| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09383543B2 |
Lens control device and lens control method
A lens control device incorporated in a lens device 10A is equipped with a first zoom position sending unit for sending a zoom position signal indicating a zoom position of the first lens device 10A to a lens device 10B; a second zoom position sending unit for sending an adjusted zoom position signal for zoom position adjustment of the lens device 10B to the lens device 10B; a zoom storage unit for storing zoom adjustment information in which a zoom position adjustment amount indicated by the adjusted zoom position signal is correlated with the zoom position of the lens device 10A; and a third zoom position sending unit for sending a zoom position signal for the lens device 10B on the basis of the zoom adjustment information in response to a zoom manipulation signal indicating a zoom manipulation on the lens device 10A. |
| US09383536B2 |
Spacer box extension kit and interbay cable management panel
An adjustable length extension assembly kit (100) for connection to a spacer assembly (22) of an interbay telecommunication cable management system (10) is disclosed. The kit (100) can include a front extension assembly (102) having an upper part (106) and a lower part (108) wherein both the upper and lower parts (106, 108) have a plurality of segments (110, 130) separated by cut-lines (112, 136). The lower part (106) can be configured for direct attachment to a first end (22c) of the spacer assembly (22) by fasteners (40). The upper and lower parts (106, 108) are configured for direct attachment to each other such that the cut-lines (112) of the upper part are aligned with the cut-lines (136) of the lower part. The adjustable length extension assembly kit (100) may also include a rear extension assembly (200) also having a plurality of segments (210) separated by cut-lines (212). The rear extension assembly (200) is configured for direct attachment to the spacer assembly (22) on an opposite second end (22b). |
| US09383535B2 |
Optical termination assemblies
An optical termination assembly may include an optical termination box and a drop cable. The drop cable may have a first end housed in a first compartment of the optical termination box. The first end of the drop cable may be pre-connectorized. The optical termination box may include at least one first fixing element accessible from an outside of the optical termination box suitable for fixing the optical termination box to a support structure. An optical termination assembly may include an optical termination box and a drop cable including a plurality of optical fibers. The drop cable may have a first end housed in a first compartment of the optical termination box. At the first end of the drop cable, each of the plurality of optical fibers may be connected to a respective optical connector. The optical termination box may include the at least one first fixing element. |
| US09383534B2 |
Packaging for a fiber optic component and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention provides a packaging for a fiber optic component, such as an optical fiber, wherein the heating induced strain to the fiber optic component is minimized, wherein the packaging comprises a first support member having a first coefficient of thermal expansion (k1). The packaging further comprises a second support member, which is resiliently mounted to the first support member for minimizing transfer of thermal expansion induced strain of the first support member to the second support member. The second support member comprises a longitudinal groove open at least on one side of the second support member for receiving a fiber optic component, wherein the second support member has a tensile strength considerably higher than that of the fiber optic component. The second support member has a second coefficient of thermal expansion (k2) substantially smaller than the first coefficient of thermal expansion (k1), wherein the first support member is adapted to exchange heat induced by free-space radiation. The second support member is made of material, such as quartz, which is transparent to the wavelengths used in the component. |
| US09383533B2 |
Probing cable
A probing cable for deployment inside a pipe formation has a resiliently deformable tip member which extends from the end of the cable at an angle from the length direction of the cable. The tip member helps to guide the probing cable around corners and junctions in the pipe formation. |
| US09383528B2 |
Light-receiving module
A light-receiving module of the present invention includes: a lens collimating signal light entering from an optical fiber; a PLC (Planar Lightwave Circuit) where the signal light emitted by the lens enters; a mirror having a function of reflecting and transmitting the signal light emitted by the PLC; and a light-receiving element receiving the signal light reflected by the mirror. The mirror also has a function of transmitting light from the opposite direction to a direction to transmit the signal light emitted by the PLC. The module further includes a dummy mirror which reflects external light entering from outside in a direction toward the PLC, passes the reflected external light through the mirror from the opposite direction to the signal light transmission direction, causes the light to enter the PLC, and guides the light to the optical fiber via the PLC. |
| US09383525B2 |
Hardened low back reflection optical fiber physical contacts and connectors containing such contacts and method for making the same
A fiber optic connector for use with a fiber optic network having at least one predetermined operating wavelength is provided. First housing contains at least one optical fiber. The optical fiber has a free end forming a physical contact. The physical contact is coated with a protective film. The optical thickness of the protective film is at least 0.10 of the operating wavelength of the fiber optic network. Preferably, the physical contact is thermally shaped. Also preferably, the optical fiber is attached to a quick connect device forming a termini. The physical contact of the optical fiber can be readily coated with the protective film by placing the termini in a vacuum chamber. |
| US09383522B2 |
Fiber bundle
A fiber optic bundle including a coupler and a large matrix of fibers assembled from optical ribbons positioned very accurately in the coupler. Preferably, the coupler includes at least two plates, most preferably silicon plates, with a plurality of fiber receiving guides etched therethrough. |
| US09383519B2 |
Optical communication module with fiber submount and latching optics assembly
In an optical communication module, a fiber submount is mated with an optics assembly to optically align an optical fiber retained in a groove in the fiber submount with an optics element of the optics assembly. The fiber submount has a resiliently biased latch portion that engages the optics assembly to provide a resilient retaining force between the optics assembly and the fiber submount. The force retains the optics element in optical alignment with the fiber optical axis. |
| US09383518B2 |
Optical switch activator
An optical switch having a housing, a light source and a light detector. The light source and light detector are located remote from the housing. The light source is connected to the housing with a first light guide, and the light detector is connected to the housing with a second light guide. The first and second light guides have distal ends coupled to the activation, and a part of the activator housing or movable member is a glowable diffuse reflector. The switch moveable member moves in a path in the switch body between an optical path present state and an optical path absent state. |
| US09383510B2 |
Backlight unit and liquid crystal display device using the same
The backlight unit whose luminance life can be extended without increasing the cost and the power consumption includes: a light source unit to which a light source is mounted; a light guide plate which converts light from the light source to a surface light beam and emits the beam; and supporting members provided between the light source unit and the light guide plate, wherein each of the supporting members is a member having a function of shortening the distance between the light source unit and the light guide plate by the changes generated over time. |
| US09383509B2 |
Display device
Disclosed is a display device. The display device includes a display panel, a plurality of fixers arranged at certain intervals and adhered to a bottom edge of the display panel, a guide panel configured to support the plurality of fixers, a rear cover configured to support the guide panel, a side cover configured to surround a side of the rear cover and constrain positions of the plurality of fixers, a plurality of panel supporting parts configured to support a bottom of the display panel to which the plurality of fixers are not adhered and which is disposed between the plurality of fixers, and a plurality of ribs provided at the guide panel or the side cover configured to support the plurality of panel supporting parts. |
| US09383508B2 |
Multi-wing edge-lit structure
A multi-wing edge-lit structure includes a first edge-lit light guide panel, a second edge-lit light guide panel, and a joiner unit. The first edge-lit light guide panel is adjustably attached to the joiner unit on a first side of the joiner unit. The second edge-lit light guide panel is adjustably attached to the joiner unit on a second side of the joiner unit. The first side and the second side are opposite sides of the joiner unit. |
| US09383502B2 |
Backlight module
A backlight module including a light guide plate, a light conversion layer, a light source, and a reflecting surface is provided. The light guide plate has a light emitting surface, a back surface, a first side, and a second side. The light emitting surface is opposite to the back surface, and the first side and the second side are connected between the light emitting surface and the back surface. The light conversion layer is disposed on the light emitting surface. The light source is disposed at the first side. The reflecting surface is located at the second side. An included angle between the reflecting surface and an extending direction of the light emitting surface is an acute angle. A light beam emitted by the light source enters the light guide plate through the first side, and is reflected by the reflecting surface after being transmitted through the light guide plate. |
| US09383501B2 |
Scanner module and image scanning apparatus employing the same
A scanner module and an image scanning apparatus employing the same include a light source to generate light, a light guide member to guide the light toward an object, a sensor configured to detect the light reflected by the object, at least one reflecting mirror to reflect the light reflected by the object to the sensor, and a focusing lens to focus the reflected light redirected by the at least one reflecting mirror on the sensor. The light guiding member includes an incident surface to receive the light, a reflective surface to reflect the light received through the incident surface, a plurality of guide surfaces to guide the light received through the incident surface, and an exit surface to allow light reflected by the reflective surface to exit. An interval between reflective linear elements increases from a center of the light guide member towards the incident surface. |
| US09383497B2 |
Backlight module
A backlight module including a light guiding plate, a light source and a block is provided. The light guiding plate includes a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, a light incident surface connecting to the first surface and the second surface, and a side surface opposite to the light incident surface. A thickness of at least part of the light guiding plate decreases progressively from the side surface towards the light incident surface. The light source is disposed beside the light incident surface and is capable of emitting a light beam into the light guiding plate through the light incident surface. The block is disposed beside the side surface and includes a reflecting surface facing towards the side surface. The reflecting surface is a concave surface on the block, and the reflecting surface is capable of reflecting the light beam returning to the side surface. |
| US09383492B2 |
Elliptical polarization plate
To provide an elliptical polarization plate excellent in suppression of coloration and light leakage in display. An elliptical polarization plate having a transparent protective film pasted to one surface of a polarizer and an optically anisotropic film pasted to the other surface thereof, wherein, when measured under condition of incident polarization in the film normal direction from the side of the transparent protective film, the visibility corrected single body transmittance is 43.0% or more, the visibility corrected polarization degree is 95.0% or more, the single body hue value a* is −2.0 to 1.0 and the single body hue value b* is −1.0 to 5.0, and the optically anisotropic film satisfies the formulae (1), (2) and (3): Re(450)/Re(550)≦1.00 (1) 1.00≦Re(650)/Re(550) (2) 100 |
| US09383486B2 |
Films for display covers and display devices comprising the same
Films for display device covers and display device covers comprising the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a display cover for coupling to a display device includes a perimeter portion comprising a first surface and a second surface. A film of polymeric material may be attached to at least one of the first surface or the second surface of the perimeter portion. The film may include a first array of prisms extending from an edge of the perimeter portion to a distance L. The first array of prisms may be offset from and positioned below a surface of the film by an offset spacing dz. |
| US09383485B2 |
Diffusion plate and backlight module having same
A backlight module employing a diffusion plate is provided. The diffusion plate includes a main body and antireflection films formed on surfaces of the main body. The main body includes a light incident surface, and a light emitting surface opposite to the light incident surface. Each antireflection film has a number of antireflection film layers. A thickness of each antireflection film layer is less than a wavelength of visible light. |
| US09383483B2 |
Diffuse cholesteric reflector
A diffuse reflector (100) uses a host layer (120) containing particles (122). The host layer (120) contains a cholesteric material that reflects a first frequency of light, and the particles (122) in the host layer (120) create separate cholesteric domains (126) that reflect light of the first frequency in different directions. |
| US09383482B2 |
Antireflective films comprising microstructured surface
The present invention concerns antireflective films comprising a high refractive index layer (60) and low refractive index layer (80) disposed on the high refractive index layer. The antireflective films have a microstructured surface (70) that can be derived from a microreplicated tool. |
| US09383479B2 |
Optical film, process of producing the same, and polarizing plate and image displaying device employing the same
An optical film comprising a first domain of a polymer composition and a second domain disposed inside the first domain, wherein the second domain is a bubble having a morphology anisotropy, and the mean alignment direction of the main chain of the polymer molecule in the first domain differs from the mean direction of the major axis of the second domain, is capable of contributing toward display performance unification and body thickness reduction of an image display device. |
| US09383478B2 |
System and method for atmospheric parameter enhancement
System and method for enhancing at least one atmospheric parameter of interest provided in remotely-sensed data by detecting and suppressing false alarm data, including computer code to receive measurement data and background including false alarms, computer code to conduct detection tests for the atmospheric parameter, computer code to compute the strength of the tests, and computer code to weight the measurement data based on the strengths and enhance the measurement data based on the weighted data. |
| US09383474B1 |
System and method for detecting film layer
A system includes a linear light source configured to emit a detection light beam to the light sensor, a light sensor configured to receive the detection light beam and convert it into a photo sensitive signal, the detection light beam being capable of passing through the substrate; a movement device configured to move the substrate through a detection region, the detection region being a region at which the detection light beam intersects a plane where the substrate is located when the substrate is moved by the movement device; and a processing unit configured to determine whether or not the film layer meets a predetermined requirement by determining whether or not an intensity of the photo sensitive signal generated during a period of time where the substrate is moved through the detection region is within a predetermined range. |
| US09383473B2 |
Method for cement evaluation with neutron logs
Method for evaluating cement integrity in a cased well environment using a logging tool that has a neutron source and one or more neutron or gamma ray detectors. Neutron porosity logs are obtained from the well before (42) and after (41) casing. This log data along with well dimensions and material composition parameters are the input quantities to a multi-parameter database (43) that is constructed by computer modeling or laboratory experiments to relate volume fraction for fluid filled channels in the cement sheath to the input quantities. The channel volume fraction (45) corresponding to the input quantities is identified or interpolated (44) from the multi-parameter database. |
| US09383472B2 |
Position-sensitive gamma detectors
Various embodiments can include apparatus and methods to operate and provide a position-sensitive detector. In various embodiments, a detector may include an illuminating device, a photodetector array, and a number of elemental circuit units, where an arrangement of the number of elemental circuit units with the photodetector array can provide a mechanism to identify a position of a light generating event in the illuminating device. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US09383470B2 |
Method and device to acquire seismic data
Streamer and method for deploying the streamer for seismic data acquisition related to a subsurface of a body of water. The method includes a step of releasing into the body of water, from a vessel, a body having a predetermined length together with plural detectors provided along the body; a step of towing the body and the plural detectors such that the plural detectors are submerged; and a step of configuring plural birds provided along the body, to float at a predetermined depth from a surface of the water such that a first portion of the body has a curved profile while being towed underwater. |
| US09383468B2 |
Streamers without tailbuoys
A streamer without a tail buoy for a marine survey is disclosed. The method and system here relate to an embodiment where at least one streamer in a marine survey is free of tail buoys. An embodiment shows that a vessel is deployed in an area where the tail end of the streamer is. In one embodiment, a vessel serves as a visual reference indicating streamer end(s). In an embodiment, a vessel is operable to control marine traffic. Because the method and system include at least one streamer without a tail buoy, entanglement of the streamer may be reduced. In some embodiments, the existing navigation equipment on a vessel may be utilized to locate a tail end of at least one streamer. The existing navigation system on the vessel may also be employed to communicate with the corresponding equipment on a survey vessel. |
| US09383467B2 |
Seismic cable for seismic prospection tolerant to failure on power supplying and/or data transmission lines
A seismic cable including sensors, data transmission lines extending the length of the seismic cable for conveying data signals issued from the sensors. Controllers distributed along the seismic cable operate as an interface between the sensors and the data transmission lines. Power supplying lines supply power to the controllers and the sensors. X power supplying lines are alternately connected to one out of X successive controllers. Each controller is adapted for applying on a power supplying line detected as defective the electrical tension provided by another power supplying line. Y data transmission lines are alternately connected to one out of Y successive controllers. Each controller is adapted to redirect towards at least one adjacent controller the data associated with a data transmission line which is determined to be defective. |
| US09383463B1 |
Doubly resonant seismic source
A sound source includes a first gas filled underwater resonator, a second gas filled underwater resonator connected to the first resonator and at least one excitation member configured to excite the first gas filled underwater resonator and the second gas filled underwater resonator, where the first gas filled underwater resonator is permanently tuned to produce a first resonant frequency upon excitation by the at least one excitation member, where the gas filled underwater second resonator is permanently tuned to produce a second resonant frequency upon excitation by the at least one excitation member, and where the first resonant frequency is different from the second resonant frequency. |
| US09383459B2 |
Photodetector
According to an embodiment, a photodetector includes a photodetecting element that has a pn junction and outputs a photocurrent corresponding to detected light, a voltage applying unit that applies a voltage to the photodetecting element, an obtaining unit that obtains the photocurrent detected by the photodetecting element, and a voltage controller. The voltage controller controls the voltage applying unit to apply, during a drive period, a drive voltage whose absolute value is not smaller than an avalanche breakdown voltage of the pn junction and which is in reverse bias with respect to the pn junction; and apply, during a standby period, any of a first standby voltage in forward bias, a second standby voltage with a voltage value of 0 V, and a third standby voltage whose absolute value is greater than 0 V, which is less than the drive voltage, and which is in reverse bias. |
| US09383458B2 |
Radiation detector, radiographic imaging device, and radiographic imaging system
The present invention provides radiation detector, radiographic imaging device and radiographic imaging system that may detect irradiated radiation while maintaining quality of radiographic image. The radiation detector has: pixels having a sensor portion that generates charges in accordance with light converted from irradiated radiation, TFT switch that outputs, to a signal line, charges read-out from the sensor portion, and radiation detection TFT switch that is not connected to a signal line; and radiation detection pixels that have the sensor portion, the TFT switch, and radiation detection TFT switch that is connected to a signal line and that outputs, to the signal line, charges read-out from the sensor portion. The radiation detection TFT switches are connected to radiation detection scan lines, and ON/OFF states are controlled by scan signals that are outputted from a radiation detection control circuit. |
| US09383450B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating satellite navigation signal based on software
Provided is an apparatus and method for generating a satellite navigation signal, the method including: extracting, navigation data that is a parameter required to generate a navigation message; verifying visible satellites at a current position of a receiver based on a position of the receiver and positions of satellites calculated based on navigation data; calculating a pseudo distance from each visible satellite and a Doppler of each visible satellite; calculating, as a Doppler period, a duration of time corresponding to a Doppler displacement capable of being processed at the receiver; generating a navigation message frame to generate a satellite navigation signal, based on navigation data and a TOW; and generating a satellite navigation signal of a digitized IF for each visible satellite based on the navigation message frame, the pseudo distance for each visible satellite, and the Doppler for each visible satellite during the Doppler period. |
| US09383448B2 |
Golf GPS device with automatic hole recognition and playing hole selection
The disclosure herein provides a golf GPS device with a sensor mechanism to automatically switch between video and audio only modes of the device. More particularly, when a player attaches the golf GPS device to a piece of clothing or hat, the device automatically switches to audio-only mode. When the player detaches the golf GPS device, the device automatically switches to video mode, with or without audio. The golf GPS device further includes one or more processors configured to repeatedly determine in which one of the plurality of holes the device is located, to repeatedly compute a distance between the device and a feature of the determined hole, and to cause to display the hole number of the determined hole and the computed distance on the display screen. |
| US09383444B2 |
System and method for finding fish using a sonar fishing float wirelessly coupled to a remote computing device
A sonar fish finding system includes at least one sonar device which attaches to a fishing line and floats on the water like a fishing bubble, float, or bobber. The at least one sonar device pairs with a wireless computing device over a Bluetooth connection to provide information to a fisherman about what is under the surface of the water proximal to the at least one sonar device. Processing may be performed incrementally on subsets of sonar data samples in order to allow for a complete result without requiring storage of the entire set of data samples at once. The at least one sonar device is configured to send the sonar data samples to a remote computing system either directly or indirectly through a wireless computing device. Based on the received sonar data samples, the remote computing system may send the wireless computing device information about both real-time fishing hotspots, and predicted fishing hotspots based on historical data and current conditions. |
| US09383443B2 |
Ultrasonic sensor and device and method for measuring a distance between a vehicle and an obstacle
An ultrasonic sensor includes a housing having a peripheral side wall and a base surface, i.e., it is configured as essentially pot-shaped. The base surface is configured as a diaphragm. A transducer element, which is configured as a piezoelectric element, for example, and is used for generating and detecting ultrasonic oscillations, is situated on the base surface. At least one mass element is situated on the base surface so that the resistance of the mass element against an oscillation of the diaphragm increases with rising oscillation frequency. |
| US09383442B2 |
Radar system and method for determining range, relative velocity and bearing of an object using continuous-wave and chirp signals
Determining distance and relative speed includes a transmitter transmitting electromagnetic signals defined by a plurality of sections, a first section comprising a continuous-wave (CW) signal, a second section comprising a chirp electromagnetic signal, the chirp electromagnetic signal comprising a plurality of subsections. A detector detects reflected signals being the transmitted electromagnetic signals reflected from an object, and comprising a reflected CW signal and a reflected chirp signal. The detector detects the reflected signals by: (i) generating a plurality of samples of the reflected CW signal, and (ii) generating a plurality of samples of the reflected chirp signal. A processor determines a first set of phase differences among the plurality of samples of the reflected CW signal and a second set of phase differences among the plurality of samples of the reflected chirp signal, and processes the first and second sets of phase differences to determine the distance, relative speed and bearing. |
| US09383441B2 |
Indoor position location using delayed scanned directional reflectors
A mobile device determines its location accurately by measuring the range to a position reflector as well as azimuth and elevation angles of arrival (AOA) at the reflector. The mobile can transmit a coded radar signal and process reflections to determine its location. The reflectors may include internal delays that can identify the reflector and provide transmit/receive separation for the mobile. The reflection can include a primary and further delayed secondary reflection. The mobile can determine the internal delay of the reflector based on the delay between primary and secondary reflections. The range and AOA information can be combined with information about the position, orientation, and characteristics of the reflectors to determine location. In some systems, the mobile device can determine its location in a three-dimensional space using reflections from only one reflector. The reflectors, which can be economically produced, can be unpowered and low profile for easy installation. |
| US09383440B2 |
Radar apparatus and signal processing method
There is provided a radar apparatus. An extracting unit extracts a peak signal obtained from a difference frequency between a transmitting signal and a receiving signal during a first period in which the frequency of the transmitting signal ascends and a second period in which the frequency descends. A pairing unit pairs the peak signals of the first and second periods based on a predetermined condition. A deriving unit derives target information including a position of a target based on paired data obtained by pairing the peak signals. The pairing unit selects normal-paired data which is paired in a correct combination, from among the plurality of paired data, based on a plurality of parameter values of the peak signals of the first and second periods which are to be paired, and a discrimination function for discriminating true or false of the pairing. |
| US09383439B2 |
Detection of conductive material in a thin film
Provided are products used to detect and methods for detecting conductive materials in the presence of non-conductive materials, including non-conductive materials having dielectric properties. Specifically, the product is a conductive thin film detector, which is, preferably, a hand-held device designed to detect the presence of metal in, on, or under an object. This detection occurs even in the presence of non-conductive materials and other nearby conductive materials on objects that are not being tested. The device preferably includes: a power source, such as a battery; a method for activation, such as a press button; the necessary components to send and receive a radio frequency, e.g., a radio frequency generator, an antenna, and a radio frequency detector; and an indicator, such as a light or a meter, to, for example, indicate the strength of the radio frequency signal received. |
| US09383438B2 |
Presence detection system, presence detection method, and program
A presence detection system is equipped with a transmitter that transmits a multipath wireless signal and a receiver that detects the presence of a person by receiving the transmitted wireless signal, within a prescribed space. On the basis of the reception level for a wireless signal received intermittently at the beginning of a first interval, the receiver determines whether there has been a change in the present/absent state of a person. When it is determined that there has been a change in the present/absent state of a person, the receiver determines whether a person is present/absent on the basis of variation in the reception level for a wireless signal received at the beginning of a second interval, which is shorter than the first interval. |
| US09383430B2 |
Determining location of a receiver with a multi-subcarrier signal
A first estimator determines a coarse estimate of a time of arrival of at least one subcarrier of an OFDM-like multitone signals by adjusting the coarse estimate of the time of arrival in accordance with a code (first) correlation function. A second estimator determines a precise estimate of the time of arrival of at least one subcarrier of the OFDM-like multitone signals by adjusting the precise time of arrival to align the slope of the subcarrier phases of the OFDM-like multitone signals in accordance with a phase (second) correlation function and consistent with the coarse estimate of the time of arrival associated with the code correlation function. A data processor estimates the location of the receiver or estimated range based on the precise estimate. |
| US09383428B2 |
Passive acoustic bearing estimation via ultra short baseline wideband methods
In various embodiments, a passive bearing detector is disclosed. The passive bearing detector comprises a plurality of hydrophones. The plurality of hydrophones is arranged in a three-dimensional geometry. The three-dimensional geometry exposes each of the plurality of hydrophones to an ambient aquatic acoustic environment. The passive bearing detector further comprises a processor electrically coupled to the plurality of hydrophones. The processor is configured to determine a direction of arrival of an unknown broadband acoustic signal received by the plurality of hydrophones based on the phase difference of the unknown broadband acoustic signal at each of the plurality of hydrophones. |
| US09383425B2 |
Methods and apparatus for a current sensor having fault detection and self test functionality
Methods and apparatus for an integrated circuit having a magnetic sensing element, a fault detection module including circuitry to detect a fault condition and to self-test operation of the circuitry to detect the fault. The integrated circuit includes a fault pin to indicate the fault condition. |
| US09383418B2 |
Integrated dual axis fluxgate sensor using double deposition of magnetic material
A method of fabricating fluxgate devices to measure the magnetic field in two orthogonal, in plane directions, by using a composite-anisotropic magnetic core structure. |
| US09383417B2 |
Method for measuring a magnetic field using magnetoelectric sensors
A method for measuring a time-variant magnetic field using a magnetoelectric sensor having mechanical resonant frequency fR, wherein the magnetic field has at least one component having harmonic time dependence with the measuring signal amplitude to be determined Hmess0 and the measuring signal frequency to be determined fmess in a known frequency interval fmin |
| US09383416B2 |
System and method for testing vehicle traction battery components
A traction battery connection simulator is disclosed comprising a plurality of power supplies connected to simulate a traction battery and a plurality of switching devices that selectively connect the power supplies to a controller under test. The simulator further comprises a controller programmed to selectively connect at least one of power supplies to the controller under test for a predetermined period of time before connecting remaining power supplies. The controller may also be programmed to disconnect at least one power supplies from the controller under test for a predetermined period of time before disconnecting remaining power supplies. Voltages associated with each power supply and currents through each switching device may be compared to corresponding predetermined ranges. An indicator may be set in response to at least one of the voltages and currents being outside of a corresponding predetermined range. |
| US09383415B2 |
Battery system having battery contactors and a diagnostic device for monitoring the functional state of the contactors and associated diagnostic method
A battery system comprises a battery including a plurality of battery cells and can be connected on an input side to a direct voltage intermediate circuit via at least one contactor, and a diagnostic device configured to diagnose a state of the at least one contactor. The battery system includes a monitoring circuit with a first branch in which the at least one contactor is arranged, and a second branch which is connected parallel thereto and in which a voltage source configured to generate a reference voltage is connected. The diagnostic device is arranged so as to evaluate a diagnostic current which is dependent on the reference voltage and flows in the monitoring circuit, and serves to determine a fault state of the at least one contactor based on a measured current value or a current profile of the diagnostic current. |
| US09383414B2 |
Method of diagnosing a blocked heat exchanger
A method is provided for testing the performance of a vehicle-mounted heat exchanger and determining whether debris is preventing air from efficiently passing through the heat exchanger. To test performance, after the vehicle is traveling faster than a preset minimum speed, the power to the DC fan motor that is adjacent to the heat exchanger is interrupted and the back EMF of the motor is used to determine fan motor speed. As rotation of the unpowered fan motor is due to the air flowing through the heat exchanger, the rate of fan rotation is used to indicate the relative health of the heat exchanger. If the rotation of the fan motor indicates insufficient air flow, then a notification message (e.g., visual or auditory warning indicator) is transmitted. If the test indicates sufficient air flow, normal operation of the fan motor is re-initiated and power is re-connected to the motor. |
| US09383413B2 |
Method of processing recurrent surge oscillograph data to enable more precise location of generator rotor inter-turn shorts and ground faults
A system and method for locating inter-turn short circuits or ground faults in a rotor winding of an electrical generator. The method analyzes data from a Recurrent Surge Oscillograph (RSO) test, identifies a spike or anomaly in a reflected RSO signal, determines an elapsed time between a transmitted signal and the anomaly in the reflected signal, calculates a distance along the winding conductor to the inter-turn short circuit or ground fault based on the elapsed time, and uses a geometric model of the winding conductor to identify a location of the fault based on the distance. The location of the inter-turn short circuit or ground fault specifies a coil number, a turn number within the coil and a position within the turn. |
| US09383410B2 |
Inverted TCK access port selector having resets selecting one tap
The disclosure describes a novel method and apparatuses for allowing a controller to select and access different types of access ports in a device. The selecting and accessing of the access ports is achieved using only the dedicated TDI, TMS, TCK, and TDO signal terminals of the device. The selecting and accessing of device access ports can be achieved when a single device is connected to the controller, when multiple devices are placed in a daisy-chain arrangement and connected to the controller, or when multiple devices are placed in a addressable parallel arrangement and connected to the controller. Additional embodiments are also provided and described in the disclosure. |
| US09383409B2 |
Method of diagnosable scan chain
