates to binary compositions of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene and difluoromethane, and especially to the uses thereof as a heat transfer fluid in compression systems with exchangers operating in counterflow mode or in split flow mode with counterflow tendency. The invention also relates to a heat transfer method. |
| US09133372B2 |
Adhesive compound
The present invention relates to an adhesive compound consisting essentially of an organic phase and inorganic phase, the organic phase comprising an amorphous aliphatic (co)polymer having a Ring & Ball softening point of between 75 and 180° C., and a second aliphatic material having a Tg of about −5° C. or lower and a kinematic viscosity of 4500 mm2/s at 100° C. or less, wherein said organic components are present in weight amounts of between 95/5 and 10/90; the inorganic phase comprising a filler, the filler being present in amount of at least about 15 wt % in the total composition. The compositions are suitable for anti-corrosion coatings or sealants against filtration or penetration of water or moisture. A rubber material may be added to this compound or other anti-corrosion coatings to increase the yield point at high temperatures. |
| US09133368B2 |
Adhesive sheet
The present invention relates to an adhesive sheet including a substrate sheet and an adhesive layer, wherein the substrate sheet has a void containing layer capable of the air permeability from the surface contacting with the adhesive layer, the air permeability measured by specific test method is 1×103 to 3×105 seconds. The present invention can provide an adhesive sheet which is capable of efficiently preventing the occurrence of the swelling or the floating (that is the occurrence of a blister) even if the time passes when adhered to the surface of the various plastic moldings. In addition, the present invention can provide the adhesive sheet capable of exhibiting excellent blister resistance to any adhesive agent. |
| US09133366B2 |
Polishing liquid composition for wafers
An object is to provide a polishing liquid composition that can provide hydrophilicity to a wafer surface and effectively improve a haze in polishing of wafers for substrates in electronics industry. The present invention is a polishing liquid composition for wafers, comprising: water; silica particles; an alkaline compound; a polyvinyl alcohol; an anion-modified polyvinyl alcohol; and a surfactant, wherein the mass ratio of the anion-modified polyvinyl alcohol to the polyvinyl alcohol is 0.6 to 5.5. The anion-modified polyvinyl alcohol is preferably a polyvinyl alcohol modified with a carboxy group or a sulfonic acid group. |
| US09133364B2 |
Polyurethane dispersions, a process of making, and a method of use thereof
The invention relates to a polyurethane P comprising a moiety derived from a polyfunctional isocyanate F, and a hydroxyfunctional compound ABCE made from a grafted fatty acid AB which in turn is made from a fatty acid A having at least one olefinic unsaturation, and grafted with a mixture B of olefinically unsaturated monomers which mixture comprises at least one acid-functional olefinically unsaturated monomer B1, wherein the grafted fatty acid AB has on average at least 1.1 acid groups per molecule, at least one polyhydric alcohol C having at least two hydroxyl groups, and at least one fatty acid E, to a process of making this polyurethane, and to a method of use thereof in the form of an aqueous dispersion to formulate coating compositions. |
| US09133363B2 |
Stabilized urethane based surface coating
An improved urethane pre-polymer-based surface coating comprising a mineral filler the improvement comprising a benzothiazolythio compound and arylsulphorylisocyanate compound. A method of delaying or preventing the cross-linking or gelation of a urethane pre-polymer-based surface coating prepared with a mineral filler, comprises adding to of the formulation the surface coating a benzothiazolythio compound and an arylsulphonylisocyanate compound in amounts effective to prevent or delay the cross-linking or gelation of the surface coating. |
| US09133362B2 |
Coating composition having mechanochromic crystals
A mechanochromic coating composition is disclosed comprising a binder composition and a crystalline mechanophore. The mechanophore changes color upon application of a mechanical load to the coating composition. |
| US09133358B2 |
Inkjet ink
An inkjet ink includes a pigment incorporated in an aqueous ink vehicle. The pigment includes metal oxide and/or mixed metal oxide particles and a plurality of reacted dispersant molecules attached to the outer surfaces of the particles to form a coating on the outer surfaces. The reacted dispersant molecules are attached to the metal oxide and/or mixed metal oxide particle outer surfaces through a silanol linking group of the reacted dispersant molecules. The coating is present in an amount ranging from about 10 wt % to about 50 wt % with respect to the wt % of the metal oxide and/or mixed metal oxide particles. |
| US09133355B2 |
Aqueous ink compositions and method of preparing same
An aqueous ink composition includes at least 60% water by weight, an acrylic latex polymer suspension, a polyurethane suspension, a polyethylene wax suspension, and an organic solvent that comprises about 10% to about 30% of the ink composition. In methods for preparing an aqueous ink composition, a combination of the aforementioned components is provided. The combination is subjected to conditions under which the ink composition becomes substantially uniform and then the combination is subjected to filtration. |