最新美国发明专利第2015-12-29期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

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US09221812B2	Compounds for the treatment of diseases associated with amyloid or amyloid-like proteins The present invention relates to novel compounds that can be employed in the treatment of a group of disorders and abnormalities associated with amyloid protein, such as Alzheimer's disease, and of diseases or conditions associated with amyloid-like proteins. The compounds of the present invention can also be used in the treatment of ocular diseases associated with pathological abnormalities/changes in the tissues of the visual system. The present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and to the use of these compounds for the preparation of medicaments for treating or preventing diseases or conditions associated with amyloid and/or amyloid-like proteins. A method of treating or preventing diseases or conditions associated with amyloid and/or amyloid-like proteins is also disclosed.
US09221811B2	Chromone derivative having osteogenesis promoting effect Compounds or pharmacologically acceptable salts thereof for promoting osteogenesis, improving bone metabolism, preventing or treating bone fracture, preventing or treating a disease associated with bone metabolism, or in the field of orthopedics for the promotion of healing of bone fracture, a bone defect, and bone diseases such as osteoarthritis as well as in the field of dentistry for the treatment of periodontal disease and the stabilization of artificial tooth root. The compounds are represented by formula (I) or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof:
US09221801B2	Inhibitors of histone demethylases Compounds of the form In which Q is selected from —CH═NR12, —W, —CH2NHR13, —CH═O and —CH(OR17)2 capable of modulating the activity of histone demethylases (HDMEs), which are useful for prevention and/or treatment of diseases in which genomic dysregulation is involved in the pathogenesis, such as e.g. cancer and formulations and methods of use of such compounds.
US09221800B2	Isoxazole treatments for diabetes The present invention relates to compounds and methods for inducing synthesis and secretion of insulin from pancreatic beta cells. The methods may take place in vitro, ex vivo such as in isolates from adult mammalian tissue, or in vivo. Compounds and methods described herein may find use in the treatment of diabetes.
US09221799B2	Anti-cancer agents The present invention provides a compound of Formula (I), or a pharmaceutical acceptable derivative, salt or prodrug thereof. Further provided is a method of treatment of cancer in a subject comprising administering to said subject an effective amount of a compound of Formula (I), or a pharmaceutical acceptable derivative, salt or prodrug thereof. Further provided is the use of a compound of Formula (I), or a pharmaceutical acceptable derivative, salt or prodrug thereof in the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of cancer. In addition, the present invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of Formula (I), or a pharmaceutical acceptable derivative, salt or prodrug thereof.
US09221795B2	Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors The present disclosure provides phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors of formula (I), or pharmaceutically acceptable salts or isomers thereof, in which n, m, R1, R2, R4, and R3 are as defined herein. These compounds are useful for treatment of conditions mediated by one or more PI3K isoforms, such as PI3Kδ. The present disclosure further provides pharmaceutical compositions that include a compound of formula (I), or pharmaceutically acceptable salts or isomers thereof, and methods of using these compounds and compositions to treat conditions mediated by one or more PI3K isoforms, such as PI3Kδ.
US09221794B2	PRMT5 inhibitors and uses thereof Described herein are compounds of Formula (I), pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof. Compounds of the present invention are useful for inhibiting PRMT5 activity. Methods of using the compounds for treating PRMT5-mediated disorders are also described.
US09221793B2	Indazole-3-carboxamides and their use as Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway inhibitors Indazole-3-carboxamide compounds for treating various diseases and pathologies are disclosed. More particularly, the present invention concerns the use of an indazole-3-carboxamide compound or analogs thereof, in the treatment of disorders characterized by the activation of Wnt pathway signaling (e.g., cancer, abnormal cellular proliferation, angiogenesis and osteoarthritis), the modulation of cellular events mediated by Wnt pathway signaling, as well as genetic diseases and neurological conditions/disorders/diseases due to mutations or dysregulation of the Wnt pathway and/or of one or more of Wnt signaling components. Also provided are methods for treating Wnt-related disease states.
US09221790B2	Benzamide derivatives The present invention provides a novel benzamide derivative or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, a method for preparing the same, and a 5-HT4 receptor agonist containing the same as an active ingredient. Benzamide derivatives of the present invention have a superior affinity for 5-HT4 receptors, a capability to reduce a gastric emptying time and a low toxicity, and consequently are therapeutically effective for the treatment of a variety of diseases associated with 5-HT4 receptors.
US09221786B2	2-fluorophenyl propionic acid derivatives Provided are novel 2-fluorophenyl propionic acid derivatives which have excellent anti-inflammatory/analgesic effects while avoiding side effects such as gastrointestinal disorders, namely 2-fluorophenyl propionic acid derivatives represented by the formula (I) below or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, [wherein, R1 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, X represents —CH2—, —NH—, —O—, or —S—, and Y specifically represents group (II) (wherein, Z1 represents —CO—, —CH(OH)—, or —CH2—, and n represents an integer of 1 or 2.)]
US09221782B2	Compound There is provided a compound which is (a) a pyrimidine sulfonamide of formula (I) or (b) a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, crystalline forms of the compound, processes for obtaining the compound, pharmaceutical intermediates used in the manufacture of the compound, and pharmaceutical compositions containing the compound. The compound is useful in the treatment of a disease/condition in which modulation of chemokine receptor activity is beneficial.
US09221779B2	Serotonin reuptake inhibitors as drugs having peripheral-system-restricted activity Novel serotonin reuptake inhibitor compounds which are designed to exert serotonin uptake inhibitory activity in the peripheral system while being devoid of CNS activity, and a process of preparing same are disclosed. Further disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions containing same and uses thereof in the treatment of medical conditions associated with peripheral serotonin levels and/or activity, and/or platelet aggregation.
US09221773B2	Benzamide derivatives Disclosed are benzamide derivatives useful in slowing the expansion of cancer cells including the killing of cancer cells and in the treatment of cancer.
US09221772B2	Synthesis of syrbactin proteasome inhibitors The disclosure relates generally to methods for the preparation of a family of natural compounds, the syrbactins and their analogs.
US09221771B2	Method for the preparation of substituted oxazolidinones The present invention relates to methods for the preparation of a compound having the formula (X). Individual reaction steps as well as intermediates are additionally claimed.
US09221767B2	Substituted phthalazinones as rock inhibitors The present invention provides compounds of Formula (I): or stereoisomers, tautomers, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein all the variables are as defined herein. These compounds are selective ROCK inhibitors. This invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and methods of treating cardiovascular, smooth muscle, oncologic, neuropathologic, autoimmune, fibrotic, and/or inflammatory disorders using the same.
US09221765B2	Inhibition and dispersion of bacterial biofilms with benzimidazole derivatives Disclosure is provided for benzimidazole derivative compounds that prevent, remove and/or inhibit the formation of biofilms, compositions including these compounds, devices including these compounds, and methods of using the same.
US09221764B2	Inhibitors of inv(16) leukemia This invention describes the development of targeted small molecule inhibitors of the inv(16) fusion, the causative agent in ˜12% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The inv(16) fusion results in expression of the CBFβ-SMMHC fusion protein in the blood cells of afflicted patients. The present invention provides compounds which inhibit the function of both CBFβ and the CBFβ-SMMHC fusion. These compounds block the growth of an inv(16) leukemia cell line as well as increase its apoptosis, while showing minimal effects against non inv(16) cell lines. As a mechanism to develop inhibitors with selectivity for the CBFβ-SMMHC fusion protein, the present invention further provides dimeric derivatives of these compounds which show both increased potency as well as selectivity for CBFβ-SMMHC. These compounds show potent inhibition of an inv(16) leukemia cell line with minimal effects on non inv(16) cell lines. Analysis of the pharmacokinetics of the developed compounds has made it possible to improve the lifetime of the compound in the plasma of mice to a level commensurate with long-term treatment.
US09221761B2	Method for inhibition of deubiquitinating activity Compounds of the general structure S-1, wherein X and R1-R5 are defined in the specification, are capable of abrogating the deubiquitinating (DUB) activity of the 19S RP DUBs and are useful in methods and compositions for treating cancer, in particular, cancer tumors refractory to treatment by state-of-the-art chemotherapy.
US09221759B2	Fluorophore chelated lanthanide luminescent probes with improved quantum efficiency The invention relates to novel luminescent compositions of matter containing a fluorophore, synthetic methods for making the compositions, macromolecular conjugates of the compositions, and the use of the compositions in various methods of detection. The invention also provides kits containing the compositions and their conjugates for use in the methods of detection.
US09221756B2	Pyrrole derivatives There are provided inter alia compounds of formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3, R4a and R4b are as defined in the specification and their use in therapy, especially in the treatment of bacterial (e.g. pneumococcal) infections.
US09221755B2	Ethers, secondary amines and derivatives thereof as modulators of the 5-HT2A serotonin receptor useful for the treatment of disorders related thereto The present invention pertains to certain compounds of Formula (Ia) and pharmaceutical compositions thereof that modulate the activity of the 5-HT2A serotonin receptor. Compounds and pharmaceutical compositions thereof are directed to methods useful in the treatment of platelet aggregation, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, transient ischemic attack, angina, stroke, atrial fibrillation, blood clot formation, asthma or symptoms thereof, agitation or a symptom thereof, behavioral disorders, drug induced psychosis, excitative psychosis, Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome, manic disorder, organic or NOS psychosis, psychotic disorder, psychosis, acute schizophrenia, chronic schizophrenia, NOS schizophrenia and related disorders, and sleep disorders, sleep disorders, diabetic-related disorders, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy and the like. The present invention also relates to the methods for the treatment of 5-HT2A serotonin receptor associated disorders in combination with other pharmaceutical agents administered separately or together.
US09221753B2	Process for the synthesis of vitamin D compounds and intermediates for the synthesis of the compounds An object of the present invention is to provide a process for synthesizing a vitamin D compound by simple procedures at lower costs.The present invention provides a process for preparing a vitamin D compound and an intermediate thereof, comprising the step of: (a) mixing a ketone or aldehyde, a Wittig reagent, and a base; or (b) mixing a ketone or aldehyde and a Wittig reagent, and then adding a base to the resulting mixture.
US09221752B2	Synthesis of molecular sieves for modifying the surfaces of nanoparticles having amphoteric ions, and application thereof The present invention relates to a surface modification method for improving the dispersion of nanoparticles, and to nanoparticles having improved dispersion properties prepared by the method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method in which amphoteric compounds are bonded to the surfaces of nanoparticles to improve dispersion at the surfaces of nanoparticles. The present invention also relates to nanoparticles using the method. Both anions and cations are formed on the surfaces of the nanoparticles according to the present invention, and therefore the nanoparticles are electrically stable so as to achieve stability in a wide pH range, are stably dispersed in the event of a high concentration of salts, and the non-specific adsorption thereof is reduced. Novel specific substances or sensors having minimized non-specific adsorption may be produced using the nanoparticles of the present invention.
US09221747B2	Method of making fatty acid N-acylalkanolamines The present invention relates to methods for making a fatty acid N-acylalkanolamine having the formula: One of the methods comprises the steps of providing a vinyl ester of a fatty acid having the formula: providing a primary or secondary alkanolamine having the formula: NHR1R2; and reacting the vinyl ester of the fatty acid with the alkanolamine under conditions effective to form the fatty acid N-acylalkanolamine. The other method comprises the steps of providing a fatty acid; purifying the fatty acid; providing a primary or secondary alkanolamine having the formula: NHR1R2; reacting the fatty acid with the alkanolamine under conditions effective to form the fatty acid N-acylalkanolamine; and purifying the formed fatty acid N-acylalkanolamine.
US09221746B2	Homo- and hetero-polyamino-acid derivatives of fullerene C60, method for producing same, and pharmaceutical compositions based on said derivatives The invention relates to the pharmaceutical industry and to medicine, specifically to novel homo- and hetero-polyamino-acid derivatives of fullerene C60 of general formula: C60(H)x{NH(CH2)nCOO—}x{NH3+(L)COOH)}x, where n=2-5, x=3, L=-(CH2)m, where m=1-5, or —CO(CH2)kCH(NH2)—, where k=1-2, characterized in that the compounds comprise covalently bonded amino-acid groups and polar ionic forms of the amino acids, and also to a method for producing said derivatives, and to the production of pharmaceutical compositions based on same. The method for producing homo- and hetero-polyamino-acid derivatives of fullerene is based on the reaction of a nucleophilic bond of amino acids to fullerene, forming covalently bonded amino-acid derivatives of fullerene, with the subsequent introduction of polar ionic forms of the amino acids. A pharmaceutical composition comprises, as active substance, homo- and hetero-polyamino-acid derivatives of fullerene of formula C60(H)x{NH(CH2)nCOO—}x{NH3+(L)COOH)}x, where n=2-5, x=3, L=-(CH2)m, where m=1-5, or —CO(CH2)kCH(NH2)—, where k=1-2.
US09221740B2	Method for producing carbonate compound and method for producing aromatic polycarbonate The present invention relates to a method for producing a carbonate compound containing: a first step of reacting a compound represented by the following Formula (1) with a compound represented by the following Formula (21) or a compound represented by the following Formula (22) to obtain a reaction mixture containing a carbonate compound, and a second step of bringing the reaction mixture containing a carbonate compound into contact with a strongly basic compound, in which R1 represents a monovalent organic group, and R2 represents a divalent organic group.
US09221739B2	Methylene beta-diketone monomers, methods for making methylene beta-diketone monomers, polymerizable compositions and products formed therefrom The present invention provides methylene beta-diketone monomers, methods for producing the same, and compositions and products formed therefrom. In the method for producing the methylene beta-diketones of the invention, a beta-diketone is reacted with a source of formaldehyde in a modified Knoevenagel reaction optionally in the presence of an acidic or basic catalyst, and optionally in the presence of an acidic or non-acidic solvent, to form reaction complex. The reaction complex may be an oligomeric complex. The reaction complex is subjected to further processing, which may be vaporization by contact with an energy transfer means in order to isolate the beta-diketone monomer. The present invention further compositions and products formed from methylene beta-diketone monomers of the invention, including monomer-based products (e.g., inks, adhesives, coatings, sealants or reactive molding) and polymer-based products (e.g., fibers, films, sheets, medical polymers, composite polymers and surfactants).
US09221733B2	Methods and systems useful for drying ethanol Mixtures of ethanol and water are dehydrated using starch pearls to adsorb and remove water. Vapor-phase adsorption equilibrium capacities of cassava starch pellets (tapioca pearls) having different particle sizes are disclosed, and tapioca pearl particles are shown to be surprisingly more effective for dehydrating 88 to 97% w/w feed ethanol than corn grits. The adsorption equilibrium curve and BET surface area measurement show that the adsorption capacity of tapioca pearls is a function of surface area available to water molecules. SEM images demonstrate that the particle architecture required for the adsorption and dehydration properties is that of a core-shell configuration with pre-gel starch acting as a central scaffold holding together other particles to the outer layer of the particle. The outer surface area of the pearls, populated with dry starch granules, is the main factor determining the adsorption capacity of the pearls. Tapioca pearls are shown to possess a surprisingly higher adsorption capacity than corn grits of the same particle size. Pearls of 2 mm size in diameter gave 34% higher linear adsorption equilibrium constant (K) than grits of 1.7 mm.
US09221731B2	Method for producing 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoro-1-propene and 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene A method for producing a desired isomer of 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoro-1-propene or a desired isomer of 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene at a high conversion ratio with no use of a solid catalyst is provided. Since no solid catalyst is used, a desired isomer of 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoro-1-propene and a desired isomer of 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene can be stably obtained with no undesired possibility that the solid catalyst is deteriorated due to coking or the like caused as a result of long-time use thereof.
US09221729B1	Extractive distillation for aromatics recovery Extractive distillation for recovering aromatic hydrocarbons employs an extractive distillation column with a novel overhead system including a partial condenser. The process enables (i) efficient removal of heavy non-aromatics, particularly C8 naphthenic compounds, from the EDC bottom stream to increase the purity of aromatic products, especially of the mixed xylenes and (ii) reduction (or better control) of benzene loss to the raffinate product stream to maintain its quality as a gasoline blend stock and, as a result, enhance benzene recovery in the aromatic products. Feedstock includes a full-range feedstock, such as pyrolysis gasoline, or a narrow-range feedstock, such as reformate.
US09221726B2	Integrated process for the preparation of an aromatic product A process preparing an aromatic product comprising xylene, the process comprising: a) cracking a feedstock to obtain a cracker effluent comprising olefins and aromatics; b) converting an oxygenate feedstock in an oxygenate-to-olefins conversion system, comprising a reaction zone in which an oxygenate feedstock is contacted with a catalyst to obtain a conversion effluent comprising benzene, toluene, xylene and olefins; c) combining at least part of the cracker effluent and at least part of the conversion effluent to obtain a combined effluent, the combined effluent comprising aromatics; d) separating at least a portion of the benzene and/or toluene from the combined effluent to form a benzene and/or toluene stream; e) separating the olefins from the combined effluent; f) separating xylene from the combined effluent to form a xylene stream; and g) recycling at least a part of the benzene and/or toluene streams as recycled aromatics to step b).
US09221721B1	Three-part plant nutrient system The present invention is incorporated in a three-part primary nutrient system for facilitating the growth of a plant in any growing media. The first part of the nutrient system comprises calcium and nitrogen and is devoid of magnesium, sulfur, and trace minerals. The second part of the nutrient system comprises nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and trace minerals and is devoid of calcium. The third part of the nutrient system comprises potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium and is devoid of calcium.
US09221719B2	Gypsum wallboard slurry and method for making the same A slurry for manufacturing gypsum board is disclosed. The slurry comprises calcined gypsum, water, a foaming agent, and a thickening agent. The thickening agent of the present disclosure acts to improve the cohesiveness of the slurry without adversely affecting the setting time of the slurry, the paper-to-core bond (wet and dry), or the head of the slurry by acting as a defoaming agent or coalescing agent. Examples of suitable thickening agents include cellulose ether and co-polymers containing varying degrees of polyacrylamide and acrylic acid. A gypsum board and method of forming the slurry and the gypsum board are also disclosed. The gypsum board comprises a gypsum layer formed from the slurry.
US09221718B2	Pressure casting slip and refractory ceramic produced therefrom for gas turbine units A pressure casting slip for producing a refractory ceramic for use as a heat shield, e.g. in the hot gas path of gas turbine units, includes a particulate mixture of at least two materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion and also organic and/or inorganic binders and floating agents. The particulate mixture has a multimodal particle size distribution divided into 10-20 percent by weight of coarse particles in the size range 1-5 mm in diameter, 10-20 percent by weight of medium particles in the size range 0.5-1 mm in diameter and 60-80 percent by weight of fine particles in the size range up to 0.5 mm in diameter which together make up 100 percent by weight of the particle mixture.
US09221715B2	Chemical strengthening of anti-reflective coatings (ARC) A strengthened film for a substrate such as a glass panel is provided. The strengthened film may be formed by implanting sodium in the film, and then performing an exchange through which the sodium is replaced by potassium. The film may be an anti-reflective coating. Related assemblies and methods are also provided.
US09221713B2	Coated article with low-E coating having barrier layer system(s) including multiple dielectric layers, and/or methods of making the same Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to coated articles with low-E coatings having one or more barrier layer systems including multiple dielectric layers, and/or methods of making the same. In certain example embodiments, providing barrier layer systems that each include three or more adjacent dielectric layers advantageously increases layer quality, mechanical durability, corrosion resistance, and/or thermal stability, e.g., by virtue of the increased number of interfaces. These barrier layer systems may be provided above and/or below an infrared (IR) reflecting layer in the low-E coating in different embodiments. Coated articles according to certain example embodiments of this invention may be used in the context of insulating glass (IG) window units, vehicle windows, other types of windows, or in any other suitable application.
US09221708B2	Method and device for tempering glass For a device for tempering flat glass, the glass panes (1) are supported by air bearings on both sides between a heating zone (2) and a quenching zone (3). The nozzles (7), from which pressurized air for forming the air bearings escapes, are placed at an angle in such a way that the nozzles point away from the heating zone (2) and toward the quenching zone (3), whereby cooled air is prevented from flowing from the quenching zone (3) toward the heating zone (2).
US09221705B2	Method for manufacturing molded glass articles, and use of the glass articles manufactured according to the method Processes for producing shaped glass articles with a defined geometry are provided. In some embodiment, the process includes arranging a glass pane on a mould, heating the glass pane by infrared radiation, deforming the heated glass pane over the mould by gravity, negative pressure, and/or positive pressure, and cooling the shaped glass pane to obtain the shaped glass article with a defined geometry.
US09221702B2	Process for enhanced total organic carbon removal while maintaining optimum membrane filter performance A system and process for enhancing total organic carbon (“TOC”) removal from raw, untreated water while maintaining optimum membrane filter performance. The present invention overcomes many of the disadvantages of prior art water filtration systems by controlling the pH level of the water, prior to the water being directed through said membrane filter, so that the particulate charge of the water aligns with the electromagnetic surface charge of membrane filter. Maintaining the particulate charge of the water within an optimum charge window for the particular membrane filter enhances the membrane filter's performance by decreasing the fouling rate of the membrane filter.
US09221701B2	Methods for reducing scale formation on and removing deposits from heat transfer surfaces Disclosed are methods of operating steam generators, particularly evaporators, in hard water environments characterized by high Si and Mg content in which the pHcold of the feed water stream is maintained within a range of about 11 to 12 in order to reduce, eliminate or remove scale from internal evaporator surfaces. Additional components may be added to the feed water stream including surfactants, chelants, dispersants, sequestrants and mixtures thereof.
US09221698B2	Hybrid artificial wetland water purification system, sewage treatment device using same, and natural nonpoint purification device capable of simultaneously purifying river and lake water A water quality purification system for a hybrid artificial wetland includes a first aerobic artificial wetland, an anaerobic artificial wetland, and a second aerobic artificial wetland. Here, the first aerobic artificial wetland induces a vertical flow of water, which is to be purified, and allows pollutants to be removed. The anaerobic artificial wetland induces a horizontal flow of treated water which is introduced from the first aerobic artificial wetland, and allows pollutants to be further removed. Additionally, the second aerobic artificial wetland induces a vertical flow of treated water which is introduced from the anaerobic artificial wetland, and allows air to be supplied inwardly such that the amount of dissolved oxygen of the introduced treated water increases.
US09221697B2	Treatment of gas well hydrofracture wastewaters Discharge water from a coal mine, and/or water from an abandoned coal mine, is used as a source of sulfate ions to precipitate barium from gas well hydrofracture wastewater. A liquid comprising a gas well hydrofracture wastewater comprising barium is mixed with a coal mine water comprising sulfate ions. The amount of coal mine water in the liquid is sufficient to provide enough sulfate ions to precipitate at least 90% of the barium in the gas well hydrofracture wastewater. The ratio of gas well hydrofracture wastewater to coal mine water can be from 1:10 to 1:1.
US09221696B2	Wastewater treatment process by electrochemical apparatus A wastewater treatment process by an electrochemical apparatus, said apparatus having at least an electrochemical electrode (30), and said electrochemical electrode (30) having suitable electrode plates comprises the following steps: passing high concentration wastewater containing undesirable solutes through at least one electrochemical electrode (30) to which a DC electrical current is applied to destroy the undesirable solutes in the water intake, so as to output water having a lower concentration of the undesirable solutes; the DC current applied to the electrochemical electrode (30) comprises at least a constant potential difference stage exerted on both ends of the electrochemical electrode (30), and followed by a constant current stage through the electrochemical electrode (30).
US09221693B2	Method for producing positive electrode active material for lithium ion batteries and positive electrode active material for lithium ion batteries The present invention provides a method for producing a high quality positive electrode active material for lithium ion batteries at low cost and at excellent production efficiency. The method for producing a positive electrode active material for lithium ion batteries includes a step of firing a powder of lithium-containing carbonate that is a precursor for positive electrode active material for lithium ion batteries in a rotary kiln. In the step, a temperature at a powder feed part inside of the rotary kiln is kept at 500° C. or more.
US09221689B2	Monochlorosilane, process and apparatus for the preparation thereof The invention relates to a process for preparing monochlorosilane by reaction of monosilane and dichlorosilane in the presence of a catalyst. In the process of the invention, monochlorosilane is formed by comproportionation of monosilane and dichlorosilane. The invention further relates to the use of the monochlorosilane produced and also a plant for carrying out the process.
US09221688B2	Production of graphenic carbon particles utilizing hydrocarbon precursor materials A method is disclosed for making graphenic carbon particles. The method includes introducing a hydrocarbon precursor material into a thermal zone (20), heating the hydrocarbon precursor material in the thermal zone to form the graphenic carbon particles from the hydrocarbon precursor material, and collecting the graphenic carbon particles. The hydrocarbon precursor material may comprise a hydrocarbon and/or methane capable of forming a two-carbon-fragment species. Apparatus (20) for performing such a method, and graphenic particles produced by the method, are also disclosed.
US09221681B2	System and method for providing an integrated reactor A system and method for providing an integrated indirectly fired reactor and steam generator are disclosed. According to one embodiment, the reactor comprises an indirect heating zone heating water and generating steam, a mixing zone mixing feedstock and the steam and providing a mixture of the feedstock and the steam, and a reaction zone comprising a first reactor and a second reactor. The first reactor converts the mixture to a first syngas at a first temperature. The second reactor converts the first syngas to a second syngas at a second temperature, the second temperature being higher than the first temperature.
US09221679B2	Compensation and calibration for MEMS devices A sensor system includes a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensor, processing circuitry, measurement circuitry, stimulus circuitry and memory. The system is configured to provide an output responsive to physical displacement within the MEMS sensor to the measurement circuitry. The stimulus circuitry is configured to provide a stimulus signal to the MEMS sensor to cause a physical displacement within the MEMS sensor. The measurement circuitry is configured to process the output from the MEMS sensor and provide it to the processing circuitry, which is configured to generate stimulus signals and provide them to the stimulus circuitry for provision to the MEMS sensor. Output from the measurement circuitry corresponding to the physical displacement occurring in the MEMS sensor is monitored and used to calculate MEMS sensor characteristics. Methods for monitoring and calibrating MEMS sensors are also provided.
US09221677B2	Composite sacrificial structure for reliably creating a contact gap in a MEMS switch The present Disclosure provides for fabrication devices and methods for manufacturing a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) switch on a substrate. The MEMS fabrication device may have a first and second sacrificial layer that form the mold of an actuation member. The actuation member is formed over the first and second sacrificial layers to manufacture a MEMS switch from the MEMS fabrication device.
US09221675B2	Chip with integrated circuit and micro-silicon condenser microphone integrated on single substrate and method for making the same A method for integrating an IC and a MEMS component includes the following steps: S1) providing a SOI base (20) having a first area (21) and a second area (22); S2) fabricating an IC on the first area through a standard semiconductor process, and simultaneously forming a metal conductive layer (26) and a medium insulation layer (25c) extending to the second area; S3) partly removing the medium insulation layer and then further partly removing the silicon component layer so as to form a backplate diagram; S4) depositing a sacrificial layer (32) above the SOI base; S5) forming a Poly Sil-xGex film (33) on the sacrificial layer; S6) forming a back cavity (34); and S7) eroding the sacrificial layer to form a chamber (36) in communication with the back cavity. Besides, a chip (10) fabricated by the above method is also disclosed.
US09221671B2	Glueless pocketed spring unit construction Methods and systems for no-glue pocketed spring unit construction. Rows of pocketed springs, preferably arranged into modules of more than two pocketed springs surrounding a central hole, are ultrasonically welded together when paired vibrating probes and anvils press layers of pocketed spring fabric from the rows of pocketed springs together and a welding pulse is transmitted to the vibrating probe.
US09221670B2	Glueless pocketed spring unit construction Methods and systems for no-glue pocketed spring unit construction. Rows of pocketed springs, preferably arranged into modules of more than two pocketed springs surrounding a central hole, are ultrasonically welded together when paired vibrating probes and anvils press layers of pocketed spring fabric from the rows of pocketed springs together and a welding pulse is transmitted to the vibrating probe.
US09221665B1	Manual left or right hand can opener with tilt and rotating spherical joint A manual can opener that can be operated with ease by both left-handed and right-handed users. The initial rotation of an operating handle in either direction moves readily a cutting blade toward a transport wheel to engage the lid of the can, and simultaneously rotates the transport wheel in a direction opposite to that of handle rotation so that the cutting blade is in proper condition to cut a lid from the can. Further rotation of the operating handle, in the direction of initial rotation, then forces the can against the blade to cut the lid of the can.
US09221664B2	Bag cutter and piercer A bag cutter for opening a sealed package using at least one of a blade and a piercer. Preferably, at least one blade is disposed partially within a cutout of an arm in a manner that exposes an edge of the blade. A piercer can comprise an extension of a cutout edge or be located on any other suitable portion of an arm. Another blade can be provided that is substantially perpendicular to the blade within a cutout, and juxtaposable against a cutting surface.
US09221659B2	Loading system and transporter A loading system that includes a transporter and a loader or a transporter is provided. It includes a load-amount measuring unit installed on the transporter that measures a load amount of an object loaded on the transporter; a difference computing unit computing a difference between the load amount measured by the load-amount measuring unit when the object is loaded, and a load amount measured by the load-amount measuring unit after a measurement when the object is loaded and at a time of traveling; a storage unit storing a difference value data indicating the difference computed by the difference computing unit; a correcting unit correcting the load amount measured by the load-amount measuring unit when the object is loaded, based on a correction rule calculated based on the difference value data stored in the storage unit; and a display unit displaying a corrected load amount obtained by correcting the load amount.
US09221656B2	Braking systems for pneumatic hoists Illustrative embodiments of apparatus and methods for braking a hoist system are disclosed. In one illustrative embodiment, a hoist system includes a winch drum and an air motor coupled to the winch drum. The hoist system further includes a brake coupled to the winch drum and operable to stop rotation of the winch drum and an over-speed sensing device configured to sense a speed of the winch drum. The over-speed sensing device includes a pneumatic switch operable to disconnect an air supply from the air motor and engage the brake to stop rotation of the winch drum and a centrifugal clutch coupled to the winch drum and configured to rotate at a rotational speed proportional to the speed of the winch drum. The centrifugal clutch operates the pneumatic switch when the rotational speed of the centrifugal clutch reaches or exceeds a threshold rotational speed.
US09221655B2	System used with a crane for indicating and measuring the position of a container in a vehicle and/or trailer loaded with containers A system for determining the position of at least one container in a vehicle and/or trailer in a container loading area. The at least one container is loaded and unloaded on the vehicle and/or trailer by a crane. The crane includes a spreader grabbing the containers from a top and a positioning system for the crane and the spreader. A container position determining apparatus is arranged in connection with the at least one lane and includes a fixed structure mounted alongside the at least one lane in a known location relative to the ground. An indicator is movable on the fixed structure and can be manually moved to indicate either end of a desired position of a container on a vehicle parked on the lane or on a trailer connected thereto. Information about the position of the indicator on the fixed structure is determined and transmitted to the crane.
US09221654B2	Method and system for coupling an offshore structure to a hoisting block of a hoisting installation The present invention is related to a method for coupling an offshore structure (1), such as a jacket leg of an offshore platform, to a hoisting block (19) of a hoisting installation (13), preferably a floating hoisting installation. The present invention is also related to a hoisting block provided with a first coupling part of a system according to the invention and to an offshore structure provided with a second coupling part of a system according to the invention. The present invention is further related to a method for coupling a jacket of an offshore platform comprising a number of jacket legs to hoisting blocks suspended from hoisting cables (17) of a hoisting installation, wherein each jacket leg is coupled to a hoisting block according to the method for coupling a jacket leg of an offshore platform to a hoisting block suspended from hoisting cables of a hoisting installation according to the invention.
US09221652B2	Rotatable cable guide for retractable cord reel A novel retractable cord reel is disclosed. The retractable cord reel may have a rotating rotatable guide configured to adapt to an expandable wire coil that changes direction within the cord reel. The retractable cord reel may have splices between wire segments that are formed by electrical connectors that are sealed from the environment with an adhesive.
US09221639B2	Grain bag winder Systems methods and devices for packaging used grain bags as the grain bags are being unloaded. The system is located at the top of a grain unloader machine or a grain extractor machine. The invention uses a pair of plates with retractable winding cores placed at the center of each plate. At the start of the unloading process, the end of a grain bag is attached to both the retractable winding cores. As the grain bag is unloaded, the unloader moves down the length of the grain bag. The portion of the grain bag that is emptied is rolled up by the rotating winding cores. The winding cores are powered by one or two external motors controlled by a user. Once the empty grain bag has been completely rolled up, the retractable winding cores can be retracted.
US09221635B2	Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus A sheet feeding roller 101 which feeds a sheet stacked on a sheet supporting plate 110 capable of being lifted and lowered is supported by a support portion as being linearly movable in an up-and-down direction, and a roller biasing member applies a force to the support portion in a direction in which the sheet feeding roller is pressed to s sheet stacked on the sheet supporting plate. A biasing direction 101b of the sheet feeding roller due to the roller biasing member is set within a range between a normal line of the sheet feeding roller at the upstreammost pressing position against the sheet feeding direction and a normal line of the sheet feeding roller at the downstreammost pressing position out of the pressing positions where the sheet feeding roller is pressed to the sheet as being varied in accordance with a sheet stacking state of the sheets.
US09221634B2	Recording medium feeding device and image forming apparatus provided with same According to the present disclosure, a recording medium feeding device includes a pickup roller, a feed roller, a retard roller, a holding member, a pressing mechanism, a pressing force changing mechanism, and a driving force transmitting mechanism. The holding member is configured to rotatably support the feed roller and the pickup roller. The pressing mechanism is configured to press the pickup roller against a recording medium. The pressing force changing mechanism is configured to change the pressing force of the pickup roller. The driving force transmitting mechanism is configured to transmit a rotation-driving force to the feed roller. The pressing force changing mechanism obtains a driving force from the driving force transmitting mechanism, and increases the pressing force according to rotation time of the pickup roller.
