最新美国发明专利第2016-05-24期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

Document	Document Title
US09348475B2	Integrated in-plane switching This relates to adding multi-touch functionality to a display without the need of a separate multi-touch panel or layer overlaying the display. Instead, embodiments of the invention can advantageously utilize existing display circuitry to provide multi-touch functionality while adding relatively little circuitry that is specific to the multi-touch functionality. Thus, by sharing circuitry for the display and the multi-touch functionalities, embodiments of the invention can be implemented at a lower cost than the alternative of superimposing additional multi-touch related layers onto an existing display panel. Furthermore, since the display and multi-touch functionality can be implemented on the same circuit, they can be synchronized so that noise resulting from the display functionality does not detrimentally affect the multi-touch functionality and vice versa.
US09348473B2	Touch panel A touch panel that includes a flat membrane-like piezoelectric film provided with a first principal surface and a second principal surface which are opposed to each other. The touch panel includes first and second capacitance detection sub-electrodes on the first principal surface and the second principal surface of the piezoelectric film. The first and second capacitance detection sub-electrodes detect a touched position. The touch panel includes first and second piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrodes on the first principal surface and the second principal surface of the piezoelectric film. The first and second piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrodes detect a piezoelectric voltage according to an amount pressed into the piezoelectric film.
US09348464B2	Imaging systems and methods for user input detection An imaging system may be provided that includes a camera module, a transparent or translucent surface, and processing circuitry that is configured to perform character recognition operations based on images of the translucent surface that have been captured using the camera module. The camera module may include an image sensor having an array of image pixels and one or more lenses that focus light from the translucent surface onto the array of image pixels. The processing circuitry may be configured to recognize gestures from one or more users on the translucent surface. The processing circuitry may be configured to extract user input data from captured images of an object seen through the translucent surface by extracting gesture point locations from the captured images, storing coordinate data associated with the extracted gesture point locations, and comparing the stored coordinate data with template data that corresponds to a plurality of known characters.
US09348462B2	Gesture detection and recognition based upon measurement and tracking of light intensity ratios within an array of photodetectors Techniques are described for tracking and recognizing gestures performed within a field-of-view of a sensor. In one or more implementations, the techniques may be implemented within an electronic device that is configured to receive a signal from a sensor in response to the sensor detecting a gesture occurring within a field of view of the sensor. A lens is positioned over the sensor to collimate light incident on the lens and to pass the collimated light to the sensor. The electronic device is configured to generate one or more light intensity ratios based upon the signal. The electronic device is then configured to determine a type of gesture performed based upon the one or more light intensity ratios.
US09348459B2	Method for inputting character and information processing apparatus A method for inputting a character executed by a computer that inputs a character, the method includes: obtaining a first pressed position at which the pressing operation has been performed and a first key corresponding to the first pressed position; detecting deletion of a character input using the first key; obtaining, when the deletion is detected, a second pressed position at which a next pressing operation has been performed and a second key corresponding to the second pressed position; determining whether or not a distance between the first pressed position and the second key is smaller than or equal to a threshold; and correcting, when the distance is smaller than or equal to the threshold, a range that is recognized as the second key in the region on the basis of the first pressed position.
US09348457B2	User interface tap selection on touchscreen device A tap associated with an active area on a user interface of a touchscreen device is received at a first time. The active area is associated with an origination time. It is determined that a period of time between the origination time and the first time is within a specified period of time. In response to the determining, an action associated with the active area is not performed.
US09348453B2	Touch sensing arrangement with first and second shield electrodes An apparatus including a sensing arrangement including a plurality of distinct capacitive sensor electrodes distributed over a sensing area; conductive traces connected to the plurality of distinct capacitive sensor electrodes; a first shield electrode overlying at least the conductive traces; a second shield electrode underlying the conductive traces and the capacitive sensor electrodes; a display arrangement including a transparent cover; a polarizer, underlying the transparent cover; an intermediary layer, underlying the polarizer; an optical control layer, underlying the intermediary layer; wherein the sensing arrangement and the display arrangement are integrated, the first shield electrode being positioned beneath the transparent cover and above the polarizer; the capacitive sensor electrodes being positioned beneath the transparent cover and beneath the first shield electrode and above the optical control layer; and the second shield electrode being positioned beneath the transparent cover and beneath the capacitive sensor electrodes and above the optical control layer.
US09348452B2	Writing using a touch sensor Apparatus and methods are disclosed for simultaneously tracking multiple finger and palm contacts as hands approach, touch, and slide across a proximity-sensing, multi-touch surface. Identification and classification of intuitive hand configurations and motions enables unprecedented integration of typing, resting, pointing, scrolling, 3D manipulation, and handwriting into a versatile, ergonomic computer input device.
US09348450B1	Foldable display apparatus Embodiment relate to a structure for supporting a bending portion of a flexible display panel in an unfolded state so that the bending portion does not flex when pressed. The structure also enables the bending portion of the flexible display panel to bend at a predetermined curvature in a folded state. The structure includes two rotating plates rotating about two axes that slide relative to flexible supporting members extending from portions of the flexible display panel that do not bend as the flexible display panel is bent. As the flexible display panel is bent, the distance between ends of the rotating plates are increased so that the bending portion of the flexible display panel would have an increased radius of curvature.
US09348443B2	Information processing apparatus, method of controlling the same, program and storage medium Provided are an information processing apparatus provided with a display unit including a touch panel, and a method for controlling the same. The information processing apparatus detects a plurality of touch points on a display object displayed on the display unit, and, if the number of the detected plurality of touch points is a predetermined number or more, divides this display object into a plurality of display objects in response to at least some of the plurality of touch points moving in an opposite direction on the touch panel to other of the plurality of touch points.
US09348439B2	Touch sensitive display and manufacturing method thereof The present invention relates to a touch sensitive display, which comprises a merged layer made of sensing electrodes and organic light-emitting electrodes. The touch sensitive display further comprises a first touch sensing layer and an organic light-emitting assembly, wherein the first touch sensing layer has a plurality of first sensing electrodes, which are formed onto a surface of an upper substrate. This organic light-emitting assembly is disposed on an upper surface of a lower substrate, and the merged layer is formed on the surface of the organic light-emitting assembly. The sensing electrodes that comprised in this merged layer are second sensing electrodes, while the organic light-emitting electrodes are counter electrodes which originally belong to the organic light-emitting assembly. In addition, the present invention also provides a manufacturing method of a touch sensitive display. Thereby, the present invention could reduce the manufacturing procedure and efficiently increase the yield rate of production.
US09348437B2	Mobile data collection and validation systems and methods Methods and systems for collecting and validating data are provided. Data may be collected from users at a variety of locations with a mobile device. The mobile device may wirelessly transmit the collected data to a central location. The collected data may then be validated at the central location and any resulting error messages may be transmitted to the mobile device while the mobile device remains in close proximity to the user so that the data may be corrected.
US09348434B2	Low power management of multiple sensor integrated chip architecture A method, device, system, or article of manufacture is provided for low-power management of multiple sensor chip architecture. In one embodiment, a method comprises, at a computing device that includes a first processor, a second processor and a third processor, receiving, by the first processor, sensor data from a first sensor; determining, by the first processor, a movement by the computing device using the sensor data; receiving, by the first processor, a modality of the computing device; in response to determining that the modality corresponds to a predetermined state, determining, by the first processor, a modality move distance associated with the predetermined state; determining, by the first processor, a move distance of the computing device using the modality move distance; determining, by the first processor, that the move distance of the computing device is at least a move distance threshold; and, in response to determining that the move distance of the computing device is at least a move distance threshold, reporting, by the first processor, to at least one of the second processor and the third processor, that the move distance of the computing device is at least the move distance threshold.
US09348431B2	Display device for controlling auto-rotation of content and method for controlling auto-rotation of content displayed on display device There is provided a display device for controlling rotation of content displayed on a display panel, including: a display panel on which the content is displayed; a sensor configured to measure a pitch θ and a roll Φ of the display device, wherein the pitch θ is a degree to which the display device is tilted with respect to a horizontal plane by an up-down rotation, and the roll Φ is a degree to which the display device is tilted with respect to the horizontal plane by a left-right rotation; and a control processor configured to determine whether or not to rotate the content or to control a rotation speed of the content displayed on the display panel, according to at least one of the pitch θ and the roll Φ.
US09348425B2	Glass keyboard A glass keyboard includes a patterned glass sheet having a plurality of glass keys arranged in a keyboard layout. Each of the glass keys includes one or more cantilevered glass tabs integrally formed in the patterned glass sheet. Each glass tab is deflectable from a plane of the patterned glass sheet. A conductive layer is arranged in opposing and spaced-apart relation to the patterned glass sheet. The conductive layer has a plurality of contact pads in positions corresponding to the glass tabs. A plurality of pressure pads is disposed between the cantilevered glass tabs and the contact pads and configured to selectively transfer contact pressure from the cantilevered glass tabs to the contact pads when the cantilevered glass tabs are selectively deflected from the plane of the patterned glass sheet.
US09348424B2	Input device, input method, and computer program for inputting characters, numbers, or symbols by using an on-screen keyboard An input control unit includes: a keyboard storage unit for storing keyboard screens each corresponding to a set of characters or symbols; a keyboard display unit for reading one of the keyboard screens and displaying the read keyboard screen on the screen; an input receiving unit for receiving a selection of the character or the symbol by the user; and a switching control unit for reading keyboard screens from the keyboard storage unit, displaying the read keyboard screens on the screen as selection candidates, and switching the selection candidate from among the plurality of keyboard screens. When the switching control unit receives a user control input to confirm the candidate being selected from the user, the keyboard display unit displays the keyboard screen selected on the screen, and receives a selection of the character or the symbol selected from the user.
US09348422B2	Method for recognizing gestures and gesture detector The present invention relates to a method for recognizing gestures within a two-dimensional video stream for use in conference situations and the like, comprising the step of performing a skin-recognition within a screen of the video stream for recognizing skin parts, identifying at least one body part within the recognized skin parts, monitoring a state of at least one predefined screen area in respect to the at least one body part, and providing a control signal indicating a detected gesture upon detection of a change of state. The present invention further relates to a gesture detector adapted to perform the above method, a presentation system comprising the above gesture detector and a video camera device comprising a video camera and the above gesture detector.
US09348418B2	Gesture recognizing and controlling method and device thereof A gesture recognizing and controlling method and device thereof are provided. The gesture recognizing and controlling method includes the following steps. First, a pending image having depth information is captured, in which the pending image includes a human form image. The human form image is analyzed so as to obtain hand skeleton information having a first skeleton and a second skeleton. It is determined whether the first skeleton and the second skeleton have an intersection point. If yes, it is determined whether an included angle formed by the first skeleton and the second skeleton is within a predetermined angle range. When the included angle is within the predetermined angle range, a controlling signal is output accordingly.
US09348416B2	Haptic feedback control system A feedback control system is provided. The feedback control system receives a user input. The feedback control system determines a context. The feedback control system displays a control in response to the user input and based on the context. The feedback control system adjusts a feedback parameter according to the control, where the control is configured to adjust feedback output to a user based on the adjusted feedback parameter.
US09348415B2	Control device with haptic feedback The present invention relates to a control device (1) with haptic feedback; comprising a sensitive control surface (3) on which an actuator (9) is fixed, said control surface (3) being connected to a support (5) in the area of at least two connection zones (7), each connection zone (7) comprising at least one damper (70) placed between the control surface (3) and the support (5), said connection zones (7) defining a proximal suspension of said control surface (3) with respect to said support (5) in the area of a connection zone (7) near the actuator (9) and a distal suspension of said control surface (3) with respect to the support (5) in the area of a connection zone (7) distant from the actuator, the stiffness of the proximal suspension being less than the stillness of the distal suspension.
US09348405B2	Systems and techniques for control of storage device power states Systems and techniques for control of storage device power states are described herein. In some embodiments, a control system for a storage device of a computing device may include receiver logic to receive a proximity signal indicative of a distance of a user from a proximity sensor, transition logic to determine that the proximity signal satisfies out-of-proximity criteria and generate an out-transition signal based at least in part on the determination that the proximity signal satisfies the out-of-proximity criteria, and state-change logic to cause a change in a power state of the storage device from a first power state to a second power state, in response to the out-transition signal, wherein the storage device consumes less power in the second power state than in the first power state. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09348395B2	Power demand reduction system An information handling system includes a processor, an air moving system, a power system, and power demand reduction circuit. The air moving system is operable to cool the processor. The power system is operable to power the processor and the air moving system. The power demand reduction circuit is operable to detect a total power system power demand that will exceed a power system output capacity of the power system in response to a processor power demand from the processor and, in response, reduce an air moving system power provided to the air moving system such that the processor power demand will no longer cause the total power system power demand to exceed the power system output capacity. The air moving system power may be increased when a decrease in the processor power demand results in the two contributing to a total power system power that will not exceed the power system output capacity.
US09348393B1	Power management scheme that accumulates additional off time for device when off for an extended period and credits additional off time to power control feedback loop when awakened In one embodiment, a system includes a power management controller that controls a duty cycle of a processor to manage power. By frequently powering up and powering down the processor during a period of time, the power consumption of the processor may be controlled while providing the perception that the processor is continuously available. Before powering the processor up, the power management control may determine whether or not there is work for the processor to perform. If there is no work to perform, the power management control may delay powering the processor up until there is work to perform, saving additional power. This additional power savings may be tracked, and may serve as a “credit” for the processor when subsequently powered up again.
US09348392B2	Systems and methods for measuring and verifying energy savings in buildings A computer system for use with a building management system in a building includes a processing circuit configured to use historical data received from the building management system to automatically select a set of variables estimated to be significant to energy usage in the building. The processing circuit is further configured to apply a regression analysis to the selected set of variables to generate a baseline model for predicting energy usage in the building.
US09348389B2	Power measurement system for multiple power sources and method of operating the same A power measurement system for multiple power sources includes a plurality of measurement apparatuses, a multiplexer, and a processing module. Each of the measurement apparatuses has a sense resistor and a sense amplifier. The sense resistor is electrically connected to a power source at one terminal thereof and electrically connected to a load at the other terminal thereof. The sense amplifier receives a voltage difference across the sense resistor, amplifies the voltage difference by a gain value, and outputs an amplified sense voltage. The multiplexer receives the amplified sense voltages and outputs one of the amplified sense voltages. The processing module receives the one amplified sense voltage outputted from the multiplexer and calculates an output power of the power source according to the one amplified sense voltage. Furthermore, a method of operating the power measurement system is provided.
US09348386B2	Power-supply cable unit, relay connector, and electronic unit A power-supply cable unit which supplies power to an electronic device includes in one end thereof an IC card-loading section to which an IC card is loaded, and a connection which is connected to the electric device such that information of the IC card loaded to the IC card-loading section is read with the electronic device, wherein an insertion slot of the IC card-loading section faces in a direction that the connection is fitted into the electronic device.
US09348384B2	Distributed energy source system Systems and methods for managing energy within an inhabitable environment are provided. An energy storage system includes storing and managing energy. The storage of energy may be based on user preferences. The management of energy includes directing energy within the inhabitable environment according to user preferences and mapping data. Mapping data includes matching an electrical outlet to a location and/or device within the inhabitable environment. Instructions are provided by the computing device to the electrical components based on the mapping to control the electrical components and electrical devices.
US09348370B2	Flexible display device having guide member A flexible display device having a guide member is disclosed. The flexible display device having a guide member according to the present invention includes a first plate and a second plate for attaching a flexible display screen having bending capability on the front side; a hinge member B for connecting the first plate and the second plate and performing a folding operation while being bent or spread; and a variable means formed at each of the first plate and the second plate, configured of movable plates connected to the hinge member and the guide members combined with the movable plates to guide forward and backward movement of the movable plates, and associated with the folding operation of the first plate and the second plate.
US09348369B2	Foldable display device A foldable display device includes a flexible display panel, a case supporting the flexible display panel, a bonding member fixing the flexible display panel to the case. The case includes a hinge portion, and supports respectively coupled to the hinge portion at opposing sides of the hinge portion. The flexible display panel includes a bendable area corresponding to the hinge portion, and planar areas respectively at opposing sides of the bendable area and corresponding to the supports of the case. The bonding member is between a support of the case and the corresponding planar area of the flexible display panel, and is displaceable with respect to the support along one of a thickness direction and a width direction of the flexible display panel when the flexible display panel is folded.
US09348367B1	Tablet computer handle The tablet computer handle includes a handle from which an expandable frame extends. The expandable frame is further defined with a left armature that telescopes with respect to a right armature. The left armature and the right armature are adapted to support a tablet computer therein. The handle is manually grasped in order to adaptively support the tablet computer. The handle includes at least one button that when depressed communicates a function with the tablet computer via a transmitter integrated in the handle.
US09348363B2	Counterbalance system for computer assembly A computer assembly comprising a computer assembly base for the computer assembly, a rotatable display screen support coupled to the computer assembly base configured to receive a display screen and an base stabilizer of the computer assembly base configured to extend from a back side of the computer assembly base, wherein upon extension is configured to provide counterbalance support to the computer assembly base to inhibit tipping.
US09348362B2	Flexible portable terminal A flexible portable terminal is provided. The flexible portable terminal includes a folding portion configured to bend at one end of a body of the flexible portable terminal in a direction to a front surface or a rear surface of the flexible portable terminal, a flexible display unit configured to be mounted on the body of the flexible portable terminal, and to bend in the front surface or the rear surface of the flexible portable terminal according to a bending direction of the folding portion, and a sliding portion configured to enable one end of the flexible display unit to slide according to a difference of a compression/tension caused by a difference of an elongation between the folding portion and the flexible display unit when the folding portion is bent.
US09348360B2	Touch panel Disclosed is a touch window according to the present invention in which a FPCB, an IC, a function key area for a connection with a touch sensing sensor electrode are all formed in a single printed circuit board and are formed not to be exposed to the outside by receiving the printed circuit board in a lower part of a transparent window, thereby being capable of simplifying a structure of the touch window.
US09348359B2	Updating a desired tick rate for a kernel A system and a method are disclosed for providing a variable tick rate for the kernel of an operating system. In one example, the method includes receiving, by a processing device, a desired tick rate for a kernel of an operating system, comparing the desired tick rate with a default tick rate, and updating a tick rate parameter of the kernel with the desired tick rate when the desired tick rate is different from the default tick rate.
US09348356B2	Embedded multimedia card (eMMC), host controlling eMMC, and method operating eMMC system An embedded multimedia card (eMMC) includes a clock channel that receives a clock signal from a host, a command channel that receives a command from the host, a plurality of data channels that transmit data to the host, and a return clock channel that transmits a return clock synchronized with the data to the host.
US09348353B2	Power conversion apparatus and controlling method thereof A power conversion apparatus and a controlling method thereof are disclosed. The power conversion apparatus is applied with a power generation apparatus, which outputs a first signal. The power conversion apparatus includes a conversion-sensing circuit, a control signal generating circuit and a switching circuit. The conversion-sensing circuit converts the first signal into a second signal, and senses at least a voltage waveform change of the second signal to generate a time interval. The control signal generating circuit is electrically connected with the conversion-sensing circuit and outputs a control signal according to the time interval. The switching circuit is electrically connected with the power generation apparatus and the control signal generating circuit, and has a plurality switching elements. The switching circuit receives the first signal and conducts one of the switching elements according to the control signal so as to convert the first signal and output an output signal.
US09348352B2	Bandgap reference circuit A bandgap reference circuit is provided and which includes an operating voltage, a current mirror, a first p-channel metal-oxide semiconductor (PMOS) transistor and an amplifier. The current mirror is coupled to the operating voltage. The first PMOS transistor is coupled to the operating voltage and the current mirror. The amplifier is coupled to the current mirror and the first PMOS transistor. When the bandgap reference circuit is activated, the operating voltage starts to supply voltage such that the first PMOS transistor is turned on first. When the operating voltage is higher than a preset voltage level, the first PMOS transistor is turned off, in order to complete an start-up process.
US09348346B2	Voltage regulation subsystem A voltage regulation subsystem for a microprocessor has both internal and external regulation modes. An internal auxiliary voltage regulator is selectively enabled to overdrive the voltage. The enablement of the auxiliary voltage regulator is contingent upon a comparison of bandgap references of the internal and external regulators used in the respective regulation modes, which boosts the supply voltage, enables circuitry supplied by the external regulator (with the assistance of auxiliary voltage regulators) to boot robustly in extreme Process-Voltage-Temperature (PVT) conditions.
US09348344B2	Constant flow rate pressure regulator A flow valve that maintains a constant flow valve despite varying pressures at its inlet, comprising: (a) an elongated cage with alternating axially-extending pockets and ridges on its inner surface; and (b) an elongated generally conical shaped elastomeric sleeve received within the elongated cage; wherein the sleeve flexes outwardly at higher pressures, thereby decreasing the size of the flow channel between the sleeve and cage, thereby restricting flow to maintain constant flow valve despite varying inlet pressures.
US09348337B2	Environment recognition guide system for movable medical equipment and method An environment recognition guide system and method for guiding a movable medical equipment are disclosed. The environment recognition guide system includes a depth camera, an environment data storage device, and an object image recognition device. When the object image recognition device compares and determines an environment image pixel depth signal acquired by the depth camera matching predetermined object image pixel depth signals stored in the environment data storage device, the medical equipment is driven to move along a preset guide path. The movable medical equipment is further provided with collision protection function to prevent the medical equipment from collision with a front obstacle during the movement.
US09348336B2	Robot assistance for detecting, managing, and mitigating risk The disclosure includes a system and method for using a robot to prevent risk to a user by identifying a point of interest, determining whether the point of interest is a risk for the user with visual impairments based on the user's position, responsive to a first predetermined threshold for distance being met, determining where to move the robot to mitigate the risk to the user, and instructing the robot to move to a new location. The robot may move between the user and the point of interest to prevent the user from colliding with the point of interest. The robot may use an auditory or tactile warning to warn the user. The tactile warning may be transmitted to a walking stick or a belt worn by the user.
US09348333B1	Modular air delivery Aspects of modular airborne delivery are described. When a shipping container is provided to an airborne carrier for delivery, the airborne carrier may assess weather across a route for airborne delivery of the shipping container, evaluate an approach to drop the shipping container at a delivery zone, and calculate a remaining amount of time until a target delivery time, for example. The airborne carrier may then select components to assemble a modular unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based on those or other factors, and assemble the UAV using the selected components. The modular UAV may then be directed to deliver the shipping container according to instructions from the airborne carrier. According to the concepts described herein, flexibility and other advantages may be achieved using modular UAVs for airborne delivery.
US09348329B2	Multiple Boolean inputs and outputs for device function blocks The present invention provides techniques for splitting bundled inputs and outputs into separated Boolean inputs and outputs for function blocks of automation devices. More specifically, previously-defined bundled inputs and outputs may be used, whereas separated Boolean inputs and outputs may be used as well. In other words, the newly added Boolean inputs and outputs do not replace, but rather compliment, the previously defined bundled inputs and outputs.
US09348324B2	Controlling a wind power plant transformer A method for controlling a pilot signal (Ps) to a WPPT with an adjustable coil ratio, wherein the primary side of the transformer is connected to a plurality of WTGs and a variable reactive compensation load, the method comprising the steps of receiving an actual primary-side voltage (VMV), receiving an actual primary-side current (IQMV), estimating a line drop voltage (DV) on the basis of the compensation current (IQC) and the actual primary-side current (IQMV), forming a voltage error (Verr) as the sum of a rated voltage value (VR) and the estimated line drop voltage (DV) minus the actual primary-side voltage (VMV), namely: Verr=VR+DV VMV, and updating the pilot signal (Ps) in accordance with the voltage error (Verr).
US09348321B2	Method, time consumer system, and computer program product for maintaining accurate time on an ideal clock Methods, time consumer systems, and computer program products for maintaining accurate time on an ideal clock of a timing device are disclosed. The method includes receiving time information from a local clock, a reference clock, and one or more secondary clocks. The method further includes calculating frequencies for the local clock, the reference clock, and the one or more secondary clocks. The method further includes comparing the calculated frequencies of the reference clock to the calculated frequencies of the one or more secondary clocks. The method further includes detecting a holdover and/or a compromise situation based on the comparison. The method further includes syntonizing the ideal clock to one or more of the calculated frequencies.
US09348320B1	Electronic device and method of controlling display of information A method of controlling a first electronic device having a display includes, in a time mode, controlling analog watch hands disposed over the display to display a time on a watch dial that includes the display, and in response to receipt of an input to enter a display mode, rotating the watch hands to new locations relative to the display such that display of the time utilizing the watch hands is discontinued and displaying information on the display, wherein rotating the watch hands comprises rotating the hands to the new locations to avoid obscuring the information on the display.
US09348317B2	Method of measuring the accuracy of a mechanical watch A method of measuring accuracy of a watch including a visual display device, including: storing a first instant, at which the display is in a first display position corresponding to a first image, with a corresponding time reference source; determining a first display value for the first image and stored in a storage in correlation with the first instant; storing, after a determined time interval, a second instant, at which the display is in a second display position corresponding to a second image, with the corresponding source; determining a second display value for the second image and stored in the storage in correlation with the second instant; and calculating displaying on a viewing device the variation in rate of the display.
US09348316B2	Movement for mechanical chronograph with quartz regulator Movement for chronograph watch comprising: a barrel (1); a main gear train (RH) for driving one or more current time indicators (43); a regulator member comprising a generator (8) driven by the main gear train (RH), the generator powering an electronic regulation circuit (80) to control the speed of rotation of the main gear train as a function of a quartz oscillator (81); a chronograph gear train (Rc) that can be brought into mesh with the main gear train (RH) to drive a timer indicator (152). The chronograph gear train can be brought into mesh with a wheel (8) that performs more than one revolution per minute.
US09348311B2	Recording medium conveyor and image forming apparatus incorporating same A recording medium conveyor, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a first conveyor and a second conveyor disposed facing the first conveyor. The first conveyor and the second conveyor sandwich a recording medium therebetween and convey the recording medium to a downstream side of an image forming apparatus in a recording medium conveying direction. At least one of the first conveyor and the second conveyor includes a belt having an inner circumferential face, and a cooler to cool the recording medium. The cooler has a heat absorbing face that contacts the inner circumferential face of the belt and that has an air flow path formed thereon to expose the inner circumferential face of the belt to open air.
US09348310B2	Image forming apparatus In an image forming apparatus, a first cooling unit sends airflow to cool a first developing unit, and a second cooling unit sends airflow to cool a second developing unit. A control section controls the first and second cooling units in a first mode where image formation is executed using both a first and second image forming section, and in a second mode where image formation is executed such that the first developing unit is suspended but the first image bearing body is driven, using an image forming section. In the first mode the first cooling unit is controlled based on an output of a first temperature sensor regardless of a temperature detected by a second temperature sensor, and in the second mode the first cooling unit is controlled based on an output of the second temperature sensor regardless of a temperature detected by the first temperature sensor.
US09348309B2	Image forming apparatus and driving method for driving image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer, a charging roller, a first cleaner, a second cleaner, and a rotation controller. The latent image bearer bears a latent image on a surface thereof. The charging roller charges the latent image bearer. The first cleaner cleans the surface of the latent image bearer. The second cleaner cleans a surface of the charging roller. The rotation controller controls the latent image bearer to execute a set of backward rotation and first forward rotation at least once during a non-image formation time period, and either temporarily stop and start second forward rotation or continuously execute the second forward rotation by a rotation distance corresponding to at least one rotation of the charging roller.
US09348308B2	Process cartridge having force receiving portion and image forming apparatus including process cartridge A process cartridge detachable from an image forming apparatus main body which includes an image bearing member, a developer bearing member, a developing frame member to support the developer bearing member and is able to assume an abutting state and a separating state, a force receiving portion configured to allow the developing frame member to enter the separating state by being pressed by a pressing portion where the force receiving portion includes a first portion to abut on the pressing portion and to extend along the inserting direction of the process cartridge, and a second portion provided on each of an upstream and downstream side of the first portion in the inserting direction.
US09348307B2	Image forming apparatus having waste toner collecting function from a plurality of photosensitive drums An image forming apparatus includes a main frame, a plurality of process cartridges, a cartridge-supporting body, a belt, a waste toner cartridge, a contact-separation mechanism, and a collective conveying unit. Each process cartridge includes a photosensitive drum and a drum cleaning unit collecting waste toner on the drum. The cartridge-supporting body is movable between an internal position inside the frame and an external position outside the frame. The belt confronts the process cartridges in the internal position. The waste toner cartridge accommodates the waste toner collected from the drums. The contact-separation mechanism moves the cartridge-supporting body between a contact position where the drums are in contact with the belt and a separated position where the drums are out of contact with the belt. The collective conveying unit aggregates waste toner collected from drums and conveys collectively the aggregated waste toner to the waste toner cartridge.
US09348306B2	Process cartridge and image forming apparatus including the same A process cartridge includes a first cartridge and second cartridge. The first cartridge includes a first wall having a first opening, a first shutter configured to open and close the first opening, and a first operating portion configured to operate together with the first shutter. The second cartridge is mountable onto and demountable from the first cartridge and contains a developer. The second cartridge includes a second wall facing the first wall and having a second opening corresponding to the first opening, a second shutter configured to open and close the second opening, and a second operating position configured to operate together with the second shutter. The first cartridge further includes a third operating portion. When the second cartridge is mounted into the first cartridge, the first operating portion and the third operating portion operate together through the second operating portion.
US09348303B2	Cartridge, mounting method for coupling member, and disassembling method for coupling member A cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes coupling member that is provided for receiving a rotational force for rotating a developing roller, with a cylindrical member movably supporting one end portion of the coupling member inside of the cylindrical member, and a cylindrical member side force receiving portion being provided inside the cylindrical member for receiving the rotational force received by the coupling member. The cartridge further includes a first regulating portion for preventing one end portion of the coupling member from disengaging in an axial direction of the cylindrical member; and a second regulating portion for regulating deformation of the first regulating portion in a state in which one end portion of the coupling member is mounted to an inside of the cylindrical member with deformation of the first regulating portion.
US09348302B2	Image forming apparatus, and detachable body Provided is an image forming apparatus including an image forming apparatus main body, a detachable body that is detachably provided on the image forming apparatus main body, includes an image holding member, and moves along a predetermined moving path, and a light emitting member that performs a light emission to the image holding member, is pressed against the detachable body, and a portion of the light emitting member protrudes to the moving path, wherein a first portion of the light emitting member positioned on the moving path is pressed, the light emitting member is moved in a direction, a second portion positioned on the moving path is pressed, and the light emitting member is moved in a direction opposite to the second direction, and wherein one of the pressing of the first portion and the pressing of the second portion is performed first, and the other is performed later.
US09348301B2	Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus includes an LED unit capable of being in an exposing position or a retracted position, and a cartridge capable of being inserted into or pulled out with the LED unit in the retracted position.
US09348298B2	Image forming apparatus with waste toner collection container An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier; an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on the image carrier by using toner, based on image information; a transfer unit configured to transfer the toner image formed on the image carrier to a sheet; a cleaning unit configured to clean toner on the image carrier; a collected toner box in which the toner cleaned by the cleaning unit is collected; a rotating member configured to be rotated for moving the toner in the collected toner box; and a controller configured to control, based on the image information, whether or not to rotate the rotating member.
US09348297B2	Image forming apparatus and process cartridge An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a charging mechanism to charge a surface of the image carrier, an electrostatic latent image forming mechanism to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the image carrier, a developing mechanism to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the image carrier into a toner image, a transfer mechanism to transfer the toner image on the surface of the image carrier to a transfer body, and a cleaning mechanism including a cleaning blade to clean a transfer residue toner adhering to the surface of the image carrier by contacting the surface of the image carrier. The cleaning blade includes a strip shaped elastic blade and a surface layer formed on an opposing surface of the strip shaped elastic blade opposite the surface of the image carrier.
US09348293B2	Image forming apparatus that corrects sheet curl by printing on the edges of the reverse side of the sheet An image forming apparatus comprises a printer configured to print the display image on a first surface of paper in a case of simplex printing; a curl suppression image determination section configured to determine, in simplex printing case, a printing position and a printing pattern of a curl suppression image for suppressing the curl of the paper caused by the display image based on an analysis result of a display image analysis section which analyzes the printing range and the density of the display image for each page; and a curl-preventive image addition setting section configured to set image information of the printing position and the printing pattern of the curl suppression image which is determined by the curl suppression image determination section and is supposed to be printed on a second surface of the paper with color erasable material by the printer section.
US09348291B2	Image forming apparatus and image forming system with correction mechanism An image forming apparatus and an image forming system, the image forming apparatus including a memory to store first side position and second side position detected by a side end detector, a correction mechanism to movably support at least a registration roller of a first sheet conveyor and a second sheet conveyor in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction, and a controller to calculate a deviation between the first side position and the second side position, and to set the deviation as a correction amount of the correction mechanism.
US09348290B2	Sheet conveying device and image forming apparatus A sheet conveying device that passes a sheet to a nip portion formed between first and second rotating bodies, and conveys the sheet, the sheet conveying device includes a separation state determining unit configured to determine a separation state between the sheet having passed the nip portion and a surface of the first rotating body, a sheet separating unit configured to allow force to act on the sheet, and a control unit configured to control the force acting on the sheet by the sheet separating unit according to a result of the separation state determining unit, wherein the separation state determining unit includes an illumination unit, an imaging unit, and an acquisition unit, and the separation state between the sheet and the first rotating body is determined based on the acquired positional information of a tip of the sheet.
US09348285B2	Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus comprising a conveyance path of recording material comprises a door, when opened, the inside of the apparatus is exposed, and an interlock circuit which detects opening/closing state of the door. The detection unit of the door is arranged on the conveyance path. At the arranged position, the image forming apparatus comprises a registration sensor for detecting presence and absence of the recording material and delivery sensor. The CPU controls pressure to the recording material S passing the fixing nip portion formed by a pair of rollers arranged on the conveyance path. Also, the CPU decides whether the recording material exists at the fixing nip portion based on the respective detection result from the registration sensor and the delivery sensor.