A method for implementing a scan chain to test a semiconductor including obtaining an initial structure of the scan chain, determining, according to function modules of the semiconductor corresponding to scan registers on the scan chain, a first scan register pair with backward dependency, adjusting a structure of the scan chain such that the first scan register pair with backward dependency becomes a scan register pair with forward dependency, when a fan-in scan register in the scan register pair with backward dependency belongs to the key subset of the fan-out scan register in the first scan register pair with backward dependency, and determining a key subset of a fan-out scan register in the first scan register pair with backward dependency, wherein when all fan-in scan registers in the key subset reflect a same logic value, an output logic value of a function module connected to the fan-out scan register is fixed. |
| US09383407B2 |
Instantaneous IR drop measurement circuit
A circuit for measuring instantaneous voltage drops in an IC is disclosed. In one embodiment, a measurement circuit is configured to perform measurements of a voltage drop between a supply voltage node and reference (e.g., ground) node. The measurement circuit may perform consecutive voltage measurements over a number of clock cycles. The measurements may be compared to a reference voltage, and the results of the comparisons may be provided to a register unit. The register unit may include a number of storage locations indicating at which cycles, if any, voltage droops have occurred. Additionally, the register may store information indicating maximum and minimum voltage droops. |
| US09383406B2 |
Systems and methods for conforming device testers to integrated circuit device with pressure relief valve
The present invention relates to systems and methods for preventing over pressurization in a fluid management system used in an integrated circuit (IC) device tester. The prevention of the over pressurization in the fluid management system is based on the use of a pressure relief valve coupled to the fluid management system. |
| US09383404B2 |
High resistivity substrate final resistance test structure
A high resistivity substrate final resistance test structure, methods of manufacture and testing processes are disclosed. The test structure includes spaced apart implants extending into a high resistivity wafer in at least one kerf region of the wafer. The test structure further includes contacts in direct electrical contact to each of the spaced apart implants. |
| US09383403B2 |
TSVs connected to ground and combined stimulus and testing leads
This disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for testing TSVs within a semiconductor device. According to embodiments illustrated and described in the disclosure, a TSV may be tested by stimulating and measuring a response from a first end of a TSV while the second end of the TSV held at ground potential. Multiple TSVs within the semiconductor device may be tested in parallel to reduce the TSV testing time according to the disclosure. |
| US09383401B2 |
Device and system detecting breakage in dummy bumps and method thereof
There is provided with an electronic device including: a main board, a plurality of electronic substrates, a first chain, a measuring unit and a controller, in which the plurality of electronic substrates each are mounted on the main board via solder joints, the first chain connects the solder joints in series throughout all of the electronic substrates, comprising a plurality of second chains each being a part of the first chain and connecting the solder joints in each corresponding one of the electronic substrates, the measuring unit measures an electrical resistance of the first chain and electrical resistances of the second chains, and the controller detects, if the electrical resistance of the first chain is equal to or higher than a first threshold value, the second chain having an electrical resistance equal to or higher than a corresponding second threshold value from among the second chains. |
| US09383400B2 |
Critical capacitor built in test
An electronic circuit and method for carrying out built in test of a capacitor connected to, and arranged to suppress noise at, an input of an electrical circuit is disclosed. The electronic circuit causes current pulses at the input, and monitors the voltage at the input by comparing the voltage at the input with high and/or low reference voltages, outputting a fault signal if the voltage at the input is greater than a high reference voltage or lower than a low reference voltage. |
| US09383399B2 |
HRG ground fault detector and method using phase inputs to generate a simulated neutral voltage
A HRG ground fault detector and method for detecting a ground fault in a High Resistance Ground (HRG) system are provided. The HRG ground fault detector in one example embodiment includes a first input A coupled to a first phase PHA of the HRG system, a second input B coupled to a second phase PHB, and a third input C coupled to a third phase PHC, with the HRG ground fault detector generating a simulated neutral voltage VN′ from the first phase PHA, the second phase PHB, and the third phase PHC. The simulated neutral voltage VN′ has a zero voltage potential when the first phase PHA, the second phase PHB, and the third phase PHC are equal. The HRG ground fault detector further compares the simulated neutral voltage VN′ to a predetermined fault voltage threshold, and detects a HRG ground fault if the simulated neutral voltage VN′ exceeds the threshold. |
| US09383398B2 |
Motor power simulating apparatus for fuel cell power module evaluation
Disclosed is a motor power simulating apparatus for fuel cell power module evaluation that accurately reflects real world characteristics of a fuel cell vehicle. More particularly, the power simulating apparatus disclosed herein includes a fuel cell power module, a ripple current generator, and an electronic load device, the ripple current generator connected to the fuel cell power module and the electronic load device to accurately simulate power output from a fuel cell of a fuel cell vehicle under real world conditions. |
| US09383397B1 |
System and method for measuring a parameter of an alternating current power grid while minimizing the likelihood of lightning damage in a measuring system
A system and method are provided for measuring a parameter of an alternating current power grid relative to a calibrated fourth signal. The method includes receiving a first signal at an antenna and transmitting it to a signal receiver. A second signal is generated at the signal receiver. A third signal is generated based on the second signal and electrically isolated from the second signal. The third signal is transmitted in the cable toward the measuring device. A fourth signal is generated based on the third signal and electrically isolated from the third signal. The fourth signal, which is calibrated by subtracting a delay constant from the generated fourth signal, is transmitted to the measuring device. The delay constant approximates the delay between receipt of the first signal at the antenna and receipt of the fourth signal at the measuring device. |
| US09383394B2 |
Overhead communicating device
A power line monitoring device is mounted to a power line. The device includes circuitry for monitoring the power line and communicating information regarding the power line. A ground reference point of the circuitry is electrically coupled to the power line. Therefore, the monitoring device, including its circuitry, has substantially the same voltage potential as the power line. Accordingly, there is a substantially equalized or uniform electric field around the device. The substantially equal voltage potential and electric field allow communications with the monitoring device to have reduced noise and interference, as compared to other devices that have different voltage potentials than their corresponding power lines. A pad of semi-conductive material may be disposed between the power line and the electrical conductors to slow a rate of change of the voltage potential of the device circuitry when mounting the device to the power line, thereby minimizing risk of corona discharge. |
| US09383393B2 |
Dual-comparator circuit with dynamic VIO shift protection
A dual-comparator circuit includes a main comparator providing a first decision output (outmain) including a main MOS differential pair, and an auxiliary comparator including an auxiliary MOS differential pair providing a second decision output (outaux). The auxiliary comparator receives a differential input voltage (Vin), and generates a control signal that is coupled to an enable input of the main comparator. A first operating mode (OM) is implemented when |Vin| |
| US09383388B2 |
Automated atomic force microscope and the operation thereof
Improvements for rapidly calibrating and automatically operating a scanning probe microscope are disclosed. A central component of the SPM is the force transducer, typically a consumable cantilever element. By automatically calibrating transducer characteristics along with other instrumental parameters, scanning parameters can be rapidly and easily optimized, resulting in high-throughput, repeatable and accurate measurements. In contrast to dynamic optimization schemes, this can be accomplished before the surface is contacted, avoiding tip or sample damage from the beginning of the measurement process. |
| US09383384B2 |
Extended-range closed-loop accelerometer
A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometer with extended operational capabilities beyond a closed-loop saturation. The present invention combines the closed-loop feedback signal and the measured proof-mass position into a hybrid acceleration measurement, which effectively provides an operating range equal to the traditional closed-loop operating range plus the sensor's mechanical open-loop range. |
| US09383382B2 |
Microelectromechanical sensor with out-of-plane sensing and process for manufacturing a microelectromechanical sensor
A microelectromechanical sensor that in one embodiment includes a supporting structure, having a substrate and electrode structures anchored to the substrate; and a sensing mass, movable with respect to the supporting structure so that a distance between the sensing mass and the substrate is variable. The sensing mass is provided with movable electrodes capacitively coupled to the electrode structures. Each electrode structure comprises a first fixed electrode and a second fixed electrode mutually insulated by a dielectric region and arranged in succession in a direction substantially perpendicular to a face of the substrate. |
| US09383381B2 |
Airspeed calculation system for an aircraft
An airspeed calculation system for determining the airspeed of an aircraft includes a static pressure device, a global positioning system device, an inertial measurement unit device, an angle of attack device, a total pressure sensor, a total air temperature sensor, at least one processor, and a memory. The at least one processor is in electronic communication with the memory, the static pressure device, the global positioning system device, the inertial measurement unit device, the angle of attack device, the total pressure sensor, and the total air temperature sensor. The memory includes programming code for execution by the at least one processor. The programming code is configured to determine the airspeed of the aircraft using data obtained from each of the static pressure device, the global positioning system device, the inertial measurement unit device, the angle of attack device, the total pressure sensor, and the total air temperature sensor. |
| US09383378B2 |
Sample distribution in an analytical system for processing an analyte
A method is described for distributing samples within an automated analyzer from a linear arrangement of sample vessels to a processing plate in a two-dimensional n×m arrangement wherein samples are sorted, followed by transfer with a pipetting device with a linear arrangement to a processing vessel in a two-dimensional n×m arrangement and subsequent processing of samples using a second pipetting device which has a two-dimensional n×m arrangement. |
| US09383376B2 |
Automatic analyzer
Abnormality causes are automatically identified during daily quality control, based on the focused consideration of complex uncertainty factors and, especially, of the causes of device-side abnormalities, the latter of which are often difficult to identify. The analyzer performance that affects measurement results can be estimated from analysis parameters and calibration results. Thus, uncertainty estimates are automatically calculated for each analysis item during quality control, and the estimates are compared with uncertainties obtained during actual QC sample measurement, thereby monitoring and evaluating the analyzer performance. Also, measurements are performed on QC samples of multiple concentrations that contain substances known to subject to particular influences such as those of the optical system, sample dispenser, and reagent dispenser, so that the causes of abnormalities can be identified. Uncertainty estimates calculated from the parameters set for the analysis items are compared with uncertainties obtained from the QC sample measurements. |
| US09383374B2 |
Methods to determine susceptibility to treatment with leukotriene modifiers
The present invention provides a method of determining the susceptibility of a subject to treatment with a leukotriene modifier by determining the subject's cysteinyl leukotriene (CysLT) level and the subject's level of eosinophilic airway inflammation and identifying a subject with a high ratio of CysLT levels to eosinophilic airway inflammation as susceptible to treatment with the leukotriene modifier. Also discussed is a method of treatment of subjects who are susceptible to treatment that includes administering a leukotriene modifier to such a subject. |
| US09383371B2 |
Method of sequential and multiple immunostaining for detection of various antigens in the same specimens
Provided herein is a method of sequential and multiple immunostaining for detection of various antigens in the same specimens, which may be used for qualitative or quantitative analysis of proteins expressed, gene analysis, and morphological analysis even in specimens where only a small amount is available. |
| US09383369B2 |
Methods for improving fertility and selectivity for desired offspring sex in artificial insemination
A method for providing semen optimized for use in artificial insemination is described. Methods involve monitoring sperm cell metabolism by assays that produce results in real time, while sperm are still being processed into doses for use in insemination. Processing is modified in response to assay results, to optimize sperm performance. |
| US09383366B2 |
Blue fluorescent protein and methods of use thereof
This invention provides methods of making and using a fluorescent probe from the Sandercyanin protein as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2. In one embodiment, the invention provides a method of creating a fluorescent probe, comprising the steps of attaching a Sandercyanin moiety to a probe, wherein the probe is specific to a desired target. |
| US09383365B2 |
System and method for determining individualized medical intervention for a disease state
A system and method for determining individualized medical intervention for a particular disease state, and especially for cancers, that includes the molecular profiling of a biological sample from the patient, determining whether any molecular findings including one or more genes, one or more gene expressed proteins, one or more molecular mechanisms, and/or combinations of such exhibit a change in expression compared to a reference, and identifying a non-specific disease therapy or agent capable of interacting with the genes, gene expressed proteins, molecular mechanisms, or combinations of such molecular findings that exhibited a change in expression. |
| US09383363B2 |
LASP-1, a novel urinary marker for transitional cell carcinoma detection
The invention relates to the use of LASP-1 in a urine sample obtained from a subject for diagnosing and/or grading transitional cell carcinoma. The invention furthermore relates to a method for diagnosing transitional cell carcinoma comprising detecting the presence or absence of LASP-1 in a urine sample obtained from a subject, wherein the presence of LASP-1 above 1 ng/500 μl urine is indicative for transitional cell carcinoma and a method for grading transitional cell carcinoma comprising determining the level of LASP-1 in a urine sample obtained from a subject, wherein the level of LASP-1 correlates with the grade of the transitional cell carcinoma. |
| US09383361B2 |
Methods for detecting allosteric modulators of protein
The present invention discloses, inter alia, methods for labeling a target protein with an SHG-active probe for detection by second harmonic or sum-frequency generation in order to identify agents which bind to an allosteric site on the target protein thereby altering its structural conformation. |
| US09383360B2 |
Compositions and methods relating to lyme disease
Compositions and methods of the present invention relating to B. burgdorferi HtrA sensu lato (BbHtrA) protease activity, its substrates, cleavage products, biological effects and use in detection, diagnosis and/or treatment of Lyme disease are provided. |
| US09383358B2 |
Method to assess patterns of molecular expression
The invention is directed to a method to establish a biologically significant association of gene expression levels among two or more genes, the method comprising assaying a sample for expression levels of two or more genes and identifying statistically-significant associations using a correlation coefficient in the range of about 0.6 to about 1.0, wherein a correlation coefficient in that range signifies a biologically significant correlation. |
| US09383356B2 |
Latex particles for particle agglutination assay
A particulate latex for high-sensitive agglutination assay that barely poses non-specific reactions and can readily prepare diagnostic reagents, and a reagent for agglutination assay including the particle are provided. A particulate latex for agglutination assay, including a first polymerizable monomer having a phenyl group, a second polymerizable monomer having a phenyl group and a salt of sulfonic acid, and a third polymerizable monomer represented by Formula (1): CH2═CR1—COOCH2CH2O(PO2)OCH2CH2—N(CH3)3 (1) where R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, wherein the density of functional groups in the third polymerizable monomer represented by Formula (1) on the surface of the particulate latex is 0.003 to 0.05 μmol/m2. |
| US09383355B2 |
Methods and related devices for continuous sensing utilizing magnetic beads
Provided is a fluidic device including a main channel, wherein a first inlet fluidly connects to an upstream end of the main channel and introduces magnetic beads into a first side of the main channel. A second inlet is fluidly connected to the upstream end of the main channel and introduces a sample stream into a second side of the main channel. A magnet disposed adjacent to the second side of the main channel pulls the magnetic beads towards a sidewall of the second side, and thus into the sample stream. The beads continue through an extended incubation channel before entering a return channel. The return channel includes a detection region. Also provided is a multi-layer micro-fluidic assay device. An assay method that utilizes a microfluidic assay device is provided as well. |
| US09383354B2 |
Anti-antibody reagent
An anti-antibody reagent for use in a competitive or sandwich simplex or multiplex assay, said reagent comprising one or more labeled anti-antibodies for the primary antibodies to be determined in the assay, the reagent further comprising a corresponding unlabeled anti-antibody in an excess or near excess concentration with respect to their binding partners. |
| US09383353B2 |
Fluorescent methods and materials for directed biomarker signal amplification
Methods and compositions are provided that include a multichromophore and/or multichromophore complex for identifying a target biomolecule. A sensor biomolecule, for example, an antibody can be covalently linked to the multichromophore. Additionally, a signaling chromophore can be covalently linked to the multichromophore. The arrangement is such that the signaling chromophore is capable of receiving energy from the multichromophore upon excitation of the multichromophore. Since the sensor biomolecule is capable of interacting with the target biomolecule, the multichromophore and/or multichromophore complex can provide enhanced detection signals for a target biomolecule. |
| US09383347B2 |
Pathological diagnosis results assessment system, pathological diagnosis results assessment method, and pathological diagnosis results assessment device
The pathological diagnosis results assessment system includes: a diagnosis unit to carry out pathological diagnosis of tissue specimen images, and generates diagnosis record information; a report storage unit to store reports in which pathological diagnosis results for the tissue specimen images are described; a report analysis unit to analyze the diagnosis results described in the reports stored in the report storage unit; and a report verification unit to compare the diagnosis result analyzed by the report analysis unit to the diagnosis record information, and determine a degree of matching on the diagnosis degree of the comparison result. |
| US09383340B1 |
Passive, wireless, surface acoustic wave identification tag with hydrogen gas sensor
Methods, systems and devices for a coded SAW tag and hydrogen gas sensor with substrate, detector and identical reference bank of reflectors fabricated the substrate to generate a surface acoustic wave in response to a interrogation signal, a transducer between the detector and reflectors, and a tin dioxide (SnO2) and palladium (Pd) film sensitive to hydrogen gas at ambient temperature deposited in a propagation delay path between the reflectors and the transducer to modulate the detector surface acoustic wave propagation parameters in response to sensing a hydrogen gas. The SnO2 and Pd film is deposited on the delay path by depositing the film through a mask. The deposited film is annealed to gain room-temperature hydrogen sensitivity and reversibility. |
| US09383335B2 |
Electrophoresis gel cassette
Electrophoresis gel cassette comprising a first and a second face wall member and one or more side wall members defining a gel compartment for a gel member with a first and second face, wherein at least a section of each one of the first and second face wall member is removable to expose a section of both the first and second face of the gel member essentially corresponding to the separation zone while the gel member is preserved in the cassette. |
| US09383330B2 |
Arrangement for determining the phase distribution in multiphase media having at least one highly conductive phase
A grid sensor for measuring the phase distribution of a multiphase substance mixture with gaseous and liquid components in the presence of a highly conductive phase (such as salt water or liquid metal) employs 3 superposed electrode planes and an electronic measuring device. Application areas include determination of the liquid distribution and the fill level in containers, as well as the investigation of gas-liquid multiphase flows, in particular in pipelines, e.g. in petroleum production and processing. |
| US09383328B2 |
Lithography apparatus
A lithography apparatus comprises a structural element, a sensor having a detection region for detecting a physical quantity in at least one detection direction with respect to the structural element, and a sensor receptacle for mounting the sensor to the structural element, wherein the sensor is arranged in such a way that the maximum displacement of the detection region in the detection direction relative to the structural element is not greater than the maximum displacement of the detection region in the detection direction in the case of an arrangement of the sensor orthogonally with respect thereto. |
| US09383327B2 |
Circuit tracing using a focused ion beam
Methods and systems for tracing circuitry on integrated circuits using focused ion beam based imaging techniques. A first component or node on an integrated circuit is coupled to a second component or node on the same integrated circuit. After an external bias is applied to the first component or node, a focused ion beam is applied to the integrated circuit and an image is taken using an electron detector. The features or components on the integrated circuit which are coupled to the second component or node will show up in high contrast on the resulting image. The method may also involve applying a bias to a node or component and then using focused ion beam imaging techniques (through an electron detector) to arrive at an image of the integrated circuit. Components coupled to the node will appear in high contrast in the resulting image. |
| US09383324B2 |
Laboratory X-ray micro-tomography system with crystallographic grain orientation mapping capabilities
A method and system for three dimensional crystallographic grain orientation mapping illuminates a polycrystalline sample with a broadband x-ray beam derived from a laboratory x-ray source, detects, on one or more x-ray detectors, diffracted beams from the sample, and processes data from said diffracted beams with the sample in different rotation positions to generate three dimensional reconstructions of grain orientation, position, and/or 3-D volume. A specific, cone beam, geometry leverages the fact that for a point x-ray source with a divergent beam on reflection of an extended crystal grain diffracts x-rays such that they are focused in the diffraction plane direction. |
| US09383323B2 |
Workpiece characterization system
A workpiece characterization system for obtaining simultaneous measurement of layer and photoluminescence properties of a workpiece. The workpiece characterization system includes an excitation light and an illumination light each impinging upon a surface of a workpiece whereby the workpiece emits photoluminescent light and encodes light from said illumination source with layer information. The excitation light and the illumination light are generated from a single light source. The light from the single light source is filtered to remove wavelengths of light that correlate to light wavelengths emitted from the workpiece as a result of excitation. Wavelengths that correlate to light reflected from the workpiece that may contain encoded information are not filtered. |
| US09383322B2 |
Kit containing sealing liquid for safety closures
A sealing liquid for sealing mail pieces contains water and a penetration agent. The sealing liquid is applied by letter-closing devices and franking machines containing such a sealing liquid. Once sealed, the opening of the letter produces a pronounced pattern so that it is clear that the letter has been opened. Therefore any attempts to reseal the once opened enveloped are easily detected. |
| US09383313B2 |
Transmitted light observation apparatus
In order to allow for easy judgment of performance of optical material having a prescribed function, provided is a transmitted light observation apparatus comprising a light emitting section that generates light including light of a prescribed wavelength; a holding section that holds a first test material and a second test material arranged respectively in optical paths of the light generated by the light emitting section; and a reflecting portion that reflects at least a portion of the light transmitted respectively through the first test material and the second test material. Transmittance of the first test material for the light of the prescribed wavelength is different from transmittance of the second test material for the light of the prescribed wavelength. The light of the prescribed wavelength has a wavelength from 380 nm to 500 nm. |
| US09383311B2 |
Non-scanning SPR system
A system for measuring an evanescent wave phenomenon at total internal reflection, the system comprising: a) a sensing surface comprising a plurality of areas of interest; b) an illumination sub-system comprising a light source, which illuminates each area of interest on the sensing surface over a range of angles of incidence; c) a detector which responds differently to an intensity of light received by it at different locations; and d) projection optics comprising primary optics and a plurality of secondary elements, the primary optics projecting an image of the illuminated sensing surface onto the secondary elements, which project their received light onto the detector in such a way that it is possible to determine, from the response of the detector, how much light is reflected from each area of interest, as a function of angle of incidence over the range of angles for that area. |
| US09383309B2 |
Motorized variable path length cell for spectroscopy
The present invention is thus directed to an automated system of varying the optical path length in a sample that a light from a spectrophotometer must travel through. Such arrangements allow a user to easily vary the optical path length while also providing the user with an easy way to clean and prepare a transmission cell for optical interrogation. Such path length control can be automatically controlled by a programmable control system to quickly collect and stores data from different path lengths as needed for different spectrographic analysis. Moreover, the system utilizes configured wedge shaped windows to best minimize the reflections of light which cause periodic variation in transmission at different wave lengths (commonly described as “channel spectra”). Such a system, as presented herein, is able to return best-match spectra with far fewer computational steps and greater speed than if all possible combinations of reference spectra are considered. |
| US09383302B2 |
Method for determining a machining result during surface machining of components
A method for determining a machining result during surface machining of components, has the following method steps of: providing a component, applying at least one device, which changes under pressure, to the component, machining the surface of the component provided with the at least one device, evaluating the machining operation on the basis of the change in the at least one device as a result of the surface machining of the component. At least one device is in the form of a film which changes at least one property during the surface machining of the component. |
| US09383300B2 |
Precision convection system
A system can use light to analyze a sample dimensionally, for example via shadow moiré analysis. The system can apply convection to heat the sample during analysis. A platform of the system can support the sample during convection-based heating. The system can include nozzles that are arranged circumferentially about the platform. The nozzles can have openings oriented towards the platform to emit heated air towards the sample, to heat the sample. Members such as fins or posts within each nozzle can diffuse or spread the emitted air. |
| US09383294B2 |
Hydrophilic fluid transport device
Hydrophilic articles and methods of using such articles are described. The hydrophilic articles include a hydrophilic layer comprising sintered, acidified silica nanoparticles attached to a substrate. A spacer layer attached to a first portion of the hydrophilic layer defines at least one fluid transport channel bounded on one side by a second portion of the hydrophilic layer. The nanoparticles may include one or both of spherical and elongated nanoparticles. |
| US09383291B2 |
Automated contamination-free seed sampler and methods of sampling, testing and bulking seeds
An automated seed sampler system includes an imaging device for obtaining images of seeds, an orienting device for orienting the seeds based on the images, and a sampling station for removing tissue from the oriented seeds. In some aspects, the system also includes a transport subsystem for supporting the oriented seeds and conveying the oriented seeds to the sampling station. A method for removing tissue from seeds includes imaging the seeds, orienting the seeds based on image information obtained from the seeds, and removing tissue from the oriented seeds. In some aspects, the method also includes transporting the oriented seeds in a transport subsystem to a sampling station for removing the tissue from the oriented seeds, and/or collecting the tissue removed from the oriented seeds so that a one-to-one correspondence exists between the tissue and the sampled seeds, and/or analyzing the tissue for characteristics indicative of genetic and/or chemical traits. |
| US09383290B2 |
UEGO sensor air-fuel ratio determination system and method
A method of determining an air-fuel ratio of an internal combustion engine in real-time includes: calibrating sensitivity of a universal exhaust gas oxygen sensor to a plurality of gases; inputting to a universal exhaust gas oxygen sensor controller a molecular composition of Hydrogen, Carbon, Oxygen, and Nitrogen which comprise a combustion fuel in use in the internal combustion engine; calculating with the universal exhaust gas oxygen sensor controller an air-to-fuel ratio by performing a chemical balance equation calculation based on the universal exhaust gas oxygen sensor sensitivity calibration and the input combustion fuel molecular composition; and transmitting the calculated air-to-fuel ratio to an engine control unit inreal-time. |
| US09383288B2 |
Method and device for processing a time-dependent measurement signal
A monitoring device is arranged to receive a time-dependent measurement signal from a pressure sensor in a fluid containing system, which is associated with a first pulse generator and a second pulse generator. The pressure sensor is arranged in the fluid containing system to detect a first pulse originating from the first pulse generator and a second pulse originating from the second pulse generator. The monitoring device is configured to process the measurement signal to remove the first pulse. In this process, the monitoring device receives the measurement signal, obtains a first pulse profile which is a predicted temporal signal profile of the first pulse, and filters the measurement signal in the time-domain, using the first pulse profile, to essentially eliminate the first pulse while retaining the second pulse. The fluid containing system may include an extracorporeal blood flow circuit and a blood circuit of a human patient. |
| US09383285B2 |
MEMS resonator pressure sensor
A resonant MEMS pressure sensor in which the resonator mass of the MEMS resonator is anchored both to the fixed base beneath the resonator cavity as well as to the top membrane over the resonator cavity. This provides a more robust fixing of the resonator mass and offers a dependence of resonant frequency on the pressure outside the cavity. |
| US09383284B2 |
Diaphragm-type pressure gauge
A pressure gauge includes a first sensor for detecting a pressure in a first range, a second sensor for detecting a pressure in a second range, and a processing unit for determining a pressure value based on outputs from the first sensor and the second sensor. The first and the second ranges have an overlapping range, an upper limit of the second range is higher than that of the first range, the processing unit determines a correction value based on outputs from the first sensor and the second sensor when a pressure falls within the overlapping range, and the processing unit determines a pressure value based on an output from the second sensor and the correction value, when measuring, by using the second sensor, a pressure in the second range, higher than that of the first pressure range. |
| US09383277B2 |
Force sensor
A cylindrical annular detector is disposed at the periphery of the columnar body fixed at a central part of the upper surface of a supporting substrate. A space between the columnar body and the annular detector is connected by a thin flexible connection member (diaphragm). A washer-shaped insulation substrate is disposed on the upper surface of the supporting substrate, individual fixed electrodes are formed on the upper surface thereof, and they constitute capacitive elements together with a displacement electrode which is composed of the lower surface of the annular detector. Upon exertion of an external force on the annular detector, the flexible connection member deflects to cause displacement, which is detected as change in capacitance value of the capacitive element. |
| US09383275B2 |
Collision sensor assembly for a stationary structure
A collision sensor assembly is attachable to a stationary structure such as a pallet rack, a door frame, the corner of a wall, or the like. The collision sensor is configured to sense when a collision occurs with the stationary structure such as when a piece of movable machinery contacts the stationary structure. The collision sensor assembly includes a sensor operatively connected to a processor which determines when a collision occurs, and produces a signal to an output signal generator to provide an external indication of the collision. |
| US09383274B2 |
Torque detection apparatus and electric power steering apparatus
The torque detection apparatus detects torque using torsion of a torsion bar. The torque detection apparatus includes a first rotating shaft and a second rotating shaft connected with a torsion bar in which torsion is produced when torque is applied, at least one optical scale that moves with rotations of the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft, at least one optical sensor that is paired with the optical scale, and detects the polarization of transmissive light or reflected light, the polarization varying depending on a position where light source light is passed through or reflected on the optical scale, and a computing unit that computes a relative rotational angle of the optical scale with respect to the optical sensor, and computes rotational displacements of the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft. |
| US09383269B2 |
Circuits, methods, and computer programs to detect mechanical stress and to monitor a system
Embodiments provide a circuit, a method, and a computer program configured to detect mechanical stress and a circuit, a method, and a computer program configured to monitor safety of a system. The detection circuit is configured to detect mechanical stress of a semiconductor circuit. The detection circuit comprises a stress monitor module configured to monitor mechanical stress of the semiconductor circuit and to provide monitor information related to a mechanical stress level of the semiconductor circuit. The detection circuit further comprises an activation signal generator configured to generate an activation signal comprising activation information related to the mechanical stress level of the semiconductor circuit if the monitor information indicates that a mechanical stress level criterion is fulfilled by the semiconductor circuit. |
| US09383261B2 |
Method of eliminating spurious signals and a relative navigation system
A relative navigation system and a method of eliminating spurious signals that may be received by a relative navigation system having a first object and a second object including projecting polarized light having a first orientation to form at least one grid line projecting into space from the first object. |
| US09383260B1 |
Laser ablation analysis system