US09221627B2	Cut extrudate dispersal hood A product-spreading hood assembly (10) for use with a die unit (128) includes a deflector (14) having wall structure defining a product inlet opening (90) and a product outlet opening (92); the deflector (14) is preferably generally frustoconical in shape and is supported by a housing (12). An optional air delivery assembly (16) allows air currents to be directed from the area of the inlet (90) towards outlet (92) to facilitate separation of discrete products. Advantageously, the air currents are delivered in a circumferential fashion about the die unit (128). Use of the hood assembly (10) serves to separate high moisture or “sticky” extrudates, thereby preventing agglomeration thereof.
US09221625B2	Conveying pipe and method for producing a conveying pipe A conveying pipe for transporting solids includes a pipe body and a pipe collar connected to at least one end of the pipe body. The pipe collar and the pipe end are coupled to each other by an interference fit at least in some sections in a coupling region in a longitudinal direction of the pipe body. In the coupling region, an anaerobically hardening adhesive is optionally arranged in craters or depressions. The conveying pipe is produced by roughening the pipe collar inner surface and/or the pipe end outer surface in a coupling region, cleaning the pipe collar inner surface and/or the pipe end outer surface, applying an anaerobic hardenable adhesive the pipe collar inner surface and/or the pipe end inner surface, and pressing the pipe collar onto the pipe end and/or pressing the pipe end into the pipe collar.
US09221624B2	Parts feeding device, parts mounting device and parts feeding method A parts feeding device includes a magazine for housing pallets, a parts feeding table capable of supporting a plurality of pallets in a state where a tray mounted on a topmost pallet is positioned within a movable range of a parts retrieving head and in a state where an upside of the tray is open, and a relay device which inserts and removes the pallets into and from the magazine and the parts feeding table.
US09221623B2	Suction gripper apparatus A suction gripper apparatus with a suction head, which is mounted with at least one elastic mounting member on a working head of an actuation device, the suction head having an elastic suction cup which possesses a suction body and a suction lip forming an open edge portion of the suction body and running in a suction plane, wherein the suction head possesses a retaining plate connected to the suction cup and surrounding it like a ring and having a flat contact surface running in a contact plane parallel to the suction plane.
US09221616B2	Tubular conveyor with cleanout having detachable cover A conveyor includes a support frame, an inclined tube mounted to the support frame, a cleated belt that conveys the material from the hopper through the tube and a hopper at a lower end of the tube for receiving material, wherein the hopper comprises a cleanout unit with a detachable cover that is detachably mounted to the hopper.
US09221615B2	Apparatus for completing a format set of products An apparatus for completing a format set of products which are conveyed line-wise on a plurality of conveyor tracks along a conveying direction comprises a first stop conveyor and a second stop conveyor which are arranged after one another in the conveying direction and which are configured to convey products along the conveying direction on all conveyor tracks, with the first stop conveyor and the second stop conveyor furthermore being able to stop a conveyed product as required on at least one conveyor track, while a product is conveyed onward on at least one other conveyor track. A distributor conveyor is arranged between the first stop conveyor and the second stop conveyor and is configured to convey at least one product along the conveying direction, with the distributor conveyor being displaceable transversely to the conveying direction.
US09221604B2	Article storage facility and method of operation therefor Disclosed is an article storage facility which can be downsized by minimizing the width of the travel path for a pair of stacker cranes, in which its configuration is simplified as much as possible, and in which its throughput can be efficiently improved. The control device is configured to perform a mutual avoidance vertical movement process in which a pair of vertically movable bodies are raised or lowered by a vertical movement operation for avoiding interference, which is different from the vertical movement operation in the article transporting operation to raise and lower the pair of vertically movable bodies, to the vertical positions for passing each other which are spaced apart in the vertical movement direction by a distance greater than or equal to the required separating distance which is defined as a separating distance which allows the pair of stacker cranes to pass each other without interfering.
US09221603B2	Plate-shaped member storage rack, plate-shaped member transfer facility, and plate-shaped member storing method A rack includes: a rack main body including a storage space configured to store a plurality of plate-shaped members and a carry-in opening; a plurality of upper supporting portions configured to respectively support upper edge portions of the plurality of plate-shaped members; lower supporting portions respectively provided under the plurality of upper supporting portions and configured to respectively support lower edge portions of the plurality of standing plate-shaped members; and lower edge portion storage portions provided to be each located at an outer side of an end of the upper supporting portion and an end of the lower supporting portion in the arrangement direction and configured to store the lower edge portions of the plate-shaped members, and at least one of the upper supporting portions is configured to be able to support the upper edge portion of the plate-shaped member.
US09221602B2	Linearly extendable collection mechanism for refuse hauling vehicles An improved recyclables collection vehicle includes a lift mechanism for selective loading into any one of multiple hoppers on the vehicle. The lift mechanism includes a track which extends past the rear of the vehicle such that a moveable carriage may move along the track to collect a refuse bin located to the rear of the vehicle or on an elevated dock behind or alongside the vehicle. The carriage can be aligned with any one of the hoppers such that the lift mechanism will elevate the refuse bin and invert it over the hopper container. The movement of the carriage along the track and the raising of the lift mechanism are operated with a wireless remote control.
US09221600B2	Single-column trash compactor An electromechanical, modular, single-column, trash compactor with a particularly small size and low weight. In particular, a trash compaction device which can be used on-board aircraft, trains, ships and/or for civil applications and generally in all the locations and/or modes of transportation where the auxiliary service equipment must occupy as little space as possible. The compaction device is formed by a system of hollow telescopic screws (5,6), for example of the recirculating ball type, operated by a motor (2) housed inside the said screws (5,6). The compactor may be conveniently installed in compartments, which are fixed or movable on wheels, such as a trolley, so as to allow easy displacement within the mode of transportation and insertion within the appropriate working spaces.
US09221598B2	Portable containment system for hazardous or other materials A method includes wrapping one or more pieces of fabric around at least one piece of shape memory material. The method also includes attaching outer edges of the one or more pieces of fabric to other portions of the one or more pieces of fabric. The method further includes depositing liquid-impervious material onto the one or more pieces of fabric to form free-standing flexible walls and a floor of a containment structure. The floor is formed seamlessly with the walls. The wrapping could include attaching a bottom of the at least one piece of shape memory material to the one or more pieces of fabric at locations spaced apart from the outer edges of the one or more pieces of fabric. The wrapping could also include attaching sides of the at least one piece of shape memory material to the one or more pieces of fabric.
US09221597B2	Interconnect membrane A liquid permeable interconnect membrane for a liquid supply outlet, and a void between the interconnect membranes and an opposite void wall, the interconnect membrane being stiff enough to avoid unwanted pore deformation or contact with the opposite void wall.
US09221595B2	Spray device An apparatus for delivering liquid includes a wand with a nozzle, a toggle switch, and a supply canister for delivering self-tanning and sun-tanning solutions to a human body. The wand may pivotably attach to a cap attached to the supply canister containing the chosen liquid to be delivered without the necessity of an exposed external tube suspended between the wand and the supply canister.
US09221591B2	Easy open and reclosable package with discrete laminate with die-cut An easy-open and reclosable package includes a pouch including a discrete laminate including a tape including a base strip coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive, and a panel section having a die cut defining a die cut segment the panel section adhered by the PSA to the base strip; the discrete laminate anchored to a first side panel; and a product in the pouch. The die cut segment is so arranged with respect to the pressure sensitive adhesive that when the package is opened, the package can be reclosed by adhering any of the first side panel, second side panel, and panel section to the pressure sensitive adhesive.
US09221590B2	Resealable packaging for food products and method of manufacturing Resealable packaging for food products is provided with a flexible container having a top, bottom and side faces, a container aperture having lateral edges extending within the top face, and a flexible closure flap covered of repositionable adhesive on the lateral margins, which are peelable from a closed position in which they adhere around the aperture. The container having a supporting insert including a frame extending along the side faces and having a lower peripheral edge laying against the bottom face of the container. The frame may include foot portions and may have a top peripheral edge situated adjacent the top face and may have head portions between which two top panels extend. The insert covers the inner face of the container in the area on which the lateral margins adhere, to support it during the resealing. A method of manufacturing is also disclosed.
US09221589B2	Reusable blister packaging for button batteries Blister pack 1 for button battery comprising a blister foil 10 designed to provide at least an individual cup 12 for receiving a button battery, and an individual closure region 13 for each said individual cup 12. The closure region 13 receives a closure element 4 which is removably secured to the closure region 13.
US09221588B2	Slider device display package A display package for slider phones devices, comprising an outer cover package having a front section molded to conform to the front surface of the slider phone in the open position, and an inner tray molded to conform to the back surface of the slider device in the open position. The inner tray is contained within the outer cover package and the outer cover package is closed with the molded front section located over the front surface of the slider device, packaging the device securely in the open position. Another embodiment comprises a recessed inner tray conforming to the back side of the slider device in the open position and a molded retainer placed between the front surface of the slider phone in the open position and a flat front outer cover package.
US09221585B1	Cap closing structure A cap closing structure which comprises the following components: an inner cover, each side of which is provided with a positioning base, a sliding space with an open located on the positioning base; two buttons, each of which is located on the sliding space, the button has a button base and a pressing portion connected with each other, a latching space is between the button base and the pressing portion, one side of the button base is a latching portion, a flexible member is behind and urges the button base; an outer cover, a rear end of which is pivotally connected with the inner cover, each side of the outer cover is internally equipped with a latching member; wherein the latching members are embedded in the two latching spaces, then the latching members latch the two latching portions.
US09221584B2	Cereal bag with crumb collector A bag includes a main compartment and a crumb collector compartment disposed below the main compartment. The bag includes a substantially horizontal non-continuous seal including a plurality of sealed portions and a plurality of open portions disposed between the sealed portions. The substantially horizontal non-continuous seal is disposed between the main compartment and the crumb collector compartment. The bag includes a continuous seal disposed below the crumb collector compartment.
US09221582B2	Collapsible container A collapsible container is provided. The collapsible container includes a substantially rigid upper rim, and a container portion that is made entirely of a flexible (collapsible) material. The flexible container has a base and side walls extending upward from the base. The side walls include at least one living hinge, and the base is formed with a structural ribbing configuration. The structural ribbing integrated into the base and formed of the flexible material creates a level of rigidity in the same that allows the entire container to collapse and extend without requirement any other materials incorporated into the container portion.
US09221580B2	Multiple pallet assembly A pallet assembly includes a support base including a support deck having a plurality of openings. A plurality of pallets each include a pallet deck having a plurality of feet extending downward therefrom. The plurality of pallets are arranged such that the plurality of feet are received in the plurality of openings in the support deck of the support base. In this manner, a plurality of smaller pallets can be handled as a single standard size pallet, including being stacked in a pallet rack.
US09221576B2	Display ready container assembly A container preassembly which has an inner sleeve in a flat unopened position disposed within an outer sleeve in a flat unopened position. The two sleeves are adapted to form the two ends of the container and are secured together in the aligned relationship of the final open container, thereby allowing the preassembly to be opened into the form of the final container without requiring further adjustment. Once opened, the flaps for forming the container bottom are folded to create a container ready for use. A method of making the container preassembly is also provided.
US09221575B2	Carton with increased width access opening An eight-sided, octagonal carton having an increased width opening and strength as compared to a four-sided, rectangular carton, and providing for improved removal of a food product stored within the carton. The octagonal carton has a top panel, a bottom panel, and an octagonal sidewall comprising a pair of longitudinal segments and a pair of transverse end segments. The end segments further comprise a pair of individual panels that can fold at an angle to provide three sides along each end segment; two angled sides and one side perpendicular to the longitudinal segments. To gain access to the interior of the carton, only one of the panels needs to be opened creating an access opening through which the food product is extracted.
US09221571B1	Weighted bag support A weighted bag support including a plurality of rectangular rigid support frames comprising a right support frame, a left support frame, a front support frame, and a back support frame. Each of the plurality of support frames has a top flap. The top flap has a lower edge and an upper edge. A plurality of covers comprising a right cover, a left cover, a front cover, and a back cover are continuously disposed within the right support frame, the left support frame, the front support frame, and the back support frame, respectively. A plurality of weighted rods comprising a right weighted rod, a left weighted, rod, a front weighted rod, and a back weighted rod are disposed within the upper edge of the top flap of the right support frame, the left support frame, the front support frame, and the back support frame, respectively.
US09221569B2	Bag transfer device A rotary bag transfer device used in a bag filling and packaging apparatus and provided with a plurality of pairs of grippers installed around an intermittently rotating table. The bag transfer device includes an arm support mechanism (21), which supports the base portion of an arm (15) of each one of the pair of grippers (13), and a drive force transmission mechanism (22), which actuates the arm support mechanism. A link (51) that is part of the drive force transmission mechanism is linked at its one end to an adjusting ring (49), a link (46) is linked at its one end to the arm support mechanism, and these links are linked together at their other ends. When the adjusting ring rotates, a center plane (M) between the grippers is displaced (for amount Da) to offset from a reference plane (N) that passes through the center (O) of the table.
US09221568B2	Bag transfer device A rotary-type bag transfer device including a plurality of pairs of left and right grippers (2) provided around an intermittently rotating table (1). A first support shaft (8) and a second support shaft (9) are provided on the base portion of each of the arms (5) of the grippers. A first link (14) linked at its one end to the table and pivotable horizontally is linked at another end thereof to the center of a second link (15), the second link is linked at one end thereof to the first support shaft, and a sliding member (21) installed at the other end of the second link is provided to slide in a slot (22) formed in the table. The slot is parallel to a reference plane (N). A restricting link (24) linked at one end to the table is linked at another end to the second support shaft.
US09221567B2	Systems, methods, and devices for tensioning straps Tensioning devices include a base housing with a drive gear, a spindle gear proximate the drive gear, and a pawl proximate the spindle gear; a lever pivotally coupled to the base housing and a lug pivotally coupled to the lever, wherein the lug is configured to interact with the drive gear; a spindle fixedly coupled to the spindle gear; and a brake assembly coupled to the base housing, wherein, the lug is configured to avoid engagement with the drive gear when the lever is rotated in a first direction, but configured to engage the drive gear when the lever is rotated in a second direction, so as to effect rotation of the drive gear in the second direction, and thereby effect a counter rotation of the spindle gear and spindle.
US09221564B2	Method for need-based order-picking of medicine portions in dispensing packs In a method for need-based order-picking of medicine portions, several medicine portions of a defined type are firstly identified in several blister packs of different dimensions having receiving chambers and are placed in an automated storage facility. Data identifying the blister packs are saved in association with designations of their storage locations. A dispensing pack is then made ready at an automatic filling station and is filled as needed. Finally, the filled dispensing pack is placed in the same or another automated storage facility, if the dispensing pack is not yet intended to be distributed.
US09221560B2	Vibrating device for uniform filling of granular ornaments A vibrating device for uniformly filling granular ornaments includes a base, a vibration platform, a motor, a first vibrating assembly for generating vibration in an up-down direction, and a second vibrating assembly for generating vibration in a left-right direction. The vibration platform is articulated at the base and provided with multiple through-holes for holding workpieces, such as pen caps. The motor is fixedly mounted at the base. The first vibrating assembly and the second vibrating assembly both are provided between the motor and the vibration platform. The motor drives the first vibrating assembly to make the vibration platform vibrate in the up-down direction, and at the same time drives the second vibrating assembly to make the vibration platform vibrate in the left-right direction. Thus, granular ornaments can fill the cavities of pen caps located within the through holes in the vibration platform.
US09221556B2	Airplane off ground advisory system An airplane off ground advisory system employs at least one position sensor attached for detection of an extended condition and a compressed condition of a main landing gear. A control system receives an input from the position sensor. The control system records a toggling of the input from an extended to a compressed to an extended condition and providing an output. At least one indicator is coupled to the control system to be activated by the output.
US09221554B2	Runway overrun monitor Disclosed is a runway alerting method and system for an aircraft performing a landing maneuver. During the landing maneuver, a minimum stopping position and a maximum stopping position for the aircraft along the runway is determined using aircraft energy state, deceleration and braking information. The minimum stopping position is based upon the aircraft performing a maximum flare maneuver prior to touchdown on the runway and the maximum stopping position is based upon the aircraft performing a minimum flare maneuver prior to touchdown on the runway. The minimum and maximum stopping positions are presented to the aircraft pilot on a display to assist the pilot in safely landing the aircraft.
US09221553B1	Peer-to-peer mobile satcom An on-board aircraft computer is configured to receive flight relevant data from another aircraft through a satellite data link configured to route data between aircraft. The on-board aircraft computer then incorporates such flight relevant data into one or more on-board systems such as a flight management system. The on-board aircraft computer may include two receivers such that a second receiver establishes communication with a second satellite signal during transition between two discrete regions of satellite communication. Furthermore, a satellite routes flight relevant data from one aircraft to another without communication with a ground station.
US09221549B2	Method and system for displaying information on a display unit in an aircraft cabin A method and system for displaying information on an electrical display unit in an aircraft cabin including a generating unit for generating at least one signal which clearly identifies the information, a first acquiring unit for wirelessly acquiring the at least one signal and a control unit for controlling the display unit on the basis of the at least one signal. The system may also have a second acquiring unit for acquiring departure and/or arrival location information relating to a flight and a third acquiring unit for acquiring passenger information.
US09221545B2	Aircraft nacelle assemblies Aircraft nacelle assemblies include a frame, a cowl coupled to the frame, and a biasing member (including a passive mechanism) coupled between the frame and the cowl. The cowl is configured to move between a closed position and an open position. The passive mechanism is configured to provide a biasing force to the cowl. When the cowl is in or near the closed position, the biasing force coupled with the weight of the cowl results in a first net force that urges the cowl away from the open position, and when the cowl is in or near the open position, the biasing force coupled with the weight of the cowl results in a second net force that urges the cowl away from the closed position.
US09221535B2	Adaptive remaining useful life balancing control system and method for multi-engine systems A system and method of adaptively managing a plurality of engines in a multi-engine system, where each engine comprises hot gas components and non-hot gas components, and each engine exhibits a performance margin and a remaining useful life, includes continuously, and in real-time, determining a plurality of different degradation mechanisms for each of the plurality of engines, and continuously, and in real-time, determining which of the determined degradation mechanisms is most limiting. The engines are controlled, based on the most limiting degradation mechanism, in a manner that the remaining useful lives of each engine are substantially equal. The plurality of different degradation mechanisms of each engine are determined based on the engine performance margin, modeled failure predictions of the hot gas components, and modeled failure predictions of the non-hot gas components.
US09221532B2	Multi-role aircraft with interchangeable mission modules A flight-operable, truly modular aircraft has an aircraft core to which one or more of outer wings members, fuselage, cockpit, leading and trailing edge couplings, and empennage and tail sections can be removably coupled and/or replaced during the operating life span of the aircraft. In preferred embodiments the aircraft core houses the propulsive engines, avionics, at least 80% of the fuel, and all of the landing gear. The aircraft core is preferably constructed with curved forward and aft composite spars, that transfer loads across the center section, while accommodating a mid-wing configuration. The aircraft core preferably has a large central cavity dimensioned to interchangeably carry an ordnance launcher, a surveillance payload, electronic countermeasures, and other types of cargo. Contemplated aircraft can be quite large, for example having a wing span of at least 80 ft.
US09221529B1	Life jacket with a lock A life jacket with a lock including a life jacket having at least one belt in combination with a releasable buckle, the releasable buckle having a female member and a male member. Each of the female member and the male member has a top side and a bottom side. An opening is continuously disposed through the male member from the top side to the bottom side. An aperture is continuously disposed through the female member from the top side to the bottom side. The opening and the aperture are colinearly disposed when the female member is securely engaged with the male member. A U-lock slidingly engages the opening in combination with the aperture when the female member is securely engaged with the male member.
US09221518B2	Universal skip-free derailleur A front derailleur with controllable full rotational movement with two operator selectable radial arms—one for pole-vaulting the chain to larger sprockets, the other for sliding the chain to smaller sprockets.
US09221503B2	Front spoiler device A front spoiler device configured to be installed on a vehicle having a vehicle width direction, a vehicle upward direction, a vehicle downward direction, a vehicle forward direction, and vehicle rearward direction, has a front bumper, a bumper fascia that forms an outer surface of the front bumper, a spoiler supporting flange portion extending in the vehicle rearward direction from a lower end of the bumper fascia, a spoiler body extending along the lower end of the bumper fascia in the vehicle width direction, the spoiler body being provided with a vertical wall portion facing the vehicle forward direction, and two diffuser portions, each of which is connected to each lateral end of the spoiler body, each of which extends in the vehicle downward direction and in the vehicle width direction along a corner portion of each lateral end on the lower end of the bumper fascia.
US09221497B2	Vehicle front structure A front part of a vehicle is provided with front side members, upper members and suspension towers. Also, the suspension tower is provided with a first connecting portion being connected to the upper member, a second connecting portion being connected to the front side member, and a third connecting portion connected to the front side member while being positioned forward of the second connecting portion in the vehicle front-rear direction. The second connecting portion is connected to the front side member, a connecting strength between the front side member and the second connecting portion is lower than a connecting strength between the upper member and the first connecting portion. Also, the third connecting portion is connected to the front side member.
US09221496B2	Suspension module having a skidplate A suspension module for a vehicle. The suspension module may include a subframe, a skid plate, and a differential. The skid plate may be mounted to the subframe. The differential may be mounted to the skid plate.
US09221488B2	Remote controlled vehicle A remote controlled vehicle includes a chassis, front and rear axles mounted on the chassis and at least one wheel coupled to each axle. A front hydraulic drive drives the front axle and a rear hydraulic drive drives the rear axle. The remote controlled vehicle includes front and rear control valves in fluid communication with the corresponding front and rear hydraulic drives for regulating at least one of a fluid direction and a fluid flow through each control valve to each corresponding hydraulic drive. A controller communicates drive commands to each hydraulic drive and receives the drive commands front an external communicator. The chassis has a width substantially equal to the widest width of the reservoir and the motor.
US09221486B2	Cart A collapsible or foldable cart, shopping cart, utility cart or supermarket cart. The cart includes: a basket mounted on top of a plurality of wheels; and a bridge element to engage with an edge of a vehicular trunk. The bridge element is connected at a point located between the basket and the wheels. The bridge element is moveable on one or more fixed rails that are connected within the cart underneath the basket substantially in parallel to an axis of the basket. The rails are an integral part of the cart and are not fixedly attached to the vehicular trunk.
US09221484B2	Configurable cart This invention includes a cart assembly with an integrated cooler and a configurable and expandable cargo platform. The cart assembly comprises a chest compartment. One end of support beams is attached to the front surface of the chest. The opposite ends of the support beams are attached to the rear surface of the extension member. One end of an expanding platform is attached to the front surface of the chest. The opposite end of the expanding platform is attached to the rear surface of the extension member. Ends of the telescoping support rails are attached on both the left and right sides of the chest. Opposite ends of the telescoping support rails are attached on both the left and right side of the extension member. The cart assembly can expand and collapse to accommodate larger or smaller cargos and reconfigure the platform into a table.
US09221476B2	Method and arrangement for monitoring a brake system of a brake arrangement of a rail vehicle A method and an arrangement monitor a brake system of a brake arrangement of a rail vehicle. To carry out such a method comparatively cost-effectively and gently on the wheels and rails, the deceleration of the rail vehicle is detected with a deceleration measured variable being obtained and the frictional connection between the wheel and rail is detected with a frictional connection measured variable being obtained. In the event of a small deceleration measured variable and a normal frictional connection measured variable, an error message signal is generated. In a brake system with at least one brake actuator, the deceleration of the rail vehicle is detected with a deceleration measured variable being obtained and the brake force of the at least one brake actuator is measured. In the case of a small deceleration measured variable and a low brake force, an error message signal is generated.
US09221475B2	Self lubricated spherical transom bearing A suspension system for a rail car has at least two undercarriage members and at least one equalizer bar removably and pivotally secured to and between the two undercarriage members. A spherical bearing has an outer member that surrounds an inner member. The outer member is removably secured to one of the undercarriage members. The inner member is removably secured to the equalizer bar. The outer member defines at least one outer member section having an arcuate interior surface and the inner member defines at least one inner member section having an arcuate exterior surface. A low friction liner is disposed on at least one of the arcuate interior surface or the arcuate exterior surface.
US09221468B2	Damage limitation for a motor vehicle in a dangerous situation A system for limiting damage in a hazard situation of a motor vehicle encompasses a first sensing device for sensing the hazard situation, a second sensing device for sensing a state of the motor vehicle, a processing device for identifying an action instruction on the basis of the hazard situation and of the state of the motor vehicle, and a conveying device for conveying the action instruction to a person in the vicinity of the motor vehicle. A method for limiting damage in a hazard situation of a motor vehicle encompasses steps of sensing the hazard situation, sensing a state of the motor vehicle, identifying an action instruction on the basis of the hazard situation and of the state of the motor vehicle, and conveying the action instruction to a person in the vicinity of the motor vehicle.
US09221467B2	Determining the installation location of a wheel sensor A method for determining an installation location of a wheel sensor on a wheel of a motor vehicle, wherein the method includes the steps of sampling a transverse acceleration signal of the wheel sensor, comparing the received transverse acceleration signal with a transverse acceleration signal of the motor vehicle, and determining that the wheel sensor is located on a steerable axle of the motor vehicle if the transverse acceleration signals differ from one another.
US09221465B2	Rough road detection and misfire control Computer-implemented techniques include determining, at a controller of a vehicle, a wheel speed for each of two front wheels of the vehicle and two rear wheels of the vehicle. The techniques include calculating, at the controller, a difference between (i) an average of the wheel speeds for the two front wheels of the vehicle and (ii) an average of the wheel speeds for the two rear wheels of the vehicle to obtain an error. The techniques include setting, at the controller, a rough road detection bit when the error is greater than or equal to a threshold indicative of an error corresponding to rough road. The techniques include monitoring, at the controller, the rough road detection bit for a period to obtain a hysteresis band. The techniques also include determining, at the controller, whether the vehicle is traveling on rough road based on the hysteresis band.
US09221464B2	Method and system for controlling idle stop of vehicle A method and a system for controlling idle stop of a vehicle that can reduce braking noise and prevent startup delay may be included, wherein the method for controlling may include estimating a disk temperature, determining whether the estimated disk temperature may be lower than or equal to a first predetermined temperature, and prohibiting engine stop according to the idle stop when the estimated disk temperature may be higher than the first predetermined temperature.
US09221463B2	Automatic speed controllable vehicle and method for controlling speed thereof Disclosed are an automatic speed controllable vehicle and a speed controlling method thereof. The vehicle collects vehicle information and transmitted collected vehicle information to an RSE, and the RSE receives vehicle information from each vehicle within a management section and transmits again, to each vehicle, information required for each vehicle to adjust a speed. The vehicle receiving information required to adjust the speed may adjust the speed of the vehicle based on the received information and may display a warning notification for a driver.
US09221462B2	Vehicle behavior stability control apparatus A vehicle behavior stability control apparatus includes a yaw rate sensor, a lateral acceleration sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, an urgency determining section, a target yaw rate setting section, and an actuator control section. If the urgency determining section determines that an urgency with which a vehicle behavior is to be stabilized is equal to or lower than a determination criterion that indicates a necessity to stabilize the vehicle behavior urgently, the target yaw rate setting section sets, as a target yaw rate, a right-left cooperative target yaw rate that is commonly applied to both right cornering and left cornering. Otherwise, if the urgency determining section determines that the urgency exceeds the determination criterion, the target yaw rate setting section sets, as a target yaw rate, right-left independent target yaw rates that are independently applied to the right cornering and left cornering, respectively.
US09221459B2	Power transmission unit After an engine starts, a rotation speed of the engine is fed back to a target rotation speed that is defined in response to requested power for the engine. In addition, by operating a gear ratio of a CVT, a rotation speed of an output side of a one-way bearing is fed back to the target rotation speed.
US09221458B1	Engine start control from a high-power EV mode A vehicle includes an engine, power inverter module, transmission, engine brake, and control system. The transmission has a stationary member, gearbox, and electric traction motor controlled via pulse width modulation. The engine brake selectively connects the engine to the stationary member in an electric vehicle drive mode. The control system executes a method to detect a requested autostart of the engine during the electric vehicle drive mode, disconnects the engine from the stationary member via the engine brake in response to the detected requested autostart, determines a driver-requested output torque and a maximum output torque of the transmission, and executes one of an engine self-lifting control routine and a motor over-modulation routine when the driver-requested output torque exceeds the calculated maximum output torque by less than a calibrated threshold, both routines when the driver-requested output torque exceeds the calculated maximum output torque by more than the calibrated threshold.
US09221456B2	Vehicle power generation mode control method A vehicle power generation mode control method includes initiating a vehicle power generation mode request; determining whether at least one of the following conditions exists: high engine revolutions per minute is allowed; high voltage or amperage draw is allowed; current fuel level supports power generation mode; and carbon monoxide readings are within acceptable limits; denying requests for engagement of a vehicle transmission if at least one of the conditions exists; and allowing or commanding the vehicle power generation mode.
US09221454B2	Control system of a vehicle Provided is a control system of a vehicle equipped with first and second motors/generators, and a differential device including a ring gear and a sun gear individually connected to the first and second motors/generators and a carrier connected to a driving wheel side, wherein at the time an SOC of a battery exceeds a predetermined threshold value during regenerative driving operations of the first and second motors/generators, a power driving operation of any one of the first and second motors/generators is selectively performed.
US09221453B2	Dynamic pedal response for vehicle fuel economy A controller, in response to a change from a first steady pedal condition to a second steady pedal condition, decreases a torque command during the second steady pedal condition based on a difference between a peak torque command achieved during the change and a steady torque command corresponding to the first steady pedal condition. The controller also operates a powertrain to satisfy the torque command.
US09221449B2	Electric brake system for vehicle Disclosed herein is an electric brake system for a vehicle including a reservoir, a master cylinder, an input rod, and a pedal displacement sensor. The electric brake system includes a pressure supply unit to receive oil and to output an electrical signal through the pedal displacement sensor, a hydraulic control unit to perform braking of a wheel, first and second switching valves connected to a channel connecting the pressure supply unit to the hydraulic control unit, a simulator connected to the master cylinder, and an electronic control unit to control the motor and the valves. The pressure supply unit includes a pressure chamber, a hydraulic piston arranged in the pressure chamber, a hydraulic spring to elastically support the hydraulic piston, the motor to generate rotational force, and a ball-screw member to convert rotational motion of the motor into rectilinear motion. The hydraulic piston is connected to the screw.
US09221447B2	Compressed air supply system for truck trailers and compressed air supply method A compressed air supply system is described for a truck trailer, which includes at least one first compressed air network, which supplies a pneumatic brake system of the truck trailer with an air pressure limited according to a requirement, and at least one compressed air supply coupling between the tractive vehicle and the truck trailer for supplying compressed air, in which the at least one compressed air supply coupling is configured for a higher air pressure than the limited air pressure according to the requirement.
US09221446B2	Controlling an electrically actuable parking brake in the event of failure of a speed signal A technique for controlling an electrically actuable parking brake of a motor vehicle in the event of failure of a first signal indicating a speed of the motor vehicle comprises the steps of continuously closing the parking brake as long as a second signal indicating a driver request to close the parking brake is detected, and opening the parking brake, provided that the parking brake is in a partially open state, as long as an absence of the second signal is detected.
US09221445B2	Method for operating an electronically controllable brake system An electronically controllable braking system includes a hydraulic brake-pressure generator which generates the brake pressures for the wheel brakes. In the hydraulic connection to the brake-pressure generator, a valve arrangement has been assigned to each wheel brake in order to adjust the brake pressures demanded for the wheel brakes in the multiplex mode, for the purpose of operating the braking system. A method has the following steps: establishing for which of the wheel brakes the adjusting of the brake pressure demanded for it has priority in a current multiplex cycle; generating the brake pressure demanded for the wheel brake that has been set to priority; opening the valve arrangement that has been assigned to the wheel brake that has been set to priority; and closing the valve arrangements that have been assigned to the wheel brakes that have not been set to priority.
US09221443B2	Slip control boost braking system A master cylinder includes a housing and a first secondary piston disposed in the housing. The first secondary piston cooperates with the housing to define a first secondary chamber which changes volume as the first secondary piston moves in the housing. A second secondary piston is disposed in the housing and cooperates with the housing to define a second secondary chamber which changes volume as the second secondary piston moves in the housing. A stepped primary piston is disposed in the housing. The primary piston cooperates with the housing to define a primary chamber which changes volume as the primary piston moves in the housing. The primary piston defines an abutment surface which can be driven into abutment with the first secondary piston and the second secondary piston to move the first secondary piston and the second secondary piston. A primary piston spring maintains a restorative force on the primary piston when actuated.
US09221440B2	Electromechanical actuator strain gauge temperature compensation device The EMA may comprise an EMA housing, a strain gauge coupled to the EMA housing, the strain gauge comprising a Wheatstone bridge, the Wheatstone bridge comprising a first group of resistors coupled in parallel with a second group of resistors, a controller coupled to the strain gauge, a variable resistance resistor coupled to the Wheatstone bridge, the variable resistance resistor configured to derive a temperature of the EMA housing based upon a temperature of the variable resistance resistor and configured to provide feedback to the controller, the controller adjusting a force applied by the EMA based upon the temperature of the EMA housing.
US09221438B2	Electronic control unit and vehicle behavior control device An electronic control unit which includes: a sensor board to which a sensor for detecting a predetermined physical quantity is attached; a control board which controls an operation of an electric part based on the physical quantity detected by the sensor; and a housing which accommodates the sensor board and the control board, wherein the housing has a first room for accommodating the electric part, a second room for accommodating the sensor board and the control board in a stacked condition, and a partition portion for separating the first room and the second room from each other, wherein a recess which is opened to the second room is formed in the partition portion, and a sensor accommodating portion for accommodating the sensor is formed using the recess.