US09348279B1	Surface heater, fixing device, and image forming apparatus A surface heater includes a heating body, insulation layers, and a first support layer and a second support layer. The heating body is interposed between the insulation layers. The heating body and the insulation layers are interposed between the first support layer and the second support layer. The first support layer has a first region superposed on the heating body and a second region not superposed on the heating body. The first support layer has at least one slit which is located at a side of an inner circumferential surface of the surface heater bent into an arc shape. The second region has the at least one slit and the first region has no slit, or the at least one slit includes a plurality of slits and the second region has a greater number of slits out of the plurality of slits than the first region has.
US09348278B2	Fixing device having pressing members for pressing endless belt A fixing device may include an endless belt configured to circularly move about an axis extending in an axial direction, a first pressing member and a second pressing member. The endless belt may have an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface, the outer peripheral surface having a first outer end portion and a second outer end portion in the axial direction, and the inner peripheral surface having a first inner end portion and a second inner end portion in the axial direction. The first pressing member may have a first contact portion in contact with the first outer end portion for pressing the first outer end portion toward the inner peripheral surface. The second pressing member may have a second contact portion in contact with the second outer end portion for pressing the second outer end portion toward the inner peripheral surface.
US09348277B2	Fixing apparatus A fixing apparatus configured to include a rotational member having a conductive layer, a coil having a helical shape, a resonance circuit including a resonance capacitor and configured to be formed together with the rotational member and the coil, a first converter driving the resonance circuit, a second converter used to control power to be supplied to the first converter, a frequency setting unit configured to set a driving frequency of the first converter according to at least one of a size of the recording material and a temperature at a sheet non-passing portion of the rotational member, and a power control unit controlling the second converter according to a temperature at a sheet passing portion of the rotational member to control the power to be supplied to the first converter from the second converter, wherein the conductive layer is caused to generate heat by electromagnetic induction.
US09348275B2	Fixing device including a support bracket of a seperation plate with a sensor abutting portion that abuts a temperature sensor held by an arm member to restrict a clearance distance between the temperature sensor and a heating rotating body and image forming apparatus including the same A fixing device includes a separation plate, an arm member, an axial member, a support bracket, and a temperature sensor. The separation plate is disposed spaced apart from a peripheral surface of a heating rotating body by a predetermined clearance distance K2. The separation plate separates a recording medium having passed through between the heating rotating body and a pressing roller from the heating rotating body. The arm member holds the temperature sensor by using one end portion thereof. The axial member extends in parallel to a rotating shaft of the heating rotating body and rotatably supports the other end portion of the arm member. The support bracket supports the separation plate. The support bracket is provided with a sensor abutting portion that abuts the temperature sensor held by the arm member to restrict a clearance distance between the temperature sensor and the heating rotating body.
US09348271B2	Transfer device and image forming apparatus including same A transfer device includes an image bearer to bear a toner image, a nip forming device to contact the image bearer to form a transfer nip, a transfer bias power source including a direct current (DC) power source and an alternating current (AC) power source electrically connected to each other to output a transfer bias including at least one of a DC bias and a superimposed bias to transfer the toner image from the image bearer onto a recording medium interposed in the transfer nip, a contact-and-separation device to cause the image bearer and the nip forming device to contact and separate from each other, and a controller to control the contact-and-separation device to increase a size of a space between the image bearer and the nip forming device upon transfer using the superimposed bias such that the space is larger than the space upon transfer using the DC bias.
US09348269B1	Image transfer product including a phase change material An image transfer product is provided which includes a phase change material in one or more layers of the product to regulate the temperature of the product during printing operations. The image transfer product may be in the form of a printing blanket, printing sleeve, electrophotographic/xerographic transfer blanket, image transfer belt, or roller which includes a print surface layer and at least one layer underlying the printing surface layer. The phase change material may be included in any of the layers of the image transfer product, but is not present at the upper surface of the print surface layer. The phase change material may be in the form of a powder, fibers, capsules, or combinations thereof.
US09348268B2	Belt unit and image forming apparatus A belt unit includes an endless belt; multiple rollers including a tension roller that applies tension to the belt; a frame to which the multiple rollers are attached; bearing members which are movably attached to the frame and at least one of which is detachable from the frame; and urging units that urge the bearing members from the inner-peripheral-surface side to the outer-peripheral-surface side of the belt. The detachable bearing member includes a hole part that receives a rotation shaft of the tension roller and that rotatably supports the rotation shaft; and a guide surface that guides the shaft to an opening of the hole part while the bearing member is moving toward the frame against the urging force of the urging unit to be attached to the frame.
US09348266B2	Image forming apparatus using press member to prevent deflection of belt An outer roller is provided at a position offset upstream, in a rotation direction of an image carrying belt, of an inner roller. The inner and outer rollers are provided across the image carrying belt and form a transfer nip portion nipping and conveying a recording medium. A press member presses the image carrying belt from an inner circumferential side at upstream of the inner roller. The press member is provided such that a length along a belt surface of the image carrying belt between a downstream end of a part thereof in contact with the image carrying belt and an upstream end of the transfer nip portion is shorter than a length of an end margin formed on an upstream end area of the recording medium.
US09348264B2	Unit, cleaning unit, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus A cleaning unit usable with an image forming apparatus includes a cleaning blade, supported by a frame and including a free end contactable to an image bearing drum, for removing a developer from the drum; a first seal provided between the frame and the blade by injection molding into the frame adjacent to a longitudinal end portion of the blade, the first seal being effective to prevent developer leakage; and a second seal provided between the drum and the frame in contact with the free end of the blade adjacent to the longitudinal end portion, wherein the first seal includes a seal portion contacting the blade, and a seat supporting the second seal, the seat being deformable to move the second seal to urge the second seal to the free end of the blade when the drum is mounted to the frame.
US09348263B2	Developing device and image forming apparatus comprising downstream inclined conveyance fin A developing device includes a developer container, a developer bearing member, and a plurality of stirring conveyance members. The developer container includes a plurality of developer conveyance paths and communication sections. At least one of the stirring conveyance members includes a conveyance fin configured to convey the developer toward one of the communication portions. The conveyance fin protrudes from a portion of the stirring conveyance member, the portion being located at a downstream end of the developer conveyance path in terms of a developer conveyance direction in the developer conveyance path. The conveyance fin is inclined at a specified angle to a direction of a rotational shaft of the at least one of the stirring conveyance members so that the developer being conveyed is turned by the conveyance fin in a direction at an acute angle to the developer conveyance direction in the developer conveyance path.
US09348258B2	Developing unit A developing unit includes a housing, a developing roller and a seal contacting an outer peripheral surface of the developing roller. The seal includes a first part disposed inward in an axial line direction of the developing roller and contacting the outer peripheral surface of the developing roller, and a second part contacting an outer edge of the first part in the axial line direction and disposed outward from the first part in the axial line direction and contacting the outer peripheral surface. The first part has a contact surface contacting the developing roller and a plurality of first grooves each of which is recessed from the contact surface and extends along the contact surface. The plurality of first grooves extends from outward to inward in the axial line direction, as the plurality of first grooves extends from upstream to downstream in a rotational direction of the developing roller.
US09348256B2	Image forming apparatus with voltage applying device An image forming apparatus includes a detachably mountable developing device including a developer container, a developer carrying member, a feeding member, provided in contact with the developer carrying member, for supplying the developer to the developer carrying member, and a developer regulator; and a voltage device capable of applying to the developer carrying member and the developer regulator respective voltages different from each other. The image forming apparatus carries out, when a fresh developing device is mounted, an initial operation in which the developer carrying member is rotated. In the initial operation, the voltage device applies, to at least one of the developer carrying member and the developer regulator, a voltage for the initial operation which is different from the voltage for normal image forming operation, so as to urge a material applied to the developer carrying member in the fresh developing device toward the developer regulator from the developer carrying member.
US09348251B2	Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus including the same An optical scanning device includes two cleaning holders. The two cleaning holders each include two cleaning members. The two cleaning holders are connected to a wire-shaped member. In accompaniment of circulation of the wire-shaped member, the two cleaning holders travel to cause the cleaning members to slide on corresponding transmissive members. Upon one of the two cleaning holders coming into contact with a first stopper at one end of its travel path, a circulating direction of the wire-shaped member is reversed. Upon the other of the two cleaning holders coming into contact with a second stopper at one end of its travel path, the wire-shaped member stops circulating.
US09348248B2	Preparing amorphous polyester resin emulsions A process for making a latex emulsion including contacting at least one amorphous polyester resin with at least two organic solvents to form a resin mixture, adding a neutralizing agent, and deionized water to the resin mixture, removing the solvent from the formed latex, and separating the solvent from water. Further, the process is carried out above the resin Tg for making the latex, which drives the latex particle size under 100 nm, where toners made from the latex show improved charging performance.
US09348245B2	Toner, method for producing the toner, two-component developer, and image forming apparatus A toner, including: a crystalline resin; a non-crystalline resin; and a colorant, wherein the toner has a sea-island structure which includes a sea containing the crystalline resin and an island containing the non-crystalline resin and the colorant, wherein the island is 1.0 μm or less in domain diameter, and wherein the toner is 1.7×104 Pa or less in storage elastic modulus at 160° C.
US09348244B1	Electrostatic charge image developing toner, electrostatic charge image developer, and toner cartridge An electrostatic charge image developing toner includes toner particles, elastomer particles which are externally added to the toner particles and contain a first oil, and inorganic particles which are externally added to the toner particles and contain a second oil having a viscosity higher than a viscosity of the first oil at 25° C.
US09348239B2	Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method for producing device An exposure apparatus includes a projection system having a final element that projects exposure light to an upper surface of a substrate through liquid between the final element and the substrate. A liquid confinement member has a recovery outlet, via which the liquid is removed along with gas, arranged such that the upper surface of the substrate faces the recovery outlet, and the recovery outlet surrounds a path of the exposure light. The liquid confinement member confines the liquid to an area smaller than an area of the upper surface of the substrate by removing the liquid via the recovery outlet from a gap between the liquid confinement member and the upper surface of the substrate. A first support member supports the projection system, and a second support member supports the liquid confinement member, wherein the projection system is isolated from vibrations of the liquid confinement member.
US09348231B2	Continuously producing digital micro-scale patterns on a thin polymer film A coating mechanism disposes a liquid (e.g., polymer) thin film onto a conveyor surface (e.g., roller or belt) that is moved by a suitable motor to convey the thin film into a precisely controlled gap (or nip) region where applied potentials generate an electric field that causes the liquid to undergo Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) patterning deformation, whereby the liquid forms patterned micro-scale features. A curing mechanism (e.g., a UV laser) is used to solidify (e.g., cross-link) the patterned liquid features inside or immediately after exiting the gap region, thereby forming micro-scale patterned structures that are either connected by an intervening web as part of a sheet, or separated into discrete micro-scale structures. Nanostructures (e.g., nanotubes or nanowires) disposed in the liquid become vertically oriented during the EHD patterning process. Segmented electrodes and patterned charges are utilized to provide digital patterning control.
US09348223B2	Method for forming resin cured film pattern, photosensitive resin composition, photosensitive element, method for producing touch panel, and resin cured film The method for forming a resin cured film pattern according to the invention comprises a first step in which there is formed on a base material a photosensitive layer composed of a photosensitive resin composition comprising a binder polymer with a carboxyl group having an acid value of 75 mgKOH/g or greater, a photopolymerizable compound and a photopolymerization initiator, and having a thickness of 10 μm or smaller, a second step in which prescribed sections of the photosensitive layer are cured by irradiation with active light rays, and a third step in which the sections of the photosensitive layer other than the prescribed sections are removed to form a cured film pattern of the prescribed sections of the photosensitive layer, wherein the photosensitive resin composition comprises an oxime ester compound and/or a phosphine oxide compound as the photopolymerization initiator.
US09348222B2	Positive resist composition and method for production of microlens There is provided a positive resist composition excellent in transparency, heat resistance, and refractive index particularly for forming a microlens and for forming a planarization film; and a microlens and a planarization film formed from the positive resist composition. A positive resist composition comprising a component (A): an alkali-soluble polymer comprising a unit structure having a biphenyl structure; a component (B): a compound having an organic group to be photolyzed to generate an alkali-soluble group; and a component (C): a solvent. The positive resist composition wherein the alkali-soluble polymer as the component (A) is a polymer comprising a unit structure of Formula (1): where when the total number of unit structures constituting the polymer (A) is assumed to be 1.0, the ratio n1 of the unit structure of Formula (1) constituting the polymer (A) satisfies 0.3≦n1≦1.0.
US09348218B2	Mask cleaner and cleaning method According to one embodiment, a mask cleaner includes a cleaner support casing having a major surface with a recess formed therein, another major surface, and a gas supply hole and a gas exhaust hole extending through the cleaner support casing between the another major surface and the recess, a sticky layer support board attached to the cleaner support casing to block an opening of the recess of the cleaner support casing, and a sticky layer attached to a surface of the sticky layer support board remote from the cleaner support casing.
US09348215B2	Photolithographic masks and fabrication method thereof A photolithographic mask is provided. The photolithographic mask includes a substrate having a first surface configured as a light incidence plane of an exposure light and a second surface. The photolithographic mask also includes a plurality of scattering centers functioning as a refractive index disturbance inside the substrate. Further, the photolithographic mask includes a plurality of mask patterns on the second surface of the substrate.
US09348213B2	Ultrasonic transducer, ultrasonic probe, diagnostic instrument, and electronic instrument An ultrasonic transducer includes a first flexible substrate, a plurality of ultrasonic elements and a substrate deforming part. The ultrasonic elements are disposed on the first flexible substrate, and configured and arranged to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves. The substrate deforming part is configured and arranged to flex the first flexible substrate in a first direction and in a second direction that intersects with the first direction.
US09348211B2	Camera module and portable device using the same An embodiment of the invention provides a 3D camera module. The 3D camera module comprise a first lens, a second lens, a shutter control device, a first mirror, a second mirror and an image sensor. The first lens receives a first light beam. The second lens receives a second light beam. The shutter control device to control the first lens and the second camera and only one of the first shutter and the second shutter is turned on in one time period. The first mirror reflects the first light beam to the image sensor. The second mirror reflects the second light beam to the image sensor. The image sensor receives the first light beam and the second light beam to capture a first image and a second image and a 3D image is generated according to the first image and the second image.
US09348209B2	Portable electronic device having projection unit A portable electronic device includes a main body, a display substrate, a projection unit, and a reflection film. The main body includes a first surface and defines a receiving cavity in the first surface. The displaying substrate is rotatably received in the receiving cavity. The displaying substrate includes a first projection surface and a second projection surface facing away from the first projection surface. The first projection surface is close to the receiving cavity. The projection unit is received in the receiving cavity. The reflection film is movably positioned on the second projection surface.
US09348208B2	Projector having a light-emitting element, image forming unit and reflecting member A projector includes: a solid-state light emitting element that emits light; a projection image forming unit that includes an effective area in order to form a projection image; and a reflecting member disposed between the solid-state light emitting element and the projection image forming unit, wherein: the reflecting member reflects part of the light emitted from the solid-state light emitting element and thus redirects the part of the light to travel back to the solid-state light emitting element, the part of the light not entering the effective area.
US09348206B2	Light source apparatus and projector having a light combiner with a polarization separation film A light combiner having a polarization separation film and transmitting P-polarized light from a first light source unit whereas reflecting S-polarized light from a second light source unit forms combined light, and the angle of incidence of the light from the first light source unit and the angle of incidence of the light from the second light source unit with respect to the polarization separation film are each greater than 45°.
US09348199B2	Optical device, projector, and method of manufacturing optical device An optical device includes a plurality of light modulators modulating a plurality of incident color lights with respect to each color light, a light combining optical unit having a plurality of light incident surfaces that the plurality of modulated color lights respectively enter, and combining the plurality of entering color lights, a holding part holding the light modulator, and a supporting part loosely fitting and supporting the holding part, and disposed in a location facing the light incident surface of the light combining optical unit, wherein the supporting part has an extending part extending in a direction away from the light incident surface, and a locking part having a first slope is provided in an end part in an extension direction of the extending part.
US09348197B2	Platform stabilization system A platform stabilization system comprises a support frame, a platform and a plurality of isolators each extending directly between the support frame and the platform. Each isolator permits linear movement of the platform relative to the support frame with three degrees of freedom and permits rotational movement of the platform relative to the support frame with three degrees of freedom. The isolators cooperate to form an isolation array supporting the platform directly within, and spacing the platform from, the support frame. The isolation array permits limited linear movement of the platform within the support frame with three degrees of freedom and permits limited rotational movement of the platform relative to the support frame with three degrees of freedom. The isolation array is substantially more resistant to linear movement of the platform than to rotational movement of the platform and does not rotationally constrain the platform.
US09348195B2	Method of operating wavelength swept source apparatus A method of operating a wavelength swept source apparatus includes generating a single mode light, and generating a basic optical comb including light rays having identical frequency differences with adjacent light rays by modulating the generated single mode light. The method further includes generating other optical combs that include the same number of light rays as that of light rays of the optical comb that has a frequency band different from that of the basic optical comb, and is distributed in a frequency band wider than that in which the basic optical comb is distributed, by modulating the light rays of the basic optical comb. The light rays of the basic optical comb and the light rays included in the other optical combs are sequentially emitted according to frequencies of the light rays of the basic optical comb and the light rays included in the other optical combs.
US09348194B2	Generating optical pulses via a soliton state of an optical microresonator A light pulse source (100), being adapted for generating repetitive optical pulses, comprises a continuous wave (cw) laser (10) being arranged for providing cw laser light, an optical microresonator (20) being made of a resonator material, which has a third order (Kerr) nonlinearity and an anomalous resonator dispersion, wherein the cw laser (10) is arranged for coupling the cw laser light into the optical microresonator (20), which, at a predetermined relative detuning of the cw laser (10) and the optical microresonator (20), is capable of including a light field in a soliton state, wherein soliton shaped pulses can be coupled out of the optical microresonator (20) for providing the repetitive optical pulses, and a tuning device (30) being arranged for creating and maintaining the predetermined relative detuning of the cw laser (10) and the optical microresonator (20) based on a tuning time profile being selected in dependency on a thermal time constant of the optical microresonator (20) such that the soliton state is achieved in a thermal equilibrium state of the optical microresonator (20). Furthermore, a method of generating repetitive optical pulses is described based on soliton shaped pulses coupled out of an optical microresonator (20) is described.
US09348190B2	Liquid crystal display panel According to an aspect, a liquid crystal display panel includes an extending portion. The extending portion is metal wiring provided on the same plane as a plane parallel to a surface of a TFT substrate on which a scan line extends in the X-direction, and is electrically conductive metal extending from the scan line. The extending portion partially overlaps a space, but does not overlap an opening area, in the Z-direction.
US09348189B2	Liquid crystal display device A liquid crystal display device is provided, which includes a thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer, a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer having an opening, a light-transmitting chromatic-color resin layer between the thin film transistor and the second electrode layer, and a liquid crystal layer. One of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer is a pixel electrode layer which is electrically connected to the thin film transistor, and the other of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer is a common electrode layer. The light-transmitting chromatic-color resin layer is overlapped with the pixel electrode layer and the oxide semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor.
US09348188B2	Liquid crystal display A liquid crystal display according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: first and second substrates opposed to each other; a liquid crystal layer including liquid crystal molecules interposed between the first and second substrates; a gate line formed on the first substrate and transmitting a gate signal; first and second data lines formed on the first substrate and transmitting first and second data voltages having different polarities; a first switching element connected to the gate line and the first data line; a second switching element connected to the gate line and the second data line; and first and second pixel electrodes that are connected to the first and second switching elements, respectively, and separated from each other, wherein the liquid crystal layer has positive dielectric anisotropy.
US09348187B2	Display device A display device capable of reducing a resistance of a common electrode is presented. The display device includes: a substrate; a gate line, a data line, and a storage electrode line formed on the substrate; a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line; a pixel electrode connected with the thin film transistor; a common electrode formed on the pixel electrode; a plurality of microcavities between the common electrode and the pixel electrode; a roof layer formed on the common electrode; a liquid crystal layer in the microcavity; and an encapsulation layer formed on the roof layer to seal the microcavity, wherein the common electrode is connected with the storage electrode line at a position adjacent to the data line.
US09348186B2	LCD panel and method for forming the same The present invention discloses a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel and method for forming the same. In the LCD panel, the TFT includes a source and a drain formed by a transparent conducting layer, and a gate formed by a metal layer. The source is electrically connected with a data line through a via hole over the data line. The source connects to the drain via an active layer. Whatever the number of data lines are, each pixel corresponds to an associated via hole, so the number of via holes does not increase, and not reduce the aperture ratio. Therefore, the present invention is very proper to a design using more data lines and working in a high frequency. Moreover, the matrix circuitry of LCD of the present invention is well applied in a display which not only increases a density of data lines to raise the frame rate, but also maintains the aperture ratio and brightness.
US09348178B2	Liquid crystal display panel and liquid crystal display device The present invention provides a liquid crystal display panel and a liquid crystal display device each of which exhibits a sufficiently high response speed and an excellent transmittance. The liquid crystal display panel of the present invention includes a first substrate; a second substrate; and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the substrates, the first substrate and the second substrate each comprising an electrode, the electrode of the second substrate including a pair of comb-shaped electrodes and a planar electrode, the liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules which are inclined from an orthogonal direction to the main faces of the substrates between the pair of comb-shaped electrodes in a plan view of the main faces of the substrates when a voltage lower than a threshold voltage is applied.
US09348175B2	Liquid crystal device and the liquid crystla panel thereof A liquid crystal device is provided including: a backlight module comprising a light source; a first substrate comprising a plurality of TFTs, and the first substrate is arranged above the backlight module; a second substrate arranged above the first substrate; a liquid crystal layer arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate; a color filter comprising a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form, the color filter is arranged between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer, and a gap is arranged between the adjacent pixels; a phosphor power layer arranged between the liquid crystal layer and the first substrate or arranged between the color filter and the liquid crystal layer; and wherein portions of the phosphor power layer corresponding to the gaps on the color filter are removed, and lights emitted from the light source passes through the phosphor powder layer and arrive at the color filter.
US09348169B2	Border structures for displays A display may have an active area surrounded by an inactive border area. The inactive border area may be provided with an opaque masking material. The display may be a liquid crystal display having a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a color filter layer and a thin-film transistor layer. Upper and lower polarizers may be provided above and below the color filter and thin-film transistor layers. The upper polarizer may have a polarized central region that overlaps the active area of the display. The upper polarizer may also have an unpolarized portion in the inactive border area overlapping the opaque masking material. The opaque masking material may alternatively be formed on the underside of a clear polymer substrate that is attached to the display above the upper polarizer or may be incorporated within the layers that make up the upper polarizer.
US09348165B2	Display device and electronic book It is an object to provide a display device exhibiting high visibility and having a touch recognition function. The display device includes a display portion and a sensor portion. The display portion includes a first liquid crystal element including a polymer-scattered liquid crystal. The sensor portion includes a light-receiving element and a second liquid crystal element including a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal provided over the light-receiving element. The first liquid crystal element and the second liquid crystal element are driven independently from each other. The light-receiving element receives light transmitting through the second liquid crystal element.
US09348159B2	Ejection head for ejecting alignment film forming composition An ejection head for ejecting alignment film forming composition includes multiple nozzles. Each nozzle includes a chamber, a composition source, and a control valve. A liquid transportation pipe and a pusher are disposed on the bottom and the top of the chamber, respectively. The pusher is used for pushing the alignment film forming composition out of the liquid transportation pipe. The composition source is used for transporting the alignment film forming composition to the chamber. The control valve is used for controlling switching of the liquid transportation pipe to control output of the alignment film forming composition. Owing to the control valve and the blowing device, the alignment film forming composition is prevented from condensing on the nozzle and blocking the nozzle or from forming large droplets because of accumulation. In this way, the quality of the alignment film is greatly enhanced owing to uniform spraying and regular output.
US09348148B2	Patterned retarder type display device having black strips A patterned retarder type display device includes a display panel having a plurality of unit pixel lines disposed in column direction, each unit pixel line including N (N is a natural number) pixel lines, a patterned retarder film disposed on the outer surface of the display panel and including unit patterned retarders corresponding to each of the unit pixel lines, and a black strip disposed between two unit patterned retarders on the outer surface of the display panel. The display device may provide an excellent 3D viewing angle, and the brightness dropdown caused by the black strip can be reduced.
US09348147B2	Spinning fan mirror beam combiner for a borderless self-contained pepper's ghost A 3D display apparatus for providing a Pepper's Ghost effect. The apparatus includes a background set spaced apart from a viewing space such that a viewer in the viewing space has a line of sight to the background set. The apparatus also includes a mirrored surfaces fan, which includes a motor, a hub rotatable by the motor, and a plurality of fan blades attached in a spaced apart manner to the hub to rotate with the hub. In some cases, each of the fan blades has a reflective region on a side facing away from the background set. The apparatus also includes a display device with a screen displaying an image of an object. The screen is positioned at an offset angle in the range of 40 to 60 degrees from a rotation plane for the sides of the fan blades. Often, the display device includes a 3D autostereoscopic device.
US09348146B2	Apparatus for projecting space image An apparatus for projecting a space image in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: a receiving unit configured to receive the space image; a display unit configured to display the space image and to emit light; a control unit configured to control the display unit to display the space image; and a projection unit configured to allow the light to permeate or reflect the light and to project the space image.
US09348143B2	Ergonomic head mounted display device and optical system This invention concerns an ergonomic optical see-through head mounted display device with an eyeglass appearance. The see-through head-mounted display device consists of a transparent, freeform waveguide prism for viewing a displayed virtual image, a see-through compensation lens for enabling proper viewing of a real-world scene when combined together with the prism, and a miniature image display unit for supplying display content. The freeform waveguide prism, containing multiple freeform refractive and reflective surfaces, guides light originated from the miniature display unit toward a user's pupil and enables a user to view a magnified image of the displayed content. A see-through compensation lens, containing multiple freeform refractive surfaces, enables proper viewing of the surrounding environment, through the combined waveguide and lens. The waveguide prism and the see-through compensation lens are properly designed to ergonomically fit human heads enabling a wraparound design of a lightweight, compact, and see-through display system.
US09348141B2	Low-latency fusing of virtual and real content A system that includes a head mounted display device and a processing unit connected to the head mounted display device is used to fuse virtual content into real content. In one embodiment, the processing unit is in communication with a hub computing device. The processing unit and hub may collaboratively determine a map of the mixed reality environment. Further, state data may be extrapolated to predict a field of view for a user in the future at a time when the mixed reality is to be displayed to the user. This extrapolation can remove latency from the system.
US09348139B2	Open-type head mount display device and display method thereof The present invention provides an open-type head mount display device and a display method thereof. The open-type head mount display device according to the present invention comprises a display unit for generating display images; a focusing lens unit for adjusting the object distance of a display image from a user's eye; an image acquisition unit for acquiring the image of the two eyes of the user; a focal distance analyzing unit for obtaining the focal distance of the user's eye according to the image of the two eyes of the user; and a lens adjusting unit for adjusting the position of the focusing lens unit in the light ray propagation direction of the display image according to a control command from the analyzing unit, so that the object distance of the display image is matched with the current focal distance of the user's eye.
US09348138B2	Laser processing device A laser processing device including: a laser oscillator; a processing table; a transmission optical system for transmitting laser light emitted from the laser oscillator to the processing table; a processing head for condensing and radiating the laser light transmitted via the transmission optical system to an object to be processed; a moving mechanism for changing a relative position between the object to be processed and the laser light to be radiated to the object to be processed; and a variable curvature spherical mirror. The transmission optical system includes a reflective beam expander mechanism for collimating and magnifying the laser light from the laser oscillator. The reflective beam expander mechanism includes a spherical mirror and a concave mirror having different curvatures in two orthogonal axes.
US09348129B2	Upright and inverted microscope A dual-configuration microscope is provided. In some aspects, the microscope can be converted into an upright configuration or an inverted configuration. The microscope includes a base having a lower portion and an upper portion, the lower portion configured to support the microscope. The microscope further includes a body having a first portion, a second portion, and an intermediate portion extending between the first and second portions. The body is rotatably coupled to the base at a rotational coupling that defines a rotating axis that extends in a longitudinal direction with respect to the microscope.
US09348120B2	LWIR imaging lens, image capturing system having the same, and associated method An imaging lens for use with an operational waveband over any subset of 7.5-13.5 μm may include a first optical element of a first high-index material and a second optical element of a second high-index material. At least two surfaces of the first and second optical elements may be optically powered surfaces. A largest clear aperture of all optically powered surfaces may not exceed a diameter of an image circle of the imaging lens corresponding to a field of view of 55 degrees or greater by more than 30%. The first and second high-index materials may have a refractive index greater than 2.2 in the operational waveband, an absorption per mm of less than 75% in the operational waveband, and an absorption per mm of greater than 75% in a visible waveband of 400-650 nm.
US09348113B2	Optical image capturing system The invention discloses a seven-piece optical lens for capturing image and a seven-piece optical system for capturing image. In order from an object side to an image side, the optical lens along the optical axis comprises a first lens with refractive power having a convex object-side surface; a second lens with refractive power, a third lens with refractive power; a fourth lens with refractive power; a fifth lens with refractive power, a sixth lens with refractive power, and a seventh lens with negative refractive power; and at least one of the image-side surface and object-side surface of each of the seven lens elements is aspheric. The optical lens can increase the aperture value and improve the imagining quality for use in compact cameras.
US09348106B2	Cable management in rack systems A rack system includes one or more racks each configured to receive at least one distribution module. Each rack includes management sections located at the front of the rack; troughs located at the rear of the rack; horizontal channels extending between the management sections and the trough; a storage area located at a first of opposing sides of the rack; a front vertical channel that connects to the storage area and at least some of the management sections; and a travel channel at the rear of the first rack that connects the storage area to the troughs.
US09348098B2	Optical port adapted to mate with plugs of different types An optical port is provided that is adapted to mate with optical plugs of at least first and second types. For example, the first type of optical plug may be a VLF-type optical plug and the second type of optical plug may be a non-VLF-type optical plug. The optical port has at least one first latching feature for engaging at least one first latching feature of a VLF-type optical plug with which the optical port may be mated. The optical port has at least one second latching feature for engaging at least one second latching feature of a non-VLF-type optical plug with which the optical port may be mated.
US09348096B2	Passive distribution system using fiber indexing The present disclosure relates to systems and method for deploying a fiber optic network. Distribution devices are used to index fibers within the system to ensure that live fibers are provided at output locations throughout the system. In an example, fibers can be indexed in multiple directions within the system. In an example, fibers can be stored and deployed form storage spools.
US09348095B2	Cable and dual inner diameter ferrule device with smooth internal contours and method A fiber optic ferrule includes a body extending from a first end to a second opposite end, with the body including an axial passage extending between the first and the second ends. The axial passage includes a first diameter portion having a diameter of at least 125 microns, a second diameter portion having a diameter of at least 250 microns and less than a diameter of a buffer, and a smooth and continuous transition between the first and the second diameter portions. The second diameter portion is positioned between the first diameter portion and the second end. The axial passage further defines a tapered shape at the second end extending inward from the second end toward the second diameter portion. In certain embodiments, another smooth and continuous transition can be provided between the taper shape and the second diameter portion. In certain embodiments, the axial passage is smooth and continuous between the first and the second ends of the body. A hub holds the ferrule. A method of assembling a terminated fiber optic cable is also provided.
US09348090B2	Optical coupling element and manufacturing method The present invention relates to an optical coupling element to optically couple optical elements of different kinds to each other, which is provided with a plurality of cores. In the optical coupling element a first end and a second end opposed thereto are different in at least either of a core array and a core interval. The optical coupling element has a bent shape of at least a part of the optical coupling element itself including the cores, so that a light input/output direction at the first end is different from a light input/output direction at the second end.
US09348087B1	Bending insensitive single-mode optical fiber In one aspect of the invention, the bend insensitive single-mode optical fiber includes a core layer and cladding layers having an inner cladding layer, a trench cladding layer and an outer cladding layer sequentially formed surrounding the core layer from inside to outside. For the core layer, the diameter is 7-7.9 μm, and the relative refractive index difference Δ1 is between 4.6×10−3 and 6.0×10−3. For the inner cladding layer, the diameter is 15-17 μm, and a relative refractive index difference Δ2 is between −3×10−4 and 3×10−4. For the trench cladding layer, the diameter is 24-33 μm, and the relative refractive index difference Δ3 is between −2.9×10−3 and −7.3×10−3, changes in a gradient manner and increases gradually from outside to inside, where a relative refractive index difference Δ32 at an outermost interface is smaller than a relative refractive index difference Δ31 at an innermost interface.
US09348085B2	Light source module A light source module includes a plurality of light emitting units, and each of the light emitting units includes a reflection plate, a light extraction plate, a sidewall structure, a light source, and a diffusion plate. The light extraction plate has a plurality of first holes, and the light extraction plate and the reflection plate are opposite to each other. The sidewall structure having a plurality of second holes is located between the reflection plate and the light extraction plate, and the reflection plate, the light extraction plate, and the sidewall structure together constitute a first light guiding cavity. The light source is located in the first light guiding cavity and adjoins the sidewall structure. The diffusion plate is located above the light extraction plate, and a second light guiding cavity is formed between the light extraction plate and the diffusion plate.
US09348084B2	Backlight unit A backlight unit including a bottom sash, a light guide plate received by the bottom sash, a substrate on which a light emitting device is mounted, the light emitting device irradiating light to the light guide plate, a fixing member fixing the substrate, and a sliding moving part fixing the fixing member in such a manner that the fixing member moves with respect to the bottom sash, wherein the sliding moving part includes a sliding bar and a sliding guide which are formed in the bottom sash and the fixing member respectively.
US09348083B2	Light guiding unit, and light illuminating device and image reading apparatus using the same Provided is a light guiding unit including: a light guiding member including an incident surface, an exit surface elongated in a first direction, and a light guiding surface opposed to exit surface; and a diffusion member opposed to light guiding surface, in which: light entering the light guiding member from incident surface is guided via light guiding surface and diffusion member to exit surface, and exits from exit surface to illuminate the original; the light guiding member further includes a plurality of prisms arrayed in first direction on light guiding surface on a side opposed to diffusion member; each of prisms has a rectangular shape in a first section; and each of prisms satisfies the following condition: W tan(sin−1(1/n))≦H≦2W, where W and H represent a width and a height of each of prisms in the first section, respectively, and n represents a refractive index of the light guiding member.