Systems, methods, compositions, and apparatus for laser induced ablation spectroscopy are disclosed. A sample site position sensor, stage position motors operable to move the stage in three independent spatial coordinate directions, and a stage position control circuit can move an analysis sample site to selected coordinate positions for laser ablation. Light emitted from a plasma plume produced with laser ablation can be gathered into a lightguide fiber bundle that is subdivided into branches. One branch can convey a first portion of the light to a broadband spectrometer operable to analyze a relatively wide spectral segment, and a different branch can convey a second portion of the light to a high dispersion spectrometer operable to measure minor concentrations and/or trace elements. Emissions from a plasma plume can be simultaneously analyzed in various ways using a plurality of spectrometers having distinct and/or complementary capabilities. |
| US09383258B2 |
Spectrometry system with filters and illuminator having primary and secondary emitters
A spectrometer comprises a plurality of isolated optical channels comprising a plurality of isolated optical paths. The isolated optical paths decrease cross-talk among the optical paths and allow the spectrometer to have a decreased length with increased resolution. In many embodiments, the isolated optical paths comprise isolated parallel optical paths that allow the length of the device to be decreased substantially. In many embodiments, each isolated optical path extends from a filter of a filter array, through a lens of a lens array, through a channel of a support array, to a region of a sensor array. Each region of the sensor array comprises a plurality of sensor elements in which a location of the sensor element corresponds to the wavelength of light received based on an angle of light received at the location, the focal length of the lens and the central wavelength of the filter. |
| US09383255B2 |
UV dosimetry system for safe UV exposure
A UV exposure dosimetry system includes at least one UV sensor that accurately measures the UV irradiance intensity. The UV dosimetry system integrates the measured UV irradiance intensity over time to calculate the real-time UV dosage and the vitamin D production by taking into account factors comprising UV sensor location, body surface area, clothing coverage, and sunscreen usage. Based on the measurement, the system can predict the time remaining to skin burn and the time remaining to reach daily goal of vitamin D production. The system also calculates the UV index in real-time, and can crowd source the measured data in a network. The UV dosimetry system supports multi-user control through an advanced and user friendly input and output interface. |
| US09383252B2 |
Windshield for a precision balance
A precision balance provided with a windshield having at least one wall element (2, 10, 12, 20, 24), which is provided with an electrically conductive coating (62), and having an electrical connection (66) for the coating. An electrical test device (68) is additionally provided, which is integrated into the precision balance and with which it is possible to check whether the coating (62) is connected to the electrical connection (66). |
| US09383245B2 |
Liquid level measuring device
A liquid level measuring device for measuring a liquid level of liquid stored in a container may comprise a discharging unit, a first storing space, and an electrode unit. The discharging unit may be configured to discharge the liquid compressed by a pump. The pump may be configured to suck the liquid stored in the container and feed the liquid toward a liquid usage device by pressure. The first storing space may be located in the container and configured to accept the liquid discharged from the discharging unit. The electrode unit may be disposed in the first storing space and comprising a first pair of electrodes configured to measure the liquid level of the liquid within the first storing space. The electrode unit may compose at least a part of a wall surface defining the first storing space. |
| US09383240B2 |
Air flow measuring device
A thermal-type air flow measuring device includes a heat generation heater and a sensor circuit. The heat generation heater is configured to heat a part of intake air drawn into an engine by heat generation upon energization of the heat generation heater. The sensor circuit is configured to at least control the energization of the heat generation heater and to make temperature of the heat generation heater higher than temperature of the heat generation heater at time of the measurement of the flow rate of air when an external signal is inputted into the sensor circuit from outside of the device. |
| US09383236B2 |
Process measurement probe bottoming indicator
Systems and methods are disclosed for indicating bottoming contact between an inner wall of a fluid carrying conduit and a distal tip process measurement probe. A process device, such as a fluid flow meter, has a process measurement probe configured for insertion into the fluid carrying conduit. An insertion mechanism is coupled to the process measurement probe and configured to apply force to insert the process measurement probe into the fluid carrying conduit. A bottoming indicator is configured to provide an indication of proper bottoming of the distal tip of the process measurement probe against the inner wall of the fluid carrying conduit as a function of an insertion related force or pressure. |
| US09383234B2 |
Sensor time synchronization
A sensor for acquiring measured values and for outputting data samples having at least one first register for storing a sensor time, which includes time information on phase position and/or period of the data samples, the first register being readable out externally. The sensor includes at least one second register, which is writable on externally, and by which the phase position and/or the period of the data samples is able to be set in the sensor. Also described is a sensor system having at least one sensor and an external control unit by which at least the first register is readable and at least the second register is writable. Also described is a sensor-fused system having at least one sensor system having at least two sensors. Also described is a method for setting the phase position and/or the period of data samples in a sensor system or a sensor-fused system. |
| US09383232B2 |
Physical quantity detection device
In order to make a physical quantity detection device whose sensor and logical circuit operate with different operating voltages have a simple configuration and be capable of recognizing a detection result of the sensor accurately, the physical quantity detection device according to the present invention is configured so that the sensor and the logical circuit may be connected by a bidirectional communication line and may be operate with mutually different operating voltages, and when receiving the detection result of the sensor, recognizes Hi/Lo level signals using second Hi/Lo level thresholds set up on arithmetic processing in place of first Hi/Lo level thresholds that an arithmetic unit has. |
| US09383230B2 |
Position detection apparatus, lens apparatus, image pickup system, machine tool apparatus, position detection method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
A position detection apparatus (100) including a scale (20) including a pattern periodically formed, a detector (10) configured to be movable relative to the scale, and a signal processor (30), the signal processor (30) includes first to seventh periodic signal generating units (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, and 39) which generate first to seventh periodic signals respectively, the first periodic signal generating unit synthesizes the fourth periodic signal and the fifth periodic signal to generate the first periodic signal, and the second periodic signal generating unit synthesizes the sixth periodic signal and the seventh periodic signal to generate the second periodic signal. |
| US09383229B2 |
Optical reflective encoder with multi-faceted flat-faced lens
Disclosed are various embodiments of high-speed, high-performance, low-noise, low-cost, compact, optical encoders having a multi-faceted flat-faced lens is disposed over the light emitters and light detectors thereof. Disclosed also are various means for preventing undesired stray light from reaching light detectors incorporated therein. Structures employed to block stray light in the optical encoders include light barriers, air gap trenches, and coatings disposed between first and second sides of a substrate of the encoder. Methods of making such optical encoders are also disclosed. |
| US09383228B2 |
Control voltage signal synthesis system and method
Multiple positions within a mechanical system are measured with a plurality of sensors including at least one 4-wire and at least one 5-wire sensor. The 5-wire sensor has two output voltage signals sent to a signal conversion processor, and the 4-wire sensor also sends a signal. A sum is created of the two voltage signals from the 5-wire sensor. An excitation voltage supply supplies a common excitation voltage to both sensors. Feedback of the excitation voltage is measured by the signal conversion processor. The excitation voltage feedback is utilized to ratio-metrically correct a position feedback signal from the 4-wire sensor at the signal conversion processor. The signal conversion processor is able to synthesize a signal indicative of the excitation voltage from the two voltage signals sent from the 5-wire sensor in the event the excitation voltage feedback is not received at the signal conversion processor. |
| US09383226B2 |
Method of determining position on a magnetic track of an encoder
A method of determining a position on a magnetic track of an encoder includes providing a group of magnetic pole pairs that forms a portion of the magnetic track, recording a relative position within a first magnetic pole pair in the group using a first magnetic sensor proximate a high-resolution portion of the magnetic track, detecting adjacent pole junctions within the group of magnetic pole pairs with a second magnetic sensor positioned proximate a reference portion of the magnetic track, correlating the adjacent pole junctions with the first magnetic pole pair to determine a relative position of the first magnetic pole pair within the group, and calculating a local absolute position within the group using the relative position within the first magnetic pole pair and the relative position of the first magnetic pole pair within the group. |
| US09383224B2 |
Data transmission apparatus and method
A system comprising a data collector and a plurality of end consumers connected to and supplied with a utility by a utility distribution station. Each end consumer comprises a metering device arranged to meter the end consumer's consumption of the utility supplied by the distribution station. The metering device is arranged to report consumption data to the data collector using a high frequency ID, the high frequency ID being anonymous so that the consumption data reported by the metering device together with the high frequency ID is not able to be associated to a particular metering device and to report the consumption data to the data collector using a low frequency ID so that the consumption data reported by the metering device together with the low frequency ID is able to be attributed to a particular metering device. The data collector stores IDs and is arranged to only accept consumption data carrying a said stored ID. |
| US09383223B2 |
Smart meter system architecture
A smart meter system architecture comprises of a local server, a coordinator, and a plurality of smart meters in a one-to-many data communication system configuration is disclosed. The invention discloses the architecture for a coordinator-server interface control register, data registers, routing table, non-volatile memory, parameter register, non-interruptible battery backup subsystem, and a low-power energy calculation and calibration method for resistive loads. |
| US09383220B2 |
Activity identification
Systems and method for calculating energy expenditure values and activity points are provided. One or more devices may use an accelerometer and/or other sensors to monitor activity of a user. The user may identify the activity via one of the devices, a mobile phone, a computer device or another device. Activity points or energy expenditure values may be calculated from data received from sensors and the identification provided by the user. |
| US09383217B2 |
Methods and systems for displaying content selections in vehicles
A method for displaying content items of a navigation system for a vehicle includes the steps of obtaining a scrolling input from a user, determining a value pertaining to the input, and displaying the content items at a first scrolling rate if the value is greater than a predetermined threshold. |
| US09383215B2 |
Route guidance system, route guidance apparatus, and travel route transmission apparatus
A route guidance system to guide an emergency vehicle to an emergency site includes a first navigation apparatus mounted in a first emergency vehicle and a second navigation apparatus mounted in a second emergency vehicle. The first navigation apparatus performs an approach route record process which records an approach route of the first emergency vehicle from a predetermined reference position to an emergency site, and an approach route transmission process which transmits the recorded approach route upon detecting a predetermined manipulation by an occupant when the first emergency vehicle reaches the emergency site. The second navigation apparatus receives the approach route transmitted from the first navigation apparatus and performs an approach route guidance process to guide the second emergency vehicle to the emergency site based on the received approach route. |
| US09383213B2 |
Update of digital maps and position-finding
A control system for a vehicle which has a first controller for storing navigation map data and a separate second controller for storing update data. The navigation map data are updated outside of the first controller. The first controller or at least the navigation system is designed to perform map matching and to ascertain a possible location area for the vehicle on the basis of an evaluation of a travel history for a travel angle, or other measurement data which characterize the movement or the location of the vehicle. |
| US09383210B2 |
Image navigation and registration (INR) transfer from exquisite systems to hosted space payloads
A system and method for improved image navigation and registration on a low cost remote sensing satellite based on reference image data received from an exquisite system. |
| US09383202B2 |
Barometric pressure sensor based orientation measurement
Disclosed here are methods and systems that relate to determining an orientation of an object. The orientation of the object may be represented by an Euler angle which identifies a rotation of the object from a reference frame. The methods and systems may rely on readings collected from two or more barometric pressure sensors to estimate an altitude difference between the pressure sensors. The methods and systems may calculate the Euler angle based on the altitude difference. |
| US09383201B2 |
Optoelectric sensor and method for the detection and distance determination of objects
An optoelectronic sensor (10) for distance determination comprises a transmitter (12) for transmitting a light beam (14) having a plurality of consecutive individual light pulses, a rotatable deflection unit (16) for deflecting the light beam (14), an angle measuring unit (28) for determining an angular position of the deflection unit (16), a light receiver (24) for generating reception pulses from remitted transmission light, a plurality of histogram memories (34) each associated with an angular position, and an evaluation unit (30) which is configured to accumulate time histograms in the histogram memories (34) across several periods of the rotational movement of the deflection unit (16) from reception pulses which are each detected at the angular position associated with the respective histogram memory (34), and to determine, from the histograms of the associated histogram memory (34), an object distance for an angular position. |
| US09383197B2 |
System and method for measuring cooling of a component
A system and method for measuring cooling effectiveness of a component is disclosed. The method includes providing a component having a surface provided with a coating including a volatilization-susceptible constituent and a volatilization-resistant constituent. Further, the method includes supplying a first gaseous medium over the surface of the component through a plurality of holes in the component and feeding a second gaseous medium along the surface of the component. The method includes exposing the surface of the component to the first and second gaseous mediums for a predetermined period. The method further includes determining a thickness of the coating exposed to the flow of the first and second gaseous mediums. The method includes analyzing the thickness of the coating to determine whether the coating is removed from the surface of the component upon exposure to the first and second gaseous mediums. |
| US09383194B2 |
Image forming apparatus, inspection apparatus, and inspection method
In an image forming apparatus, an error detection mark is formed by using an image forming unit on the surface of a carrier along a detection line passing through an exposure position in a carrier moving direction. The error detection mark includes a first mark and a second mark spaced from each other by a fixed distance in the carrier moving direction. The error detection mark is measured by the sensor. A measurement error of the sensor for a registration mark is determined based on the measured values for the first mark and second mark. A registration mark is formed by using the image forming unit on the surface of the carrier on the detection line. The registration mark is measured using the sensor. Offset of an image-forming position is corrected based on the determined measurement error and a measured value for the registration mark. |
| US09383191B2 |
Outer dimension measuring apparatus and outer dimension measuring method
An outer dimension measuring apparatus includes a light source; an optical system focusing the light emitted from the light source onto an optical axis; a reflector reflecting the focused light; a detector detecting an intensity of the reflected light; and a calculator calculating an outer dimension of a measured object using a first focus position, a second focus position, and a position of the reflector on the optical axis, the first focus position lying on the optical axis where a peak in reflected light intensity is detected by the detector for light reflected by a first surface, and the second focus position lying on the optical axis where a peak in reflected light intensity is detected by the detector for light that has been reflected by the reflector and emitted at a second surface. |
| US09383188B2 |
Polarization-sensitive optical measurement instrument
A beam emitted from a light source is split into a probe beam that irradiates a measurement object and a reference beam that does not irradiate the measurement object. A signal beam obtained by the reflection of the probe beam is split into first and second split signal beams, which are mutually orthogonal polarized components. The first split signal beam and the reference beam are inputted to a first coherence optical system to cause the beams to interfere with each other to generate at least three coherence beams differing in phasic relationship. The second split signal beam and the reference beam are inputted to a second coherence optical system to cause the beams to interfere with each other to generate at least three coherence beams differing in phasic relationship. The coherence beams are then detected. |
| US09383186B2 |
Method and device for contactless sensing rotation and angular position using orientation tracking
Method and device for contactless sensing rotation and angular position using orientation tracking. 2.1 To improve the accuracy and possible resolution of a magnetic positioning system, a method and a device using a special tracking technique is proposed. 2.2 The method and the device are using multiple magnetic field sensing elements at different positions below a magnetic target. The sensed signals are used to select or combine the sensing elements for a best approach to the actual orientation of the magnet. This allows putting out the related orientation of the approach as a coarse value and the remaining displacement as a fine value. 2.3 A device using this method allows highly accurate measurement of angular positions controlling or tolerating the placement of a magnet as the input source. |
| US09383183B2 |
Pressure indicator
A pressure indicator for a high-pressure accumulator system, and which includes a pressure indicating element having a channel. The pressure indicating element moves between a starting position and a pressure-indicating position in response to pressure on a side facing a pressure-monitoring region and which is counter to a force of at least one compression spring on the pressure indicating element. |
| US09383182B2 |
Measuring device
A measuring device includes a support frame, a distance sensor and display (DSD), and a measuring arm. The support frame includes a first support arm, a linking rod, a poke rod, an elastic member, and a second support arm. The DSD includes a movable measuring head. A fixed measuring head is arranged coaxially with the movable measuring head to measure a distance between them. The poke rod includes a poke portion and a resisting portion. When the poke portion is pulled towards the first support arm, the resisting portion can resist against the linking rod, and the linking rod rotates to move the measuring heads. |
| US09383181B2 |
Method for coupling two system components of a measuring device, in particular a coordinate measuring device
A method for coupling a first system component and a second system component of a coordinate measuring device for determining by means of at least one sensor the three-dimensional coordinates of an object to be measured. An interface arrangement is provided between the first system component and the second system component. The interface arrangement comprises an electrical interface, formed from at least two electrical transmission paths, for transmitting a first electrical voltage between the first system component and the second system component, and at least one optical interface formed from light waveguides. The at least one sensor is supplied with the first electrical voltage via the two electrical transmission paths of the electrical interface. An analog measurement signal from the sensor is converted into a digital measurement signal. The digital measurement signal is transmitted by means of the light waveguides of the optical interface. |
| US09383178B2 |
Hollow point bullet and method of manufacturing same
Hollow point bullets and methods of manufacturing such bullets are herein disclosed. The disclosed bullets include a monolithic core encased by a metal jacket. The jacket includes a plurality of v-shaped channels formed on the inner surface of the sidewall of the jacket. The core includes a conical recess formed therein and a cavity in communication with the conical recess. The cavity formed in the core may have a cross-section shape defined by a plurality of points spaced equidistantly about the circumference of an imaginary circle. A plurality of stress risers may be formed in the core, each stress riser extending from the cavity to a v-shaped channel in coincidence with a point of the cross-section shape of the cavity. |
| US09383176B2 |
Shaped charge assembly system
A system where a group of substantially universal pre-manufactured explosive pellet assemblies are provided for on-site forming of shaped charges. That is, a specifically tailored liner may also be separately provided to the worksite/oilfield and combined with any one of the pellet assemblies so as to form a shaped charge having characteristics that are determined by the particular liner used. In this manner, hazardous shipping of fully assembled shaped charges may be avoided while at the same time allowing the operator a full range of shaped charge performance options based on the availability of uniquely tailored performance determinative liners that are also provided to the oilfield location. |
| US09383173B2 |
Transparent armor construction
A transparent armor construction having a laminate structure with at least two layers. The layers are constructed of two different materials selected from the group of glass, ceramic, resin, polymeric material, and plastic and in which the at least two layers include different coefficients of thermal expansion. The layers are bonded together and a planar frame having an open central section and an outer border is then bonded to the laminate structure. The material for the planar frame is selected so that it has a coefficient of thermal expansion less than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the laminate layer to which it is bonded. |
| US09383171B2 |
Ballistic resistant groin protector
A ballistic resistant groin protector is provided. The groin protector includes a groin panel and a deployable groin wrap. The groin panel can be suspended from clothing or equipment to protect a wearer's anterior pelvic region from ballistic impact. The groin wrap is moveable from a stowed position adjacent the anterior pelvic region to a deployed position between the wearer's legs and adjacent a posterior pelvic region. One or more fasteners secure the groin wrap to the wearer's clothing or equipment to maintain the groin wrap in the deployed position. Optional left and right femoral protective portions extend downwardly from the groin wrap to protect the wearer's medial thigh regions against ballistic injury in the deployed position. |
| US09383168B2 |
Optical super-elevation device
An optical super-elevation device including an elevation follower mirror that counter-rotates with an opposite angular rate to the weapon elevation rate, thereby maintaining the line of sight to the target during the elevation process. In one example, the optical super-elevation device includes a modular housing having a mounting bracket configured to fixedly mount to at a weapon or azimuth axis of a tripod, an elevation follower mirror rotatably mounted within the housing, and a mirror actuator coupled to the elevation follower mirror and configured to counter-rotate the elevation follower mirror at an angular rate opposite to an elevation rate of the weapon to maintain a line of sight to a target during super-elevation of the weapon. |
| US09383162B2 |
Adjustable firearm
An adjustable firearm generally comprises a firearm body comprising an adjustable handgrip to vary a handgrip angle with respect to a barrel of the firearm, wherein the adjustable handgrip comprises a substrate and an overlay. In an embodiment, the substrate affixes to the firearm body and the overlay couples to the substrate at one of at least multiple angles with respect to a firearm barrel. In another embodiment, a firearm body comprises an integrated substrate configured to receive an overlay, wherein the overlay couples to the substrate at one of at least multiple angles with respect to a firearm barrel. Among various representative embodiments, the substrate or overlay may comprise a fixed geometry and the substrate or overlay may comprise an adjustment mechanism to couple one to the other at various positions. The present invention may comprise a method for manufacturing, packaging, marketing, distributing, and/or selling the adjustable firearm. |
| US09383160B1 |
Bowfishing reel
Embodiments of the present disclosure include a bowfishing reel for use with an archery bow. In certain embodiments, a reel includes an outer cover surrounding a spool of fishing line and an internal mechanism. When an arrow is shot, the fishing line is uncoiled from a spool and pulled out from the outer cover as the arrow travels from the bow. After the arrow and fishing line are paid out, the reel can retrieve the line and arrow. The reel includes a pull handle extending through the outer cover to engage the internal mechanism, with the handle and the internal mechanism being biased in a forward line-release position. When the handle is pulled linearly rearward against the biasing force, the internal mechanism is moved from the line-release position to the line-retrieval position. Release of the handle allows the internal mechanism to automatically return to the line-release position. |
| US09383158B1 |
Archery bow vibration dampening device
An archery bow vibration dampening device of resilient material including a base with a pair of stems extending outwardly from the sides of the base and with multiple studs extending outwardly from the periphery of the stems. Openings are formed in the studs with weights disposed in the openings. An outer ring extends around the periphery of the base for attachment of the device to a motion dampening assembly. |
| US09383152B2 |
Weapon magazine
A system and method for using a firearm magazine are described. One embodiment includes a firearm magazine assembly. The assembly has a polymer housing and a follower assembly comprising a follower, a spring, and an insert. The assembly also has a floorplate removably engaged with the proximal end of the housing and the insert. The follower assembly comprises a compressed configuration and an extended configuration relative to the housing, a compression limiter, and an extension limiter. The compression limiter prevents the spring from over-compression, and the extension limiter prevents the spring from forcing the follower against the feed lips. |
| US09383147B2 |
Coolant supply apparatus
A coolant supply apparatus includes variable delivery coolant pump (100) pumping up coolant from coolant tank (104), a plurality of branch passages (120 to 124) allowing coolant (108) delivered from coolant pump (100) to flow separately to a plurality of parts of a machine tool, and machine control unit (110) turning on and off on-off valves (136) of the plurality of branch passages (120 to 124), wherein machine control unit (110), in response to a jet coolant instruction, opens only one branch passage to intensively supply coolant (108) to the branch passage at the maximum delivery rate of coolant pump (100) and closes the other branch passages. |
| US09383143B2 |
Metallic thin-film bonding and alloy generation
Diffusion bonding a stack of aluminum thin films is particularly challenging due to a stable aluminum oxide coating that rapidly forms on the aluminum thin films when they are exposed to atmosphere and the relatively low meting temperature of aluminum. By plating the individual aluminum thin films with a metal that does not rapidly form a stable oxide coating, the individual aluminum thin films may be readily diffusion bonded together using heat and pressure. The resulting diffusion bonded structure can be an alloy of choice through the use of a carefully selected base and plating metals. The aluminum thin films may also be etched with distinct patterns that form a microfluidic fluid flow path through the stack of aluminum thin films when diffusion bonded together. |
| US09383142B2 |
Evaporation cooler and pad
The evaporative cooler and pad operates on the principle of cooling the air by evaporation of water passing through one or more evaporator pads in the cooler. The evaporation of water cools the air as it is drawn through the cooler by an internal fan. The pads of the evaporative cooler and pad are formed of luffa sponge fibers. The cooler may include a device for dispensing antimicrobial and/or antifungal agents into the water reservoir of the cooler. Alternatively, the pads may be pretreated with antimicrobial and/or antifungal agents. A cooling fan is provided in the interior of the cooler to blow cooled, humidified air over the surface of the water in the reservoir before the water is passed through the evaporator pads, thereby increasing the cooling efficiency of the system. |
| US09383141B2 |
Apparatus and method for an air bypass system for a natural draft cooling tower
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for an air bypass system for a natural draft cooling tower that employs a wet heat exchanger, a direct dry heat exchanger or an indirect dry heat exchanger to extract heat from a heated fluid, which is usually liquid or steam. |
| US09383133B2 |
Adjustable connector system for connection to a modular appliance
An adjustable connector system for use in an appliance is provided, wherein the adjustable connector system includes a channel disposed on a surface of the appliance, an access aperture defined by a surface adjacent the channel, and a utility enabled connector at least partially received in the channel, and extending from the access aperture, wherein the utility enabled connector includes an elongated member configured to at least partially extend along the channel, and extend from the access aperture, and an interface adapted to supply at least one utility to a modular appliance configured to be removably attached to one of a plurality of removable attachment locations on the appliance. |
| US09383131B2 |
Refrigerator
A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes an insulation structure and fastening structure of an ice-making compartment refrigerant pipe disposed at an inside an ice-making compartment configured to directly supply cooling energy by being in contact with an ice-making tray. The refrigerator includes an insulation member configured to surround the ice-making compartment refrigerant pipe, and a fixing member coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the insulation member in a shape of a loop to prevent the insulation member from being widened. |
| US09383129B2 |
Refrigerator and ice storage container therefor
A refrigerator includes an ice storage container coupled to a mounting space of an inner wall of a freezing chamber door, and the ice storage container is attachable to and detachable from the mounting space by elastic lever units to maintain and release locking of the ice storage container with the mounting space, and elastic coupling units to maintain coupling of the ice storage container to the mounting space by elastic deformation and restrict movement of the ice storage container in the horizontal direction of the mounting space when the ice storage container is mounted on the mounting space, thereby preventing abrasion and breakdown of components due to user's ease in the assembly of the ice storage container and increase in the fixing force of the ice storage container. |
| US09383126B2 |
Refrigerant charge management in a heat pump water heater
Heat pumps that heat or cool a space and that also heat water, refrigerant management systems for such heat pumps, and methods of managing refrigerant charge. Various embodiments remove idle refrigerant from a heat exchanger that is not needed for transferring heat by opening a refrigerant recovery valve and delivering the idle refrigerant from the heat exchanger to an inlet port on the compressor. The heat exchanger can be isolated by closing an electronic expansion valve, actuating a refrigerant management valve, or both. Refrigerant charge can be controlled by controlling how much refrigerant is drawn from the heat exchanger, by letting some refrigerant back into the heat exchanger, or both. Heat pumps can be operated in different modes of operation, and various components can be interconnected with refrigerant conduit. Some embodiments deliver refrigerant gas to the heat exchanger and drive liquid refrigerant out prior to isolating the heat exchanger. |
| US09383124B2 |
Method of regulating the temperature of an element cooled by a cryorefrigerator with periodic operation
The invention relates to a method of regulating the temperature of an element cooled by a cryorefrigerator with periodic operation, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: (a) measuring at least the periodic temporal evolution of the temperature T of the element, this evolution making it possible to obtain a temperature signal representative of the periodic operation of the cryorefrigerator; (b) constructing a periodic so-called equivalent thermal flux signal (Soeq), as a function of the temperature signal obtained in step (a); (c) constructing a thermal flux control signal, depending on the equivalent thermal flux signal constructed in step (b), said thermal flux control signal serving also, in return, for the construction of the equivalent thermal flux signal (ScDeq, S*oeq) during step (b); (d) injecting a thermal flux into the element, on the basis of the thermal flux signal constructed in step (c), so as to compensate for the measured periodic variations of the temperature T of the element. |
| US09383118B2 |
Heat exchanger for an indoor unit of an air conditioner
A heat exchanger for an indoor unit of an air conditioner, including at least a housing (1) having an air inlet (15) and an air outlet (16), a cooling coil (3), and a centrifugal blower (4) having an air exit (17), a volute housing (5), a motor (6) and a centrifugal wind wheel (7). The cooling coil (3) and the centrifugal blower (4) are disposed in the housing (1). The air inlet (15) and the air outlet (16) are disposed on both ends of the housing (1). The cooling coil (3) is disposed at the back of the air inlet (15). The centrifugal blower (4) is disposed at the back of the cooling coil (3). The air exit (17) of the centrifugal blower (4) is connected to the air outlet (16) of the housing (1). The motor (6) is an external rotor motor and fits in the center of a cavity in the centrifugal wind wheel (7). A left air intake (11) and a right air intake (12) are formed on both sides of the volute housing (5). The heat exchanger features large air input and air output, and high blowing efficiency. |
| US09383117B2 |
Method for controlling air flow of an extraction fan
An extraction fan has a housing mounted in a wall with an outlet duct extending through the wall to an outlet opening outside the wall. A damper flap is mounted on the fan suspended by a hinge at an upper edge so as to extend in a closed position across the opening and is movable to an open position under forward air flow from the fan, and tightly closes against a resilient deformable seal when the fan is shut off. A spring biasing cam applies inwards force to the damper flap to bias the damper flap into the closed position, and an outwards force also to bias the damper flap into the fully open position. The mounting plate includes a hood having a top wall extending over the top of the damper flap and a down-turned front flange extending parallel to the damper flap to a bottom edge. |
| US09383114B2 |
Indoor equipment of air-conditioner
An indoor equipment of an air-conditioner, the indoor equipment comprising: a casing including an inlet and an outlet, the casing including therein, a heat exchanger, an indoor fan which sends indoor air sucked from the inlet to the outlet through the heat exchanger, an indoor fan motor which drives the indoor fan, the indoor fan motor including a rotor of the motor and a stator having an electric winding, and an electric component box which accommodates a circuit board controlling the indoor fan motor, wherein an inverter circuit controlling a current flowing through the stator is mounted on the circuit board which is accommodated in the electric component box, and wherein at least one element among switching elements and diode elements which configure the inverter circuit is formed of wide bandgap semiconductor. |
| US09383113B1 |
Detachable hood for a chair