US09221437B2	Controlling device for a brake system of a vehicle and method for operating a brake system of a vehicle A controlling device for a brake system, including a generator control device, by which a setpoint generator braking torque may be set regarding an actuating intensity of a manipulation of a brake actuating element; and a valve control device, by which, if the stipulated setpoint generator braking torque is equal to zero, at least one accumulator opening valve of a brake circuit may be forced into a first valve position in such a manner, that displacement of brake fluid from a master brake cylinder into at least one wheel brake caliper of the brake circuit may be effected and displacement of brake fluid from the master brake cylinder into an accumulator of the brake circuit is prevented. If the stipulated setpoint generator braking torque is not equal to zero, the at least one accumulator opening valve may be forced into a second valve position.
US09221432B2	Snow brush A snow brush, comprising flexible sheets secured by a first edge to a handle, all edges of the flexible sheets other than the first edge providing corresponding continuous brushing edges, wherein the flexible sheets are sheets of closed cells foams, and a method for fabricating the now brush, comprising selecting flexible sheets, securing a first edge of the flexible sheets to a handle, wherein selecting flexible sheets comprises selecting a number of sheets, and a thickness, a density and a free length of each sheet.
US09221431B2	Wheel cleaning mat A mat for clearing wheels and tires of contaminants as the wheels and tires roll over the mat. The mat includes a tray having a floor, a perimetric wall, and groups or clumps of bristles arranged to incline at an acute angle to the surface of the wheel, perpendicularly to the direction of travel of the wheel. Rows of bristles incline in generally opposing directions. The bristles are anchored to bristle supporting tracks which lie on the floor. Low walls surround and separate the clumps of bristles. The mat may be used as modules in an array. The array may include ramps configured to elevate the wheels above the floor of the tray. The array may include supports for holding the bristles above the tray for cleaning of the tray.
US09221421B2	Bonnet arrangement The present disclosure relates to a bonnet arrangement for a vehicle, the bonnet arrangement including a bonnet and a hinge arrangement, which is adapted to be attached to the bonnet. The hinge arrangement is arranged to permit pivotal displacement of the bonnet relative to the vehicle around a first pivot axis located in the hinge arrangement. The bonnet arrangement further includes a passive energy absorbing member positioned and arranged so as to absorb impact energy from an impact occurring at the bonnet in a region above the hinge arrangement. The energy absorbing member may be adapted to be attached to the bonnet and/or to the hinge arrangement.
US09221418B1	Hinged mounting system for airbag module having deployable lock A frontal passenger airbag module is provided in association with the forward part of the instrument panel adjacent the windshield. The module includes a passageway through which the airbag may be deployed. The module is movable between an operational position in which the airbag may be deployed through the a breakaway opening in the instrument panel and a stowed position in which the module is moved vehicle-rearward such that the passageway is no longer adjacent the breakaway opening and the module no longer encroaches on the crush space provided for pedestrian protection. The vehicle includes an impact sensor for determining if an impact event involves a pedestrian. If it is determined by the sensor that a pedestrian has been involved, the module is moved to its stowed position. If it is determined by the sensor that no pedestrian has been involved, then the module remains in its operational position.
US09221417B1	Releasable tether retention system A releasable tether retention system includes a housing and a tether retention member including a portion movably mounted in the housing. The system is configured to retain a tether on the member when the member is positioned in a first position, and configured so that a tether retained on the member is released from the member during movement of the member from the first position to a second position different from the first position.
US09221416B2	Trim assembly for covering airbag A trim assembly for covering an airbag, comprising: a carrier provided with a through-opening for the airbag; a surface decor; an inlay applied between the carrier and the surface decor and covering the through-opening, the inlay extending, on one side, beyond an edge of the through-opening to overlap a region of the carrier to form an hinge for an airbag flap formed by the surface decor and the inlay; and a fastening strap for fastening the inlay to the carrier at the overlapping region, wherein it comprises at least one retaining element arranged at the overlapping region, the retaining element cooperating with the inlay for retaining the airbag flap on the carrier upon an opening of the airbag flap.
US09221413B2	Vehicle impact-absorbing member A vehicle impact-absorbing member has a columnar wood member and a hollow cylindrical metal frame body covering side-surfaces of the wood member and is configured to axially receive a compression load caused by impact in the event of a collision in an axial direction of wood member. The frame body may have a square cylindrical shape. A ratio of an outer side in a hollow square cross-sectional surface of the frame body to a thickness of the frame body is set to a range of 9-12.
US09221410B2	Vehicle having electrical consumers integrated with a physical onboard power supply system A vehicle with an internal combustion engine, with a physical onboard power supply system and with at least one electrical energy source, wherein electrical consumers are integrated in the physical onboard power supply system and the physical onboard power supply system comprises a switchable terminal 15, wherein, when the terminal 15 is actuated and the internal combustion engine is switched off or when the internal combustion engine is running at a low rotational speed, each of the electrical consumers is assignable by a control device to either a first group of electrical consumers or a second group of electrical consumers, an electrical consumer of the first group is at least partly able to be switched on and off by a user, an electrical consumer of the second group cannot be switched by the user, and an electrical consumer which is switched on at least partly can be supplied with electrical power from the at least one electrical energy source.
US09221405B2	Multi-function electronic display license plate system Systems, methods, and computer program products for displaying license plate information and regulating the use of a vehicle's license plate through the use of a multi-function electronic display license plate system are disclosed. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the multi-function electronic display license plate system utilizes a combination of motion sensors, position sensors, identification verification systems, and the like to allow a vehicle owner to regulate who may use the vehicle, while providing for a safer and more efficient use of the vehicle.
US09221404B2	Method and system for processing a headliner A method for processing a headliner, comprising the steps of forming a headliner having an edge, removing excess material from at least a portion of the edge to define a trimmed edge portion and sealing off at least a portion of the trimmed edge portion.
US09221401B1	Telescopic bracket assembly for vehicle waste tanks A telescopic bracket assembly for vehicle waste tanks, having at least first and second longitudinal frame members, at least one transversal member, a wheel chock assembly, at least one aft transversal member, and at least one longitudinal telescopic assembly. The wheel chock assembly has at least first and second wheel chocks that are fixed to the at least first and second longitudinal frame members respectively. The telescopic bracket assembly for vehicle waste tanks also has at least one transversal telescopic assembly. In a preferred embodiment, the telescopic bracket assembly for vehicle waste tanks is mounted onto an underside of a vehicle, so that it does not obstruct any functionalities of the vehicle. As an example, the vehicle may be a recreational vehicle, or a food trailer, better known as food truck.
US09221400B1	Firearm mount for vehicle trunk or cargo area A firearm mount for a trunk or cargo space of a vehicle comprises a firearm mount and a support member. The firearm mount is shaped to receive and lockably secure a firearm. The firearm mount is connectable to the support member, and the support member is positionable within the trunk or cargo space to slidably retract inwardly to a storage position and to slidably extend outwardly to an access position. When installed, the firearm mount and the support member are positioned to suspend the firearm within the trunk or cargo for easy access.
US09221399B2	Automotive communication system An automotive communication system for a vehicle includes a global positioning system operable to determine a geographical location and a multi-pixel reconfigurable display device disposed at an interior portion of the vehicle. Data is wirelessly communicated to and is received by electronic circuitry of the vehicle and the data is at least in part customized to the geographic location of the vehicle as determined by the global positioning system. Information that is derived at least in part from the data is displayed by the display device and is viewable by a driver of the vehicle. A user input for the wireless communication is operable within the interior cabin of the vehicle. The automotive communication system includes voice input. The data is wirelessly communicated to the vehicle from a data provider located external of and remote from the vehicle.
US09221390B1	Aerodynamic mudflap with lighting element A mudflap for a vehicle includes an upper portion for attachment to the vehicle and a lower portion. The upper portion includes a generally solid panel portion and at least one lighting element provided in or on the solid panel portion. The lower portion is located underneath the upper portion in a vertical direction and includes a plurality of airflow elements defining respective flow passages for the passage of air through the mudflap during movement of the vehicle.
US09221388B2	Method for reducing the movements of light from a movable light source A method for reducing the movements of light from at least one movable light source for a motor vehicle with a steering wheel, wherein a movement of the steering wheel causes a movement of the light source includes the steps of detecting a current steering wheel angle and at least one steering wheel angle change coming from the current steering wheel angle is detected over a defined time window and the steering wheel angle change is summed to form a magnitude, wherein simultaneously a number of steering wheel changes in direction is detected within the defined time window, wherein a characteristic value is allocated to each magnitude and the associated number of changes, wherein a comparison of the characteristic value with a limiting value is performed and a decision is made with reference to the comparison whether additional movement of the light source is carried out.
US09221387B1	Breakaway headlamp mounting system A breakaway headlamp mounting system is provided for a vehicle subjectable to an external force and having a body structure, a headlamp, and a hood. The breakaway headlamp mounting system has a mounting tab attached to the headlamp and attachable to the body structure and a mounting tab breakaway feature included in one of the hood, the body structure, and the mounting tab. The mounting tab breakaway feature is configured to break the mounting tab in response to the external force when the mounting tab is attached to the body structure.
US09221381B1	Adjustable magnetic tie-down An adjustable magnetic tie down includes a plate having an upper and lower surface, a tie-down, a fastener attached to the tie down, and a magnet attached to the lower surface of the plate. The tie down has a first end and a second end. The first end of the tie-down is attached to the plate, and the second end of the tie-down is attached to the fastener. The fastener is adapted to releasably engage the plate.
US09221380B2	Retainer system for tonneau cover A tonneau system for a pickup bed comprising a side rail connectable with a sidewall of the pickup bed, a header system having a header member, and a retainer system operably coupled between the side rail and the header system. The retainer system can include a header retaining member and a header lock selectively coupled between the header member and the header retaining member. The header lock engages the header retaining member in both a header engaging position coupled to the side rail and a header disengaging position decoupled from the side rail to retain the header retaining member in the header engaging position and the header disengaging position.
US09221379B2	Method for transporting a curved wind turbine blade and associated transportation device A method of transporting a wind turbine blade with a curved central longitudinal axis includes loading the wind turbine blade onto a transportation device including first and second support bearings. The wind turbine blade is loaded in a first orientation in which the curved central longitudinal axis is located in a generally vertical plane. When the transportation device is preparing to turn, the wind turbine blade is rotated to a second orientation before or during turning such that the curved central longitudinal axis is located in a generally horizontal plane and bends around the turn. As a result, the curved wind turbine blade and transportation device can traverse tighter curves and turns during travel to an assembly site or quayside.
US09221372B1	Sanitized protective seat cover kit with disinfecting agent The protective seat cover kit is a specially fabricated sanitary and protective seat covering comprising a back section, a seat section, left and right wings, and a pouch containing a sani-pac. The sani-pac contains fumigant particles secured in place by a fine mesh overlaid by an airtight flap. A traveler using the seat cover kit places it over the corresponding parts of a passenger seat to protect the traveler from harmful bacteria or germs that may have been deposited onto the seat by a prior occupant. After use of the protective seat cover, the fumigant particles in the sani-pac, may be exposed to air circulation by the opening of the flap. The protective seat cover is then folded along designated seams and placed completely within the pouch, thus allowing the fumigant particles to sanitize and disinfect the protective seat cover as it is folded within the confines of the pouch.
US09221367B2	Vehicle load floor assembly for a seatback A vehicle load floor assembly includes a vehicle seat that has a seatback that pivots between upright and stowed positions. A cargo floor extends rearward from the seat. A first panel pivotally couples with an upper portion of the seatback and pivots to a raised position away from the seatback in a forward stowed position. A second panel pivotally couples with the first panel and is pivotally deployable rearward to define a support surface together with the first panel that engages the cargo floor.
US09221364B2	Synchronizer for manual recliner A recliner assembly for a vehicle seat that has a pair of adjustable recliners are disposed on opposite sides of the seat that connect a seat back to a seat base. The recliners are shifted between a locked position and an unlocked position by manually pivoting a connector rod. Each recliner has a gear plate and a guide plate that are each associated with one of the seat base and seat back. An easy entry module is also provided to release the seat back to pivot over the seat base to provide access to an area behind the seat back. A static connector may be provided that connects the gear plates of each of the pair of recliners and retains the gear plates of each recliner in alignment with the corresponding gear plate of the other recliner.
US09221361B1	Spring assisted energy attenuating seating system Methods and apparatus are provided for a spring assisted energy attenuating seating system. In one embodiment the seating system includes a seat mounted for guided, sliding vertical movement up and down a stationary vertically oriented column inside the vehicle, and a locking mechanism for releasably locking the seat to the column at a plurality of vertical positions. The system may further include a lift spring connected between the seat and support column configured to apply a constant upward force to the seat.
US09221360B2	Longitudinally adjustable vehicle seat with a memory device In a longitudinally adjustable vehicle seat with a freely pivotable backrest which can be folded forward and with a memory device, the memory device has a stop rail with latching openings, and a locking element with a slider and pall connected pivotably thereto and a ramp which is arranged on the slider and has an upper region, with which a scanner of the memory device interacts, wherein the scanner is connected to a transmission arrangement for locking the backrest in an entry position, and the pall is prestressed in the locking direction by a spring.
US09221355B2	Method for displaying the operating range of an electric drive vehicle, and display A method and display for displaying the operating range of an electric drive vehicle and a display for carrying out same are provided. The battery energy in a vehicle is detected, and a maximum operating range of the vehicle is determined therefrom. At least one battery service station is selected as destination point for determining the maximum operating range. Based on a starting point, a reachability threshold is determined. If exceeded, the vehicle will be unable to reach the destination point with the current battery energy available, wherein said reachability threshold is displayed as an operating range in a map illustration. During the determination of the reachability threshold, the current location is used as the starting point and the current battery energy of the vehicle is used, both of which are updated at pre-defined intervals while the vehicle is moving.
US09221354B2	Propulsion control apparatus of electric motor vehicle and control method for propulsion control apparatus A propulsion control apparatus of an electric motor vehicle includes a first power converter that operates as a DC/AC converter, an AC/DC converter, or a DC/DC converter, a second power converter that operates as a DC/AC converter, an AC/DC converter, or a DC/DC converter, a first power storage device and a second power storage device functioning as a direct-current power supply source that is charged using direct-current power supplied from a direct-current common section or a first input output end side or discharges direct-current power to the direct-current common section or the first input and output end side, and a control device that controls operations of the first power converter, the second power converter, the first power storage device, and the second power storage device.
US09221353B2	Charging control apparatus, charging control method, and computer program implementing such A charging control apparatus (310) controls wireless charging between one charging apparatus (10) and a vehicle (20) which communicates with the one charging apparatus via a communication relay apparatus (30). The charging control apparatus is provided with: an outputting device (320, 330) for transmitting a first signal which is a signal for designating a signal outputted from the one charging apparatuses, to of the one charging apparatuses; a detecting device (320, 330) for detecting a third signal which is transmitted by wireless communication from the vehicle and which is a signal corresponding to a second signal which is a signal outputted from the one charging apparatus due to the transmitted first signal; and a distinguishing device (310) for correlating the one charging apparatus with the vehicle on the basis of the transmitted first signal and the detected third signal.
US09221352B2	Charging control apparatus and method, charging system, correlation method, and computer program A charging control apparatus (310) controls wireless charging between one charging apparatus (10) and a vehicle (20) which communicates with the one charging apparatus via a communication relay apparatus (30). The charging control apparatus is provided with: an outputting device (320, 330) for transmitting a first signal which is a signal for designating a signal outputted from the one charging apparatuses, to of the one charging apparatuses; a detecting device (320, 330) for detecting a third signal which is transmitted by wireless communication from the vehicle and which is a signal corresponding to a second signal which is a signal outputted from the one charging apparatus due to the transmitted first signal; and a distinguishing device (310) for correlating the one charging apparatus with the vehicle on the basis of the transmitted first signal and the detected third signal.
US09221350B2	Control device for vehicle When a charge connector has been removed from a vehicle-side connector while parking lock is set, an ECU determines whether or not there is return history that a momentary shift lever has moved to a home position after removal of the charge connector from the vehicle-side connector. When there is return history and when a brake-on state is set, the shift lever has been operated from the home position to any position of N, D and R, and the resultant position is continuously maintained for a prescribed period of time, the ECU unlocks the parking lock.
US09221348B2	Method and apparatus for managing battery pack An apparatus for managing a battery pack for a vehicle includes a temperature measurement module for measuring temperature of the battery pack; a current measurement module for measuring a charge/discharge current of the battery pack when the measured temperature is not within a predetermined temperature range; a time measurement module for measuring the time while the measured charge/discharge current is over a predetermined current value; a storage module for accumulating and storing the measured time; and a control module for determining a state of the battery pack according to the accumulated and stored time and providing the state information to a user.
US09221346B2	Propulsion control apparatus for electric motor car A propulsion control apparatus for an electric motor car includes: an inverter apparatus connected to a DC power supply; a motor connected to an output of the inverter apparatus; a converter apparatus connected to an input of the inverter apparatus; and a power storage apparatus connected to an output of the converter apparatus, is configured to charge/discharge a part of power running power or regenerative power of the motor to/from the power storage apparatus. The converter apparatus includes a converter control unit that generates, based on a regeneration state signal as a signal indicating a suppression state of the regenerative power or regenerative torque or regenerative current equivalent to the regenerative power, a charging current command value, generates a charging and discharging current command value of the converter apparatus based on the charging current command value, and performs control.
US09221337B2	Gear box A gearbox has a first shaft with at least two journalled gearwheels, a first gearwheel to drive the first shaft in a first direction and a second gearwheel to drive the first shaft in a second direction. Devices selectively lock the gearwheels situated on the first shaft for joint rotation. A second has at least two fixed gearwheels, one second gearwheel cooperates with the first gearwheel for operation in the first direction. A third shaft with a third gearwheel which selectively in or out of engagement with the first and second gearwheels for operation in the first direction. The first gearwheel intended for operation in the first direction is also in engagement with one or more further power-transmitting device used for connecting at least one form of extra equipment, e.g. a retarder or a power take-off.
US09221334B2	Drive train of a solely electrically driven motor vehicle having two electric motors A drive train (1) of a solely electrically driven motor has an axle (2) with first and second axle sections (4, 5) connected to different outputs of a differential (35). The drive train also has a first and second electric motors (13, 14) that co-operate with first and second transmissions (15) respectively to drive the axle (2). A first clutch can connect the first transmission (15) to an entry wheel (34) of the differential (35) for driving the two axle sections (4, 5) of the axle (2). A second clutch (37) can connect the first transmission (15) to the first axle section (4) while the first clutch (36) is open and a third clutch (38) can connect the second transmission (16) to a second axle section (5) while the first clutch (36) is open.
US09221327B2	Hybrid vehicle driving apparatus Provided is a hybrid vehicle driving apparatus including: a power transmission mechanism which is connected to an engine and is able to output a rotation of the engine while changing the rotation speed; a differential mechanism which connects the power transmission mechanism and a drive wheel to each other; and a regulation device, wherein the differential mechanism includes a first rotation component which is connected to an output component of the power transmission mechanism, a second rotation component which is connected to a first rotating electric machine, and a third rotation component which is connected to a second rotating electric machine and the drive wheel, and wherein the regulation device switches between a state where a differential operation of the differential mechanism is regulated and a state where the differential operation of the differential mechanism is allowed.
US09221326B2	Drive system for a land craft A drive system (DS) for a land craft comprises a machine system (M1, M2) for driving the land craft, the machine system comprising at least a first and a second electric machine (M1, M2) acting on a common drive shaft (S) for driving the land craft, and a control device (PE, PE1, PE2) which is adapted to control the machine system for operating in at least two rotating speed operation ranges (OR1, OR2) with different rotating speeds of the drive shaft (S). The first electric machine (MI) is controlled to operate in both rotating speed operation ranges (OR1, OR2) to provide a first drive torque, and the second electric machine (M2) is controlled to operate in only one of the rotating speed operation ranges (OR1) to provide a second drive torque in addition to the first drive torque.
US09221324B2	Exterior door strip assembly A structure of an exterior door strip includes a mounting portion mounted to an outer side of a outer door panel positioned, and a SUS trim coupled to an outer side of the mounting portion, and including: a first mounting portion formed in a longitudinal direction and having an end piece; a bridge connected to an other end of the first mounting portion; and a second mounting portion connected to the other end of the bridge and having a screw hole, in which the first mounting portion, the bridge, and the second mounting portion are integrally formed, and torque caused by screw engagement of the second mounting portion is not transmitted to the first mounting portion, thereby resolving a problem regarding quality in external appearance of the vehicle, preventing corrosion caused by rain water, and reducing production costs of the vehicle.
US09221323B2	Sealing device and method for an opening in the shell of a flap, in particular a tailgate of a motor vehicle A seal is provided for a body shell opening of a flap, particularly a tailgate of a motor vehicle. The flap has an exterior flap wall with at least two exterior wall parts, which, on facing circumferential wall areas, each have one edge area angled inwardly, which are mutually connected. The flap has an interior flap wall with at least one interior wall part. The interior wall part is connected at a distance from the angled edge areas of the exterior wall parts with at least one circumferential area of the exterior flap wall and, in the area of the angled edge areas of the exterior wall parts, forms a gap together with the exterior flap wall. Before connecting the exterior flap wall with the interior flap wall, a gap filler piece is moved into a closed position, which, after the connection alone or together with a gap sealant, seals off the gap.
US09221319B2	Cab for construction machine and construction machine A handle is supported by a hollow tube so as to be movable in the direction in which the handle is pushed toward a hollow space. A hole leading to the hollow space of the hollow tube has a first hole portion located at one end of a base portion extending in a longitudinal direction L of the hollow tube and a second hole portion extending from the first hole portion to a portion corresponding to the other end of the base portion in the longitudinal direction L. A dimension W2b of a grip portion of the handle in a width direction W is greater than a dimension W2a of the base portion of the handle in the width direction W and greater than a dimension W1a of the second hole portion in the width direction W.
US09221317B1	Releasable chassis mount A releasable chassis mount for a vehicle having a body structure and a chassis and subjectable to an external force includes an outer sleeve, a cylindrical insert, and a chassis bolt. The outer sleeve is attachable to the chassis and has a mount release feature. The cylindrical insert is in an interference fit relationship with the outer sleeve and defines a hole. The chassis bolt extends through the hole for attaching the cylindrical insert to the body structure. The mount release feature is configured to initiate release of the cylindrical insert from the outer sleeve during such external force, whereby to enable the separation of the chassis from the body structure.
US09221316B2	Chassis actuator device for a vehicle Roll stabilizers as an example for chassis actuators are used for compensating or suppressing rolling movements of a vehicle about its longitudinal axis. Such rolling movements are caused, in particular, when driving around curves due to centrifugal forces. A chassis actuator device is provided, in particular, a roll stabilizer, for a vehicle with a flange connection between an actuator and a stabilization component. A holder-side positive-locking contour is arranged on a holder section of the flange connection and a flange-side positive-locking contour is arranged on a flange. The positive-locking contours together form a positive-locking connection in the circumferential direction about a torsion axis A, and the flange-side positive-locking contour is arranged on a flange-side lateral surface and/or the holder-side positive-locking contour is arranged on a holder-side lateral surface.
US09221315B2	Cylinder unit A cylinder unit includes a cylinder, a rod guide, a piston, a piston rod, and a rebound member provided between the rod guide and the piston to absorb impact generated when the cylinder unit is fully extended. The rebound member includes a coil spring arranged around an outer circumference of the piston rod and a pair of upper and lower holder members fitted to the fixing portions formed in both ends of the coil spring so that the piston rod is inserted into a shaft center hole. The center portion formed between the fixing portions of the coil spring has a diameter smaller than that of the fixing portion.
US09221314B2	Wheel suspension for a motor vehicle A wheel suspension for a wheel of a motor vehicle includes a wheel guide arm to which a wheel of the motor vehicle may be rotatably mounted remotely from the vehicle structure of the motor vehicle. The wheel guide arm may be attached via a point of attachment to an articulation member. The articulation member may be connected to the vehicle structure via at least one connecting member and be movably mounted relative to the vehicle structure. The wheel guide arm may be attached at the point of attachment to the articulation member via a changeable rotary joint. The rotary joint may be rotatable in a first switch position and fixed in terms of rotation in a second switch position.
US09221313B2	Stabilizer for a lower link of a three-point hitch of a tractor Stabilizer for a lower link of a three-point hitch of a tractor, comprising a first stabilizer member and a second stabilizer member connected to the first stabilizer member by a spring mechanism which allows a longitudinal movement between the stabilizer members, wherein the overall length of the stabilizer is adjustable by rotating the stabilizer members against each other. Furthermore, a blocking means is connected to the first stabilizer member, wherein the blocking means can be moved into a closed position in which a longitudinal movement between the stabilizer members is restricted. The first stabilizer member comprises a rotation-symmetric locking collar which engages the blocking means in the closed position such in that a longitudinal movement between the stabilizer members is disabled, wherein a rotation between the stabilizer members is lockable by a safety means, wherein the safety means comprises a spring clip engaging a recess formed in the circumference of the locking collar.
US09221308B2	Central tire inflation system rotary air union A central tire inflation system for maintaining tire inflation on a vehicle is provided. The central tire inflation system includes a rotary union assembly having a housing that is coupled to and rotates with the hubcap. The housing is rotationally coupled to a stationary shaft. A flexible torque transfer shaft is connected to the stationary shaft on one end and to an axle plug on the other end. The axle plug has a hub forming, a bore where the hub is movable on a web of material. The flexible torque transfer shaft and hub have cooperative non-circular shapes to resist rotation. An air vent is provided in the rotary union assembly that is isolated from the lubrication area, which inhibits the pressurized air from the central tire inflation system from pressurizing the lubrication area.
US09221307B2	Pneumatic tire The characteristic of the present invention is a pneumatic tire comprising a plurality of radial protrusions 60 each extending in a tire radial direction on a tire surface 31 and having a shape protruding from the tire surface outward in a tire width direction, wherein the plurality of radial protrusions 60 are provided radially with a tire rotation axis S as a center, the plurality of radial protrusions 60 each have an outer end portion 62 being an end portion located on an outer side in the tire radial direction, and the outer end portion 62 is provided to the tire surface in a tire maximum width portion (a maximum width portion T) in the tire width direction.
US09221303B2	Pneumatic tire A pneumatic tire is provided in the tread portion with major oblique grooves disposed staggeredly on both sides of the tread pattern's center line, and plural minor oblique grooves disposed between the circumferentially adjacent major oblique grooves. The major and minor oblique grooves extend toward the counter-tire-rotational direction while increasing the angle with respect to the circumferential direction. When the axial width between the tread pattern's center line and a tread edge is evenly partitioned into 1st to 5th zones in this order from the center line, the angle θ of the major oblique groove satisfies: θ1<θ2=<θ3=<θ4=<θ5 and θ5−θ1=50 to 110 degrees, wherein θ1 to θ5 are mean values of the angle θ in the 1st to 5th zones. Each major oblique groove is provided in the 1st or 2nd zone with a bent point at which the angle θ changes at least 30 degrees.
US09221293B2	Method to design a security feature on the substrate of security documents using sub wavelength grating Method of designing a security thread in security documents with better color contrast at any viewing angle is claimed. The invention discloses designing of security thread in security documents like bank notes using subwavelength gratings with period and thickness less than the wavelength of light. The sub wavelength gratings preferably asymmetric are designed such that the Oth order reflections are of longer wavelength (red) and the higher order reflections (diffracted orders) are of shorter wavelengths (blue/green). The security thread so designed gives better color contrast unlike the rainbow colors of prior art thus allowing better and easier distinction of authentic documents.
US09221280B2	Method for applying vaccum force on web A method for applying vacuum force across a width of a web of movable print medium as it moves through a printing system and determining if positions of a pair of adjustable edge seals do not correspond to the width of the movable print medium is disclosed. The method comprises defining a vacuum chamber and using a vacuum source to provide vacuum in the vacuum chamber. Sealing rollers and the adjustable edge seals define an opening in the vacuum chamber. Appropriate response curves from a plurality of response curves for different known print media are selected. First and second signals indicative of the activation level of the vacuum source and the vacuum level in the vacuum chamber are produced. The signals are compared to the response curves to produce an error signal indicating whether the position of the edge seals corresponds to the width of the print medium.
US09221279B2	Image recording apparatus and method, and varnish application device and method The present invention provides an image recording apparatus and method, and a varnish application device and method, which can ensure the adhesiveness of the varnish that has been applied onto the surface of the image. An image recording method according to an aspect of the present invention includes: comparing an attained temperature T1 (attained temperature T1 when ink has been dried) of the surface of the image on the medium when the ink has been dried, with a melting point TW of the wax component contained in the ink; and heating the surface of the image before the varnish that has been applied in the varnish application step is cured in the varnish curing step, when T1≧TW holds.
US09221277B2	Printing device and method for electronic paper The invention relates to the field of printing devices, more particularly to an E-paper printing device and an E-paper printing method. The E-paper printing device provided by the invention comprises a printhead for applying an electric field to the E-paper, the printhead comprises a first printhead and a second printhead disposed opposed to the first printhead, the E-paper is fed through between the first printhead and the second printhead, and portions of the first printhead and the second printhead contacting with the E-paper respectively are flat surface. The E-paper printing device may perform rapid printing on the E-paper with high precision.
US09221271B2	Systems and methods for pharmacy messaging Systems and methods for pharmacy messaging are described. A system includes a laser module and a control module. The laser module includes a marking chamber with a plurality of laser heads therein. A first and second entry gate are adjacent the marking chamber. The first entry gate is configured to open when the second entry gate is closed. A first and second exit gate are adjacent the marking chamber at a side different from the first entry and second entry gate. The first exit gate is configured to open when the second exit gate is closed. A transporter moves the objects being marked into and out of the marking chamber through the various gates. The control module is communicatively coupled to the laser module and adapted to control the laser module. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.
US09221270B2	Printer A printer includes a platen roller, a print head that performs printing on a recording sheet, and a recording sheet guide provided on the same side as the platen roller relative to the recording sheet. Multiple projections are provided on a surface of the recording sheet guide. The projections are elongated in substantially the same direction as a conveyance direction of the recording sheet.
US09221265B2	Compensation device for a printing head and printing unit comprising said compensation device A compensation device configured to attenuate pressure variations in an ink printing head is provided. The device includes a first compensation chamber containing ink and having a bottom, an outlet orifice extending through the bottom, and an inlet orifice opposite the bottom; a second compensation chamber containing ink and having a bottom, an inlet orifice extending through the bottom, and an outlet orifice opposite the bottom; and a vent means allowing outflow of air contained in the compensation chambers. The vent means includes a first opening in the first compensation chamber; a second opening in the second compensation chamber operable to be in a lower position with respect to the first opening when the device is in an operating position in which the bottoms of the compensation chambers define lower walls of the corresponding compensation chambers; and an intermediate chamber communicating with the first opening and the second opening.
US09221263B2	Inkjet recording device and nozzle surface wiping method for an inkjet recording device An inkjet printer has a cap that covers the ink nozzle surface in which ink nozzles are formed when the inkjet head is at a inkjet head standby position; an ink absorber that is held inside the cap and absorbs ink ejected from the ink nozzles into the cap; a water discharge head that seals the cap with a water nozzle surface in which water nozzles are formed when the inkjet head is at the printing position; and a suction pump for discharging water from the water discharge head when the water discharge head seals the cap.
US09221261B2	Printer having sled providing wiping, capping and platen modules A printer includes: an inkjet printhead assembly; a sled slidably arranged with respect to the printhead assembly, the sled supporting a platen module, a capper module and a wiper module; a sliding mechanism for sliding the sled relative to printhead assembly so as to selectively align one of the platen, capper and wiper modules with the printhead assembly; and a lift mechanism for lifting an aligned module linearly away from the sled and towards the printhead assembly. The platen module is positioned between the capper and wiper modules on the sled, such that the capper and wiper modules are positioned at opposite sides of the printhead assembly during printing.
US09221258B2	Liquid ejection head, liquid ejection device and method of electrically connecting liquid ejection head and liquid container A liquid ejection head includes a recording element substrate for ejecting liquid, a mounting section to be loaded with a liquid container, and a connector equipped with a contact spring capable of expanding and contracting in an axial direction to be brought into contact with a contact substrate provided on the liquid container. The axial direction of the contact spring is inclined relative to the direction of loading the liquid container in the mounting section.
US09221256B2	Print head die A print head die is described. In one example, the print head die includes a substrate having liquid feed slots formed therein extending along a major dimension of the substrate and nozzles extending along opposite sides of each of the liquid feed slots; and electrical interconnect formed on the substrate along the major dimension adjacent a last one of the liquid feed slots. A first one of the liquid feed slots opposite the last liquid feed slot and farthest from the electrical interconnect supplies an ink using a higher drop volume than inks in other ones of the liquid feed slots. The last liquid feed slot supplies an ink having a higher contrast with the ink in the first liquid feed slot than with inks in other ones of the liquid feed slots.
US09221254B2	Liquid jet head, liquid jet apparatus and method of manufacturing liquid jet head The liquid jet head is provided with a piezoelectric substrate having a plurality of groove rows in each of which elongated ejection grooves and elongated non-ejection grooves are alternately arranged in a reference direction. The groove rows are arranged next to one another in the longitudinal direction of the grooves, and in adjacent ones of the groove rows, the right ends of ejection grooves included in a groove row located on a left side and the left ends of non-ejection grooves included in a groove row located on the right side are separated from each other, and overlap each other in a thickness direction of the piezoelectric substrate.
US09221253B2	Liquid ejection apparatus An ink jet printer includes an ejection unit including a nozzle which ejects a liquid containing a pigment; a cavity which communicates with the nozzle; and a piezoelectric element which is provided in the cavity, and a driving signal generation unit which generates a driving signal allowing the piezoelectric element to be displaced such that the cavity expands or is contracted. The ink jet printer includes a detection unit that detects a cycle of a residual vibration waveform of the piezoelectric element which is generated by the driving signal being applied to the piezoelectric element and indicates a value according to change of the pressure inside of the cavity and a determination unit that determines the pigment is settled based on the cycle of the residual vibration waveform detected by the detection unit.