US09348082B2	Illuminator for reflective displays An illuminator for a reflective display (10) incorporates a light guide (14) having substantially transparent front and rear planar surfaces which overlap the display's viewing surface when the surfaces are substantially parallel and adjacent to the viewing surface. A light source (16) emits light into the light guide. A plurality of light redirecting structures (30) is distributed on the light guide's rear surface. The structures are shaped to redirect through the light guide toward the viewing surface light rays which encounter the structures. Most light rays emitted into the light guide by the light source which do not encounter any of the structures are confined within the light guide by total internal reflection. Most light rays emitted into the light guide by the light source which encounter any of the structures are re directed through the light guide toward the viewing surface, substantially uniformly illuminating the display in a low ambient light environment.
US09348078B2	Optical antennas with enhanced fields and electron emission An electromagnetic energy collecting and sensing device is described. The device uses enhanced fields to emit electrons for energy collection. The device is configured to collect energy from visible light, infrared radiation and ultraviolet electromagnetic radiation. The device includes a waveguide with a geometry selected to enhance the electric field along a conductor to create a high, localized electric field, which causes electron emission across a gap to an electron return plane.
US09348075B2	Method of manufacturing polarizing plate, polarizing plate manufactured by the same, and liquid crystal display having the polarizing plate A method of manufacturing a polarizing plate includes fabricating a base film, dyeing the base film by using iodine, stretching the base film to form a polarizing film, firstly drying the polarizing film at a first temperature, and secondly drying the polarizing film while sequentially increasing a temperature from the first temperature to a second temperature higher than the first temperature. The polarizing plate and a liquid crystal display including the same are manufactured through the above method.
US09348071B2	Miniaturized optical system, light source module and portable electronic device There is provided a miniaturized optical system including a protection cover, a light source, an image sensor and at least one interference film. The protection cover has a first surface and a second surface. The light source and the image sensor are disposed opposite to the first surface of the protection cover. The interference film is disposed between the light source and the protection cover to allow the light source to form a predetermined light shape in front of the second surface of the protection cover and/or disposed between the image sensor and the protection cover to allow the image sensor to receive light of a predetermined range in front of the second surface of the protection cover.
US09348070B2	Security devices The present invention relates to improvements in security devices that can be used in various authenticating or security applications, and in particular to an optically variable security device which can be viewed under low light conditions. The security device comprises a light deflection structure having a first side and a second opposing side. A colorshifting layer is applied to the first side of the light deflection structure and a reflection layer is applied to at least a first region of the second side of the light deflection structure so as to provide a strong reflection in a direction substantially parallel to the incident light source when the direction of the incident light is at an angle away from the normal to the security device. The security device has at least one second region in which the reflection layer is absent, said first and second regions defining indicia.
US09348068B2	Energy generating transparent film An energy-generating transparent (EGT) structure is provided, in addition to a method for generating energy from light incident to an EGT structure. The EGT structure is made up of a window pane with an interior surface adjacent a reflective structure. The method accepts light incident to an exterior surface of the window pane, and transmits light in the visible spectrum through the window pane and reflective structure. However, light in the near-infrared (NIR) spectrum is reflected back from the reflective structure into the window pane, so that reflected NIR, spectrum light is supplied to an edge of the window pane. For example, reflected NIR spectrum light is supplied to the window pane edge if the light has an angle greater than or equal to an angle TIR occurring between the window pane exterior surface and air. This reflected NIR spectrum light can be converted to electrical or thermal energy.
US09348067B2	Tilted gratings and method for production of tilted gratings The present invention relates to phase-contrast imaging which visualizes the phase information of coherent radiation passing a scanned object. Focused gratings are used which reduce the creation of trapezoid profile in a projection with a particular angle to the optical axis. A laser supported method is used in combination with a dedicating etching process for creating such focused grating structures.
US09348066B2	Film for improving color display and method of manufacturing the same Provided are a color display film and a method for manufacturing the same, and a display apparatus. The color display film includes a base material layer, a high-refractive resin layer on which an optical pattern is formed, and a low-refractive light diffusion layer including a light diffuser in a stacked configuration. The optical pattern is formed in one surface of the high-refractive resin layer facing the low-refractive light diffusion layer. The method of manufacturing a color display film includes forming a high-refractive resin layer by coating a high-refractive transparent resin on one surface of a base material layer and forming an imprinted optical pattern on the coated high-refractive transparent resin, forming a low-refractive light diffusion layer by dispersing a light diffuser into a low-refractive transparent resin, and bonding one surface of the low-refractive light diffusion layer on a surface on which the optical pattern is formed.
US09348064B2	Plastic lens, method for manufacturing the same, and imaging device using the same A plastic lens 1 has a lens 2 that effectively functions as a lens at a center and an annular flange 3 that does not act as a lens along a circumference of the lens. A gate 4 serving as a flow channel through which molten plastic is to be poured during molding is formed on a circumference of the flange. The gate is cut and taken away at an angle of inclination so as to include a point of intersection between the gate 4 and the circumferential flange 3, whereby a circumferential flange having a given thickness or more is formed.
US09348063B1	Optical component and timepiece An optical component includes a base material and an antireflection film containing silica particles, wherein the silica particles have a first local maximum in the range of 1.5 nm or more and 2.5 nm or less (a first range), a second local maximum in the range of 3.5 nm or more and 4.5 nm or less (a second range), and a third local maximum in the range of 7.5 nm or more and 8.5 nm or less (a third range) in a number-based particle size distribution. It is preferred that the silica particles have a fourth local maximum in the range of 5.5 nm or more and 6.5 nm or less in the number-based particle size distribution.
US09348062B2	Image display device A method for manufacturing an image display device includes the step of forming a cured resin layer by interposing a photo-curable resin composition between a protection member and a display-side panel including an image display unit and a frame member and then photo-curing the photo-curable resin composition, with the photo-curable resin composition being disposed across between the image display unit and the frame member. In the manufacturing method, a high-viscosity resin composition having a viscosity of 3000 mPa·s or more and 12000 mPa·s or less is used as the photo-curable resin composition. Alternatively, after a gap between the image display unit and the frame member is sealed with a sealing film, a photo-curable resin composition is interposed between the display-side panel and the protection member.
US09348061B2	Contact lens products The present invention relates to improved contact lens products which not only have initial insertion comfort but also are comfortable to wear for more than about 6 hours. The invention is achieved by packaging and storing a hydrogel lens with two or more leachable polymeric lubricants incorporated therein in a relatively viscous packaging solution including a relatively low molecular weight polyethylene glycol (PEG) and a viscosity-enhancing hydrophilic polymer. The present invention also provides methods for making contact lens products of the invention.
US09348056B2	Image-based direct numerical simulation of petrophysical properties under simulated stress and strain conditions A testing system for performing image based direct numerical simulation to characterize petrophysical properties of a rock sample under the simulated deformation condition, for example as representative of subsurface conditions. A digital image volume corresponding to x-ray tomographic images of a rock sample is segmented into its significant elastic phases, such as pore space, clay fraction, grain contacts and mineral type, and overlaid with an unstructured finite element mesh. A simulated deformation is applied to the segmented image volume, and the resulting deformed unstructured mesh is numerically analyzed, for example by way of direct numerical simulation, to determine the desired petrophysical properties.
US09348055B2	Security scanner A scanner (200) includes a radiation source (202) that emits radiation that traverses a scanning region and a detector array (204), including a line of detectors (302), that detects radiation traversing the scanning region, wherein the radiation source and the detector array are located on opposing sides of the scanning region. The scanner further includes a mover (208) configured to move an object through the scanning region when scanning the object. The line of detectors (302) is configured to move in a plane, which is substantially parallel to the scanning region, in coordination with the mover moving the object, thereby creating a plane of detection for scanning the object.
US09348053B2	Metal detector with at least one transmit/receive switch The present invention relates to a method for detecting an electrically conducting target in soil, including the steps of generating a repeating transmit signal cycle of a fundamental period using transmit electronics, the repeating transmit signal cycle including a first period and a second period within each fundamental period; generating a transmit magnetic field using a magnetic field transmitter, based on the repeating transmit signal cycle, for transmission into the soil; receiving a receive magnetic field using a magnetic field receiver; producing a receive signal induced by the receive magnetic field; arranging for a current flowing through the magnetic field transmitter to flow to a first potential through a damping resistor during the second period for providing a damping effect on the current flowing through the magnetic field transmitter; arranging for the current flowing through the magnetic field transmitter to flow to a second potential, predominantly through an alternative path with a lower resistance than the damping resistor during the first period; monitoring the current flowing through the magnetic field transmitter to provide a control signal, the control signal, in effect, causing the second period to begin when the current flowing through the magnetic field transmitter is substantially zero; and processing the receive signal during at least part of the repeating transmit signal cycle to produce an indicator signal indicating the presence of an electrically conducting target when the target is within the influence of the transmit magnetic field.
US09348050B2	Near-surface noise prediction and removal for data recorded with simultaneous seismic sources A seismic data processing method for predicting and removing unwanted near-surface noise, e.g. refracted waves and surface waves, from composite seismograms acquired with multiple, encoded seismic sources in which the time records from the different sources overlap or interfere. Surface-consistent properties are determined (403) for the near-surface noise and used to predict the noise waveforms (404) for the composite simultaneous-source seismograms, and the waveforms are then subtracted or adaptively subtracted (406) from the seismograms.
US09348049B2	Simultaneous joint estimation of the P-P and P-S residual statics Methods and systems for estimating the residual static terms for multi-component land datasets are described. A one-pass estimation simultaneously using P-P pre-stack data and P-S pre-stack data for generating common source residual statics for the P-P data and the P-S data and separate receiver residual statics for the P-P data and the P-S data. A series of iterations are performed using either a linear or a non-linear simulation to converge on acceptable residual statics.
US09348047B2	Modeling of parallel seismic textures An approach for seismic data analysis is provided. In accordance with embodiments of this approach, parallel regions within a volume of seismic data are modeled. Residual regions within the volumetric data set are identified, where the residual regions comprise those regions not modeled as parallel regions. The residual regions or a graphic derived from the residual regions are displayed for review.
US09348046B2	Managing microseismic data for fracture matching Systems, methods, and software can be used to analyze microseismic data from a fracture treatment. In some aspects, stored data associate a fracture plane with a first plurality of microseismic events from a fracture treatment of a subterranean region. Additional stored data indicate an ordering of a second, different plurality of microseismic events from the fracture treatment. One of the second plurality of microseismic events is selected based on the ordering, and the fracture plane is updated based on the selected microseismic event.
US09348044B2	Vectorization of fast fourier transform for elastic wave propogation for use in seismic underwater exploration of geographical areas of interest Numerical simulations of elastic wave propagation algorithms are critical components for seismic imaging and inversion. Finite-difference schemes yield good efficiency but cannot ensure the accuracy of the high frequency component. Pseudo-spectral algorithms are accurate up to the Nyquist frequency, but its efficiency depends on the optimization of the fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm. The conventional FFT algorithms are optimized for signal processing, in which problems are generally one dimensional time series. For 3D wave propagation, FFT algorithms have the potential to be further optimized. Under current computer hardware architecture, a vectorization scheme for high dimensional FFTs is presented. Compared to conventional numerical scheme implementations, the systems and methods disclose herein has the best performance on the slowest or higher dimensions of data. For elastic wave propagation, vectorization improves the efficiency by more than a factor of two when compared to standard FFT algorithms.
US09348040B2	Adaptive scanning in an imaging system An imaging system exposes an object within a region to a beam of penetrating radiation. The beam of penetrating radiation is sensed on a side opposite the region from a source of the beam. An attenuation of the beam caused by passing the beam through the object is determined, the attenuation is compared to a threshold attenuation. If the attenuation exceeds the threshold attenuation, a parameter of the imaging system is adjusted based on the determined attenuation.
US09348037B2	X-ray pixels including double photoconductors and X-ray detectors including the X-ray pixels Example embodiments are directed to X-ray detectors including double photoconductors. According to example embodiments, the X-ray detector includes a first photoconductor on which X-rays are incident, and a second photoconductor on which X-rays transmitted through the first photoconductor are incident. The first photoconductor and the second photoconductor include a tandem structure. The first photoconductor is formed of silicon and absorbs X-rays in a low energy band, and the second photoconductor is formed of a material that absorbs X-rays in an energy band higher than the low energy band of the X-rays absorbed by silicon.
US09348035B2	Systems and methods for selectable detector configurations An X-ray detector includes a light sensor configured to receive light energy from a scintillator receiving X-rays. The light sensor includes a grid of pixels having a light reception surface oriented toward the scintillator and configured to receive light from the scintillator. Each pixel includes a diode assembly, a control assembly and a capacitor assembly. The diode assembly is disposed on the light reception surface and is configured to produce electric charge responsive to light received by the diode assembly. The diode assembly includes plural diodes selectably configurable in plural combinations, wherein an amount of the electric charge produced by the diode assembly varies based on a selection of diode combination. The control assembly is operably connected to the diode assembly and configured to selectably configure the diodes. The capacitor assembly is operably connected to the diode assembly and configured to receive and store the electric charge from the diode assembly.
US09348031B2	Delayed GeoTagging Various methods, apparatuses, and systems for providing a delayed geotag using GPS devices are described. The GPS device includes a wireless receiver configured to receive satellite state data and satellite range measurements from a plurality of satellites, a communications interface in communication with a media device, and a position engine configured to calculate a geotag. The GPS device can be configured to receive satellite range measurements from one or more satellites at a first point in time when the satellite state data for a minimum number of the satellites is unavailable, and to calculate the satellite state data at that time using satellite state data received at a second, later point in time. The satellite state information at the first point in time is calculated using an algorithm to extrapolate the satellite state data back to the first point in time when the satellite range measurements were made. The GPS device can calculate a geotag using the calculated satellite state data at the first point in time and the corresponding satellite range measurements.
US09348029B2	Imaging system for wire detection The present disclosure provides a system, method, and apparatus for detection and imaging. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed method involves transmitting, with a first optical transmitter, a first transmit signal to an object (e.g., a wire); and transmitting, with a second optical transmitter, a second transmit signal to the object. The method further involves receiving, with an optical receiver, a receive signal that is reflected from the object. In one or more embodiments, the receive signal is a function of the first transmit signal and the second transmit signal. Further, the method involves detecting, with a detector, the receive signal. The frequency of the receive signal is the sum of the frequency of the first transmit signal and the frequency of the second transmit signal, and/or is the difference between the frequency of the first transmit signal and the frequency of the second transmit signal.
US09348028B2	Sonar module using multiple receiving elements A sonar module using multiple receiving elements. A sonar module for use with a vessel may include a housing positioned on the vessel. The sonar module may also include one or more transmitting elements positioned inside the housing and configured to send at least one transmit signal to a transducer array. The sonar module may further include a first receiving element, a second receiving element, a third receiving element, and a fourth receiving element positioned inside the housing, where the first receiving element is configured to receive a first sonar data from the transducer array, the second receiving element is configured to receive a second sonar data from the transducer array, the third receiving element is configured to receive a third sonar data from the transducer array, and the fourth receiving element is configured to receive a fourth sonar data from the transducer array.
US09348027B2	Ultrasonic sensor device An ultrasonic sensor device includes a substrate, a piezoelectric vibrator, and a Q-factor adjuster. The piezoelectric vibrator includes a pair of detection electrodes that face each other in a thickness direction of the substrate and a piezoelectric body interposed between the electrodes. The piezoelectric vibrator provides a membrane structure which is formed on a surface of the substrate and has rigidity lower than that of a remaining portion of the substrate. An ultrasonic wave is transmitted by the piezoelectric vibrator, and its reflected wave is received by the same piezoelectric vibrator. The Q-factor adjuster adjusts a Q-factor of the piezoelectric vibrator so that the Q-factor can be larger during a transmission period where the piezoelectric vibrator transmits the ultrasonic wave than during a reception period where the piezoelectric vibrator receives the ultrasonic wave.
US09348026B2	Device and method for determination of a position of an object by means of ultrasonic waves An apparatus for marking an object includes a marking unit for marking the object with a laser beam, a transporting device for transporting the object and a device for determination of a position of the object by means of ultrasonic waves originating from the object. A pulsed laser beam is directed to the object to cause vibrations at a surface of the object, by which vibrations the object is excited to generate ultrasonic waves.
US09348023B2	Radar apparatus and signal processing method There is provided a radar apparatus configured to extract peak signals which are obtained from a difference frequency between a transmission signal and a reception signal, and to derive information of the target on the basis of the extracted peak signals. A prediction unit predicts this time peak signal based on a peak signal obtained in previous time. An extraction unit extracts this time peak signal corresponding to the predicted peak signal from peak signals existing within a predetermined frequency range. The extraction unit extends the frequency range when this time peak signal corresponding to the predicted peak signal does not exist within the predetermined frequency range.
US09348021B2	Methods and apparatus for adaptive motion compensation to remove translational movement between a sensor and a target Methods and apparatus for performing adaptive motion compensation to remove translational movement between a sensor and a target using data from the sensor. After whitening, data can be processed to select a target and focus frequency components. Dynamic sliding window processing can be performed on processed time domain data to estimate an instantaneous range rate for the target.
US09348020B2	Offset frequency homodyne ground penetrating radar Systems and methods involve generating a baseband signal, up-converting the baseband signal to a radar signal frequency, filtering a lower sideband of the up-converted signal, and transmitting the filtered up-converted signal. Systems and methods also involve receiving a return signal, down-converting the return signal using a signal having a frequency offset from the up-converted signal, filtering the upper sideband of the down-converted return signal, and producing a baseband return signal.
US09348019B2	Hybrid image-sensing apparatus having filters permitting incident light in infrared region to be passed to time-of-flight pixel An image-sensing apparatus is provided. The image-sensing apparatus includes: an optical filter array including a two-band passing filter and an infrared filter; an RGB pixel array placed below the two-band passing filter; and a TOF pixel array adjacent to the RGB pixel array and placed below the two-band passing filter and the infrared filter, wherein a combination of the two-band passing filter and the infrared passing filter permits only the incident light in the infrared region to pass to the ToF pixel array.
US09348018B2	Measurement device for measuring a distance between the measurement device and a target object using an optical measurement beam The disclosure relates to a measurement device for optically measuring a distance to a target object, in particular a handheld measurement device. The disclosure relates to such a measurement device having a transmitting device for transmitting an optical measurement beam to a target object; a receiving device having a detection surface for detecting the optical measurement beam returning from the target object, wherein the detection surface has a plurality of pixels, and each pixel has at least one light-sensitive element; and a reference device having a detection surface for detecting a device-internal reference beam. According to the disclosure, the detection surface of the reference device has a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel has at least one light-sensitive element.
US09348016B2	Radar apparatus and signal processing method There is provided a radar apparatus configured to emit a transmission wave, to receive a reflected wave as a reception signal, and to derive target information including at least position information of a target from peak signals which are extracted by performing FFT processing for a beat signal that is generated from the reception signal. A determination unit is configured to determine whether a specific peak signal exists at a frequency that is distant from a frequency of the peak signal existing at a first frequency by a frequency of one selected peak signal selected from the plurality of peak signals. An exclusion unit is configured to exclude the target information corresponding to the selected peak signal from an output object of the radar apparatus when the specific peak signal exists.
US09348012B2	Vehicle inclination detecting device In a vehicle inclination detecting device, a receiving unit includes a switching unit for alternately switching between a received signal from a first receiving antenna and a received signal from a second receiving antenna to alternately output the received signals to an orthogonal detector. The orthogonal detector carries out orthogonal detection on each of the two received signals from the switching unit and an oscillating signal from an oscillator by using an identical line.
US09348009B2	Electromagnetic emitter emitting simultaneously along three orthogonal axes to detect object position and orientation An electromagnetic emission device for helmet position detection systems includes an electromagnetic emitter and control electronics, the emitter comprising three windings arranged perpendicularly, the processing electronics comprising three electronic chains each associated to a given winding and working simultaneously. Each electronic chain comprises closed-loop control means arranged such that the related signal generated comprises three analogue components: a first component, being the stimulus component, modulated at an “emission” frequency of the winding, each of the three emission frequencies being different from one winding to the next, and a second and a third component, referred to as correction components, modulated at an emission frequency of another winding, the phase and amplitude of which are calculated such as to compensate the parasitic signals received by said winding from the other two windings. Each winding in steady-state only emits electromagnetic radiation at its own emission frequency and at a predetermined phase and intensity.
US09348008B2	Noninvasive characterization of mechanical properties of materials and tissues using magnetic resonance techniques Techniques include determining, non-invasively and without applying deformational stress, a nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation rate at a volume inside a subject. The method also includes determining a mechanical property of material at the volume inside the subject based on the nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation rate.
US09348007B2	Magnetic resonance imaging method and apparatus A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method includes applying a radio-frequency (RF) pulse to a subject including different tissues all including a same type of atomic nuclei to rotate magnetization directions of the atomic nuclei of the different tissues; applying an RF pulse sequence to the subject based on the magnetization directions of the atomic nuclei of the different tissues; and obtaining magnetic resonance signals from the different tissues in response to the RF pulse sequence.
US09348004B2	Magnetic sensor, magnetic head, and biomagnetic sensor A magnetic sensor includes a channel layer, a magnetization free layer placed on a first section of the channel layer, and a magnetization-fixed layer placed on a second section of the channel layer. A thickness of the channel layer of the first section is different from a thickness of the channel layer of the second section and a resistance of an interface between the channel layer and the magnetization free layer is lower than a resistance of an interface between the channel layer and the magnetization-fixed layer.
US09347997B2	State of charge determination systems and methods In one embodiment, a method implemented by a processor, comprising receiving voltage values corresponding to a battery system, receiving charge values corresponding to charge flowing through the battery system, and determining a state of charge based on specified anchoring points of a charge integration, the anchoring points based on the received voltage and time.
US09347993B2	Test generation for test-per-clock Aspects of the invention relate to test generation techniques for test-per-clock. Test cubes may be generated by adding constraints to a conventional automatic test pattern generator. During a test cube merging process, a first test cube is merged with one or more test cubes that are compatible with the first test cube to generate a second test cube. The second test cube is shifted by one bit along a direction of scan chain shifting to generate a third test cube. The third test cube is then merged with one or more test cubes in the test cubes that are compatible with the third test cube to generate a fourth test cube. The shifting and merging operations may be repeated for a predetermined number of times.
US09347988B2	Semiconductor testing jig and semiconductor testing method performed by using the same A semiconductor testing jig fixes a measurement target while it is held between a chuck stage and the measurement target. The semiconductor testing jig includes a base on which the measurement target is to be installed and which can be attached to the chuck stage. The base includes: a first main surface to become an installation surface for the measurement target; a second main surface opposite the first main surface and which is to contact the chuck stage; and a porous region containing a porous member. The porous region is provided selectively as seen in plan view, and penetrates through the base from the first main surface toward the second main surface.
US09347986B2	Method and device for controlling the latency of electronic circuits A device for monitoring the latency of electronic circuits based on microtechnology and/or nanotechnology, said circuits to be tested being supplied with the aid of a voltage Vdd, having a low level and a high level, for the detection of delay faults of said circuits, comprises: at least one device of type I placed between the high level of the power supply voltage and the elements of the circuit to be tested, and/or at least one device of type II placed between the low level of the power supply voltage of the elements of the elements of said circuit to be tested, the device of type I and the device of type II comprising at least one low-latency electrical path, said low-latency path being connected in parallel with a high-latency electrical path, a test signal monitoring the opening of the low-latency paths while the high-latency electrical paths are open.
US09347984B2	Method to improve strain rate control of small lead free printed circuit board assembly during in circuit test process An apparatus includes a top plate and an extension card surrounding a space for a small electronic assembly. The extension card and small electronic assembly are mounted to the top plate. The apparatus includes a plurality of test probes extending through the top plate and moving relative to the top plate. A portion of the test probes are positioned to contact the extension card and a portion are positioned to contact the small electronic assembly when the test probes move with respect to the top plate. The apparatus includes a vacuum box in contact with the top plate and surrounding the extension card and small electronic assembly. The top plate moves relative to the test probes so the test probes contact the extension card and the small electronic assembly in response to a vacuum force evacuating an area under the top plate and within the vacuum box.
US09347980B2	Radio frequency characteristics measurement jig device A radio frequency characteristics measurement jig device includes: a ground conductor part; a first coplanar line; a connection substrate; and a holding part. The first coplanar line includes a first dielectric layer, a first center conductive layer and first ground conductive layers. The connection substrate includes a second dielectric layer, a second center conductive layer, second ground conductive layers, and a third ground conductive layer. The holding part is configured to press the connection substrate to the first coplanar line and the signal terminal so as to allow electrical continuity between the first center conductive layer and the second center conductive layer on the first region, to allow electrical continuity between the first ground conductive layer and the second ground conductive layer, and to allow electrical continuity between the second center conductive layer on the second region and the signal terminal.
US09347979B2	Touchdown monitoring for individual dies of a semiconductor wafer A prober system comprises a chuck, sensor and processing circuit. The chuck is configured to horizontally move a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of dies to position a selected group of the dies for parallel testing and vertically move the wafer to press the selected group of dies in contact with probes of a tester probe card. The sensor is configured to measure the vertical movement of the chuck when the wafer is on the chuck. The processing circuit is configured to control the horizontal and vertical movement of the chuck to test different groups of the dies, determine a total number of touchdowns between the wafer and the probes based on the vertical movement of the chuck measured by the sensor and associate each of the touchdowns with a location of the wafer contacted by the probes during that touchdown. A corresponding test data analysis system is also provided.
US09347978B2	Arc fault detector with circuit interrupter There is here disclosed a method and apparatus for detecting the occurrence of arcing of a conductor by monitoring the current on an AC power line. The signal detected is split and directed along four separate paths to generate four signals having separate characteristics which represent the current in the line. Upon the detection of arcing, an output signal can be generated to activate a circuit interrupting mechanism, sound an audio alarm and/or alert a central monitoring station.
US09347977B2	Connection error detecting apparatus and method which detect a connection error in a smart meter Provided are a connection error detecting apparatus and method. The connection error detecting apparatus, which detects connection errors for each rating of a smart meter, comprises: a parameter calculating unit for calculating connection error detecting parameters including an actual three-phase voltage value, an actual three-phase current value, an effective amount of three-phase power, and an ineffective amount of three-phase power; and a connection error determining unit for setting connection error criteria for detecting connection errors for each rating of the smart meter, and detecting the connection errors for each rating by determining whether or not any one of the connection error detecting parameters satisfies the connection error criteria.
US09347976B2	Hot stick power analyzer A hot stick power analyzer includes a housing mounted on a pole and a channel for a power line. A ground line extends from the housing and there is a power line conductive contact. A voltage sensor includes voltage sensing circuitry connected to the power line conductive contact and the ground line. There is a high voltage capacitance between the ground line and the voltage sensing circuitry. A current sensor includes windings about and spaced from the power line. A processing subsystem is responsive to the voltage sensing circuitry and to the current sensor and is configured to compute power analysis metrics.
US09347972B2	Alternate voltage sensing method for increased weather robustness of ungrounded power line sensors A voltage sensing system and method for use with ungrounded power line sensors deployed on each phase of a power line. The voltage of each phase is measured using the sensors. This measurement is used unless there is a snow event. A collector is powered by a transformer connected to the power line being monitored and a voltage measurement circuit is configured to measure the collector supply voltage which is then used to obtain an alternate voltage measurement for each phase. When the sensor measured voltage for any phase deviates from the alternate voltage measurement by a pre-established value, a snow event has occurred and the alternate voltage measurement may then be used.
US09347971B2	Probing device A probing device includes a circuit board, a reinforcing plate, at least one space transformer and at least one probe assembly. The reinforcing plate is disposed on the circuit board, and the reinforcing plate has a plurality of inner conductive wires electrically connecting to those of the circuit board. The reinforcing plate defines a plurality of receiving space therein. The space transformer is disposed on the reinforcing plate, and the space transformer has a plurality of inner conductive wires electrically connecting to those of the reinforcing plate via a plurality of first solder balls. The probe assembly is disposed on the space transformer, and the probe assembly includes a plurality of probes. The first solder balls are disposed in the receiving spaces, and the reinforcing plate abuts against the space transformer.
US09347961B2	Test kit for the quantitative determination of narcotic drugs A test kit for the quantitative determination of narcotic drugs comprising (A) series of sealed vessels, each vessel containing a deuterium free isotopologue of a narcotic drug in exactly defined concentrations and quantities, wherein the isotopologue differs from vessel to vessel and—wherein the quantities of the isotopologue differ from vessel to vessel or are the same for all vessels; and/or (B) series of sealed vessels, each vessel containing in exactly defined concentrations and quantities the same isotopologue in quantities which differ from vessel to vessel; wherein the free isotopologues are selected from narcotic drugs; prodrugs, salts, solvates, hydrates and polymorphs and contain at least three stable isotopes selected from the group consisting of 13C, 15N and 18O in the molecule with a degree of labeling of at least 95 mol-%; the use of the test kit and a method for quantitatively determining narcotic drugs.
US09347959B2	Oxidative biomarkers in predicting risk of stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) Provided herein are compositions and methods for examining the progression, regression or risk of individuals for having a stroke, transient ischemic attack or peripheral artery disease.
US09347957B2	Reagent for assaying D-dimer and kit of reagent for assaying D-dimer The present invention provides a reagent for assaying D-dimer which includes carriers sensitized to first and second monoclonal antibodies which react with D-dimer, but have different reactivity to D-dimer in which the first monoclonal antibody reacts with high- and low-molecular fractions of D-dimer, the second monoclonal antibody reacts with the high-molecular fraction, but reactivity of the second monoclonal antibody with the low-molecular fraction is different from that of the first monoclonal antibody and a kit of reagent for assaying D-dimer.
US09347956B2	Biomarker and uses thereof in diagnosis, treatment of autism A new biomarker, a peptide having sequence SSKITHRIHWESASLLR*, wherein the side chain of the C-terminal arginine denoted with the asterisk is lacking the NH2- C═NH moiety normally present in the side chain. Usefulness of the biomarker in the diagnosis of neurological and/or neuropsychiatric disorders (in particular autism) is disclosed, as well as are methods for determining the concentration of the new biomarker and antibodies directed to the new biomarker. Treatment of autism, comprising administering a complement factor I inhibitor to the subject.
US09347955B2	Device and methods for the immunological identification of cerebrospinal fluid The present disclosure relates to detection of the presence or absence of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in a sample by the detection of one or more antigens that are enriched in CSF compared to their levels in other bodily fluids. The devices and methods are suitable for the detection of the presence or absence of cerebrospinal fluid in samples of mixed bodily fluids from a wide variety of human populations crossing ethnicity, age, gender, health status and genetic variability.
US09347952B2	Soluble VEGFR-1 variants for diagnosis of preeclampsia Novel splice variants, amino acid sequences and nucleotide sequences thereof, and methods of using same.
US09347950B2	Moesin fragments associated with immune thrombocytopenia The present application provides compositions and methods useful for detecting and monitoring immune thrombocytopenia.
US09347949B2	Isotope-labeled pyrylium compound The present invention provides a compound represented by the formula (I): or a salt thereof; and a method of quantitatively analyzing an amino group-containing target substance, including labeling a target substance in samples by using, as a labeling compound, two or more of such compounds having a mutually different mass due to isotope labeling, to confer a mass difference to the target substance between two or more samples, and the like.
US09347945B2	Methods and marker combinations for screening for predisposition to lung cancer The present invention relates to rapid, sensitive methods for determining whether a subject is at risk of developing lung cancer or has lung cancer based on certain combinations or biomarkers or biomarkers and biometric parameters.
US09347942B2	Ultrasensitive cell based sensors and uses thereof The present invention relates to a novel cell based sensor useful for drug discovery that comprises a cell line with professional regulated exocytosis of secretory granules transfected with a protease as a reporter polypeptide stored in the regulated secretory granules of the cell line with professional regulated exocytosis and having either an endogenous or a heterologous molecule as a modulator of regulated secretory granules exocytosis, such said granule stored protease reporter having at least: a high resistance to conditions already present inside the granules such as low pH and proteolysis by other proteases; enzymatic activity after exocytosis; a highly specific cleavage sequence; a very low level of secretion under unstimulated or basal conditions; and a high signal to background activity in a media compatible with cell culture viability and granule exocytosis for a high throughput robust and sensitive detection.
US09347940B2	Method of component assembly on a substrate A method of component assembly on a substrate, and an assembly of a bound component on a substrate. The method comprises the steps of forming a free-standing component having an optical characteristic; providing a pattern of a first binding species on the substrate or the free standing component; and forming a bound component on the substrate through a binding interaction via the first binding species; wherein the bound component exhibits substantially the same optical characteristic compared to the free-standing component.
US09347939B2	Method for making polymer single nanowires and sensors utilizing the same A method of fabricating polymer single nanowires, comprising the steps of: spin coating a polymethylmethacrylate resist onto a silicon wafer patterned with at least one gold electrode pair; creating a nanochannel using e-beam lithography between each pair of the at least one gold electrode pairs; placing the silicon wafer into an aniline monomer polymerization solution; reacting the polymerization solution to give a coated wafer and a polyaniline film; and cleaning the coated wafer of polymethylmethacrylate resist and polyaniline film to give at least one gold electrode pair with a connecting polymer single nanowire.
US09347936B2	Inactive Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIα knockin animal and knockin cell of the same The present invention provides an inactive Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIα (CaMKIIα) knockin animal in which only the protein kinase activity of CaMKIIα has been specifically impaired. Since CaMKIIα is considered to be involved in higher brain functions including learning and memory, and inhibit epileptic seizure and brain disorders caused by ischemia, the inactive CaMKIIα knockin animal of the present invention is widely usable for various studies of the brain and nerve, such as the studies of mechanisms of learning disability, dysmnesia, epileptic seizure and brain disorders.
US09347935B2	Mammalian sweet and amino acid heterodimeric taste receptors comprising T1R3 and T1R1 The present invention provides isolated nucleic acid and amino acid sequences of sweet or amino acid taste receptors comprising T1R3 and T1R1, two heterologous G-protein coupled receptor polypeptides from the T1R family of sensory G-protein coupled receptors, antibodies to such receptors, methods of detecting such nucleic acids and receptors, and methods of screening for modulators of sweet and amino acid taste receptors.