The hood for a chair is a camping accessory. The hood for a chair is a lined accessory adapted for use with a camping chair that reflects the heat from a campfire towards the occupant of the camping chair. The hood for a chair comprises a shell, a frame, and at least one clamping member. Moreover, the at least one clamping member is adapted to secure the shell and the frame to the camping chair. The at least one clamping member is affixed to the frame, and is adapted to clamp onto the legs of the camping chair in order to support the shell. |
| US09383112B2 |
Cooking appliance
A cooking appliance is provided. The cooking appliance includes a cabinet; an intake passage through which outer air drawn in from outside the cabinet flows; a burner assembly provided within the cabinet, to combust a gas mixture of gas and air drawn into the intake passage; a nozzle assembly that supplies gas to the burner assembly; and a cooling passage formed partitioned from the intake passage, and through which air to cool components provided within the cabinet flows. |
| US09383109B2 |
Modular brick or block outdoor structures
A modular brick or block outdoor structure includes an outdoor structure that is constructed in modular sections. Each modular section is fabricated from a plurality of paving bricks or retaining wall blocks that match the brick or block used to construct the patio. The bricks or blocks are preferably assembled to each other with adhesive. Each modular section includes means for transporting thereof with some type of equipment, if necessary. It is preferable that each modular section include channels to receive lifting forks of an end loader or other suitable transport device, if necessary. However, other methods of transporting the modular section may also be used. |
| US09383108B2 |
Removable oven for grill
A removable oven for use on a cooking grill including a cooking chamber formed in a high temperature housing with an open bottom. The open bottom of the high temperature housing fits over a lower cooking plate positioned over the grill. A repositionable upper cooking plate is located in an upper region of the cooking chamber thereby forming a gap that can be varied to control the heat between the cooking plates. A chimney connected to the cooking chamber further controls the heat between the cooking plates. The lower cooking plate can be made to rotate when placed on a rotating assembly. |
| US09383106B2 |
Turbomachine combustion chamber having a perforated chamber end wall and with no deflector
An annular combustion chamber for a turbomachine, including an external wall and an internal wall which are oriented substantially axially relative to the rotation axis of the turbomachine, the combustion chamber being closed upstream by a chamber end wall oriented substantially radially, the chamber being supplied with compressed air coming from a compressor via a nozzle, the output direction of which is offset radially relative to the mid-axis of the combustion chamber, the chamber end wall including cooling air supply holes inclined to the direction normal to the chamber end wall. The number of holes oriented radially in the direction opposite to that where the outlet of the nozzle is located is greater than the number of holes oriented radially in the direction of the outlet of the nozzle. |
| US09383104B2 |
Continuous combustion liner for a combustor of a gas turbine
A combustion liner for a gas turbine combustor includes an annular main body having a forward end axially separated from an aft end, and a transitional intersection defined between the forward end and the aft end. The main body extends continuously from the forward end to the aft end. A plurality of fuel injector passages extend radially through the main body upstream from the transitional intersection. The main body comprises a conical section having a circular cross section that diverges between the forward end and the transitional intersection, and a transition section having a non-circular cross section that extends from the transitional intersection to the aft end of the main body. |
| US09383102B2 |
Methods for treating waste gas streams from incineration processes
A method for removing contaminants from the combustion gases generated by the incineration of waste. Air is injected into an incineration device along with a fuel and is supplemented by a oxygen feed. The resulting combustion waste gas stream contains contaminants such as nitrogen oxides and is quenched, then fed to a reaction zone where it will contact ozone for a predetermined period of time. The thus treated combustion waste gas stream can be fed to a scrubber assembly where the reaction products formed by the reaction of ozone and the contaminants are removed. |
| US09383101B2 |
CO2 recovery unit and CO2 recovery method
A CO2 recovery unit includes an absorber that reduces CO2 in flue gas (101) discharged from a combustion facility (50) by absorbing CO2 by an absorbent, a regenerator that heats the absorbent having absorbed CO2 to emit CO2, and regenerates and supplies the absorbent to the absorber, and a regenerating heater that uses steam (106) supplied from the combustion facility (50) for heating the absorbent in the regenerator and returns heated condensed water (106a) to the combustion facility (50). The CO2 recovery unit further includes a condensed water/flue gas heat exchanger (57) that heats the condensed water (106a) to be returned from the regenerating heater to the combustion facility (50) by heat-exchanging the condensed water (106a) with the flue gas (101) in a flue gas duct (51) in the combustion facility (50). |
| US09383096B2 |
Carbon-free low-NOx liquid fuel oxygen transport reactor for industrial water tube boilers
An oxygen transport reactor for boiler furnaces and gas turbine combustors that utilizes a liquid fuel that is oxidized as a gaseous fuel in a membrane reactor. A liquid fuel is introduced by vaporizing the fuel inside a porous pipe surrounded by an annulus reaction zone which is surrounded by an annulus air zone. An oxygen transport membrane separates the annulus reaction zone containing the porous vaporized fuel and sweeping CO2 from the air feed side zone. Oxygen is transported from the outer annulus through the membrane to the annulus reaction zone containing the vaporized fuel and sweeping CO2. Fuel is first cracked to very small droplets in the intake fuel atomizer utilizing part of the intake CO2 then completely vaporized inside the porous pipe utilizing the heat coming from the surrounding reaction zone. The oxygen transport reactor is applicable for carbon free boiler furnaces and gas turbine combustors which utilize oxygen transport reactors for combined oxygen separation and combustion. |
| US09383095B2 |
Steam generation apparatus and associated control system and methods for providing desired steam quality
The current disclosure relates to steam generation and supply apparati and associated control systems. Particularly, the current disclosure relates to such steam generation supply apparati and associated control systems that are used for enhanced oil recovery. Certain embodiments are provided including methods and associated control systems related to the startup as well as main steam pressure header control or maintenance of a desired steam quality for such steam generation systems during normal operation. |
| US09383094B2 |
Fracturing apparatus
A fracturing apparatus in a wellbore, having a housing with at least one injection port; an injection fluid supply interface to provide injection fluid for the fracturing apparatus; and at least one high pressure combustor received within the housing. The housing further includes a combustible medium interface that is in fluid communication with the at least one high pressure combustor, which is configured and arranged to provide repeated ignition cycles that include a combustion cycle that ignites the combustible medium and a fuel delivery cycle that delivers the combustible medium to the combustor, wherein pressure resulting from the combustion cycle forces the injection fluid out an injection port to cause fracturing in a portion of the earth around the wellbore. |
| US09383091B1 |
Auto-illuminating toilet paper holder
An auto-illuminating toilet paper holder is mounted against a planar surface, such as a wall, and includes an auto-illumination capability. The toilet paper holder includes armatures that extend perpendicularly from a mounting plate. The armatures are parallel with one another, and support a bar member there between. The bar member is optionally spring-loaded, and is configured to support a roll of toilet paper thereon. The armatures are further defined with a bottom surface, which includes at least one illumination member thereon, and which emits light downwardly to aid an end user in collecting toilet paper when in an unlit or poorly lit environment. The illumination members are in electrical connection with a power member, and a touch sensor. The touch sensor powers the illumination members when a touching of the toilet paper holder is detected. |
| US09383082B2 |
Illuminating device, image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus
An illuminating device (210) according to an embodiment of the invention included in an image reading apparatus (100) and an image forming apparatus (D) includes light source portions (211a1), (211b1), (211a2) and (211b2), light-guiding members (213a) and (213b) for illuminating an illumination target (G) from an elongated light emitting face (M) that extends in a longitudinal direction (Y), by guiding light from the light source portions, and holding members (216a) and (216b) for holding the light-guiding members. The holding members include holding portions (2161a) and (2161b) for removably holding the light-guiding members, and tilted portions (2162a) and (2162b) that reflect light emitted from the light emitting face (M), the tilted portions extending from a front end on the light emitting face (M) side of the holding portions, obliquely widening with increasing distance from the light-guiding members. |
| US09383080B1 |
Wide field of view concentrator
The present invention is a system that offers a capability to concentrate light from a large focal point onto a small spot on a detector. The system also offers off-axis capability should the system be moved, poorly pointed, off axis or jostled while in use. As designed, the present invention includes a half-ball lens having a front end and a back end, a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) having a front end and a back end, wherein the front end of said CPC is adjacent to the back end of the half-ball lens such that the CPC is centered against the back end of the half-ball lens, and a detector, wherein the detector is adjacent to the back end of the CPC. |
| US09383074B2 |
Light-emitting device and production method for synthetic resin globe for said light-emitting device
A synthetic resin globe for a light-emitting device is produced by molding an intermediate product with an injection molding die, softening the intermediate product in a heating apparatus, expanding it with compressed air in a die to form a globe shape, transferring a concavo-convex shape formed in a core of the injection molding die to form a concavo-convex shape on an inner wall of the intermediate product, so that the concavo-convex shape can be easily formed into a desired shape in a lower part of an inner wall of the globe. |
| US09383070B2 |
Lighting device
A lighting device may include a plurality of laser light sources, and an optical apparatus for concentrating the light emitted by the laser light sources. The optical apparatus has at least one ring-shaped reflector having a parabolic light reflection surface and at least one light conversion element for light wavelength conversion, which is arranged at the focus of the at least one ring-shaped reflector. |
| US09383068B2 |
LED light assembly and system
An LED based light assembly and lighting system is disclosed. The lighting system includes at least one light assembly comprising a plurality of LED chips, a controller and a power supply module. The controller is configured to receive an input signal and to provide an output control signal for controlling power to the at least one light assembly. The power supply module is configured to receive a standard voltage and current signal and to provide a power signal to the at least one light assembly to power the at least one light assembly in response to the control signal. |
| US09383066B2 |
Lighting apparatus
A lighting apparatus comprises: a body comprising a first body and a second body, wherein the first body comprises a first bottom surface and a first side surface, wherein the second body comprises a second bottom surface and a second side surface, and wherein the body has a receiving recess configured by the first bottom surface, the second bottom surface, the first side surface and the second side surface; a reflector disposed in the receiving recess of the body and comprising a plurality of reflective surfaces; and a light source disposed on the first side surface of the first body and the second side surface of the second body, disposed at an area corresponding to the reflective surfaces of the reflector. |
| US09383064B2 |
Ventilation gas management systems and processes
A ventilation gas management system and process for an enclosure adapted to contain fluid supply vessel(s) and through which ventilation gas is flowed to provide safe operation in the event of leakage of fluid from a vessel. Ventilation gas flow is modulated to accommodate various hazard levels associated with the deployment and operation of such enclosure containing fluid supply vessel(s), e.g., a gas box or gas cabinet in a semiconductor manufacturing facility, thereby achieving reduction in ventilation gas requirements otherwise required for such deployment and operation. |
| US09383062B2 |
Sampling and rejection device
A sampling and rejection device for a boiler or steam generating system is described. The sampling and rejection device receives the condensate or fluid and allows a volume of the condensate to liquefy or the fluid to build up in the interior of the sampling and rejection device. One or more conductivity, pH, and temperature sensors or probes are positioned in the sampling and rejection device to measure the condensate. The sampling and rejection device includes a collection vessel to hold and temporarily store the condensate. The sampling and rejection device includes an outlet or a return line (to a central boiler) and a drain line. If the sensor measures undesirable conductivity, pH, or temperature in the condensate in the collection vessel, then a valve to the drain line is opened and the condensate is rejected. |
| US09383057B2 |
Systems and methods for repositioning objects
Systems for repositioning objects, such as, for example, food items in a refrigerator, are provided. The systems may include a platform having a support surface upon which the objects are supported, an electromagnet positioned beneath the platform, a motion system coupled to electromagnet, and a control system electronically and/or communicatively coupled to the motion system and the electromagnet. The control system may be configured to controllably move the electromagnet beneath the support surface and to selectively activate and deactivate the electromagnet in coordination with said movement to reposition the objects. Related methods of repositioning objects are also provided. |
| US09383052B2 |
Method and device for the welding of pipes
Pipes of a weldable polymer material are welded with a muff of a weldable polymer material. The method includes placing the muff with an overlap over the ends of the pipes, welding the muff to the ends of the pipes through placement of an electrically conducting band that is permeable to molten plastic between the pipe and the muff, connecting a power supply to the band through feed cables, and supplying an electrical current in order to heat the band and the surrounding polymer material such that they melt together around the band in order to form a weld. The temperature of the weld is calculated through adding the initial ambient temperature of the weld and the increase in temperature of the band. |
| US09383051B1 |
Shrouded dynamically sealed rotary coupling
The present disclosure is directed to a sealed rotary fluid coupling apparatus including a first housing having an inner diameter there-through, a first internal seal interface, a second internal seal interface and a bleed port extending from the inner diameter to an outer surface of the first housing. A second housing includes an inner diameter there-through, a first internal seal interface external to the inner diameter and a second internal seal interface external to the inner diameter. The first housing and the second housing are configured to engage each other such that at least a portion of the second housing inner diameter is disposed within the first housing inner diameter. The sealed rotary fluid coupling apparatus further includes a first and second seals operable to create seals between the first housing first internal seal interface and the second housing first internal seal interface. |
| US09383050B1 |
Quick removal plumbing fitting
A quick removal fitting includes a female coupling part, a male coupling part, and a retention clip. The female coupling part includes a flange. The male coupling part (which can be for example a water pipe) has an end forming a divergent opening and includes a protrusion ring mounted thereto and a movable ring movably arranged thereon. The retention clip is made of an elastic material and is selectively set to clamp, in a removable manner, the flange of the female coupling part and the movable ring together. The retention clip that is set to removably clamp the female coupling part and the male coupling part together at a connection therebetween helps simplify assembly/disassembly and replacement. The movable ring that is movably arranged on the male coupling part helps eliminate a mounting operation involving welding. |
| US09383046B2 |
High pressure fitting
A fitting, such as an anti-blowback fitting, that includes a friction reducing device that enables easy removal of the fitting from a high pressure connection such as one associated with an HVAC unit. When used in connection with refrigeration, anti-blow back fittings function to keep the refrigerant in the hose to which it is connected in order to minimize or prevent the refrigerant from escaping to the environment. In certain embodiments, a friction reducing device is positioned in the fitting, and decreases the load on the rear housing, which enables easy rotation of the outer or swivel housing of the fitting to remove the same from the high pressure connection. In certain embodiments, the friction reducing device is a thrust bearing. |
| US09383044B2 |
Low cost umbilicus without overmolding
An umbilicus is provided for use in an umbilicus-driven fluid processing system. The umbilicus is free of a drive shaft and includes an umbilicus body having enlarged first and second ends, with an intermediate section located therebetween. At least one fluid-transmitting lumen extends between the first and second ends. The umbilicus further includes first and second end fittings, each associated with one of the ends of the umbilicus body. Each end fitting defines an interior cavity having a flared portion, with at least a portion of one of the enlarged ends of the umbilicus body being seated within the flared portion. The enlarged ends of the umbilicus body may be formed using a heated die at least partially inserted into the fluid-transmitting lumen. |
| US09383039B2 |
Pipe brace
A pipework brace comprising a first pipework engaging member and a second engaging member. A first tubular strut and a second tubular strut are provided and the first tubular strut is attached to the first and second engaging members by connectors located at each end of the first tubular strut. The second tubular strut is connected to the first and second engaging members by connectors located at each end of the second tubular strut. The connectors each comprise two clamp members that are arranged to allow multi-axis rotation so that each end of the strut may be moved in at least two planes relative to the pipe work engaging members. |
| US09383038B2 |
Cable management arm supporting device and mounting assembly thereof
A cable management arm supporting device is provided to be mounted between first and second slide rail assemblies. The first slide rail assembly includes first and second rails and a third rail movably connected therebetween. The cable management arm supporting device includes: two movably connected arms; first and second mounting members respectively connected with end portions of the arms and respectively mounted to the first and second rails; a supporting base including two supporting portions; two telescopically connected supporting members respectively connected with one supporting portion of the supporting base and the third rail; and a third mounting member movably connected with the other supporting portion of the supporting base and releasably connected with the second slide rail assembly. |
| US09383034B2 |
Four-function anti-water hammer air valve set
Disclosed is a multifunctional anti-surge three orifices air valve set, comprising a negative pressure admitting valve (1), a small volumes release valve (2) and a mid-high rate venting valve (3) as well as a control isolating valve (4); the mid-high rate venting valve (3) is connected to the top of the negative pressure admitting valve (1) via aeration tube and the control valve, the two orifices being arranged separately rather than being common to each other, in order on the one hand to be selected individually to fulfill respectively the requirements for two different flow rates or speeds or calibers in a mid-high rate venting and a high-rate admitting, and on the other hand to conduct a composite admitting, at a negative pressure, of both flows of admitting air to complement each other; the independency of three orifices allows a high-speed admitting orifice and a small volumes air release orifice to combine and form a “macro-inject and micro-exhaust valve” or a “high-admitting and small-vent valve”, so that the valve set has the function of inhibiting the down-surge and up-surge due to column separation and rejoining cavity collapsing. The multi-function anti-surge three orifices air valve set has the function of the three orifices being independent of each other, the function of being able to be artificially turned off and then turned on, that is provided by the provision of a control isolating valve for the mid-high rate venting orifice, the function of combining the latter two functions to form a function with special effect, and the function of greatly reducing the high-rate discharge orifice. |
| US09383031B2 |
Check valve apparatus and methods
A check valve apparatus includes at least one first test channel including a first pathway extending through a valve body and in communication with a flow path. The pathway is configured to receive a test stick for inserting through the pathway of the test channel to engage a disc such that the disc moves from the open position to the closed position. In further examples, methods for testing a check valve include the step of moving an end of a test stick to engage a downstream face of a disc such that the disc is moved against a bias of a biasing device from the open position to the closed position. The method further includes the step of inspecting an interior portion of the check valve apparatus. |
| US09383030B2 |
Check valve
A check valve includes a tubular casing, an abutment member, a valve member and a resilient member. The abutment member is flexible, is disposed in the tubular casing, and defines a central opening interconnecting first and second spaces that are defined in the tubular casing. The valve member is disposed in the tubular casing and is movable between a blocked position where the valve member blocks the central opening to isolate the first space from the second space, and an unblocked position where the valve member is spaced apart from the abutment member such that the first and second spaces communicate with each other. The resilient member is mounted to the tubular casing and biases the valve member toward the blocked position. |
| US09383029B2 |
Multiple piston pressure intensifier for a safety valve
Disclosed are subsurface safety valves having multiple pistons used to increase the opening force. One safety valve includes a housing having a piston bore defined therein and configured to receive hydraulic fluid pressure, the piston bore providing an upper bore having a first diameter and a lower bore having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, a piston assembly movably arranged within the piston bore and comprising an upper piston arranged in and configured to sealingly engage the upper bore and a lower piston arranged in and configured to sealingly engage the lower bore, and a connecting rod coupling the upper and lower pistons, wherein a cavity is defined between the upper and lower pistons within the piston bore and the piston rod extends within the cavity. |
| US09383028B2 |
Valve
A valve includes a spring with a spring force, an actuator with an actuator force which can act against the spring force, a pin which can be actuated by the actuator, a sealing element which can be coupled with the pin, and a seal seat such that the valve is closed when the sealing element rests against the seal seat. The pin can be moved in the direction of the sealing element by means of the actuator, and the pin can be moved in the direction away from the sealing element by means of the spring. The sealing element can be moved into an open position independently of the pin, wherein a fluid flow through the valve is released in the open position. |
| US09383026B2 |
Method of repairing leaky HVAC service valves and an improved HVAC service valve which prevents leaks
In a HVAC service valve comprised of a valve body, the valve body defining a cylindrical cavity for receiving a valve stem, the valve stem being rotatably positioned in the cylindrical cavity of the valve body so as to open and close the service valve when the valve stem is rotated counterclockwise and clockwise respectively, the valve stem having a top portion, the top portion being provided with an O-ring to seal any fluid passageway between the top portion of the valve stem and an inner wall of the cylindrical cavity of the valve body, the valve body further having an upper portion, the upper portion being provided with means for preventing the valve stem from being forced out of the valve body due to refrigerant pressure, the improvement being an elastic seal ring positioned above the top portion of the valve stem and below the means for preventing the valve stem from being forced out of the valve body, the elastic seal ring being sized to fit tightly against the inner wall of the cylindrical cavity. |
| US09383023B2 |
High opening velocity check valve
A check valve housing is provided and includes a base having opposite sides which are configured to form linear contact surfaces with check valve flappers pivotably disposed on either side of the base, respectively, and an additional structural member having a continuous body and opposite sides which are configured to form additional contact surfaces with each of the check valve flappers, respectively, the check valve flappers being configured to form a lip extending beyond the additional structural member. |
| US09383021B2 |
Switching valve
A switching valve having a valve seat with a longitudinal axis (L) and having a valve plate with a valve plate surface which can be placed into a pass-through position, in which the switching valve is open, and into a closed position, in which the switching valve is closed and the valve plate bears with the valve plate surface, in a contact region, against the valve seat, wherein the valve plate has a modulus of elasticity of at least 1000 N/mm2, which switching valve is characterized in that the valve plate, in the closed position, is deformed by a closing force acting thereon, in such a way that the contact region of the valve plate surface in the closed position forms an angle α, which differs from 0°, with the contact region of the valve plate surface in the pass-through position. |
| US09383008B2 |
Gear shift mechanism
A shifting mechanism has a shift fork. The shift fork has upper and lower arms connected by an upright portion. The upright portion defines a pivot axis for the fork. The mechanism also has a clutch collar that is connected to the shift fork. The shift fork is connected to gearing and a motor to pivot the fork and thus the clutch collar into and out of engagement with a clutch. |
| US09382995B2 |
Pulley for use with a non-synchronous drive belt
A pulley for use with a non-synchronous drive belt is described and which includes a main body having a belt mating surface which has a given surface area and which is further defined by a first bearing area, and a second rough area, and wherein the first bearing area comprises less than about 85% of the belt mating surface area. |
| US09382991B2 |
Multi-disc clutch lock having a differential housing
The invention relates to a multi-disc clutch lock having a differential housing in which a differential pinion between axle bevel wheels, disc sets between the axle bevel wheels and the differential housing is untwisted, but thrust rings are arranged such as to be axially movable. The multi-disc clutch lock comprises outer discs of the disc sets that are non-rotatably connected to the differential housing and inner discs that are non-rotatably connected to the axle bevel wheels. As a result, an introduced driving torque is transmitted via the differential pinion to the thrust rings in order to press the disc sets together with the axial forces produced under load on the oblique contact surface of the differential pinion. An axially movable thrust piece is arranged between at least one disc set and the differential housing in order to transmit a lifting movement initiated by an actuator to the disc set. According to a method according to the invention for operating such a multi-disc clutch lock, a multi-disc clutch lock is then applied to a disc set by an actuator, wherein the actuator is activated by a control device that has software which converts the signals coming from a vehicle CAN bus into a control signal for the actuator using a control logic. |
| US09382989B2 |
Dynamic damper device and lock-up device for fluid type power transmission device
A dynamic damper disposed between a piston of a lock-up device and a turbine hub of a fluid type power transmission device includes a pair of plates into which a torque is inputted and that is allowed to be coupled to the turbine hub, a hub flange, an inertia member fixed to the hub flange, a torsion spring, and a hysteresis torque generating mechanism. The hub flange is disposed between the pair of plates while being rotatable relative to the pair of plates. The torsion spring elastically couples the pair of plates and the hub flange. The hysteresis torque generating mechanism is disposed on an inner peripheral side of the hub flange while being disposed between the pair of plates, and is configured to generate a variable hysteresis torque between both plates and the hub flange. |
| US09382986B2 |
Dual clutch transmission
A dual clutch transmission includes a first and second concentric input shafts, a dual clutch assembly, a mainshaft coaxial with the first input shaft, a first countershaft, a second countershaft, and planetary range gearing with high and low ratios. The dual clutch transmission has six forward gear meshes and the high and low range ratios of the range gearing to provide ten forward gear ratios for the transmission. The transmission is powershiftable between consecutive gear ratios of the ten forward gear ratios such that no torque interrupt occurs during sequential shifts. |
| US09382982B2 |
Guide device for an endless torque-transmitting means of a belt-driven conical-pulley transmission
A guide device for guiding an endless torque-transmitting member of a belt-driven, conical-pulley transmission. The device includes an outer guide section, and an inner guide section that is spaced from the outer guide section and between which guide sections the endless torque-transmitting member is guidable in a direction of travel of that member. The device is formed from two halves that are connected to each other by a plug-in and slide connection arrangement, in order to improve the guide device structurally, functionally, and from a producibility standpoint. |
| US09382981B2 |
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission (10) includes an input shaft (12), an output (an output shaft 13) arranged coaxially with the input shaft and engaged with a differential mechanism, first and second planetary gear sets (PG1 and PG2) of a double pinion type, third and fourth planetary gear sets (PG3 and PG4) of a single pinion type, first to third clutches (CL1-CL3) engaging and disengaging predetermined rotating elements of the first to fourth planetary gear sets, and first and second brakes (BR1 and BR2) engaging and disengaging a second carrier (C2) and a first carrier (C1) from a transmission case (11). A gear ratio of the automatic transmission is 1 in a sixth gear. |
| US09382977B2 |
Multi-ratio transmission
A multi-stage transmission having eight forward and one reverse gear includes planetary gearsets, shafts and shift elements. The sun gear of gearset (P1) couples shaft (3), which can couple, via brake (03), the housing and couples the ring gear of gearset (P3). The input shaft couples the carrier of gearset (P1) and can couple, via clutch (15), shaft (5), which couples the ring and sun gears of respective gearsets (P2, P3). The ring gear of gearset (P1) couples shaft (6) and the sun gear of gearset (P2). Shaft (8) couples the carrier and sun gear of respective gearsets (P3, P4). Shaft (4) couples the carrier of gearset (P4) and can couple, via brake (04), the housing. The input shaft couples the ring gear of gearset (P4) and, via clutch (27), couples shaft (7), which couples the carrier of gearset (P2). Clutch (56, 67, 57) engages to block gearset (P2). |
| US09382974B2 |
Automated manual transmission
An automated manual transmission may include a hollow input shaft connected to a first clutch and a second clutch so as to be selectively interruptible and selectively receive power from the first or second clutch. The transmission may also include an output shaft provided with a first plurality of shift gears, and an idler shaft provided with a second plurality of shift gears to receive power from the first clutch and to shift gears, with a first idler gear provided on the idler shaft. The transmission may further include a second idler gear connecting the first idler gear to a shift gear in the first plurality of shift gears provided on the output shaft to receive power from the second clutch. |
| US09382972B2 |
Reducer of electric power steering apparatus
Disclosed is a reducer of an electric power steering apparatus. In the reducer, the worm wheel is elastically supported by the elastic member in a direction to the worm wheel in order to compensate for the spacing between the worm shaft and the worm wheel, and an elastic force of the elastic member applied to the bearing bush or the worm shaft bearing is simply adjusted and measured by adjusting or measuring a load applied to the supporting member. |
| US09382971B2 |
Drive transmitter and image forming apparatus incorporating the drive transmitter
A drive transmitter includes an internally toothed gear, a first support shaft to rotatably support the internally toothed gear without using a bearing, a drive source to apply a driving force to the internally toothed gear, a rotary body to which the driving force is transmitted via the internally toothed gear, and a grease retainer disposed on the first support shaft and to retain grease on at least one of a portion of the first support shaft facing the internally toothed gear and a portion of the internally toothed gear facing the first support shaft. An image forming apparatus includes the drive transmitter. |
| US09382969B2 |
Belt having a tension member, in particular a carbon tension member, which is prepared with a cross-linked polyurethane, and preparation method
A belt comprises at least a belt body made of a polymer material having elastic properties, the belt including a cover layer as a belt backing, a substructure having a force-transmission zone, and a tension member in a ribbed design embedded in the belt body. The tension member is prepared with a cross-linked polyurethane in such a way that the polyurethane fills at least part of the tension member cavities. The polyurethane filling material enters into a mechanical connection to the tension member on the one hand and an adhesive connection to the belt body on the other hand. The polyurethane filling material has a Shore A hardness that is 0.5 to 10 times harder than the Shore A hardness of the belt body. The belt body is preferably likewise made of cross-linked polyurethane, in particular using a carbon tension member. |
| US09382968B2 |
Engine system having torsional coupling with thin web flywheel
An engine system includes an internal combustion engine, a driven unit, and a torsional coupling between a crankshaft of the engine and a driveshaft of the driven unit. The torsional coupling includes a driven-side disc coupled to the driveshaft, and a flywheel having an engine-side disc coupled to the crankshaft. The engine-side disc has an axial thickness in a discontinuous thickness range from about 0.2 inches to about 0.3 inches, so as to flex the engine-side disc predominantly over the driven-side disc in response to the driveline deflecting loads. |
| US09382965B2 |
Self-aligning rotary damper assembly
A rotary damper with a toothed wheel gear projecting away from a housing having snap-in connection structures disposed on opposing sides of the wheel gear. The wheel gear may be inserted through a panel opening having a pair of opposing transverse slots. In the assembled condition, the housing with the connected wheel gear may slide linearly in the longitudinal direction of the slots to permit self-adjustment relative to an operatively connected mating gear. Proper meshing relation between the wheel gear and the mating gear is thereby maintained. |
| US09382955B2 |
Disc brake having a release spindle for the adjustment device
A disc brake for a commercial vehicle is equipped with a wear adjustment device having two adjustment spindles and a slip clutch actuated when a certain torque is exceeded. The slip clutch is designed such that it can be installed in existing installation spaces. The slip clutch is a safety adapter that is pressed onto the end region of each adjustment spindle via a press fit. In order to achieve the press fit, an inner contour of the safety adapter deviates from a circular shape and that an oversize is selected such that sufficient press forces are generated. The disc brake is particularly suited for heavy trucks and cantilevers. |
| US09382951B2 |
Locking hub system
A locking hub system in a vehicle is provided. The locking hub system includes an inner drive gear assembly including a drive gear having a drive gear interior splined surface configured to attach to a vehicle axle and a bearing housing rotationally coupled to the drive gear having a bearing housing exterior splined surface configured to mate with a wheel attachment interface and a clutch ring assembly including a pin ring having a plurality of cantilevered pins extending from a support ring, partially enclosing a clutch ring, and unsupported at one end, the clutch ring including a clutch ring splined interior surface slidably moveable to mate with an drive gear splined exterior surface of the drive gear in an engaged configuration and slidably moveable to decouple from the drive gear splined exterior surface in a disengaged configuration. |