US09221249B2	Droplet discharge device and method for driving droplet discharge head A droplet discharge device having a droplet discharge head provided with a plurality of nozzles that discharge droplets; a plurality of pressure chambers communicating with the nozzles; and a plurality of pressure generating units for changing a capacity of each pressure chamber by applying a drive signal. The drive signal includes an expansion pulse and a contraction pulse, and the plurality of nozzles are divided into a plurality of groups each comprising one or more nozzles. A drive voltage value of the expansion pulse is set to be common to the respective groups. The drive signal which has a drive voltage value of the contraction pulse independently set in accordance with a droplet speed level for each group is applied to the droplet discharge head, and the droplets are discharged.
US09221248B2	System for detecting inoperative inkjets in printheads ejecting clear ink using a rotating member having a light transmitting surface An apparatus detects inoperative inkjets in a printhead. The apparatus includes a rotating member having a light transmitting surface layer onto which material is ejected by the printhead. A light source directs light into an edge of the light transmitting surface layer at a position on the circumferential perimeter of the surface layer and an optical sensor generates image data of the surface of the surface layer of the rotating member. Inoperative inkjets are detected with reference to the image data of the surface of the surface layer of the rotating member.
US09221247B2	Piezoelectric inkjet die stack A piezoelectric inkjet die stack includes a circuit die stacked on a substrate die, a piezoelectric actuator die stacked on the circuit die, and a cap die stacked on the piezoelectric actuator die. Each die in succession from the circuit die to the cap die is narrower than the previous die.
US09221245B2	Release agent composition for improved coefficient of friction A functional amine release agent displaying reduced coefficient of friction as compared to standard silicone oils, comprises a polydimethylsiloxane oil and a functional amine selected from the group consisting of pendant propylamines and pendant N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyl. The concentration of functional amine to polydimethylsiloxane oil is approximately less than 0.0001 meq/g. According to certain embodiments, the functional amine release agent is operable to impart a coefficient of friction of about 0.5 or more to the print media, resulting in improved finishing and converting equipment interaction. The release agent may have a viscosity of about 50 cSt.
US09221242B2	Ink wiping system for an intaglio printing press There is described an ink wiping system (100) for an intaglio printing press comprising a rotatable wiping roller assembly (102) designed to wipe excess ink from the surface of a rotatable intaglio printing cylinder (80). The rotatable wiping roller assembly (102) comprises a rotatable hollow cylindrical body (110) having an outer surface (110a) positioned to wipe the surface of the printing cylinder (80), and a pressing device (130) disposed inside the cylindrical body (110) and designed lo exert pressure on an inner surface (110b) of the cylindrical body (110) and to allow adjustment of a wiping pressure between the cylindrical body and the intaglio printing cylinder (80). The pressing device (130) preferably comprises a plurality of pressing units (132) that are distributed axially along the inside of the hollow cylindrical body (110) to allow adjustment of the wiping pressure between the cylindrical body (110) and the intaglio printing cylinder at a plurality of axial positions along the length of the hollow cylindrical body (110).
US09221240B2	Method for providing a textile product, the product itself and uses thereof A method for providing a textile product includes the steps of providing yarns, contacting the yarns with a support material to form an intermediate product and bonding the yarns to the support material to form the textile product, wherein the bonding takes place by providing a reactive nucleus precursor at a site where the yarns contact the support material, and converting the precursor into a compound having multiple reactive nuclei in the presence of a compound having multiple nucleophilic groups, as well as a textile product obtainable by the method, uses of that product and lignin for use in producing such a textile product.
US09221239B2	Method for applying stones to metallic elements, particularly for the adhesive bonding of glass crystals to surfaces of tubular elements A method for applying stones to metallic elements, particularly for the adhesive bonding of glass crystals to surfaces of tubular elements, which includes the steps of preparing an application surface (2) of a metallic element, spreading an adhesive medium (3) on the application surface (2) and making a single lateral face (4) of a first stone (5) to be applied adhere to the application surface (2). The axis of symmetry (10) of the first stone defines a first angle of intersection (8) with the application surface (2).
US09221238B2	Apparatus and method for associating the edge of a composite object with trim A method and apparatus for associating an edge of a first object with a second object using an insert. In one illustrative embodiment, an apparatus comprises a structure and a number of attachment features associated with the structure. The structure is configured to be inserted within a hollow portion of the first object at an edge of the first object. The structure is further configured to span an entire thickness of the first object at the edge of the first object. The number of attachment features is configured for use in attaching the second object to the structure to attach the second object to the edge of the first object.
US09221237B2	Method of applying adhesive coated film An adhesive-applying method is disclosed herein. The method comprises: providing a film comprising pressure sensitive adhesive coated on a major surface thereof; heating the film to a softening point of the film; and pressing the film against a substrate with an application device, the application device comprising a film-contacting portion, the film-contacting portion comprising a foam material and having a thermal conductivity of less than 1.8 BTU in /(hr ft2 °F.); wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive on the major surface of the film adheres to the substrate. Application devices and kits that may be used in conjunction with the method are also disclosed herein.
US09221236B1	Systems and methods for assembling stiffened composite structures Methods of and systems for assembling stiffened composite structures are disclosed. Some methods include loading a stiffener onto an inner mold line layup mandrel and then loading a filler structure within the stiffener cavity of the stiffener. Some methods include loading, with a loading tool, a stiffener charge and a filler structure onto an inner mold line layup mandrel so the respective stiffener charge conforms to a stiffener form of the inner mold line layup mandrel to form a stiffener. Some methods include loading, with a loading tool, a stiffener and a filler structure onto an inner mold line layup mandrel.
US09221235B1	Systems and methods for assembling stiffened composite structures Methods of assembling a stiffened composite structure include loading a stiffener onto an inner mold line layup mandrel; positioning a filler structure on an upper side of a filler location tool; following the loading and the positioning, locating, with the filler location tool, the filler structure within the stiffener cavity of the stiffener; repeating the loading, the positioning, and the locating to load a plurality of stiffeners and filler structures; and following the repeating, affixing a skin segment over the plurality of filler structures and to the plurality of stiffeners to form at least a portion of the stiffened composite structure. Systems for assembling stiffened composite structures include a supply of stiffeners; a supply of filler structures; an inner mold line layup mandrel; and a filler location tool configured to locate a filler structure within the stiffener cavity of a stiffener that is loaded onto the mandrel.
US09221234B2	High density polyurethane and polyisocyanurate construction boards and composite boards A construction board comprising a cellular body including at least one planar surface, where the cellular body includes a polyurethane or polyisocyanurate cellular structure, where the cellular structure has a density greater than about 2.5 pounds per cubic foot, an ISO index of at least 270, and where the cellular body includes at least 5.0% by weight flame retardant based on the weight of the cellular body.
US09221233B2	Dissimilar-material welded structure and welding method therefor Friction stir welding is performed in the following manner. In the state in which a probe is rotated in a predetermined rotation direction, the probe is inserted into a flange of a rear sub frame, thereby starting friction stir welding to weld the flange of the rear sub frame and a flange of a front sub frame positioned on the inner side of the rear side of a vehicle. The probe is sequentially moved along the direction of arrow R1→arrow R2 (predetermined direction). When the probe reaches the end point of the direction indicated by arrow R2, the probe is inserted into the flange on the outer side across a protruding portion disposed between the flanges. Then, the probe is sequentially moved in the direction of arrow R4→arrow R5→arrow R6, which is opposite to the direction of arrow R1→arrow R2.
US09221230B2	Honeycomb structure A method and apparatus for forming a ribbon configured for use in forming a honeycomb structure when the ribbon is in a folded state. The ribbon comprises a first edge and a second edge. At least one portion of the first edge is not parallel to at least one portion of the second edge when the ribbon is in an unfolded state.
US09221227B2	Method and machine for producing bags containing fiber material A method for producing bags containing fiber material, comprises the steps of forming at least one continuous layer of fiber material; separating in succession portions of fiber material from the continuous layer and moving them along a predetermined path; feeding each portion of fiber material to respective containment and compaction elements of a first transfer conveyor; feeding an ordered succession of bags containing respective portions of fiber material to respective supporting elements of a second transfer conveyor; transferring the portions of fiber material from the first transfer conveyor inside respective containment bags carried by the second transfer conveyor; transferring the containment bags housing respective portions of fiber material from the respective supporting elements of the second transfer conveyor to a fourth transfer conveyor; and moving in succession the bags housing respective portions of fiber material to a folding unit at which the bags are closed.
US09221221B2	Kit for repairing and inflating inflatable articles, and featuring a control device A kit for repairing and inflating an inflatable article has a compressor assembly for producing compressed air; a canister assembly containing sealing fluid and connected releasably to the compressor assembly; an electric circuit for turning the compressor assembly on; a first line connecting the compressor assembly to the canister assembly; a second line connected, parallel to the first line, to the compressor assembly, and connectable to the inflatable article; a selector device connected fluidically between the compressor assembly and the first and second line; and control means user-operated to turn the compressor assembly on and off by means of the electric circuit, and integrated in the selector device.
US09221218B2	Methods of making a composite sheet and composite component and a composite A method of making a composite sheet, a method of making composite component and a composite component are provided. The method of making a composite sheet includes providing a container, adding a binder to the container, adding a plurality of randomly oriented fibers to the binder in the container, and subjecting the container to motion to coat the plurality of randomly oriented fibers with the binder. The method includes curing the binder and coated plurality of randomly oriented fibers to form a composite sheet. The plurality of randomly oriented fibers of the composite sheet are interlocked within the binder. The composite has uniform strength in all planar directions.
US09221215B2	Method and device for the continuous welding of plastic components of a product For continuous welding of plastic components (1, 2) of a product along a join region extending over the circumference, the plastic components (1, 2) to be welded are first positioned in the join position thereof and fixed therein. Then, for the welding process, the product is transported past a fixed heat source (5) and is subjected to its own rotary movement in the region of the fixed heat source (5), in addition to the transport movement, in order to insert the welding energy into the join region.
US09221213B2	Multi-layer high moisture barrier polylactic acid film A laminate film including a first polylactic acid layer; a second metal-receiving layer including PVOH, EVOH, or a blend thereof on a side of the first polylactic acid layer; and a metal layer deposited on a side of the metal-receiving layer opposite the polylactic acid layer. The metal-receiving layer may be coextruded with the polylactic acid first layer or may be a coating applied to one side of the polylactic acid first layer. This laminate film exhibits excellent gas and moisture barrier properties, appearance, and metal adhesion. It may also include a heat sealable or winding improving layer on the side opposite the metal receiving-layer of the first polylactic acid layer.
US09221211B2	Heat/vacuum molding system for footwear A heat/vacuum molding system for molding a ski boot to a user's foot is provided. The system includes a heat source to heat an outer shell of the ski boot, a pliable plastic receptacle to receive the ski boot after the outer shell is heated by the heat source, and a vacuum system attached to the pliable plastic receptacle to create a negative pressure inside the pliable plastic receptacle to thereby collapse the pliable plastic receptacle to mold the ski boot to the user's foot.
US09221210B2	Method to create vacuum insulated cabinets for refrigerators A method of forming a vacuum insulated refrigerator cabinet, the method comprising providing first and second sheets of material. The first sheet of material is thermoformed over a first forming tool forming a first intermediate structure. The first intermediate structure is then thermoformed over a second forming mold to create a second intermediate structure. The second sheet of material is then sealing connected with the second intermediate structure forming an annular space. A vacuum is created in the annular space creating a vacuum insulated cabinet.
US09221207B2	Method for producing long stretched film A method for producing a long stretched film according to one aspect of the present invention includes at least a film forming step of forming a long film made of thermoplastic resin, an oblique stretching step of obliquely stretching the long film and a winding step of winding the long stretched film after the oblique stretching step. The oblique stretching device includes gripping tool travel support tools at opposite sides of the traveling long film. Each of the gripping tool travel support tools includes a plurality of gripping tools. In the oblique stretching device, the gripping tool travel support tools provided at the opposite sides of the long film include the same number of gripping tools. A combination of the gripping tools forming a gripping tool pair is constantly the same at grip start points where the long film is gripped by the gripping tools.
US09221205B2	Mold and method for injection-molding a part with a projecting portion A mold and a method for the molding by injection of plastic material of a generally thin part, notably of a vehicle lighting and/or signalling device. The mold comprises two half-molds designed to be disposed one against the other and forming an enclosure designed to be filled with plastic material by injection. The plastic material is injected via an injection nozzle in the vicinity of one end of the part. The volume formed by the mold includes a cavity the volume of which may be modulated by means of a mobile element. During the injection of plastic material, when the latter has reached at least the level of the cavity, the initially zero volume of the cavity is progressively increased via the control means of the mobile element.
US09221203B2	Locating ring for positioning parts A locating ring has a metal body with a ring shape and having a perimeter surface facing radially outward, a center axis defined by the body, a mounting face, and a locating face spaced from and facing opposite the mounting face along the axis. The locating ring has a guard connected to the body and made of a material that is softer than the metal body. The guard is sized to be radially within the perimeter wall and to project axially beyond the locating face.
US09221199B2	Method to manufacture cushion composite structure and cushion composite structure manufactured by the same A method to manufacture cushion composite structure utilizes a mold including a first mold body and a second mold body wherein at least one thereof forms a mold room. The method includes the following steps: injecting foam material into the mold room, placing a compressible core into the mold room, closing the mold, rotating the mold and foaming the foam material to fill up the mold room, and removing the mold to form the cushion composite structure. Thereby, the core is embedded in the foam material at a predetermined position, and parting line on surface of the cushion composite structure is prevented.
US09221197B2	Methods and systems for flooring material recycling The present disclosure includes improved systems and methods for recycling, including an improved method of recycling one or more polymers from a flooring material that has been contacted with a solvent to provide a reclaimed polymer composition. The improved method, in one embodiment, includes prior to the step of contacting the flooring material with the solvent, cutting the flooring material into portions that provide substantially complete contact between the flooring material and the solvent. The improved method, in this embodiment, further includes following the step of contacting the flooring material with the solvent, contacting the portions of flooring material with a mechanical disruptor that both pulls and separates the one or polymers concurrently in at least two different vectors for a time sufficient to separate the one or more polymers.
US09221193B2	Apparatus for sawing cured slipform cast concrete products An apparatus for sawing cured slipform cast concrete products, which apparatus comprises a frame with wheels, and a concrete saw connected movably to the frame, wherein the apparatus comprises a brushing unit for cleaning slipform casting bed.
US09221192B2	Ceramic processing firing A process for producing a honeycomb ceramic article includes providing a green honeycomb body including ceramic-forming materials and organic pore forming materials and subjecting the green honeycomb body to a firing cycle in a kiln in which steam is added to the kiln atmosphere in an amount from about 10% to about 100%, based on volume. Also provided are ceramic articles produced by the process.
US09221188B1	Precision positioning of a fence A fence device includes a coordinate system for providing accurate positioning of a workpiece along two perpendicular axes. Precise repeatable positioning of the workpiece relative to a given reference point is achieved. Two or more separate calipers are used for the positioning. The device includes parallel channels along two opposing edges of a table top. Channel guides along edges of a fence engage the channels for movement of the fence toward and away from a cutter bit or other material removing tool. A first caliper determines the distance that a workpiece may be moved when engaging the cutter bit. The location of a workpiece along the fence is determined using a second caliper perpendicular to the first caliper. A slide plate is secured at right angles to the fence and uses the second caliper to accurately position the distance of the fence with relation to the tool.
US09221186B2	Produce processing apparatus Produce processing apparatuses are presented including: a number of paddles coupled with a rotating conveyor system configured for capturing and securing produce along a first position; a counter-rotating compression belt system for compressing the produce along a second position, where the counter-rotating compression belt system is configured to apply a compressive force to the produce such that the produce is secured, and where the counter-rotating compression belt system includes a belt that is counter-rotating and synchronized with respect to the rotating conveyor system; and a cutting system including a rotary coring blade assembly positioned along a path of the rotating conveyor system, where the rotary coring blade assembly is positioned and configured to core the produce along a third position.
US09221184B1	Shaft section structure of scissors Various scissor embodiments feature channel voids or passages defined within the inside surfaces of scissor blades or shaft sections. The channel voids or passages allow foreign matter to be self-expelled by the movement of the scissor blades. Disclosed blades or shafts are pivotally connected by a new connection assembly that expels foreign matter during the normal use of the scissors. Disclosed embodiments include scissors comprising: a pair of blades (1A, 1B) overlapping each other; and a shaft (3) inserted through a shaft support hole (2) in the blades (1A, 1B) and having a tip (4) that is bucked to allow the blades (1A, 1B) to pivot in an abutting state, a passage communicating with the outside to allow inflow and outflow of water, etc. is formed between abutting faces (5) of both blades (1A, 1B) and between the shaft (3) and the shaft support holes (2).
US09221183B2	Power operated rotary knife A power operated rotary knife (100) including: an annular rotary knife blade (300) including a knife blade bearing surface (319); a blade housing (400) defining a blade housing bearing surface (459); and a blade-blade housing bearing structure (500) disposed between the knife blade bearing surface (319) and the blade housing bearing surface (459). The blade-blade housing bearing structure (500) includes a rolling bearing strip (502) having a plurality of rolling bearings (506), such as ball bearings, disposed in spaced apart relation in a flexible separator cage (508). The rolling bearing strip (502) traverses through an annular passageway (504) defined between the knife blade bearing surface (319) and the blade housing bearing surface (459) to secure the knife blade (300) to the blade housing (400) and support the knife blade for rotation about a central axis (R) with respect to the blade housing (400).
US09221178B2	Live working robot for replacing insulator string A live working robot for replacing insulator string comprises four parts including a locating mechanism, a clamping mechanism, a transmission mechanism and working condition indicating lamps. The robot is supported to operate in a horizontal plane by an insulating pole. The robot is hung in a vertical plane to support operation by an insulating rope. The locating mechanism can grip a socket accurately, which can be indicated in place by a horizontally positioned lamp and a vertically positioned lamp. The clamping mechanism can clamp a W-pin for disassembling and assembling. The transmission mechanism can transmit the clamping mechanism to clamp, release, advance and retreat the clamp. Placement and clamping of the clamp can be indicated with a clamping position lamp and a limiting lamp. The live working robot can replace the insulator string without the need of power cut, is in simple structure, works reliably and accurately and is time and labor saving. The living working robot is used for maintenance of high voltage lines.
US09221175B2	Method of generating path of multiaxial robot and control apparatus for the multiaxial robot A path is generated for an end effector arranged at a top of links of a multiaxial robot, where the end effector is moved along the path from a start point thereof to an end point thereof. In generating the path, the start and end points are positionally specified in the real space, and initial pass points are also generated between the start and end points. Coordinate positions of both specified start and end points and generated initial pass points are converted to angles of the respective axes of the joints. Based on the start and end points and initial pass points, which have been converted to the joint angle space, the path is generated which enables the end effector to be moved in the shortest time from its start point to its end point, during the initial pass points are changed repeatedly for generating the path.
US09221169B2	Tool box, especially hand tool box A tool box, especially a hand tool box, includes a basic box element, that has at least one storage space, which is provided at least for accommodating at least one tool and/or at least one accumulator unit. It is provided that the tool box have at least one light source unit that is at least partially integrated into the basic box element.
US09221167B2	Screw bit holder A screw bit holder includes a handle. The handle has a chamber at an upper part thereof. The handle includes a first fixing rod fixed at a lower end thereof for mounting a screw bit. A fixing shaft is provided in the chamber of the handle for fixing a plurality of screw bits. The fixing shaft comprises a second fixing rod at one end thereof. The second fixing rod is adapted to fix the screw bit for timepiece. The screw bit holder further comprises a fixing disc. The fixing disc has a central through hole. The fixing disc is fitted on the outside of the fixing shaft through the through hole. The fixing disc has a plurality of fixing troughs around an outer side thereof. The screw bits are secured through the fixing troughs. The screw bits can be stored in the handle to prevent them from losing.
US09221162B2	Pneumatic driving machine The nailing machine (1) comprises an air passage (510) allowing communication between a cylinder (200) and a return air chamber (500) in which compressed air for returning a piston (300) to the initial position is accumulated. The air passage (510) is provided with a control valve (520) controlling entry of compressed air into the return air chamber (500) from the cylinder (200). The control valve (520) opens the air passage (510) and allows entry of compressed air into the return air chamber (500) in the case wherein the nailed object produces a small reaction force upon driving the nail, namely when the upward moving distance of the body (100) relative to the push lever (700) is smaller than a predetermined distance. The compressed air that has entered the return air chamber (500) further enters a below-the-piston chamber and serves as air damper, reducing the driving force.
US09221160B2	Motor mount A system and method for guiding a motor into alignment with a transmission during assembly. The system may allow the motor to be placed into engagement with a motor mount in a first position, wherein in the first position, the position of the motor is constrained by guide structures such that the gear teeth of the drive gear and the gear teeth of a driven gear are not fully intermeshed, and a rotation axis of the drive gear is not parallel to a rotation axis of the driven gear. The motor may then be manipulated in the motor mount while constrained by the guide structures along a motion path until the gear teeth of the drive gear and the gear teeth of the driven gear are more fully intermeshed, and the rotation axis of the drive gear is substantially parallel to the rotation axis of the driven gear.
US09221158B2	Power screwdriver overload prevention means A power screwdriver overload prevention means (100), which is arranged between an input drive part (110) and an output drive part (102, 121) and which interrupts the transmission of torque between the input drive part (110) and the output drive part (102, 121) when a threshold torque is exceeded, is characterized in that the input drive part (110) has at least one ring of balls (130) that is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner in the input drive part, in that the output drive part (102, 121) has at least one ring of balls (140; 141, 142) that is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner in the output drive part (102, 121), and in that the ring of balls (130) that is arranged in the input drive part (110) is spring-preloaded via the ring of balls (140; 141, 142) arranged in the output drive part (102, 121) such that the balls (130) of the input drive part (110) are located in each case between two balls (140; 141, 142) of the output drive part (102, 121) and thus transmit a torque, and such that, when the threshold torque is exceeded, the balls (130) of the input drive part (110) roll over the balls (140; 141, 142) of the output drive part (102, 121) and thus interrupt the transmission of torque.
US09221151B2	Abrasive articles including a blend of abrasive grains and method of forming same An abrasive article comprising a backing material and an abrasive layer disposed on the backing material, wherein the abrasive layer comprises a blend of abrasive particles comprising a first plurality of abrasive particles and a second plurality of abrasive particles.
US09221150B2	Insulating pipes of a facility for working by means of cryogenic fluid jets The invention relates to a facility and a method for the stripping, de-scaling, and surface treatment of coated and uncoated materials such as metals, concrete, wood, polymers, plastics or any other type of material, by means of cryogenic fluid jets at very high pressure.
US09221149B2	Method for polishing semiconductor wafers by means of simultaneous double-side polishing A method of polishing a semiconductor wafer includes simultaneous double-side polishing the wafer in a gap of a polishing device between a lower polishing plate covered with a lower polishing pad and upper polishing plate covered with an upper polishing pad while supplying a polishing agent. A first of the upper and lower polishing pads is dressed using a dressing tool. The dressing tool is mounted in the gap so that it extends from the inner edge to the outer edge of the first polishing pad. The distance between the dressing tool and a second of the upper and lower polishing pads at the inner edge of the second polishing pad differs from a corresponding distance at the outer edge of the second polishing pad. After the dressing, the at least one semiconductor wafer in the gap is polished.
US09221148B2	Method and apparatus for processing sliders for disk drives, and to various processing media for the same A method and apparatus for processing sliders for a disk drives. The apparatus includes at least one gimbal structure adapted to engage at least one slider. The gimbal structure permits the slider to move in at least pitch and roll. A processing media is positioning opposite a surface on the least one slider to be processed. A preload mechanism biases the slider toward the processing media. One or more fluid bearing features are provided on at least one of the slider or the processing media configured to generate aerodynamic lift forces at an interface of the processing media with the surface of the slider during movement of the processing media relative to the slider. Various processing media are also disclosed.
US09221146B2	Belt finishing device, belt finishing system and method for producing a belt finishing device A belt finishing device includes a finishing belt, two bearing surfaces that are spaced-apart in a running direction of the finishing belt, and a pressing device for pressing the finishing belt against a workpiece surface. The pressing device has a pressure belt that is supported on the two spaced-apart bearing surfaces. At least one of a bearing surface and the pressure belt have a profile that deviates in a width direction of the finishing belt from a straight course.
US09221143B2	Machining vibration suppressing method and machining vibration suppressing apparatus for machine tool An apparatus includes an external input device that allows setting of the amount of runout and the phase of each cutting edge, a computation device that acquires the rotational phase of a tool and that computes the angular velocity and the phase of vibration of two, X-axis and Y-axis, feed shafts on the basis of the input amount of runout and angular velocity of each cutting edge to generate a feed shaft control signal, and a numerical control device that controls feed in the X-axis and the Y-axis directions. The numerical control device relatively vibrates a workpiece in synchronization with the angular velocity of the tool on the basis of the results of computation performed by the computation device.
US09221141B1	Tuned mass tool holder A tuned mass tool holder having an axis of rotation has a mass that can be varied. The distribution of the tool holder mass can be adjusted along the axis of rotation, the center of gravity of the tool holder can be moved along the axis of rotation, and the moment of inertia of the tool holder can be changed relative to the holder-spindle interface.
US09221139B2	Tool changing mechanism for machine tool A machine tool includes a receptacle extended from a stand, a working spindle rotatably attached to the receptacle and having a chuck device for grasping and releasing a tool member from the working spindle, a follower slidably attached onto the working spindle for actuating the chuck device to selectively grasp or release the tool member, a lever arm having one end pivotally attached to the receptacle with an axle, an actuator attached to the lever arm for actuating the follower to operate the chuck device to grasp and to release the tool member, and a driving device includes a piston for moving the lever arm and the actuator to actuate and move the chuck device to release the tool member.
US09221138B2	Tool changers for changing tools on spindles of machine tools and machine tools comprising such tool changers A disclosed example tool changer for changing a tool on a spindle of a machine tool comprises a tool drum having a plurality of tool holders to hold tools. The example tool changer also includes an axle carrier on which the tool drum is rotatably supported to align the tool holders with the spindle. A first coupling portion is rotatably supported on the axle carrier. At least one first gear stage is provided via which the first coupling portion is connected to the tool drum. The first coupling portion is adapted to be coupled or uncoupled with a second coupling portion rotatably supported on a spindle stock of the machine tool and connected to the spindle of the machine tool via at least one second gear stage. The tool drum is adapted to be driven, when the first and second coupling portions are in a coupled state, by the spindle of the machine tool via the at least one second gear stage, the second and first coupling portions and the at least one first gear stage to align the tool holders.
US09221137B2	System and method for laser-based auto-alignment In a laser-based alignment system, a laser sensor tool, comprising a laser emitter and detector element can be gripped by a gripper unit of a robotic arm and used to automatically align the robotic arm with a work surface. A landmark on the work surface can be identified by scanning the work surface with the laser sensor in an X-Y plane. A center point of the landmark in the X-Y plane can be determined to align the gripper unit with the work surface in the X-Y plane. The robotic arm can be calibrated on a Z-axis by moving the gripper downward in a z-direction until the gripper unit contacts the work surface.
US09221136B2	Transportable hybrid power system A transportable, deployable power system comprising a hybrid power box containing solar panels, wind turbine(s), fuel cells, fuel reformers, and other energy sources. The system could also include waste water and potable water inlet and outlet ports for water treatment. It will also allow for shelf mounted solar and wind turbine installation for disaster recovery, backup power for telecommunication, military power, Homeland Security power, off grid homes and water and wastewater packaging domestically and internationally. The present invention is ideal for any situation requiring immediate power and/or water treatment, such as remote construction sites or in emergency situations. The hybrid power box can be mounted to a standard shipping truck, train, or ship, and transported over land to the desired location.
US09221133B2	Welding device for stretch bender A welding device for a stretch bender is disclosed. The welding device for the stretch bender may include: an operating unit adapted to move forward toward or rearward from a bending die for shaping a shaped beam and mounted in front of the bending die; and a welding unit mounted at the operating unit and welding flange portions of the shaped beam that is completely formed by the bending die so as to prevent the flange portions from being overlapped with each other when extracting the shaped beam, the welding unit being movable forward or rearward against the operating unit.
US09221132B2	Solder alloy, solder paste, and electronic circuit board A solder alloy is a tin-silver-copper solder alloy containing tin, silver, copper, nickel, antimony, bismuth, and indium, and substantially does not contain germanium, wherein relative to the total amount of the solder alloy, the silver content is more than 0.05 mass % and less than 0.2 mass %, and the antimony content is 0.01 mass % or more and less than 2.5 mass %.
US09221131B2	Solder alloy An alloy suitable for use in a wave solder process, reflow soldering process, hot air levelling process or a ball grid array, the alloy comprising from 0.08-3 wt. % bismuth, from 0.15-1.5 wt. % copper, from 0.1-1.5 wt. % silver, from 0-0.1 wt. % phosphorus, from 0-0.1 wt. % germanium, from 0-0.1 wt. % gallium, from 0-0.3 wt. % one or more rare earth elements, from 0-0.3 wt. % indium, from 0-0.3 wt. % magnesium, from 0-0.3 wt. % calcium, from 0-0.3 wt. % silicon, from 0-0.3 wt. % aluminum, from 0-0.3 wt. % zinc, and at least one of the following elements from 0.02-0.3 wt % nickel, from 0.008-0.2 wt % manganese, from 0.01-0.3 wt % cobalt, from 0.01-0.3 wt % chromium, from 0.02-0.3 wt % iron, and from 0.008-0.1 wt % zirconium, and the balance tin, together with unavoidable impurities.
US09221122B2	Method of controlling a laser beam annealing apparatus to manufacture thin film transistor substrate A method of controlling a laser beam annealing apparatus to manufacture a thin film transistor substrate, the method including: irradiating a laser beam emitted from a laser beam irradiator onto an amorphous silicon layer on a substrate supported by a substrate support; obtaining photographic data with respect to at least a part of the substrate by using a photographic unit; and adjusting a position of at least one of the substrate support or the laser beam irradiator by using a position adjuster based on the photographic data obtained by the photographic unit.
US09221119B2	High reliability wire welding for implantable devices Methods of making an implantable pulse generator are disclosed herein. The implantable pulse generator can include a body defining an internal volume and a plurality of wires extending from out of the internal volume of the body. Some of these wires can be connected, either directly or indirectly to a lead via a welded joint. The welded joint can be created by first resistance welding and then laser welding some of the wires to a connector.
US09221116B2	Inductive discharge arc re-ignition and stabilizing circuit A system and method for re-igniting and stabilizing an arc is provided. The system includes an output system that provides an output waveform, which includes a positive period and a negative period. The positive period includes a positive decay period prior to a transition to the negative period, and the negative period includes a negative decay period prior to a transition to said positive period. The system further includes an inductive discharge and stabilizing system, which includes at least one inductor. The at least one inductor re-ignites an arc between an electrode and a workpiece during the transition period from the positive period to the negative period and the transition period from the negative period to the positive period. The at least one inductor also provides a stabilizing current to stabilize said arc during at least a portion of said positive period and at least a portion of said negative period.
US09221114B2	Apparatus and method for stripping solder metals during the recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment Apparatuses and processes for recycling printed wire boards, wherein electronic components, precious metals and base metals may be collected for reuse and recycling. The apparatuses generally include a mechanical solder removal module and/or a thermal module, a chemical solder removal module, and a precious metal leaching module, wherein the modules are attached for continuous passage of the e-waste from module to module.
US09221113B2	Methods for generating gear teeth of a double involute pinion-face gear drive system Methods for generating gear teeth of a double involute-face gear drive system, curved in their longitudinal direction in form of either shortened, normal or an extended involute curve, include methods for generating the teeth of both components. Methods for generating the teeth of a double involute pinion, shaped in form of a normal involute in their profile direction and curved in their longitudinal direction in form of an either shortened, a normal or an extended involute curve, include the use of one of the following tools (1) a face hob and (2) a conical hob. Methods for generating the teeth of a face gear curved in their longitudinal direction in form of an either shortened, a normal or an extended involute curve include the use of one of the following tools (1) a rack cutter, (2) a shaper cutter and (3) a conical hob.
US09221112B2	Motor mount for a power tool A power tool includes a motor having a can and a shaft extending axially from the can, a gear case having an inner surface that defines an opening, a bearing positioned around a portion of the shaft that extends from the can and at least partially within the opening in the gear case, and a motor mount coupled to the motor. The motor mount includes a flange extending away from the motor. The flange of the motor mount and the inner surface of the gear case axially and laterally locate the motor and the gear case on the bearing.
US09221107B2	Drilling/clamping device The invention relates to a drilling/clamping device including a base body which can be extracted from the shaft or rod, provided at one end with a drilling head actuated by means of an electric motor housed inside the base body. The base body also includes means for coupling to the shaft or rod, provided with means for actuating an electrical contactor element in order to actuate the electric motor. In addition, a rising/falling pivoted connection is provided between the coupling means and the base body, such that, when pressure is applied to the rod or shank the coupling means move axially and abut against the contactor element associated with the electric motor, thereby starting the electric motor.
US09221105B2	Drill chuck A chuck including a body having a tail section and a nose section defining an axial bore. A plurality of jaws are movably disposed with respect to the axial bore and a nut is in threaded engagement with the jaws. A sleeve engages the nut so that rotation of the sleeve moves the jaws. A first ring defines a plurality of teeth and a second ring is rotatable relative to the nut over a limited arc and defines at least one pawl. In a first state, the second ring is non-rotatable relative to the first ring in both the opening and closing directions, and in a second state the first and second rings are rotatable about the body, and the second ring is rotatable relative to the first ring in the closing direction.