US09347933B2	System and method to improve yield of sorted particles Provided herein are systems and methods for improving yield of sorted particles. In one embodiment, for example, there is provided a system including: (a) a flow cytometer to analyze a sample, wherein the flow cytometer provides a parameter plot based on the analysis of the sample; (b) a user-interface, wherein a user can define a coincidence acceptance gate in the parameter plot, and wherein the coincidence acceptance gate identities a non-target particle population in the sample that may be accepted with a target particle in a subsequent sort analysis; and (c) a sort analysis system to sort particles within the sample, while accepting particles defined by coincidence acceptance gate.
US09347932B2	Device and method for breath analysis using acoustic resonance flow rate The present invention describes a device and method for measuring flow rate from air flow using acoustic resonance. It is shown that the device can be used to measure breath flow rate and biomarker concentration within human breath.
US09347925B2	Method of calibrating an air sensor One embodiment of the invention provides an air treatment device. The air treatment device comprises: an air purifying unit, configured to purify air; an air sensor, configured to measure a first air quantity and provide a measurement output, wherein the first air quantity comprises the purified air purified by the air purifying unit; and a processor, configured to generate a first value based on the measurement output of the air sensor so as to calibrate the air sensor. With the air treatment device of one embodiment of the invention, clean air, i.e. zero air, is generated locally by the air treatment device so as to calibrate the air sensor, without the need for externally generating the zero air, which brings convenience for the user or other operators performing calibration of the air sensor of the air treatment device. Another embodiment of the invention also provides a method of calibrating an air sensor of an air treatment device. The method comprises the steps of: purifying air by using the air treatment device; and measuring a first air quantity by using the air sensor to get a first value so as to calibrate the air sensor, wherein the first air quantity comprises the purified air.
US09347924B2	Critical flow in moisture generation system for natural gas A moisture provision and analyzer arrangement includes a conduit for obtaining a sample flow of natural gas, a moisture analyzer, and a bypass flow conduit. A main orifice is in fluid communication within the moisture provision and analyzer arrangement with flow proceeding to the moisture analyzer. A bypass orifice is located along the bypass flow conduit. The main orifice is sized and the flow provided to the moisture analyzer via the main orifice is at a pressure such that the flow provided to the moisture analyzer is at a critical flow condition and the bypass orifice is sized and the bypass flow is provided at a pressure such that the bypass flow is at a critical flow condition. Components in the moisture provision and analyzer arrangement are selected such that the critical flow rate through the main orifice and the critical flow rate through the bypass orifice are equal.
US09347918B2	Ultrasonic array focussing apparatus and method A method is provided in which radiussed components are scanned by moving the focal point of a curved array into the component, while keeping the geometric focal point of the array coincident with that of the radiussed component.
US09347915B2	Non-thermosensitive medium for analyzing species in a channel and for minimizing absorption and/or electroosomosic phenomena An aqueous liquid medium for analyzing, purifying or separating species in an element having walls or for treating the walls of an element. The medium includes at least a polymer consisting of several polymeric segments. The polymer is of the irregular block-copolymer or irregular comb-like polymer type and has on the average at least three junction points between polymeric segments of different chemical or topological nature. The medium may be used in methods for analyzing, purifying or separating species and methods for treating an element to be contacted with a fluid and/or species contained in the fluid during preservation, transport, analysis, purification or separation of the fluid.
US09347913B2	Apparatus and process for gas sensor control A gas sensor control apparatus includes a heater regulating section to control the supply of electricity to a heater included in a gas sensor, an impedance sensing section to sense an impedance of the gas sensor cell, an impedance condition examining section to examine whether the impedance is greater than or equal to an abnormality threshold, a voltage condition examining section to examine whether a maximum effective voltage is applied to the heater, when the impedance is above the abnormality threshold, a duration measuring section to examine whether an application time duration of the maximum effective voltage becomes equal to or longer than a heater overheat preventing time, and a voltage decreasing section to decrease the heater voltage to such a lower effective voltage as to hold the temperature of the cell higher than or equal to 500° C. when the application time duration reaches the heater overheat preventing time.
US09347906B2	Sensor apparatus for detecting properties of liquid The invention relates to a sensor device for detecting properties of fluid media in a container, comprising at least one base plate (42) made of an insulating material and having a first surface (42a) exposed to the medium (3), at least two sensor elements (41) having at least a first and a second electrode (41a, 41b) arranged insulated from one another on the first surface of the base plate and around which the medium flows, the at least two sensor elements being arranged in a predetermined spatial position relative to each other.
US09347903B2	Method for detecting the type of lambda probes Methods for detecting the type of lambda probes having at least two electrodes disposed on and/or in a solid electrolyte, of which at least one electrode is separated from a gas mixture by a diffusion barrier, and a pump current Ip being applied to at least one of the electrodes. Either the internal resistance of the lambda probe between the electrodes is determined and the type of probe is inferred on the basis of this resistance, or currents are impressed between the electrodes and the type of probe is inferred based on the voltages or resistance ratios thereby resulting.
US09347901B2	Liquid transport apparatus and bubble determination method A liquid transport apparatus includes a tube for transporting a liquid, plural fingers that push and block the tube, a cam that pushes the fingers in sequence so as to squeeze the tube to transport the liquid, a first electrode and a second electrode that are provided at the tube located further toward the downstream side than a region pushed by the plural fingers, and a determination unit that determines the presence/absence of a bubble on the basis of the impedance between the first electrode and the second electrode.
US09347897B2	Characterizing dimensions of structures via scanning probe microscopy A method comprising characterizing the dimensions of structures on a semiconductor device having dimensions less than approximately 100 nanometers (nm) using one of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) or profilometry.
US09347895B2	X-RAY diffraction apparatus, X-RAY diffraction measuring method, and control program The X-ray diffraction apparatus irradiates a sample with an X-ray and performs frame photographing in each X-ray diffraction angle, and includes a control section (141) controlling the frame photographing by scanning without closing a shutter, a data acquisition section (142) acquiring detection data of each frame which has been detected by a semiconductor pixel detector in the frame photographing, a frame integration section (146) integrating the detection data which has been acquired in each scanning for each frame, and a determination section (147) determining whether the integrated detection data has a sufficient intensity or not, and the control section (141) controls so as to finish measurement when the integrated detection data has a sufficient intensity and so as to perform the scanning again when the integrated detection data does not have a sufficient intensity.
US09347887B2	Wavelength variable interference filter, optical filter device, optical module, and electronic apparatus A wavelength variable interference filter includes a fixed substrate, a movable substrate, a fixed reflective film provided on the fixed substrate, a movable reflection film provided on the movable substrate and opposed to the fixed reflective film via an inter-reflective film gap, a fixed electrode provided on the fixed substrate, a movable electrode provided on the movable substrate and opposed to the fixed electrode via an inter-electrode gap, a fixed charging preventing electrode provided along the outer circumferential edge of the fixed electrode and in non-contact with the fixed electrode and grounded, and a movable charging preventing electrode provided along the outer circumferential edge of the movable electrode and in non-contact with the movable electrode and grounded.
US09347885B2	Method of detecting thalassemia by optical analysis of blood components The method of detecting thalassemia by optical analysis of blood components is a spectral detection method that is based on the fluorescence spectra of a set of biomolecules, including tyrosine, tryptophan, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, and flavin adenine dinucleotide, which are all found in blood plasma, and porphyrin, which is found in red blood cells (RBCs). Measured ratios of intensity maxima between tryptophan and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, flavin adenine dinucleotide and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, tyrosine and tryptophan, and the normal form of porphyrin and the basic form of porphyrin may each be used, alone or in combination, to diagnose a patient as suffering from thalassemia.
US09347881B2	Device and method for detecting state of discharged liquid droplet and image forming device incorporating such device A device for detecting a state of a liquid droplet discharged from each of nozzles placed in one or more rows, includes a light emitting element to emit a light beam to the liquid droplet from a nozzle in question, and a pair of light receiving elements disposed on both sides of a beam diameter of the light beam via an optical axis to receive scattered light occurring from the liquid droplet for detecting a state of the discharged liquid droplet on the basis of the scattered light. Either of the pair of the light receiving elements is selected for receiving the scattered light from the liquid droplet discharged from the nozzle according to a positional relation between the nozzle and the pair of light receiving elements.
US09347875B2	Gas analyzing system A gas analyzing system that can perform calibration without being influenced by the deterioration of span gas in a span gas supply line. An open-close device control part that receives a calibration start signal issuing an instruction to start zero calibration and span calibration, and controls an open-close device for a span gas flow path. An open-close device for a zero gas flow path, wherein if the open-close device control part receives a new calibration start signal after a predetermined time has passed since previous calibration was performed, before the span calibration is started, for a predetermined time, the open-close device control part controls the open-close device for the span gas flow path so as to open the open-close device for the span gas flow path, and thereby purges span gas that remains in the span gas flow path.
US09347874B2	Calculating the spectral characteristics of the color resulting from overlaying colorants A method of spectrally characterising an ink printed over another ink, and of calculating a spectral measure of reflectance of an overprint of a plurality of inks thus characterized. The method uses spectral measurements of a substrate. For an order of printing an overprint, for each ink, for a respective amount of printing of the ink, the method accepts or determines a respective interaction of absorption and reflection function (“IAR function”) indicative of how the ink interacts with a printed background and includes determining the spectral reflectance by repeatedly multiplying, in the order, for each additional ink added to a current background the spectral measure of the current background by exponentiation of the ratio of the spectral measure of the additional ink on the substrate to the spectral measure of the substrate, by the TAR function of the additional ink.
US09347873B2	Image forming apparatus, calibration method, and drying determination method An image forming apparatus includes a printing unit that prints at least one object image using a color material; a color information acquiring unit that acquires color information of the object image; and a control unit that starts one of colorimetry of the object image using the color information acquired by the color information acquiring unit and color adjustment of the printing unit after a variation amount of color information of the object image measured at different points of time is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold.
US09347872B1	Meta-model based measurement refinement Methods and systems for determining a meta-model to correct model based measurements are presented. Such systems are employed to measure structural and material characteristics (e.g., material composition, dimensional characteristics of structures and films, etc.) associated with different semiconductor fabrication processes. In one aspect, model-based measurement parameter values are corrected based on a meta-model that maps specimen parameter values determined based on the measurement model to reference parameter values determined based on a more accurate reference measurement. In another aspect, parameters of a meta-model are determined such that errors between reference parameter values and specimen parameter values determined based on the measurement model are minimized. In some embodiments, the accuracy of a corrected parameter value is an order of magnitude greater than the uncorrected parameter value.
US09347871B2	Laser scanning type observation apparatus having a delay circuit unit, a multi-stage delay setting unit and a decision unit A laser scanning type observation apparatus includes a pulsed-laser oscillation means irradiating pulsed laser to an object, a detector receiving light from the object to output a detection signal, a means detecting pulsed-laser oscillation to output a synchronous signal, a circuit delaying the synchronous signal for an optional amount of time to output a trigger signal, a means sampling the detection signal in synchronization with the trigger signal, a memory storing the sampled detection signal, a setting unit capable of setting delay time for delaying the synchronous signal in two or more stages within one period of the synchronous signal, and a decision unit determining an optimum delay stage for image formation using data on intensities of the detection signal at the respective delay stages, wherein the setting means fixes delay time for delaying the synchronous signal at delay time corresponding to the delay stage determined by the decision unit.
US09347870B2	Device for photometrically or spectrometrically examining a liquid sample The invention relates to a device (1) for photometrically or spectrometrically examining a liquid sample (2), comprising a cuvette (3, 3′), which can be arranged in the beam path between a radiation source (4) and a radiation detector (5) and which accommodates the liquid sample (2) to be examined, a radiolucent inlet section (6) for coupling in radiation (20) produced by means of the radiation source (4), which radiation interacts with a sample volume (8), and a radiolucent outlet section (7) for coupling out radiation (20″) intended to be detected in the radiation detector (5), wherein the inlet section (6) has an inlet surface (11) convexly curved in such a way and/or the outlet section (7) has an outlet surface (12, 12′) spherically convexly curved in such a way that the incident radiation (20, 20′) is focused in the manner of a converging lens.
US09347864B2	System and methods for determining structure stiffness Systems and methods for determining the stiffness of a structure based on vertical track modulus. Vertical deflection data is collected along a particular section of a structure, such as a railroad track. A first set of vertical modulus is determined, based in part, on the collected vertical deflection data. At a second time, vertical deflection data is again collected along the particular section of the structure to be used in determining a second set of vertical modulus. At least the first and second sets of vertical modulus are analyzed to determine a mathematical algorithm that facilitates developing a trend in the vertical track modulus of the structure and evaluating the stiffness of the structure.
US09347863B2	Phosphorothioate oligonucleotide-labeling of white blood cells The present invention provides labeling and capture reagents that comprise phosphorothioate oligonucleotides (PS-ODN). The PS-ODN bind to all white blood cells (leukocytes) in an indiscriminative fashion and enable the labeling, capture, or concentration of leukocytes in a manner that preserves the antigenic integrity of the cells. Methods for the use of phosphorothioate oligonucleotides are provided.
US09347860B1	Apparatus for testing vapor emissions from materials An apparatus comprising a dynamic vapor microchamber having a recessed area that accommodates a test material that includes chemical vapors emitted therefrom; an air inlet chamber that directs a flow of air towards the recessed area; at least one air flow wall adjacent to the recessed area and intersecting the flow of air, wherein the at least one air flow wall disrupts the air flow field as it flows towards the test material and produces a uniform and distributed laminar air flow field across a surface of the test material; a thermal controller under the recessed area that maintains a uniform temperature of the test material and the flow of air over the test material; and an air exhaust port that collects the vapors emitted from the test material. The apparatus may include a plurality of chambers arranged adjacent to one another.
US09347858B2	Dispensing device and dispensing system A dispensing device includes: a syringe including a nozzle; a first pump configured to generate a pressure to discharge a liquid in the syringe through the nozzle; and a control unit configured to, when discharging the liquid in the syringe, discharge a part of the liquid in the syringe with the pressure generated by the first pump and then cause the liquid in the syringe to run out under its own weight.
US09347856B2	Key testing device A key testing device is for testing a key with a keycap. The key testing device includes a loading unit and a sleeve. The loading unit includes a block and a rod. The rod includes a first end and a second end. The first end is detachably connected the block. The sleeve is sleeved around the loading unit, and the sleeve includes a partition plate with a through hole. The second end can pass through the through hole. When the sleeve is above the key and the second end contacts the keycap, the gravity of the loading unit is turned from the partition plate to be applied on the keycap. Consequently, since the key testing device can make the pressure pressing on the key be accurate via a loading unit, the probability of misjudgment is decreased.
US09347853B2	Method and device of measuring wavefront aberration, method of manufacturing optical system, and recording medium A wavefront aberration measuring method forms a plurality of spot images by causing light, which is transmitted through a test optical system, to be incident on a lenslet array, and measures positions of the spot images. Based on the measured positions of the spot images, a wavefront aberration of the test optical system is calculated. When the positions of the spot images are measured, at least one lenslet forming the lenslet array is shielded from light, and the spot images are measured.
US09347850B2	Testing methods for wind turbine blades Testing method for determining the distribution of a physical property along a wind turbine blade comprising the following steps: a) installing inside the blade a first optical fiber cable (13) along the leading and trailing edges and a second and third centered optical fiber cables (14, 15) at both sides of the blade (9), leaving in them a free end; b) applying one load to the blade (9) in a test bench (10) placed at the blade factory; c) obtaining the strain distribution produced by said load along the blade (9) using a suitable external equipment connected to said free end for measuring the strain using Rayleigh scattered light; d) determining the distribution of said physical property from said strain distribution; e) comparing the distribution of said physical property with its design distribution. The invention also comprises a method of installation of said cables.
US09347846B2	Capacitance-based pressure sensor including pressure vessel(s) Techniques are described herein that perform capacitance-based pressure sensing using pressure vessel(s). A pressure vessel is an object that has a cross section that defines a void. The void has a shape that is configured to change based on a change of pressure difference between a cavity pressure in a cavity in which at least a portion of the pressure vessel is suspended and a vessel pressure in the pressure vessel. The pressure vessel may be formed in the shape of an enclosed loop (e.g., along a path that is perpendicular to the cross section), resulting in a looped pressure vessel. For instance, an end of the pressure vessel may be connected to another end of the pressure vessel to form the enclosed loop.
US09347844B2	Three point hitch draft sensing system A draft sensing mechanism for a three point hitch includes a hitch frame attached to a frame of a vehicle. The hitch frame includes left and right link supports for coupling to left and right draft links and left and right draft bars. Each draft bar has a first portion attached to a corresponding one of the link supports, and a second portion positioned rearwardly and inwardly with respect to its first portion. Draft forces applied by the draft links to the link supports are transmitted to the second portions of the draft bars. A linkage unit sums the draft forces from the draft bars and includes a draft force transducer which generates a draft force signal in response to deflection of the draft bars.
US09347840B2	Two dimensional material-based pressure sensor This disclosure provides example methods, devices, and systems for a two dimensional material-based pressure sensor. A sensor device is provided that includes a substrate having a back electrode, a conductive layer in communication with the back electrode, and an insulating layer coupled to the conductive layer. The insulating layer includes one or more cavity regions. A sensor membrane comprising a two-dimensional material is disposed adjacent to the insulating layer and covering at least one of the one or more cavity regions. A first sensing electrode is in electrical communication with a first region of the sensor membrane, and a second sensing electrode is in communication with a second region of the sensor membrane. The sensor membrane is configured to respond to pressure changes exerted on the sensor device.
US09347837B2	Multi-phase brushless DC motor control integrated circuit having magnetic sensor and band-gap temperature sensor formed thereon An integrated circuit for implementing brushless DC motor control includes a substrate, a band gap temperature sensor, and a magnetic sensor. The substrate has a temperature output pin for connection to an external device and a magnetic sensor output pin for connection to the external device. The band gap temperature sensor is formed on the substrate and is configured to sense temperature and supply a temperature signal representative of the sensed temperature to the temperature output pin. The magnetic sensor is formed on the substrate and is configured to sense magnetic field variations and supply a sensor output signal representative thereof to the magnetic sensor output pin.
US09347835B2	Systems and methods for peak junction temperature sensing and thermal safe operating area protection A peak junction temperature monitoring system for a semiconductor device includes a peak power dissipation sensor for sensing the peak power dissipation in the device. A temperature sensor senses an average temperature of the device, and a peak junction temperature computation circuit generates a signal representative of a peak junction temperature based on input from the peak power dissipation sensor and the temperature sensor.
US09347832B2	Optical systems and methods employing a polarimetric optical filter A birefringent filter includes an EM directing element in optical alignment with a first surface of the birefringent plate. A polarimetric imager includes a birefringent filter including a birefringent plate formed of a birefringent material and an EM directing element in optical alignment with a first surface of the birefringent plate. The imager further includes a detector in optical alignment with a second surface of the birefringent plate. A projection system includes an EM directing element and a birefringent filter. The filter includes (1) a birefringent plate formed of a birefringent material and having a first surface in optical alignment with the emissions source, and (2) an EM directing element in optical alignment with a second surface of the birefringent plate.
US09347829B2	Integrated nanobeam cavity array spectrometer An on-chip integrated nanobeam cavity array spectrometer (INAS) having an array of waveguide-coupled nanobeam cavities. Waveguide splitters are used to bring the signal from the input waveguide into each cavity. The spectrum of unknown input signal is obtained by collecting signal from each nanobeam cavity in the array.
US09347826B2	System and method for measuring perturbations utilizing an optical filter and a narrowband optical source An optical device, a method of configuring an optical device, and a method of using a fiber Bragg grating is provided. The optical device includes a fiber Bragg grating, a narrowband optical source, and at least one optical detector. The fiber Bragg grating has a power transmission spectrum as a function of wavelength with one or more resonance peaks, each comprising a local maximum and two non-zero-slope regions with the local maximum therebetween. The light generated by the narrowband optical source has a wavelength at a non-zero-slope region of a resonance peak that is selected such that one or more of the following quantities, evaluated at the resonance peak, is at a maximum value: (a) the product of the group delay spectrum and the power transmission spectrum and (b) the product of the group delay spectrum and one minus the power reflection spectrum.
US09347823B2	Absolute measurement method and apparatus thereof for non-linear error The present invention discloses a method for measuring absolute value of non-linear error and an apparatus thereof. The method comprises: placing N reflecting plates jointed together at the sample port of the optical measuring instrument at the same time, wherein each of reflecting plate has a same covering area at the sample port; placing an aperture along light paths of the optical measuring instrument; adjusting the number of reflecting plates as used according to a position in the measuring range of the optical measuring instrument where the non-linear error is required to be measured; following every adjustment, acquiring the output results when the adjusted reflecting plates are placed at the sample port; performing a computation processing for non-linear error to the output results; and acquiring the non-linear error of the output results of the optical measuring instrument.
US09347822B2	Photocell receptacle having variably positionable cap and base A photocell receptacle includes a base configured to be fixedly mounted to a housing of a light fixture. The base has an opening providing access to the interior of the housing of the light fixture. The base has a base locking feature. The photocell receptacle includes a cap having a cap locking feature. The cap locking feature operably engaging the base locking feature to secure the cap to the base. The cap is variably positionable at different angular positions relative to the base. The cap has contact channels holding electrical contacts configured to be electrically connected to corresponding contacts of a photocell.
US09347820B2	Body weight measuring techniques According to certain inventive techniques, a body weight measuring device measures a weight of a load over a period of time to generate a reading. The body weight measuring device includes a plurality of load sensors, a radio, at least one processor, and a display. The plurality of load sensors is configured to generate load information during the reading. The load information includes a plurality of measurements from each of the plurality of load sensors received over the period of time. The radio is configured to wirelessly transmit reading information. The at least one processor is configured to receive the load information from the plurality of load sensors, analyze the load information to determine weight information, analyze at least one of the load information or the weight information to determine stability information, communicate the reading information to the radio. The reading information comprises the load information and the stability information. The display is configured to receive and display the weight information.
US09347816B2	Two part hollow profile sensor A hollow profile sensor for installation in roads or a road surface for the purpose of sensing the weight of vehicles and/or driving dynamics reactions of vehicles or vehicle wheels to the road includes a tube part having a hollow interior profile. A counterpart is connected to the tube part. A measuring arrangement is held in the hollow interior profile between the tube part and the counterpart. A force introduction flange is connected to the tube part in such a manner that force application lines are concentrated on the measuring arrangement.
US09347814B2	Liquid consuming apparatus and method for controlling liquid consuming apparatus A liquid consuming apparatus includes a photosensor 80 having a light-emitting portion 82 and a light-receiving portion 84, a holder 21 capable of attachably and detachably holding a liquid container in which a prism 320 having a face that faces the photosensor 80 is arranged, and a determination unit (a failure determination unit 120) that determines status of the photosensor 80 based on the output of the photosensor 80. When the liquid container is installed in the holder 21, the determination unit detects a failure of the photosensor 80 based on a detection signal of the photosensor 80 in the case of causing the light-emitting portion 82 to emit light, and a detection signal of the photosensor 80 in the case of causing the light-emitting portion 82 to turn off the light.
US09347813B2	Capacitive sensing probe motion control system Various methods and systems are provided to control a probe moving towards fluid held in a container. The probe is moved towards the fluid to take a sample of the fluid in the container. To take a sample, probe is actuated to hit the fluid surface and to pass the fluid surface by a predetermined distance. Capacitive sensing which incorporates the probe itself is used to support an approach engine for controlling the motion of the probe. The approach engine determines the speed of the probe based on capacitance measurements, and in some cases based on position information of the probe. The approach engine ensures the probe hits the surface of the fluid in the container in order to take a sample while ensuring the probe does not hit the bottom of the container.
US09347809B2	Ultrasonic flowmeter having an ultrasonic transducer with a ring shaped vibrator and a pair of damping members An ultrasonic flowmeter uses an ultrasonic sensor comprising a ring-shaped ultrasonic vibrator that is disposed on an outer circumferential surface of a conduit tube in which a minute quantity of a substance flows and that is vibrated by application of high frequency signals and generates high frequency signals by receiving the vibration; and a pair of damping members that is arranged so as to grasp and fix the ultrasonic vibrator, wherein an annular soft uniform matching member having a width along the conduit tube that is larger than a width of the ultrasonic vibrator is provided between an inner circumferential surface of the ultrasonic vibrator and the outer circumferential surface of the conduit tube, and the matching member is made of a material having a sound propagation velocity substantially equal to a sound propagation velocity of the substance flowing in the conduit tube.
US09347807B2	Multi-phase ultrasonic pipe flow meter A system for determining densities and proportions of phases in a multi-phase fluid flow (MFF) that can include an oil phase, a water phase, and a gas phase from a well. The system includes a first density sensor that senses the MFF at locations where the phases of the MFF are often separated, a second density sensor senses the MFF from the output of a phase mixer-homogenizer, and a third density sensor that senses, in real time, the MFF where the gas phase starts to separate or has separated from the liquid phase but where the liquid phases have not separated. The system also includes one or more processors for executing one or more programs to determine a density of the oil phase, a density of the water phase, a density of the gas phase, and proportions of phases including a water cut and a gas volume fraction based on readings from the first, second, and third density sensors.
US09347805B2	Method for optimally determining the characteristics and arrangement of a set of sensors for monitoring an area An iterative method is provided, implemented by computer, of optimized design of a system for monitoring a geographical zone comprising a plurality of sensors of different types and characteristics represented by a vector S each component of which indicates the type and the characteristics of a sensor and its position in said zone, said system exhibiting a plurality of absolute technical constraints.
US09347803B2	Abnormality detection system and abnormality detection method An abnormality detection system includes an optical fiber, a backscattered light detection unit, and a data processing unit. The detection unit is connected to one end and the other end of the optical fiber and configured to acquire a first intensity distribution of backscattered light by causing light to enter the optical fiber from the one end, and to acquire a second intensity distribution of backscattered light by causing light to enter the optical fiber from the other end. The processing unit is configured to calculate the product of a value obtained by applying a first FIR filter to the first intensity distribution, and a value obtained by applying a second FIR filter to the second intensity distribution, for each of locations on the optical fiber in the length direction thereof, and to determine whether or not abnormality is present based on the result of the calculation.
US09347795B2	Linear position sensor with anti-rotation device A sensor used to sense the position of an attached movable object. The sensor can be mounted to a pneumatic actuator. The sensor includes a housing that has a pair of cavities or pockets separated by a wall. A magnet carrier is positioned within one of the cavities and a magnet is coupled to the magnet carrier. The magnet carrier is coupled to the moveable object. A magnetic sensor is positioned in the other of the cavities. The magnetic sensor generates an electrical signal that is indicative of a position of the movable object.
US09347790B2	Power supply system with at least a primary power source and an auxiliary power source for powering an electronic flight bag depending on an whether an aircraft is in a flight condition A control system for providing electrical power to an electronic flight bag device on an aircraft. The control system including a power switching component coupled to a plurality of power sources and at least one electronic flight bag device. The power switching component is operative and configured to selectively apply electrical power from at least one of the plurality of power sources to the at least one electronic flight bag device based upon a condition of the aircraft.
US09347789B2	Application and device to memorialize and share events geographically A method and device of sharing an event or experience by capturing a geographic location of the and at least one detail of the experience or event in the form of data such as video, text, sound, or pictures, with an electronic device, storing the geographic location plus the data on a database accessible to a plurality of users. The application further alerts a user or a plurality of users of the details of the experience when the user is near the geographic location where the at least one detail of the experience was captured and guiding the user to the geographic location where the experience was captured.
US09347787B2	Map application with improved search tools Some embodiments of the invention provide a mapping application with novel tools for examining potential destinations and routes to the potential destinations. In some embodiments, the mapping application includes a route preview page that provides a novel combination of user element tools that allow a user (1) to explore alternative routes to a selected destination, (2) to explore routes to other destinations in a list of destinations. In some embodiments, the route overview page also provides a modal zoom tool that allows the map on this page to zoom to the destination/search result or zoom out to an overview of the entire route to the destination/search result. These three tools (i.e., the tool for exploring alternative routes to one location, the tool for exploring routes to other locations, and the tool for providing modal zoom operations) are highly beneficial in allowing a user to navigate to a location because they allow the user to quickly explore the two-dimensional solution space of possible locations and possible routes to the locations.
US09347786B2	Intersection guide system, method, and program Intersection guide systems, methods, and programs acquire information on a vehicle path, acquire a vehicle travel direction at a guide intersection ahead of the vehicle based on the information on the path, and cause a display to transition from a first display state to a second display state when a degree of approach of the vehicle to the guide intersection becomes equal to or more than a threshold. In the first display state, the display displays a guide image that represents the travel direction superimposed on a portion of a forward scene ahead of the vehicle other than the guide intersection, and displays a connection line image superimposed on the forward scene that connects between the guide intersection in the forward scene and the guide image. In the second display state, the display displays the guide image superimposed on the guide intersection in the forward scene.
US09347781B2	Terminal device and guidance program A navigation device includes a GPS receiver, map data including tunnel data and periodically acquires a vehicle's speed to provide guidance on the current position N acquired at the GPS receiver, and when GPS radio waves become unreceivable after the vehicle passes a tunnel entrance, calculates a travel distance according to a vehicle speed and a time T up to a branch, and continues providing guidance on the current position up to the branch. After passing the branch, the navigation device suspends guidance, calculates a distance La between the branch and a tunnel exit, which is shorter, and when GPS radio waves are not received even after a movement distance from the branch exceeds distance La, after passing the branch, determines a road whose distance is longer as the road being traveled, and provides guidance on the current position.
US09347780B2	Intelligent route navigation Embodiments relate to providing navigation instructions to a user for reaching a destination via a route planned on a map of a navigation system, said map comprising a plurality of road segments, at least a subset of said road segments comprising an assigned familiarity score. An aspect includes tracking a route taken by a user. Another aspect includes calculating an updated familiarity score of the one or more road segments of the tracked route using at least one of a user-defined updating variable and an updating variable based on at least one dynamically obtained actual travelling condition. Yet another aspect includes storing the updated familiarity score in a data storage of the navigation system.
US09347774B2	Angular indicator tool An improvement in workpiece-engageable devices for accurate workpiece angular formation including a plurality of spirit vials and an engager of a workpiece which establishes an intended bending plane. The plurality of spirit vials includes formation-angle vials adjacent to one another and supported in a respective plane parallel to the intended bending plane and in an orientation corresponding to a respective one of intended angles with respect to a base plane. At least one control vial is supported in a body of the device and aligned in a plane parallel to the base plane. The formation-angle vials may include four formation-angle vials each oriented at one of angles 10°, 22.5°, 30°, 45°, 90° and in some embodiments 60° with respect to the base plane.
US09347771B2	Spherical shape measurement method and apparatus A partial spherical shape of each measurement area of a sphere to be measured, which is established so as to have an area overlapping with another measurement area adjacent to each other, is measured at each rotation position, and the surface shape is measured by joining the partial spherical shapes of the measurement areas by a stitching operation based on the shape of the overlapping area. The position at which the sphere is measured is changed and re-held. A positional displacement between half parts of the sphere before and after re-holding, which is caused by an effect of an error owing to the re-holding, is separated into three rotational components. Magnitudes of the three rotational components are quantified by image correlation and the positional displacement corrected. Then, the stitching operation is performed to measure the entire part of the sphere surface.
US09347767B2	Spherically mounted retroreflector and method to minimize measurement error A spherically mounted retroreflector (SMR) having a reference point placed on a body of the SMR in a fixed and predetermined relationship to a runout error vector as given in a manufacturer's data sheet. A method for aligning the reference point to minimize measurement error.
US09347764B2	Sensor assembly configured to sense target movement in first direction and insensitive to target movement in second and third directions orthogonal to first direction A sensor assembly having a pair of sensors and a pair of sensor targets. Each of the sensors is an eddy current sensor that defines X, Y and Z axes that are orthogonal to one another such that the X-axes are aligned to a movement axis along which a structure is to be moved. The sensor targets are coupled to one another for common movement and are formed of an electrically conductive material that is configured to interact with a respective one of the eddy current sensors to cause the sensors to produce sensor signals that each vary in a distinct manner with movement of the targets parallel to the movement axis. The targets are configured such that their coordinated movement in a direction parallel to the Z-axes as they are moved along the movement axis has no effect on the determined location of the structure. A method is also provided.
US09347763B2	Hydraulic cylinder stroke operation diagnosis assisting device and hydraulic cylinder stroke operation diagnosis assisting method A hydraulic cylinder stroke operation diagnosis assisting device includes: movable portions that are sequentially supported by a vehicle body in a rotatable manner; a hydraulic cylinder between the vehicle body and each movable portion or between the movable portions to support the movable portions in a rotatable manner; a stroke sensor in the hydraulic cylinder to measure a stroke length of the hydraulic cylinder; a reset sensor measuring a reference reset point in which a value of the stroke length measured by the stroke sensor is reset; a stroke end detection unit detecting a stroke end position of the hydraulic cylinder; a calibration unit calibrating the measured value of the stroke length when the reference reset point and/or the stroke end position are detected; and a monitor displaying at least the measured value of the stroke length and a calibration state by the calibration unit.
US09347758B2	Apparatus for measuring and demonstrating the depth of damage A dent measurement apparatus is presented. The dent measurement apparatus may be used in conjunction with documenting damage in objects, such as vehicles. Such damage may include dents, and the documentation process may include images or videos. To convey detail, it may be desirable to focus the images or videos closely on a damaged region and, in such cases, the dent measurement apparatus may help provide context for the size and depth of the damage. In particular, the dent measurement apparatus may removably attach to and extend from the damaged area such that the depth of damage may be determined relative to one or more markings on the body of the dent measurement apparatus.
US09347753B1	Non-pyrotechnic, low observable tracer A method of manufacturing a low observable photoluminescent tracer projectile, for use with a small caliber weapon at night—which method utilizes a base phosphor material of Ca, Sr and S, or a base phosphor material of Y2, O2, and S—with a combination of minor dopant ingredients; which base phosphor material is mixed with a clear binder to form a photoluminescent material which is applied to the rear end, or base, of a small arms projectile as a thin layer; to which thin layer is added a layer of small retro-reflectors—whereby, when this projectile is fired from the weapon, the photoluminescent mixture will be activated and will be observable, using night vision at an angle of 0 to about 20 degrees from the rear end of the projectile.