| US09382949B2 |
Shaft coupling structure
In a shaft coupling structure in which a first shaft and a second shaft are coupled with each other by a combination of a key coupling and a clamp coupling, the first shaft has a cylindrical portion into which the second shaft is inserted and slits which are formed in the cylindrical portion by cutting off portions thereof in the axial direction, and a clamping fastener is mounted on portions of the outer circumference of the first shaft in which the slits are formed and the slit can be also used as a keyway of the key, and the plurality of slits are formed in the circumferential direction. |
| US09382942B2 |
Motor
A motor which includes: inner ring having upper end surface, outer ring, and balls between inner ring and outer ring. Pressurizing spring, into which rotary shaft is inserted, is located between core and bearing, and provides bias forces in the axial direction of rotary shaft. Outer ring is pressed to fit into bearing holding part. Inner ring is fitted onto rotary shaft with gap therebetween. Upper end surface of inner ring is in contact with pressurizing spring. Pressurizing spring applies the bias forces of different strengths onto a surface in which upper end surface contacts with pressurizing spring, along a circumferential direction with the axial direction as a center. |
| US09382938B2 |
Sprung washer and fixing device
A fixing-device that fixes a second member to be fastened to a first member to be fastened, the fixing-device includes, a base fixed to the first member to be fastened, a sprung-washer attached to the base and interposed between the base and the second member to be fastened, and a fastener that fastens the second member to be fastened and the base to each other, wherein the sprung-washer includes a threaded-portion insertion-hole into which a threaded-portion of the fastener is inserted, an edge-portion that is formed around the threaded-portion insertion-hole, and with which a pressing-portion provided in the fastener comes into contact and that is thereby pressed when the fastener is tightened, and a leaf-spring that extends from the edge-portion forward in a direction in which the fastener is inserted into the threaded-portion insertion-hole and outward, and that has a bent-portion midway along the length of the leaf-spring. |
| US09382937B2 |
Lock nut assembly
A lock nut assembly 10, 10′ has a first component 12 provided with a threaded axial through hole 19; and a second component 14 provided with an axial hole 31. The first and second components 12, 14 are detachably coupled together and arranged so that both components are simultaneously engagable with a common tool to effect application of the assembly 10, 10′ onto a threaded member 22 by operation of the tool to impart torque to the assembly 10, 10′ in a first direction. The first component 12 initially engages the threaded member 22 with the second component 14 following. The first component 12 provides fastening to the threaded member 22 and is torqued as required. The second component 14 acts to lock the first component 12 onto the threaded member 22. |
| US09382930B2 |
Compression limiter with retention features
A compression limiter is disclosed that comprises an upper surface and a lower surface. The compression limiter further comprises an inner surface that defines a passageway configured to accommodate a fastener and an outer surface configured to engage a structure in which the compression limiter is placed. A first retainer projects outwardly from the outer surface and includes a first retention surface that has at least a planar portion. The first retainer further includes an undercut surface disposed inwardly from the first retention surface so as to create a corner extending in a direction with at least a component perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. A method of forming the compression limiter is also disclosed. |
| US09382928B2 |
Component connection and a method for connecting two components
A component connection arrangement and a method of connecting components is provided in which a first component having a projecting male fixing element is connected to a second component in a friction-locking manner by a sleeve-like or cap-like clip element snapped on the male fixing element, with the clip element being clamped between the male fixing element and a female fixing element provided on or in the second component. |
| US09382923B2 |
Load energy assist and horsepower management system
A hydraulic circuit for lifting and lowering a load is disclosed. The hydraulic circuit may include a hydraulic pump, a fluid reservoir, a load-sense valve, and a hydraulic actuator having a first chamber and a second chamber. The hydraulic circuit may also include a first control valve assembly having first and second lowering positions, the valve being disposed between the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic actuator. A second control valve assembly may also be provided that is disposed between the first control valve assembly and the first chamber of the hydraulic actuator. In one embodiment, the second control valve assembly has a first position and a second position. In one embodiment, the load can be selectively lowered by the hydraulic circuit without use of the hydraulic pump when the first control valve assembly is in the first lowering position and the second control valve assembly is in the second position. |
| US09382921B2 |
Control of subsea compressors
System for control of a subsea located compressor fluidly connected to receive an inlet flow of gas through an inlet line, said flow may include liquid in an amount that may vary. The control system comprises a sensor means for measuring and determining the liquid droplet size distribution and liquid volume fraction, operatively arranged to the inlet line, and a control means operatively connected to the sensor means for operation of the control means based on input from the sensor means. Method for control of a subsea located compressor. |
| US09382915B2 |
Control method of fan rotation speed
A control method of a fan rotation speed, which controls the operation of a fan set including fans connected in series, is disclosed. The control method includes the steps of acquiring a control factor; judging whether the control factor is less than a first threshold value; executing a first control procedure when the control factor is less than the first threshold value; judging whether the control factor is greater than a second threshold value when the control factor is greater than the first threshold; executing a second control procedure when the control factor is greater than the second threshold value; and executing a third control procedure when the control factor is less than the second threshold value. |
| US09382913B2 |
Fan, molding die, and fluid feeder
A cross-flow fan includes a plurality of fan blades. The fan blade has an inner edge portion arranged on an inner circumferential side and an outer edge portion arranged on an outer circumferential side. In the fan blade, a blade surface extending between the inner edge portion and the outer edge portion and constituted of a positive pressure surface and a negative pressure surface is formed. The fan blade has such a blade cross-sectional shape that a large-thickness portion at which a thickness between the positive pressure surface and the negative pressure surface is greatest is arranged closer to the inner edge portion. A recess recessed in the blade surface is formed at a position closer to the inner edge portion where the large-thickness portion is arranged, than to the outer edge portion. |
| US09382911B2 |
Two-stage centrifugal compressor with extended range and capacity control features
One exemplary embodiment of this disclosure relates to a centrifugal refrigerant compressor system. The system includes a condenser, an evaporator, and an economizer between the condenser and the evaporator. The system further includes a centrifugal compressor having a first impeller and a second impeller downstream of the first impeller. The compressor includes at least one port. Fluid from a recirculation flow path and an economizer flow path is introduced into a main flow path of the compressor by way of the at least one port. |
| US09382901B2 |
Power control system of an electrical generation unit
The present invention can be included in the technical field of power control systems of electrical generation units comprising a supervisory regulation link applicable to a generation unit which calculates operating parameters or orders based on temporary averages of the power measurement. |
| US09382898B2 |
Wind turbine power production using positive and negative sequence current component parameters generated based on operational mode
A wind turbine includes a grid side converter coupled to a grid via a power line. The method includes determining a first active power reference and a first reactive power reference indicating a requested amount of active power and reactive power, respectively, depending on at least a wind turbine operation strategy; determining a positive and negative sequence components of a grid voltage; determining indications of an actual amount of active power and reactive power to be supplied by the grid side converter to the grid, respectively; generating a parameters defining a proportion of positive sequence current component and negative sequence current component to be injected by the grid side converter in order to supply active power and reactive power; and supplying, with the grid side converter, active and reactive power to the power line based on the current reference. |
| US09382897B2 |
Wind turbine with a centrifugal force driven adjustable pitch angle and cables retaining blades in a hub
A wind turbine includes rotor blades pivotably mounted in a gondola such that the pitch of the blades is adjustable, and pitch adjustment mounted coaxially and pivotably on the rotor axle such that the pitch adjustment are rotatable relative to that axle. The gondola is furthermore connected via torsion positioning to the axle, such that it can rotate relative to the pitch adjustment to adjust the pitch of the rotor blades. The wind turbine may also include a cable for each rotor blade, which are each with one end connected to the blade and with their opposite end to the rotor axle, such that the blades are supported by the cables against movement in the radially outward direction. |
| US09382895B2 |
Self-positioning device for water turbine
A water generator assembly includes a water generator having two forwarding wings on the front end thereof and the forwarding wings are applied by current and generate a resistance force and a lifting force. The resistance force and the lifting force are combined as a composition force which has a forwarding component force in the X-axis to offset the drag force cause by the current applying to the water generator. A component force in Y-axis is offset by the forwarding wings. A balance wing is connected to the water generator to prevent the water generator from spinning about the X-axis. The water generator has a lifting wing to generate a lifting force to lift the water generator. A buoyant floats and indexes the water generator. A tail wing and two side wings keep the water generator facing the current and prevent the water generator from spinning about the Y-axis. |
| US09382892B2 |
Vehicle performing idling stop
A vehicle comprises an engine, a starter motor, and a starter battery supplying power to the starter motor, further an auxiliary power storage system connected in parallel to the starter battery, an alternator for generating regenerative power and charging the starter battery and the auxiliary power storage system, an engine room for disposing the engine, and a cabin for disposing the auxiliary power storage system. The auxiliary power storage system comprises a power storage portion for electric equipment connected in parallel to the starter battery through a relay, and a relay controlling circuit configured to carry out the ON control of the relay at power generation of the alternator, and the OFF control of the relay at restarting the engine in a state of idling stop, and further the relay is disposed in the engine room. |
| US09382889B2 |
Homogeneous fuel-air-mix method and apparatus for internal combustion engines
New strategies for control and feeding of air/fuel homogenous mix for internal combustion engines, mainly for fuel injection engines. This new strategies are to get an air/fuel mixture homogeneous and of adequate volume. Fuel in contact with air for a sufficient length of time required for better physical combination prior to the time of ignition at the spark plug and of a volume such that the combustion flame can reach the entire mixture admitted. Strategies to prevent the problem known as “wet wall”. This consisting of a new intake manifold, new fuel injectors, injector nozzles and new algorithms and strategies in the control software program of the ECU or MCU controlling the internal combustion engines. |
| US09382887B2 |
Engine component seal assembly and method of sealing a coolant passage from an engine component
An engine component seal assembly and method of sealing a coolant passage from an engine component are provided. The seal assembly includes a sealing sleeve sized and dimensioned to slip fit into an engine component mounting bore and a retaining ring sized and dimensioned to be axially inserted into the sleeve. The ring contacts the sleeve and applies a radial force sufficient to create an interference fit and to move or yield an interface portion of the sleeve radially outward into sealing abutment against a wall forming the mounting bore to create a secure and reliable annular fluid seal. |
| US09382874B2 |
Thermal acoustic passage for a stirling cycle transducer apparatus
A communication passage in a Stirling cycle transducer includes a cylindrical shaped thermal regenerator providing flow paths aligned with a regenerator cylindrical axis for providing periodic gas flow between first and second interfaces of the regenerator. A first heat exchanger conveys gas between a periphery of the heat exchanger and the first interface causing a change of direction of gas flow between radially and axially oriented flow within the regenerator and transfers heat between the gas and an external environment in a direction aligned with the regenerator cylindrical axis. A second heat exchanger conveys gas between a periphery of the heat exchanger and the second interface causing a change of direction of gas flow between radially and axially oriented flow within the regenerator and transfers heat between the external environment and the gas in a direction aligned with the regenerator cylindrical axis. |
| US09382872B2 |
Gerotor apparatus for a quasi-isothermal Brayton cycle engine
According to one embodiment of the invention, a gerotor apparatus includes an outer gerotor having an outer gerotor chamber, an inner gerotor, at least a portion of which is disposed within the outer gerotor chamber, and a synchronizing apparatus operable to control the rotation of the inner gerotor relative to the outer gerotor. The inner gerotor includes one or more entrance passages operable to communicate a lubricant into the outer gerotor chamber. |
| US09382870B2 |
Compression boss for engine front cover
An apparatus is provided having two mating components. The mating components include an engine and an engine front cover. A fastening boss is formed on at least one of the two mating components and configured to receive a threaded fastener to join the two mating components. A compression boss extends from a first of the two mating components to contact a second of the two mating components. The compression boss is dimensioned relative to the fastening boss to create compressive loading in the compression boss when the threaded fastener is tightened to join the mating components. |
| US09382869B2 |
Piston for an internal combustion engine
A piston for an internal combustion engine comprises at least one cooling channel located only in the areas of at least one inflow and at least one outflow at a low level comparatively removed from the base of the piston and at a constant higher level closer to the piston base, said cooling channel comprising steep inclines between the areas located at the low and at the high level. |
| US09382868B2 |
Cylinder bore surface profile and process
An engine block has a cylinder bore wall comprising a first portion having a first diameter and a second portion axially adjacent to the first portion having a second diameter greater than the first diameter. A series of parallel, circumferentially-extending grooves is formed in the second portion to roughen the surface and enhance adhesion of a later-applied, sprayed-on metallic coating. A non-masking section is formed between the first and the second portions to provide for a less-abrupt corner between the larger diameter and smaller diameter portions and eliminate any spray-masking that may otherwise. The non-masking section may be a flat or a curved chamfer. The non-masking section may be a non-grooved section of constant diameter. |
| US09382866B2 |
Fuel supplier
A fuel supplier for a motor vehicle, having a fuel tank and an internal combustion engine, includes a fuel pump pumping fuel from the fuel tank to the internal combustion engine, a motor driving the fuel pump, and a control unit carrying out feedback control of duty ratio of voltage applied to the motor such that the actual fuel pressure comes close to a target fuel pressure. The control unit increases a low limit value of the duty ratio in accordance with the change of an accelerator open ratio in an opening direction. |
| US09382865B2 |
Diagnostic systems and methods using model predictive control
A fuel control module transitions engine fueling from rich to lean. A catalyst fault detection module diagnoses whether a fault is present in an exhaust catalyst based on a response of an oxygen sensor to the transition. A prediction module generates a prediction based on a model and a set of possible target values. A cost module determines a cost for the set of possible target values based on comparisons of the prediction with minimum and maximums. Before the transition, a constraint module selectively adjusts at least one of the minimum and maximums for the fault diagnosis. Based on the cost, a selection module selects the set of possible target values from a group of sets of possible target values and sets target values based on the selected set of possible target values. An actuator module controls an engine actuator based on a first one of the target values. |
| US09382851B2 |
Isochoric heat addition engines and methods
Engines and methods execute a high efficiency hybrid cycle, which is implemented in a volume within an engine. The cycle includes isochoric heat addition and over-expansion of the volume within the engine, wherein the volume is reduced in a compression portion of the cycle from a first quantity to a second quantity, the volume is held substantially constant at the second quantity during a heat addition portion of the cycle, and the volume is increased in an expansion portion of the cycle to a third quantity, the third quantity being larger than the first quantity. |
| US09382843B2 |
Flow balancing ventilation system and method of balancing a flow
A flow balancing ventilation system includes a ventilation inlet for receiving an airflow, the ventilation inlet having a cavity defined by an outer wall. Also included is a plurality of ventilation ducts each having a first end and a second end, the first end of each of the plurality of ventilation ducts disposed in operable communication with the ventilation inlet for receiving the airflow, the second end of each of the plurality of ventilation ducts disposed at least partially within an enclosure. Further included is at least one vane disposed within the cavity of the ventilation inlet for manipulating the airflow proximate the first end of each of the plurality of ventilation ducts. |
| US09382840B2 |
Engine crankshaft torque sensor
In various embodiments, an engine crankshaft is disclosed. The engine crankshaft comprises a rear bearing journal. The rear bearing journal has an output end. The rear bearing journal defines a substantially cylindrical cavity extending from the output end into the rear bearing journal. The engine crankshaft may further comprise at least one torque sensor operatively coupled to the rear bearing journal. The at least one torque sensor is configured to generate a torque signal corresponding to a torque exerted on the rear bearing journal. The torque exerted on the rear bearing journal is indicative of a torque output of an engine. |
| US09382835B2 |
Internal combustion engine having a direct injection system and having a port fuel injection system
A system and methods are provided to deactivate a cam driven fuel pump. The system comprises a direct fuel injection system; a port fuel injection system; a pump for the direct injection system driven by a cam, wherein the pump can be activated and deactivated as a function of the activation of the direct injection system. Deactivating a pump when no fuel is pumped through it minimizes wear on pump components and increases efficiency. |
| US09382834B2 |
Method of operating an internal combustion engine with low NOx combustion
An operating mode for an internal combustion engine, in particular a directly injected internal combustion engine having a plurality of combustion chambers, in particular for a directly injected gasoline engine, e.g. for a motor vehicle, having low NOx combustion (NAV). During the NAV operating mode that is the subject matter of this invention, at an ignition point (ZZP) a largely homogeneous, lean fuel/exhaust gas/air mixture having a combustion air ratio of λ≧1 in the respective combustion chamber is spark ignited by an ignition device, whereby the flame front combustion initiated by the ignition device (FFV) transitions to a controlled auto-ignition (RZV). The NAV operating mode enables a controlled auto-ignition to be performed in an engine load range in which a pure RZV operating mode is no longer stable enough to be implemented. |
| US09382832B2 |
Sensor heat shield structure for a vehicle exhaust system
An exhaust system includes an exhaust pipe and a heat insulating cover surrounding an outer surface of the exhaust pipe. The cover includes a planar section defining a surface area. An inner surface of the planar section is spaced from the outer surface to define a gap there between. A separate reinforcement is mounted to the planar section. A mounting boss provided in the gap is in direct contact with the inner surface. An exhaust constituent sensor is mounted to the exhaust pipe. A distal end portion of the sensor is received in the mounting boss and projects through an opening in the outer surface and into an exhaust passage. The direct contact of the mounting boss with the inner surface forms a mechanical seal preventing high temperature air from around the exhaust pipe from flowing toward a proximal end portion of the sensor. |
| US09382831B2 |
Honeycomb structure
A honeycomb structure includes a cylindrical honeycomb structure section having porous partition walls to define and form a plurality of cells, and an outer peripheral wall, and a pair of electrode sections disposed on a side surface of the honeycomb structure section. An electrical resistivity of the honeycomb structure section is from 1 to 200 Ωcm, and each of the pair of electrode sections is constituted of a laminated body of two or more electrode bodies. An area of the electrode body disposed closest to an outer peripheral wall side is larger than an area of the other electrode body, and in a cross section perpendicular to a cell extending direction, a center angle of the electrode body disposed closest to the outer peripheral wall side is larger than a center angle of the other electrode body. |
| US09382829B2 |
Bypass exhaust pathway to allow gases to bypass the start catalyst of a vehicle
A system for improving the fuel economy of a vehicle includes an engine configured to produce an initial exhaust gas, a first exhaust pipe connected to the engine, a start catalyst connected to the first exhaust pipe and a second exhaust pipe connected to the start catalyst. The system also includes a bypass exhaust pipe connected to the first exhaust pipe and the second exhaust pipe and a valve positioned at one end of the bypass exhaust pipe and configured to move between a closed position and an open position for directing the initial exhaust gas to the start catalyst and/or the bypass exhaust pipe. The system includes an electronic control unit that is used to control the first valve to be in the closed position or the open position based on an estimated temperature of the start catalyst. |
| US09382824B2 |
Failure detection device for blow-by gas recirculation apparatus of engine
An engine includes a EGR valve to regulate a EGR flow rate. A blow-by gas recirculation passage allows blow-by gas generated in the engine to flow in a surge tank to return to the engine. A PCV valve operates in response to negative pressure to regulate a blow-by gas flow rate in the recirculation passage. During deceleration fuel cutoff of the engine, an ECU holds a throttle valve at a predetermined slight opening degree and controls the EGR valve to be forcibly opened from a valve-closed state to change intake pressure (negative pressure) in the surge tank and determines whether or not the PCV valve is in sticking failure based on changes in intake amount detected by an air flow meter before and after the negative pressure changes. |
| US09382820B2 |
Method for producing a built hollow valve
A method for producing a hollow valve of an internal combustion engine may include providing a hollow valve stem, a valve cone, and a valve bottom; pushing the valve cone over the valve stem via a press fit, wherein the valve cone includes an outer surface transitioning to the valve stem to define a testing surface; and welding the valve cone to the valve stem via at least one of a laser beam and an electron beam, wherein the welding occurs such that no melting of the outer surface in the region of the testing surface of the valve cone occurs. |
| US09382819B2 |
Variable valve device for internal combustion engine
Provided is a variable valve device for an internal combustion engine. The variable valve device includes intake- and exhaust-side swing arms that pivot to open and close intake valves and exhaust valves in two cylinders #1, #2, intake- and exhaust-side hydraulic lash adjusters that serve as pivot points of the respective swing arms, a variable valve system that continuously varies valve lift characteristics of the intake valves and lost motion mechanisms that stop opening and closing of the intake exhaust valves by lost motion of the intake- and exhaust-side hydraulic lash adjusters on the cylinder #1. The maximum valve lifts of the intake valves are set larger than valve lifts of the exhaust valves. The minimum valve lifts of the intake valves are set smaller than the valve lifts of the exhaust valves. |
| US09382818B2 |
Fuel generation using high-voltage electric fields methods
Methods of making fuel are described herein. A method may include providing a first working fluid, a second working fluid, and a third working fluid. The method may also include exposing each working fluid to a high voltage electric field to produce a first plasma, a second plasma, and a third plasma, respectively. The method may also include providing at least one fueling material and expositing it to one or more fourth high-voltage electric fields to produce a fueling material plasma. The method may also include contacting the plasmas within a processing chamber to form a plasma mixture, cooling the plasma mixture using a heat exchange device to form a cooled plasma mixture, and contacting the cooled plasma mixture with a catalyst to form a fuel. |
| US09382816B2 |
Method and apparatus for operating a steam cycle process with a lubricated expander
Embodiments of the invention relate to a method for operating a steam cycle process performed in an apparatus having an evaporator or steam generator for the evaporation of a liquid working medium and an expander, which is lubricated by a lubricant, for the performance of mechanical work. The method comprises a) supplying the liquid working medium to the evaporator, in which it evaporates and is fed to the expander in the form of steam; b) supplying an ionic liquid, which at room temperature forms two liquid phases with the liquid working medium, to the expander as a lubricant; and c) separating the ionic liquid forming the lubricant for the expander from the working medium upstream of the evaporator. |
| US09382815B2 |
Power generating system
A power generating system includes a flow dividing structure, a first detector, a flow dividing adjusting valve, a heat accumulator, a heat exchanger and a turbine. The flow dividing structure divides a first heat medium into a first flow path and a second flow path. The first detector detects a flow rate of the first heat medium. The flow dividing adjusting valve opens the second flow path when the flow rate of the first heat medium exceeds a predetermined value. The heat accumulator accumulates the first heat medium via the second flow path and delivers the first heat medium at a temporally leveled flow rate. The heat exchanger transfers heat from the first heat medium to a second heat medium having a lower boiling point than the first heat medium. The turbine rotationally moves by the second heat medium with heat having been transferred by the heat exchanging unit. |
| US09382813B2 |
Turbomachine diaphragm ring with packing retainment apparatus
Various embodiments include a turbomachine diaphragm ring. In various particular embodiments, a turbomachine diaphragm ring includes: a packing slot sized to house a dovetail section of a turbomachine packing, the packing slot extending circumferentially about a rotational axis of the turbomachine; a key slot connected with the packing slot sized to house a portion of a key member, the key slot extending at least one of radially or axially from the packing slot; and a retaining slot connected with the key slot and extending substantially circumferentially from the key slot, the retaining slot sized to house a retaining member for retaining the key member. |
| US09382804B2 |
Cooled blade for a gas turbine
A cooled blade is disclosed for a gas turbine that includes a radially extending aerofoil with a leading edge, a trailing edge, a suction side and a pressure side, and wherein a lip overhang is provided on the suction side of the trailing edge The blade also includes a plurality of radial internal flow channels connected via flow bends to form a multi-pass serpentine for a coolant flow, whereby a trailing edge ejection region is provided for cooling the trailing edge, the trailing edge ejection region comprising a trailing edge passage of the multi-pass serpentine running essentially parallel to the trailing edge and being connected over its entire length with a pressure side bleed. An optimized cooling is achieved by also determining the cooling flow from the trailing edge passage to the pressure side bleed by means of a staggered field of pins. |
| US09382801B2 |
Method for removing a rotor bucket from a turbomachine rotor wheel
A method of removing a bucket from a turbomachine rotor wheel includes exposing a base portion of the bucket, positioning a pulling device radially outwardly of the base portion, connecting the base portion of the bucket to the pulling device through a linking rod, exerting an axially outwardly directed force on the linking rod through the pulling device, and removing the base portion from the rotor wheel. |
| US09382795B2 |
Cutting tool mounting assembly
A cutting tool mounting assembly adapted for attachment to a surface of a rotatable driving member of a cutting tool machine, includes: a tool holder having a key shank; a base attached to the surface of the rotatable driving member, the base having a mounting groove for receiving the key shank of the tool holder; a resilient retention structure configured to interact with the base and the tool holder to facilitate a friction fit between the tool holder and the base; and wherein tool holder includes a retention post configured for cooperating with the base for connecting the tool holder to the base. Also included is a dampening element configured between the tool holder and the base for reducing vibration therebetween. |
| US09382789B2 |
Oil shale exploitation method
An oil shale exploitation method comprises: forming a gas inlet pipeline (1) and a gas outlet pipeline (3) in an oil shale; forming a gasification channel (5) that connects the gas inlet pipeline and the gas outlet pipeline in the oil shale; feeding combustible gas and oxygen into the well through different gas inlet pipelines, and then igniting, in an aerobic environment, the combustible gas fed into the well at the lower opening of the pipeline for conveying the combustible gas, so as to heat the oil shale; and recycling through the gas outlet pipeline an oil-gas mixed product formed after thermal decomposition of kerogen in the oil shale. |
| US09382788B2 |
System including compound current choke for hydrocarbon resource heating and associated methods
A system for heating a hydrocarbon resource in a subterranean formation having a wellbore extending therein, the system including a radio frequency (RF) source, an RF antenna configured to be positioned within the wellbore, a transmission line coupling the RF source and the RF antenna, and a compound current choke surrounding the transmission line. The compound current choke includes a plurality of spaced apart, overlapping, electrically conductive sleeves. Each of the plurality of spaced apart, overlapping, electrically conductive sleeves may have a first open end and a second closed end coupled to the transmission line. |
| US09382781B2 |
Completion system for accomodating larger screen assemblies
A completion system, including a tubular string initially having an substantially constant first dimension and configured to include at least one unexpanded portion having the first dimension and at least one expanded portion having a second dimension larger than the first dimension. The tubular string has at least one opening therein formed at the at least one expanded portion. At least one screen assembly is included having a third dimension and positioned radially adjacent the at least one expanded portion. A radial clearance is formed between the outer dimension of the at least one screen assembly and the second internal dimension of the at least one second portion of the outer tubular string. A method of completing a borehole is also included. |
| US09382773B1 |
Casing stripper attachment
The casing stripper attachment secures the casing stripper within a housing, such as the bowl. The casing stripper rubber attaches to an attachment body for installation within the housing. The attachment body includes a base and an attachment lip. The base provides an outer surface for securing the attachment body and stripper rubber to the housing. The clamp secures the outer surface of the base with the housing. The stripper rubber fastens to the attachment lip of the attachment body to be secured within the bowl. The base of the present invention could attach to a drilling nipple that assists with inserting the casing into the well, a process known as running casing. |
| US09382772B2 |
Subsea test tree intervention package
A riser intervention system for use with a subsea test tree includes a lower riser package spool, an intermediate spool, and a riser stress joint. The lower riser package spool may include a bore and a shoulder projecting into the bore such that the subsea test tree is landable on the shoulder within the lower riser package spool. The intermediate spool is connectable to the lower riser package spool to secure the subsea test tree within the bore of the lower riser package spool such that the lower riser package spool is in fluid communication with the intermediate spool. The riser stress joint is releasably connectable to the intermediate spool using such that the intermediate spool is in fluid communication with the riser stress joint. |
| US09382770B2 |
Methanol storage and delivery apparatus for gas wells
A gas well methanol storage and delivery apparatus, includes a housing forming an enclosed interior having a lower portion with a containment container therein and an upper portion, and having at least one door to allow access to the interior. A storage tank mounting structure in the upper portion of the interior above the containment container is adapted to mount a storage tank for storing a supply of methanol. A pump mounting structure also in the interior of the housing above the containment container is adapted to mount a pump for pumping methanol from the storage tank to a gas well for injection into the gas well. Vent means may be provided for allowing natural air flow through a portion of the containment container. The apparatus, with or without a tank and with or without a pump, may be supplied as a prefabricated unit to the well head site. |
| US09382766B2 |
Method and apparatus for working multiple wellheads in close proximity
A rig system and method is provided for use with multiple wellheads in close proximity on a wellsite. A mast assembly is mounted to a rig carrier for alignment with a first wellhead. A pipe handling system is mounted to a skid having a pipe moving member mounted to the skid. A rig platform for use with the mast assembly is vertically moveable for accommodating a second wellhead in close proximity to the first wellhead while allowing operators to work within the mast assembly. |
| US09382763B2 |
Superhard construction
A method of making a superhard construction includes providing a polycrystalline superhard (PCS) structure comprising bonded grains of a superhard material, providing an aggregated mass comprising grains of the superhard material, and providing a substrate having a recess configured for accommodating the PCS structure. The PCS structure is placed into the recess with the aggregated mass of superhard grains positioned adjacent the PCS structure to form an unjoined assembly. Pressure and heat are then applied to the unjoined assembly to join the aggregated mass to the PCS structure and form the superhard construction. |
| US09382761B2 |
Dynamic vibrational control
A method for reducing vibration of a drilling tool assembly is disclosed. The method includes modeling the drilling tool assembly based on input parameters, simulating a vibration of a drill string coupled with a vibration of a drill bit, determining an initial total vibration from output parameters generated by the simulation, determining a location for at least one vibrational control device based on the initial total vibration to reduce the initial total vibration, and disposing the at least one vibrational control device on the drill string at the determined location. |
| US09382748B2 |
Intermediate member for extending the depth of a window or door and window or door constructed with same
A window or door is constructed to accept one or more intermediate pieces which may be used for adjusting the depth of the window or door. The intermediate piece includes, on one side, a first hook and an outrigger, and on the other side, a second hook and structure defining an outrigger receiving slot. The intermediate pieces lockingly and securely mate with the interior and exterior sections of the windows or doors. |