US09221102B2	Portable machining apparatus tool module A tool module for a machining apparatus including a rotatable portion. The tool module includes at least one adjustment clamp supported by the rotatable portion. A module base is supported by the at least one adjustment clamp and defines a linear movement track. A tool slide is configured to support a cutting tool and is movable along the linear movement track. The at least one adjustment clamp is movable from a release position to a locking position and vice versa, and in both the release position and the locking position the at least one adjustment clamp is connected to the rotatable portion. In the release position the at least one adjustment clamp permits the module base to translate relative thereto, and in the locking position the at least one adjustment clamp engages the module base to inhibit the module base from moving relative thereto.
US09221100B2	Optical irradiation unit for a plant for producing workpieces by irradiation of powder layers with laser radiation The present disclosure relates to an optical irradiation unit for a plant for producing workpieces by irradiating powder layers of a raw material powder with laser radiation, comprising optical components for guiding and focussing a beam path of a first laser beam, and an optical splitting and coupling unit for splitting the first laser beam into at least two laser sub-beams and/or for coupling a second laser beam with a wavelength differing from the wavelength of the first laser beam into the beam path of the first laser beam. The disclosure also relates to a plant for producing workpieces by irradiating powder layers of a raw material powder with laser radiation, and to an associated method.
US09221092B2	Guided keeper assembly and method for metal forming dies A guided keeper assembly for metal forming dies includes a base having a mounting face and a fastener aperture to mount the base to an associated die shoe, as well as a central guide aperture. A guide pin having a central portion is closely received in the central guide aperture for precisely guiding reciprocal motion between the die pad and the die shoe. The guide pin has an enlarged head at one end which abuts the base to positively limit travel between the die shoe and the die pad, and a shoulder at an opposite end with an alignment mechanism that precisely locates the guide pin on the die pad. A fastener extends through the fastener aperture in the base to securely connect the same with the die shoe. Another fastener securely connects the second end of the guide pin with the die pad.
US09221091B2	System and method for incremental forming A system includes a frame configured to hold a workpiece and first and second tool positioning assemblies configured to be opposed to each other on opposite sides of the workpiece. The first and second tool positioning assemblies each include a toolholder configured to secure a tool to the tool positioning assembly, a first axis assembly, a second axis assembly, and a third axis assembly. The first, second, and third axis assemblies are each configured to articulate the toolholder along a respective axis. Each axis assembly includes first and second guides extending generally parallel to the corresponding axis and disposed on opposing sides of the toolholder with respect to the corresponding axis. Each axis assembly includes first and second carriages articulable along the first and second guides of the axis assembly, respectively, in the direction of the corresponding axis.
US09221090B2	Method for forming an angled flange A method and apparatus comprising a structure and a locking magnet. The structure comprises a retaining portion and a magnetic portion. The retaining portion of the structure is configured to receive a first section of a workpiece such that a second section of the workpiece is positioned at an angle relative to the magnetic portion of the structure. The magnetic portion of the structure is positioned at a first side of the workpiece. The locking magnet is configured to exert an attractive force that causes the magnetic portion of the structure to move towards the second section of the workpiece when the locking magnet is positioned at a second side of the workpiece.
US09221089B2	Clamping device for bending press and bending press provided with the same A clamping device for a bending press includes a clamping die with a space formed therein, a clamping holder rotatably disposed within the space of the clamping die around a rotation shaft formed thereto, an upper cam block and a lower cam block respectively disposed within the clamping holder and slidable along the horizontal direction, and of which a cam slant surface is formed at a front side of the upper cam block and the lower cam block respectively, an upper clamping block and a lower clamping block contacting each cam slant surface of the upper cam block and the lower cam block, and clamping an end of a pipe disposed therebetween by sliding along a slant direction of the clamping holder, and a pressing unit selectively pressing the upper cam block and the lower cam block.
US09221086B2	Shear for shearing products and associated production process Rolling mill shear provided with at least one blade having characteristics of toughness and resistance to thermal shock typical of the family of tool steels for hot shearing and at the same time having sufficiently high characteristics of surface hardness and wear resistance, typical of tool steels for cold shearing. This shear is particularly suitable for carrying out, with greater efficiency and for a longer time, relative to the known shears, the shearing of sections or bars at a temperature between 150 and 800° C., downstream of the Quenching & Tempering heat treatment thereof.
US09221081B1	Automated cleaning of wafer plating assembly Disclosed herein are cleaning discs for cleaning one or more elements of a semiconductor processing apparatus. In some embodiments, the disc may have a substantially circular upper surface, a substantially circular lower surface, a substantially circular edge joining the upper and lower surfaces, and a plurality of pores opening at the edge and having an interior extending into the interior of the disc. In some embodiments, the pores are dimensioned such that a cleaning agent may be retained in the interior of the pores by an adhesive force between the cleaning agent and the interior surface of the pores. Also disclosed herein are cleaning methods involving loading a cleaning agent into a plurality of pores of a cleaning disc, positioning the cleaning disc within a semiconductor processing apparatus, and releasing cleaning agent from the plurality of pores such that elements of the apparatus are contacted by the released cleaning agent.
US09221078B2	Gasket for locating and sealing a screen in a round separator A gasket for aligning and sealing a screen in a round separator includes a deformable annular wall having a first lobe at a top end, a second lobe at a bottom end, an exterior surface, and an interior surface from which an upper lip and a lower lip project inward to generally define a U-shaped channel, wherein the deformable annular wall, the upper lip, and the lower lip together have a pi-shaped cross-section.
US09221074B2	Stress-tuned planar lightwave circuit and method therefor A planar lightwave circuit that can be optically coupled with an external device with low optical loss, while also providing low-power functional control over an optical signal propagating through the PLC is disclosed. The PLC includes a high-contrast waveguide region in a stress-inducing (SI) phase shifter is formed such that it can control the phase of the optical signal. The high-contrast-waveguide region is optically coupled to a low-contrast-waveguide region via a spotsize converter, thereby enabling optical coupling to off-chip devices with low optical loss. Formation of the SI phase shifter in a high-contrast-waveguide region enables improved responsivity and phase control, reduced voltage, and smaller required chip real estate. As a result, the present invention enables lower-cost and higher-performance PLC systems.
US09221069B2	Powder coating booth A powder spray for lengthy parts includes a booth wall structure comprised primarily of doors. A moveable roof may be raised and lowered to clean powder overspray from the interior surfaces of the booth. A cleaning process may be performed with a sideways extraction mode and a downward extraction mode. The mode change occurs when a bulkhead that travels with the moveable roof blocks the inlet duct to the recovery system. The recovery system may be a cyclone system for example. The doors of the booth are hinged so that they can be positioned for spraying operations and cleaning operations. Live hinge designs are provided and hose stress relief designs are also provided. The roof may carry accumulators for pressurized air that feed cleaning nozzles as the roof descends. In addition, exhaust air may be used to assist cleaning the interior surfaces as the roof descends. All of the energy provided for cleaning and color change may be provided by accumulators.
US09221063B2	Electro-separation of oil-based drilling fluids A method and apparatus for separating drilling fluid is provided. A housing is provided with a number of vertical parallel spaced apart electrode plates within. The housing is filled with a batch of drilling fluid so that the drilling fluid fills up the spacings between the electrode plates and the drilling mud is subjected to an electro-separation cycle by placing a DC voltage across the electrode plates so that adjacent plates have opposite polarity and an electric field is created in the drilling fluid in the spacings between the electrode plates. During the electro-separation cycle, periodically subjecting the drilling fluid to a vibration cycle by inducing vibrations in the drilling fluid. When the treatment of the drilling fluid is completed, removing an upper layer of fluid from the housing.
US09221062B2	Process and apparatus for dedusting a vapor gas mixture A process for dedusting a dust laden vapor gas mixture (VGM) obtained by pyrolysis of a material containing hydrocarbons includes treating the dust laden VGM in a dry electrostatic precipitator at a temperature in a range from 380 to 480° C. so as to separate dust from the VGM. Then, the VGM is cooled to a temperature in a range from 310 to 360° C.
US09221061B2	Eddy current separation apparatus, separation module, separation method and method for adjusting an eddy current separation apparatus Eddy current separation apparatus for separating particles from a particle stream. The eddy current separation apparatus comprises a separator drum adapted to create a first particle fraction and a second particle fraction, a feeding device upstream of the separator drum for supplying particles to the separator drum, and a splitter element provided downstream of the separator drum for splitting the respective fractions. The eddy current separation apparatus further comprises a sensor device arranged for detecting particles, and counting and/or detecting material properties of the detected particles, from at least part of one of the particle fractions. The eddy current separation apparatus is configured to adjust, in use, a position and/or orientation of the splitter element with respect to the separator drum and/or a transporting velocity of the feeding device in dependence of a signal from the sensor device based on a counted number and/or material properties of the detected particles.
US09221055B2	Reaction plate assembly, reaction plate and nucleic acid analysis device Nucleic acid analysis apparatus includes a plurality of temperature adjustment apparatuses, a rotating mechanism, a delivery base and an ejection base, a delivery drive mechanism, an ejection drive mechanism, and a detection apparatus. The rotating mechanism can include a rotating shaft and a plurality of pressing portions that rotate around the rotating shaft. The reaction plate assembly can move over the temperature adjustment apparatuses along the circumferential direction in a state of being pressed onto the temperature adjustment apparatuses by the pressing portions. The delivery drive mechanism can cause the reaction plate assembly to be moved radially inward and delivered between the pressing portions and temperature adjustment apparatuses. The ejection drive mechanism can cause the reaction plate assembly to be moved radially outward and ejected from between the pressing portions and temperature adjustment apparatuses onto the ejection base. Reaction plates, reaction plate assemblies, and nucleic acid analysis apparatuses are provided.
US09221054B2	Thermal validation apparatus, assembly including a device for the thermal processing of biological samples and such an apparatus, and method for manufacturing such an apparatus The invention relates to a thermal validation apparatus including at least one lining, each lining defining a sink and intended to be inserted into a respective recess of the thermal processing device for heating or cooling biological samples, as well as a respective temperature probe arranged in each sink. Each sleeve is made of a plastic material.
US09221053B2	Reagent container A test reagent container includes: a bottom part; a peripheral wall part on the periphery of the bottom part; a storage part which opens upward and with an internal diameter of an inner peripheral wall decreased with depth; a film which seals the opening of the storage part; a discharge channel which penetratingly passes from an inner bottom surface of the storage part to the bottom part of the container body; a projecting part formed downwardly projecting from the bottom part to seal an outlet of the discharge channel; a breakable part including a thick-walled part and a thin-walled part thinner than the thick-walled part formed on the periphery of the projecting part. The breakable part is broken when the projecting part is depressed from outside of the container, the projecting part is inserted into the inside of the discharge channel, and the sealed state of the outlet is released.
US09221051B2	Microfluidic element for analysis of a sample liquid A microfluidic element for analysis of a fluid sample having a substrate and a microfluidic transport system having a channel structure enclosed by the substrate and a covering layer. The channel structure comprises a channel with two side walls as well as a chamber that is in fluid communication with the channel. The chamber has a chamber wall with an inlet orifice. The channel comprises a channel section and a valve section adjoining the channel section, wherein the valve section is in fluid communication with the inlet orifice in the chamber wall in such a way that a fluid can flow from the channel through the valve section and into the chamber. The valve section has a fluid transport cross-section, which enlarges in flow direction. The fluid transport cross-section in the valve section is greater than the fluid transport cross-section in the preceding channel section.
US09221047B2	Device for controlled distribution of micro- or nano-volumes of a liquid based on the piezoelectric effect in functionalized materials, without using external electric sources Production and the distribution of pico and nano-drops, which are extracted by the effect of a strong electric field generated by pyroelectric effect, in particular, but not exclusively, from a sessile drop (a drop placed on a surface assumes a form termed “sessile”) or by a liquid film, and distributed on a dielectric substrate. The electric field is advantageously generated applying a heat source on the dielectric substrate or utilizing a laser source emitting in the infrared region. In this new approach, it is not necessary to use fixed electrodes, circuits, high tension generators or to design intentionally, and therefore to realize, pico- and nano-nozzles.
US09221043B2	Regeneration of an acidic catalyst by borane addition A method of regenerating an acidic catalyst is described. A borane compound is contacted with an acidic catalyst that contains conjunct polymer, which releases the conjunct polymer from the acidic catalyst. The acidic catalyst can then be re-activated with acid. The conjunct polymer can be separated from the borane compound, and the borane compound can be recycled.
US09221042B2	Metal complexes, especially the ruthenium complexes, and use thereof Described herein are novel metal complexes, especially ruthenium complexes, represented by the formula (1): wherein L1 is a N-heterocyclic carbene ligand, L2 is a neutral phosphine ligand, preferably tricyclohexyl-phosphine, and process of catalyzing olefin metathesis reactions, especially tetra-substituted olefin metathesis reactions.
US09221038B2	Metal-containing crystalline silicates Novel metal-containing silicates, in particular redox-active as well as crystalline silicates, a process for preparing metal-containing crystalline silicates, as well as use thereof as high-temperature oxidation catalyst or diesel oxidation catalyst. Further, a catalytic composition and a shaped catalyst body which contains the metal-containing crystalline silicates.
US09221037B2	Multimetal zeolites based catalyst for transalkylation of heavy reformate to produce xylenes and petrochemical feedstocks A transalkylation catalyst for the transalkylation of a heavy reformate is provided. The catalyst includes two solid acid zeolites having different physical and chemical properties, and at least three metals selected from the group 4 lanthanthides, and the elements found in groups 6 and 10 of the periodic table.
US09221036B2	Hydrocracking catalyst for hydrocarbon oil, method for producing hydrocracking catalyst, and method for hydrocracking hydrocarbon oil with hydrocracking catalyst The present invention relates to a hydrocracking catalyst for hydrocarbon oil comprising a support containing a framework-substituted zeolite-1 in which zirconium atoms and/or hafnium atoms form a part of a framework of an ultrastable y-type zeolite and a hydrogenative metal component carried thereon and a method for producing the same. The hydrocracking catalyst of the present invention makes it easy to diffuse heavy hydrocarbon oils such as VGO, DAO and the like into mesopores, is improved in a cracking activity and makes it possible to obtain a middle distillate at a high yield as compared with catalysts prepared by using zeolite comprising titanium and/or zirconium carried thereon.
US09221034B2	Process for preparing catalysts A process for manufacturing a catalyst composition comprises the steps of (i) precipitating one or more metal compounds from solution using an alkaline precipitant, preferably comprising an alkaline carbonate, optionally in the presence of a thermostabilizing material, ii) ageing the precipitated composition, and (iii) recovering and drying the aged composition, wherein the ageing step is performed using a pulse-flow reactor.
US09221031B2	Inorganic material comprising photocatalyst layer, method for producing same, and photocatalyst coating liquid for inorganic material Disclosed is an inorganic material that can exhibit an excellent photocatalytic gas decomposition function while maintaining an abrasion resistance on a level that is usually required of this type of inorganic materials. The inorganic material includes an inorganic material base and a photocatalyst layer that is formed by firing and is provided on the surface of the inorganic material base, the photocatalyst layer containing: photocatalyst particles; zirconia particles having a BET specific surface area of not less than 10 m2/g or crystalline zirconia particles having a mean crystallite diameter of less than 20 nm; and an alkali silicate. The inorganic material including the photocatalyst layer exhibits a high photocatalytic gas decomposition function while maintaining an abrasion resistance on a level that is usually required of this type of inorganic materials.
US09221030B2	Method for producing water-absorbent resin A method for producing a water-absorbent resin includes a polymerization step of polymerizing a polymerizable component containing a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer dissolved in water using a water-soluble azo-type radical polymerization initiator to obtain a reaction system including a water-absorbent resin precursor, and a dehydration step of removing water from the reaction system by heating. In the dehydration step, a water-soluble radical polymerization initiator is added to the reaction system at any first dehydration stage when the residual water rate calculated by the formula (1) is 50% or more, and a reducing substance is added to the reaction system at any second dehydration stage when the residual water rate decreases from that at the first dehydration stage by 10% or more. According to this production method, a water-absorbent resin having satisfactory water-absorption capacity can be produced while suppressing the content of residual monomers. Residual ⁢ ⁢ Water ⁢ ⁢ Rate ⁢ ⁢ ( % ) = Mass ⁢ ⁢ of ⁢ ⁢ Water ⁢ ⁢ Remaining in ⁢ ⁢ Reaction ⁢ ⁢ System Mass ⁢ ⁢ of ⁢ ⁢ Water ⁢ - ⁢ Soluble Ethylenically ⁢ ⁢ Unsaturated Monomer ⁢ ⁢ Used ⁢ ⁢ in Polymerization ⁢ ⁢ Step × 100 ( 1 )
US09221026B2	Method and system for stucco conditioning A process and system for manufacturing gypsum wallboard that aerates, conditions, and cools a portion of the stucco used in the manufacturing process. This conditioning of the stucco reduces the amount of water needed to manufacture the gypsum wallboard which in turn reduces the amount of energy and cost needed to manufacture the wallboard. The stucco may also be pretreated with water. This process may be carried out using a conveyor that agitates a moving bed of stucco while the top surface of the bed is subject to a low pressure water spray.
US09221025B2	Method of coating surface of inorganic powder particles with silicon-carbon composite and inorganic powder particles coated by the same The present invention relates to a method of coating the surface of inorganic powder particles with a silicon-carbon composite and to inorganic powder particles coated by the method. More specifically, the invention relates to a method of coating the surface of inorganic powder particles with a silicon-carbon composite by mixing inorganic powder particles with a solid organic silicon polymer and heating the mixture, and to inorganic powder particles coated by the method.
US09221024B2	Mixing bag or vessel with a fluid-agitating element A vessel receives and agitates a fluid using an internal fluid-agitating element driven by an external motive device. In one aspect, the vessel is a bag including a first receiver for receiving and holding a fluid-agitating element at a home location. The first receiver may be in the form of an inwardly-projecting post having an oversized portion for capturing the fluid-agitating element, but various other forms are disclosed. Use of this feature in completely rigid vessels where the fluid-agitating element is free of direct attachment from a first receiver having an oversized portion is also disclosed. In another aspect, the vessel or bag further includes a second receiver for receiving a portion of an external structure, such as a motive device, and aligning the vessel relative thereto.
US09221023B2	Liquid mixing apparatus A liquid mixing apparatus includes a flow channel configured to supply a liquid therethrough; a vortex-flow generating unit including a conductive member and an electrode, and configured to generate a vortex flow in the liquid in the flow channel by an electric field, the conductive member being provided in the flow channel, the electrode applying the electric field to the conductive member; a directional-flow generating unit connected to an end portion of the flow channel and configured to generate a flow of the liquid in a direction along the flow channel; and a switching unit configured to switch between the vortex flow and the directional flow.
US09221018B1	Ligand based forward osmosis Forward osmosis methods and apparatus using a supported osmotic agent to establish or enhance an osmotic forward bias are disclosed. A supported osmotic agent may be assisted by osmotic agents not attached to a support and/or a pressure differential between an influent and effluent chamber and/or a temperature gradient and/or other means to increase the osmotic pressure in an effluent chamber.
US09221017B2	Exhaust gas control apparatus for internal combustion engine The purpose of the present invention is to suppress degradation of a PM sensor and a decrease in detection accuracy of the amount of PM in a configuration in which a urea addition unit and a selective reduction-type NOx catalyst (NOx catalyst) are provided downstream of a particulate filter (filter) in an internal combustion engine exhaust passage, the PM sensor being disposed downstream of the filter. According to the present invention, in an exhaust passage (2) of an internal combustion engine (1), a first NOx catalyst (4) and a second NOx catalyst (5) are disposed downstream of a filter (3) successively from the upstream side along the flow of exhaust. A urea addition unit (6) is disposed between the filter (3) and the first NOx catalyst (4). A PM sensor (7) is disposed between the first NOx catalyst (4) and the second NOx catalyst (5).
US09221016B2	Exhaust aftertreatment packaging for a diesel genset An exhaust aftertreatment system for a diesel-powered genset includes a Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) injection system, a housing, a Selective Catalyst Reduction (SCR) section disposed within the housing and a support configured to support the exhaust aftertreatment system. The DEF injection system includes a housing having an inlet region and an outlet region. A stationary upstream mixer increases turbulence of exhaust entering the inlet region. A stationary downstream mixer increases turbulence of exhaust exiting the outlet region. The DEF injection system includes a DEF injector. The SCR section includes a housing having an inlet and outlet, an SCR catalyst mounted in the housing, and a diameter that is greater than a diameter of the DEF injection section housing. A Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) section can be disposed within the housing between the DEF injection section and the SCR section.
US09221015B2	Copper containing ZSM-34, OFF and/or ERI zeolitic material for selective reduction of NOx Described is a copper containing ZSM-34, OFF and/or ERI zeolitic material having a silica to alumina mole ratio ranging from about 4 to about 50 and a copper content, reported as CuO, ranging from about 1 to about 10 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the calcined zeolitic material, and having an alkali metal content, reported as metal oxide, ranging from about 1.5 to about 12 wt.-%.
US09221012B2	Carbon dioxide absorbent and method of using the same In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides a composition which contains the amino-siloxane structures I, or III, as described herein. The composition is useful for the capture of carbon dioxide from process streams. In addition, the present invention provides methods of preparing the amino-siloxane composition. Another aspect of the present invention provides methods for reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in a process stream employing the amino-siloxane compositions of the invention, as species which react with carbon dioxide to form an adduct with carbon dioxide.
US09221007B2	Method and device for separating acid gases from a gas mixture The invention is directed to a method for separating acid gases from a gas mixture in which the gas mixture is contacted with an absorption medium which comprises water and at least one amine and has a phase-separation temperature in the range from 0 to 130° C. In addition, the invention is directed to a device which can be used for carrying out this method.
US09221002B2	Pulse cleaning filter system arrangement A pulse cleaning filter system has a housing with an inlet side and an outlet side separated by a planar tubesheet. The housing includes multiple tubesheet openings forming multiple rows. Multiple cylindrical filter cartridges have an open end sealed around one of the tubesheet openings and a closed end at the inlet side of the housing. A filter cleaning system includes a compressed gas header extending perpendicular to a normal of the tubesheet, multiple compressed gas outlet stub pipes extending from the header, right angle pulse valves connecting each of the stub pipes to a pulse manifold pipe including a first straight portion, a ninety degree bend at the outlet side of the housing, and a second straight portion at the outlet side of the housing. A gas pulse nozzle has a main injection axis directed along the central axis of the filter cartridge.
US09220999B2	In-line single outlet filter with automatic clogged filter element bypass An in-line filter is disclosed for filtering fluid flowing through a hydraulic system, particularly an automotive hydraulic system. The filter has a magnetic base with a central opening at its outlet and a seat with a central opening at its inlet. The base and the seat are joined by a cylindrical filter element made of a magnetically susceptible mesh screen material. A spring within the filter element biases a ball against the central opening of the seat normally sealing off the opening and forcing fluid to flow through the filter element to be filtered. If the mesh screen becomes clogged, backpressure forces the ball away from the seat against the bias of the spring to allow fluid to bypass the filter element and flow directly through the filter. Ferrous debris within the fluid flow continues to be captured by attraction to the magnetic base and the magnetized filter element.
US09220996B2	Jet type condenser A jet type condenser comprises a shell (8). A plurality of multilayered inner water chambers (3,4) is arranged in the shell, multilayered outer water chambers (9,10) being correspondingly in communication with the inner water chambers (3,4) are arranged outside the shell (8), each of the outer water chambers (9,10) is in communication with a water source, the lower portion of the inner water chamber (4) in a bottom layer is an air-cooling area (6), and a water guiding tube (16) in communication with the air-cooling area (6) is arranged at the bottom of the inner water chamber (4) of the bottom layer. A transverse partition board (5) is disposed in the inner water chamber (4) of the bottom layer, the inner space of the inner water chamber (4) of the bottom layer is divided into an upper cavity and a lower cavity (4-1, 4-2) which are independent, and correspondingly, the outer water chamber (10) corresponding to the inner water chamber (4) of the bottom layer is also divided into two independent cavities (10-1, 10-2) being respectively in communication with the two cavities (4-1, 4-2) of the inner water chamber (4) of the bottom layer and respectively connected with the water source. The use range of the jet type condenser is expanded, the condenser depression of condensate of the condenser can be remarkably reduced, and the running thermal consumption of a unit is reduced.
US09220993B1	Set of construction panels The set of construction panels is a set of toy building panels including two basic types of construction panels. The first type of construction panel includes a first planar member having at least one side edge and at least one first engaging member protruding from the at least one side edge thereof. A plurality of first apertures are formed through the first planar member, such that the plurality of first apertures are arrayed as a regular rectangular grid. The second type of construction panel includes an elongated planar member having at least one side edge and at least one second engaging member protruding from the at least one side edge thereof. A linear row of second apertures are formed through the elongated planar member. The construction panels may be releasably connected together by releasable insertion of the engaging members of one panel into the apertures of another panel.
US09220989B2	Water jet ride An apparatus for transporting a rider comprising a vehicle adapted to support the rider wherein vehicle has a driven portion disposed along a bottom surface thereof and a track having a path sized to slidably receive the vehicle therein and a plurality of water jets disposed along the track along a path of travel of the driven portion. Each of the plurality of water jets is adapted to sequentially discharge a portion of water in a desired direction of travel of the vehicle therethrough when aligned with the driven portion such that the portion of water engages the driven portion.
US09220987B2	Method of exchanging data between communication terminals A communication system which includes a plurality of communication terminals, each communication terminal includes: a memory that stores a group attribute representative of an attribute of a group, the group attribute assigned to a communication terminal or a user of the communication terminal; a communication unit that transmits the group attribute stored in a memory of a correspondent terminal located within a predetermined range from the communication terminal, and receives a group attribute stored in a memory of the correspondent terminal; and a controller that compares the group attribute received by the communication unit with the group attribute stored in the memory of the communication terminal and initiates selectively one of a first information processing and a second information processing based on a result of the comparison.
US09220986B2	Server device, method for controlling the same, computer-readable recording medium, and game system A server device and the like providing a game and capable of enhancing the unpredictability and amusement of the game and increasing the fun and thrill of the game as a whole are realized. A server device according to the present invention is connected to a terminal device via a network and provides a game, and includes: an information storage unit for storing information related to the game; and a control unit for accessing the information, executing various operations, and displaying images of the game on the terminal device. In the game, a plurality of item boxes of a plurality of types, each of which is assigned a predetermined reward item, are displayed on the terminal device.
US09220981B2	Controlling attribute expression within a virtual environment A computer-implemented method of controlling attribute expression for an avatar within a virtual environment can include defining a rule that determines expression of an attribute of a first avatar conditioned upon an attribute of at least one other avatar within a virtual environment and, responsive to the first avatar contacting a second avatar within the virtual environment, determining an attribute of the second avatar. The method can include determining whether to express the attribute of the first avatar according to the attribute of the second avatar as determined by the rule and outputting a state of the first avatar specifying each attribute selected for expression.
US09220975B2	Storage medium having stored therein an image generation program, image generation method, image generation apparatus and image generation system When a game process is performed by an exemplary game apparatus having an LCD for displaying a stereoscopically visible image, angular velocities of rotations about axes of the game apparatus are detected by using an angular velocity sensor provided in the game apparatus. A stereoscopic effect of a stereoscopically displayed image is adjusted in accordance with a magnitude of a rotation angle of the game apparatus in a roll direction calculated based on the angular velocities of the rotations about axes of the game apparatus.
US09220973B1	Educational board game An educational board game includes a playing board, a plurality of cards, a die and a die launcher. The playing cards are separated into categories and the die has a plurality of colored faces, each color corresponding to a particular category. The die is placed on the launcher and a bellows-type pedal is depressed, thereby launching the die. The color displayed by the die represents the category of card to be taken. Each card has a challenge question or task disposed thereon which a user has to answer or perform. If the user answers the question correctly a game piece is moved on the playing board. The first game piece to advance through the playing board is the winner.
US09220972B2	Multiple mode card shuffler and card reading device A multiple-mode card shuffling and/or card verification device includes a top surface, a card receiving area for receiving an initial set of playing cards, a randomizing or arranging system for the initial set of playing cards that can be disabled, a card collection surface in a card collection area for receiving randomized playing cards, the card collection surface receiving cards positioned so that all cards collected are below the top surface of the device, a card imaging system and an elevator for raising the card collection surface so that at least some randomized cards are elevated above the top surface of the device. The processor is programmed such that cards can be verified without changing an order of cards present in the card receiving area, verified during randomization, and randomized without card verification.
US09220969B2	Ski binding A toe-piece for binding a boot to a gliding board, the toe-piece including a first front boot-retaining device and a second front boot-retaining device. The first front boot-retaining device is designed for ascending a slope and includes boot-fastening mechanisms defining a hinge axis about which the boot pivots when the toe-piece is in an ascent configuration. The second front boot-retaining device is designed for descending a slope and includes two wings each supporting a lateral interface surface designed to come into contact with a front portion of the boot when the toe-piece is in a descent configuration. The toe-piece also includes a longitudinal stop surface movable between an active position in which it is designed to cooperate with the front portion of the boot, and an inactive position in which it is arranged so that it is no longer capable of cooperating with the front portion of the boot. The longitudinal stop surface is movable in relation to the wings.
US09220962B2	Double wall bat and process for manufacturing same A multi-section ball bat includes a barrel, a handle and an end cap. The handle has a first end defining a grip portion and a generally opposite second end attached to the barrel. The end cap has a first end attached to an opposite end of the barrel. At least a portion of the handle may have a multi-wall configuration defined by a gap. Similarly, at least a portion of the end cap may have a multi-wall configuration defined by a gap. The gap in a wall of the handle or the end cap may be formed between layers of a multi-layer composite material forming the handle or end cap. The presence of the gap in the handle or end cap extends the sweet spot of the bat from the barrel into the handle and/or the end cap.
US09220961B1	Golf tee A golf tee is provided, including a head portion, a neck portion, a stem portion, and a tip portion. The head portion is provided on a top of the golf tee and having a right-left symmetry. The neck portion is extended from the head portion and having a the right-left symmetry. The stem portion is extended from the neck portion and having a broken right-left symmetry. The tip portion is extended from the stem portion and configured for being pushed into a ground. The stem portion provides top-down and right-left aerodynamic unbalances to the golf tee, such that the golf tee rotates about a middle portion much more rather than flies away when the golf tee receives an external impact.
US09220956B2	Golf club A golf club head includes a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown. The body has a forward portion and a rearward portion. The club head includes a face positioned at the forward portion of the body. The face defines a striking surface having an ideal impact location at a golf club head origin. Some embodiments of the club head form a club head for a fairway wood that has a high moment of inertia, a low center-of-gravity and a thin crown.
US09220955B2	Golf club head and method for manufacturing the same A golf club head comprises a metal member made of at least one kind of metal material and a resin member made of a resin material welded to the metal member. A method for manufacturing the golf club head comprises a step of welding the resin member to the metal member.
US09220951B1	Golf ball constructions incorporating structurally colored compositions A golf ball comprising a photonic pigmented layer formed from a layer composition and photonic pigments comprised of microcapsules having nanoparticles therein to create a predetermined overall golf ball color appearance. The nanoparticles are sized and spaced such that the diffraction and reflection of light creates the predetermined overall golf ball color appearance. The microcapsule may be UV curable/cured, and each microcapsule may have a diameter of from about 50 μm to about 150 μm. Each nanoparticle may comprise a nanoparticle core surrounded by a nanoparticle shell, the nanoparticle core having a diameter of from about 50 nm to about 100 nm, and the nanoparticle core and nanoparticle shell, combined, having a diameter of from about 120 nm to about 300 nm.
US09220950B2	Negative hardness gradient cores made of polyalkenamer rubber for golf balls Golf balls having cores with negative hardness gradients are provided. The cores are made of polyalkenamer rubber compositions that may further include other rubbers such as, for example, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, and styrene-butadiene rubber. In one version, a solid, single core having an outer surface and center is provided, wherein the outer surface has a hardness substantially the same or lower than the hardness of the center to define a zero or negative hardness gradient. Dual-cores having inner and outer cores can be made, wherein the inner core has a negative hardness gradient and the outer core has a positive or negative hardness gradient. The rubber composition helps improve resiliency of the core and provides the ball with a comfortable and soft feel.
US09220949B2	Golf ball compositions The present invention also relates to a crosslinked polyamide composition which is the reaction product of about 70 to about 99.5 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) of one or more polyamides and about 0.5 to about 30 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) of one or more crosslinking agents; and where the crosslinked polyamide composition has a flexural modulus of about 5 to about 500 kpsi, and a material Shore D hardness of about 25 to about 85. The present invention also relates to a golf ball having a core including a center, an outer cover layer, and one or more intermediate layers, where at least one or more of the core, outer cover layer or one or more intermediate layers includes the crosslinked polyamide composition.
US09220947B2	Process for designing dimple pattern of golf ball A golf ball 2 has, on a surface thereof, a dimple pattern consisting of a land 10 and a large number of dimples 8. A process for designing the dimple pattern includes the steps of: (1) randomly arranging a large number of points on the surface of a phantom sphere; (2) calculating a distance between a first point and a second point which is a point closest to the first point; (3) deciding a radius on the basis of the distance; (4) assuming a circle which has a center at the first point and has the radius; and (5) assuming a dimple whose contour coincides with the circle. The dimples 8 are randomly arranged.
US09220940B2	Sand treadmill walking device Disclosed is a treadmill device providing a cushioned layer of sand to walk upon. The device comprises a base having a conveyor walking surface and an underside sand storage area. The base connects to an upstanding support having a control interface to establish the walking surface speed. A second sand conveyance means draws collected sand from the lower storage area and dispenses a continuous and uniform volume of sand onto the leading end of the conveyor walking surface. The sand is then leveled to a defined depth and conveyed toward the trailing end of the walking surface. Sand is collected along the sides of the walking surface and along the trailing end thereof, whereby the sand is recollected and conveyed again to the walking surface leading end for reuse. The sand is then treated by high intensity light to prevent bacteria from forming in the sand over long periods of non-use.