US09347752B2	Connecting element for a body made of composite material of a piercing projectile According to the invention, the rear part of the connecting element (1), which part is intended to be connected to a body (4) made of composite material, comprises at least one abutment (13) of annular shape, centered with respect to a longitudinal axis (10) and intended to come into contact with the front edge (14) of said body (4), and a longitudinal rearward extension (15) which is defined from said abutment (13) onward and which comprises a contact face (16) and has a shape and diameter suited to said body (4) so that its contact face (16) can come laterally into contact with a peripheral surface (17) thereof.
US09347746B1	Armored energy-dispersion objects and method of making and using An armor system that includes a first armor article that includes a plurality of energy-dispersion objects arranged in a predetermined configuration, wherein the plurality of energy-dispersion objects includes a plurality of hollow objects, and wherein at least some of the plurality of hollow objects are filled with an inner filler material; and a lock mechanism configured to hold the plurality of energy-dispersion objects in the predetermined configuration. A method for manufacturing an armor system, the armor system including a first armor article, the method including producing a plurality of hollow hemispheres; affixing pairs of the plurality of hemispheres to one another to form a first plurality of spheres; treating each one of the plurality of hemispheres with an anti-ballistic treatment; inserting a filler material into each one of the plurality of hemispheres; and locking the first plurality of spheres into a predetermined configuration.
US09347742B2	Electro-optic system for crosswind measurement An electro-optic system, e.g., mounted to a weapon, measures down range winds and a range-to-target for compensating the ballistic hit point. The system may include an optical light source, collimated to generate a laser spot on the target. The system may include a wind measurement receiver that captures laser light scattered from the target. The captured light may be modulated by atmospheric scintillation eddies, producing optical patterns which change in time and move with the crosswind. These patterns may be analyzed by a processor using covariance techniques in either the time-domain or the frequency-domain to determine path-integrated crosswinds and associated errors. Ranging is done by measuring the time of flight of the laser pulse to the target collecting the scattered signal from the target. Compensated ballistic hit point, measurement errors and other data may be displayed on a micro-display digital eyepiece, or projected onto the direct view optics (DVO) of a riflescope so as to be overlaid in real-time on the optical image of the target.
US09347740B2	Arm stabilizer and methods of use A arm stabilizer configured with a stretchable elastic member having a first end and a second end, an adjustable shoulder sling hingedly connected to the first end of said stretchable member, and a fixed hand sling hingedly connected to the second end of the stretchable member and, thus configured to be worn by a marksman with an extended aiming and firing arm and is not affixed to the firearm, is light in weight, easy to transport, and quick installation enables stabile aiming and firing accurately at a target.
US09347738B1	Folding stock attachment with modified bolt carrier for automatic recoil rifles and pistols A modified bolt carrier for automatic recoil rifles and pistols preferably includes a modified bolt carrier, a folding stock member, a shortened buffer tube, an end cap, a butt stock threaded tube and a bolt carrier sleeve. A sleeve bore is formed in the modified carrier bolt to receive the bolt carrier sleeve. The folding stock member includes a swing base and a swing arm. A tube bore is formed through the swing base to receive the shortened buffer tube. Upper and lower flanges extend from the swing base to retain a pivot pin. The swing arm includes a butt pivot arm, which extends from the stock ring. The pivot arm is pivotally retained on the swing base with the pivot pin. The butt stock threaded tube is threaded into the stock ring. The end cap includes an end cap portion and a guide rod.
US09347737B2	Pump-action firearm with bolt carrier locking mechanism and folding butt stock A firearm comprising a barrel, a handguard disposed around the barrel; a manually operated pump-action reload mechanism, the pump-action reload mechanism comprising a hand-held actuation arrangement and a fore-end body, the fore-end body disposed around the barrel between the handguard and the barrel, and the hand-held actuation arrangement coupled to the fore-end body to operate the pump-action reload mechanism. In addition, or alternatively, the firearm may include a bolt carrier locking mechanism and/or a butt stock that may be folded on either side of the receiver.
US09347735B2	Toy launch apparatus with dart magazine and automatically retracting dart tube A toy launch apparatus for discharging soft foam darts, the launch apparatus having a cylinder, a piston, a launch spring, a dart magazine and a dart tube. The dart tube is biased by a return spring so that after a dart discharge the dart tube is moved rearward from a launch chamber to allow the magazine to spring load a fresh dart. During a cocking cycle the dart tube moves forward and receives the dart so that loading of a second dart is blocked. The automatic withdrawal of the dart tube after discharge of a dart also allows an empty magazine to be disengaged from the launch apparatus and a freshly loaded magazine to be attached. This may be accomplished without an operator having to take any other action thereby resulting in a very quick reload.
US09347732B2	Apparatus for mounting a dampener and/or stabilizer to an archery bow An apparatus for absorbing energy from the release of an archery bow. The apparatus of the present invention provides an elongated support structure releasably connectable to a vibration reduction insert. The vibration reduction insert has a substantially cylindrical shape and at least one substantially C-shaped recess along an outer edge of the vibration reduction insert. A releasable fastener is connected to one end of the support structure, and the fastener is releasably connectable to the archery bow such that the support structure is extendible in a cantilevered position relative to the archery bow. The vibration reduction insert may be made from a vibration reduction material. Along an edge of the C-shaped recess, the vibration reduction insert may have a U-shaped recess that extends toward the radial center of the vibration reduction insert. There may be two substantially C-shaped recesses that are substantially coaxially aligned.
US09347729B2	At the ready weapon holder An at the ready weapon holder for supporting a pistol at its barrel, the at the ready weapon holder including a pistol bore support member including a substantially cylindrical rod having a top end and a bottom end and a base including a base plate and a receptacle for receiving the bottom end of the substantially cylindrical rod. The top end of the substantially cylindrical rod is adapted to removably secure the pistol at its barrel by having the top end of the substantially cylindrical rod inserted into the bore of the pistol.
US09347728B1	Secure disrupter unit for explosive ordnance disposal operations A disrupter unit is used for explosive ordnance disposal by firing a slug into the ordnance to be destroyed. A method is shown to secure the disrupter unit to a sand bag or other stationary location during such firing of the disrupter unit. The present invention may also adapt the disrupter unit to shear wire, such as barbed wire, by attaching a wire cutter element to the disrupter unit through a robust cable during firing. Likewise, the disrupter unit may be used as a remote pull device or further to unearth a buried item via mechanical advantage, wherein a military shovel or another long rod is attached by a robust cable to the disrupter unit.
US09347726B1	Striker style firearm with improved mechanical function A firearm is provided according to the present invention. The firearm can be a striker style firearm having a slide. A trigger contacts a sear block at the front of the striker to fire the firearm. The striker then moves rearward with the slide under operation of the recoil spring and then returns forward. A reset plunger engages the striker during the second part of this process to reset the striker. The trigger has a release lever which is allowed to rotate relative to the rest of the trigger when the striker is reset and the sear block moves the release lever to the rotated position. The release lever rotates back to the ready position as the trigger is released. A slide stop is also provided that is held in place under operation of the recoil spring.
US09347723B2	Method and apparatus for weapon control and authorization Apparatus for authorizing and de-authorizing a device such as a weapon is disclosed. The apparatus includes the electrical detection of a signal on the skin of the user, and optionally a radio signal from a central authorizing authority and the entering of a security code by the user. Upon receipt of the correct input, the weapon authorizes and is ready for use. If a loss of skin signal occurs, the weapon enters a safe state until reauthorized. Apparatus for generating the skin signal from both an ingestible and a skin-mounted apparatus are disclosed.
US09347721B2	Magazine for firearm A magazine for a firearm includes a body having a bottom end, a feed end side walls, first and second end walls, a channel on the first end wall, and vertically extending side ridges on the side walls; and a follower including a ridge configured to mate with the channel in the first end wall of the body; a plurality of vertically extending side channels configured to mate with the side ridges of the body; and an arcuate feed surface with an end point of a radius defining the arcuate feed surface being laterally offset from a vertically extending centerline of the follower; and a biasing member configured to urge the follower away from the bottom end.
US09347720B2	Ammunition magazine A new interface for a magazine follower and floor plate is used to provide greater stability to the round stack and a more sturdy system overall. The floor plate is designed with two opposite legs, the rear being shorter than the front leg so as to facilitate travel throughout the magazine and clearing of accumulated dirt and debris. The floor plate, in one embodiment, utilizes a lock plate that is shaped and sized to become a shoe for the compressed spring and associated follower. In an alternate embodiment, the floor plate itself serves the purpose and, with provided teeth, directly fastens to the magazine casing at notches manufactured in the magazine wall for that purpose. Other enhancements to the magazine include at least one matrix of divots to provide a paint surface, an over-insertion stop and a lower rear geometry to aid in clearing debris and grit.
US09347719B1	Replaceable feed ramp A feed ramp system for feeding cartridges into the chamber of a firearm. The feed ramp system includes a feed ramp insert having a body with at least one attachment tab projecting therefrom. The feed ramp insert is received within a mating recess formed in the receiver and is removably coupled to the receiver to enable replacement of the feed ramp insert. The feed ramp insert includes a pair of proximal ramp surfaces that align with distal ramp surfaces form at a breech end of the firearm barrel, to define a pair of feed ramps for directing cartridges into the chamber.
US09347714B2	Battery assembly having a heat-dissipating and heat-emitting functions According to one embodiment of the present invention, a battery assembly comprises: a battery module comprising a plurality of unit batteries; an exterior case for housing the battery module in an internal space; and a heat-dissipating film which is inserted between the plurality of unit batteries and fitted tightly against each of the plurality of unit batteries, and is attached to the inside surface of the exterior case; and the heat-dissipating film comprises: first and second heat-dissipating layers which are formed of a thermally conductive material and discharge the heat of the unit batteries; and an adhesive layer which is formed between the first and second heat-dissipating layers and adheres the first and second heat-dissipating layers.
US09347711B2	Chemical heat accumulator A chemical heat accumulator includes first- to Mth-stage heat storage units and a condensing part. Each heat storage unit includes a reaction vessel housing first reactant, a container housing second reactant, and a connection passage connecting the reaction vessel and the container for guiding the second reactant from the container to the reaction vessel. The connection passage is provided with an opening/closing member for opening and closing the connection passage. The reaction vessel of the Mth-stage heat storage unit is thermally connected with an object to be heated. The reaction vessel of a (N−1)th-stage heat storage unit is thermally connected with the container of an Nth-stage heat storage unit. M is an integer equal to or greater than 2, and N is an integer equal to or greater than 2 and equal to or less than M.
US09347709B2	Impact tool for a hammer device and method for opening a tapping opening Impact tool and method for a hammer device that includes impact tool housing and tubular piston structured and arranged for axial displacement in impact tool housing via pressure medium. Tubular piston has essentially radial pressure surfaces structured and arranged on opposite portions of tubular piston to be acted on with pressure medium. Grooves are formed in impact tool housing that are structured and arranged for a reversal of a direction of a pressure medium impingement on pressure surfaces and discharge or recirculation of medium. Grooves include a control recess formed in tubular piston and at least two control grooves for a shift of pressure medium impingement on pressure surfaces that are arranged axially offset in impact tool housing. A controller is structured and arranged to alternatively activate one of the at least two control grooves via connection channels.
US09347708B2	Furnace with refractory bricks that define cooling channels for gaseous media A furnace is provided suitable for metallurgical processes, comprising at least one section comprised of refractory bricks with an outer shell plate adjacent to the refractory bricks, including exterior bricks whose external faces adjacent the shell plate define gaseous media cooling channels extending along the exterior of the refractory bricks between them and the shell plate. The furnace further comprises cooling plates within the cooling channels and joints between the successive courses of bricks. Advantageously, the conductivity of the cooling plates is at least 5 times the conductivity of the refractory lining into which it is inserted. Suitable materials include copper and copper-based alloys, brasses, bronzes, cast irons, aluminum alloys, silver, high-temperature steels, refractory metals and their alloys, graphite, silicon carbide, and aluminum nitride.
US09347705B2	Continuous particle drying apparatus A dryer dries particles, wherein the dryer comprises two circular decks mounted substantially horizontally and rotating in opposite directions relative to one another about a same vertical axis, Z, the surface of said decks being perforated and permeable to air, steam and water, a means for blowing hot gas in a flow substantially parallel to the axis Z, passing through the second deck before passing through the first deck, means for distributing said particles to be dried on the first and second decks and means for recovering the particles after a rotation of each deck, and a means for transferring the particles collected from the first deck by the recovery means to a second distribution means suitable for distributing said particles along a radius of the second deck.
US09347700B2	Low ambient cooling kit for variable refrigerant flow heat pump Systems and methods for low ambient air temperature cooling in air-source based heat pump systems wherein an outdoor heat pump unit includes a discharge hood positionable over its fan. The hood including a damper that is openable and closeable as a function of outside temperature. The outdoor unit may also include wind deflectors positioned over the coil openings of the disclosure. During cooling operations below a low outside air threshold temperature, e.g., below 23° F., the damper assembly partially closes to reduce airflow across the condenser coil of the outdoor unit to a level below that which is possible at minimum fan speed. As the outdoor temperature continues to drop, the damper assembly continues to close to further reduce airflow.
US09347694B2	Dual suction compressor with rapid suction port switching mechanism for matching appliance compartment thermal loads with cooling capacity An appliance employing a coolant system that includes a compressor having a housing, a cooling capacity, and operably connected to typically two evaporators for regulating a temperature of the first compartment and a temperature of the second compartment; a shared coolant fluid connection system; a coolant fluid spaced within the shared coolant fluid connection system; and a switching mechanism operably connected to a first fluid conduit that provides shared coolant fluid to the compressor at a first pressure level and a second fluid conduit that provides shared coolant fluid to the compressor at a second pressure level where the second pressure level is less than the first pressure level wherein the switching mechanism is capable of regulating and switching shared coolant flow to the compressor from the first fluid conduit and the second fluid conduit.
US09347691B2	Torque Tube Mounted Photovoltaic Apparatus, System, and Method An interlocking system for connecting photovoltaic module frames to a torque tube, including: (a) an interlock dimensioned to be positioned between the sides of two adjacent photovoltaic module frames; (b) a pair of couplings or flanges, wherein the couplings or flanges connect the interlock to both of the adjacent photovoltaic module frames; and (c) a U-lock connected to the interlock, wherein the U-lock is dimensioned to be connected to a torque tube.
US09347687B2	Solar collector, system, and method of use Provided is a light-weight, easy to install, use and remove solar collector that may be manufactured inexpensively from readily available common materials, and which may be installed, removed, moved, and reinstalled almost anywhere by almost anyone without special tools or skills. In one embodiment, the solar collector comprises one or more collection tubes formed from attaching clear or substantially translucent material, such as clear vinyl, along the edges and over the top of dark colored or otherwise solar-energy-absorbant material, such as black polyethylene plastic, black vinyl-coated polyester, or any other suitable material, which may be insulated by an insulative layer. A dark-colored or otherwise solar-energy-absorbant air-permeable layer may also be located in the collection tube to increase heating of the air flowing through the collection tube. In addition to the solar collector is a fan, which may take the form of a forced-air window unit with thermostatic controls.
US09347686B2	Solar receiver with dual-exposure heat absorption panel A dual-exposure heat absorption panel is disclosed, which can be used in a solar receiver design. Generally, the heat absorption panel includes a tube panel through which a heat transfer fluid is flowed to absorb solar energy from heliostats that are focused on the tube panel. A structural support frame surrounds the tube panel. A stiffener structure runs across the exposed faces of the tube panel. The headers and other support structures on the periphery are protected by use of a heat shield.
US09347685B2	Startup systems and methods for solar boilers A startup system for a solar boiler includes a main fluid circuit having a plurality of solar boiler panels for generating power from solar energy. An auxiliary fluid circuit is selectively connected in fluid communication with the main fluid circuit by a plurality of valves. An auxiliary boiler is operatively connected to the auxiliary fluid circuit. The valves connecting the auxiliary fluid circuit to the main fluid circuit are configured to be opened and closed to selectively place the auxiliary boiler in fluid communication with portions of the main fluid circuit to supply heat to the portions of the main fluid circuit in preparation to produce power from solar energy.
US09347680B2	Moving device and dust cover The present invention provides a moving device and dust cover. The moving device includes a moving cart and a dust cover; the dust cover forming a dust-prevention space over the moving cart; the dust cover including an air-driver device, a vent tube and an outer cover; the air-driver device being disposed outside of outer cover for sucking in outside air and driving air into vent tube; the vent tube being connected to air-driver device and outer cover, for flowing of the air sucked in by air-driver device into the dust-prevention space formed by outer cover so that the space forming a positive pressure with respect to outside of outer cover; the outer cover performing filtering on the air flown in through vent tube. As such, the present invention accomplishes a better cleanroom result and provides easy disassembly and flexible usability to reduce the cost.
US09347679B2	Grille door opener A door opener for a linear bar grille.
US09347675B2	Architectural heat and moisture exchange An architectural heat and moisture exchanger. The exchanger defines an interior channel which is divided into a plurality of sub-channels by a membrane configured to allow passage of water vapor and to prevent substantial passage of air. In some embodiments, the exchanger includes an opaque housing configured to form a portion of a building enclosure, such as an exterior wall, an interior wall, a roof, a floor, or a foundation.
US09347669B2	Variable length combustor dome extension for improved operability The present invention discloses a novel apparatus and method for operating a gas turbine combustor having a structural configuration proximate a pilot region of the combustor which seeks to minimize the onset of thermo acoustic dynamics. The pilot region of the combustor includes a generally cylindrical extension having an outlet end with an irregular profile which incorporates asymmetries into the system so as to destroy any coherent structures.
US09347665B2	Device for controlling gas supply to a burner A gas supply control device for an apparatus, particularly a coking apparatus, includes timing means (20) and a first command means (12) for manually setting a an opening time interval of a safety valve of a gas tap (1), equipped with a second command means (6). In an installed condition of the control device (10), the command means (6, 12) are operable from outside the structure (7) of the apparatus, with the first command means (12) and the second command means (6) substantially rotating around one same axis, one independent from the other. The timing means (20) of the control device (10) belong to a functional unit (10a) which is coupled or configured for coupling with a portion of the body of the tap (2) which portion, in the above mentioned installed conditions, is located inside the structure (7) of the apparatus. The functional unit (10a) includes switch means (22), controllable by timing means for cutting off the electric current to a solenoid of the tap (1) at the end of a time interval set through the first command means (6), and hence causing the passage of the valve to the respective closed condition.
US09347661B2	Processing biomass Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, to produce ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation.
US09347660B1	Dual magnification illuminated multi-spectrum table mirror A mirror includes a frame holding therein back-to-back mirror plates having different magnification factors, e.g. 1× and 5×, each plate having a central reflective imaging area and a concentric light transmissive window. Continuously rotatable bushings supporting the frame between opposed arms of a yoke enable interchangeable orientation of 1× and 5× mirror plates in a forward-facing use position. A printed circuit board holding a circular ring of alternating yellow and white light emitting diodes (LED's) within the frame between the windows receives electrical power from a power supply in the base of the mirror via novel continuously rotatable two-conductor and single-conductor electrical connectors located in opposite sides of the frame and a coaxial cable and a single conductor wire disposed through opposed yoke-arm bushings, enabling energization of yellow, white, or both type LED's to thus illuminate a face or other object near the windows at three different selectable color temperatures.
US09347657B2	LED Christmas lamp structure An LED Christmas lamp includes a lamp base, in which a receiving cavity is formed and having coupling slots formed in a cavity wall to receive and retain metal plates on ends of four conductive wires. A light source holder has a top forming a light disposition section, in which three receiving holes are formed and has a bottom on which a fitting section having four bearing surfaces is formed. The fitting section has a bottom face including six through apertures. Three LED illuminants are provided, each having two terminal pins, and are respectively inserted into the three receiving holes with the terminal pins bent and positioned against the bearing surfaces of the fitting section so that when the light source holder is inserted into the receiving cavity, the terminal pins are set in electrical engagement with the metal plates of the conductive wires.
US09347651B2	Display device A display device includes an optical member, a display panel disposed on the optical member, and a plurality of light emitting units disposed under the optical member, the optical member comprising, a diffusion layer, and a reflectivity control layer which is disposed under the diffusion layer and reflects a light provided from the light emitting units, including a first base material, reflective materials dispersed in the first base material, a plurality of first portions corresponding to the plurality of light emitting units, and a second portion disposed adjacent to the first portions, where each of the plurality of first portions comprises a greater amount of the reflective materials than the second portion, when a first portion and a second portion represent a unit area having a predetermined size.
US09347649B2	Display apparatus incorporating reflective and absorptive polarizers This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for reducing ambient light reflections from a surface of a display device in a power efficient manner. The display device includes a reflecting circular polarizer (RCP) and an absorbing circular polarizer (ACP) having the same polarity. The RCP provides light recycling functionality, while the ACP provides ambient light reflection suppression. In some implementations, the light generated by the display device is polarized by the RCP before it is incident on the ACP, which is located at the front of the display device. Because the polarities of the RCP and the ACP are the same, the ACP substantially passes all of the incident polarized light towards the front of the display device.
US09347630B2	Limited flicker light emitting diode string A limited flicker decorative light-emitting diode (LED) string includes a power plug adapted to connect to an alternating current (AC) power source and supply AC power to the LED string, a first pair of LEDs and a second pair of LEDs, a plurality of LEDs electrically connected in series to form an LED series, and a plurality of rectifying diodes. The plurality of rectifying diodes provides full-wave rectification of the AC power to the LED series and half-wave rectification of the AC power to the first and second pair of LEDs.
US09347626B2	Illumination device including uniformization optical member including a plurality of unit cells and display unit including the illumination device An illumination device includes: a light source section including a laser light source; a uniformization optical member including a plurality of unit cells which are two dimensionally arranged, and receiving light from the light source section; an optical device disposed on an optical path between the light source section and the uniformization optical member; and a drive section vibrating the optical device, in which an expression (1) is satisfied: {6×f×tan(θf)}>Pf (1) where f is a focal length of the unit cell, Pf is a pitch of the unit cell, θf is a marginal ray angle in a light flux emitted from the optical device to enter the uniformization optical member.
US09347625B2	Chemical glow devices with LED lighting The performance of chemical glow lights is enhanced by the provision of a battery-powered light-emitting diode (LED). The LED can be provided inside a pouch containing chemicals which, when mixed together, produce a glowing light. Multiple pouches can be provided in strip form as well as in individual form with varying shapes and sizes. Surfaces coated with light-activated photochemicals can be illuminated with one or more LEDs thereby causing such surfaces to produce a chemical glow for extended periods of time.
US09347619B2	Light emitting diode retrofit kit for high intensity discharge lighting A housing once included a high intensity discharge (HID) light source, lens, and fixture chamber between the housing and lens. The housing is retrofit to exclude a routinely functioning HID light source and exclude at least a portion of the HID lens. The housing is made to include at least a first support for at least one light emitting diode (LED) light source and an LED diode lighting fixture chamber. A second support is affixed at least to the first support and is positioned at least in part outside the LED fixture chamber. The LED light source is mounted to the second support outside the LED fixture chamber. At least one LED light source lens is mounted to provide a lens for the LED light source, also outside the LED lighting fixture chamber. The LED light source is thereby substantially free of exposure to the temperature effects.
US09347617B2	Residual radioactive sludge liquid suction apparatus There is provided a residual radioactive sludge liquid suction apparatus capable of safely and surely sucking radioactive sludge liquid remaining in a sludge storage tank with no fear of being exposed to radiation at a time when a small amount of sludge liquid remaining in the sludge storage tank is transferred to another tank. The suction apparatus is a residual radioactive sludge liquid suction apparatus used for sucking residual radioactive sludge liquid (L) at a time when the residual sludge liquid (L) remaining in a sludge storage tank T1 is transferred, and includes: a suction apparatus body 1; three hover skirts 2 mounted to the suction apparatus body 1; a suction head 8 mounted to the suction apparatus body 1 and configured to suck the residual sludge liquid (L); air jetting nozzles 13 mounted to the hover skirts 2, respectively; and an air supply source that supplies air to the hover skirts and the air jetting nozzles, wherein the suction apparatus body 1 floats on a surface of the residual sludge liquid (L) by supplying the air from the air supply source to the hover skirts, and moves on the surface of the residual sludge liquid (L) by jetting the air from the air supply source through the air jetting nozzles 13.
US09347615B2	Low-loss cryogenic fluid supply system and method A low-loss cryogenic fluid supply system having at least one main cryogenic fluid tank and a backup cryogenic fluid tank each having a vent set to a first pressure P1 and a pressure build circuit set to a second pressure P2, a main tank gas supply line configured to supply gas to a junction at a third pressure P3, a main tank liquid supply line configured to supply gas to the junction at a fourth pressure P4, a backup tank liquid supply line configured to supply gas to the junction at a fifth pressure P5, a backup tank backpressure regulator configured to supply gas to a point upstream to the main tank gas supply line at a sixth pressure P6, and an outlet supply line configured to supply gas from the junction at an end use pressure Pu, where P1>P3≧P2, P1≧P6>P2, P6≧P3>P4>P5>Pu.
US09347609B2	Activation of safety mechanisms using smart materials In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates to systems, for selectively actuating a safety mechanism, using a transformable material, to protect against an unwanted condition. The system in one implementation includes first and second pulley devices configured to accommodate multiple strands of the transformable material. In another implementation, the system includes two connection points for holding the transformable material and an overload-protection sub-system for protecting the transformable material from overload. In still another implementation, the system includes a first biasing element and a manual-release sub-system including a second biasing element.
US09347604B2	Nestable collapsible support apparatus Nestable collapsible support apparatus includes a first member and a second member moveably attached to the first member. The second member includes a plurality of segments moveably attached each other. One of every two adjacent segments is slidable relative to every other two adjacent segments for allowing the second member to be in a collapsed position, where the second member is received in the first member. One of every two adjacent segments is rotatable relative to another every other two adjacent segments for allowing the second member to be in a extended position, where the second member supports an object.
US09347602B2	Adjusting apparatus An adjusting apparatus including first and second bases, a pivot shaft, an adjusting unit and a first cable is provided. The second base is disposed under the first base. The first and second bases are pivoted by the pivot shaft. The adjusting unit includes a first adjusting base and a first adjusting rod. The first adjusting rod is passed through the first base and the first adjusting base. The first cable has first and second sections, wherein the first and second sections have first end portions, the first end portions are fixed to the second base, and the first and second sections are held by the first adjusting base. When the first adjusting rod is rotated, the first adjusting base is moved relative first base, such that the first or second section is dragged and the second base is rotated around a first axis relative to the first base.
US09347600B2	Machine foot The invention relates to a machine foot (1a,1b), which comprises a top part (3a,3b) for attachment in a device such as a machine and a lower part (2) for contacting against a foundation, such as a floor, where the center axis of the top part (3a,3b) is movable a number of degrees (11) in relation to the center axis of the lower part (2), and where the lower part (2) comprises a housing (4), which preferably is made from a metal, and which at the bottom is provided with a polymeric material (5), where the polymeric material (5) is shaped as a ring that surrounds a plug (6), which is attached to the housing (4) by being glued to an annular contact surface (8) at the periphery of the plug (6).
US09347595B2	Systems and methods for particle focusing in microchannels Various systems, methods, and devices are provided for focusing particles suspended within a moving fluid into one or more localized stream lines. The system can include a substrate and at least one channel provided on the substrate having an inlet and an outlet. The system can further include a fluid moving along the channel in a laminar flow having suspended particles and a pumping element driving the laminar flow of the fluid. The fluid, the channel, and the pumping element can be configured to cause inertial forces to act on the particles and to focus the particles into one or more stream lines.
US09347594B2	Hydraulic connection assembly with pressure discharge control An hydraulic connection assembly for connecting one or more hydraulic lines may have a one-block body enclosing one or more hydraulic lines and at least one draining line connected to said hydraulic lines. The assembly may also have at least one coupling provided with an axially movable element adapted to actuate a sealing member to allow discharge of fluid pressure and relieve pressure from the tool lines before disconnecting or to facilitate maneuvering of connecting lines. The assembly also reduces the production costs and time, as well as the threes that the operator must apply when engaging pressurized lines.
US09347592B2	Interlock coupling with components which prevent interchangeability A quick-disconnect coupling such as a camlock includes a hollow male plug with an external peripheral groove and a hollow female socket defining a duct for communication of a fluid with a locking arrangement for locking the male plug in the female socket. Protrusions are provided on either an inside surface of the female socket or on an outside surface of the male plug and corresponding recesses are provided on the other with the recesses and protrusions being cooperatively shaped and arranged to allow insertion of the male plug member into the female socket member to the locking position only when at least one recess and at least one protrusion match.
US09347590B2	Component for conducting or receiving a fluid and method for testing the component A component for conducting or receiving a fluid, in particular a component of a fluid-conducting line system of an industrial plant, especially of a line system of a tertiary cooling circuit of a nuclear power plant, includes a wall having a supporting structure made of a glass-fiber-reinforced plastic. Electrically insulating inner and outer protective layers are disposed on respective inner and outer surfaces of the supporting structure. An electrically conductive inner intermediate layer lies between the inner protective layer and the supporting structure and is provided with an electrical terminal. An electrically conductive outer intermediate layer lies between the outer protective layer and the supporting structure, is provided with an electrical terminal and is electrically insulated from the inner intermediate layer. A method for testing the component is also provided.
US09347584B2	Gas regulator A gas regulator includes a valve block, a pressure regulating assembly, and a metal coil. The valve block includes an input gateway, an output gateway, and a pressure reducing chamber. The metal coil is provided in the pressure reducing chamber. The pressure regulating assembly includes a membrane provided in the pressure reducing chamber, a movable member connected to the membrane, and a shielding member connected to the movable member, wherein the movable member has a magnetic element received in the metal coil. The membrane deforms with gas pressure changes of a connected gas source, and makes the movable member move the shielding member to change an output gas flow of the input gateway. The magnetic element is then moved relatively to the metal coil to generate an induced emf, which precisely indicates the gas pressure changes of the gas source.
US09347581B2	Device, method and system for compressed air control and compressed air supply For a vehicle, a compressed air control device controls operating states of a compressor and an air drying device, and includes a compressor control outlet pneumatically connectable to a control inlet of the compressor, a system pressure inlet pneumatically connectable to a system pressure line that conducts a system pressure produced by the compressor, a ventilation control outlet pneumatically connectable to a control inlet of the air drying device and configured to pneumatically switch an operating state of the air drying device, a pneumatically operable ventilation control valve controllable by the system pressure to pneumatically couple the system pressure inlet to the ventilation control outlet to switch the operating state of the air drying device, and an electrically operable supply control valve configured to pneumatically couple the system pressure inlet to the compressor control outlet independently of the system pressure to switch the operating state of the compressor.
US09347577B2	Combined thermal management unit A combination thermal management valve for management of the flow of heat transfer media is provided. The thermal management valve includes a manifold including two or more independently controlled valve assemblies configured to fluidly isolate the heat transfer media from each other. The valve assemblies may be configured to maintain desirable flow characteristics for each thermal medium.
US09347575B2	High pressure relief valve flow disruptor In one aspect, a fluid flow disruptor is provided. The fluid flow disruptor includes a base flange having an outer diameter and an inner diameter, the base flange configured to couple to a valve, and a cap extending from the base flange. The cap includes a proximal end coupled to the base flange about the inner diameter, a distal end, and a sidewall extending between the proximal end and the distal end. At least one aperture is formed in the sidewall, and the fluid flow disruptor is configured to direct a fluid flowing in an axial direction to flow around the cap distal end, through the at least one aperture, and through the base flange inner diameter into the valve, to thereby increase a turbulence of the fluid to decrease an axial momentum load of the fluid acting on the valve.
US09347574B1	Self actuating weather protective cover An environmental (weather) protective cover for a vent conduit. In accordance with some embodiments, a flexible body portion is adapted to cover a distal end of a vent conduit coupled to an upstream pressure source. A flap supported by the body portion has a flap slot opening. The body portion and the flap have a closed mode in which the vent conduit is sealed and an open mode in which the body portion and the flap slot opening are expanded when pressurized fluid discharging from the vent conduit is sufficient to flex the body portion and increase the slot opening to discharge the pressurized fluid. The body portion and the flap return to the closed mode when the pressurized fluid has been released.
US09347573B2	Check valve with reduced opening speed A check valve for a housing with adjacent first and second apertures separated by a septum comprises a hinge pin, a first flapper, and a second flapper. The hinge pin is located downstream of the septum. The first flapper is anchored via the hinge pin, and is rotatable about the hinge pin to block the first aperture when in a closed position. The second flapper is anchored via the hinge pin, and comprises a primary flapper section and a counterbalance section. The primary flapper section is rotatable about the hinge pin to block the second aperture when in a closed position. The counterbalance section extends upstream from and substantially parallel to the primary flapper section, towards the first aperture.
US09347572B2	Bi-directional hydraulic flow control valve A flow control valve for a hydropneumatic suspension comprises a circular valve body including a flow restriction and a plurality of flow relief passages closed at one side by respective leaf springs. Further flow relief is provided by a reciprocal central sleeve which contains the flow restrictor and is movable to unseat one or both leaf springs.
US09347565B2	Rotating mechanical seal arrangement with improved gas separation The invention relates to a rotating mechanical seal arrangement (1) for sealing a product side (5) at a rotating component, comprising a first rotating mechanical seal (2) with a first rotating slide ring (21) and a first stationary slide ring (22) which define a first sealing gap (23) between them, a second rotating mechanical seal (3) with a second rotating slide ring (31) and a second stationary slide ring (32) which define a second sealing gap (33) between them, a fluid space (4) which is limited by the first and second rotating mechanical seals (2, 3), wherein the first rotating mechanical seal (2) is lubricated with a product medium of the product side (5), and wherein the second rotating mechanical seal (3) is lubricated with a liquid quench medium of a quench supply unit (7), the quench medium being located in the fluid space (4), a quench outlet (8) via which quench medium may be discharged from the fluid space (4), a gas outlet (9) via which a gas located in the fluid space may be discharged, and a throttle device (10) which is arranged in the fluid space (4) between the first rotating mechanical seal (2) and the second rotating mechanical seal (3) and divides the fluid space (4) into a product-side fluid space region (4a) and an atmosphere-side fluid space (4b), wherein the gas outlet (9) is arranged at the product-side fluid space region (4a) and the quench outlet (8) is arranged at the atmosphere-side fluid space region (4b).