| US09382746B2 |
Door control device
A door control device is disclosed. In the door control device, after operation of “Full Close” in one status has been detected, obstruction occurs in a door close detection switch ON/OFF detection portion so that one event “Dcsm=OFF”, e.g. a signal (Dcsm=OFF) indicating OFF detected by the door close detection switch ON/OFF detection portion is obtained. On this occasion, operation of “ReClose” in another status is executed so that drive toward a close direction is continued by a door close control portion through a reclose command portion until another event “Dcsm=ON”, e.g. a signal (Dcsm=ON) indicating ON detected by the door close detection switch ON/OFF detection portion is obtained. |
| US09382741B2 |
Vehicle including an assembly for opening a vehicle door
A vehicle includes a vehicle body having a pillar, a vehicle door movably coupled to the vehicle body, and an assembly for at least partially opening the vehicle door. The assembly is coupled to the vehicle door and includes an actuator having an actuator body and an actuator shaft movable relative to the actuator body between a retracted position and an extended position. Further, the assembly includes a lever pivotally coupled to the vehicle door and a spring coupled between the lever and the actuator shaft. The spring biases the lever toward the pillar. When the vehicle door is unlatched, the lever exerts a force on the pillar and, consequently, pushes the vehicle door away from the pillar to a partially open position. The present disclosure also relates to the assembly for at least partially opening the vehicle door as described above. |
| US09382736B2 |
Image forming apparatus having engaging member for holding a cover in an opened position and a closed position
A cover structure including a cover member movable between open and closed positions relative to an apparatus body, a supporting member that includes one end portion fixed to the cover member and another end portion attached to the apparatus body, the supporting member supports the cover member in the open position thereof, the apparatus body includes an engaging member that engages the supporting member to resist the movement of the supporting member and engages a portion of the supporting member when the cover member is in the closed position to maintain the cover member in the closed position. |
| US09382734B2 |
Door handle arrangement
The invention is directed to a door handle arrangement for a motor vehicle door, wherein a door handle is provided and wherein in the installed state a hinge mechanism is provided which allows pivoting of the door handle for its manual actuation. It is proposed that in the installed state, for fixing the door handle to a door shell section of the motor vehicle door, the door shell section is clamped from both of its sides between a first clamping surface of the door handle and a second clamping surface of a clamping element, wherein the clamping engagement between the clamping surfaces and the door shell section provide the hinge mechanism for the door handle such that the clamping force flows through the hinge mechanism. |
| US09382733B2 |
Latch alignment jig
A jig includes a plate with at least one jig aperture which defines a jig aperture axis; a striker defined along a striker axis generally parallel to the aperture axis; and a bias member movable relative to the striker axis. A method of mounting a latch mechanism to a door of a vehicle, the door includes a multiple of latch mechanism apertures, includes mounting a jig to the latch mechanism, the jig biased with respect to the door to align a multiple of jig apertures with the multiple of latch mechanism apertures. |
| US09382732B2 |
Door assembly with anti-theft device
A door assembly having an anti-theft device is provided. The assembly includes a door component defining an internally protruding cavity. A locating tab extends from the anti-theft device and is insertable in the cavity in the door component, thereby locating the anti-theft device relative to the door component. The door component includes a locking tab attached or integrally formed on the door component and adapted to snap into an opening in the anti-theft device, thereby securing the anti-theft device relative to the door component. The anti-theft device may be a shield and the door component may be a latch mechanism. |
| US09382729B2 |
Fire actuated release mechanism to separate electronic door lock from fire door
A release mechanism is actuated by the heat of a fire to electrically and mechanically disconnect electrical wiring from an electronic lock having a plastic housing. The electronic lock is mounted on a fire door and as it is heated by a fire on the opposite side of the fire door, mounts that hold the lock melt, releasing the electronic lock to drop away from the fire door and prevent ignition of the plastic housing. The release mechanism may use shape memory alloy wire to contract and disconnect a ribbon cable. Solder connectors may also be used to disconnect wires. Intumescent material that expands when heated is used to drive the lock mechanism away from the fire door and insulation is used to control the timing of melting. |
| US09382728B1 |
Garage door opener security system
A security system for prevent unauthorized release of a garage door opener from outside the garage, includes a generally J-shaped bracket having a generally L-shaped extension on the distal end thereof, for installation on a garage door opener track. The bracket has one or a plurality of slots or holes through a distal leg of the generally L-shaped portion for accommodating an attachment device for attaching the bracket to garage door release lever. |
| US09382726B2 |
Fence apparatus
A barrier material that includes a plurality of frame members adapted to form a frame, a plurality of support rods positioned in between the frame members, a barrier positioned within the frame, and a replacement barrier mat adapted to replace the barrier. The replacement barrier mat includes a plurality of intertwined material adapted to provide a wall and a plurality of tubes surrounded by the intertwined material. The tubes are adapted to receive the support rods inserted into the tubes. When the support rods are inserted into their respective tubes, the replacement barrier mat is positioned within the frame and forms a framed well. |
| US09382722B2 |
Anti-theft assembly for inhibiting theft of cable from light poles
There is provided, in combination, a mounting assembly for an upright pole through which at least one cable extends and an anti-theft assembly for inhibiting theft of the cable. The pole has a bottom and is supported by a foundation. The mounting assembly includes a plurality of spaced-apart couplers each having a top end configured to connect to the bottom of the pole, a bottom end configured to connect to the foundation and a breakaway point between the top and bottom ends of the couplers. The breakaway points cause the couplers to fail when the pole is impacted by a vehicle. The anti-theft assembly includes an inner sleeve shaped to extend about the cable. The sleeve is robust and tamper-resistant. The sleeve is positioned between the bottom of the pole and the foundation. According to one aspect, the sleeve has an upper end that connects to the bottom of the pole and a lower end that is spaced-apart from the foundation. |
| US09382720B2 |
Centrifugal self-priming mixed and inverted-umbrella shaped aerator
A centrifugal self-priming mixed and inverted-umbrella shaped aerator is disclosed. A plurality of three-phase mixing tube sets is distributed on a surface of a wheel body (1), each of the three-phase mixing tube sets comprises a plurality of three-phase mixing tubes distributed dispersedly on the surface of the wheel body (1), multiple layers of guide cylinders arranged concentrically extend downward from a bottom of the wheel body (1) with a plurality of vertical siphons distributed on an inner wall of each of the layers of guide cylinders, the number of the siphons distributed in each of the layers of guide cylinders is the same as the number of the three-phase mixing tubes of the corresponding three-phase mixing tube set, each of the three-phase mixing tubes has one end attached to an edge of the wheel body (1) and has the other end communicating with the corresponding siphon, and each of the siphons is provided with a negative-pressure suction tube at a joint with the corresponding three-phase mixing tube. |
| US09382716B2 |
Mechanical locking of floor panels with a flexible bristle tongue
Floor panels which are provided with a mechanical locking system including a displaceable tongue in a displacement groove. The tongue is moulded and provided with bendable protrusions. A building panel having an edge portion provided with a groove, in which a tongue formed as a separate part is received, wherein the tongue includes at least two bow shaped protrusions at a first long edge of the tongue, and wherein the protrusions are arranged bendable in the groove. |
| US09382712B2 |
Wall construction system and component thereof
A wall construction system includes a first block having a first surface and a first void and a second block having a second surface and a second void. The second block is positioned atop the first block to define an interface plane at the adjacent first and second surfaces. The wall construction system further includes a shear member encased within cementitious material within the first and second voids at the interface plane. The cementitious material engages opposing walls of the first and second voids. |
| US09382711B2 |
Connection system for joining rectangular wall frames
A connection system for joining rectangular wall frames fabricated from pairs of rectangular cross section tubular side frame members and rectangular cross section tubular top and bottom frame members utilizes identical connectors, such as a single size machine screw and identical threaded inserts to provide upper and lower interconnections. Three different interconnections can be made using the single size machine screw and insert, the latter inserted into the open upper ends of the rectangular cross section tubular side frame members. Frame closure panels can be attached in a simple and secure manner. |
| US09382701B2 |
Linear drain assemblies and methods of use
A linear drain assembly includes a drain body with a drain channel extending along the drain body and an outlet structure intercepting the drain channel. The drain body has a constant outer profile along a longitudinal length of the drain body between at least one end of the drain channel and the outlet structure and the drain channel has a sloped bottom surface. |
| US09382698B2 |
Tap and an adapter thereof
An adapter sleeve includes a main body having a through opening formed therethrough, so as to be assembled to a water pipe, the main body having an outer threaded portion formed on an outer surface thereof, the through opening having a first portion and a second portion, a diameter of the first portion of the through opening larger than that of the second portion, a step portion defined by the connecting site between the first portion and the second portion, the first portion having an inner threaded portion formed on an inner surface thereof, the second portion having a ring groove formed around an inner surface thereof, a ring member positioned on the ring groove. |
| US09382696B2 |
Locking fire hydrant
A locking fire hydrant includes a fire hydrant body having an internal channel extending between a main cap recess and an auxiliary cap recess defined therein. A plunger assembly including first and second plungers is disposed within the internal channel. The first plunger is disposed such that an end thereof is capable of extending into a main cap recess and the second plunger is disposed such that an end thereof is capable of extending into an auxiliary cap recess. When the second plunger is actuated by mounting a locking cap on the fire hydrant body, one of the ratchet teeth provided on the back side of the auxiliary cap engages the second plunger to prevent the auxiliary cap from being removed from the fire hydrant body. A locking cap, an opening tool, and methods of securing an auxiliary cap to a fire hydrant also are described. |
| US09382690B2 |
Engine support mechanism with aftertreatment device
An engine unit mounted to a vehicle frame, the engine unit includes: an engine; an engine support mechanism to be coupled to the vehicle frame, with at least one vibration absorbing mechanism disposed on each of both sides of the engine in an orthogonal direction to a crankshaft of the engine, to support the engine; an aftertreatment device to purify exhaust gas emitted from the engine; a base bracket provided to the engine support mechanism; and an upper bracket detachably fixed and mounted to the base bracket, the upper bracket supporting the aftertreatment device. |
| US09382686B2 |
Quick coupler
A quick coupler for coupling a tool like for example a scoop, shell grab or demolition tongs to a tool guide such as an excavator arm or the like, including a coupling receptacle for receiving a first locking part and a locking receptacle for receiving a second locking part, wherein to the coupling receptacle a self-locking securing element is associated for catching and/or securing the first locking part in the coupling receptacle, and to the locking receptacle a pressure-medium-actuatable locking element is associated for locking the second locking part in the locking receptacle. The self-locking securing element of the coupling receptacle likewise is actuatable by the pressure circuit. |
| US09382685B2 |
Conduit support structure for an industrial machine with saddle block
An industrial machine includes a frame having a base and a boom, an arm movably coupled to the boom, an attachment, a conduit, a first member, and a second member. The boom has a first end coupled to the base and a second end opposite the first end. The arm includes a first end and a second end. The attachment is coupled to the first end of the arm. The conduit extends from the frame to the arm. The first member is pivotably coupled to the frame and supports a first portion of the conduit as the arm moves relative to the boom. The second member is pivotably coupled between the first member and the arm, and supports a second portion of the conduit as the arm moves relative to the boom. |
| US09382684B1 |
Meshless blanket for grass seed
A netless straw mat or blanket for grass seed and other such applications is formed by applying an adhesive to a layer of straw. The layer of straw is compressed and formed into a roll for distribution and use at an installation site. |
| US09382681B2 |
Modular wave-break and bulkhead system
A modular wave-break includes a wall, a tapered base attached to the wall, and an anchor attached to the base. The wall includes a set of dissipating holes integrally formed in the wall and a set of passage holes integrally formed in the wall. A set of eyebolts are connected to the wall. Reinforcing structural rods are embedded in the wall, the tapered base, and the anchor to provide strength. Mounting holes in the tapered base enable the modular wave-break to be secured to a water bottom surface. Multiple modular wave-breaks may be interconnected to form a single wave-break. |
| US09382680B2 |
Auger snow-removing machine
An auger snow-removing machine includes a forward rotation shaft and a reverse rotation shaft disposed on the same axis and aligned in a width direction of an auger housing within the auger housing, and a transmission disposed inside the auger housing such that the forward rotation shaft and the reverse rotation shaft are rotated concurrently in opposite directions by a driving force transmitted from the transmission. A case of the transmission is divided into a front case member and a rear case member at a position behind a reverse rotation drive shaft extending in the width direction of the auger housing. The front case member has a first gear unit assembled therein, and the rear case member has a second gear unit assembled therein. The first and second gear units are assembled together when the front and rear case members are assembled together. |
| US09382677B2 |
Markings of highly viscous material on a surface
A method and device for creating markings of highly viscous marking material on a surface, in particular a road surface. The marking material is discharged from a material supply and, before striking the surface is fed to a rotational body, which moves relative to the surface in a longitudinal direction of the marking, and is applied to the surface divided into unequal material portions by the rotational body. The rotational body axis of rotation runs at right angles to the marking longitudinal direction. The marking material is fed to the rotational body in a plurality of marking material flows, which, viewed in a longitudinal direction of the rotational body, are discharged next to one another from a plurality of discharge nozzles continuously, pulsatingly or intermittently in a pressurized manner. The individual marking material flows are turned on or off in accordance with the marking to be created. |
| US09382676B2 |
Road milling machine for working road or ground surfaces
A road milling machine includes a machine frame, front wheels or tracks, rear wheels or tracks, and a milling drum supported from the machine frame between the rear wheels or tracks. The front wheels or tracks are mounted on pivoting columns. Steering levers are attached to the pivoting columns. A steering tie rod includes a connecting part and a projecting arm. The connecting part is connected to the steering levers. A steering cylinder is connected to a free end of the projecting arm. |
| US09382674B1 |
Concrete finishing machine
A concrete finishing machine includes a mobile frame supported above the slab on front and rear wheels with at least one screed roller and a plurality of vibrators are suspended from the frame between the front and rear wheels. The front and rear wheels are rotatable at least ninety degrees between a longitudinally directed traveling orientation and a laterally directed concrete finishing orientation. The front and rear wheels are driven and steerable so that the mobile frame may travel longitudinally down a lane of a road, and then upon pivoting of the wheels, move laterally over a hole in an adjacent lane having uncured concrete to be finished by the finishing machine. |
| US09382673B2 |
Quick-change tool holder for a compaction drum for a soil compactor
A quick-change tool holder for the attachment of a drum tool to a compaction drum of a soil compactor includes a quick-change tool holder body having a central region, a holder opening for receiving a holder shaft of a drum tool in the central region, and two leg portions originating at the central region for firmly connecting the quick-change tool holder body to the outer periphery of a compaction drum. The central region and the leg portions surrounding an open inner space of the quick-change tool holder extend over at least one side opening. In association with at least one side opening, a closing element can be inserted therein. |
| US09382671B2 |
Foamed glass composite material and a method for using the same
A method of slowing an aircraft overrunning a runway, including paving an area immediately beyond the end of a runway with foamed glass bodies to define a bed, covering the bed with a layer of cementitious material to define a composite bed, and crushing at least a portion of the composite bed with an oncoming aircraft, wherein crushing the at least a portion of the composite bed removes kinetic energy from the oncoming aircraft to slow the oncoming aircraft. The composite bed is generally resistant to fire. |
| US09382669B2 |
Rail loading and unloading machine
A rail loading and unloading machine includes a plurality of cars for pick-up, processing, and loading of ribbon rail segments on a rail transport train. A pick-up car provides a rail lifting and manipulating apparatus for pick-up of rail from alongside the machine. A guide box aids guiding of the rail toward a primary drive unit. A crossover car includes components to steer the rail to a right or left side of the machine for processing and loading. A processing car includes a cutting station, drill station, crane, and secondary drive unit. The drill station is retractably stowed below a walkway to provide workspace for an operator to install joining plates on segments of rail. The secondary drive unit is disposed opposite the cutting and drill stations from the primary drive unit such that separate sections of rail on opposite sides of a cut or joint can be driven independently. |
| US09382668B2 |
Machine and method for railway track maintenance, for track levelling, alignment, compaction and stabilisation, capable of operating without interrupting the forward movement thereof
The invention refers to a machine and a method used to level, align and stabilise the track and compact the ballast bed, producing controlled lifting, so that the load used in the settlement of the rail in its theoretical position falls within the established range, working in an uninterrupted manner. The machine is constituted by two bogies with traction capacity, and front, back and centre control cabins and a rear and frontal measuring tensioner trolleys. The machine has an additional lifting unit whose relative movement with the rest of the machine in controlled by total longitudinal cylinder. The alignment cylinders generate a transversal movement to cause track alignment. Behind this unit according to the direction of work a stabilising unit is situated which consists of two stabilising trolleys. The ground-penetrating radar is situated at the machine front. |
| US09382667B2 |
Rail clip
A rail clip for fastening railway rails to rail ties. The clip consists of U-shaped member formed from metal plate having a base with a free end and the other end curving upwards with an internal radius of 18 mm or less and a short straight section followed by a second curve and two tapered arms extending therefrom or beyond the curve, said base adapted to be secured to said tie outwardly spaced from the foot of said rail, said arms being bent downwards in a third curve beyond said base and finally the tip portion of said arms being bent backwards in a forth curve toward and short of said base to form toes which are orientated for contact with the top surface of the rail base such that said arms and toes are deflected upwards relative to said rail to develop downward clamping forces at the said toes which hold the said rail on the said tie to restrain longitudinal, lateral and vertical movement; after the said clip is formed it is hardened and tempered and then cold set by loading it in the same manner as occurs in track but the applied load is increased until the yield is passed and the clip is permanently deformed, the load is then removed & the process is repeated at least once. |
| US09382666B2 |
Soft through air dried tissue
A multi-layer through air dried tissue including a first exterior layer comprised substantially of hardwood fibers, an interior layer comprised substantially of softwood fibers, and a second exterior layer comprised substantially of hardwood fibers. The interior layer includes a first wet end additive comprising an ionic surfactant and a second wet end additive comprising a non-ionic surfactant. |
| US09382664B2 |
Creping adhesive compositions and methods of using those compositions
Improvements to absorbent sheet manufacture include spraying a softener onto the web and providing a creping adhesive to a surface of a heated drying cylinder of a Yankee dryer such that a creping adhesive coating is formed, the creping adhesive comprising a poly(aminoamide)epihalohydrin (PAE) resin and a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, wherein the polyvinyl alcohol copolymer includes functional repeat units selected from carboxylate repeat units, sulfonate repeat units as well as combinations of the comonomers. A preferred PAE resin is fully crosslinked PAE resin. |
| US09382662B2 |
Method for improving efficiency of uhle boxes in the process of paper production by applying a homogeneous mixture of superheated humid air
The invention comprises a method for improving efficiency of uhle boxes in the process of paper manufacturing. The essence of the invention is the use of a homogeneous mixture of superheated humid air in the press section of a paper machine. A very intense mixing of air and steam takes place in venturi injector which creates a mixture, with appropriate composition and temperature, directed to a blowing nozzle. The mixture is then used in the forced flow through felt to a suction slot installed under the felt. The time ratio of the flow of homogeneous mixture of superheated humid air versus longitudinal movement of felt equals the actual working surface area of the suction slot. Extended working area directly influences the quality of felts conditioning and paper dewatering in the press section. |
| US09382661B2 |
Induction heating unit and fixing device and image forming apparatus including this
A induction heating unit is configured to inductively heat a heating member being rotated in a predetermined rotating direction by magnetic flux. The induction heating unit includes a housing, a magnetic flux generating source, a core member and a securing member. The magnetic flux generating source is fixed to the housing so as to extend in a sheet width direction intersecting the rotating direction and is configured to generate the magnetic flux. The core member is made of magnetic material, is secured to the housing and is configured so as to make a magnetic path through which the magnetic flux passes. The securing member is made of thermal contraction material and is contracted by being heated at predetermined temperature to secure the core member to the housing. |
| US09382654B2 |
Method of determining a load size in a laundry treating appliance
Method of determining a laundry load size in a laundry treating appliance comprising a rotatable drum at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving laundry for treatment in accordance with a treating cycle of operation, an imaging device, and a controller having a processor, the method includes generating an images, detecting, marking in the generated image, and determining, by the controller, a load size based on the image. |
| US09382653B2 |
Washing machine
The present disclosure relates to a washing machine that may include an integrated tub/drum that has a cylindrical shape or a truncated conical shape, stores water, holds or accommodates laundry together with the water, rotates, and has an opening in one region of the integrated tub/drum; a drum cover that separably or removably covers the opening of the integrated tub/drum and is separable or removable from the opening; and a cover hinge that is at one side and/or edge of the opening of the integrated tub/drum, and rotatably supports one side of the drum cover. |
| US09382652B2 |
Laundry machine and controlling method of the same
The present invention relates to a laundry machine and a controlling method, which can remove allergens on the laundry. A controlling method of a laundry machine includes a mite-killing step of supplying seam to a drum to make laundry exposed to a hot environment at or over a temperature and for or over a duration of time, wherein the temperature and the duration are predetermined enough to kill house dust mites on the laundry; a rinsing step of rinsing the laundry; and a spin-drying step of spin-drying the rinsed laundry. The present invention has an advantageous effect of removing allergens including house dust mites, animal hair and pollens efficiently. In addition, if the house dust mites are killed by using steam, energy efficiency is high and an effect of mite-killing is great. |
| US09382649B2 |
Warp knitted fabric and method of manufacturing same
A warp knitted fabric to be used for an epidermis material to avoid stickiness and dampness due to sweating when one is seated for a long time, and which is light-weight and provides superior functionality; has a denbigh stitch texture or a cord stitch textureformed by supplying a base yarn by a front guide bar of a warp knitting machine having at least two guide bars, supplying an insertion yarn by a guide bar rearward of the front guide bar to knit an insertion texture, and knitting the insertion yarn underlapping the insertion yarn in the same direction and by an amount corresponding to the same number of needles as the underlapping of the base yarn supplied by the front guide bar, whereby the insertion yarn is exposed at a sinker-loop-side surface of a warp knitted fabric intermittently in a warp direction. |
| US09382647B2 |
Fibrous structure for a part made of a composite material and having a complex shape
A reinforcing fiber structure woven as a single piece for fabricating a composite material part and including: first and second fiber substructures, each fiber substructure including at least one independent portion obtained by multilayer weaving between a plurality of layers of warp yarns and a plurality of layers of weft yarns that are independent from the other substructure; and an assembly portion between the least first and second fiber substructures in which a plurality of adjacent layers of warp yarns of the first fiber substructure are interlinked by at least some of the warp yarns of the second fiber substructure. |
| US09382646B2 |
Abrasion resistant yarn
The invention relates to a spun yarn comprising at least one natural fiber and staples of a high strength polyethylene fiber, wherein the high strength polyethylene fiber has an initial modulus of at least 40 GPa and a tensile strength of at least 1.4 GPa, wherein the yarn comprises between 1 and 4% by weight staples of the high strength polyethylene fiber. The invention also relates to a fabric comprising the spun yarn and articles comprising said spun yarn or said fabric. |
| US09382644B1 |
Die tip for melt blowing micro- and nano-fibers
A melt-blowing die tip includes a first die tip half and a second die tip half with complementary mating surfaces. A flow system is engraved onto at least one of the mating surfaces. The flow system includes linear melt troughs, which are fluidly connected by channels. Spinning orifices downstream of the last melt trough, which may have diameters over an exceptionally broad range, produce fibers as small as nano-scale. Fasteners secure the two die tip halves, and at least one of the channels includes a curved portion to direct flow around a fastener. The resulting die tip has increased pressure tolerance, greater productivity, reduced costs, and supports the economical mass production of super fine fibers. Optionally, an engraved die plate may be inserted between the die tip halves. When both sides of the die plate are engraved with a flow system, the die may produce bi-component fibers. |
| US09382643B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for forming nanofibers and nanofiber webs
A nozzle, die, apparatus, system and method for forming a fiber population having a median diameter less than one micrometer, and nonwoven fibrous webs including a population of such sub-micrometer fibers. The nozzle includes a first conduit having a first terminal end, a second conduit positioned coaxially around the first conduit and having a second terminal end proximate the first terminal end, wherein the first and second conduit form an annular channel between the first and second conduit, and additionally wherein the first terminal end extends axially outwardly beyond the second terminal end. The die includes at least one such nozzle, and the apparatus and system include at least one such die. Methods of making nonwoven fibrous webs including a population of sub-micrometer fibers, and articles including such nonwoven fibrous webs, are also disclosed. |
| US09382633B2 |
Systems and methods of improved fermentation
Devices, systems and methods for processing cellulosic material to produce fermentable sugars are provided. Devices, systems and methods for increasing fermentation rates of microbes via biostimulation are provided. Electrodes are preferably positioned along an interior or exterior of a tube-shaped component to administer electromagnetic/electric pulses to a solution comprising a microbe. Systems can advantageously be used in new biofuels production plants, or in existing biofuels production plants without the need for significant retrofits. |
| US09382632B2 |
Electrochemical fluorination for processing of used nuclear fuel
A galvanic cell and methods of using the galvanic cell is described for the recovery of uranium from used nuclear fuel according to an electrofluorination process. The galvanic cell requires no input energy and can utilize relatively benign gaseous fluorinating agents. Uranium can be recovered from used nuclear fuel in the form of gaseous uranium compound such as uranium hexafluoride, which can then be converted to metallic uranium or UO2 and processed according to known methodology to form a useful product, e.g., fuel pellets for use in a commercial energy production system. |
| US09382630B2 |
Zinc alloy coated steel sheet having good sealer adhesion and corrosion resistance and process of manufacturing the same
There is provided a zinc alloy coated steel sheet including a vacuum deposited layer capable of improving corrosion resistance and sealer adhesion that are suitable for the use in automobiles, and a process of manufacturing the same. The zinc alloy coated steel sheet includes a zinc coating layer formed on a steel sheet; and a zinc/metal alloy deposited layer formed on the zinc coating layer, wherein the zinc coating layer, and a metal diffusion layer is present in the zinc coating layer. |
| US09382629B2 |
Preventing equipment fouling via corrosion reduction
An embodiment prevents equipment fouling (deposition of unwanted material) in an oil recovery system via implementing passivation of metallic components. By preventing or at least slowing or inhibiting corrosion of equipment or components via passivation, such as passivating heat exchangers, metallic piping, and the like, an embodiment in turn reduces fouling thereof. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09382627B2 |
Methods and materials for anchoring gapfill metals
One aspect of the present invention includes a method of fabricating an electronic device. According to one embodiment, the method comprises providing a substrate having dielectric oxide surface areas adjacent to electrically conductive surface areas, chemically bonding an anchor compound with the dielectric oxide surface areas so as to form an anchor layer, initiating the growth of a metal using the electrically conductive surface areas and growing the metal so that the anchor layer also bonds with the metal. The anchor compound has at least one functional group capable of forming a chemical bond with the oxide surface and has at least one functional group capable of forming a chemical bond with the metal. Another aspect of the present invention is an electronic device. A third aspect of the present invention is a solution comprising the anchor compound. |
| US09382620B2 |
Electrical contact element for a fuel cell having an ultra-thin conductive layer coating
An electrically conductive fluid distribution element for use in a fuel cell includes a conductive metal substrate and a layer of conductive non-metallic porous media. The conductive non-metallic porous media has an electrically conductive material deposited along a surface in one or more metallized regions and having an average thickness less than about 40 nm. The metallized regions improve electrical conductance at contact regions between the metal substrate and the fluid distribution media. |
| US09382618B2 |
Oxygen-free atomic layer deposition of indium sulfide
A method for synthesizing an In(III) N,N′-diisopropylacetamidinate precursor including cooling a mixture comprised of diisopropylcarbodiimide and diethyl ether to approximately −30° C., adding methyllithium drop-wise into the mixture, allowing the mixture to warm to room temperature, adding indium(III) chloride as a solid to the mixture to produce a white solid, dissolving the white solid in pentane to form a clear and colorless solution, filtering the mixture over a celite plug, and evaporating the solution under reduced pressure to obtain a solid In(III) N,N′-diisopropylacetamidinate precursor. This precursor has been further used to develop a novel atomic layer deposition technique for indium sulfide by dosing a reactor with the precursor, purging with nitrogen, dosing with dilute hydrogen sulfide, purging again with nitrogen, and repeating these steps to increase growth. |
| US09382617B2 |
Rod-type polysilicon having improved breaking properties
Rod-type, polycrystalline silicon having a rod diameter of >100 mm are obtained by deposition of silicon-containing gas according to the Siemens method, wherein the Si rods are brought into contact with hydrogen at the end of the deposition process during cooling in the reactor, and the cooled Si rods obtained have in perpendicular cross section cracks and/or radial stresses having a defined size. |
| US09382615B2 |
Vapor deposition of LiF thin films
A vapor deposition process for forming a thin film on a substrate in a reaction chamber where the process includes contacting the substrate with a fluoride precursor. The process results in the formation of a lithium fluoride thin film. |
| US09382612B2 |
Lanthanum target for sputtering
Provided are a lanthanum target for sputtering which has a recrystallized structure with an average crystal grain size of 100 μm or less and has no spotty macro patterns on the surface; and a method of producing a lanthanum target for sputtering, wherein lanthanum is melted and cast to produce an ingot, the ingot is subject to knead forging at a temperature of 300 to 500° C. and subsequently subject to hot upset forging to form the shape into a rough target shape, and this is additionally subject to machining to obtain a target. This invention aims to offer technology for efficiently and stably providing a lanthanum target for sputtering which has no spotty macro patterns on the surface, and a method of producing the same. |
| US09382611B2 |
Sputtering target, method for manufacturing sputtering target, and method for forming thin film
There have been cases where transistors formed using oxide semiconductors are inferior in reliability to transistors formed using amorphous silicon. Thus, in the present invention, a semiconductor device including a highly reliable transistor formed using an oxide semiconductor is manufactured. An oxide semiconductor film is deposited by a sputtering method, using a sputtering target including an oxide semiconductor having crystallinity, and in which the direction of the c-axis of a crystal is parallel to a normal vector of the top surface of the oxide semiconductor. The target is formed by mixing raw materials so that its composition ratio can obtain a crystal structure. |
| US09382608B2 |
Method for manufacturing a stainless steel product
The invention relates to a method for making a thin finished product to be formed by deformation that combines strength with resistance to a highly corrosive environment. The method comprises forming a sheet of stainless steel with a microstructure consisting predominantly of ferrite, austenite, martensite or a mixture thereof, with a thickness of less than 3 mm, to a three dimensional semi finished product, treating said semi finished product with a nitrogen-containing atmosphere at a temperature of between 1000° C. and 1200° C. during a time and under a nitrogen pressure, sufficient to saturate the product through the thickness with a nitrogen content between a lower limit of 0.3 wt % and an upper limit that is provided by the beginning of nitride separation, cooling down said product at such a rate and nitrogen pressure that nitride separation is avoided, and subsequently machining the nitrogen saturated semi- finished product to the finished product. The invention further relates to a rotary shaving assembly prepared by the method of the invention. |