US09220939B2	Rehabilitation or exercising chair device An exercising device includes a chair member having a seat element disposed on a base supporting member, two handles each include a lower portion rotatably attached to the base supporting member and each include a spring biasing member provided on the handle, a resistive device engaged with the handles for applying a spring biasing force to resist the rotational movement of the handles relative to the chair member, and two arm rests each include a bottom portion attached to the spring biasing member for supporting a forearm of a user and for allowing the arm rest to be pivoted laterally and upwardly and downwardly relative to the handle and the chair member with the spring biasing member.
US09220936B2	Device for carrying an apparatus for discharging a fire extinguishing agent and method therefor A device for carrying an apparatus for discharging a fire extinguishing agent has a frame member. A leg member extends out and away from a bottom section of the frame member. The leg member is dimensioned to be inserted through an opening formed in the hose attachment.
US09220934B2	Water usage data acquisition, processing and presentation for fire appliances The present application is directed to fire fighting appliances. The application provides a system for recording flows on a fire appliance to address deficiencies in the prior art where such information is only analysed during an event.
US09220931B1	Reconfigurable, modular ergonomic sit harness or saddle A reconfigurable, modular ergonomic sit harness or saddle for use by linesmen, arborists, or the like includes a gender-specific back pad assembly that supports a number of removable, optional attachments allowing customization for user preference or job environment. Gender-specific angled wing portions of the back pad contain an armor layer and extra padding to protect the bony protrusions of both the male and female pelvis. A “one size fits all” approach includes a waistband having length adjustability over approximately a 3:1 range. Each component and sub-system of the sit harness is ergonomically designed to maximize comfort and minimize stresses on a user's body. The back pad features interchangeable lumbar support pads. Optional, removable features include a seat, an abdominal support, and a body harness for use with a fall restraint device. Interchangeable suspension bridges allow user attachment to a wide range of support systems.
US09220930B2	Amplifier mount for a closed-circuit breathing apparatus mask A component in a mask in a closed-circuit breathing apparatus includes a lever that actuates a wiper in the mask as well as mount for a communication amplifier. The combined amplifier mount and actuating lever can reduce the profile of the means of actuating the wiper and provide an alternative to using chemical means for preventing the deposition of condensation on the inside of a viewing lens of the mask.
US09220929B2	Use of a haemoglobin for the preparation of dressings and resulting dressings The invention relates to the use of a haemoglobin for the preparation of dressings and to the resulting dressings.
US09220928B2	Plant extracts from Acronychia species and their use The invention relates to plant extracts and bioactive molecules derived from the plant genus Acronychia and their use as antioxidants, antibacterials, anthelmintic, anti-inflammatories, cancer chemopreventatives, food additives and fragrance components in pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, foods and cosmetics.
US09220927B2	Hair dyeing composition Present invention relates to a hair dyeing composition comprising an anionic sugar surfactant which delivers long lasting colouration to human hair. The object of the present invention is an aqueous hair dyeing composition comprising one or more hair direct dyes and at least one anionic sugar surfactant. Suitable and particularly preferred anionic sugar surfactant is lauryl glucose carboxylate and its alkali metal salts such as sodium and potassium.
US09220920B2	Intensity-modulated proton therapy The therapeutic treatment of a patient using intensity-modulated proton therapy is described. In one example, a method of creating a proton treatment plan is presented that divides volumes of interest into sub-volumes, applies dose constraints to the sub-volumes, finds one or more feasible configurations of a proton therapy system, and selects a proton beam configuration that improves or optimizes one or more aspects of proton therapy. In some implementations, the method of dividing volumes into sub-volumes includes creating fractional sub-volumes based at least in part on proximity to a target volume boundary. In some implementations, the method of finding an improved or optimal proton beam configuration from a set of feasible configurations includes finding a minimum of a cost function that utilizes weighting factors associated with treatment sites.
US09220918B2	Medical device operating with x-rays and method for operating same The invention relates to a medical device operating with X-rays, comprising: an X-ray source, from which an X-ray beam that has an intensity maximum along a central ray can be emitted, a rotation unit, with which the X-ray source can be rotated about an isocenter, wherein the central axis of the X-ray beam is oriented eccentrically to the isocenter such that, in particular upon rotation about the isocenter, the central rays emitted from different spatial directions are tangential to an imaginary circle around the isocenter. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating a medical device, comprising the following steps: providing an X-ray source, from which an X-ray beam that has an intensity maximum along a central ray is emitted, rotating the X-ray source about an isocenter.
US09220917B2	Systems for autofluorescent imaging and target ablation Apparatus, devices, methods, systems, computer programs and computing devices related to autofluorescent imaging and ablation are disclosed.
US09220906B2	Tethered implantable medical device deployment In one example, this disclosure is directed to a kit for intravascular implantation of an implantable medical device within a patient comprising an elongated outer sheath forming an inner lumen with a distal opening, the outer sheath sized to traverse a vasculature of the patient, and an elongated inner sheath with a stopper. The inner sheath further includes a tether configured to form a loop on a distal side of the stopper, the loop being configured to engage a looped element of the implantable medical device to couple the implantable medical device to the inner sheath. The stopper is slidable relative to the outer sheath. The tether is configured to release the looped element of the implantable medical device from the inner sheath by opening the tether loop when a portion of the stopper is located distally relative to the distal opening of the outer sheath.
US09220905B2	Sampling intrinsic AV conduction time Methods and/or devices for sampling a patient's intrinsic AV conduction time during cardiac therapy that may, e.g., change the AV delays to values based on the AV delays themselves, previously-sampled intrinsic AV conduction times, and/or one or more other parameters directly related to AV delays to provide a time period during which to measure the patient's intrinsic AV conduction time.
US09220904B2	System and method for triggering conditioning of the heart using the intrinsic heartbeat A rules engine acquires sensor data from sensors applied to the heart and detects an intrinsic beat of the heart. The rules engine determines whether an electrical waveform should be applied to the heart and, if so, the type of electrical waveform.
US09220901B2	Neurostimulation system for preventing magnetically induced currents in electronic circuitry A neurostimulation device capable of being placed between an active stimulation state and an inactive stimulation state and method of using same. The neurostimulation device comprises a plurality of electrical terminals configured for being respectively coupled to a plurality of stimulation electrodes, a first solid-state switching device coupled to a first one of the electrical terminals, a variable power source coupled to the first switching device, and a controller configured for, when the neurostimulation device is in the inactive stimulation state, prompting the variable power source to selectively output a relatively low voltage to place the first switching device into a first open state and a relatively high voltage to place the first switching device into a second open state.
US09220900B2	Systems and methods for avoiding neural stimulation habituation An embodiment relates to a method for delivering a vagal stimulation therapy to a vagus nerve, including delivering a neural stimulation signal to non-selectively stimulate both afferent axons and efferent axons in the vagus nerve according to a predetermined schedule for the vagal stimulation therapy, and selecting a value for at least one parameter for the predetermined schedule for the vagal stimulation therapy to control the neural stimulation therapy to avoid physiological habituation to the vagal stimulation therapy. The parameter(s) include at least one parameter selected from the group of parameters consisting of a predetermined therapy duration parameter for a predetermined therapy period, and a predetermined intermittent neural stimulation parameter associated with on/off timing for the intermittent neural stimulation parameter.
US09220886B2	Wire configuration and method of making for an implantable medical apparatus A filar includes an inner conductive core that is formed of a low-resistivity material such as silver having a resistivity of less than 20 μΩ per centimeter. A conductive coil is provided around the core to form a filar. This coil is formed of a biocompatible alloy or super alloy having an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of between 150 kilo pounds per square inch (ksi) and 280 ksi at room temperature. Examples of such alloys include CoCrMo, CoFeCrMo, and CoFeNiCrMo. In one specific embodiment, the alloy is MP35N (CoNiCrMo), which may be low-titanium (“low-ti”) MP35N. One or more such filars may be included within a wire. This wire may be carried by an implantable medical apparatus such as a lead, lead extension, or catheter. The wire may electrically couple elements such as connector electrodes to conducting electrodes or sensors.
US09220881B2	Dispensing applicator for fluids A hand-held dispensing applicator comprising a source of fluid, a frangible applicator tip attached to the fluid source, and an absorbent member attached to the frangible applicator tip. The applicator may be applicable for a medical purpose. When the frangible applicator tip is broken, the fluid flows from the source to the absorbent member, spread on a surface. The frangible applicator tip may comprise a support element permanently connected to the fluid source, a relatively rigid tongue element, and a frangible region there between. The tongue element may comprise ribs for reinforcing the tongue element. The applicator tip may comprise a semi-permeable or non-permeable cover to control the speed and direction of the dispersion of the fluid.
US09220879B2	Devices, systems and methods useable for treating sinusitis Sinusitis and other disorders of the ear, nose and throat are diagnosed and/or treated using minimally invasive approaches with flexible or rigid instruments. Various methods and devices are used for remodeling or changing the shape, size or configuration of a sinus ostium or duct or other anatomical structure in the ear, nose or throat; implanting a device, cells or tissues; removing matter from the ear, nose or throat; delivering diagnostic or therapeutic substances or performing other diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. Introducing devices (e.g., guide catheters, tubes, guidewires, elongate probes, other elongate members) may be used to facilitate insertion of working devices (e.g. catheters e.g. balloon catheters, guidewires, tissue cutting or remodeling devices, devices for implanting elements like stents, electrosurgical devices, energy emitting devices, devices for delivering diagnostic or therapeutic agents, substance delivery implants, scopes etc.) into the paranasal sinuses or other structures in the ear, nose or throat. Specific devices (e.g., tubular guides, guidewires, balloon catheters, tubular sheaths) are provided as are methods for manufacturing and using such devices to treat disorders of the ear, nose or throat.
US09220877B2	Multi-branched anti-reflux valve A shunt system includes a first catheter and a second catheter, each having a proximal end and a distal end, and at least one opening adjacent to its distal end. A proximal end of a drainage catheter is in fluid communication with the proximal end of the first catheter and the proximal end of the second catheter. A first one-way valve is disposed in fluid communication with the first catheter between its proximal end and its at least one opening. The first one-way valve effectively blocks fluid flow from the proximal end to the at least one opening. A second one-way valve is disposed in fluid communication with the second catheter between its proximal end and its at least one opening. The second one-way valve effectively blocks fluid flow from the proximal end to the at least one opening.
US09220874B2	Transvascular access device and method Transvascular access devices and methods for transvascular access are provided. The transvascular access devices can include a guidewire lumen and a guide tube and stylet disposed in a second lumen. The guide tube can be used to control the orientation of the stylet and provide additional support for the stylet. The methods include providing a second entry point in a vessel of a patient remote from a first entry point. A vascular catheter can enter the vascular system of a patient at a first entry point and be advanced to a second entry point. A guide tube can be advanced out the second lumen of the vascular catheter with a stylet advanced out of the guide tube to pierce the vessel wall and skin of the patient at the second entry point. A catheter can be introduced to the vascular system at the second entry point.
US09220871B2	Needle shielding pawl structures An extravascular system is provided which includes a catheter assembly and a needle assembly. The needle assembly includes a needle cap containing a needle shield. The needle shield may be a V-clip having a pawl. The pawl may communicate with an extension on the needle shield by forming a bend between the pawl and the extension. The bend may include at least one dent, and the dent may be formed within the center of the bend. Alternatively, the bend may include a plurality of dents. The plurality of dents may be placed at various locations over the pawl width. The pawl may be folded back onto itself. Indeed, the pawl may be folded back on itself to form essentially a pawl of double thickness. In addition, the pawl may be constructed with a bend of various angles. The angle of the bend between the pawl and the extension may be less than 90°. The angle may be in the range of from about 90° and about 70°. The pawl may also include a corrugated design or structure.
US09220870B2	Catheter securement devices Described herein are catheter securement devices that can be used to secure catheters, catheter hubs and other medical devices to the body of a patient. The catheter securement devices can include an adhesive pad and engagement tabs with a slide locking feature. Adaptors can be used to provide suture tabs to catheters that lack suture tabs.
US09220868B2	Control handle with rotational cam mechanism for contraction/deflection of medical device A medical device has a distal member with a configuration that can be changed by means of a control handle with a control assembly employing a rotational cam, a shaft, and a pulley, where the rotational cam is rotationally mounted on a portion of the control handle for rotation by a user. The rotational cam operates on the shaft to move it proximally or distally depending on the direction of rotation which in turn rotates the pulley to draw or release a puller wire to change the configuration of the distal member of the medical device. The shaft is oriented along a diameter of the control handle. The shaft has two ends which extends through two axial guide slots in the portion of the control handle to sit two opposing helical tracks formed on inner surface of the rotational cam. The guide slots are parallel with the longitudinal axis of the control handle and therefore maintain the shaft's diametrical orientation as the rotational cam is rotated to move the shaft proximally or distally. Actuation of the puller wire by means of the control assembly can result in a change of the distal member's configuration, including deflection, contraction and/or expansion.
US09220867B2	Catheter with directed flow design A catheter includes an elongated catheter body having a proximal portion and a distal portion. A first longitudinally accessible lumen and a second lumen extend side by side within and along the proximal portion, and the first lumen and the second lumen form a single common lumen within the distal portion which extends to a distal end of the distal portion. The first lumen and second lumen are co-axial within the distal portion prior to forming a single common lumen.
US09220866B2	Package with catheter Package for a catheter, with a catheter having catheter tube with a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end being provided with a catheter connector. A main body is provided for holding the catheter, and a cap for closing off the main body. A gel container is positioned inside the main body, the gel container being provided with a cavity for holding an amount of gel-like lubricating agent. The gel container comprises a first opening at a distal end, and a second opening at a proximal end. The catheter tube is disposed through the first opening and second opening when stored in the package. The main body is made of a rigid material to allow easy and reliable storage.
US09220863B2	Kink-resistant gas delivery tube A kink-resistant gas delivery tube configured to be directly connected to a circular male plug, the tube having an internal geometry of multiple concave and convex areas each having an apex, wherein an angle α between a tangent line to the apex of a concave area and a tangent line to a point of maximum slope between the apexes is 30 degrees or less, or wherein an angle β between a tangent line to the apex of a convex area and a tangent line to a point of maximum slope between the apexes is 30 degrees or less.
US09220862B2	Patient interface system with articulating forehead pad attachment A patient interface device (8, 108) includes a mask component (16, 116) structured to engage a face of the patient, a head support member (22, 122) structured to rest on a head of the patient, and a coupling arm (24, 124) having a first end (40, 134) coupled to the mask component and a second end (42, 136) coupled to the head support member. The second end of the coupling arm is coupled to the head support member in a manner wherein the mask component is selectively moveable relative to the head support member in multiple planes such that the mask component can be rotated at least 180 degrees in a plane that is parallel to the patient's face.
US09220861B2	Forehead support for facial mask A pad for a forehead support includes an outer wall having a first side configured to engage a user's forehead and a second side having engaged surfaces configured to rest against engaging surfaces of the forehead support; at least one retaining wall provided between the first side and the second side; and at least one retained portion configured to be retained by a retainer formed on the forehead support, wherein a space is defined between the outer wall and the engaged surfaces. The space has a substantially constant cross sectional profile, and the outer wall, the at least one retaining wall, and the engaged surfaces are formed of a deformable elastomeric material. Deformation of the pad occurs by deflection of at least the outer wall and the at least one retaining wall.
US09220858B2	Apparatus and method for improved assisted ventilation Devices and methods for allowing for improved assisted ventilation of a patient. The methods and devices provide a number of benefits over conventional approaches for assisted ventilation. Methods and devices that permit blind insertion of a device that can allow ventilation regardless of whether the device is positioned within a trachea or an esophagus.
US09220853B2	Lavage system having a nozzle A medical spray device has a compressed gas supply conduit for guiding a gas flow, a liquid supply conduit for supplying a liquid, a dispensing tube having an open tube end for spraying fine droplets or a spray mist of a liquid-gas mixture, and an operable valve element that is arranged in the compressed gas supply conduit. A constriction of the cross-sectional area is provided in the dispensing tube and a merging site is arranged in the region of the constriction through which the liquid merges into the gas flow from the compressed gas supply conduit, whereby the constriction forms a nozzle in the dispensing tube. A spray device kit provides a medical spray device, a gas supply conduit, a pressure regulator, and a compressed gas container.
US09220852B2	Method for producing trench-like depressions in the surface of a wafer In a method of producing trench-like depressions in the surface of a wafer, particularly a silicon wafer, by plasma etching, in which the depressions are produced by alternate passivation and etching, each depression in its final geometry is provided with a protective layer of the polytetrafluoroethylene type.
US09220845B2	Medication injector apparatus with drive assembly that facilitates reset A medication injector apparatus such as an injection pen. The injection pen includes a resettable, cartridge plunger drive assembly including an axially floating nut, a cartridge plunger engaging screw, and a drive clutch movable with the nut and which when rotated causes the screw to screw through the nut. When a cartridge assembly is mounted to the pen base, the floating nut and drive clutch are shifted proximally such that the drive clutch is in torque transmitting engagement with a rotatable drive member of the pen, such that rotation of that drive member results in drive screw advancement through the nut in the distal direction. When the cartridge assembly is not mounted to the pen base, the floating nut and drive clutch are biased distally to disengage the drive clutch from torque transmitting engagement with the rotatable drive member and to thereby allow the drive screw to be reset proximally through the nut to a position more retracted within the pen base. The injection pen also may include an injection clicker assembly having a collar arranged coaxially on a drive sleeve and which oscillates axially on the drive sleeve that rotates during medication dispensing to provide an audible clicking sound that indicates injecting use of the pen. The injection pen also may include a doseable quantity identifier that uses a rotational matrix and a sensor for electrically sensing the arrangement of the dose setting mechanism of the pen, which identifier may be part of a therapeutic dose indicating system that utilizes a cartridge recognizer to recognize a concentration of medication so as to allow an automatic determination of a therapeutic dose. The injection pen further may include an assembly for selectively rotating a drive sleeve of the pen, which assembly has a dial that rotates out during dose setting and which translates in without rotation during dose injecting.
US09220844B2	Syringe having reduced static friction A syringe comprising a cylinder and a plunger arranged in the latter has a sealing element which, with a contact region, abuts an inner wall of the cylinder and seals an annular gap between the plunger and an inner wall of the cylinder. The contact region has a front section which, in the rest state, abuts the inner wall of the cylinder with an abutment pressure. The plunger is connected to the sealing element in such a way that the sealing element does not follow an initial movement of the plunger out of the rest state and such that the sealing element follows a continued movement of the plunger. The abutment pressure between the sealing element and the inner wall in the front section of the contact region decreases during the initial movement. With the syringe, less force is required in order to overcome the static friction between the sealing element and the inner wall of the cylinder.
US09220835B2	Device for drug infusion A portable device for infusion of liquid drugs contained in a pair of syringes into a patient's body is disclosed. Said device includes a body housing a driving system and arranged to receive a pair of interchangeable syringes, and said driving system includes a single electric motor and a first and a second mechanical assembly, or a single mechanical assembly, each assembly being associated with one of the syringes or with both syringes, respectively, and being arranged to convert the rotary motion of the motor into a linear motion and to apply said linear motion to a pusher associated with the plunger of the respective syringe, both mechanical assemblies, or the single mechanical assembly, being operated for simultaneously causing the forward motion of the plunger in one syringe and the backward motion of the plunger in a second syringe.
US09220829B2	Implantable systems and methods for removing specific impurities from fluids such as blood Systems and methods utilize semipermeable nanotubes in conjunction with application of controlled electrical potentials across semipermeable nanotube walls allow selective transport of charged impurities (e.g., charged impurities, ions, etc.) from a fluid into these nanotubes. Impurities collected in these nanotubes can then be removed from the fluid, (e.g., blood) as a waste stream. A collection of semipermeable nanotubes each carrying a waste stream can be aggregated and merged into a ureter for excretion thereby providing an artificial kidney system. Sensors that detect/measure various impurities may be included in the system to feed information to a microprocessor to inform on concentrations of impurities, and thereby control electrical potentials applied to the system.
US09220827B2	Apparatus for extracorporeal blood treatment The invention describes an apparatus for extracorporeal blood treatment with a dialyzer which is separated by a semipermeable membrane in to a first and second chamber (29, 30), wherein the first chamber (29) is arrange in a dialysate pathway and the second chamber (30) is connectable to the blood circulation of a patient by means of a blood supply conduit (32) and a blood return conduit (31), an inlet (20) for fresh dialysate, an outlet (30) for spent dialysate, a measuring device (37) arranged in the outlet (36), wherein said measuring device (37) has at least one radiation source consisting of several light sources (1) for electromagnetic radiation. The invention is characterized in that the measuring device (37) is designed to generate substantially monochromatic electromagnetic radiation of different wavelengths, and to lead only one of these wavelength (at the same time) though the outlet (36) for spent dialysate, wherein at least one detector system (5) is provided for detection of the intensity or the absorption of the substantially monochromatic electromagnetic radiation passing through the outlet (36) for spent dialysate.
US09220826B2	Method and apparatus for accurately tracking available charge in a transcutaneous energy transfer system Improved devices and methods for tracking power consumption and available charge in a transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) system are provided. The method includes measuring the available charge in a battery and the current rate of power consumption in an implanted medical device, determining the remaining time before the charge level of the battery reaches a predetermined threshold level, and communicating the remaining time to a user.
US09220825B2	Blood pump A blood pump 2 comprising: a cartridge 4 having a concave recess 8 therein having a surface, and a flexible membrane 0 covering said recess, the concave recess and flexible membrane forming a pump chamber 12 having an inlet 14 and an outlet 16 wherein: said flexible membrane is movable between a first position, separated from said surface wherein in such position the pump chamber has a maximum volume, and a second position, substantially adjacent said surface such that in said second position the pump chamber has a minimum volume, a pump driver mechanism 18 arranged to interface with the cartridge, said driver operable to move the flexible membrane in a first direction into the recess to, in use, pump blood from the chamber and operable to move the flexible membrane in a second direction away from the recess to, in use, draw blood into said chamber; and wherein the pump driver controls the movement of the flexible membrane in the first direction such that the speed at which it is moving reduces as it approaches the surface of the concave recess.
US09220823B2	Pressure control apparatus Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for applying negative pressure to a wound site. In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises a source of negative pressure, a processing element, and a memory comprising instructions configured to, when executed on the processing element, cause the apparatus to attempt to generate, via the source of negative pressure, a desired negative pressure at the wound site. If the desired negative pressure has not been generated after a first predetermined period of time, the instructions cause the apparatus to: deactivate the source of negative pressure for a second predetermined period of time, and subsequently attempt to generate the desired negative pressure at the wound site.
US09220821B2	Fastener for a negative pressure therapy device The invention relates to a fastening device for a negative-pressure therapy appliance, in particular for negative-pressure treatment of wounds on the human or animal body, comprising a holding means, a hollow body and a receiving area.
US09220820B2	Hydrophobic cross-linked gels for bioabsorbable drug carrier coatings Coatings for medical devices, methods of making the coatings, and methods of using them are described.
US09220816B2	Polymers of fluorinated monomers and hydrocarbon monomers It is provided a method of treating a disorder, the method comprising implanting in a patient an implantable device including a polymer formed of fluorinated monomers and hydrocarbon monomers and another biocompatible polymer.
US09220815B2	Polymers of fluorinated monomers and hydrocarbon monomers It is provided a polymer blend that contains a polymer formed of fluorinated monomers and hydrocarbon monomers and another biocompatible polymer.
US09220811B2	Implantable or insertable medical devices In various aspects, the present invention is directed to implantable neurostimulation leads and methods for their formation. In various additional aspects, the present invention is directed to medical devices having silicone-containing regions with overlying polymeric layers and to methods of forming the same.
US09220808B2	Crosslinked human or animal tissue products and their methods of manufacture and use Degradable bioprostheses made of collagen-based material having amine-based and ester-based crosslinks are provided, as are methods for their formation and use. Some embodiments of the present invention are directed towards a method of controlling the ratio of amine-based crosslinks to ester-based crosslinks within a collagen-based material to provide a tailorably crosslinked collagen-based material. Some embodiments provide a method of making a degradable bioprosthesis involving controlling crosslinking to afford a degradable bioprosthesis that is partially crosslinked. By controlling the ratio of amine-based to ester-based crosslinks, by controlling the level of crosslinking, or by controlling both of these features, degradable bioprostheses with tailored degradation rates can be synthesized. Some embodiments of degradable bioprostheses have degradation rates that are tailored to allow their use in particular medical applications. Some embodiments are directed towards methods of use degradable bioprostheses in wound healing, tissue repair, and tissue supplementation.
US09220807B2	Non-toxic cross-linker for hyaluronic acid Systems and methods are disclosed for cosmetic augmentation by storing a non-toxic biocompatible cross-linker; storing a biocompatible polymer having a multi-phase mixture with a predetermined controlled release of selected pharmaceutical substance to modulate soft tissue response to the polymer; mixing the biocompatible cross-linker and polymer into a mixture; injecting the mixture into a patient and during or after injection, cross-linking the polymer in the patient; and augmenting soft tissue with the biocompatible cross-linked polymer.
US09220801B2	Air purifying apparatus using microwaves In an air purifying apparatus for removing contaminants, such as soot and the like, by burning contaminated air while passing the contaminated air through a filter heated by microwaves, the apparatus includes: a housing, which is hollow, and comprises an inlet on one side and an outlet on the other side; a ceramic filter of a longitudinal material, which is arranged in the housing in a longitudinal direction of the housing, and includes a plurality of partition walls formed so that a flow path where contaminated air flows may be divided in plurality; and a microwave generator configured to generate microwaves to be supplied to one end surface of the ceramic filter in a longitudinal direction thereof to heat the one end surface of the ceramic filter in the longitudinal direction.
US09220795B2	Indole derivatives An indole-based in vivo imaging agent is provided by the present invention that binds with high affinity to PBR, has good uptake into the brain following administration, and which has good selective binding to PBR. The invention also includes a precursor compound useful in the synthesis of the in vivo imaging agent of the invention, as well as a method for synthesis of said in vivo imaging agent comprising use of said precursor compound, and a kit for carrying out said method. Also provided is a cassette for automated synthesis of the in vivo imaging agent. Further aspects of the invention include a radiopharmaceutical composition comprising the in vivo imaging agent of the invention, and methods for the use of said in vivo imaging agent.
US09220793B2	Methods for in vivo identification of cancer initiating cells by multimodality reporter gene imaging The present invention relates to a method for detecting cancer initiating cells in living animal body by multimodality reporter gene imaging. In the method of this invention, cells escaping from cell loss during tumor enlargement are identified as cancer initiating cells.
US09220792B2	Modified polynucleotides encoding aquaporin-5 The invention relates to compositions and methods for the preparation, manufacture and therapeutic use of polynucleotides, primary transcripts and modified mRNA (mmRNA) molecules.
US09220790B2	Multi-arm polymeric alkanoate conjugates Among other aspects, provided herein are multi-armed polymer conjugates comprising an alkanoate-linker, compositions comprising such conjugates, and related methods of making and administering the same. Methods of treatment employing such conjugates and related uses are also provided. The conjugates are prepared with high drug loading efficiencies.
US09220789B2	Conjugates of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors to functionalized polymers This document relates to conjugates of TNF inhibitors or derivatives thereof and functionalized (e.g., mono- or bi-functional) polymers (e.g., polyethylene glycol and related polymers) as well as methods and materials for making and using such conjugates.
US09220788B2	Nanoparticle and polymer formulations for thyroid hormone analogs, antagonists, and formulations and uses thereof Disclosed are methods of treating subjects having conditions related to angiogenesis including administering an effective amount of a polymeric nanoparticle form of thyroid hormone agonist, partial agonist or an antagonist thereof, to promote or inhibit angiogenesis in the subject. Nanoparticle forms of thyroid hormone or thyroid hormone analogs as well as uses thereof are also disclosed.
US09220784B2	Diclofenac topical formulation The present invention provides a gel formulation comprising diclofenac sodium which has superior transdermal flux properties, which may be used for the topical treatment of pain, such as in osteoarthritis.
US09220782B2	Long acting sustained-release formulation containing dopamine receptor agonist and the preparation method thereof The present invention relates to a long-acting sustained-release dosage form for treatment of Parkinson Disease, comprising a dopamine receptor agonist and a pharmaceutically acceptable biodegradable polymer accessories, wherein the content of the dopamine receptor agonist in the sustained-release dosage form is 5-50% by weight, and the content of the pharmaceutically acceptable polymer accessories is 50-95% by weight.
US09220780B2	Pharmaceutical liquid composition of botulinum toxin with improved stability Disclosed herein is a liquid pharmaceutical composition of botulinum toxin which is improved in stability. It comprises botulinum toxin, polysorbate 20, and methionine and optionally isoleucine. Employing, instead of the animal-derived protein albumin or gelatin, a combination of polysorbate 20 and methionine and optionally isoleucine as botulinum toxin stabilizers, the liquid pharmaceutical composition eliminates the risk of contaminating the body with serum-derived pathogens or microorganisms and can be administered safely to the body. Also, the composition is convenient for use as a direct injection for patients. Superior to conventional compositions employing either detergents or amino acids in terms of the storage stability of botulinum toxin at 25˜37° C. as well as at refrigerated temperatures, the liquid pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is very useful for storing botulinum toxin under an emergency condition such as an environment without maintaining low temperature. The liquid pharmaceutical composition can be readily prepared because it employs a detergent and an amino acid(s) without a lyophilization process.
US09220777B2	Ultrasonically-triggered drug vehicle with magnetic resonance imaging function Present invention relates to an ultrasonically-triggered drug vehicle with magnetic resonance imaging function. In the delivery system of the invention, tracks the of drug vehicle carrying a certain drug (or drugs) is detectable by magnetic resonance imaging, and the release of drug is triggered by ultrasonication when the drug vehicle arrives at target site and accumulates to a desirable concentration. The MRI-guided drug delivery system provides improved accuracy of drug releasing, including position and timing.
US09220771B2	Peptide for use in the treatment of breast cancer and/or bone metastases The invention relates to the use of the Peptide of the formula Cyclo-(Arg-Gly-Asp-DPhe-NMe-Val) and/or the pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives, solvates and/or salts thereof, for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of breast cancer and/or bone metastases in humans, wherein the medicament is optionally to be used in combination with one or more cancer cotherapeutic agents, preferably selected from a) hormone modulating agents, b) osteoclast activity modulating agents, c) cancer chemotherapeutic agents, and/or d) radiotherapy, alone, concurrently or not in the dosage regime of the present invention.
US09220769B2	Composition The present invention provides a modified influenza virus wherein the RNA of the haemagglutinin gene has been modified such that the haemagglutinin signal sequence is not expressed and the virus produces a haemagglutinin protein that lacks a functional signal sequence. The invention further provides composition comprising the modified virus and uses of the modified virus.
US09220760B2	Method of modulating the proliferation of medullary thyroid carcinoma cells The present invention is directed to a method of decreasing the rate of proliferation of medullary thyroid carcinoma cells which comprises contacting medullary thyroid carcinoma cells with one or more SSTR2 agonist. A somatostatin receptor antagonist having the formula Cpa-cyclo(D-Cys-4-Pal-D-Trp-Lys-Thr-Cys)-Nal-NH2 is also disclosed.
US09220750B2	Use of antisecretory factors (AF) for optimizing cellular uptake The present invention relates to the use of an antisecretory factor (AF) protein, peptide, derivative, homologue, and/or fragment thereof, having equivalent functional activity, and/or a pharmaceutically active salt thereof, for optimizing delivery and cellular uptake of a pharmaceutical substance and/or formulation, or a gene delivery. Typically, said pharmaceutical substance and/or formulation comprises an anticancer drug, radiation therapy, an antibiotic substance, an antiviral substance or a drug targeting posttraumatic injury, neurodegeneration, a parasite, or an inflammatory condition.
US09220749B2	Method of inhibiting Clostridium difficile by administration of oritavancin Glycopeptide antibiotics, such as oritavancin, demonstrate significant activity against both a vegetative form of C. difficile and C. difficile spores. Methods for the treatment, prophylaxis and prevention of C. difficile infection and disease in animals, including humans, are described.
US09220748B2	Macrocyclic proline derived HCV serine protease inhibitors The present invention discloses compounds of Formula I or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters, or prodrugs thereof: which inhibit serine protease activity, particularly the activity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3-NS4A protease. Consequently, the compounds of the present invention interfere with the life cycle of the hepatitis C virus and are also useful as antiviral agents. The present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the aforementioned compounds for administration to a subject suffering from HCV infection. The invention also relates to methods of treating an HCV infection in a subject by administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compounds of the present invention.
US09220747B2	Methods using desmopressin acetate in orodispersible form Described are orodispersible solid dosage forms of desmopressin or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof useful for treating diseases or conditions such as incontinence, primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE), nocturia, and central diabetes insipidus. The dosage forms disintegrate in the mouth within 10 seconds and provide good desmopressin bioavailability.
US09220743B2	Pan-antiviral peptides for protein kinase inhibition A method of inhibiting protein kinases by administering polypeptides derived from alpha-neurotoxin, and inhibiting protein kinases. Diseases treated thereby include cancer, influenza, Tourette's syndrome, pain, and neurological deficits.
US09220742B1	Mutant polypeptides and uses thereof The present disclosure provides novel polypeptides with 3-buten-2-ol dehydratase activity, polypeptides with catalytic activity in the conversion of 3-methyl-3-buten-2-ol to isoprene, and crystal structure data for one of such polypeptides. Methods of making and using the polypeptides and their related crystal structure data are also provided.
US09220739B1	All natural body powder that balances your PH and eliminates, bacteria, fungus, microbes and any body odor, including odor passed onto articles of clothing or shoes An all-natural, multi-purpose body powder comprised of Boric Acid, Organic Lavender, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus and Peppermint. The ratios of Boric Acid to Organic Lavender and Tea Tree are 288:1. The ratios of Boric Acid to Organic Eucalyptus and Peppermint are 1728:1. All of said ingredients create an environment that bacteria cannot grow in, wherein body, foot and shoe odor is prevented.