US09347558B2	Wrought and cast aluminum alloy with improved resistance to mechanical property degradation Aluminum-based alloys for casting or wrought processing having improved combinations of properties, including improved high temperature strength, are provided. The alloys generally comprise copper, magnesium, silver, and titanium, along with scandium and/or cobalt. Zirconium, zinc, and/or vanadium may also optionally be present in the alloy. When cobalt is present in the alloy, nickel may also optionally be present. Cast and wrought products, as well as methods of making the same using the alloys, are also disclosed.
US09347544B2	Transmission mounting structure The present invention provides a transmission mounting structure. A transmission case is constructed by connecting a clutch case, a case main body, and an end case, which are split in the direction of a rotational center axis. The clutch case and the case main body are provided with projecting portions. The projecting portions are connected by co-fastening bolts. Fixtures are secured to the projecting portions by mounting bolts, which are installed from the direction of the rotational center axis. The transmission is installed to a vehicle through the intermediary of supports. The projecting portions are co-fastened by the mounting bolts.
US09347535B1	Fault tolerant electro-mechanical acutator An electromechanical actuator incorporates a drive housing connected to a motor for rotational motion. A screw is employed with an actuating nut having protruding engagement bosses and a drive coupling is concentrically received within the drive housing having segments equal to the number of engagement bosses. Each segment has a cavity to receive a respective one of the engagement bosses and the segments are cooperatively positionable from an active position radially compressed to engage the bosses within the cavities to a released position radially expanded to disengage the bosses from the cavities.
US09347532B2	Tilting ball variator continuously variable transmission torque vectoring device A torque vectoring device includes a drive member engaged with a power source, a plurality of variator ball assemblies configured to be tiltable and rotatable with respect to the drive member, a first output frictionally engaged with the variator ball assemblies, and a second output frictionally engaged with the variator ball assemblies. A torque distribution between the first output and the second output may be adjusted by tilting the plurality of variator ball assemblies. The variator ball assemblies also facilitate a differential action between the first output and the second output.
US09347524B2	Transmission for vehicle A transmission for a vehicle may include first and second input shafts, first and second output shafts, a first driving gear fixed to the second input shaft, a first medium gear engaged with the first driving gear and a second medium gear integrally connected to the first medium gear at least temporarily, and rotatably installed on the second output shaft, a third medium gear engaged with the second medium gear and rotatably installed on the second input shaft, a first stage driven gear engaged with the third medium gear and rotatably installed on the first output shaft, a second stage driving gear selectively rotatable with the first output shaft, a second stage driven gear installed on the second output shaft and engaged with the second stage driving gear, and an auxiliary clutch for selectively connecting the second stage driving gear to the first input shaft.
US09347521B2	CVT belt A vulcanized rubber CVT belt in the form of an endless V-belt having a belt body with angled sides, a tensile cord layer of helically spiraled tensile cord embedded in the belt body, an overcord rubber layer, and an undercord rubber layer, wherein the tensile cord is a twisted, single-tow bundle of continuous-filament, carbon fiber impregnated with an adhesive treatment and/or overcoated with adhesive compatible with the rubber of the tensile cord layer. The tow may be 18K. The carbon fiber may have a filament diameter of from about 6.0 to about 6.4-micron, a tensile modulus of from about 200 to about 300 GPa, an elongation at break of from about 1.9% to about 2.3%.
US09347518B1	Vibration-isolating bracket assembly In one or more embodiments, a vibration-isolating bracket assembly includes an elastic donut including a main aperture, a first bracket including a tongue with at least a portion thereof being received within the main aperture, the tongue including a first through-aperture, a first portion of the elastic donut being received within the first through-aperture, and a second bracket to support the elastic donut.
US09347516B2	Liquid sealed vibration isolating device A relief valve is provided in a central part of an elastic diaphragm. A relief hole is provided in the central part of the relief valve. The relief valve is formed thinner than a main body section on an outer circumferential side thereof. Pressing projections protrude from the relief valve upper surface at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction. The pressing projections contact a projection support section, and a central opening of a central section is located above the relief hole. During excessive deformation on a negative pressure side, the hydraulic liquid of a secondary liquid chamber allows an inner peripheral portion of the relief valve to cause such a preceding deformation as to be lifted up, and the relief valve is rapidly brought out of contact with the seal section, so that the hydraulic liquid leaks rapidly from the central opening to a primary liquid chamber.
US09347512B2	Damping valve for shock absorber A damping valve includes a valve disk, a retainer, an inner peripheral side flow passage configured to include a valve disk through hole formed in an inner peripheral side of the valve disk and a retainer through hole formed in the retainer and allowing communication between one and other chambers, an outer peripheral side flow passage formed in an outer peripheral side of the valve disk and allowing communication between the one and the other chambers, and a leaf valve in the form of an annular plate arranged on a side of the retainer opposite to the valve disk and configured to openably close the inner peripheral side flow passage by an outer peripheral part. A flow passage area of the retainer through hole is not smaller than that of the valve disk through hole.
US09347509B2	Vibration isolation system A vibration isolation system, including a housing and a first isolation member which further includes a receptacle to receive an outer body of a motor, a first plurality of compliant arms, and a second plurality of compliant arms. Each compliant arm of the first isolation member has a first end and a second end. The first end of each of the compliant arms is coupled to the receptacle, and the second end of each of the compliant arms is coupled to the housing.
US09347507B2	Electronic parking brake system and method of controlling the same Disclosed herein are an electronic parking brake (EPB) system and a method of controlling the same. The EPB system including an EPB actuator which has a motor and provides disc brakes provided in wheels with parking brake power includes a parking switch configured to be turned on or off by a driver, a current detector configured to detect a motor current flowing through the motor of the EPB actuator, a motor driving unit configured to drive the motor of the EPB actuator, and an electronic control unit which applies a parking brake in which the motor of the EPB actuator is rotated by the motor driving unit in one direction to provide the disc brakes with the parking brake power when the parking switch is turned on, calculates an impedance of the motor when a motor current value detected by the current detector is higher than a preset value while applying the parking brake, and determines whether a motor stuck failure occurs based on the calculated impedance of the motor.
US09347504B2	Vehicle driveline torque managing process A vehicle driveline torque managing process provides a motor driven actuator that manages clamping forces exerted on a clutch pack and regulates a coupling of power between a driveshaft and one of the axles of a vehicle, based on clutch positions. The process derives coupling torque values by stepping a motor from a maximum clutch separation position through a series of clutch positions while recording a motor driven commanded torque value at each step, up to a maximum clutch compression position having a maximum commanded motor torque value. Then, each motor driven commanded torque value is converted into respective clutch force values as a function of clutch position, thereby relating each clutch torque to a clutch position based on conversion tables stored in a controller that are associated with physical factors that influence clutch torque for each of the respective clutch actuator positions.
US09347502B2	Transmission having a strap spring hub A transmission comprising housing and an axially compliant hub having a central plate with an axial opening and an outer circumference. The central plate is attached to the attached to the circumference with at least one strap spring. A method of managing axial stack up in a transmission is also disclosed where the transmission has a plurality of planetary gear sets aligned in series and at least one torque transmitting device. The planetary gear has gear members. The method includes providing a an axially compliant hub having a central plate with an axial opening and an outer circumference, wherein the central plate is attached to the attached to the circumference with at least one strap spring and wherein the outer circumference is connected to the torque transmitting device and wherein the central plate is connected to a gear member of a planetary gear set.
US09347501B2	Drive power transmission system A drive power transmission system includes-a clutch hub, a clutch drum and a dry clutch. The dry clutch includes-first and second clutch plates, a friction facing and a cover member. The first clutch plate is joined to the clutch hub. The second clutch plate is joined to the clutch drum. The cover member has an external air intake hole and an external air discharge hole. These holes of the cover member are positioned such that, due to rotation of at least one of the clutch hub and the clutch drum, an air flow is generated that draws external air is through the external air intake hole and along the clutch hub to a radially inward location of reduced air pressure, then passes radially outward to a radially outward location of increased air pressure, and then passes along the clutch drum and out the external air discharge hole.
US09347493B2	Bearing assembly including tapered rollers and spherical rolling elements A bearing assembly is provided. The assembly includes a plurality of tapered rollers and a plurality of spherical rolling elements. A first inner ring defines a first inner raceway on which the plurality of tapered rollers run, and a second inner ring defines a second inner raceway on which the plurality of spherical rolling elements run. A unitary outer ring includes a first portion defining a first outer raceway on which the plurality of tapered rollers run, and a second portion defining a second outer raceway on which the plurality of spherical rolling elements run.
US09347492B2	Retainer cap for shaft assembly A retainer cap for a rolling element shaft assembly includes a yoke, a solid shaft, and a tubular shaft. The retainer cap includes a body having a first end, a second end, an outer surface, and an inner surface defining an internal cavity to receive the tubular shaft, an axial end surface disposed at the first end and defining a first opening to receive the solid shaft, and a second opening defined in the body second end to receive the tubular shaft after insertion through the first opening. The retainer cap further includes a first tab extending from the axial end surface into the internal cavity, and a second tab extending from the axial end surface into the internal cavity.
US09347490B2	Rolling bearing cage A roller bearing cage includes the following features:The cage comprises an annular circumferential element, from which bridge elements branch off, roller bodies of the roller bearing being disposable between the bridge elements,the circumferential element comprises a plurality of uniform section elements, andthe initially-loose section elements and bridge elements are connected with each other to form the cage.
US09347488B2	Seal-bearing assembly A seal-bearing assembly to be inserted into the seal cavity of a mechanical device to provide a seal and a bearing surface to eliminate whip in a rotating and/or reciprocal cylindrical member. The seal-bearing assembly is particularly well suited for use in a reciprocal pump or a piston-driven valve, or between the steam lance and fixed steam tube in a sootblower. The assembly includes at least a pair of outer substantially rigid cylindrical bearings having an inner bore to be positioned over the cylindrical member and at least one complimentary flexible textile packing ring substantially comprised of carbon disposed between the two outer bearing members. In assemblies including an additional bearing, the additional bearing is surrounded by at least one flexible packing on each side. The inner bore of the bearing members provides a bearing surface for eliminating whip of the moving elements in the device.
US09347487B2	Rotorcraft bearing with rotation slip joint On example of a rotorcraft bearing system includes a bearing housing attached to an elastomeric bearing on a longitudinal axis, an end surface of the elastomeric bearing attached to an end surface of the bearing housing. The rotorcraft bearing system also includes a sliding contact bearing having an end surface. The rotorcraft bearing system also includes an intermediate sliding contact bearing material layer. Under load on the longitudinal axis, the end surface of the sliding contact bearing is configured to contact an opposing end surface of the bearing housing through the intermediate sliding contact bearing material layer to form a rotational slip joint.
US09347486B2	IC tag equipped bearing unit The bearing unit includes a bearing 1 and bearing unit forming component parts such as, for example, a housing 11 in which the bearing is incorporated, a shaft 19, covers 3 and 4 and a sealing member 10 for the housing. In this bearing unit, at least one of the bearing unit forming component parts is fitted with an IC tag 15 and an IC tag 16 is also fitted to the bearing 1. The IC tag 16 fitted to the bearing unit forming component part is of a read/write type whereas the IC tag 16 fitted to the bearing 1 is of a read-only type. The read-only IC tag 16 fitted to the bearing 1 is recorded with information necessary to correlate the bearing unit forming component part, to which the IC tag 15 is fitted, with the bearing unit 1.
US09347484B2	Bearing apparatus having superhard bearing elements Bearing assemblies and apparatuses are disclosed. Such bearing assemblies may be employed in bearing apparatuses for use in downhole motors of a subterranean drilling system or other mechanical systems. In an embodiment of the present invention, a bearing apparatus includes a first bearing assembly including a first substantially continuous polycrystalline diamond bearing surface defining an annular surface, and a second bearing assembly including a second substantially continuous polycrystalline diamond bearing surface defining an annular surface. The second substantially continuous polycrystalline diamond bearing surface generally opposes the first substantially continuous polycrystalline diamond bearing surface.
US09347480B2	Nut and vehicle part comprising such a nut A nut in the form of a mounting element made in a single piece and having a first branch and a second branch connected by a web, the first branch and the second branch each including a proximal portion connected to the web and a distal portion extending the proximal portion. The nut includes a screwing element supported by the distal portion of the first branch, with a bore extending inside the screwing element along a screwing axis and emerging inside the mounting element through the distal portion of the first branch. The second branch includes an opening passing through the distal portion of the second branch opposite the bore. The proximal portion of at least one of the first and second branches is deformable so as to allow the distal portions of the first branch and the second branch to be positioned parallel to one another with different spacings.
US09347479B2	Method and pair of pinching jaws for producing a drilling tip A method for integrally forming a drilling tip on a wire nail, in particular in order to produce a screw with the aid of a pair of pinching jaws, provides for the bulge formed by the displaced material during the integral forming of the drilling tip to be sheared off the drilling tip along the entire length of the cutting edges of the drilling tip produced and to be left connected to the drilling tip only along the longitudinal side edges of the latter by a predetermined breaking point.
US09347478B2	Wear plate assembly A wear plate assembly for mounting on a substrate to be protected includes a support plate having a first surface and an opposing second surface and a wear plate having a wear surface and an opposing attachment surface affixed to the first surface of the support plate, wherein the wear surface is a continuous, uninterrupted surface. The assembly also includes a shaft having a base portion attached to the second surface of the support plate, a head portion distal from the base portion and a groove formed between the base portion and the head portion. The assembly also includes a retainer spring adapted to be received in the groove on the shaft, wherein the retainer spring includes a plurality of compressible tabs configured for cooperating with the substrate to releasably attach the wear plate assembly to the substrate.
US09347475B2	Self-locating mechanically activated fastener Fasteners are generally described. In some examples, a fastener may include at least one latch. The at least one latch may include an arcuate portion and a linking portion. The arcuate portion may be connected by the linking portion to a pivot point. The pivot point may be located with respect to the first member so that, as the linking portion pivots around the pivot point, the arcuate portion moves along an arcuate path between a non-fastening position and a fastening position. In the fastening position the arcuate portion may extend beyond the first member to engage with the second member to secure it to the first member.
US09347474B2	Clip A clip for attaching a mounting component to a base component, and the clip comprises: a pin including a head portion for engaging the mounting component, and a shaft portion which is contiguous to the head portion, and a lock pins which extends downward from the head portion; and a grommet including a flange and a shank contiguous to the flange and partially defining an aperture operable to receive the pin in one of a temporary fitted position and a permanent fitted position; and wherein the temporary fitted position, the lock pin abuts a recessed portion in the grommet for maintaining the temporary fitted position, and wherein in the permanent fitted position, the lock pin collapses on the inside, and is contained on the inside of the shank portion of the grommet.
US09347472B2	Extension pole mechanism for paint roller An extendable pole mechanism may be used with a pair of poles that are longitudinally movable to adjust the overall length of both poles. The mechanism may include a housing that receives the poles and a trigger that is moveable with respect to the housing to adjust the mechanism between a use condition, where the poles are held in a longitudinally relative fixed position, and an adjustment condition, where the poles are longitudinally moveable with respect to each other.
US09347466B2	Actuator An actuator, including a cylinder, an actuator piston displacably arranged in the cylinder, a pressure fluid circuit having a channel mouthing in the cylinder, an indirectly electrically controlled first valve body, arranged in the channel for controlling a flow of a pressure fluid in the channel, and a second valve body, arranged in or at the channel to open and close the channel, the second valve body being a member fixedly connected to the actuator piston, and the first valve body and the second valve body being arranged in series with each other in the channel. The actuator further includes an electrically controlled three-way valve that is arranged to alternately open for a pressure fluid flow from a high pressure source and a pressure fluid flow from a low pressure source, chosen pressure fluid flow being arranged to act against and admit displacement of the first valve body.
US09347464B2	Heating and ventilation fan for bathroom A heating and ventilation fan for a bathroom comprises an ventilation fan frame, a scroll casing provided with fan blades and a motor, an air passage-switching plate, and a heater; characterized in that: an air leakage-preventing structure is provided between an air outlet of the scroll casing and the air passage. The advantage of the present invention is that a desired air amount can be ensured and a noise can be reduced while guaranteeing a gap required for smooth rotation of the air passage-switching plate.
US09347462B2	Fan blade retention system A fan comprises a rotatable hub assembly having an inner anchor assembly, a plurality of fan blades, a motor assembly, and a plurality of cables. The outer ends of the cables are coupled to the outer ends of the fan blades, and the inner ends of the cables are coupled to the inner anchor assembly. The inner anchor assembly may further include a disc-shaped plate and a plurality of inner anchor members to which the cables may be coupled. The inner anchor members may include a rear anchor portion and fore anchor portion, and these anchor portions may be angularly offset. A plurality of winglets and/or outer anchor members may be coupled to the outer ends of the fan blades to which the outer ends of the cables may be coupled. The outer ends of the cables may further comprise swaged tips outboard of the winglets and/or outer anchor members.
US09347461B2	Cross-flow fan, molding die, and fluid feeder Disclosed is a cross-flow fan where an inner diameter (d) and an outer diameter (D) of a fan blade meet the relationship expressed by 0.55≦d/D≦0.95. In cross-flow fan, (N) representing number of fan blades, a chord length (L) and outer diameter (D) of fan blades, and (M) representing number of blade wheels meet the relationships expressed by of 0.6≦L/(πD/N)≦2.8 and 0.15≦πD/(N×M)≦3.77. A plurality of blade wheels are stacked on each other in a manner that a displacement angle (θ) is generated within the range of (1.2×360°/(N×M))≦θ≦(360°/N) between adjacent blade wheels. The displacement angle (θ) is set so that the overlapping number of fan blades having an equal installation angle is at most 5% of N×M representing a total number of fan blades. The present invention can provide a cross-flow fan that can succeed in noise reduction, a molding die used to produce the cross-flow fan, and a fluid feeder equipped with the cross-flow fan.
US09347459B2	Abradable seal with axial offset A sealing system for a centrifugal compressor includes a stator having a seal, a seal disposed in the seal housing and having an abradable portion along an inner circumference, a rotor having a plurality of rotor teeth configured to rotate within the inner circumference of the seal and configured to create rub grooves within the abradable portion, and a first spring disposed between the stator and the seal and configured to facilitate axial movement of the seal relative to the seal housing.
US09347452B2	Stall detection in fans utilizing frequency converter Exemplary methods and systems of determining stall of a fan are disclosed, when the fan is controlled with a frequency converter. The method includes estimating a rotational speed (n) and the torque (T) of the fan. Transferring characteristic curves of the fan to the estimated rotational speed (n) of the fan, determining the stall region of the fan. Determining an operation point of the fan from the estimated rotational speed (n) and estimated torque (T) using the characteristic curves. Calculating RMS values of the low frequency components of the torque and rotational speed estimates (TRMS, nRMS) to obtain a low frequency parameter (S), and determining an occurrence of stall based on at least one of the operation point and the low frequency parameter (S).
US09347451B2	Livestock building design A livestock building design includes fans configured to provide an interior of the livestock building with a dissipation capacity of between 50 and 250.
US09347448B2	Control valve for an oil-injected screw-type compressor A control valve for an oil-injected screw-type compressor, in particular for installation in a vehicle, wherein oil located in a screw-type compressor housing can be supplied in a controlled manner via the control valve to a heat exchanger and/or to a bypass in such a way that cold oil is conducted through a bypass around the heat exchanger and warm oil is conducted through the heat exchanger. A control valve is provided for an oil-injected screw-type compressor and ensures rapid heating of the oil in the screw-type compressor even with a short activation time. The control valve has a control piston that is actuated by a control element and cooperates respectively with a heat exchanger opening disposed in a control valve housing and a bypass opening, and that the control piston controls at least one bypass opening which cooperates with the heat exchanger opening.
US09347447B2	Process for manufacturing casing, and vacuum pump Damage of a rotor and a side plate are suppressed with a simple construction to prevent reduction in durability of a vacuum pump. A casing manufacturing method comprises a step (step S2) of disposing a cylinder liner forming a cylinder chamber in a mold, and casting a casing main body integrally with the cylinder liner by using molten metal, and a step (step S3) of processing an intercommunication hole and an exhaust hole so that the intercommunication hole and the exhaust hole penetrate through both the cylinder liner and the casing main body together and intercommunicate with the cylinder chamber.
US09347444B2	Diaphragm pump and method for delivering fine-grain powder with the aid of a diaphragm pump The invention relates to a diaphragm pump having a delivery space, which encloses a working volume, at least one deflectable diaphragm, which can be moved into a suction position and a pump position, an inlet valve arranged on a suction side of the diaphragm pump and an outlet valve arranged on the pressure side of the diaphragm pump. In order to make it possible to deliver fine-grain powder, for example, non-flowable powders having particle sizes of 0.01 μm to 100 μm, using a diaphragm pump, it is proposed that a gas feed for introducing a gas into the delivery space be arranged at the delivery space. In addition, the invention relates to a method for delivering fine-grain powder.
US09347442B1	Fluid transfer hand pump The fluid transfer hand pump has a first chamber separated from a second chamber by a barrier with air passages. Air is drawn into the first chamber upon elevation of a knobbed rod. Air is forced into the second chamber by plunging the rod with a cupped seal into the first chamber. The second chamber is sealably joined to a fluid containing vessel to pressurize the vessel, which in turn forces fluid out of the pump and into a desired receptacle.
US09347440B2	Flow cells and manifolds having an electroosmotic pump A flow cell for use in a microfluidic detection system. The flow cell includes a flow cell body having a channel that extends along the flow cell body. The flow cell body has a substrate material that extends along the channel and that is transparent to at least one of excitation light or light emissions. The channel has a functionalized channel surface that includes reactive groups configured to attach to molecules for biochemical analysis. The flow cell also includes fluidic inlet and fluidic outlet ports provided on the flow cell body and an electroosmotic (EO) pump held within the flow cell body in fluid communication with the channel. The EO pump is operable to induce flow of a solution from the inlet port to the outlet port and along the functionalized channel surface.
US09347437B2	Cold state engine for utilising air thermal energy to output work, refrigeration and water A cold state engine utilizing air heat energy to output work, refrigeration and water, includes a first cycle and a second cycle. The first cycle comprises of vaporizer, expander, and working fluid pump. The second cycle includes a vaporizer, circulation pump, air heat exchanger. The two cycles are opera lively interconnected via at least a vaporizer, piping, valves, sensors and a generator. Using air or water as a high temperature heat source, an expander generates cryogenic liquid as a low temperature heat source, using natural gases (such as N2, He, Air, CO2 etc.) as a working fluid, based on methods of cryogenic working fluid thermodynamic-refrigeration cycle and frost-free two stage heat exchange cycle.
US09347431B2	Damping wind turbine tower oscillations using gyroscopic forces A method and a control device for damping an oscillatory movement of the top of a tower of a wind turbine are provided. The described method includes (a) rotating a rotor being rotatably attached to a nacelle of the wind turbine with a rotational speed, and (b) yawing the nacelle of the wind turbine around an axis being aligned with the longitudinal axis of the tower with a yawing speed. Thereby, a yawing movement being associated with yawing the nacelle is coordinated with the oscillatory movement in such a manner that a gyroscopic torque resulting (i) from rotating the rotor and (ii) from yawing the rotor damps the oscillatory movement of the top of the tower. A wind turbine comprising such a control device and a computer program for controlling this method are also provided.
US09347427B2	Wind turbine rotor blade having a thick profile trailing edge A wind turbine rotor blade having an aerodynamic profile which is formed in a longitudinal section of the rotor blade and which has a pressure side, a suction side, a profile leading edge and a profile trailing edge with a thickness of 3 mm or greater, characterized by a plurality of bristles which are arranged on the profile trailing edge and which are arranged in a suction-side row and in a pressure-side row, the suction-side row forming an aerodynamic surface which forms a smooth continuation of the suction side, and the pressure-side row forming an aerodynamic surface which forms a smooth continuation of the pressure side.
US09347426B2	Wind turbine blade railroad transportation system and method A system and method for transporting a first and second airfoil using a center railcar coupled to two additional railcars. A pair of root brackets support the root ends of the two airfoils on the two additional cars, aligning the two airfoils over the center car. A lower sling stand on the center railcar has a pair of vertical side members extending upwardly to hang a lower sling that support the first airfoil. An upper sling stand has a base that is supported by the lower sling stand, and also has a pair of upper side members that support an upper sling. The second airfoil is supported by the upper sling. The upper sling stand is fixedly supported on the lower sling stand so as to support the second airfoil above the first airfoil in overlapping fashion.
US09347425B2	Offshore floating barge to support sustainable power generation A barge has been designed to function in a four-season environment with a plurality of configurable, peripheral bays (bays) that support sustainable energy capture devices (devices). The barge is round with bays that curve inward, opposite the barge's curvature, and where devices can be placed. The bays allow the devices to be removed for maintenance by support ships. The barge is buoyant and floats independently of the devices in each bay. The barge is hollow and its entire circumference can be traversed by the crew. A central platform is contained within the barge by cables that may have wave energy capture mechanisms installed. The central platform and can be accessed by the crew through one or multiple floating walkways. Devices installed at the bays will float independently of the barge and may have wave energy capture mechanisms on them at the bay-device interface.
US09347423B2	Device for obtaining electrical energy from hydropower An onflow element for an installation for generating electrical energy from hydropower. The onflow element includes an onflow wall with an onflow side as well as a free immersion edge delimiting the onflow wall, wherein the onflow wall has a bending seen in a cross sectional plane transverse to the free immersion edge. The bending is designed in a manner such that the onflow wall is designed arched towards an onflow direction directed to the onflow side.
US09347418B2	Method of monitoring EGR system A method of monitoring an EGR system includes setting up an ignition timing map depending on EGR efficiency when the EGR system operates normally. An output value reflecting the driving state of a vehicle is divided into an active area and an inactive area. A detected value of ignition timing depending on the occurrence of knocking for the active and inactive areas is learned and stored. When knocking occurs in the active area, a corrected value of ignition timing influenced by only the operation of the EGR system is extracted using the difference between the detected values of ignition timing learned in the active and inactive areas. The amount of variation in the EGR efficiency influenced by the operation of the EGR system is measured by measuring the EGR efficiency by applying the corrected value of ignition timing to the ignition timing map.
US09347415B2	Driver output encoding systems and methods A starter relay connects a battery with a starter motor of an engine when in a closed state and disconnects the starter motor from the battery when in an open state. A switching device provides current to the starter relay when in a closed state and disables current flow to the starter relay when in an open state. For an engine startup event, a switch control module: transitions the switching device to the closed state for a first predetermined period; transitions the switching device to the open state for a second predetermined period after the first predetermined period; and transitions the switching device to the closed state for a third period after the second predetermined period. The starter relay remains in the open state during the first predetermined period and transitions to the closed state when the switching device is in the closed state for the third period.
US09347414B2	Vehicle with an electric system architecture, and method for operating same A vehicle is provided with a hybridized drive train and a low-voltage onboard power supply system. The low voltage onboard power supply system includes electric consuming devices, an energy accumulator and a starter for an internal-combustion engine. The low-voltage onboard power supply system further includes a support accumulator and a first switch between the support accumulator and the rest of the low-voltage onboard power supply system.
US09347413B2	Method and control unit for controlling an internal combustion engine A method and a control unit are disclosed for controlling an internal combustion engine having fuel injector(s), a camshaft for actuating inlet and/or outlet valve(s), a valve-train adjusting device for controllably changing the actuating characteristic of at least one valve which is actuated by means of the camshaft, and optionally having a camshaft sensor which supplies a camshaft signal dependent on the camshaft angle, a crankshaft sensor which supplies a crankshaft signal representing the crankshaft angle, and a control unit for controlling the fuel injection and the valve-train adjusting device. In order to obtain information about the current setting of the valve-train adjusting device, at least one cylinder pressure signal supplied by a cylinder pressure sensor for measuring the pressure in an associated cylinder is evaluated with regard to interference signals, and the evaluation result is taken into consideration in the control of the valve-train adjusting device.
US09347412B2	Damping element for an arrangement of a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine and an injection valve A damping element implemented for damping a vibration transmitted between an injection valve and a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine may include a base body substantially shaped as a ring washer and at least one first contact segment fixedly coupled to the base body and protruding past the base body in a first axial direction and a second contact segment fixedly coupled to the base body and protruding past the base body in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction. The first at least one contact segment has a radial offset from the longitudinal axis that is unequal to a radial offset of the second contact segment from the longitudinal axis.
US09347411B2	Decoupling element for a fuel injection device A decoupling element for a fuel injection device has a low-noise construction. The fuel injection device includes at least one fuel injector and one receiving bore in a cylinder head for the fuel injector and the decoupling element between a valve housing of the fuel injector and a wall of the receiving bore. The decoupling element has a nonlinear progressive spring characteristic as a solid-state joint, at least one bearing collar including a valve contact surface, which is designed to be spherical, i.e., convex, extending upward from a flat annular area, the flat annular area being supported on a supporting base, and the inside of the annular area has a smaller inside diameter D than the bearing collar and the supporting base, which is supported on the wall of the receiving bore.
US09347407B2	Manifold element for a filtering cartridge A manifold element (210) for a filtering cartridge (200) includes a shaped shell (215) provided with an internal volume (220) and a plurality of access ports (225, 230) communicating with said internal volume, among which a plurality of first access ports (225) and at least one second access port (230). Each of the first access ports (225) is adapted to be coupled with a respective filtering material element (205) so as to support it and be occluded thereby.
US09347402B2	System for measuring EGR flow and method for reducing acoustic resonance in EGR system An intake body, systems, and method for reducing acoustic resonance in pressure tap passages include determining and/or setting the length of the drilling tap passages to a value such that the natural frequency of each pressure tap passage is outside of or does not substantially overlap with operational frequency content of an air stream in the intake body. The intake body, systems and method reduce the possibility of exciting the natural acoustic frequencies of the pressure tap passages, and can lead to improved signal-to-noise ratio when detecting EGR flow using a delta-P measurement system.
US09347400B2	Rocket stage having engine thrust frame integrated with tank A rocket stage for a spacecraft includes an engine, a tank for storing a fuel and an oxidizer for combustion in the engine, a rocket stage primary structure, and an engine thrust frame that connects and transmits forces between the engine and the primary structure. The engine thrust frame includes at least an internal part thereof arranged internally within the tank. This internal part of the engine thrust frame forms an imperforate partition that divides an interior space of the tank into at least two chambers for storing the fuel and the oxidizer separately from one another. Propellant management devices including liquid guide vanes and refillable liquid reservoirs may be provided in connection with the partition in the tank interior space.
US09347396B2	Piston structure for engine A piston pin structure for an engine is provided, which suppresses integral resonance of a piston, a piston pin, and a smaller end part of a connecting rod with respect to a larger end part of the connecting rod on the combustion stroke, as well as suppresses an increase of noise on other strokes, and restricts the fixed dynamic absorber inside the piston pin from coming off and ensures a coming-off function.The piston pin structure may include a dynamic absorber including a fixed part fixed to a piston pin, a movable part extending in the axial direction of the piston pin, and a supporting part for swingably supporting the movable part with respect to the fixed part. A restriction mechanism for mechanically restricting the movement of the dynamic absorber in the axial direction may also be included.
US09347394B2	Fuel injection control system A fuel injection control system includes an engine speed detector, a throttle opening degree detector, a fuel injection device, a fuel injection controller, a fuel injection number determining device, and a fuel injection mode setting device. The engine speed detector is configured to detect an engine speed (NE). The throttle opening degree detector is configured to detect a throttle opening degree (TH). The fuel injection device is configured to inject fuel. The fuel injection controller is configured to calculate, based on an injection amount map, a fuel injection amount of the fuel to be injected from the fuel injection device and is configured to control the fuel injection device to inject the fuel according to the calculated fuel injection amount.
US09347393B2	Fuel injection device A method of controlling a fuel injection device that can control a small amount of injection is provided. A fuel injection device for use in an internal combustion engine, includes: a valve body that can open and close a fuel passage, a needle that transfers a force with the valve body, and executes valve opening/closing operation, and an electromagnet that includes a coil and a magnetic core provided as a driver for driving the needle, and a cylindrical nozzle holder disposed on an outer periphery of the magnetic core and the needle, in which a current is supplied to the coil to exert a magnetic attractive force between the magnetic core and the needle to open the valve body.
US09347389B2	Engine control device of work machine and engine control method therefor It is determined that assisting is required when a deviation of a target matching engine speed and a current engine speed is equal to or more than a predetermined value, and for a predetermined period of time since the time point at which it is determined that assisting is required, a target assist engine speed is set at a high rotation target matching engine speed which is more than the target matching engine speed, and thereafter the target assist engine speed is set gradually closer to the target matching engine speed, and an assist torque command value is output to the generator assisting output of the engine, and the engine speed is controlled, so that the engine speed attains the target assist engine speed.
US09347388B2	Autostop customer alert feature A system includes a stop-start module that determines, based on characteristics of a vehicle, whether to deactivate an engine of the vehicle, that selectively deactivates the engine based on the characteristics, that, subsequent to deactivating the engine, selectively reactivates the engine based on the characteristics, and that generates an indication signal corresponding to the determination. A driver alert module receives the indication signal and selectively generates, based on the indication signal, a masking sound to be played by an audio system of the vehicle while the engine is deactivated.
US09347385B2	Variable compression ratio device Disclosed is a variable compression ratio device which changes a top dead center of a piston provided in an engine depending on a driving state of the engine. The variable compression ratio device may include: a lower piston reciprocally movable in a cylinder of the engine and connected with a connecting rod to rotate a crankshaft, an operation chamber, an upper piston disposed above the lower piston and partially inserted into the operation chamber, a push plate dividing the operation chamber into upper and lower spaces, a hydraulic pressure chamber which is the lower space, an elastic member provided in the upper space to push the push plate downward, a hydraulic pressure supply unit selectively supplying hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic pressure chamber, and a hydraulic pressure supply pathway connecting the hydraulic pressure supply unit and the hydraulic pressure chamber for supplying the hydraulic pressure.