| US09382604B2 |
Apparatus and method for forming amorphous coating film
An apparatus for forming an amorphous coating film by jetting flame containing particles of a flame spray material from a flame spray gun toward a base material, causing the particles to be melted by the flame, and cooling both the particles and the flame with the means of a cooling gas before they reach the base material. The apparatus includes a tubular member provided among the path along which the flame is jetted that it surrounds the flame passing through a melting zone in which the particles are melted. The tubular member has a flow channel for the cooling gas, formed along and integrally to the tubular member. |
| US09382603B2 |
Metal tape material and interconnector for solar module current collection
A metal tape material contains a metal having face centered cubic lattice structure, in which metal tape material an area fraction A1 of a preferentially <100>oriented region are within an orientation difference of 15° C. relative to a thickness direction of the metal tape material and further within an orientation difference of 15° C. relative to a first in-plane direction of the metal tape material is 60% or greater and not greater than 100%, and, where an area fraction of a preferentially <212>oriented region are within an orientation difference of 15° relative to the thickness direction and further within an orientation difference of 15° relative to the first in-plane direction is defined as A2, the total of the area fraction of the preferentially <212>oriented region and the area fraction of the preferentially <100>oriented region, A1+A2, is greater than 70% and not greater than 100%. |
| US09382602B2 |
High content PCBN compact including W-RE binder
The present invention relates to tungsten-rhenium coated compounds, materials formed from tungsten-rhenium coated compounds, and to methods of forming the same. In embodiments, tungsten and rhenium are coated on ultra hard material particles to form coated ultra hard material particles, and the coated ultra hard material particles are sintered at high temperature and high pressure. |
| US09382599B2 |
Rotary degasser and rotor therefor
A device for dispersing gas into molten metal includes an impeller, a drive shaft having a gas-transfer passage therein, and a first end and a second end, and a drive source. The second end of the drive shaft is connected to the impeller and the first end is connected to the drive source. The impeller includes a first portion and a second portion with a plurality of cavities. The first portion covers the second portion to help prevent gas from escaping to the surface without entering the cavities and being mixed with molten metal as the impeller rotates. When gas is transferred through the gas-transfer passage, it exits through the gas-release opening(s) in the bottom of the impeller. At least some of the gas enters the cavities where it is mixed with the molten metal being displaced by the impeller. Also disclosed are impellers that can be used to practice the invention. |
| US09382594B2 |
Process and apparatus for producing pressed articles
A method is provided for producing pressed articles which contain direct-reduced, fine particulate iron (direct reduced iron, DRI) from a fluidized bed reduction system for direct reduction of fine particulate iron ore, wherein direct-reduced, fine particulate iron produced in the fluidized bed reduction system during direct reduction is compacted into pressed articles. Dry, fine particulate material containing at least fine particulate iron ore and optionally fine particulate iron and carbon is admixed to the direct-reduced fine particulate iron and the mixture thus obtained is subsequently compacted into pressed articles. An apparatus for carrying out such method is also provided. |
| US09382591B2 |
Compositions for detecting Alicyclobacillus microorganisms
The invention provides nucleic acids, collections of nucleic acids, supports, assay kits, and methods for the sensitive and specific detection of microorganisms in a foodstuff. The nucleic acid comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1-15 and having a length of no more than 35 nucleotides. |
| US09382575B2 |
Biomolecule detection apparatus including plurality of electrodes
A biomolecule detection apparatus comprising a nanopore device having a front surface and rear surface and including a nanopore having a nano-sized diameter; a reservoir disposed adjacent to a rear surface of the nanopore device; and a power supply unit comprising a first electrode disposed in a front of the nanopore device; a second electrode disposed inside the reservoir; and a third electrode disposed adjacent the nanopore and between the first electrode and the second electrode; as well as a method of using the biomolecule detection apparatus to detect a biomolecule in a sample. |
| US09382572B2 |
Methods of determining biocide efficacy or mechanism of action using flow cytometry
Disclosed are methods of determining biocide efficacy using flow cytometry. The methods can be used to determine the synergy between at least two biocides. |
| US09382569B1 |
Fast detection of the presence of a target microbe in a liquid sample
A system is provided that includes a tray having a number of compartments for holding liquid samples and partitioning the liquid samples from one another. The liquid samples are prepared by adding an indicator configured to produce a characteristic change in light from the liquid samples when a target microbe metabolizes the indicator while the liquid samples are incubated. The system also includes a light sensor for sensing light from the liquid samples held in the tray while the plurality of liquid samples is incubated. The system further includes a processor coupled with the light sensor and configured to analyze the light from the liquid samples while the liquid samples are incubated to detect the characteristic change in light from one or more of the liquid samples if the target microbe is present in the liquid samples. |
| US09382568B2 |
Determining the sensitivity of a cell to a drug
The present invention provides an in vitro method for determining the resistance or sensitivity of a cell line or patient sample to a deoxyribonucleoside kinase-dependent drug, wherein the method comprises the steps of: (i) treating a patient sample or cell line, or a portion thereof, with a deoxyribonucleoside kinase-dependent drug; (ii) lysing the cells of the patient sample or cell line from step (i); (iii) optionally, mixing a portion of the cell lysate from step (ii) with a bioluminescent reporter bacteria incorporating a gene coding for deoxyribonucleoside kinase; (iv) mixing a portion of the cell lysate from (ii) with a bioluminescent reporter bacteria incorporating a gene coding for a deoxyribonucleoside kinase and a deoxyribonucleoside kinase transcription promoter; (v) mixing a portion of the cell lysate from step (ii) with a bioluminescent reporter bacteria incorporating a gene coding for a deoxyribonucleoside kinase, a deoxyribonucleoside kinase transcription promoter and a dephosphorylating agent; and (vi) measuring the bioluminescence of each of the mixtures from steps (iii) to (v), wherein the comparative levels of bioluminescence of each of the mixtures provides a measure of the resistance or sensitivity to the drug. |
| US09382565B2 |
Generation of nucleic acid molecules
The present invention relates generally to methods for generating single stranded nucleic acid molecules following enhanced solid phase polynucleotide amplification. The present invention employs an amplification reaction using primers with differential priming properties at particular annealing conditions or an immobilized primer nested between two aqueous phase primers. Thus, by primer design, solid support primer participation is enhanced relative to aqueous phase primers. The subject invention further provides methods for labeling solid matrices with single and double stranded nucleic acid molecules. Kits for generating single stranded nucleic acid molecules and for conducting amplification reactions also form part of the present invention. The present invention further provides amplification systems for the generation of single stranded nucleic acid molecules optionally labelled with a reporter molecule and their use inter alia as labels, primers and probes. |
| US09382564B2 |
Diversification of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) or precursors thereof
A method of diversification of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) or precursors thereof, compounds obtainable by the method, and uses and compositions involving such compounds. The method comprises a) providing at least one compound or a mixture of the compounds selected from the group consisting of: optionally sialylated and/or fucosylated lactose derivatives of general formula 2 and salts thereof; b) adding at least one enzyme comprising a transglycosidase activity to the at least one compound or a mixture of compounds provided according to step a); and c) incubating the mixture obtained according to step b). |
| US09382562B2 |
Strains of Serratia plymuthica producing turanose and uses thereof
The present invention relates to a strain of Serratia plymuthica capable of producing turanose and mutants of said strain. Methods of producing turanose utilizing the disclosed strains of Serraitia plymuthica are also provided. |
| US09382556B2 |
Microorganisms for the production of adipic acid and other compounds
The invention provides a non-naturally occurring microbial organism having an adipate, 6-aminocaproic acid or caprolactam pathway. The microbial organism contains at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding an enzyme in the respective adipate, 6-aminocaproic acid or caprolactam pathway. The invention additionally provides a method for producing adipate, 6-aminocaproic acid or caprolactam. The method can include culturing an adipate, 6-aminocaproic acid or caprolactam producing microbial organism, where the microbial organism expresses at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding an adipate, 6-aminocaproic acid or caprolactam pathway enzyme in a sufficient amount to produce the respective product, under conditions and for a sufficient period of time to produce adipate, 6-aminocaproic acid or caprolactam. |
| US09382555B2 |
Polypetide with enhanced beta-glucosidase activity at low temperature
The invention relates to a polypeptide which has enhanced beta-glucosidase activity at a temperature of between about 30° C. and about 35° C. |
| US09382554B2 |
Methods for isoprene and pinene production in cyanobacteria
Methods of isoprenoid production are provided by the present invention. In particular, transgenic Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 cyanobacteria and methods for producing isoprene and pinene using a host transgenic Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 cyanobacterium are provided. |
| US09382552B2 |
Minicircles with viral expression cassettes and their use in the transformation of cells for generating recombinant virus or viral gene vectors
The invention relates to a minicircle transfer vector for producing viral vectors comprising a transfer sequence and specific packing signals flanking both sides of the transfer sequence for packaging of the transfer sequence into particles of a viral vector. The invention also relates to minicircle packaging vectors carrying support functions for producing viral vectors. The invention further relates to cells bearing the disclosed minicircles. The invention further relates to methods for producing viral vectors using such minicircles and viral vectors obtained thereby, as well as kits useful in performing the described methods. |
| US09382550B2 |
Insect resistant cotton plants and methods for identifying same
The invention provides specific transgenic cotton plants, plant material and seeds, characterized in that these products harbor a specific transformation event at a specific location in the cotton genome. Tools are also provided which allow rapid and unequivocal identification of the event in biological samples. |
| US09382549B2 |
Glyphosate resistant plants and associated methods
The present disclosure relates to certain polypeptides derived from prokaryotic DGT enzymes, and nucleic acids useful in encoding the same, for example, novel polypeptides involved in metabolism of N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine, and nucleic acids encoding such polypeptides. In some examples, such a polypeptide confers (or increases) tolerance to glyphosate in a plant cell wherein the polypeptide is heterologously expressed, for example, without adversely affecting the binding of EPSP synthase with its natural substrate, phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP). |
| US09382547B2 |
Human optimized Bacillus anthracis protective antigen
The invention relates to a humanized nucleic acid construct from Bacillus anthracis protective antigen (PA) gene and method of modifying the gene. The humanized gene, and method of producing it, improves the structural fidelity of expressed protein product, when produced in mammalian host cells, to native, bacterially produced protein. The construct is useful in nucleic acid based vaccine formulations against B. anthracis. |
| US09382545B2 |
CpG oligonucleotide analogs containing hydrophobic T analogs with enhanced immunostimulatory activity
The invention relates to oligonucleotides including at least one lipophilic substituted nucleotide analog and a pyrimidine-purine dinucleotide. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use thereof. |
| US09382543B2 |
Treatment of pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase 1 (PYCR1) related diseases by inhibition of natural antisense transcript to PYCR1
The present invention relates to antisense oligonucleotides that modulate the expression of and/or function of Pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase 1 (PYCR1), in particular, by targeting natural antisense polynucleotides of Pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase 1 (PYCR1). The invention also relates to the identification of these antisense oligonucleotides and their use in treating diseases and disorders associated with the expression of PYCR1. |
| US09382540B2 |
Compositions and methods for modulating angiopoietin-like 3 expression
Provided herein are methods, compounds, and compositions for reducing expression of an ANGPTL3 mRNA and protein in an animal. Also provided herein are methods, compounds, and compositions for reducing lipids and/or glucose in an animal. Such methods, compounds, and compositions are useful to treat, prevent, delay, or ameliorate any one or more of cardiovascular disease and/or metabolic disease, or a symptom thereof, in an individual in need thereof. |
| US09382533B2 |
Method for generating aptamers with improved off-rates
The present disclosure describes the identification and use of aptamers and photoaptamers having slower dissociation rate constants than those obtained using previously described methods. Specifically, the present disclosure describes methods for the identification and use of aptamers to one or more targets within a histological or cytological sample, which have slow rates of dissociation. The aptamers may be used to assess localization, relative density, and presence or absence of one or more targets in cytological and histological samples. Targets may be selected that are specific and diagnostic of a given disease state for which the sample was collected. The aptamers may also be used to introduce target specific signal moieties. In addition to target identification, the aptamers may be used to amplify signal generation through a variety of methods. |
| US09382528B2 |
Nitrile hydratase
Improving wild nitrile hydratase enables the provision of a protein which has nitrile hydratase activity and which has further improved heat resistance, amide compound resistance and high temperature accumulation properties. Use protein (A) or (B), (A) being a protein characterised by having nitrile hydratase activity and by including an amino acid sequence in which a specific amino acid residue in an amino acid sequence in wild nitrile hydratase has been substituted by another amino acid residue, and (B) being a protein characterised by having nitrile hydratase activity and by including an amino acid sequence in which one or several amino acid residues in the amino acid sequence of protein (A), other than the abovementioned specific amino acid residue, is deleted, substituted and/or added. |
| US09382524B2 |
Variants of a family 44 xyloglucanase
The present invention relates to variants of a parent xyloglucanase. The present invention also relates to polynucleotides encoding the variant xyloglucanases and to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotide. |
| US09382523B2 |
Method of producing a lipolytic enzyme
The present invention provides a transformed or transfected Trichoderma reesei cell comprising one or more of: (i) at least one heterologous nucleotide sequence encoding a lipolytic enzyme comprising an amino acid sequence shown as SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2, (ii) at least one heterologous nucleotide sequence encoding a lipolytic enzyme wherein the nucleotide sequence comprises the nucleotide sequence shown as SEQ ID NO: 3 or SEQ ID NO: 4, or (iii) at least one heterologous nucleotide sequence encoding a lipolytic enzyme wherein the nucleotide sequence comprises the nucleotide sequence which hybridizes to SEQ ID NO: 3 or SEQ ID NO: 4 or a nucleotide sequence which is at least 40% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 3 or SEQ ID NO: 4; and culturing the cell under conditions to allow for expression of the heterologous nucleotide sequence(s) encoding the lipolytic enzyme. |
| US09382511B2 |
Bioreactor outlet air conditioning systems and associated methods
A bioreactor outlet air conditioning system (10) has a bioreactor vessel (100) and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger has a fluid flow path (196) from a headspace (108) in the vessel for venting air from the vessel, and a temperature control element (300) in thermal contact with the fluid flow path (196). The fluid flow path (196) may be defined by a disposable portion of the bioreactor vessel (100). A method of controlling evaporation within a bioreactor vessel (100), dependent on the required evaporation rate, adjusts the temperature of the temperature control element (300) to control the rate of evaporation of the liquid media (106) from the vessel (100), and may include monitoring fluids in the fluid flow path (196) to detect at least water content of the fluids exiting the vessel to adjust the temperature and control the rate of evaporation dependent on the detected water content levels. |
| US09382503B2 |
Carpet cleaning composition
A carpet cleaning detergent comprises: a) 0.001% to 40% w/v of a bactericidally active water-insoluble cationic compound in its salt form; b) 0.001 to 40% w/v of an anionic surfactant; c) 0.1 to 10 wt % bleach; d) a resoil prevention polymer; and e) up to 98% w/v of water. |
| US09382501B2 |
Pyran as floral odorant
The present invention relates to a composition of matter comprising 1) at least 70% of at least a compound of formula (I) in the form of any one of its stereoisomers or a mixture thereof, and wherein R represents —a hydrogen atom and the dotted line represents a carbon-carbon single or double bond; or —a CH2 group bonded with C4 and C5 and the dotted line represents a carbon-carbon single bond; 2) at most 30% of at least a compound of formula (II) in the form of any one of its stereoisomers or a mixture thereof, and wherein R represents —a hydrogen atom and the dotted line represents a carbon-carbon single or double bond; or —a CH2 group bonded with C4 and C5 and the dotted line represents a carbon-carbon single bond; and wherein the percentages are w/w percentages relative to the total weight of the composition. Said compositions are useful perfuming ingredients of the floral, lily of the valley type. |
| US09382497B2 |
Lubricant for a plunger and production method thereof
An oil-based graphite lubricant for a plunger includes graphite that is used as a solid lubricant, and an organic bentonite swollen by a mineral oil and a surfactant that are used as a graphite dispersant. The lubricant is prepared by a method which includes a first step of causing an organic bentonite to swell in the mineral oil, a second step of adding a surfactant, and a third step of adding and dispersing graphite. |
| US09382495B1 |
Polyhydroxyalkyl ether amines and fuels containing them
A fuel additive and method for improving fuel economy in an engine. The method includes providing a fuel composition to an engine, wherein the fuel composition includes gasoline and from about 10 to about 750 ppm by weight based on a total weight of the fuel composition of a fuel stable additive of the formula wherein R1 comprises a saturated hydrocarbyl group having from 6 to 30 carbon atoms, R2 is an alkyl, polyalkyl, alkoxyalkyl or polyalkoxyalkyl group containing from 2 to 25 carbon atoms, R3 is an alkyl group containing from 2 to 5 carbon atoms, R4 is a linear alkyl group containing 2 to 3 carbon atoms, and x is an integer selected from 0 and 1, and combusting the fuel composition in the engine. |
| US09382494B2 |
Methods for reducing heavy oil viscosity
A stabilized nano-Fe6-iron-crown ether complex is added to a heavy oil to reduce the viscosity of the heavy oil. The complex may be formed by preparing a solution of an iron salt and an oligomer crown compound in dialkylamine or diethylamine. Sodium tetrahydroboron (NaBH4) and dialkylamine or ethylendiamine are added at a temperature of 0-10° C. The mixture is heated to room temperature and boiled, thereby converting the formed iron (II)-borhydride complex (Fe(BH4)2) to a crown ether—iron-hydride complex [CWFe06].(2H)6. At higher temperature this last complex is converted to the Fe06-crown nanocomposite complex. The prepared nanoparticle Fe6° complex may be stabilized by inclusion into a cavity of a macrocyclic compound, and may be (1) added to diesel fuel to reduce NOx emissions upon combustion of that fuel; (2) added to lubricating oils as an anticorrosion additive; and (3) used as an additive to secondary recovery processes within liquid hydrocarbon formations to increase the sweep efficiency and recovery factor of water-flooding operations. |
| US09382493B2 |
Ash-free coal production method
Provided is an ash-free coal production method without the need to once re-liquefy and form an ash-free coal. The ash-free coal production method includes an extraction step of mixing coal with a solvent to prepare a slurry and heating the slurry to extract a solvent-soluble coal component; a separation step of separating a solution containing the solvent-soluble coal component from the slurry obtained from the extraction step; an ash-free coal obtaining step of evaporatively separating the solvent from the solution separated in the separation step to obtain an ash-free coal. The ash-free coal obtaining step in the production method is performed so that the solvent is evaporatively separated from the solution to give a liquid ash-free coal, and the liquid ash-free coal is brought into contact with a solidifier (e.g., water) to solidify into a predetermined shape. |
| US09382489B2 |
Renewable heating fuel oil
More stable and valuable bio-oil produced from biomasses are provided. More specifically, more stable and valuable bio-oil useful as heating oil, alone or in combination with an oxygenated acyclic component, is provided. Particularly, various embodiments of the present invention provide for a bio-oil having sufficient heating value and stability to be useful as heating oil, alone or in combination with an oxygenated acyclic component, without the need to hydrotreat the bio-oil or use a similar deoxygenating process. |
| US09382488B2 |
Gasification reactor
Gasification reactor and process for the production of synthesis gas by partial combustion of a carbonaceous feed. The reactor comprises a reactor chamber with one or more burners and at least one oil lance extending into the reactor chamber. The oil lances can for instance be located at a level 1.5 meters or less below or above the burners. |
| US09382486B2 |
Integrated hydrotreating, solvent deasphalting and steam pyrolysis process for direct processing of a crude oil
A process is provided that is directed to a steam pyrolysis zone integrated with a hydrotreating zone and a solvent deasphalting zone to permit direct processing of crude oil feedstocks to produce petrochemicals including olefins and aromatics. The integrated hydrotreating, solvent deasphalting and steam pyrolysis process comprises charging the crude oil to a hydroprocessing zone to produce a hydroprocessed effluent; charging the hydroprocessed effluent to a solvent deasphalting zone to produce a deasphalted and demetalized oil stream and a bottom asphalt phase; thermally cracking the deasphalted and demetalized oil stream in the presence of steam to produce a mixed product stream; separating the mixed product stream; purifying hydrogen recovered from the mixed product stream and recycling it to the hydroprocessing zone; recovering olefins and aromatics from the separated mixed product stream; and recovering pyrolysis fuel oil from the separated mixed product stream. |
| US09382485B2 |
Petroleum upgrading process
A method and apparatus for upgrading a petroleum feedstock with supercritical water are provided. The method includes the steps of: (1) heating and pressurizing a petroleum feedstock; (2) heating and pressurizing a water feed to above the supercritical point of water; (3) combining the heated and pressurized petroleum feedstock and the heated and pressurized water feed to produce a combined feed; (4) supplying the combined feed to a hydrothermal reactor to produce a first product stream; (5) supplying the first product stream to a post-treatment process unit to produce a second product stream; and (6) separating the second product stream into a treated and upgraded petroleum stream and a water stream. |
| US09382481B2 |
Polarizing film, display device and production process thereof
A polarizing film comprising a substrate, and a photo alignment film and a light absorption anisotropic film laminated on the substrate in this order, wherein the light absorption anisotropic film has a content ratio of 30% by mass or less of a liquid crystalline non-colorable low molecular weight compound and is obtained by fixing the alignment of a dichroic dye composition comprising at least one nematic liquid crystalline azo dichroic dye; in X-ray diffraction measurement thereof, diffraction peaks derived from periodic structure along a vertical direction to the alignment axis are present, the period indicated by at least one of the diffraction peaks is 3.0 to 15.0 Å and an intensity of the diffraction peak does not show a maximum value in the range of ±70° of the film normal line direction in a plane vertical to the alignment axis. |
| US09382476B2 |
Method for preparing silicate phosphor and the silicate phosphor
The present disclosure relates to a method for preparing a silicate phosphor and the silicate phosphor. The method includes (1) a hydrothermal treatment step of obtaining a layered silicate substituted with a rare-earth metal by hydrothermally treating an aqueous solution as a reaction solution, the solution containing rare-earth metal ions, NaOH and silica, and (2) a calcinating step of forming a crystalline silicate by calcinating the layered silicate substituted with the rare-earth metal. According to the method for preparing the silicate phosphor, the silicate phosphors, which can be used as phosphors for LEDs in the aspects of high covalent character, high luminescent intensity and stability at high temperature, may be prepared by a simplified, economic process. Also, the silicate phosphors may selectively emit red, green or blue light by virtue of the substitution of a silicon position with rare-earth metals of various types. |
| US09382475B2 |
Phosphor, light-emitting device and use thereof
The present invention provides: a phosphor which can be combined with a blue LED to emit white light having a low color temperature as in the case where the phosphor is used singly, has a broad fluorescence spectrum, high light emission efficiency, and thermal/chemical stability, and rarely undergoes the deterioration in brightness at higher temperatures. This phosphor is represented by the general formula: Mx(Si,Al)2(N,O)3±y (wherein M independently represent Li or at least one alkali earth metal element; and x and y fulfill the requirement represented by the formulae: 0.52≦x≦0.9 and 0≦y≦0.3) wherein some of M are substituted by element Ce, and wherein the Si/Al atomic ratio is 1.5 to 6 inclusive, the O/N atomic ratio is 0 to 0.1 inclusive, 5-50 mol % of M's is Li, and 0.5-10 mol % of M is Ce. |
| US09382472B2 |
Transformative wavelength conversion medium
A transformative wavelength conversion medium is provided, comprising: a phosphor; and, a curable liquid component, wherein the curable liquid component, comprises: an aliphatic resin component, wherein the aliphatic resin component has an average of at least two epoxide groups per molecule; and, a curing agent; wherein the curable liquid component contains less than 0.5 wt % of monoepoxide molecules (based on the total weight of the aliphatic resin component); wherein the curable liquid component contains 1 to 90 wt % of polyepoxide molecules containing at least three epoxide groups per molecule (based on the total weight of the aliphatic resin component); and, wherein the curable liquid component is a liquid at 25° C. and atmospheric pressure; wherein the phosphor is dispersed in the curable liquid component. |
| US09382471B2 |
Silicone product, a lighting unit comprising the silicone product and method of manufacturing a silicone product
A silicone product 100, a lighting unit comprising the silicone product and a method of manufacturing a silicone product are provided. The silicone product 100 comprises polymeric material 110, luminescent material 130 and filler particles 120. The polymeric material 110 comprises a material of the group of polysiloxanes. The polymeric material 110 being light transmitting. The luminescent material 130 comprises particles which have at least in one dimension a size in the nanometer range. The luminescent material 130 is configured to absorb light of a first spectral range and to convert a portion of the absorbed light into light of a second spectral range. The filler particles 120 are of a light transmitting inert material. The filler particles 120 are miscible with the luminescent material 130. The filler particles 120 are provided in the polymeric material 110. The particles of luminescent material 130 are distributed along a surface of the filler particles 120. |
| US09382469B2 |
Process for the production of coated proppants
The present invention relates to a process for the production of coated proppants, proppants obtainable by such a process, uses thereof and processes using the proppants. The process for the production of coated proppants comprises the following steps: (a) mixing a proppant with a polyol component and an isocyanate component, wherein the polyol component consists of a phenolic resin and optionally one or more other hydroxy group—containing compounds, wherein the isocyanate component consists of an isocyanate having at least 2 isocyanate groups and optionally one or more other isocyanate group—containing compounds, and (b) curing the mixture obtained in step (a) by treatment with a catalyst; and (c) optionally repeating steps (a) and (b) one or more times, wherein the mixture obtained in the preceding step (b) or the proppant isolated therefrom is used as a proppant in step (a), wherein the polyol component in step (a) is the same as or different from the polyol component used in the previous step (a), and wherein the isocyanate component in step (a) is the same as or different from the isocyanate component used in the previous step (a). |
| US09382454B2 |
Paint film-protecting sheet
A paint film-protecting sheet (1) that effectively prevents adhesive transfer to the paint film is provided. The paint film-protecting sheet (1) includes a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) layer (20), which is comprised of a non-crosslinking PSA, disposed on a polyolefin-based resin film serving as a supporting substrate (10). At least a surface portion (12) of the supporting substrate which adjoins the PSA layer is formed of a resin material that satisfies both of the following conditions: (1) it contains W wt % of a LLDPE having a density d of 0.925 g/cm3 or less, wherein W is greater than or equal to 20; and (2) it has a LLDPE content index α of 400 or more, the LLDPE content index α being defined as (0.935−d)×W×1000. |
| US09382451B2 |
Substrate and rubber composition and method of making the composition
This invention provides a product comprised of a substrate with a rubber composition attached to the substrate by at least one interlayer of a polysilsesquioxane composition having phosphate cross-linkages. The at least one polysilsesquioxane layer having phosphate cross-linkages is produced from a mixture of a silane coupling agent and a phosphatizing reagent. |
| US09382450B2 |
Compositions comprising silane modified metal oxides
The present invention relates to a composition comprising a silane modified metal oxide, wherein the silane modified metal oxide comprises a metal oxide having attached at least one silyl group, and wherein the silyl group comprises at least one —SO3−M+, —OSO3−M+, —SSO3−M+, —NHSO3−M+, —NR′SO3−M+, —NR′3+A−, or -Q+A− group. R′, which can be the same or different, is a branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, heteroaryl, alkylaryl; or arylalkyl group, M+ is a cationic counterion, and A− is a anionic counterion. The present invention further relates to the silane modified metal oxide used in the disclosed chemical mechanical polishing composition. |
| US09382447B2 |
Multifunctional sulfur-containing polymers, compositions thereof and methods of use
Disclosed are multifunctional sulfur-containing polymers that are the reaction products of a sulfur-containing diol, a polyol containing at least three hydroxyl groups per polyol molecule, and an aldehyde, a ketone, or a combination thereof. Sealant compositions comprising the multifunctional sulfur-containing polymers are also disclosed. |
| US09382446B2 |
Aqueous emulsion coating composition comprising an autoxidisable fatty acid modified polyester
An aqueous coating composition comprising an autoxidizable fatty acid modified polyester resin having ≧40 wt % of fatty acid residues; a Tg in the range of from −70 to +20° C.; an acid value less than 40 mg KOH/g; a Mw in the range of from 5,000 to 125,000 g/mol; >5 wt % of ring structures; and the composition having a co-solvent content less than 20 wt % by weight of solids; a solids content >38 wt %; and when in the form of the film having a telegraphing value of less than 35 gloss units. |
| US09382445B2 |
Insulating resin material and multilayer substrate
Provided is an insulating resin material capable of reducing surface roughness of the surface of a cured object, and, when a metal layer is formed on the surface of the cured object, increasing adhesive strength between the cured object and the metal layer.The insulating resin material of the present invention includes a thermosetting resin, a curing agent, a first inorganic filler surface-treated with a first silane coupling agent, and a second inorganic filler surface-treated with a second silane coupling agent. When absolute difference between SP values of a most-abundantly contained thermosetting resin and an organic group of the first silane coupling agent is defined as SP(A), and when absolute difference between SP values of the most-abundantly contained thermosetting resin and an organic group of the second silane coupling agent is defined as SP(B); (SP(A)−SP(B)) is not smaller than 0.5 but not larger than 3.5. |
| US09382442B2 |
Aqueous binder compositions
The present invention relates to aqueous binder compositions which are based on aqueous multistage polymer dispersions, to the uses of such binder compositions, and to coating compositions comprising them. The aqueous binder composition comprises: a) a polymer P in the form of an aqueous multistage polymer dispersion of dispersed polymer particles, where the polymer particles comprise a first polymer having a glass transition temperature of at least 30° C. and being made of ethylenically unsaturated monomers M-A, and a second polymer having a glass transition temperature of not more than 20° C. and being made of ethylenically unsaturated monomers M-B, where the ethylenically unsaturated monomers M-A and M-B together comprise: i. 85% to 99.45% by weight, preferably 87.5% to 97% by weight and in particular 90% to 95.5% by weight, based in each case on the total amount of monomers M-A+M-B, of at least one neutral, monoethylenically unsaturated monomer M1 having a solubility in water of at most 50 g/l at 25° C. and 1 bar; ii. 0.5% to 10% by weight, preferably 1% to 7.5% by weight and in particular 1.5% to 6.5% by weight, based in each case on the total amount of monomers M-A+M-B, of at least one neutral, monoethylenically unsaturated monomer M2 having a solubility in water of at least 100 g/l at 25° C. and 1 bar; iii. 0.05 to 0.5% by weight, preferably 0.15% to 0.5% by weight and in particular 0.3% to 0.5% by weight, based in each case on the total amount of monomers M-A+M-B, of one or more monoethylenically unsaturated monomers M3 having an acidic group; and iv. optionally from 0 to 5% by weight and in particular from 0 to 4.5% by weight, based in each case on the total amount of monomers M-A+M-B, of one or more monomers M4 having at least two non-conjugated ethylenically unsaturated double bonds; and b) at least one carbodiimide having at least two carbodiimide moieties, which are bound to an aliphatic carbon atom. |
| US09382441B2 |
Hydrophobic and oleophobic coating composition
The present disclosure provides a hydrophobic and oleophobic coating composition, which comprises the following components based on weight percentage: 0.1-15% of a fluorosiloxane, 1-30% of a polyacrylic resin, 0.1-15% of a silane coupler, 33-98% of an organic solvent, and 0.05-15% of an acid. By combining the polyacrylic resin and the fluorosiloxane which exhibits hydrophobic property, the present composition not only provides good hydrophobic property but also ensures durable hydrophobic property of the coating with the help of good adhesion of polyacrylic resin. The coating composition can form hard coating which has high glossiness and high transparency under relatively low temperatures and has a contact angle of 115-120°. This coating composition can be used on surfaces of substrates, such as automotive paints, metal, plastic and glass, and it can retain long lasting hydrophobic and oleophobic property even placed outdoors for several months, and it can also prevent the surface of the substrate from being scratched. |
| US09382440B2 |
Protective layer for optical devices