US09220737B2	Plant cell culture expressing human lysosomal proteins and uses thereof A device, system and method for producing glycosylated proteins in plant culture, particularly proteins having a high mannose glycosylation, while targeting such proteins with an ER signal and/or by-passing the Golgi. The invention further relates to vectors and methods for expression and production of enzymatically active high mannose lysosomal enzymes using transgenic plant root, particularly carrot cells. More particularly, the invention relates to host cells, particularly transgenic suspended carrot cells, vectors and methods for high yield expression and production of biologically active high mannose Glucocerebrosidase (GCD). The invention further provides for compositions and methods for the treatment of lysosomal storage diseases.
US09220735B2	Methods of using krill oil to treat risk factors for cardiovascular, metabolic, and inflammatory disorders This invention discloses methods of using krill oil and compositions comprising krill oil to treat risk factors for metabolic, cardiovascular, and inflammatory disorders. The present invention also relates to methods of using compositions comprising krill oil to modulate biological processes selected from the group consisting of glucose metabolism, lipid biosynthesis, fatty acid metabolism, cholesterol biosynthesis, and the mitochondria respiratory chain. The present invention further includes pharmaceutical and/or nutraceutical formulations made from krill oil, methods of making such formulations, and methods of administering them to treat risk factors for metabolic, cardiovascular, and inflammatory disorders.
US09220734B2	Injectable polydeoxyribonucleotide composition for the treatment of osteoarticular diseases Composition based on polynucleotides extracted from natural sources for use in therapeutic treatment and/or as a therapeutic co-adjuvant in the treatment of degenerative diseases of the joints, in particular osteoarthritis.
US09220724B2	MicroRNA-based approach to treating malignant pleural mesothelioma The invention relates to microRNA mimics, corresponding to the miR-15/107 family, and to methodology for using microRNA mimics to treat malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) by restoring regulation of the expression of target genes of the miR-15/107 family in MPM tumor cells.
US09220723B2	Cancer therapy The present invention provides agents useful in the treatment of cancer, as well as systems for identifying and/or characterizing such agents, and systems for identifying and/or characterizing patient populations responsive to particular agents.
US09220720B2	Method for ameliorating or preventing arrhythmic risk associated with cardiomyopathy A method for reducing arrhythmic risk associated with cardiomyopathy includes administering a composition containing NAD+ or a mitochondrial targeted antioxidant to an individual in need thereof.
US09220718B2	Sonosensitive liposome, pharmaceutical composition including the same, and method of delivering active agent to subject using the sonosensitive liposome Provided is a liposome comprising a lipid bilayer and a sonosensitizer that is disposed in and/or on the lipid bilayer, wherein the sonosensitizer self-assembles to form aggregates when exposed to ultrasound; and a method of efficiently delivering an active agent to a target site in the body of a subject using the sonosensitive liposome.
US09220713B2	Compositions and methods for the treatment of drug-induced hand-foot syndrome The present invention provides methods of treating, ameliorating or preventing hand-foot syndrome in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor.
US09220707B2	Method of dosing and use of soft anticholinergic esters A method of treating hyperhidrosis in a mammalian subject comprising: a) providing a composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle and from about 1.0% to about 25% of a compound having the formula: and b) topically administering the composition to skin of an area of a mammalian subject suffering from hyperhidosis, before bedtime, such that, compared to untreated, baseline conditions, sweat production is reduced by at least about 25% for at least about six (6) hours.
US09220705B2	Method of treating colorectal cancer The present invention relates to the use of certain platinum compounds including [PtCl2(cis-1,4-diaminocyclohexane)], or combinations of these compounds with a variety of other agents for treating and/or preventing the progression of colorectal cancer in mammals. In particular, the invention provides methods of treating and/or preventing oxaliplatin-refractory colorectal cancer in mammals.
US09220698B2	Method for delivering a pharmaceutical composition to patient in need thereof The present disclosure is directed to a method for delivering a pharmaceutical composition to a patient in need thereof, comprising: administering to said patient a pharmaceutical composition in unit dose form comprising naproxen, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and esomeprazole, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
US09220692B2	Methods of reducing symptoms in subjects using single dosage forms with tapering release rates The present invention is directed to methods of reducing symptoms associated with an abrupt reduction in an endogenous or exogenous chemical in subjects, the methods comprising: (a) administering to the subject a single dosage form comprising an active agent, wherein the release rate of the active agent from the single dosage form tapers throughout the administration; and (b) removing the single dosage form from the subjects after the release rate of the active agent is at or below a terminal symptom threshold level.
US09220691B2	Transdermal therapeutic system comprising norelestromin for contraception and hormone replacement The present invention relates to a transdermal therapeutic system for applying the active ingredient norelgestromin onto the skin, optionally in combination with estrogens. It further relates to the use of such systems for hormonal contraception, and for hormone replacement therapy.
US09220681B2	Formulations This invention relates to compositions for delivering one or more active ingredients, and more particularly to compositions, e.g. beads, comprising a matrix material which matrix material comprises a microorganism. In particular, the invention relates to compositions comprising a microorganism selected from live, killed, attenuated and inactivated microorganisms. The matrix material may also comprise a surfactant and may further comprise an adjuvant. The invention further relates to the manufacture and use of such compositions, and to other subject matter.
US09220677B2	Methods and compositions for CNS delivery of iduronate-2-sulfatase The present invention provides, among other things, compositions and methods for CNS delivery of lysosomal enzymes for effective treatment of lysosomal storage diseases. In some embodiments, the present invention includes a stable formulation for direct CNS intrathecal administration comprising an iduronate-2-sulfatase (I2S) protein, salt, and a polysorbate surfactant for the treatment of Hunters Syndrome.
US09220675B2	Topical skin care formulations comprising plant extracts Disclosed are compositions and corresponding methods of their use that include an extract from Quassia undulata, Biophytum petersianum, Allophylus africanus, Buchanania reticulata, Melanorrhoea laccifera, Canthium dicoccum, or Aporosa tetrapleura, or any combination thereof, or at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or all 7 of the extracts.
US09220672B2	Peptide for use in the treatment of skin conditions The present invention relates to a peptide of the following formula (I) X1(X2)-X3-X4 or a salt or solvate thereof, wherein is an amino acid comprising two or more NH-functionalities, and X2, X3, and X4 are, independently from one another, an amino acid residue, and wherein the salt or solvate is preferably a physiologically acceptable salt or solvate.
US09220665B2	Oral care compositions The invention provides an oral care composition comprising: (a) a continuous phase comprising water or polyhydric alcohol or a mixture thereof; and (b) a particulate calcium carbonate abrasive composed of primary particles which are acicular and which have a length of 2 microns or greater; in which the level of the particulate calcium carbonate abrasive ranges from 10 to 70%, preferably from 20 to 60%, more preferably from 30 to 40%, by total weight of the particulate calcium carbonate abrasive based on the total weight of the composition. The composition of the invention demonstrates satisfactory levels of cleaning, yet is not unduly abrasive and damaging to the teeth.
US09220664B1	Method of administration of fragrance and/or scent and patch therefor A patch facilitates transportation, application, and emission of fragrances for perfume wearers. A plurality of structural and adhesive layers provide a manufacturable patch with structural and functional integrity. The material selection, and perfume selection and concentration, provides efficacy of fragrance emission for a predetermined period.
US09220661B2	Systems and methods for safe medicament transport A medicament transport system includes a syringe adapter assembly; and a vial adapter assembly including a base defining an opening having a seal member disposed therewithin, a stem extending from the base and defining a lumen therethrough and an opening through a wall thereof, a needle shuttle valve slidably disposed within the lumen of the stem and supporting a transfer needle and a vacuum needle; and a vacuum cup slidably supported on the stem, wherein a vacuum chamber is defined in the space between the base, the stem and the vacuum cup. The medicament transport system includes a condition where the transfer needle and the vacuum needles penetrate the seal member of the vial adapter assembly, and the vacuum cup is moved to draw a vacuum through the vacuum needle. An automation system is provided that utilizes a medicament transport system for forming a medicament solution from a liquid/non-liquid solution.
US09220658B2	System and method for providing tempered fluid The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for tempering the temperature of a liquid in a fluid conducting system. More particularly, the invention relates to tempering the temperature of water supplied to a fixture from a water heater in a fluid conducting system. In some embodiments, the invention includes a restrictor for decreasing the fluid pressure in one of the hot inlet or cold inlet of the mixing valve.
US09220655B2	System for compression therapy A system for compression therapy includes a patient-support apparatus and a compression sleeve assembly that is coupleable to the patient-support apparatus. In some embodiments, the patient-support apparatus includes a hospital bed and in other embodiments, the patient-support apparatus includes a mattress for a bed. The compression sleeve assembly includes a sleeve that couples to a patient's limb and that inflates to promote blood flow. The compression sleeve assembly also includes a conduit and a compression module that is operable to inflate the sleeve through the conduit. The conduit may be routed, at least in part, through the associated patient-support apparatus. The compression module may be situated, at least in part, in a cavity of the associated patient-support apparatus. A compression module may be coupled to an architectural structure, such as a headwall unit.
US09220654B2	Enhanced therapeutic stimulus system and methods of use The present invention relates to a therapeutic system and methods of using the therapeutic system. In particular, the present invention relates to systems having hardware, software, and appliance components for assessing and entraining a neuromuscular pattern or behavior in a patient. The methods include configuring the hardware and software systems to receive data from an orofacial stimulation appliance and to generate a precise therapeutic pulse profile that is actuated as a tactile stimulus. In one embodiment, the system and methods also include collecting data using the orofacial stimulation appliance and delivering the tactile stimulus via the orofacial stimulation appliance to entrain an organized neuromuscular pattern or behavior.
US09220650B2	Patient support apparatus having alert light A patient support apparatus includes a bed frame having a head end and a foot end and control circuitry carried by the bed frame. The control circuitry receives information about conditions of the patient support apparatus. A light is coupled to the bed frame adjacent the foot end and is coupled to the control circuitry. The light is in a first state when the patient support apparatus is operating normally and the light is in a second state when the control circuitry detects an alert condition.
US09220648B2	Jack stand for a wheelchair The present invention is a wheelchair jack stand that may be affixed to the seat post and main chassis member of a wheelchair to enable easy removal of the wheel. The jack stand comprises a lever arm retaining rail, a locking pin, a stand member and a second hub affixed to the base of the seat post for connecting the stand member. The lever arm retaining rail has apertures along its length for receiving a locking pin, a first end affixed to the seat post and a second end affixed to the main chassis member. The stand member has a first hub, a leg connected to the first hub and a lever arm connected to the first hub and opposite the leg. The lever arm also has one opening to receive a locking pin that aligns with the one or more apertures of the lever arm retaining rail. The angle between the leg and the lever arm is about 100 degrees.
US09220644B2	Absorbent article with improved garment-like character A disposable absorbent article may include a chassis, an absorbent core, a pair of elastically elongatable ears and a pair of fastening tabs. The elastically elongatable ears and the fastening tabs have a transverse axis. The ears are connected to the chassis such that the transverse axis of the fastening tabs is located in specific portions of the article. The absorbent core is free of cellulosic fibers.
US09220642B2	Absorbent article and sanitary napkin with heightened middle units An absorbent article having a leakage preventing wall that includes a fixing unit and an erection unit. A heightened middle unit is disposed inside in the longitudinal direction more than a wing unit. Fold positions are provided in proximity to a base position of the wing unit. An end pan in the longitudinal direction of compression grooves are configured so as to be disposed outside in the longitudinal direction more than an end part in the longitudinal direction of the erection unit. The end part in the longitudinal direction of the erection unit and a site at which a dimension in the widthwise direction W is the greatest in the compression groove are disposed in proximity to the base position of the wing unit.
US09220636B2	Sock for treatment of foot and leg wounds, methods of use and manufacture The Improved Sock is made of yarns knitted into a foot and calf, with graduated compression on an individual's foot from the foot to the calf. The yarns can include wool and alpaca fibers. A substantial proportion of wool and/or alpaca are on the inside of the sock so as to be in direct contact with the skin and wound. The Improved Sock provides absorption and wicking of inflammatory mediators, bacteria and biofilm and necrotic exudate from the foot and leg. The Improved Sock has AgNP shapes electrostatically bonded to the yarn. At least 30% of the mass of the AgNP shapes attached to the fibers have a shape selected from the group consisting of truncated triangular plates (a triangle with the corners rounded off), triangular prisms, discs and combinations of two or more of them. The Improved Sock functions as a unique wound dressing with the sock in direct contact with the wound.
US09220635B2	Tactile pattern music generator and player A device that produces patterned tactile sensations or events discernible to human touch from micro-actuators housed in a fabric, or other pliable material, where such actuated sensations or events are discernible by a user donning the fabric. The device is configured to convert electronically stored music or audio data into a sequence of patterned tactile sensations or events in a matrix across the fabric, providing a tactile representation of the music or audio data to the user. The discernible tactile sensations or events may alternately comprise retractable physical features, electric stimuli, and/or combinations of these.
US09220629B2	Wearable airway supporting device A wearable airway supporting device consisting essentially of elastic textile products and a matching set of form-fit mandible projectors, and has portions that encircle the head such that, when combined with a set of form-fit mandible projectors, exert pressure on at least the pterygoideus internus section of the user's mandible so as to apply upwardly, outward pressure on the lower jaw (mandible) in order to stabilize the same while the user is sleeping or unconscious, thereby preventing snoring, obstructive sleep apnea, and other airway obstruction caused by the tongue dropping back into the throat and blocking the user's airway. When the elastic members are placed around the front and back of the user's head, the device keeps the user's mandible jutted forward and prevents the tongue from falling back so that air flows through his airway.
US09220627B2	Abdominal elevator The abdominal elevator comprises a body portion made from a flexible foam, a polymer, paper or fabric having at least one upper edge and, optionally, two or more side edges, with a shape ranging from triangular to rectangular to oval with one or more straps attached to one or more of the edges and also having an anterior surface and a posterior surface having a adhesive applied to the posterior surface. The straps of the abdominal elevator are attached to the bedrail using a secure method that comfortably elevates, retracts and retains the abdominal pannus during a surgical procedure that requires access to the lower abdomen and/or groin area that would otherwise be obstructed.
US09220626B2	Support device, in particular for giving lumbar support The present invention relates to a support device, in particular for giving lumbar support, which device comprises an elastic belt provided, at its ends, with complementary closure means, and at least one elongate side reinforcing element that is fastened over the height of the belt. In characteristic manner, over a fraction of its length, the belt has elasticity that varies over the height thereof, so that extending the belt longitudinally causes the elongate reinforcing element to shift angularly towards a respective one of the ends of the belt.
US09220623B2	Knee rehabilitation exercise device A knee rehabilitation exercise device comprised of a right and left leg brace, a rear knee strap, an upper leg strap assembly, a lower leg strap assembly, a portable rear brace assembly and an elastic resistance band. The left and right leg brace members are each comprised of an upper member and a lower member rotatably pinned together at the area of the knee joint. The left and right leg braces are attached to the upper and lower leg strap assembly. The rear knee strap is attached to the left and right leg braces at the knee joint. When a user places the elastic resistance band onto L hooks mounted on the upper and lower strap assembly, and the rear brace assembly is placed between the rear of the user's knee and the elastic resistance band, a resistive stretching is caused when the user straightens his leg which exercises and strengthens the user's leg muscles in the area of the knee joint.
US09220617B2	Dual capture device for stent graft delivery system and method for capturing a stent graft A delivery system for delivering and deploying stents with proximal and distal apices includes a guidewire catheter, a nose cone assembly, a proximal capture portion and a stent graft with proximal and distal stents. The nose cone assembly is at the distal end of the guidewire catheter and includes a nose cone and a distal capture portion. The proximal capture portion is proximal to the distal capture portion of the nose cone assembly. The proximal stent is releasably secured to the distal capture portion and the distal stent is releasably secured to the proximal capture portion. The stent graft can be deployed by releasing the proximal stent and the distal stent from proximal and distal capture portions of the delivery system.
US09220616B2	Stent-graft delivery system having a rotatable single shaft tip capture mechanism A stent-graft delivery system includes an elongate shaft, a tip capture spindle disposed over the shaft, and a distal tip assembly coupled to the distal end of the shaft. At least one component of the delivery system constrains a stent of the stent-graft engaged with the tip capture spindle during delivery and partial-deployment of the stent-graft, and the at least one component is in a threaded relationship with the distal tip assembly. To fully deploy the stent-graft, the elongate shaft, having the distal tip assembly coupled thereto, is rotated to result in longitudinal movement of the at least one component and thereby release the stent from the tip capture spindle. The at least one component that longitudinally moves to fully deploy the stent-graft may be the tip capture spindle and/or a relatively short sleeve that extends over the tip capture spindle to the distal tip assembly.
US09220613B2	Apparatus and method for deploying an implantable device within the body The present invention provides systems and methods for deploying implantable devices within the body. The delivery and deployment systems include at least one catheter or an assembly of catheters for selectively positioning the lumens of the implant to within target vessels. Various deployment and attachment mechanisms are provided for selectively deploying the implants.
US09220611B2	Femoral component instrument A femoral component instrument includes a rotatable locking mechanism such as a post and is capable of interchangeable use between posterior stabilizing (“PS”) and cruciate retaining (“CR”) femoral component types via the locking mechanism. The instrument further includes a modular pad so that a pad specific to the prosthesis type may be chosen. Each pad of a particular femoral component type is useable with a variety of sizes of that femoral component type. The locking mechanism of the instrument is alternatively useable with a variety of femoral component types. The locking end of the post keys to a pad aperture to rotatably align the post to an appropriate securement position. If a femoral component is not locked to the pad, the post of the instrument moves from an exposed position proximal to the proximal pad surface to a retracted position distal to the proximal pad surface, thereby permitting impaction.
US09220610B2	Textured implant device having series extendible blades A textured bone graft or implant device includes a housing member having a bore at one end and a conduit at the other, an actuator engaged in the conduit of the housing member, and a screw engaged in the bore of the housing member and engaged with the actuator, and the housing member includes two sections each having one or more grooves for forming two or more blades each of which include a guiding member extended into the conduit of the housing member for selectively engaging with the actuator, the actuator is engaged with a closer guiding member before the other for forcing the blades to move radially and outwardly of the housing member in sequence.
US09220609B2	Spine stabilization device, and method and kit for its implantation A spine stabilization device is provided, the spine stabilization device including an interbody spacer shaped to be inserted between a vertebral body of an upper vertebra and a vertebral body of a lower vertebra, and including a top surface oriented towards the lower endplate of the vertebral body of the upper vertebra and a bottom surface oriented towards the upper endplate of the vertebral body of the lower vertebra; and a fixation device to be inserted after placement of the interbody spacer, the fixation device including a support portion securing the interbody spacer against escaping from between the vertebral bodies of the upper and lower vertebra into a ventral direction, the support portion shaped to rest against a portion of an anterior surface of the interbody spacer, and further including an anchor, the anchor including an anchoring material portion that is configured to be inserted, in a liquid state, into cancellous bone tissue of at least one of the vertebral body of the upper vertebra and of the vertebral body of the lower vertebra, to thereby infiltrate the cancellous bone tissue, and to harden thereafter so as to fix the support portion to the vertebral body.
US09220608B2	Facet joint implant device A bone graft implant device for treating a tissue site is provided, the device including an implant body including a demineralized allograft bone material portion, and at least one engagement member protruding from the implant body including a mineralized allograft bone material portion. The engagement member may be integrally formed with the implant body, or alternatively, the implant body may include an aperture and the engagement member may be insertable therein. At least one of the amount of demineralization or area of the demineralized allograft bone material portion is adjustable to impart a desired flexibility to the implant body.
US09220604B2	Intervertebral implants, systems, and methods of use An intervertebral implant frame that is configured to be attached to a spacer body can include a pair of arms that extend longitudinally from a support member such that the arms extend substantially around the spacer body. The arms may be configured to expand, crimp, or otherwise engage the spacer body to thereby hold the spacer body to the frame. The spacer body may be made from bone graft.
US09220602B2	Sperical subtalar implant One embodiment of the invention includes a sinus tarsi implant with a proximal portion that includes a spherical portion. The spherical portion may include apertures for tissue in-growth. The implant design limits patient discomfort due to pressure points. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09220600B2	Knee prosthesis A knee prosthesis having a femoral component with two condyles, an opening disposed between the two condyles, and a tibial component having bearing surfaces to engage and support each of the femoral component condyles. Moving the femoral and tibial components in flexion from about 0° to about 165° causes medial pivot rotation of the femoral component upon the tibial component. Rotation may be caused by interaction between an asymmetrical cam extending between the femoral condyles and a post disposed between the bearing surfaces and extending superior from the tibial component. Rotation may alternatively be caused by asymmetrical medial and lateral condyles which translate posteriorly upon respective medial and lateral bearing surfaces at disparate rates, without a femoral cam, a tibial post, or a post/cam contact surface. Embodiments of the knee prosthesis may be used in cruciate-substituting or cruciate-retaining procedures. Embodiments of the knee prosthesis may also prevent roll forward.
US09220599B2	Acetabular cup having deformation resistant features An acetabular cup component can include a hemispherical first shell, an annular ring, and a second shell. The annular ring can laterally extend from and circumscribe an outer surface of the first shell and can include a first portion for engaging an anatomy. The second shell can include a second portion for engaging the anatomy adjoining the first portion. Another acetabular cup component can include a first shell, a second shell, and a support ring. The support ring can be coupled to an end portion of the first shell and can include a portion for engaging an anatomy and a rim for engaging a bearing. Another acetabular cup component can include a hemispherical inner shell composed of Cobalt, a hemispherical intermediate shell coupled to an outer surface of the inner shell by a diffusion bond, and a hemispherical outer shell coupled to an outer surface of the intermediate shell.
US09220598B2	Delivery systems, tools, and methods of use A covering for delivering a substance or material to a surgical site is provided. The covering, with substance provided therein, may be referred to as a delivery system. Generally, the covering may be a single or multi-compartment structure capable of at least partially retaining a substance provided therein until the covering is placed at a surgical site. Upon placement, the covering may facilitate transfer of the substance or surrounding materials. For example, the substance may be released (actively or passively) to the surgical site. The covering may participate in, control, or otherwise adjust the release of the substance. In various embodiments, the covering is suitable for a variety of procedure specific uses. Implantation tools may be provided for placing the covering at a surgical site. Kits may be provided including variously sized or shaped coverings and one or more tools for use in placing the covering.
US09220594B2	Collapsible and re-expandable prosthetic heart valve cuff designs and complementary technological applications A prosthetic heart valve is provided with a cuff having features which promote sealing with the native tissues even where the native tissues are irregular. The cuff may include a portion adapted to bear on the LVOT when the valve is implanted in a native aortic valve. The valve may include elements for biasing the cuff outwardly with respect to the stent body when the stent body is in an expanded condition. The cuff may have portions of different thickness distributed around the circumference of the valve in a pattern matching the shape of the opening defined by the native tissue. All or part of the cuff may be movable relative to the stent during implantation.
US09220588B2	Systems, methods and devices for embolic protection Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems, methods and devices for providing embolic protection in a patient. In some embodiments, the device is configured for implantation in a body vessel including fluid flow. The device may assume, or be constrained to assume, an undeployed state and a deployed state. In the undeployed state, the device or a portion thereof has a substantially linear shape configured to reside in the lumen of a thin needle having a diameter of less than about 0.5 mm (for example), in the deployed state, the device has a primary axis. When the device is implanted the primary axis is approximately perpendicular to the fluid flow. In some embodiments, the device comprises a thin filament body. In the deployed state the filament takes a helical shape. Emboli that are larger than the distance between consecutive turns or windings of the helix are thus filtered by the device and are prevented from causing deleterious conditions such as stroke or pulmonary embolism. The device may be made of a super-elastic alloy. Thus, the device may transition between the undeployed and the deployed states without plastic deformation. Delivery systems and method for implanting such devices are also disclosed.
US09220587B2	System for treating pelvic organ prolapse A system for treating pelvic organ prolapse includes a hollow shell, a net, and an anchor strap. The hollow shell has an apex, with an exterior surface of the apex shaped to conform to an interior apical portion of a vagina, and the apex includes a hole. The net is associated with the apex of the hollow shell such that the net is insertable inside the vagina and conformable with the interior apical portion of the vagina. The anchor strap has a length that configures a proximal portion of the anchor strap to be attachable to the hole in the apex of the hollow shell and a distal portion of the anchor strap to be attachable to a sacrum of a patient.
US09220582B2	Packaging system for storing, capturing and transporting dental implants Packaging system for dental implants allowing the conditioning of different types of implants due to its height regulation capacity that, additionally, eases the handling and the removal of the packaging implant by a gripper-shape mechanism, reducing damages or contamination risks of the implant before the usage.
US09220581B2	Porous implant device for supporting a denture A dental implant device has an implant portion for being placed in a bore in bone. The implant portion has a coronal end portion and a porous metal portion. A metal coupling has a coronal end configured for connection to a denture support piece. The coupling also has an apical end integrally formed with the coronal end and engaging the porous metal portion. In one form, the coupling is attached to the porous metal portion in a threaded connection so that the coupling is removable from the porous portion without significantly damaging the porous metal portion sufficiently to re-engage another metal coupling.
US09220579B2	System and method for positioning teeth Methods and apparatus fit a set of upper and lower teeth in a masticatory system by generating a computer representation of the masticatory system and computing an occlusion based on interactions in the computer representation of the masticatory system.
US09220577B2	Syringe-to-syringe mixing systems and related apparatus and methods A hollow syringe barrel for use in syringe mixing systems for mixing a two-component composition. A hollow body of the syringe barrel includes a proximal end, a distal end, and continuous cylindrical wall defining an internal chamber for containing a first component. A rupturable membrane disposed at the distal end caps and seals off a single dispensing orifice. A second syringe barrel can be coupled to the distal end of the hollow syringe barrel to form a syringe-to-syringe mixing system. First and second plungers disposed within the hollow syringe barrel and second syringe barrel, respectively, are used to mix and cycle back and forth first and second components initially contained within the hollow syringe barrel and second syringe barrel. The two components are initially separated by the rupturable membrane, which is irreversibly ruptured by applying sufficient pressure to the first plunger within the hollow syringe barrel prior to mixing.
US09220576B2	Machining of ceramic materials Milling strategies for machining dental ceramic materials are provided that reduce milling time while maintaining strength, accuracy and marginal integrity.
US09220574B2	Tissue marker The invention relates to a tissue marker (1, 1′) for marking a lesion (16) in the body tissue (6). The invention is characterized in that the tissue marker (1, 1′) comprises a transponder (2). The transponder (2) can be activated by electromagnetic radiation (8) in such a manner that the transponder (2) emits a localization signal (9) in the form of electromagnetic radiation by means of which the position of the tissue marker (1, 1′) in the body tissue (6) can be detected. The invention further relates to a system for determining the position of such a tissue marker (1, 1′) and to the use of an RFID tag as a tissue marker (1, 1′) for marking a lesion (16) in the body tissue. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the tissue marker (1, 1′) is biodegradable.
US09220573B2	System and method for tracking positions of uniform marker geometries A system and method for tracking a tracking device for use with a surgical navigation system is provided. The system and method can include at least one tracking device having a plurality of faces. The faces can be operable to generate a signal upon activation. Also included is a face activation module that activates a selected one of the faces upon receipt of an activation signal. The system can also include a visibility module that generates the activation signal and receives the signal from the face to generate tracking data for the tracking device, along with a face switching module that generates a face control signal to activate a different face based on the tracking data.
US09220567B2	Microsurgical robot system A robot system for use in surgical procedures has two movable arms, each arm having a six of degrees of freedom of movement and an end effector which can be rolled about its axis and an actuator which can slide along the axis for operating different tools adapted to be supported by the end effector. Each end effector including optical force sensors for detecting forces applied to the tool by engagement with the part of the patient. The robot is MRI compatible and can be configured to operate within a closed magnet bore. The arms are driven about vertical and horizontal axes by piezoelectric motors.
US09220563B1	Multiwavelength surgical laser A multiwavelength laser-based intense light source is described having applications in incision, excision and ablation of soft tissues with minimal collateral tissue damage. The light source combines the output of a plurality of relatively low power laser sources, emitting radiation in the region of the electromagnetic spectrum bounded by approximately 350 nm to 450 nm, where the combined output may be coupled into a single fiber optic energy delivery device: a standard surgical probe. Spectral and spatial beam combining are used to produce an incoherent light source with relatively low average power at any given wavelength, but with high total power and superior M2 beam quality, targeting multiple chromophores in target tissue and tissue breakdown product chromophores for consistently high and target absorption without indiscriminant char interference throughout a surgical procedure.
US09220562B2	Flexible microwave catheters for natural or artificial lumens A coupler for coupling a flexible coaxial cable, a fluid cooling system and the outer sheath of a catheter, the coupler including a fluid coupler body having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, a bypass bulb, an outer sheath, and a fluid sealing system housed in the fluid coupler body. The fluid sealing system includes a distal sealing diaphragm and a proximal sealing diaphragm configured to form a fluid-tight seal with the fluid coupler body.
US09220560B2	Instrument for endoscopic treatment A treatment instrument for an endoscope is provided that is suitable for cutting submucosa in endoscopic submucosal dissection. The treatment instrument for an endoscope includes a treatment portion having a cutting unit at a tip of an insertion portion that is to be inserted into the body. The main unit of the treatment portion is formed in a sawtooth shape having a peak portion and a valley portion. An electrode plate serving as the cutting unit is provided in the valley portion.
US09220558B2	RF renal denervation catheter with multiple independent electrodes A catheter includes a flexible shaft having a length sufficient to access a patient's renal artery relative to a percutaneous access location. The catheter includes a multiplicity of elongated resilient members each comprising a pre-formed curve and extendable beyond the catheter. The resilient members are constrained to a low profile when encompassed by a removable sheath, and expand outwardly to assume a pre-defined shape when removed from the sheath. An electrode assembly is provided at a distal end of each resilient member, and includes an electrode element coupled to an electrical conductor and a thermal sensor in thermal communication with the electrode element. The resilient members have a stiffness sufficient to maintain contact between the electrode elements and an inner wall of the renal artery including irregularities of the inner wall of the renal artery during ablation of perivascular renal nerve tissue.
US09220557B2	Thermal surgical tool An electrical conductor, such as a wire or catheter, which is coated circumferentially with a ferromagnetic material in a selected region, is fed from a high frequency alternating current source. The ferromagnetic material has a quick response in heating and cooling to the controllable power delivery. The ferromagnetic material can be used for separating tissue, coagulation, tissue destruction or achieving other desired tissue effects in numerous surgical procedures.
US09220556B2	Balloon design to enhance cooling uniformity A device, system, and method for enhancing cooling uniformity and efficiency of cryogenic fluids and providing a treatment element the shape of which can be adjusted for multiple purposes. The device may include a balloon catheter and fluid dispersion element, the fluid dispersion element directing the flow of coolant from a fluid injection element the interior wall of the balloon. The method of changing the shape of the treatment element may include retracting and extending a shaft to which the distal neck of a balloon is coupled, so that the balloon goes from a first shape to a second shape.
US09220553B2	System and method for pressure mixing bone filling material A method for treating a vertebral bone comprises providing a bone filling material and mixing the bone filling material in a vessel to form a bone augmentation material. The method further comprises pressurizing the vessel with a pressurization source to retain a plurality of voids within the bone augmentation material. The method further includes inserting a material delivery device into the vertebral bone and injecting the bone augmentation material with the retained plurality of voids from the material delivery device and into the vertebral bone.
US09220552B2	Intermaxillary fixation device and method of using same A medical apparatus including a bar with a first attachment loop, a second attachment and a plurality of hooks, wherein the medical apparatus is an arch bar.
US09220545B2	Femoral neck support structure, system, and method of use A method of reinforcing a femoral neck comprises creating a bore proximate to at least one of a Ward's triangle and a greater trochanter, creating at least one cavity in a cancellous bone region of the femoral neck, inserting a substantially collapsed support structure through the bore and into the at least one cavity, expanding the support structure, and allowing at least a portion of the load from the femoral neck bone to be transferred to the support structure. The support structure compresses at least a portion of the cancellous bone upon expansion. A cavity created by the expansion is adapted to receive a filler material such as, but not limited to, bone cement.
US09220543B2	Minimally invasive surgical tower access devices and related methods Devices and methods are provided for assisting in spinal stabilization. An access device is provided that includes an outer sleeve, inner sleeve, spring latch and lock nut. The inner sleeve includes compressible grasping elements. The access device can be coupled to a screw head by sliding the outer sleeve relative to the inner sleeve and compressing the grasping elements. The coupled access device and screw can then be delivered to a target location in a patient. After providing two or more access devices, a rod member can be delivered using a rod insertion device. The rod member can serve as a connection between the two screws, and can provide spinal stabilization. An anti-torque device and a persuading device can be used to help ensure that the rod member is placed and secured in a proper location within a patient.
US09220542B2	System and method for a lockable polyaxial driver tool A polyaxial driver system for inserting and setting the angular orientation of an implant includes an elongated component and a distal component. The elongated component extends along a main axis and includes an elongated tubular sheath and an elongated shaft disposed within the tubular sheath. The distal component is pivotally connected to a distal end of the elongated shaft and includes a tubular body extending along the main axis and a spherical head dimensioned to fit and move freely within the tubular body. A proximal end of the elongated shaft includes a first set of outer threads and a proximal end of the elongated tubular sheath includes inner threads shaped and dimensioned to engage the first set of outer threads of the elongated shaft. Rotating the elongated tubular sheath clockwise or counter-clockwise moves the elongated shaft forward or backward along the main axis, respectively.