US09347383B2	Intra-cylinder auxiliary actuation of engine valves through selective discontinuation of main valve events A third motion transfer mechanism transfers valve actuation motion from a second motion source to a first engine valve. A motion decoupler is configured to selectively discontinue the transfer of motion from a first motion transfer mechanism to the first engine valve. Furthermore, a reset mechanism is configured to selectively discontinue, based on operation of a second motion transfer mechanism, the transfer of motion from the third motion transfer mechanism to the first engine valve. The third motion transfer mechanism may comprise a master piston and a slave piston in fluid communication with each other via a hydraulic circuit, the master piston being configured to receive motion from the second motion source and the slave piston being configured to transfer motion to the first engine valve.
US09347382B2	Multiple throttle device A multiple throttle device of the invention employs a constitution in which, as a sensor section that detects the opening of throttle valves, a shaft member formed to have a different axis from a throttle shaft is positioned within the width L of a throttle body, and a throttle position sensor is disposed in the shaft member.
US09347381B2	Model predictive control systems and methods for internal combustion engines An engine control method includes: generating a first predicted engine output torque and a first predicted mass of air per cylinder (APC) based on a model of the spark ignition engine and a first set of possible target values determined based on an engine torque request; generating a second predicted engine output torque and a second predicted mass of APC based on the model of the spark ignition engine and a second set of possible target values determined based on the engine torque request; determining a first cost for the first set of possible target values; determining a second cost for the second set of possible target values; selecting one of the first and second sets based on the first and second costs; and setting target values based on the possible target values of the selected one of the first and second sets.
US09347375B2	Hot EGR driven by turbomachinery In one embodiment, a system includes a turbine combustor of a turbine system with the turbine combustor at least partially enclosed within a compressor discharge casing. The turbine system also includes an exhaust gas recovery system that includes an exhaust gas recirculation duct. The exhaust gas recirculation duct is configured to recirculate exhaust gas from a downstream end of the turbine combustor to an upstream end of the turbine combustor. This exhaust gas recirculation duct is entirely enclosed within the compressor discharge casing.
US09347370B2	Rotary internal combustion engine, gas compressor, and liquid pump A rotatory internal combustion engine is provided. The engine includes a power module, wherein all moving parts of the engine are positioned within the power module, a housing including an intake and an exhaust, wherein the housing is configured to retain the power module, and a sleeve configured to couple in the housing, the sleeve including a sleeve intake and a sleeve exhaust.
US09347369B2	Systems and methods for controlling compression in an engine, compressor, or pump A housing for an engine is provided. The housing includes an intake manifold configured to supply air to at least one chamber defined within the housing, a fuel port configured to supply fuel to the at least one chamber, and a compression control port configured to control at least one of a pressure and a volume of a fuel-air mixture in the at least one chamber during a compression cycle of the engine. The compression control port includes a passage defined through the housing, and at least one valve disposed in the passage and configured to control a flow through the passage.
US09347361B2	Exhaust manifold mounting structure for internal combustion engine A cross recess is provided at a fastening seat portion of a cylinder head in which exhaust port outlets are arranged in two rows and two in each row. A cross protrusion that is fittable to the cross recess is provided at a flange of an exhaust manifold. A gasket has a cross opening through which the cross protrusion is insertable. The exhaust manifold is fastened to the cylinder head by passing the cross protrusion of the flange of the exhaust manifold through the cross opening of the gasket and then fitting the cross protrusion to the cross recess of the fastening seat portion of the cylinder head.
US09347359B2	Air dithering for internal combustion engine system Described herein is an air dithering system for an internal combustion engine generating exhaust gas that includes an exhaust line in exhaust gas receiving communication with the internal combustion engine. The system also includes an exhaust aftertreatment component positioned within the exhaust line in exhaust gas receiving communication with exhaust gas in the exhaust line. Further, the system includes an air injector in air injecting communication with exhaust gas in the exhaust line at a location downstream of the internal combustion engine and upstream of the exhaust aftertreatment component.
US09347357B2	Honeycomb catalyst body The honeycomb catalyst body includes a honeycomb structure having porous partition walls, outflow side plugged portions, inflow side plugged portions, and catalyst layers formed on the surfaces of the partition walls on the side of the outflow cells, the cells are formed so that an open area of each outflow cell is larger than an open area of each inflow cell, a porosity of the partition walls of the honeycomb structure is from 25 to 55%, and in a cross section parallel to the extending direction of the cells, a total area of the catalyst layers formed on the surfaces of the pores in the partition walls is 5% or less of a total area of the pores in the partition walls.
US09347353B2	Abnormality detection apparatus for electrically heated catalyst Abnormality of an electrically heated catalyst is detected in a more accurate manner. In an abnormality detection apparatus for an electrically heated catalyst which is provided with a heat generation element that is arranged in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine, and is electrically energized to generate heat, and an insulation part that provides electrical insulation so that electricity does not flow through the exhaust passage when the heat generation element is electrically energized, provision is made for a determination unit which makes a determination that abnormality has occurred in the electrically heating catalyst, in cases where the heat generation element is electrically energized from before starting of the internal combustion engine, and in cases where a value of an insulation resistance of the insulation part after a predetermined period of time has elapsed from the starting of the internal combustion engine is equal to or less than a threshold value.
US09347349B2	Positive ignition engine and exhaust system comprising catalysed zone-coated filter substrate A positive ignition engine comprising an exhaust system, which comprises a catalysed filter for filtering particulate matter from exhaust gas emitted from a positive ignition internal combustion engine, which filter comprising a porous substrate having a total substrate length and having inlet surfaces and outlet surfaces, wherein the inlet surfaces are separated from the outlet surfaces by a first porous structure containing pores of a first mean pore size, wherein the porous substrate is coated with a washcoat composition which is a NOx absorber catalyst washcoat composition comprising at least one precious metal; or a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst washcoat composition, wherein a second porous structure of the washcoated porous substrate contains pores of a second mean pore size, wherein the second mean pore size is less than the first mean pore size, which NOx absorber catalyst washcoat or SCR catalyst washcoat being axially arranged on the porous substrate as a first zone comprising the inlet surfaces of a first substrate length less than the total substrate length and a second zone comprising the outlet surfaces of a second substrate length less than the total substrate length, wherein the sum of the substrate length in the first zone and the substrate length in the second zone is ≧100%, wherein: (i) a washcoat loading in the first zone >second zone; or (ii) where the washcoat composition is a NOx absorber catalyst washcoat composition, both a washcoat loading and a total precious metal loading in the first zone >second zone, and wherein the first zone is disposed upstream of the second zone.
US09347348B2	Active regeneration control device for a diesel particulate filter An active regeneration control device for a diesel particulate filter (DPF) according to the present disclosure includes: an active regeneration determining unit judging an active regeneration time of the (DPF); an active regeneration signal generating unit generating an active regeneration signal according to the decision of the active regeneration determining unit; and an active regeneration inducing unit. The active regeneration inducing unit induces the active regeneration when the active regeneration is not performed after the active regeneration signal is generated.
US09347346B2	Oil mist separator for a crankcase ventilation for separating particles and corresponding method Oil mist separator (1) for a crankcase ventilation for separating particles (2) from a fluid (3) guided from a first fluid line (14) to a deflector body device (20), with a device (10) for actively accelerating the fluid (3) in the first fluid line (14).
US09347341B2	Apparatus and method for controlling variable valve timing mechanism An apparatus for controlling a variable valve timing mechanism includes an electronic controller which includes a microcomputer converges a valve timing of a variable valve timing mechanism to a target changing amount based on a deviation between the target changing amount and an output of a sensor for detecting a changing amount of the valve timing.
US09347340B2	Bearing block for a camshaft A bearing block comprises a camshaft in an internal combustion engine and a valve drive. The valve drive may include at least one rocker arm mounted on a rocker arm shaft, wherein the bearing block is formed concurrently with the mounting of the at least one rocker arm.
US09347338B2	Gas compressor A gas compressor includes a compressor unit having a compressor body for compressing gas and an electricity-generation device generating electricity by obtaining a driving force by vaporizing a working fluid utilizing exhaust heat generated by a compressing action in the compressor body and expanding the working fluid so as to utilize the power generated by the electricity-generation device as a power source, and includes a switch device switching between power from the electricity generation device and power from a commercial power supply to supply power to the power consumption equipment, and a control device detecting an electricity-generation amount or a value correlative to the electricity generation amount and switching between the powers by the switch device, thereby generating the power using exhaust heat as a heat source to surely drive an auxiliary machine by a simple configuration regardless of a shortage of the electricity generation amount.
US09347334B2	Turbine blade tip clearance control An aircraft engine for use in a low-bypass turbofan application has a high pressure turbine having a blade and an engine casing disposed about the blade. A shield is disposed around the casing adjacent to the blade to create an area between the shield and the casing. A gate selectively controls entry of cooling air into the area and may be closed if the engine is maneuvering and may be open if cruising.
US09347328B2	Compressed air plenum for a gas turbine engine A compressed air supply system for routing compressed air from a compressor to at least one combustor of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The compressed air supply system may be formed from one or more plenums having an upstream end in fluid communication with an inner chamber of the compressor in which air is compressed and having a downstream end in fluid communication with the at least one combustor. Channeling compressed air through the plenum reduces damage to other components by confining the compressed air within the plenum. An upstream end of the plenum may be sealed to at least a portion of the compressor, and a downstream end of the plenum may be sealed to at least a portion of one or more combustors.
US09347326B2	Integral cover bucket assembly A bucket assembly includes a plurality of first buckets, and a pair of transition buckets. Each first bucket includes a bucket cover including a pair of lateral edges each having a first configuration. Each transition bucket includes a transition cover including a first lateral edge having the first configuration and a second lateral edge having a second configuration.
US09347324B2	Turbine airfoil vane with an impingement insert having a plurality of impingement nozzles A turbine vane includes a generally elongated hollow airfoil and a cooling system. The cooling system is positioned within the airfoil and includes a cooling chamber and an impingement insert positioned in the cooling chamber. The impingement insert and an inner surface of an outer wall of the airfoil define a cooling channel therebetween. The impingement insert includes a plurality of impingement nozzles extending toward the inner surface of the outer wall and a plurality of impingement orifices. At least one of the impingement orifices is arranged in a non-aligned pattern with respect to at least one adjacent impingement orifice such that cooling fluid passing out of the at least one impingement orifice does not directly flow into a centerline of a cooling fluid flowpath of cooling fluid passing out of the at least one adjacent impingement orifice.
US09347323B2	Gas turbine engine airfoil total chord relative to span An airfoil for a turbine engine includes pressure and suction sides that extend in a radial direction from a 0% span position at an inner flow path location to a 100% span position at an airfoil tip. The airfoil has a relationship between a total chord length and a span position and corresponds to a curve that has an increasing total chord length from the 0% span position to a first peak. The first peak occurs in the range of 45-65% span position, and the curve either remains generally constant or has a decreasing total chord length from the first peak to the 100% span position. The total chord length is at the 0% span position in the range of 8.2-10.5 inches (20.8-26.7 cm).
US09347320B2	Turbine bucket profile yielding improved throat Turbine frequency tuning, fluid dynamic efficiency, and performance can be improved using a particular airfoil profile, which can be used to determine a throat between adjacent airfoils. By shaping the throat according to the particular profile, the total pressure at an endwall can be energized, improving performance of the turbine.
US09347316B2	Telescopic mine roof support A longitudinally yieldable support for underground roof support includes a first support section with a first elongate outer shell filed with a solid compressible filler material and a second support section filled with a second solid compressible filler material with a second elongate outer shell extending above the first elongate outer shell. The second support section has density that is greater than a density of the first solid compressible filler material. A pair of attachment members are coupled to the second elongate outer shell and are configured for lifting the second elongate outer shell relative to the first elongate outer shell and for securing the second elongate outer shell relative to the first elongate outer shell once lifted.
US09347315B2	Device machining materials by milling or drilling, and method therefor A method and device for machining materials includes a tool drum having tool shafts that support machining tools that can be driven in rotation. A drive element rotates the tool shafts and the tool drum relative to each other, and a drum carrier can be moved relative to the material by using a movement device. A control device varies the speed of the relative movement between the tool carrier and material and the rotational speed of the tool drum. To avoid critical operating points, one measuring sensor measures the natural translational vibration and/or another measuring sensor determines the rotational vibrations of the tool drum. The control device has a vibration analysis module, by which a vibration spectrum can be determined, and at least one controller module, by which drive parameters can be controlled as a function of the vibrations determined by the analysis module.
US09347312B2	Pressure sensor arrangement using an optical fiber and methodologies for performing an analysis of a subterranean formation A sensor arrangement using an optical fiber and methodologies for performing an analysis of a subterranean formation, such as a subterranean formation containing a hydrocarbon based fluid. The sensor arrangement may be used to measure one or more physical parameters, such as temperature and/or pressure, at a multiplicity of locations in the subterranean reservoir. The sensor arrangement may comprise a sensor array comprising an elongated outer casing for insertion in the subterranean formation and into a fluid in the subterranean formation. The sensor array may comprise an optical fiber defining an optical path that links one or more temperature sensors and one or more pressure sensors and transports measurement data generated by the temperature and pressure sensors. A data processing system may be connected to the sensor array to receive measurements from the sensor array and to compute one or more values of a property of an extraction installation operating on the subterranean formation.
US09347307B2	Assembly for measuring temperature of materials flowing through tubing in a well system An assembly for measuring a temperature of a fluid flowing through a tubing section is provided. The assembly can include the tubing section and a temperature measurement component in thermal communication with an inner diameter of the tubing section. A temperature of a fluid flowing through the tubing section can be detected using the temperature measurement component.
US09347299B2	Packer tool including multiple ports A tool to be used within a wellbore including a wall, the wellbore extending through a formation including formation fluid, includes a first packer and a second packer. The first packer includes a packer port to enable formation fluid flow through the first packer, with the second packer spaced from the first packer. The first packer and the second packer are expandable to abut the wellbore wall to form an interval within the wellbore between the first packer and the second packer, in which the tool further includes an interval port in fluid communication with the interval.
US09347292B2	Soft landing system and method of achieving same A subsea wireline system for soft landing equipment during installation. The subsea soft landing wireline system includes coarse alignment members that can be part of a tree and interact with a funnel located on the equipment to be installed by the soft landing system. Smaller alignment members can provide fine alignment and also interact with a funnel located on the equipment to be installed. The funnels are used to trap sea water that provides a cushion for the equipment being installed. Once in alignment, trapped water can be released from the funnel via a restricted orifice or a control valve located on an ROV. The system achieves soft landing without the use of a running tool, thus reducing expense.
US09347289B2	Blowout preventer system having position and pressure sensing device and related methods Blowout preventer systems are provided. According to an exemplary embodiment, the system includes a blowout preventer, a plurality of position sensing mechanisms, a plurality of pressure sensing mechanisms, and a controller configured to receive position data indicating a position of a piston and pressure data indicating the pressure of hydraulic fluid being applied to the piston, and to determine a current stroking pressure signature or fingerprint during a closing cycle, which when compared to a baseline stroking pressure signature or fingerprint, can provide an indication of the health of one or more components of the operator containing the piston. The controller can also determine a backlash of the ram block, and/or to record a position of the ram block, and/or to calculate an instant when a supplemental closing pressure is desired to be applied, and/or to determine when maintenance of a ram locking mechanism is due, and/or to determine when sealing elements are worn.
US09347288B2	Modeling operation of a tool in a wellbore In modeling operation of a well tool in applying a force to a device in a well, a computing system receives inputs representing a plurality of geometric characteristics of the well tool. The computing system also receives inputs representing a plurality of geometric characteristics of the well. The computing system determines based on the geometric characteristics of the well tool and the well, a predicted reaction force on a portion of the well tool that affects operation of the well tool in applying force to the device. The predicted reaction force is due to contact between a surface associated with the well tool and a surface of the well.
US09347283B2	Downhole swivel apparatus and method What is provided is a method and apparatus which can be detachably connected to an annular blowout preventer thereby separating the drilling fluid or mud into upper and lower sections and allowing the fluid to be displaced in two stages, such as while the drill string is being rotated and/or reciprocated. In one embodiment the sleeve can be rotatably and sealably connected to a mandrel. The swivel can be incorporated into a drill or well string and enabling string sections both above and below the sleeve to be rotated in relation to the sleeve. In one embodiment the drill or well string does not move in a longitudinal direction relative to the swivel. In one embodiment, the drill or well string does move longitudinally relative to the sleeve of the swivel.
US09347282B1	High torque capacity spider A low profile, high torque spider assembly for use on a rotary table of a drilling rig to secure a vertical pipe string such as a drill string is disclosed. The spider is comprised of a plurality of slips to engage with the drill string, a horizontal actuator, and a means for transferring the horizontal motion of the horizontal actuator to the vertical slips. Because of the horizontal orientation of the actuator means, this spider has a low deck profile and occupies less deck space, thereby making it particularly suitable for drilling rigs with small rotary table openings.
US09347280B2	Adjustable riser suspension and sealing system An adjustable riser suspension system for suspending a riser under tension including a riser hanger, a mating sleeve rotationally coupled to the riser hanger, a ratchet-latch sleeve located inside the mating sleeve with an external profile configured to engage an internal profile of the mating sleeve and an internal profile configured to engage an externally threaded face of the riser. The riser hanger and mating sleeve are configured to move downward relative to the riser such that the mating sleeve fits over at least a portion of the riser, causing the ratchet-latch device to ratchet over the external threads of the riser. The mating sleeve is configured to rotate relative to the riser, causing the internal and external profiles of ratchet-latch device to lock the riser and the mating sleeve to prevent movement of the riser relative to the mating sleeve.
US09347277B2	System and method for communicating between a drill string and a logging instrument A wireline configurable well logging instrument is connected to a drill pipe carrier and movable from a retracted position to an extended position. The drill pipe carrier is positioned on a pipe string that may comprise a portion of wired pipes communicatively coupled at each joint. Communication between the drill pipe carrier and the well logging instrument includes the use of inductive couplers, wires and combinations thereof.
US09347276B2	Two prong rotary drill bit with cutting insert having edge preparation A two-prong rotary drill bit for engaging an earth strata material includes a drill bit body having an axis of rotation, the drill bit body having a head portion at an axial forward end and a shank portion at an axial rearward end, the head portion having two mounting arms offset from the axis of rotation of the drill bit body. The two-prong rotary drill bit also includes a cutting insert attached to each mounting arm at the axial forward end of the drill bit body. Each cutting insert includes a leading face facing in the direction of rotation, a top surface having a relief surface, a T-land surface extending between the leading face and the relief surface of the top surface and a cutting edge formed at the intersection of the T-land surface and the relief surface of the top surface.
US09347270B2	Pre-positioned capping device and diverter Systems and methods contain fluids discharged from a subsea well or at the surface by capping the well blowout with a pre-positioned capping device and diverting flow of hydrocarbons to a secondary location for disposal/handling in situations where casing integrity is compromised preventing ability to close in the flow of the hydrocarbons. The capping device includes at least one blind shear ram and is separate from a blowout preventer. Different personnel offsite of a rig drilling the well may have access and control to operate the device.
US09347265B2	Top drive systems for wellbore and drilling operations A gear system has a gear housing and a lower planetary carrier disposed in the gear housing, the lower planetary carrier being adapted to rotate relative to the gear housing. A top drive system is operatively coupled to the gear system, the top drive system having a top drive shaft that is adapted to be driven by the gear system. A single bearing that is adapted to facilitate rotation of the lower planetary carrier is positioned between the gear housing and the lower planetary carrier. A motor apparatus is operatively coupled to and adapted to drive the gear system by rotating the lower planetary carrier relative to the gear housing, wherein a rotational axis of the single bearing is adapted to move in a lateral translational direction with respect to the gear housing while the motor apparatus is rotating the lower planetary carrier.
US09347264B2	Ladder stabilizing apparatus for use with ferromagnetic support An apparatus to secure a ladder to a ferromagnetic support such as an exposed ferromagnetic support comprises a pair of bracket clamping assemblies removably attached to a rung on a ladder. The brackets are pivotally bolted to magnet mounts, which each hold a permanent magnet that releasably holds the ladder in place against the support. The apparatus prevents the ladder from slipping, and further serves to hold the ladder at the proper angle for safe use. The apparatus finds particular application where exposed ferromagnetic metal beams are available in the workspace but tying a ladder for safety would be impractical.
US09347263B2	Collapsible ladder An extendable ladder having a collapsed mode and an extended mode, characterized in that when the ladder is transformed from the collapsed mode to the extended mode, at least one ground stabilizer extends laterally from the ladder to widen the footprint of the ladder.
US09347262B1	Gate A gate for use in closing the opening in a fence may comprise a plurality of horizontal bars separated by open spaces, with at least some of the horizontal bars being formed of hollow tubing having a primary perimeter wall with an interior surface defining an interior lumen. A plurality of vertical elements may connect the horizontal bars, and at least one reinforcement member may be inserted into the interior lumen of one of the horizontal bars. The at least one reinforcement member may have an exterior surface with locations on the exterior surface in snug contact with the interior surface of the primary perimeter wall.
US09347252B2	Foot-operated door opener, door and use A foot-operated door opener, with a foot-operated actuator element is located in the lower region of a door for opening the door, and the foot-operated actuator element has a one foot tread element which, when actuated by a foot, at least partially pivots downwards and inwards. The foot tread element is also guided in a forcibly guided manner by way of a forcibly guided element and one forcibly-guided moving element. The foot tread element is connected rotatably to an articulated element and rotatably connected to the forcibly-guided moving element in such a manner that, upon actuation by a foot, the foot tread element both executes a movement downwards and is also moved as a whole at least partially outwards.
US09347249B2	Armored vehicle door release system A door release system for a tactical armored vehicle having a vehicle door frame with a receptacle and a vehicle door hinged to the frame is disclosed comprising a pair of releasable hinge bodies carried by the door. The hinge bodies include a head portion for abutting an area of the door frame surrounding the receptacle. A plug portion fits within the frame receptacle, and a lock portion follows the plug portion. An end portion follows the lock portion and is dimensioned smaller than the frame receptacle. A hinge release assembly includes a latch means for locking the hinge bodies in place in the receptacles to prevent removal of the hinge bodies in a locked position. An actuator disengages said means to release said hinge bodies for removal from said door frame and vehicle in a hazardous situation.
US09347248B2	Blind hinge structure used for furniture A blind hinge structure used for furniture, comprising a movable cup seat provided on the furniture door body, a regulating base provided on the main body of furniture, a rotary arm connected between the movable cup seat and the regulating base, an elastic element which is designed to generate start-stop acting force on the movable cup seat at least, wherein the front of the rotary arm is designed as “” shaped structure, the arm lever at its small end is hinged with the movable cup seat through pin shaft and forms an arc-shaped surface which is connected with the elastic member; The top surface of its big end is a plane, and regulating components are provided on the plane and are in coordinated connection with the regulating base; fasteners are provided on the regulating base and are used in coordination with the regulating components for positioning.
US09347246B2	Opening and/or closing mechanism on doors, gates/flaps or the like, in particular on motor vehicles An opening and/or closing mechanism for a motor vehicle, with a lock having a housing, in which there is arranged at least one retention element, which has a pawl and a rotary latch, and with a closing element, which is in operative connection with the lock in the closed position, it being possible for the rotary latch to be moved between a release position and a retention position, in which it catches the closing element. In the event of deformation of the housing, the housing is contacted at least partially by the retention element in order to prevent the door from opening, wherein at least one stop surface of a rotary latch section of the rotary latch enters into a positive-locking connection with the housing.
US09347245B2	Motorized horizontal docking station having integrated locking mechanism Disclosed is a sliding arm for use with a docking station having a connector block with a plurality of plugs, the arm includes a block-side portion and a follower portion. The block-side portion can have a first end connected to the connector block. The follower portion can be connected to a second end of the block-side portion with a linear clutch. The linear clutch can include a bolt, a spring, and two sliding members. The bolt can pass through the block-side portion and the follower portion. A force on an end of the arm can cause the clutch to slip allowing the follower portion to move independently of the block-side portion. A sensor can detect a slippage of the linear clutch.
US09347244B2	Electronic device An electronic device can include a housing, a printed circuit board received in the housing, a key, and an adjusting member. The housing defines a through hole. The key is coupled to the housing and partially received in the through hole. The adjusting member is across the through hole. The adjusting member is movably coupled to the housing and contact the key.
US09347240B2	Pocket door pull devices The invention relates to pocket door hardware. Devices are disclosed that include a plate configured to fit over a surface pull of a pocket door, and members protruding from the plate away from the broad plane of the door.
US09347235B2	Vibration isolation structure using precast concrete shear-key block and anti-vibration pad, and method for controlling anti-vibration of structure using the same In a structure which forms an upper structure and a lower structure divided by an anti-vibration pad for vibration isolation therein, since the concavo-convex type shear key is formed using the precast concrete shear-key block, the construction can be precisely performed according to the predetermined standard. Therefore, a vibration isolation structure using a precast concrete shear-key block and an anti-vibration pad which are capable of effectively blocking vibration and noise, and a constructing method thereof are provided.
US09347232B1	Lifting and leveling assembly for precast concrete slabs and method A lifting and leveling assembly configured to be embedded in a precast concrete slab for lifting a leveling a precast concrete slab includes a base plate, a threaded sleeve, an anchor plate, a thread protecting sleeve, a threaded lifting bolt and an end cap. Rotating the threaded lifting bolt in a first direction positions a bolt head on the threaded lifting bolt above a top surface of a precast concrete slab to accommodate the attachment of a lifting device. Rotating the threaded lifting bolt in a second direction positions the bolt head beneath the top surface of the concrete slab and causes the threaded shaft to exert a force on the base plate to level the precast concrete slab.
US09347231B2	Construction hanger brace A construction hanger comprising a brace including a first elongated member; an arm extending from one end of the first elongated member at an angle thereto, the arm and the elongated member cooperating to engage the surface of a construction support member; a guide at the end of the elongated member opposite the one end, the guide being capable of receiving a hanger member, the guide being positioned on or formed within the brace and at an angle thereto; the guide tying the hanging member to the construction support member by means of the brace.
US09347230B1	Modular scaffold horizontal end connector An end connector for a horizontal scaffold member includes two sidewalls that are substantially parallel joined to a pipe. Each side wall has two spaced apart engagement section. The sidewalls extend into the interior of the pipe and remain substantially parallel in the interior of the pipe. A movable latch is positioned between the two sidewalls.
US09347229B2	Adjustable sawhorse The invention provides a sawhorse comprising a base assembly movable between a folded position for storage and an open position for use and a workpiece support assembly having a workpiece supporting surface which faces upwardly when the base assembly is in the open position for use thereof, said workpiece support assembly being mounted on the base assembly for vertical movement in opposite directions with respect to the base assembly through a range of vertical positions. The base assembly and the workpiece support assembly has a cooperating structure operable to enable the workpiece support assembly to be manually moved in said opposite directions into a selected vertical position with respect to the base assembly, which adjustably engages the workpiece support assembly in the selected vertical position and which is operable to move the workpiece support assembly when the base assembly is in the folded position or in the open position.
US09347228B1	Tile spacing device and accompanying system and method A tile spacing device and accompanying system and method are disclosed for spacing a plurality of tiles having a contour. In one embodiment, the tile spacing device includes two parallel bodies connected by at least one spanning member. The first body, the second body, and the at least one spanning member form a cage-like fused-member structure having a four-tile engagement configuration, a three-tile engagement configuration, and a two-tile engagement configuration, respectively. Within each of the three engagement configurations, engagement of a tile with a spacer can be seen by a user through the cage-like fused-member structure.
US09347226B2	Aluminum deck plank having a sealing gasket A deck plank has an elongated length, two opposite sides extending along the elongated length, two ends located on opposite ends of the elongated length, and a continuous cross-section along the elongated length. The deck plank comprises an insertion member extending the length of one of the two sides and forms a groove extending the length thereof and shaped to retain a sealing gasket therein.
US09347220B1	Ceiling system A ceiling system in one embodiment includes a grid support member including a flange defining a bottom surface and a ceiling panel supported by the grid support member. A first facing sheet includes a peripheral edge portion attached to the grid support member. An integral cutting guide groove is formed in the bottom surface of the grid support member. The peripheral edge portion of first facing sheet includes an edge which is axially aligned with the groove. A second ceiling panel includes a second facing sheet including a peripheral edge portion having an edge axially aligned with the groove and disposed adjacent the edge of the first facing sheet to form a seam. The first and second facing sheets conceal the grid support member. A related method of installation is disclosed.
US09347218B2	Modular wall nesting system Implementations of the present invention relate to systems, methods, and apparatus for incorporating face- and center-mounted panels into a single wall module to form nested wall modules. For instance, face-mounted panels can nest within the center-mounted panels. Additionally or alternatively, center-mounted panels can nest within the face-mounted panels to form windows.
US09347217B2	Insulating cover for wall opening Embodiments disclose an apparatus for enclosing and insulating an opening in a structure such as an air conditioning unit mounted in a sleeve. The apparatus includes one or more layers required depending on the distance which any equipment installed in the opening extends beyond the wall surface. An embodiment for a rectangular insulating cover apparatus includes corner pieces, horizontal wall pieces, and side wall pieces. Corner pieces are configured to allow the horizontal wall pieces and side wall pieces to be slid into the corner pieces. The depth of the insertion into the corner pieces can be varied depending on the desired dimensions for the insulating cover apparatus. After cutting the top cover the required dimensions for the opening in the insulating cover apparatus, top cover corner boots and C-channels are installed on the top cover which is then pressed into place. A method for assembling and installing the same is provided, as are other aspects.
US09347216B2	Thermal insulation material The present invention relates to a thermal insulation material comprising date pits and polyester resin.
US09347214B2	Masonry tie Masonry tie is provided having a base and a retainer plate. The base has back plate and a shaft extending from the back plate. The shaft has a plurality of teeth. The retainer plate has a receiving opening configured to receive the shaft. The retainer plate has a locking arm adjacent the receiving opening. The locking arm is biased to engage at least one of the plurality of teeth when the at least one of the plurality of teeth is adjacent the locking arm to releasably prevent the retainer plate from moving away from the back plate. A distal end of the shaft has a masonry anchor aperture.
US09347212B2	Means for the rehabilitation of a connecting portion between a main pipeline and a branch pipeline, method for the rehabilitation of a connecting portion and rehabilitation system for the rehabilitation of a connecting portion A means for the rehabilitation of a connecting portion between a main pipe-line and a branch pipeline with a main pipe section and a branch pipe section, wherein the main pipe section has a connecting region, wherein the branch pipe section is connected at its first end portion to the connecting region of the main pipe section, wherein the branch pipe section is closed at its second end portion and wherein at least one contactless sensor is disposed within the means.
US09347209B2	Programmable automatic flushometer Methods for communicating with an automatic flush valve device. The automatic flush device having a variety of operational modes which can be selected from to control the operation of the device. The communication from the automatic flush device providing a user with information regarding the status of the flush valve device.
US09347202B2	Construction machine A construction machine includes: an engine room provided with an intake opening and a discharge opening; a fan for sucking cooling air into the engine room through the intake opening; a duct provided in the engine room so as to communicate with the discharge opening and discharging the cooling air sucked into the engine room to an outside of the engine room through the discharge opening; and an exhaust gas pipe guiding exhaust gas discharged from the engine into the duct. A portion on a distal end side of the exhaust gas pipe is inserted into the duct, and the inserted portion of the exhaust gas pipe inserted into the duct is formed with an exhaust hole which causes the exhaust gas to be discharged in a direction different from a flowing direction of discharge wind in the duct through the exhaust hole.
US09347192B1	Feces remover with quick-release head The Feces Remover with Quick-Release Head provides a tool to retrieve feces and directly deposit the feces into a disposable bag without the need to simultaneously handle the Feces Remover and disposable bag. The Feces Remover includes a handle formed with a storage compartment having a quick-release head receiver with an attached quick-release head at one end and a cap used to enclose the storage compartment at the opposite end. A plunger placed at the bottom of the storage compartment is attached to the cap. As the cap is removed from the handle, the plunger is pulled up along the storage compartment and brings all the items held within towards the uncapped end of the storage container. To remove feces a disposable bag is directly attached to the quick-release head receiver and quick-release head where the opening of the quick-release head allows feces to be directly deposited into the bag.
US09347186B2	Automatic material pre-fill control process for paving machine A machine and method for pre-filling an auger chamber is disclosed. The machine may comprise a frame, a screed assembly, a conveyor, an auger disposed in the auger chamber, and a controller. The controller is configured to cause the transporting of material on the conveyor to the auger chamber, stop the conveyor if a fill period has expired, cause the auger to move a portion of the material toward an end of the auger, and stop the auger if either the auger run period has expired or the material disposed at the end of the auger has reached an auger material height threshold.
US09347183B2	Tie extension bracket A tie extension bracket comprises a rectangular-shaped box having at least three sides. Two of the sides being arranged parallel to each other and the remaining side being a connecting support plate connecting the two parallel sides to each other. The two parallel sides extending beyond the connecting support plate to form a U-shaped portion dimensioned to receive at least an end portion of a railroad tie therein.
US09347175B2	Method of dissolving lignocellulosic materials The invention describes solutions containing cellulose and a method of dissolving lignocellulosic materials. In the method, the lignocellulosic material is contacted with a conjugate acid, formed by a strong organic base and a weaker acid, under conditions which are conducive to at least a partial dissolution of the cellulosic components of the lignocellulosic material. It has been found that it is possible to recover at least a portion of the dissolved part of the lignocellulosic material by at least partial dissociation of the conjugate acid. Furthermore it is possible to recover at least a portion of the dissociated organic base and the acid, to form a conjugate acid of the recovered base and acid, and to recycle it for use in the first steps of the method.
US09347173B1	Method of manufacturing a damper for a loudspeaker A method of manufacturing a damper of a loudspeaker includes the steps of: immersing a fiber cloth with a resinous solution containing resin and formaldehyde catching agent, wherein the resin comprises formaldehyde while the formaldehyde catching agent reduces the amount of formaldehyde in the resin; drying the immersed fiber cloth; forming the dried fiber cloth to a configuration similar to a shape of the damper; and cutting the dried fiber cloth along the shape of the damper, thereby obtaining the damper having low formaldehyde content.
US09347170B2	Collapsible clothes hanging and drying apparatus An expandable and customizable cabinet apparatus for supporting clothes when hanging them to dry includes a housing that forms an enclosure with an opening on one side. A door connected to the housing is able to open to substantially 180 degrees. A frame is connected in a hinging arrangement to the housing allowing it to swing relative to the housing between the housing and the door. The frame includes an anchoring grid. A series of articulating hanging racks are affixed to the anchoring grid and held in a horizontal position with support members. The hanging racks may be articulated downward to a position flush with the anchoring grid, and the enclosed with the frame inside the housing and door when closed.
US09347169B2	Additive injecting apparatus and laundry treatment machine including the same Provided are an additive injection apparatus and a laundry treatment machine including the same. The additive injection apparatus includes a main body, and additive container, a nozzle, and a floater. The main body is disposed on a path along which a solvent flows and includes an inlet and an outlet for receiving and discharging the solvent, respectively. The additive container holds an additive. The nozzle has a communicating hole for communicating between the main body and the additive container. The floater is disposed in the main body, and rises and falls according to the flow of the solvent to open and close the communicating hole.
US09347168B2	Reception node and transmission node using mutual resonance, power and data transceiving system using mutual resonance, and method thereof A reception (RX) node using mutual resonance includes a target resonator configured to receive power via mutual resonance with a source resonator; a controller configured to wake up in response to the received power, determine a point in time at which the controller woke up to be a point in time at which synchronization with other RX nodes is performed, and generate a data packet, and a sensor configured to wake up in response to the received power, sense information.
US09347165B2	Washing machine The washing machine includes a tub containing wash water, a drum, a lifter, and a partition. The drum rotates inside the tub and has at least one inlet to introduce wash water contained in the tub. The lifter forms a chamber holding wash water introduced through the inlet together with the drum and discharges wash water into the drum through a plurality of discharge holes arranged from a front side to a rear side inside the chamber during the rotation of the drum. The partition divides the chamber into a front chamber and a rear chamber along a longitudinal direction of the drum and forms an angle inclined with respect to a circumference of the drum.
US09347157B2	Warp knitted fabric comprising polytrimethylene terephthalate and method of making same This invention relates to warp knit fabric having a locknit pattern comprising polytrimethylene terephthalate yarn and elastic yarn having a weight ratio of from 70:30 to 90:10. The fabrics have a soft hand feel, better colorfastness after chlorine exposure and UV radiation as compared to other performance wear fabrics containing elastic yarn polyethylene terephthalate yarn.
US09347156B2	Circular knitting machine with expander A circular knitting machine has a circular knitting unit fitted with needles and an expander arranged under the circular knitting unit for tubular knit formed by the circular knitting unit. The expander is rotatably mounted on a central rod arranged coaxially to a knitting machine axis. A pivoting bearing is arranged on the central rod to allow limited swivel movements of the expander relative to the central rod.
US09347152B2	Combined frictional false twisting device for ring spinning frame A frictional false twister is disclosed. The twister has a plurality of rotating friction plates located between the nip of the front rollers and the yarn guide. The friction plates are staggeringly arranged for rubbing a twisted yarn. The spinning direction of the twisted yarn is opposite to the rotating direction of the friction plates. Through the action of the frictional false twister, the twist of the yarn between the false twisting device to the front nip can be increased, shortening the twisting triangle height, and increasing the spinning strength. As the yarn and the outer surface of the friction plate make relative sliding and rubbing, the friction damping force correspondingly reduces the spinning tension in the twisting triangle.
US09347147B2	Method and apparatus for controlling and monitoring the potential An electroplating apparatus including a reference electrode to control the potential during an electro-deposition process. The electroplating apparatus may include a bath containing a plating electrolyte and an anode present in a first portion of the bath containing the plating electrolyte. A cathode is present in a second portion of the bath containing the plating electrolyte. A reference electrode is present at a perimeter of the cathode. The electroplating apparatus also includes a control system to bias the cathode and the anode to provide a potential. A measuring system is provided in electrical communication with the reference electrode to measure the potential of the cathode. Methods of using the above described electroplating apparatus are also provided. Structures and method for electroless deposition are also provided.
US09347146B2	Method and apparatus for forming a layered metal structure with an anodized surface Methods and apparatus for forming a multi-layered metal structure that includes an anodized surface are disclosed. According to one aspect, a housing arrangement can include a stainless steel layer and at least a first layer. The first layer can have a first bonding surface and a first exterior surface. The first bonding surface can be substantially bonded in direct contact with the stainless steel layer, and the first exterior surface can be an exterior of the housing arrangement. The first exterior surface is an anodized surface. In one embodiment, the first layer can be formed from an anodizable material such as aluminum, titanium, niobium, or tantalum.
US09347145B2	Method of plating stainless steel and plated material The method of plating a stainless steel substrate including depositing a first plating metal layer over the stainless steel substrate), forming an interdiffusion layer in which elements of the stainless steel substrate and elements of the first plating metal layer interdiffuse, by applying a heat treatment to the stainless steel substrate coated by the first plating metal layer, and coating a second plating metal layer over the surface of the stainless steel substrate over which the interdiffusion layer is coated.
US09347143B2	Membrane template synthesis of microtube engines Methods, structures, devices and systems are disclosed for fabrication of microtube engines using membrane template electrodeposition. Such nanomotors operate based on bubble-induced propulsion in biological fluids and salt-rich environments. In one aspect, fabricating microengines includes depositing a polymer layer on a membrane template, depositing a conductive metal layer on the polymer layer, and dissolving the membrane template to release the multilayer microtubes.
US09347141B2	Nanowire mesh solar fuels generator This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to a nanowire mesh solar fuels generator. In one aspect, a nanowire mesh solar fuels generator includes (1) a photoanode configured to perform water oxidation and (2) a photocathode configured to perform water reduction. The photocathode is in electrical contact with the photoanode. The photoanode may include a high surface area network of photoanode nanowires. The photocathode may include a high surface area network of photocathode nanowires. In some embodiments, the nanowire mesh solar fuels generator may include an ion conductive polymer infiltrating the photoanode and the photocathode in the region where the photocathode is in electrical contact with the photoanode.
US09347139B2	Methods of removing a protective layer A method of removing a metal protective layer from a surface of a reactor component comprising treating the metal protective layer with one or more chemical removal agents to remove at least a portion of the metal protective layer from the reactor component. A method of removing a metal protective layer from a surface of a reactor component comprising treating the metal protective layer to remove the metal protective layer from the reactor component, and determining a thickness of the reactor component following treatment.
US09347137B2	Method of manufacturing electrode for electrical-discharge surface treatment, and electrode for electrical-discharge surface treatment A method of manufacturing an electrode for electrical-discharge surface treatment includes increasing oxygen content in the powder; mixing the powder, in which the oxygen content is increased, with an organic binder and a solvent to prepare a liquid mixture; granulating the powder in the liquid mixture to form granulated powder; and forming the granulated powder to prepare a compact in which an oxygen concentration ranges from 4 weight % to 16 weight %.
US09347133B2	Method of depositing a ruthenium metal thin film or ruthenium oxide thin film A method of depositing a ruthenium metal thin film or ruthenium oxide thin film comprising a ruthenium compound used for depositing metallic Ru or RuO2 thin film on a substrate via atomic layer deposition, and the ruthenium compound represented by Chemical Formula 1, wherein L is a ligand selected from the group consisting of 1-ethyl-1,4-cyclohexadiene, 1,3-butadiene, and isoprene.
US09347131B2	Coating substrates with an alloy by means of cathode sputtering The invention relates to a target for coating a substrate with an alloy by means of cathode sputtering, said alloy having at least one first material and one second material as alloy components. The surface of the target has at least one first section made of the first material and one second section made of the second material. The two sections adjoin each other and form a common boundary line. The invention further relates to a device and a method for coating a substrate with an alloy by means of cathode sputtering using the target according to the invention.
US09347129B2	Interchangeable magnet pack A sputtering apparatus includes a template having cells. Removable inserts are disposed within the cells. The cells may be circular, triangular, square, diamond shaped, or hex shaped. The removable inserts may be magnetic or non-magnetic inserts. A cover is connected with a first side of the template. A yoke is connected with a second side of the template. The removable inserts are operable to customize or shape a magnetic field over a target. The yoke is operable to provide a return path for the magnetic field.
US09347126B2	Process of fabricating thermal barrier coatings A process of fabricating a thermal barrier coating is disclosed. The process includes cold spraying a substrate with a feedstock to form a thermal barrier coating and concurrently oxidizing one or more of the substrate, the feedstock, and the thermal barrier coating. The cold spraying is in a region having an oxygen concentration of at least 10%. In another embodiment, the process includes heating a feedstock with a laser and cold spraying a substrate with the feedstock to form a thermal barrier coating. At least a portion of the feedstock is retained in the thermal barrier coating. In another embodiment, the process of fabricating a thermal barrier coating includes heating a substrate with a laser and cold spraying the substrate with a feedstock to form a thermal barrier coating.
US09347125B2	Etchant composition and method of forming metal wire and thin film transistor array panel using the same A etchant composition that includes, based on a total weight of the etchant composition, about 0.5 wt % to about 20 wt % of a persulfate, about 0.5 wt % to about 0.9 wt % of an ammonium fluoride, about 1 wt % to about 10 wt % of an inorganic acid, about 0.5 wt % to about 5 wt % of a cyclic amine compound, about 0.1 wt % to about 10.0 wt % of a sulfonic acid, about 5 wt % to about 10 wt % of an organic acid or a salt thereof, and a remainder of water. The etchant composition may be configured to etch a metal layer including copper and titanium, to form a metal wire that may be included in a thin film transistor array panel of a display device.
US09347124B2	Hold and cool process for superalloy joining Ni base superalloys containing relatively large amounts of Al and/or Ti are known to be difficult to weld satisfactorily. As the Al and Ti content of the superalloy is increased to improve the strength, the weldability of the component is drastically reduced. It is concluded herein that reducing the γ′ phase improves weldability. A stepwise, controlled heating and cooling process is described to be used in cooperation with a welding process to reduce the γ′ present and thereby improve weldability.
US09347117B2	Nd-based two-phase separation amorphous alloy Provided is a Nd-based two-phase separation amorphous alloy by adding an element having a big difference in heat of mixing in a Nd-based alloy with a superior amorphous formability through an inherent characteristic of compositional elements and consideration of thermodynamics, at the time of forming amorphous phase, to thereby enable two-phase separation amorphous alloy during solidification. The Nd-based two-phase separation amorphous alloy is represented as a general equation Nd100-a-b(TM)a(D)b wherein TM is a combination selected from A-B, A-C and B—C when an element group of A consists of Y, Ti, Zr, La, Pr, Gd and Hf, an element group of B consists of Fe and Mn, and an element group of C consists of Co, Ni, Cu and Ag, wherein the content of the element group which constitutes the combination is 5 atomic weight % or greater, and the element selected from each of the element group is at least one element, and the content of one element selected from each of the element group does not exceed 50 atomic weight %, wherein the content of the element group of B is less than that of the element group of C when TM is a B—C combination, and wherein D is at least one selected from the group consisting of Al, B, Si and P, and a and b have the range of 20≦a≦70, 5≦b≦30, and a+b≧40 in terms of atomic weight %.
US09347116B2	Process of separating and purifying thorium The present invention relates to a process of separating and purifying thorium by solvent extraction, comprising: 1) mixing a thorium enrichment with an inorganic acid to produce a feed; 2) mixing a neutral phosphorus extractant with an organic solvent to obtain an organic phase; 3) extracting from the feed with the organic phase to obtain a loaded organic phase; 4) scrubbing the loaded organic phase with a scrubbing solution and then back-extracting thorium with a stripping solution to obtain a thorium solution; 5) mixing the thorium solution with an oxalate to obtain a precipitate, which is then sintered to obtain thorium oxide. The present process allows to increase the purity of thorium from 80%-99% to 99.99% or more with a yield of more than 98%.
US09347110B2	Press quench machine This invention is an apparatus for cooling a metal object that has been heated above the curing point, such that as the metal object cools, it retains its original shape.
US09347108B2	Advanced technology for iron-chrome alloys production and related plant A method for producing ferro-chrome alloys comprising a stoichiometric charge and stoichiometric slag calculation step, a step of making the plant and the crucible furnace operate at normal regime, steps of casting the metal and the slag, a step of collecting the molten metal in suitable modular molds made from spheroidal graphite cast iron, a step of removing the ingots contained in the molds with suitable pincer means, a step of collecting the slag in suitable nonrefractory bells or ladles, characterized in that the metal-slag separation takes place directly inside the furnace and in that said castings of metal and slag take place in successive steps so as to allow the drawing off of the liquids in the amounts formed between one casting and the next.
US09347107B2	Vector containing multiple nucleotide sequences for the expression of enzymes An expression vector is provided. The vector includes a promoter configured to drive the expression of the transgene in the cell. The vector also includes a tag sequence encoding a tag peptide directing the protein of the expressed transgene to a pre-determined location. The vector further includes a cleavage sequence encoding a peptide that is recognizable by a protease and a marker gene configured to encoding a protein to indicate the expression of the transgene.
US09347105B2	Genetic loci associated with resistance of soybean to cyst nematode and methods of use Various compositions and methods are provided for identifying and selecting plants with enhanced resistance to soybean cyst nematode (SCN). Further provided are transgenic plants, plant parts, and seed and methods of their use comprising a heterologous polynucleotide operably linked to a promoter active in the plant are provided, as are methods of making such plants and methods of use, wherein said heterologous polynucleotide comprises at least one, or any combination thereof, of Glyma18g2580, Glyma18g2590, Glyma18g2600, Glyma18g2610; and Glyma18g2570 or an active variant or fragment thereof. Expression of the heterologous polynucleotide enhances the resistance of the plant to cyst nematode.
US09347102B2	Gene signatures for prediction of therapy-related myelodysplasia and methods for identification of patients at risk for development of the same In one embodiment, a gene expression signature for predicting risk of developing therapy-related myelodysplasia or acute myeloid leukemia (t-MDS/AML) after autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (aHCT) is provided. In another embodiment, a method for predicting a risk for development of t-MDS/AML after aHCT is provided. Such a method may include providing a biological sample that contains CD34 cells from a subject; detecting a test expression level of a set of two or more genes of a gene expression signature; comparing the test expression level of a set of corresponding training expression levels that include a training case expression level and a training control expression level; and predicting a high risk of developing t-MDS/AML when the test expression level is at or about the training case expression level or predicting a low risk of developing t-MDS/AML when the test expression level is at or about the training control expression level.
US09347097B2	Arrangement for determining the concentration of nucleic acids An arrangement for determining the concentration of nucleic acids in a sample in a microfluidic device. In at least one embodiment, the arrangement having a) a first chamber into which a the sample is introduced, b) an element in the first chamber for carrying out a number of cycles of an amplification reaction to be carried out in cycles for amplifying nucleic acids, c) a second chamber, connectable to the first chamber by way of fluidic communication, equipped with an element to determine concentrations of amplified nucleic acids, d) a control unit to introduce a defined volume of a solution containing reagents for the amplification reaction into the first chamber and to transfer a defined volume from said first chamber to the second chamber.
US09347094B2	Digital assay for telomere length A method of characterizing telomere length. A template may be synthesized in a bulk phase reaction mixture containing genomic DNA. Partitions may be formed after synthesizing the template in the bulk phase reaction mixture, with only a subset of the partitions containing at least one copy of the template. At least a region of the template may be amplified in partitions. Amplification data may be collected from partitions. A measure of telomere length may be determined for the genomic DNA based on the amplification data. In some embodiments, the bulk phase reaction mixture may be thermally cycled for at least two cycles, and heated to a denaturation temperature and cooled to an annealing temperature in each cycle.
US09347092B2	Solid support for high-throughput nucleic acid analysis The present invention provides a solid support which is preferably a bead comprising at least two sequence specific amplification primers wherein at least one primer is bound to the support with an inducible cleavable linker. The present invention also provides various method for preparing a solid support comprising at least two sequence specific primers, further characterized in that at least one of the primers is cleavable.
US09347088B2	Molecular signature of liver tumor grade and use to evaluate prognosis and therapeutic regimen The present invention concerns a method to determine the gene expression profile on a sample previously obtained from a patient diagnosed for a liver tumor, comprising assaying the expression of a set of genes in this sample and determining the gene expression profile (signature). In a particular embodiment, said method enables to determine the grade of the liver tumor, such as hepatoblastoma (HB) or a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The invention is also directed to kits comprising a plurality of pairs of primers or a plurality of probes specific for a set of genes, as well as to solid support or composition comprising a set of probes specific for a set of genes. These methods are useful to determine the grade of a liver tumor in a sample obtained from a patient, to determine the risk of developing metastasis and/or to define the therapeutic regimen to apply to a patient.
US09347084B2	Screening for protein variants using mass spectrometry A method for screening for variant peptides uses mass spectrometry (MS). A system and a kit may be used for performing the method. Proteins in a sample are digested to form a defined series of peptides. The defined series of peptides are ionized. The ionized species are subjected to collision induced dissociation. Species of known mass/charge ratio are detected to confirm the presence of the protein variant in the original sample.
US09347073B2	Mini-intronic plasmid vectors Compositions and methods are provided for achieving persistent, high level expression of transgenes in vitro and in vivo. Aspects of the invention include vectors comprising an intronic cassette that comprises plasmid elements, and methods that rely on the use of vectors comprising an intronic cassette that comprises plasmid elements. These compositions and methods find use in many applications, including therapeutic applications such as in gene therapy; synthesis applications such as in the synthesis of peptides, proteins, and RNAs, e.g. for research or therapeutic purposes; and research applications, such as in the production of transgenic cells and animals. In addition, reagents, devices and kits thereof that find use in making the subject compositions and practicing the subject methods are provided.
US09347071B2	Inbred corn lines CC8 Inbred corn line designated CC8 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of inbred corn line CC8, to the plants and plant parts of inbred corn line CC8 and to methods for producing a corn plant, either inbred or hybrid, by crossing inbred corn line CC8 with itself or another corn line. The invention also relates to products produced from the seeds, plants, or parts thereof, of inbred corn line CC8 and/or of the hybrids produced using the inbred as a parent. The invention further relates to methods for producing a corn plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic plants produced by that method and to methods for producing other inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line CC8.
US09347070B2	Inbred corn line CB18 Inbred corn line designated CB18 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of inbred corn line CB18, to the plants and plant parts of inbred corn line CB18 and to methods for producing a corn plant, either inbred or hybrid, by crossing inbred corn line CB18 with itself or another corn line. The invention also relates to products produced from the seeds, plants, or parts thereof, of inbred corn line CB18 and/or of the hybrids produced using the inbred as a parent. The invention further relates to methods for producing a corn plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic plants produced by that method and to methods for producing other inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line CB18.
US09347069B2	Hybrid caulimovirus promoters and constructs thereof The present invention relates to novel hybrid promoters comprising a caulimovirus promoter operably linked to one or more of an EF1α, Act8, Act2 or Act11 promoter. The present invention also relates to novel DNA constructs comprising at least one expression cassette which comprises the hybrid promoter thereof. The present invention further relates to transgenic plants/seeds comprising such DNA constructs.
US09347065B2	Methods to improve vector expression and genetic stability The present invention relates to methods of developing gene inserts that are more compatible with the host vectors by modifying a protein sequence to lessen potential interference with vector propagation while ensuring that the protein is expressed and processed efficiently and maintains desired structural features, and designing a gene with a nucleotide sequence that resembles the base composition of the host vector genome.
US09347063B2	Oligonucleotide analog and method for treating flavivirus infections A method of inhibiting replication of a flavivirus in animal cells, and an oligonucleotide compound for use in the method are disclosed. The oligonucleotide analog (i) has a nuclease-resistant backbone, (ii) is capable of uptake by the cells, (iii) contains between 8-40 nucleotide bases, and (iv) has a sequence of at least 8 bases complementary to a region of the virus' positive strand RNA genome that includes at least a portion of SEQ ID NOS:1-4. Exposure of cells infected with a flavivirus to the analog is effective to form within the cells, a heteroduplex structure composed of the virus ssRNA and the oligonucleotide, characterized by a Tm of dissociation of at least 45° C., and having disrupted base pairing between the virus's 5′ and 3′ cyclization sequences.
US09347055B2	Method and kit for preparation of sample for use in nucleic acid amplification The object is to remove substances that can inhibit nucleic acid amplification from biological samples and nucleic acid extracts, and to allow convenient and accurate evaluation of the presence or absence of a target nucleic acid or the expression level of a target gene in a biological sample, by nucleic acid amplification means employing an enzyme. The invention provides a method for preparation of a sample for use in nucleic acid amplification, to be used for amplification of nucleic acid in a biological sample, which method comprises an extraction step in which a nucleic acid extraction reagent is added to the biological sample to obtain a nucleic acid extract, and a purification step in which the nucleic acid extract is contacted with zeolite to obtain a nucleic acid amplification sample suitable for nucleic acid amplification, to allow nucleic acid detection at high sensitivity.
US09347052B2	Anti-FH aptamers, method for producing same, and uses thereof The invention relates to nucleic acid aptamers binding specifically to factor H, to a method for obtaining same, and to the uses thereof, in particular for the purposes of purifying factor H.
US09347048B2	Feedback-resistant alpha-isopropylmalate synthases The invention relates to an isolated nucleotide sequence encoding an amino acid sequence that is at least ≧90%, ≧92%, ≧94%, ≧96%, ≧97%, ≧98%, ≧99% or 100%, preferably ≧97%, particularly preferably ≧98%, very particularly preferably ≧99%, and extremely preferably 0%, identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein SEQ ID NO:2, at position 553, or at a corresponding position of the amino acid sequence, has a proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine, to a microorganism comprising the nucleotide sequence and also to a process for producing fine chemicals using this microorganism.
US09347046B2	Hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase polypeptides and methods of use Novel hydroxyphenyl pyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) polypeptides, variants and fragments thereof, as well as polynucleotides encoding the same, capable of conferring commercial levels of conferring HPPD herbicide resistance or tolerance to plants. Compositions include amino acid sequences, and variants and fragments thereof, for HPPD polypeptides, as well as polynucleotides encoding the same. Methods for the production and use of HPPD herbicide resistant plants that express these novel HPPD polypeptides, methods for selectively controlling weeds in a field at a crop locus, and methods for the assay, characterization, identification and selection of these novel HPPDs are also provided.
US09347045B2	Differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into fibroblasts Methods and compositions are provided for the differentiation and characterization of mammalian fibroblast from mesenchymal stem cells. The methods of the invention provide a means to obtain mesenchymal stem cell-derived fibroblast populations, e.g., seeded on a scaffold, which may be used in wound healing.
US09347044B2	Reprogramming T cells and hematopoietic cells Methods and compositions relating to the production of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) are disclosed. For example, induced pluripotent stem cells may be generated from CD34+ hematopoietic cells, such as human CD34+ blood progenitor cells, or T cells. Various iPS cell lines are also provided. In certain embodiments, the invention provides novel induced pluripotent stem cells with a genome comprising genetic rearrangement of T cell receptors.
US09347043B2	Methods for producing antibodies from plasma cells The invention relates to methods of producing antibodies, including monoclonal antibodies, comprising culturing a limited number of plasma cells. It also relates to methods of identifying antibodies by performing assays on the antibodies produced by the cultured plasma cells to determine their function, binding specificity, epitope specificity, and/or their ability to neutralize a toxin or a pathogen. The invention also relates to antibodies and antibody fragments produced by the methods of the invention as well as methods of using the antibodies and antibody fragments.
US09347034B1	Methods for preventing lysis in a culture of haematococcus pluvialis using hydrogen peroxide Methods of treating lysis in cultures of Haematococcus pluvialis with hydrogen peroxide are described herein. The method comprises detecting lysis in the culture and then dosing the culture with a concentration of hydrogen peroxide based on the stage of the cells in the culturing process and at a frequency to increase the likelihood of the cells surviving until the process of accumulating carotenoids, such as astaxanthin, is complete.
US09347033B2	Automated methods for isolating regenerative cells from adipose tissue A method of processing an adipose tissue to collect adipose derived regenerative cells is provided, wherein the method comprises providing a vessel comprising a fluid jet mixer, introducing the adipose tissue into the vessel, introducing a buffer solution into the vessel; washing the adipose tissue using the fluid jet mixer; introducing an enzyme solution into the vessel; initiating jet mixing into the vessel comprising the adipose tissue, the enzyme solution, and the buffer solution using the fluid jet mixer to digest the adipose tissue to form a digestion product; phase-separating the digestion product into a digested buoyant fat layer and a non-buoyant aqueous layer; and collecting the non-buoyant aqueous layer comprising the adipose derived regenerative cells. A system of processing an adipose tissue to collect adipose derived regenerative cells is also provided.
US09347032B2	Composter A composter comprising a container for receiving material to be composted, an aerator within the container having at least one opening for allowing air to pass from the aerator into the container, a base structure defining a floor on which the composting material sits above a leachate tank located under the floor, an air flow path through the base structure for providing air from outside the composter to the aerator and to openings located in the floor above the leachate tank to facilitate aerobic decomposition of the composting material.
US09347026B2	Processes and compositions for cleaning mixing devices to improve polymer production Processes and compositions for cleaning mixing devices are disclosed that improve the production and quality of thermoplastic polymer resins subsequently produced in the mixing device, while reducing the time needed for cleaning and/or change over. A cleaning mixture comprising polymeric resin pellets having a Rockwell R hardness of 85 to 140 externally coated with an aqueous solution containing sulfonate salts, alkyl aryl sulfonate salts, alkyl sulfate salts, C6 to C36 carboxylic acid salts, or mixtures thereof, is used to purge the mixing device. The surfactant salt is present in the aqueous solution at 0.2 to 30 wt % of the solution, the aqueous solution having a pH of 6.0 to 9.0.
US09347021B2	Process for the production of aviation biokerosene and aviation kerosene composition The present invention relates to a process of obtainment of aviation biokerosene and a composition of aviation kerosene containing the aviation biokerosene thus produced. The process consists of simultaneously combining three basic conditions: raw material selection, processing conditions, and control of specific properties of the product. The composition is classified as a semisynthetic composition of aviation kerosene and may contain up to 20% by weight of aviation biokerosene, satisfying the limits determined in the international specifications for aviation kerosene.
US09347019B2	Lubricating oil composition A low sulphated ash lubricating oil composition comprises an ashless aromatic amine antioxidant and an overbased magnesium detergent which exhibits improved thermal oxidation stability.
US09347017B2	Engine lubricants containing a polyether A sump-lubricated, spark-ignited engine is lubricated by supplying thereto a lubricant which comprises (a) an oil of lubricating viscosity; (b) a polyether; and (c) a metal-containing detergent. The lubricant has a total phosphorus content of less than 0.075 percent by weight.
US09347014B2	Methods and systems for generating aldehydes from organic seed oils Methods for generating aldehyde-containing compounds in organic seed oils utilizing ozone and direct current without the use of added electrolytes and reducing compounds are disclosed, as are compositions generated by such methods. The reactions can be performed efficiently at ambient temperatures and pressures. These compositions have particular utility as additives to fuels and lubricating oils derived from petrochemical sources.
US09347012B2	Method of preparing greases Provided is a method for preparing a grease composition, which comprises mixing an amine in a lubricating bas oil and an isocyanate in a lubricating base oil under high pressure and high flow rate impingement. In one embodiment, the mixing and reaction occurs in a reaction injection molding device. The resulting grease composition is an extremely low noise grease, being virtually clear of any urea thickener particles.
US09347010B2	Method of predicting/optimizing hydrogen sulfide scavenging capacity and reduction of scale formation A method of optimizing a hydrogen sulfide scavenger blend that includes selecting a hydrogen sulfide scavenger blend comprising at least two hydrogen sulfide scavengers; determining a scavenging capacity for the blend; modifying at least one blend parameter based on the determined scavenging capacity; redetermining the scavenging capacity for the modified blend; and selecting an optimized blend from the blend and the modified blend is disclosed.
US09347008B2	Device for influencing the flow in a connecting pipe of a coal gasification reactor/gas cooler With a device for influencing the flow, particularly in a horizontal connecting pipe (1) between a coal gasification reactor and a gas cooler/purifier, a solution is supposed to be created, whose task consists in being able to reduce or shut off the gas stream of a hot synthesis gas, if necessary, without being exposed to the great stresses caused by the corrosiveness and the high temperatures, while avoiding complicated valves or regulation devices.This is achieved by means of a Venturi constriction in the flow path of the gas in the pipe (1), as well as a flow cone (4a) positioned on a push rod (4) that is disposed centrally, whereby a connecting rod system (4b) that is guided to the outside is provided to move the push rod (4), whereby the connecting rod system (4b) that moves the push rod (4) is formed by a connecting rod arm guided in a dummy connector and a connecting rod arm guided out of the dummy connector (8) by way of a packed gland (6).
US09347007B2	Microcrystalline paraffin, method for producing microcrystalline paraffins, and use of the microcrystalline paraffins Microcrystalline paraffin having a consistency in a rage of paste-like to solid, prepared by catalytic hydroisomerization of FT paraffins having a carbon chain length distribution in a range of 20 to 105 at temperatures above 200° C., and being free of aromatic compounds, heterocyclic compounds, and naphthenes.
US09347005B2	Methods and apparatuses for rapid thermal processing of carbonaceous material Embodiments of methods and apparatuses for rapid thermal processing of carbonaceous material are provided herein. The method comprises the step of contacting a carbonaceous feedstock with heated inorganic heat carrier particles at reaction conditions effective to rapidly pyrolyze the carbonaceous feedstock to form a product stream comprising pygas, pyrolysis oil, and solids. The solids comprise char and cooled inorganic heat carrier particles. The reaction conditions include a reactor pressure of about 70 kPa gauge or greater.
US09347003B2	Liquid crystal compound having tetrafluoropropenyl, liquid crystal composition, and liquid crystal display element A liquid crystal compound having high stability to heat and light, etc., a high clearing point, a low minimum temperature of liquid crystal phase, a low viscosity, a suitable optical anisotropy, a large dielectric anisotropy, a suitable elastic constant, and good compatibility with other liquid crystal compounds, a liquid crystal composition containing the compound, and a LCD element using the composition are described. The compound is represented by formula (1): wherein, for example, R1 is C1-10 alkyl, ring A1, ring A2, ring A3, ring A4 and ring B1 are independently 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene, 1,4-phenylene in which at least one hydrogen is substituted with halogen, 1,3-dioxane-2,5-diyl, or tetrahydropyran-2,5-diyl, Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z4 are single bonds, l, m, n and o are independently 0 or 1, and l+m+n+o≧1.
US09347001B2	Liquid crystal composition and liquid crystal display device using same There is provided a liquid crystal composition containing a compound represented by Formula (i) and a compound represented by General Formula (ii) (where Rii1 and Rii2 each independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, an alkoxyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, or an alkenyl group having 4 or 5 carbon atoms; and Xii1 and Xii2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a fluorine atom). There is also provided a liquid crystal display device in which such a liquid crystal composition is used.
US09346997B2	Luminescent nanostructured materials for use in electrogenerated chemiluminescence A nanostructured particulates formed from a redox active, luminescent phenyl substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon are provided herein. The nanostructured particulates may be used for determining the presence of an analyte of interest in a sample by detecting the emitted electromagnetic radiation generated by exposing a reagent mixture, which includes the nanostructured particulates and the sample, to electrochemical energy.
US09346991B2	Thermal interface materials and systems and devices containing the same This disclosure relates generally to thermally conductive polymer composites and particularly to thermal interface materials.
US09346988B2	Adhesive composition and structure comprising at least one layer of the said composition The invention relates to an adhesive composition comprising at least one polyamide A, with a mean number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom (C/N), noted CA, of between 4 and 8.5; at least one polyamide B, with a melting point of greater than or equal to 180° C. and a mean number C/N, noted CB, of between 7 and 10; at least one polyamide C, with a mean number C/N, noted CC, of between 9 and 18; at least 50% by weight of the said composition being formed from one or more polyamides chosen from polyamides A, B and C, the mass-weighted mean of the heats of fusion of these polyamides in the said composition being greater than 25 J/g (DSC), the mean number of C/N of the polyamides A, B and C satisfying the following strict inequality: CA
US09346987B2	Adhesive and sealing layers for electrophoretic displays The invention is directed to compositions and methods for improving the physicomechanical and electro-optical properties of an electrophoretic or liquid crystal display and also to semi-finished or finished display panels with improved physicomechanical properties. The invention is further directed to a display device comprising display cells filled with a display fluid and top-sealed with a top-sealing layer, wherein the top-sealing layer has a thickness of less than 10 microns measured at the center area.
US09346983B2	Flame retardant structural epoxy resin adhesives and process for bonding metal members A heat-curable structural adhesive includes at least one non-rubber-modified epoxy resin; an optional rubber or toughener, one or more epoxy curing agents, one or more epoxy curing catalysts; and a flame retardant mixture that includes (i) alumina trihydrate, (ii) zinc borate and (iii) melamine or a melamine derivative. The structural adhesive is useful for bonding metals to other materials or metals to other metals. The structural adhesive strongly resists ignition when welding is performed in the presence of the uncured material, and does not interfere significantly with weld performance.
US09346981B2	Chlorhexidine gluconate containing solvent adhesive Methods for incorporating chlorhexidine salts into solvent based adhesives are described. The methods involve freeze drying an aqueous solution of the chlorhexidine salt and obtaining the chlorhexidine salt in a particulate form. The dry powder can then be dissolved into an appropriate solvent used with the adhesive of interest. Also described are particles including chlorhexidine salts that are incorporated in adhesives. Also described are various medical products utilizing the adhesive and chlorhexidine compound, and related methods of use.
US09346979B2	Multi-layer assembly, multi-layer stretch releasing pressure-sensitive adhesive assembly, and methods of making and using the same A multi-layer assembly that includes a release liner, a first layer disposed on the release liner, the first layer including a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition that includes a silicone polymer that includes silicone polyurea block copolymers, polydiorganosiloxane polymers, or combinations thereof, a second layer disposed on the first layer, the second layer including a composition that includes an elastomer, the composition of the second layer being different from the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition of the first layer, the first layer of the multi-layer assembly exhibiting a release force to the release liner of no greater than 100 gram per 0.5 inch width after the multi-layer assembly has been stored for 46 days at 120° F.

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