US09220540B2	Bone anchoring device and bone stabilization device including the same A bone anchoring device, includes a receiving part for receiving a rod-shaped implant element, the receiving part having a first bore coaxial with a longitudinal axis and extending from a first end of the receiving part, and a recess extending from the first end to accomplish insertion of the rod-shaped implant element. The device further includes a bone screw having a threaded section for insertion into the bone and being fixed at or positionable at a second end of the receiving part and a fixation element provided to the first bore to fixate a rigid section of the rod-shaped implant element. The rigid section of the rod-shaped implant element has a first width, and the recess of the receiving part has a second width. The second width is larger than the first width, such that the recess may accommodate a stepped portion of the rod-shaped implant element that has an increased thickness.
US09220538B2	Flexible element for spine stabilization system A system for flexibly stabilizing a vertebral motion segment by connecting a first vertebra and a second vertebra is disclosed. The system includes an elongate connection element with end portions interconnected by a flexible coupling member. The system includes first and second attachment portions for connecting the connection element to the vertebrae. A first resilient member is positioned between the first end portion and the first attachment portion, and a second resilient member is positioned between the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion. The system is designed such that the second resilient member is compressed when the first and second attachment portions move towards each other, and the first resilient member is compressed when the first and second attachment portions extend away from each other.
US09220537B2	Spinal alignment correction system and methods of use A spinal alignment correction system (1) has a posted lumbar pedicle screw called a MAC Pin (10) which has an elongated shaft (11) and a rod coupler assembly (20) and a cannulated tower (40). The elongated shaft (11) has an inner pedicle screw portion (12) with pedicle threads (12A), an outer second thread portion (14) with second threads (14A) and a transition or intermediate portion (16) disposed between the pedicle screw portion (12) and the second thread portion (14). The cannulated tower (40) when mounted over said elongated shaft (11) abuts said coupler (20) along an outer cam surface and further tightening rotation of the cannulated tower (40) causes outward movement of the elongated shaft (11). The system (1) allows for a controlled alignment correction of malaligned vertebral bodies using a number of methods used to correct a variety of indications.
US09220535B2	Process for introducing a stabilizing element into a vertebral column A process for introducing a stabilizing element into a vertebral column, in which the stabilizing element is introduced in such a manner that the stabilizing element connects two adjacent vertebral bodies to one another.
US09220534B2	Implantation pin kit and method for implanting an implantation pin An implantation pin kit and a method for implanting an implantation pin includes a cannulated implantation pin having a channel and a heating device. The channel of the pin extends in a longitudinal direction of the pin and connects a proximal opening at a proximal end of the pin with a distal opening at a distal end of the pin. The channel of the pin and the heating device are adapted such that the heating device can be accommodated within at least a portion of the channel of the pin. The heating device is adapted to thermally heat material comprised in at least one of the pin and the heating device. Thereby, meltable material of the pin can be liquefied or additional liquefied meltable material can be inserted into the pin and the liquefied material can then be push towards and out of the distal opening in order to augment and fix the implantation pin in a target structure.
US09220531B2	Control handle with device advancing mechanism A catheter having an internal advancing mechanism that can advance stiffening wires or other devices, has a catheter with a catheter body, a tip section distal the catheter body, a device extending through at least the catheter body, and a control handle proximal the catheter body, where the control handle has an advancing mechanism with a threaded member, an adjustment member, and a guided member to which the device is connected, and the advancing mechanism is configured to advance and retract the device along the catheter body as controlled by a user. Each of the threaded member and the adjustment member has a generally cylindrical configuration. The threaded member has an outer surface configured with a helical guide channel. The adjustment member is configured to guide the guided member to move within the helical guide channel to advance and retract the device. The adjustment member can be rotatable over the threaded member by the user to control advancement and retraction of the device. The device may be a stiffener wire, a needle or any other device suitable for advancement and retraction in a catheter.
US09220525B2	Medical instrument having actuation element movable into at least two positions A medical instrument includes a handle on the proximal end and a shank rotatably arranged on the handle. A tool is arranged on the distal end of the shank. This tool is rotatable relative to the shank. An actuation element is arranged on the handle. The actuation element may be moved into at least two switch positions, wherein in a first switch position the actuation element is coupled in movement to the shank and in a second switch position the actuation element is coupled in movement to the tool.
US09220523B2	Snaring systems and methods Snaring systems and methods involve engaging objects such as pacemaker pacing leads within a patient. Physicians can use snaring systems having loops, tags, and roller mechanisms to remove a pacing leads from a patient. For example, snaring systems can be inserted through a jugular access site, engaged with a pacemaker pacing lead, and withdrawn through the jugular access site so as to remove a portion of the pacing lead. Lead extraction techniques can be employed to further dislodge the pacing lead from the patient.
US09220520B2	Instruments for minimally invasive surgery total knee arthroplasty An anti-backout stylus comprising a stylus and a locking stylus holder. The locking stylus holder engages the stylus at a series of discrete positions during insertion of the stylus into the holder. The locking stylus holder prevents inadvertent backing out of the stylus by preventing the stylus from being withdrawn to a previous one of the discrete positions. The locking stylus holder can preferably be selectively disengaged from the stylus to allow for selective withdrawal of the stylus. Each engagement of one of the discrete positions by the locking stylus holder preferably indicates a femoral size. The discrete positions are preferably defined by detents formed on the stylus and a stop member on the locking stylus holder. The locking stylus holder can be provided on an anterior rough cut guide, with the anterior rough cut guide preferably mountable on an intramedullary rod.
US09220519B2	Bone resection jig used in artificial knee joint replacement surgery A bone resection jig that can make ligament tension equal at extension and flexion positions without any actual measurements when resecting femur and tibia during artificial knee joint replacement surgery. The bone resection jig used in artificial knee joint replacement surgery includes a spacer block (1) comprised of a grip (6), a hollow box (7) that is provided on an other end side of the grip and has a vertical hole (7a) therein, and a reference spacer part (8) that extends out from the hollow box (7) and is adapted be inserted into the resection region between femur and tibia; a reference pin guide (2) which, when the femur and tibia are in the flexion position, is inserted into the vertical hole (7a) of the hollow box, extends on the reference spacer part (8) to the other end side of the grip so as to come into contact with a resection plane (FH) of the tip of the distal end of the femur, and is formed with guide holes (9) for guiding reference pins (3) to be installed from a front side into the resection plane (FH) of the tip of the distal end of the femur; and an aiming member (12) which is, after the spacer block (1) has been removed from a space between the femur and tibia leaving the reference pins (3), brought onto the reference pins (3) by being guided thereby, the aiming member being provided with an indicator (14) that indicates a resection plane (FR) at a back of the distal end of the femur when the aiming member (12) comes into contact with the resection plane (FH) of the tip of the distal end of the femur.
US09220517B2	Patient selectable joint arthroplasty devices and surgical tools Disclosed herein are methods, compositions and tools for repairing articular surfaces repair materials and for repairing an articular surface. The articular surface repairs are customizable or highly selectable by patient and geared toward providing optimal fit and function. The surgical tools are designed to be customizable or highly selectable by patient to increase the speed, accuracy and simplicity of performing total or partial arthroplasty.
US09220516B2	Patient selectable joint arthroplasty devices and surgical tools Disclosed herein are methods, compositions and tools for repairing articular surfaces repair materials and for repairing an articular surface. The articular surface repairs are customizable or highly selectable by patient and geared toward providing optimal fit and function. The surgical tools are designed to be customizable or highly selectable by patient to increase the speed, accuracy and simplicity of performing total or partial arthroplasty.
US09220512B2	Medical drill A medical drill is disclosed, which is made of amorphous alloy, the amorphous alloy is zirconium amorphous alloy comprising 45 at % or above of zirconium, wherein the tensile strength of the medical drill is 1500-2500 Mpa, and the Vicker's hardness of the medical drill is 400-750. Moreover, a medical drill made of titanium amorphous alloy is also disclosed.
US09220511B2	Femoral orthopaedic surgical instrument including a measurement device and method of use of same An orthopaedic surgical instrument assembly is disclosed. The assembly includes an orthopaedic surgical instrument including a first surface, and a measurement gauge removably coupled to the orthopaedic surgical instrument. The gauge includes an arm having a tip positioned proximal to the orthopaedic surgical instrument, and a plurality of markings defined on the arm. Each marking indicates a predetermined distance from the first surface of the orthopaedic surgical instrument. The assembly may be used during an orthopaedic surgical procedure on a femur, which is also described herein.
US09220509B2	Adjustable guide in computer assisted orthopaedic surgery The present invention relates to a surgical navigation device, for the purpose of adjusting cutting planes to a desired position with respect to a bone of a patient, the device comprising: an adjustable guide (15) that contains several adjustable screws (1) that create contact points with the surface of the bone or cartilage such that the guide fits to the bone in a unique position calculated such that the holes and cutting blocks of the adjustable guide fit with the position planned on preoperative CT or MR images of the patient, a dedicated screwdriver (7) to adjust automatically the screws (1) to their target length, a navigation system used to check the correct position of the adjustable guide with respect to essential anatomical points and if necessary means to correct the positions of the adjustable screws.
US09220507B1	Tissue spreading vascular clips with locking mechanism and non-slip clamping surfaces A surgical clip includes a pair of opposed arms joined at one end by an integrally formed flexible hinge and a hinge lock. A male head element near the free end of one arm is configured to spread tissue when the male head element is urged towards a head mating element near the end of the opposite arm. The clamping side of an arm may include a protruding feature, such as a wedge shape elongated ridge, while the clamping side of the opposite arm includes a corresponding trough or aperture that receives the protruding feature. Clamping surfaces may include non-slip protrusions, such as ribs, ridges, cones or pins. An applicator holding feature, such as a boss, near the hinge prevents the clip from yawing and becoming askew during application.
US09220506B2	Occlusive device with stretch resistant member and anchor filament A stretch-resistant occlusive device, and method of manufacturing such a device, having a helically wound coil defining a coil lumen extending along the entire axial length of the coil from a proximal end portion to a distal end portion. The device further includes a headpiece having a proximal end, a distal end attached to the proximal end portion of the coil, and a headpiece lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends of the headpiece. An anchor filament extends through the headpiece lumen, has at least one proximal end secured to the proximal end of the headpiece, and has a distal portion defining an eye positioned distal to the distal end of the headpiece. A stretch resistant member is positioned within the coil lumen, has a proximal portion extending through the eye, and has at least one distal end secured to the distal end of the coil.
US09220505B2	Surgical stapling instrument with locking feature to lock anvil actuator A surgical stapling instrument for performing a circular anastomosis comprises a stapling head assembly, an actuator handle assembly, a shaft assembly, a safety latch, and a locking member. The stapling head assembly includes an anvil that moves relative to a staple holder and a staple driver to drive staples from the staple holder into tissue and against the anvil. The actuator handle assembly has a first actuator that controls motion of the anvil and a second actuator that controls motion of the staple driver. The shaft assembly couples the stapling head assembly to the actuator handle assembly. The safety latch prevents operation of the second actuator when the gap between the anvil and staple holder is outside a predetermined range. The locking member is configured to prevent adjustment of the anvil gap after the desired staple height has been set inside the predetermined range.
US09220503B2	Surgical device for conjuctival tissue closure Disclosed herein is a surgical device for closing an opening in conjunctival tissue, an instrument for applying the surgical device to close an opening in conjunctival tissue, a system for closing an opening in conjunctival tissue including the surgical device and the instrument, and a method of operating the instrument and the surgical device to close an opening in conjunctival tissue.
US09220482B2	Method for providing ultrasound images and ultrasound apparatus A method of providing an ultrasound image, the method including: marking a cut line or a cut surface on a 3-dimensional (3D) ultrasound image of an object which is obtained by using a probe, wherein the cut line and the cut surface are used to view a cross section of the 3D ultrasound image; detecting motion information about the probe by using a sensor included in the probe; and changing a location of the cut line or the cut surface based on the detected motion information about the probe.
US09220481B2	Diagnostic image generating apparatus, medical image system, and beamforming method A diagnostic image generating apparatus, a medical image system, and a beamforming method are provided. The diagnostic image generating apparatus includes a transmitting unit configured to transmit a modulated transmission signal to a subject, a reception beamforming unit configured to form a reception beam by beamforming echo signals reflected from the subject, a point spread function (PSF) estimating unit configured to estimate a PSF for each region according to the formed reception beam, a filtering unit configured to filter the formed reception beam according to the estimated PSF, and a diagnostic image generating unit configured to generate a diagnostic image according to the filtered reception beam.
US09220479B2	Methods and apparatus for ultrasound imaging A first ultrasound pulse is applied to biological tissue to create shear waves in the biological tissue, a focused ultrasound pulse is transmitted into the biological tissue, one or more ultrasound signals is received from the biological tissue, and shear waves are detected in the biological tissue based on the received one or more ultrasound signals. At least one propagation property associated with the detected shear waves is determined, and the determined at least one propagation property is displayed. A strain image is obtained by either acoustic radiation forces or mechanical compression, e.g., by an ultrasound probe. The strain image is then converted to a new shear wave velocity image by using a previously-obtained shear wave velocity image.
US09220473B2	Method for calculating a value of an absorption parameter in positron emission tomography A method is disclosed for calculating a spatially resolved value of an absorption parameter for a positron emission tomography (PET) scan of an examination object via magnetic resonance tomography (MRT). Magnetic resonance data is acquired within a first region lying within a field of view of a magnetic resonance system and within a second region bordering on the first and lying at the edge of the field of view. The method includes the spatially resolved calculation of a first value of the absorption parameter from the first MR data within the first region and of a second value from the second MR data within the second region. A three-dimensional parameter map is obtained from the first value. This parameter map is extended by the second value such that within the first region and the second region the parameter map has the value of the absorption parameter in spatially resolved form.
US09220465B2	Radiographic apparatus Provided is a radiographic apparatus that can conduct radiography for an appropriate imaging region although a subject bends in a body-side direction. With one example of this invention, two or more fluoroscopic X-ray images successively taken are connected to generate a single fluoroscopic X-ray image. With a conventional configuration, when a subject bending in the body-side direction is imaged, the subject extends off a detecting surface of an FPD in the body-side direction. As a result, it is difficult to take an entire image of the subject. Thus, with the example, a detecting surface 4a is moved along a path F inclined relative to a vertical direction to successively take fluoroscopic X-ray images of the subject. The fluoroscopic X-ray images can be successively taken along bending curvature of the subject, which enables to take an entire image of the bending subject easily.
US09220461B2	Transceiver unit in a measurement system A measurement system may comprise a sensor wire and a transceiver unit. The sensor wire may comprise an insertable portion configured to be inserted in a blood vessel of a patient's body and a sensor disposed within the insertable portion at a distal end of the senior wire. The sensor is configured to measure a parameter when inserted inside the patient. The transceiver unit may comprise: a housing adapted to be connected to a proximal end of the sensor wire; and a first communication module within the housing adapted to wirelessly communicate by a communication signal with an external second communication module in order to transfer information to the external second communication module.
US09220460B2	Method of analyzing and processing signals A physiological measurement system is disclosed which can take a pulse oximetry signal such as a photoplethysmogram from a patient and then analyse the signal to measure physiological parameters including respiration, pulse, oxygen saturation and movement. The system comprises a pulse oximeter which includes a light emitting device and a photodetector attachable to a subject to obtain a pulse oximetry signal; analogue to digital converter means arranged to convert said pulse oximetry signal into a digital pulse oximetry signal; signal processing means suitable to receive said digital pulse oximetry signal and arranged to decompose that signal by wavelet transform means; feature extraction means arranged to derive physiological information from the decomposed signal; an analyser component arranged to collect information from the feature extraction means; and data output means arranged in communication with the analyser component.
US09220453B2	Apparatus for mounting a wireless sensor on a human for diagnosing and treating cognitive disorders A cognitive disorder diagnostic and treatment system having a plurality of wireless sensors strapped to the arms and legs of a human being for improved diagnostic capability. The wireless sensors are in the form of cubes which are mounted on apparatus comprising a pair clips, and a Velcro strap. The strap is connected to the mounting apparatus through angled apertures whereby the top surface of the wireless sensor is canted toward the user for better visibility of graphics which are displayed on the top surface of the sensor.
US09220452B2	Plastic injection-moulded part with embedded component A method for producing a plastic injection-molded part having an insert made of a material different from the plastic material is provided, the method comprising the steps of: (a) introducing and positioning the insert in a cavity of an injection mold; (b) setting the clamping force of the injection mold on a clamping mechanism to a maximum force predetermined by the material of the insert; and (c) seamlessly encapsulating the insert with the plastic material of the plastic injection-molded part inside the injection mold, wherein the encapsulating is seamless or complete.
US09220451B2	Method and fuel cell for electrochemical measurement of analyte concentration in vivo The invention relates to a method for the electrochemical measurement of an analyte concentration in vivo, comprising a fuel cell with which the analyte to be measured is reacted catalytically with an enzyme contained in an enzyme layer and which supplies an electrical voltage, dependent on the analyte concentration to be measured, beween an anode and a cathode, which voltage is measured. In the catalytic reaction of the analyte to be measured in the enzyme layer, a product is generated which, as fuel of the fuel cell, oxidizes on the anode and is reduced on the cathode. The invention further relates to a fuel cell for such a method.
US09220449B2	System and methods for processing analyte sensor data for sensor calibration Systems and methods for processing sensor analyte data are disclosed, including initiating calibration, updating calibration, evaluating clinical acceptability of reference and sensor analyte data, and evaluating the quality of sensor calibration. The sensor can be calibrated using a calibration set of one or more matched sensor and reference analyte data pairs. Reference data resulting from benchtop testing an analyte sensor prior to its insertion can be used to provide initial calibration of the sensor data. Reference data from a short term continuous analyte sensor implanted in a user can be used to initially calibrate or update sensor data from a long term continuous analyte sensor.
US09220448B2	Ultra-wide band non-invasive biological sensor and method The disclosure provides an electromagnetic (EM) sensor system and method that permits rapid and non-invasive measurement of blood glucose or other biological characteristics that exhibits a unique spectral signature, such as its complex electrical permittivity within the frequency range from near DC to microwave frequencies. Low-level EM signals are coupled through the skin and modified by electrical properties of the sub dermal tissues. These tissues essentially integrate with the sensor circuit as they interact with the transmitted EM energy. The guided-wave signal can be sampled and converted to a digital representation. The digital information can be processed and analyzed to determine the frequency-sensitive permittivity of the tissues and a determination of blood glucose level is made based upon the sensor output. The sensor design and method has wide-ranging applicability to a number of important measurement problems in industry, biology, medicine, and chemistry, among others.
US09220446B2	Object authentication A device detects multi-spectral imaging by using scan elements. The device may include an illumination module and a detection module to detect light scattered from an object illuminated by the illumination module. The device may also include an array of light sources to produce light at a plurality of different wavelengths, and create a line of illumination with each of the different wavelengths. The light detection may be applied to authenticate and validate documents, such as banknotes moving along a document conveyer.
US09220445B2	Information processing apparatus, information processing method and program An information processing apparatus according to the present invention includes an imaging section which emits light to a part of a biologic body at predetermined time intervals and images a vein in the biologic body so as to generate imaged data about the vein, a vein pattern extracting section which extracts vein patterns from the imaged data about the vein, a time change detecting section which detects a time change in the vein patterns, a blood flow volume calculating section which calculates a blood flow volume in the vein based on the time change in the vein patterns, and a processing section which executes a predetermined process based on the time change in the vein patterns and a time change in the blood flow volume.
US09220442B2	Thermotherapy device having body scan function and method for scanning body using same A thermotherapy device having a human body scan function. The device includes a thermo-ceramic unit (110), a transfer motor unit (120) configured to make the thermo-ceramic unit (110) move along a longitudinal direction of a user's backbone, a motor variation generation module (220) configured to measure variations in load of the transfer motor unit (120), and a backbone information generation module (240) configured to generate information about a shape of the user's backbone using data of the motor variation generation module (220).
US09220440B2	Determining a characteristic respiration rate The present disclosure relates to monitoring a characteristic respiration rate of a patient based at least in part on a suitable time period that either precedes or follows a triggering event, such as a clinician/patient interaction, where the triggering event may negatively impact the physiological parameter. In some embodiments, physiological parameter values falling between one or more pre-set thresholds may be used to derive the characteristic physiological parameter. In some embodiments, monitoring the respiration rate may provide additional information about the patient's status. In some embodiments, confidence measures may be associated with, or may be used to analyze features of the patient signal to derive information about, the characteristic respiration rate. The patient signal used to derive a patient's respiration rate may be of an oscillatory nature or may include oscillatory features that may be analyzed to derive a characteristic respiration rate.
US09220439B2	Navigational reference dislodgement detection method and system A method of tracking a position of a catheter within a patient includes securing a navigational reference at a reference location within the patient, defining the reference location as the origin of a coordinate system, determining a location of an electrode moving within the patient relative to that coordinate system, monitoring for a dislodgement of the navigational reference from the initial reference location, for example by measuring the navigational reference relative to a far field reference outside the patient's body, and generating a signal indicating that the navigational reference has dislodged from the reference location. Upon dislodgement, a user may be provided with guidance to help reposition and secure the navigational reference to the initial reference location, or the navigational reference may be automatically repositioned and secured to the initial reference location. Alternatively, a reference adjustment may be calculated to compensate for the changed reference point/origin.
US09220438B2	Method for combining multiple image data sets into one multi-fused image In a method and an apparatus to visualize nuclear medicine data from different modalities in a single image, image data sets acquired with different modalities are aligned with a data set representing corresponding anatomical data. The image data in each data set are segmented into separate regions, representing respective structures of interest, with reference to a segmentation derived from anatomical data. For each region, a corresponding segment of image data is selected from a selected image data set. The selected segments of the image data set are combined to generate a multi-fused image of the regions, by applying spatially dependent look-up tables to the multiple image data sets, thereby to determine whether each data set is hidden or displayed in each region.
US09220436B2	Technique for remanufacturing a BIS sensor Remanufactured BIS sensors and methods for remanufacturing used BIS sensors are provided. Such a remanufactured sensor may include certain components from a used medical sensor and certain new components. For example, a remanufactured BIS sensor may include a backing layer and at least first, second, and third electrodes disposed on the backing layer having a conductive ink. The first, second, and third electrodes are adapted to be in electrical contact with a patient to perform BIS measurements. A foam layer may be disposed on at least a portion of the backing layer, and an adhesive may be attached to the foam layer and is configured to secure the remanufactured BIS sensor to the patient. The first electrode, the second electrode, the third electrode, the backing layer, or a combination thereof, may be new and the foam layer, the adhesive, or a combination thereof, may be from a used medical sensor.
US09220435B2	System and method for generating electrophysiology maps A method of mapping cardiac electrical activity includes the acquisition of electrophysiological signals and using signal processing hardware to process such signals to identify lateness attributes thereof. If the lateness attribute exceeds a lateness threshold, then the corresponding point on the patient's heart can be designated as a therapy (e.g., ablation) target. It is also contemplated to use an upper bound on the lateness threshold, such that the corresponding point on the patient's heart is only designated as a therapy target if the lateness attribute both exceeds the lateness threshold and does not exceed the lateness bound. Both late activation (“Late-A”) and late potential (“Late-P”) attributes are contemplated.
US09220424B2	System and method for measuring the pressure of a fluid system within a patient A pressure sensing apparatus has a pressure sensor component that includes a pressure sensing port, a pressure sensor for sensing a pressure of a fluid in the pressure sensing port, and a digital processor communicating with the pressure sensor for performing calculations involving fluid pressures sensed. The pressure sensing apparatus further includes a first chamber in fluid contact with the pressure sensing port, a second chamber fluidically connectable with a patient's cerebrospinal fluid system, and a membrane located between the first and second chambers so as to transmit fluid pressure from the second chamber to the first chamber.
US09220423B2	Methods and systems for qualifying a calculated value based on differently sized sorted difference signals A physiological monitoring system may determine physiological information, such as physiological rate information, from a physiological signal. The system may receive a calculated value indicative of a period associated with a physiological rate. The system may generated a first sorted difference signal based on a segment of the physiological signal having a size corresponding to the period. The system may generate second and third sorted difference signals based on segments of the physiological signal having sizes corresponding to a fraction of the period and a multiple of the period. The system may analyze the first, second, and third sorted difference signals, and qualify or disqualify the calculated value based on the analysis.
US09220421B2	Non-invasive blood pressure monitoring systems The present invention relates to the field of non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) monitoring systems and particularly to a system that allows the identification of other components of the system via coding elements that are readable without the need for placement of this system components to the body of a patient.
US09220419B2	Systems and methods for predicting coronary plaque vulnerability from patient-specific anatomic image data Systems and methods are disclosed for predicting coronary plaque vulnerability, using a computer system. One method includes acquiring anatomical image data of at least part of the patient's vascular system; performing, using a processor, one or more image characteristics analysis, geometrical analysis, computational fluid dynamics analysis, and structural mechanics analysis on the anatomical image data; predicting, using the processor, a coronary plaque vulnerability present in the patient's vascular system, wherein predicting the coronary plaque vulnerability includes calculating an adverse plaque characteristic based on results of the one or more of image characteristics analysis, geometrical analysis, computational fluid dynamics analysis, and structural mechanics analysis of the anatomical image data; and reporting, using the processor, the calculated adverse plaque characteristic.
US09220417B2	Anatomical thermal sensing device and method A medical device utilizing temperature sensing to identify or assess anatomical bodies or structures includes an elongate tubular member, at least one electrode, a thermal sensor, and a temperature response assessment system or component. The at least one electrode may be connected to the distal portion of the elongate tubular member, and the one or more electrode can be configured to provide energy or heat to a portion of an anatomical body or structure. The thermal sensor may be configured to measure the thermal response of the portion of an anatomical body or structure, e.g., tissue or blood pools. The temperature response assessment system or component can be coupled to the thermal sensor. In embodiments, the device may include a lumen and port opening, which may accommodate a tool, such as a needle. Methods for using temperature sensing to identify an anatomical body or structure are also disclosed.
US09220414B2	Dental camera system A dental camera system for creating an image of an object has a dental camera, which comprises a housing and optics arranged therein together with an image sensor. The dental camera system further comprises an evaluation unit which cooperates with the image sensor to capture the object. To achieve a dental camera system whereof the dental camera performs using optics without movable or controllable optical elements, it is provided for the optics to be plenoptic optics which are designed to determine a 4D light field when capturing the object and for the evaluation unit to be designed to calculate at least one representation of the captured object from the 4D light field.
US09220406B2	Ophthalmic photographing apparatus and storage medium storing ophthalmic photographing program An ophthalmic photographing apparatus includes: an interference optical system configured to acquire a tomographic image of an eye; a processor; and memory storing computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the ophthalmic photographing apparatus to: control the interference optical system to acquire multiple tomographic images, and store the multiple tomographic images in a storage unit; acquire a composite image based on the multiple tomographic images stored in the storage unit; start a photographing operation for acquiring the multiple tomographic images based on the photographing position; acquire the composite image from the multiple tomographic images which are acquired by the interference optical system and stored in the storage unit until a first operation signal is received during the photographing operation; and transfer a process to a subsequent photographing operation when a second operation signal is received from the operation unit.
US09220405B2	System and method for evaluating ocular health A method for adaptively determining a model of visual performance of a test subject comprising the step of exposing a test subject to a plurality of trials. Each trial comprises the steps of identifying the stimulus pattern to test, generating a stimulus pattern on a display, determining whether the stimulus pattern generated an OKR, updating the model to incorporate the OKR results, and determining whether the updated model is acceptable. The trials can be iteratively repeated until the model for visual performance is acceptable.
US09220402B2	Visualization and treatment via percutaneous methods and devices Visualization and treatment of tissue regions via percutaneous access methods and devices are described herein. The system may include a deployment catheter and an expandable imaging hood. In use, the hood may be introduced from outside the patient body through a percutaneous incision and advanced through a subxiphoid pathway, for example, to the heart where entry may be accomplished via an incision through the left atrial appendage. Once within the heart, the hood can be advanced to any chamber to visualize and/or treat tissue by placing the hood against the tissue to be imaged and pumping translucent fluids into the hood until the fluid displaces any blood, thereby leaving a clear region of tissue to be imaged via an imaging element in the deployment catheter. Additionally, any number of therapeutic tools can also be passed through the deployment catheter and into the imaging hood for treating the tissue of interest.
US09220401B2	Film illumination system An illuminator film system may include one or more pre-cut sections of optical film applied to a waveguide to allow light to exit the waveguide through the film in a predetermined manner. The one or more pre-cut sections may be removed and reapplied during a procedure to redirect the light. A laminated illuminator film may be provided that uses a laminated optical film structure to direct light from a fiber optic input. Such a laminated illuminator film may be very low profile, low cost and easy to apply to a retractor for providing illumination during a surgical procedure.
US09220397B2	Endoscope Provided is an endoscope which is capable of preventing liquid drops from attaching onto the vicinity of an observation window even in the case where the observation window is placed in the vicinity of a round-chamfered peripheral edge part. In the case where an observation window is placed in the vicinity of a round-chamfered peripheral edge part, the peripheral edge part in the vicinity of the observation window is round-chamfered in a manner that the radius of curvature (round-chamfer) becomes larger along with an increase in distance from a starting point, the starting point being the point closest to the observation window. With this feature, it is possible to prevent the liquid drops from attaching onto the vicinity of the observation window to thereby block the field of view.
US09220390B2	Cleaning device with cleaning pad A cleaning device (2) comprising a first support member (6), a second support member (8), a cleaning pad (10) which is supported by the first and second support members (6, 8) and which is made of a liquid-absorbing material, a lever mechanism (34) for the first and second support members (6, 8), a drying aperture (32), and a handle (44), and the cleaning device (2) being such that: (i) the first and second support members (6, 8) are pivotable towards each other; and (ii) pulling on the lever mechanism (34) causes the first and second support members (6, 8) to pivot towards each other and be pulled into the drying aperture (32) in the cleaning device (2).
US09220387B2	Sweeping machine A sweeping machine includes a sweeping brush capable of being driven in rotation, a debris container, a suction fan and at least one filter arranged in the flow path between the sweeping brush and the suction fan, in flow communication with the suction fan via a suction conduit, in flow communication with a pressure vessel via an external air conduit and at least one external air valve and, for filter cleaning, is capable of having external air stored in the pressure vessel applied thereto. In order for the filter to be capable of being cleaned effectively with as little external air as possible and with the external air being at as low a positive pressure as possible, the external air conduit includes a hood which covers the filter on a clean side thereof and forms a first section of the suction conduit which adjoins the clean side of the filter.
US09220385B2	Autonomous cleaning device A blade assembly of an autonomous cleaning device. The blade assembly includes a blade having a first part fixed to the main body and a second part extended from the first part toward a floor and a support member having at least a portion disposed adjacent to the second part of the blade to restrict movement of the second part of the blade to within a predetermined range.
US09220384B2	Suction tool for vacuum cleaner There is provided a suction tool for a vacuum cleaner that can easily remove dust entangled around a rotating brush with a small force in a sanitary manner with clean hands without spreading dust.The suction tool includes dust removing means 39 for removing dust adhering to a rotating brush 30, the dust removing means 39 includes a first remover that has substantially the same shape as a trough 34 between cleaning bodies 33 or between cleaning body holding portions 32 of the rotating brush 30, and is guided in an axial direction of the rotating brush 30 within the trough 34.
US09220381B2	Hand dryer To provide a hand dryer that is capable of reducing the amount of noise without reducing the drying performance, and is capable of preventing foreign substances from entering from an air outlet thereof. A hand dryer is configured to blow water off hands with airflow emitted from nozzles. The hand dryer includes a hand insertion section that is open toward the outside, and the nozzles disposed on wall surfaces of the hand insertion section. A nozzle hole at the distal end of each of the nozzles is a wave-shaped slit.
US09220378B2	Device for holding soap A soap holding device for holding a bar of soap. A water permeable sheet of material is provided that has a periphery defined by a first edge, a second edge, and two side edges. The sheet of material is folded to have overlapping sections so that the sheet of material proximate the first edge overlaps the sheet of material proximate the second edge. The side edges are sealed closed to define an internal pocket within the soap holder that is only accessible through an open slot. The open slot extends between the overlapping sections from the first edge and the second edge. A bar of soap can be inserted into the internal pocket by sliding the bar of soap between the overlapping sections. Once the bar of soap is inside the internal pocket, it becomes trapped.
US09220376B2	Shower apparatus A shower apparatus F1 includes a water supply unit 21; a throttle unit 22 installed downstream of the water supply unit 21 and adapted to eject passing water downstream; an aeration unit 23 provided with an opening 231 adapted to produce bubbly water by aerating the water ejected through the throttle unit 22; and a nozzle unit 24 provided with a plurality of nozzle holes 243 adapted to discharge the bubbly water, wherein a virtual water ejection straight line obtained by extending an ejection direction of the water ejected through the throttle unit 22 reaches a location where the nozzle holes 243 are formed, without interfering with inner walls of the aeration unit 23 and the nozzle unit 24.
US09220374B2	Removable device for gripping a cooking utensil A removable holding device for manipulating a cooking utensils has a shell having an internal cavity that opens laterally on a front face thereof via an oblong orifice. The internal cavity is adapted to receive a lug of the cooking utensil when the lug is inserted through the oblong orifice. A locking mechanism is received within a clearance chamber in the shell that is at least partially closed. The locking mechanism cooperates with an opening in the lug when the lug is received in the internal cavity. The shell is a single piece.
US09220373B2	Juicer A lid (12) of a juicer provides several important functions. It prevents juice from escaping, it diverts pulp efficiently toward a collector (13) or chute (150), it cooperates with a locking bar to keep the device safe and closed and it provides a platform for the feed tube. The lid (12) comprises a polymeric cap (52) (for example a polycarbonate) to which is secured a metal, preferably stainless steel feed tube (51). Importantly the combination of clear cap (52) and steel feed tube provides all of the advantages of both, that is, adequate strength in the feed tube and knife and the ability to see under the cap.

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