A protective layer for optical devices, comprising a replaceable, scratch resistant layer appliable to an optical device in such a way such that optical properties of said optical device are substantially unaltered. The optical device is undamaged by scratches made to the scratch resistant layer by a pencil having a 3H degree of hardness or by sand. The protective layer may comprise a polyvinyl butyral resin and polyvinyl alcohol. |
| US09382439B2 |
Ink set including background ink and recording apparatus
An ink set includes an ink composition for background containing a pigment for background and a coloring ink composition containing a coloring pigment. Provided that the surface tension of the ink composition for background is S1 (mN/m), and the surface tension of the coloring ink composition is S2 (mN/m), S1 and S2 satisfy −5<(S1−S2)<4. the ink set is used in a first mode in which the ink composition for background and the coloring ink composition are recorded on a recording medium by being caused to be adjacent to each other, or in a second mode in which the ink composition for background is recorded on an image which has been recorded using the coloring ink composition. A recording apparatus includes this ink set. |
| US09382437B2 |
Aryltricarboxyl-attached pigment-based inks with improved slewing decap
Compositions, systems, and methods for ink-jet printing having improved slewing decap time can comprise a pigment having an aryltricarboxyl group covalently attached thereto; at least 12 wt % of an anti-slewing decap cosolvent selected from the group consisting of 2-pyrrolidone, derivatized 2-pyrrolidone, and mixtures thereof; and a liquid vehicle. |
| US09382429B2 |
Preparation method of carbon modified filler
A preparation method of carbon modified filler is provided. The method is: putting the fillers into the reaction zone of a reactor, starting the first heating-up to 400-500° C. under the protective atmosphere at first, then introducing hydrogen after the heating-up; starting the second heating-up to 600-1200° C. after introducing hydrogen and simultaneously introducing the mixture of hydrogen and carbon source gas, keeping at the terminal temperature for 0.1-5 hours, introducing nitrogen and stopping heating after the reaction, cooling, and then getting the carbon modified filler. The above method can obtain a friction material with good mechanical properties, excellent friction and wear performances, stable friction coefficient at high temperature, good braking force and no heat recession. |
| US09382426B2 |
Water-insoluble coloring compound, ink, thermal transfer recording sheet, and color filter resist composition
The present invention provides a water-insoluble coloring compound having excellent light resistance, an ink containing the coloring compound, a thermal transfer recording sheet including a coloring material layer formed on a base material from the ink, and a color filter resist composition containing the ink. |
| US09382424B2 |
Highly-fluorescent and photo-stable chromophores for enhanced solar harvesting efficiency
The invention provides highly fluorescent materials comprising a single (n=0) or a series (n=1, 2, etc.) of benzo heterocyclic systems. The photo-stable highly luminescent chromophores are useful in various applications, including in wavelength conversion films. Wavelength conversion films have the potential to significantly enhance the solar harvesting efficiency of photovoltaic or solar cell devices. |
| US09382422B2 |
Acellular tissue matrix compositions for tissue repair
The invention provides tissue repair compositions and methods of making the tissue repair compositions. Also featured are methods of treatment using the tissue repair compositions and articles of manufacture that include the tissue repair compositions. |
| US09382418B2 |
Flame retardant thermoplastic resin composition and molded article comprising the same
A thermoplastic resin composition and a molded article using the same. The thermoplastic resin composition includes a base resin including a polycarbonate resin and a polysiloxane-polycarbonate copolymer resin, an impact modifier, a phosphorus flame retardant, and inorganic fillers, wherein the inorganic fillers include wollastonite and talc, and the wollastonite has an average diameter of 5 μm to 10 μm and an aspect ratio (diameter:length) of 1:7 to 1:9. The thermoplastic resin composition can exhibit excellent properties in terms of tensile elongation, flexural strength, impact resistance, and balance therebetween. |
| US09382416B2 |
Chemical additives to make polymeric materials biodegradable
The present invention is a new additive material that is physically blended with polymeric material to create at least a partially biodegradable product. |
| US09382415B2 |
Crosslinkable bioplasticizers
A crosslinkable bioplasticizer is disclosed, a mixture of an epoxy-functional bio-derived plasticizer and an aromatic dianhydride. When heated, the mixture crosslinks, which can be accelerated by the addition of a Lewis Acid metal catalyst. The crosslinked bioplasticizer can be melt compounded into a thermoplastic resin or can be formed in situ in the thermoplastic resin. The crosslinking of the bioplasticizer can reduce blooming of the bioplasticizer to the surface of a plastic article made by extrusion, molding, calendering, or thermoforming techniques. |
| US09382411B2 |
Propylene polymers
This invention relates to propylene polymers comprising at least 50 mol % propylene, said polymers having: a) a melt flow rate (MFR, ASTM 1238, 230° C., 2.16 kg) of 10 dg/min to 25 dg/min; b) a Dimensionless Stress Ratio/Loss Tangent Index R2 at 190° C. from 1.5 to 28; c) an onset temperature of crystallization under flow, Tc,rheol (as determined by SAOS rheology, 190° C., 1° C./min, where said polymer has 0 wt % nucleating agent present), of at least 131° C.; d) an average meso run length determined by 13C NMR of at least 90 or higher; and e) optionally, a loss tangent, tan δ, (defined by Eq. (2)) at an angular frequency of 0.1 rad/s at 190° C. from 14 to 70. |
| US09382408B2 |
Rubber composition for tire rim cushion or rubber finishing and pneumatic tire using the same
A composition formed by compounding from 55 to 75 parts by mass of a carbon black (1) having a nitrogen adsorption surface area of at least 35 m2/g and less than 50 m2/g and from 5 to 20 parts by mass of a carbon black (2) having a nitrogen adsorption surface area of at least 50 m2/g and at most 95 m2/g with 100 parts by mass of a rubber component including from 30 to 70 mass % of butadiene rubber having a cis-1,4 bond content of at least 97% and a Mooney viscosity (ML1+4) of at least 45 at 100° C., a ratio (T-cp)/(ML1+4) of the viscosity of a 5 mass % toluene solution at 25° C. (T-cp) [cps] to the Mooney viscosity being at least 2.0, and from 30 to 70 mass % of other diene rubbers; the total of the carbon blacks (1) and (2) being from 60 to 95 parts by mass. |
| US09382401B2 |
Nondrying polymer hydrogel
The problem to be solved is to provide a nondrying polymer hydrogel, which is not dried under atmospheric conditions and has excellent mechanical properties, and a method for producing the nondrying polymer hydrogel. A nondrying polymer hydrogel having both excellent nondrying properties and mechanical properties (e.g., excellent elongation properties, compression properties, and surface adhesiveness) can be produced by using a nondrying polymer hydrogel including a deliquescent substance in such a manner that the water vapor pressure shown by the polymer hydrogel is equal to or lower than the water vapor partial pressure in the atmosphere, in particular, by allowing a deliquescent substance to be contained at a high concentration in a polymer hydrogel having a network structure formed by a polymer of a water-soluble radically-polymerizable organic monomer having a specific chemical composition and a delaminated water-swellable clay mineral. |
| US09382397B2 |
Blowing catalyst
The invention relates to a primary amine component corresponding to formula I being (R1R2NR3)2NR4 wherein each of R1 and R2 are chosen from the group consisting of a methyl group, an ethyl group, an iso-propyl group and an n-propyl group; R3 being an alkoxyalkyl group chosen from the group consisting of —CH2CH2OCH2CH2—, —CH2CH2OCH2CH2CH2— and —CH2CH2CH2OCH2CH2CH2—; R4 is chosen from the group consisting of a hydrogen and —CH2CH2CH2NH2, and the use of said primary amine component corresponding to Formula I as a blowing catalyst of a catalyst system in a reaction of at least one polyisocyanate component and at least one isocyanate-reactive component, the catalyst system further comprising at least one gelling catalyst different from said component of formula I. |
| US09382396B2 |
Cavity blocks
Cavity blocks contain a rigid polyurethane foam having a density in the range of 30-70 g/L in at least one chamber, the rigid polyurethane foam being obtained by reacting at least one polyisocyanate a) with at least one compound having at least two isocyanate-reactive hydrogen atoms b) in the presence of at least one catalyst d) and using at least one blowing agent c), comprising at least one blowing agent ci), which only develops its blowing effect at the time of the reaction of a) with b), and at least one blowing agent cii), which has a boiling point which is below the temperature at which said components a) and b) are mixed, wherein the pressure buildup during the foaming reaction of the polyurethane remains below 20 kPa, and the invention also relates to the corresponding process for producing the cavity blocks. |
| US09382386B2 |
Lactide copolymer, method for preparing same, and resin composition comprising same
The present invention relates to a lactide copolymer having excellent general physical properties such as mechanical physical properties, processability, and the like, and having excellent flexibility to be effectively usable as a packaging material, and the like, a preparing method thereof, and a resin composition including the same, wherein the lactide copolymer includes: two or more block copolymer repeating units in which hard segments of polylactide repeating units are bound to both ends of soft segments of polyether polyol repeating units, the block copolymer repeating units are linked with each other via a urethane linking group induced from a polyvalent isocyanate compound having more than 2 to less than 3 equivalents of an isocyanate group per a molecule, and the polyether polyol repeating unit has a number average molecular weight of 1000 to 10000. |
| US09382374B2 |
Liquid hardeners for hardening epoxide resins (II)
The present invention relates to novel liquid hardeners for hardening hardenable polymer resins, particularly epoxide resins, and epoxide resin compositions and to the use thereof for producing composite fiber materials. |
| US09382372B2 |
Polyol, polyol composition, and flexible polyurethane foam using the same
Disclosed are a polyol with a molecular weight distribution Mw/Mn of 4 or more, obtained by reacting a compound comprising an alkylene oxide compound (II) having a hydroxyl group in a base polyol (I) with a molecular weight of 2000 or more; and a polyol composition for a flexible polyurethane foam, comprising a polyol compound and a crosslinker, wherein the crosslinker comprises a polyol (a) with a hydroxyl value of 50 to 1100 mgKOH/g and with a primary hydroxylate ratio of 25% or more and 60% or less, which is obtained by an addition of a compound comprising alkylene oxide compound (ii) having a hydroxyl group to active hydrogen compound (i). |
| US09382369B2 |
Rubber-modified vinyl-based graft copolymer, and thermoplastic resin composition including the same
The present invention relates to a rubber-modified vinyl-based graft copolymer to which acrylic monomers containing a phenyl or phenoxy group are grafted in order to increase compatibility with a polycarbonate resin, and also relates to a thermoplastic resin composition including the rubber-modified vinyl-based graft copolymer. The thermoplastic resin composition according to the present invention can significantly improve appearance and high fluidity and can have high flowability and chemical resistance. |
| US09382367B2 |
Polymer electrolyte membrane composed of aromatic polymer membrane base and method for producing the same
Provision of, and a method for production of, a polymer electrolyte membrane, which is characterized by introducing a vinyl monomer into an aromatic polymer membrane substrate, typified by polyether ether ketone, polyether imide, or polysulfone, as graft chains by graft polymerization, and then chemically converting some of the graft chains or/and part of the aromatic polymer chain into sulfonic groups. |
| US09382361B2 |
Process to produce ethylene propylene copolymers
This invention relates to a copolymer prepared using two or more non-coordinating anion activators comprising a first C2 to C12 alpha olefin (such as ethylene), a second C3 to C12 alpha olefin (such as propylene) different from the first alpha olefin, and diene (such as ethylidene norbornene and/or vinyl norbornene), where the polymer has: a) first alpha olefin (ethylene) content of 35 to 90 mol %; b) second alpha olefin (propylene) content of 9.8 to 64.8 mol %; c) diene content of 0.2 to 5 mol %; d) a branching index g′ave of 0.95 or more; e) a complex viscosity ratio (eta*(0.01 rad/s)/eta*(100 rad/s), at 125° C.) greater than 1.1*Y0, where Y0=Y1+{[(Y2−Y1)/(X2−X1)](X0−X1)}, where X0 is the wt % of a first non-coordinating anion activator, NCA1, used to prepare the copolymer (based upon weight of NCA1 and a second non-coordinating anion activator, NCA2, used to prepare the copolymer), X1=0, X2=100, Y1=complex viscosity ratio of polymer made with 100% NCA1 and 0% NCA2, Y2 is complex viscosity ratio of polymer made with 100% NCA2 and 0% NCA1, where NCA1 has an Mw lower than the Mw of NCA2; f) an Mw/Mn of 4.0 or less; g) a melting point of 30° C. or less; and h) a Composition Distribution Breadth Index of 50% or more. |
| US09382359B2 |
Reactor assembly and method for polymerization of olefins
Reactor assembly for the production of polymers including a fluidized bed reactor and method for operating the reactor assembly. |
| US09382348B2 |
System and method for polymerization
Techniques are provided for polymerization. A polymerization method may include polymerizing a monomer in a polymerization reactor to produce a slurry comprising polyolefin particles and a diluent, flowing the slurry out of the polymerization reactor through an outlet of the polymerization reactor, receiving the slurry from the outlet into a slurry handling system, conveying a first mixture from the slurry handling system to a diluent and monomer recovery system, and injecting steam into the first mixture downstream of the slurry handling system using a steam injection system. |
| US09382345B2 |
Polymer compounds having coupled components
Intermediate products (compounds, semi-finished goods) for polymer materials having coupled components, to the polymer materials based on the intermediate products, and to the components to be manufactured therefrom. A method for producing intermediate products, polymer materials and components, and to the use thereof. |
| US09382342B2 |
Procatalyst composition with alkoxyalkyl 2-propenoate internal electron donor and polymer from same
Disclosed herein are catalyst compositions and polymers, i.e., propylene-based polymers, produced therefrom. The present catalyst compositions contain an internal electron donor of an alkoxyalkyl 2-propenoate and optionally a mixed external electron donor. The present catalyst compositions improve catalyst selectivity and polymer stiffness. Polypropylene homopolymer produced from the present catalyst composition has a xylene solubles content less than 4 wt % and a TMF greater than 172.0° C. |
| US09382341B2 |
Carpet coating composition
An aqueous carpet coating composition includes a particulate filler, a polymeric thickener and an aqueous dispersion of a copolymer that includes vinyl acetate units and ethylene units. The dispersion stabilization system includes a) 1.5 to 3 wt % of a combination of polyvinyl alcohols including a1) one or more partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohols with a degree of hydrolysis of 85 to 95 mol % and a Hoeppler viscosity of 10-33 mPa·s, and a2) one or more highly hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohols with a degree of hydrolysis of 98 to 100 mol % and a Hoeppler viscosity of 10-33 mPa·s; and b) 1.5 to 3 wt % of an emulsifier component consisting of one or more nonionic emulsifiers and one or more anionic emulsifiers. The dispersion has a viscosity of ≦1500 mPa·s and the viscosity of the coating composition is 6000 to 7000 mPa·s. |
| US09382333B2 |
Amino acid sequences directed against the Angiopoietin/Tie system and polypeptides comprising the same for the treatment of diseases and disorders related to angiogenesis
The present invention relates to amino acid sequences that are directed against proteins from the group of the Angiopoietin/Tie family such as Tie1, Tie2, Ang1, Ang2, Ang3, Ang4, Angptl1, Angptl2, Angptl3, Angptl4, Angptl5, Angptl6, as well as to compounds or constructs, and in particular proteins and polypeptides, that comprise or essentially consist of one or more of such amino acid sequences. |
| US09382326B2 |
Compositions and methods of use for therapeutic antibodies
The present invention relates to antibodies that specifically bind to the BAFF receptor (BAFFR). The invention more specifically relates to specific antibodies that are BAFFR antagonists with in vivo B cell depleting activity and compositions and methods of use for said antibodies to treat pathological disorders that can be treated by killing or depleting B cells, such as systemic lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis or other autoimmune diseases or lymphomas, leukemias and myelomas. |
| US09382319B2 |
Hybrid constant regions
The invention provides hybrid constant regions and antibodies or fusion proteins incorporating the same. The hybrid constant regions include at least CH2 and CH3 regions of an IgG or IgA constant region and Cμ3 and Cμ4 regions of a Cμ constant region. The hybrids retain properties of both component constant regions. The hybrids retain the ability of a Cμ constant region to form multivalent complexes, e.g., pentameric or hexameric structures. IgG hybrids also retain IgG properties including pH-dependent FcRn binding, which is associated with a relatively long in vivo half-life, and specific binding to protein G, which facilitates purification. Depending on the isotype and subtype, the nature of the antigen and presence of additional IgG CH1 and hinge domains, IgG hybrids may also retain properties of specific binding to protein A, and effector functions ADCC, CDC and opsonization. IgA hybrids retain the property of IgA of binding to an Fc-alpha receptor CD89. |
| US09382306B2 |
Octapeptide compounds derived from somatostatin and the therapeutic use thereof
The present invention relates to novel octapeptide compounds of general formula (I): H-2-Nal 1-cyclo(Cys2-Tyr3-AA4-Lys5-Val6-Cys7)-Thr8-NH2. Since these products have a good affinity for certain somatostatin receptor subtypes, they are particularly advantageous for treating pathological states or diseases in which one (or more) somatostatin receptor(s) is (are) involved. These compounds furthermore have physiochemical properties that make it possible to envisage them in diverse solutions for the formulation of medicaments, for example as a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing said products and to the use thereof for the preparation of a medicament. |
| US09382305B2 |
Relaxin fusion polypeptides and uses thereof
The present invention provides Relaxin fusion polypeptides A-L-B with a non-wild type array of the Relaxin A-chain and Relaxin B-chain, wherein the A- and B-chains are connected by a linker peptide. The invention further provides Relaxin fusion polypeptides with extended half-life. Furthermore, the invention provides nucleic acid sequences encoding the foregoing fusion polypeptides, vectors containing the same, pharmaceutical compositions and medical use of such fusion polypeptides. |
| US09382304B2 |
Engineered polypeptides having enhanced duration of action with reduced immunogenicity
Compounds are provided having inter alia good duration of action, high potency and/or convenient dosing regimens including oral administration, and reduced immunogenicity. The compounds are engineered polypeptides which incorporate an albumin binding domain in combination with one or more biologically active polypeptides. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treatment for diseases and disorders including obesity and overweight, diabetes, dyslipidemia, hyperlipidemia, Alzheimer's disease, fatty liver disease, Short Bowel Syndrome, Parkinson's disease, and cardiovascular disease. |
| US09382301B2 |
Tubulin-interacting protein, caltubin, promotes axonal growth
A novel isolated protein, referred to herein as “caltubin”, is provided. Caltubin promotes axonal regeneration, and prevents or at least reduces axonal retraction in neurons. |
| US09382300B2 |
Use of recombinant polypeptides from the genus Lupinus as antimicrobial or insecticidal on plants
This invention is related to a protein from the seeds, cotyledons or plantlets of Lupinus genus, as well as to the way of producing the protein in recombinant form and of expressing the protein in genetically modified plants. The invention relates to methods of its use, or of any modification of the protein that maintains its biological properties, as a supplement in human or animal nutrition and as a fungicide, insecticide, growth promoter, fertilizer or in the preparation of genetically modified organisms. |
| US09382298B2 |
Polypeptide
The invention relates to a polypeptide, a corresponding nucleic acid molecule, a construct and/or vector and/or cell comprising such nucleic acid molecule and/or a composition comprising said polypeptide, nucleic acid molecule, construct, vector and/or cell. The invention further relates to such composition for medical use, preferably for use in treating an infectious disease. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of said polypeptide, nucleic acid molecule, construct, vector, cell and/or composition as an antimicrobial, preferably as a food additive or disinfectant, or for detecting bacteria, preferably in a diagnostic application. |
| US09382297B2 |
Mutated protein of protein A having reduced affinity in acidic region and antibody-capturing agent
A modified protein of an extracellular domain of protein A, which has the reduced ability to bind to immunoglobulin in an acidic region, compared with the wild-type extracellular domain of protein A, without impairing a selective antibody-binding activity in a neutral region. On the basis of three-dimensional structure coordinate data on a complex of the extracellular domain of protein A bound with the Fc region of immunoglobulin G, the modified protein is obtained by the substitution of amino acid residues that are located within the range of 10 angstroms from the Fc region and have a 20% or more ratio of exposed surface area, by histidine residues. Preferably, the modified protein is obtained by the substitution of amino acid residues at sites identified from the analysis of sequences selected from a library constituted by the protein group, by histidine residues. These substitutions may be combined. |
| US09382296B2 |
Truncated L1 protein of human papillomavirus type 58
Provided are an N-terminal truncated L1 protein of the Human Papillomavirus Type 58, a coding sequence and preparation method thereof, and a virus-like particle comprising the protein. Uses of the protein and the virus-like particle in the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition or a vaccine are further provided. The pharmaceutical composition or vaccine is used for prevention of HPV infection and a disease caused by HPV infection. |
| US09382288B2 |
Derivatives of steroid benzylamines, having an antiparasitic antibacterial, antimycotic and/or antiviral action
The present invention relates to compounds derived from steroids of the general formula (I) wherein L represents a linker and R# represents a steroid residue, the use of compounds of the general formula (I) in medicine and for the prophylaxis and/or the treatment of infectious diseases. Furthermore described are pharmaceutical compositions containing at least one compound of the general formula (I). A further aspect of the invention relates to the synthesis of said compounds of the general formula (I). |
| US09382269B2 |
Halogen free syntheses of aminosilanes by catalytic dehydrogenative coupling
Compounds and method of preparation of Si—X and Ge—X compounds (X═N, P, As and Sb) via dehydrogenative coupling between the corresponding unsubstituted silanes and amines (including ammonia) or phosphines catalyzed by metallic catalysts is described. This new approach is based on the catalytic dehydrogenative coupling of a Si—H and a X—H moiety to form a Si—X containing compound and hydrogen gas (X═N, P, As and Sb). The process can be catalyzed by transition metal heterogenous catalysts such as Ru(0) on carbon, Pd(0) on MgO) as well as transition metal organometallic complexes that act as homogeneous catalysts. The —Si—X products produced by dehydrogenative coupling are inherently halogen free. Said compounds can be useful for the deposition of thin films by chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition of Si-containing films. |
| US09382268B1 |
Sulfur containing organosilane precursors for ALD/CVD silicon-containing film applications
Disclosed are sulfur containing organosilane precursors, methods of synthesizing the same, and methods of using the same to deposit silicon-containing films using vapor deposition processes for manufacturing semiconductors, photovoltaics, LCD-TFT, flat panel-type devices, refractory materials, or aeronautics. The disclosed precursors have the following formula: wherein L1 is a sulfur atom and L2 may be chosen from a sulfur atom, an oxygen atom, or a nitrogen atom; L1 and L2 are joined together via a carbon bridge having one to three carbon atoms; and L1, L2 and the carbon bridge form a monoanionic ligand bonded to silicon. |
| US09382267B2 |
Small molecule inhibitors of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT)
The present invention relates to novel compounds, their use as anti-cancer agents and their synthesis. In particular, the compounds contain cluster boron moieties such as carborane or a borohydride and act as inhibitors for the enzyme Nampt. The biological properties of the inventive cluster boron compounds, in terms of biological inhibition and antiproliferative effect, are greater than other small molecule inhibitors of Nampt. |
| US09382256B2 |
Formulation of Syk inhibitors
Disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions comprising a compound having the formula: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a hydrate of thereof, and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable polymer. The pharmaceutically acceptable salt of the compound of Formula I, or a hydrate thereof, can be a mesylate salt, including, for example, a mono-mesylate or a bis-mesylate salt, or a hydrate thereof. Also disclosed are methods of use for the pharmaceutical composition. |
| US09382250B2 |
Method for producing complex crystal and method for screening complex crystal
The present invention relates to a method for producing a complex crystal composed of two or more different compounds, comprising crystallizing the two or more different compounds under a condition at which menthol is heat melted, and a method for screening a complex crystal. In accordance with the method for producing a complex crystal of the present invention, a complex crystal capable of being used as a drug material can be produced rapidly, simply and efficiently. In addition, in accordance with the method for screening a complex crystal of the present invention, a stable complex crystal can be searched, which is industrially useful. |
| US09382243B2 |
Azabenzimidazole tetrahydropyran derivatives
Novel compounds of the structural formula (I) are activators of AMP-protein kinase and may be useful in the treatment, prevention and suppression of diseases mediated by the AMPK activated protein kinase. The compounds of the present invention may be useful in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, hyperglycemia, metabolic syndrome, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension. |
| US09382236B2 |
P2X4 receptor antagonist
The present invention relates to a diazepine derivative represented by the following general formula (I) (in the formula, R1 and R2 represent hydrogen atom and the like, or R1 and R2 bind together to form a naphthalene ring and the like together with the benzene ring to which they bind, R3 and R4 represent hydrogen atom and the like, R5 represents hydrogen atom and the like, R6 and R7 represent hydrogen atom and the like, X represents C, CH or N, Y represents N, NH or C(═O), provided that when X is N, Y is not N or NH, and when X is C or CH, Y is not C(═O), Z represents oxygen atom or sulfur atom, A represents benzene ring and the like, B represents NHC(═O) and the like, D represents an atomic bond and the like, E represents an atomic bond and the like, G represents benzene which may be substituted and the like, and m represents an integer of 0 to 5) or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof, and a P2X4 receptor antagonist. |
| US09382235B2 |
Unsolvated crystalline form 1 of N-[5-(3, 5-difluoro-benzyl)-1H-indazol-3-yl]-4-(4-methyl-piperazin-1-yl)-2-(tetrahydro-pyran-4-ylamino)-benzamide and methods of use thereof
The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of N-[5-(3,5-difluoro-benzyl)-1H -indazol-3-yl]-4-(4-methyl-piperazin-1-yl)-2-(tetrahydro-pyran-4-ylamino)-benzamide. Novel solid forms of this compound, their utility in treating diseases caused by deregulated protein kinase activity and pharmaceutical compositions containing them are also object of the present invention. |
| US09382230B2 |
Methods and compositions for modulating Ire1, SRC and ABL activity
Disclosed herein are, inter alia, compositions for modulating Ire1, Src, or Abl, methods for identifying modulating activity in test compounds, and methods for treating diseases caused by the activity or inactivity of Ire1, Src, or Abl. |
| US09382229B2 |
Compounds and methods of use thereof for treating neurodegenerative disorders
Compounds, compositions, kits and methods for treating conditions related to neurodegeneration or ocular disease, are disclosed. |
| US09382228B2 |
N-acyl-N′-(pyridin-2-yl) ureas and analogs exhibiting anti-cancer and anti-proliferative activities
Described are compounds of Formula I which find utility in the treatment of cancer, autoimmune diseases and metabolic bone disorders through inhibition of c-FMS (CSF-1R), c-KIT, and/or PDGFR kinases. These compounds also find utility in the treatment of other mammalian diseases mediated by c-FMS, c-KIT, or PDGFR kinases. |
| US09382221B2 |
Compounds, compositions, and methods for treating alzheimer's disease
Novel methods and compounds for treating Alzheimer's Disease are provided. In one aspect, the invention provides methods for treating Alzheimer's Disease by administering certain phenothiazine derivatives. In one embodiment, the methods include administering an effective amount of a 3-oxo-7-dialkyl-amino-phenothiazine derivative, or 3-oxo-7-dialkyl-amino-phenothiazine. In another embodiment, the invention provides methods for treating Alzheimer's Disease by administering an effective amount of a 3,7-diazetidin-1-yl-phenothiazine or a derivative thereof. In another aspect, the invention provides novel azetidinyl phenothiazine compounds. |
| US09382218B2 |
N-heteroaryl substituted aniline derivatives as HCV-antivirals
The present invention discloses compounds of Formula (I): wherein the variables in Formula I are defined as described herein. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds and methods for using the compounds of Formula I in the prevention or treatment of HCV infection. |
| US09382213B2 |
Heterocyclic and cyclic analogs of propargyl-linked inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase
Compounds of Formula I and Formula IA are inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase and are suitable for use in compositions and methods for dihydrofolate reductase inhibition or, more specifically, treatment of a fungal infection, a bacterial infection or a protozoal infection, and, in specific embodiments, treatment of a fungal infection caused by C. albicans or C. glabrata: wherein R, R1, R2, R3, R4, A, B, E, V, W, X, Y and Z are as defined herein. |
| US09382212B1 |
Preparation of and formulation comprising a MEK inhibitor
The present invention relates to processes for preparing 6-(4-bromo-2-fluorophenylamino)-7-fluoro-3-methyl-3H-benzoimidazole-5-carboxylic acid (2-hydroxyethyoxy)-amide, processes for preparing crystallized 6-(4-bromo-2-fluorophenylamino)-7-fluoro-3-methyl-3H-benzoimidazole-5-carboxylic acid (2-hydroxyethyoxy)-amide, and intermediates useful therefore. Also provided herein are pharmaceutical compositions comprising this crystallized compound. |
| US09382211B2 |
Stabilized multi-functional antioxidant compounds and methods of use
Disclosed are novel stable compounds having anti-oxidant properties and methods of using the compounds for the treatment of diseases or injuries associated with oxidative stress. |
| US09382209B2 |
Polymorphic forms of ivabradine hydrochloride
Stable crystalline Form II and stable crystalline Form III of ivabradine hydrochloride and processes for their preparation are disclosed. |
| US09382204B2 |
Inhibitors targeting the DNA-binding domain of human STAT3 for treatment of metastatic cancers
The present invention provides STAT3 inhibitors which preferentially suppress proliferation of cancer over non-cancer cells and inhibit migration and invasion of malignant cells. The inhibitors of the present invention selectively inhibit STAT3 binding to DNA without affecting the activation and dimerization of STAT3. Furthermore, the inhibitors of the present invention inhibit expression of STAT3 downstream target genes and STAT3 binding to chromatin in situ. |
| US09382195B2 |
Oximation of KA oil by-product
The present disclosure provides methods for separating ketones and alcohols. In one embodiment, the methods and compositions disclosed are useful in separating cyclohexanol from cyclohexanone. In one embodiment, cyclohexanone is converted to its corresponding oxime by treating the cyclohexanone with hydroxylamine. The resulting cyclohexanone oxime is then separated from the cyclohexanol, providing streams of cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone oxime. |
| US09382193B2 |
Processes for forming amide bonds and compositions related thereto
The disclosure relates to methods for producing amide bonds and reagents related thereto. In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to methods of producing an amide comprising mixing an O-silylated thionoester and an amine under conditions such that an amide is formed. In another embodiment, the disclosure relates to mixing a thiolacid, a silylating agent, and an amine under conditions such that an amide is formed. |
| US09382191B2 |
Stabilized compositions of volatile alkylating agents and methods of using thereof
A composition and method for treatment of cancer. The composition for treating a skin disorder, comprising: a Nitrogen Mustard or an HX salt of the Nitrogen Mustard, wherein the Nitrogen Mustard or the HX salt of the Nitrogen Mustard is in a non-aqueous vehicle or carrier that does not include petrolatum or ethanol, wherein the non-aqueous vehicle or carrier that does not include petrolatum or ethanol does not include petrolatum or ethanol. The method comprises topically applying the composition of a Nitrogen Mustard or a HX salt of the Nitrogen Mustard to the affected skin, wherein the Nitrogen Mustard or the HX salt of the Nitrogen Mustard is in a non-aqueous vehicle or carrier that does not include petrolatum or ethanol, wherein the non-aqueous vehicle or carrier does not include petrolatum or ethanol. |
| US09382188B2 |
Aromatic ring compound
Provided is an aromatic ring compound having a GPR40 agonist activity. A compound represented by the formula (I): wherein each symbol is as described in the DESCRIPTION, or a salt thereof has a GPR40 agonist activity, and is useful as an agent for the prophylaxis or treatment of diabetes and the like. |
| US09382187B2 |
Tri-salt form of metformin
Provided herein are tri-salt compounds comprising a compound having two acidic functional groups and one basic functional groups (e.g., aspartate or glutamate), metformin, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoate or docosahexaenoate. The salts can be used in the treatment of diabetes, diabetes with concomitant dyslipidemia (e.g., high triglycerides) and diabetes exacerbated cardiovascular complications, such as cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac ischemia, myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, and stroke. The compounds of this invention are also useful in treating obesity. |
| US09382186B1 |
Process for producing acetic acid
A process for producing acetic acid is disclosed in which the water concentration is controlled in the side stream between two columns. Controlling the water concentration by the liquid light phase recycle controls the hydrogen iodide concentration in the side stream to be less than or equal to 50 wppm. |
| US09382184B2 |
Processes for producing terephthalic acid
Processes for producing terephthalic acid are disclosed, the processes including a step of combining in a reaction medium para-xylene, a solvent comprising water and a saturated organic acid having from 2-4 carbon atoms, and an oxygen-containing gas, at a temperature for example from about 145° C. to about 175° C., in the presence of a catalyst composition comprising cobalt, manganese, zirconium, and bromine, wherein the zirconium is present in the reaction medium in an amount, for example, from 1 ppm to 50 ppm with respect to the weight of the liquid in the reaction medium. |
| US09382182B2 |
Process for preparing diacid compounds
The present invention relates to a process for preparing at least one diacid compound, comprising a step of hydrolysis reaction of at least one imide compound, performed in the absence of catalyst. |
| US09382179B2 |
Nickel modified catalyst for the production of hydroxy ether hydrocarbons by vapor phase hydrogenolysis of cyclic acetals and ketals
Catalyst compositions of alumina supports containing palladium and nickel are selective in a vapor phase hydrogenolyzis reaction to convert cyclic acetal compounds and/or cyclic ketal compounds in the presence of hydrogen to their corresponding hydroxy ether hydrocarbon reaction products. |
| US09382178B2 |
Process for producing phenol
In a process for producing phenol and cyclohexanone, reaction components comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and an acid catalyst are supplied to a cleavage reaction zone, mixed under mixing conditions effective to combine the reaction components into a reaction mixture and at least part of the cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide in the reaction mixture is converted under cleavage conditions to into phenol and cyclohexanone; and a cleavage effluent is recovered from the cleavage reaction zone. The cleavage and mixing conditions are controlled such that the ratio tR/tM is at least 10, where tR is the half-life of cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide under the cleavage conditions and tM is the time required after injection of a tracer material into the reaction mixture under the mixing conditions for at least 95% by volume of the entire reaction mixture to attain at least 95% of the volume-averaged tracer material concentration. |
| US09382177B2 |
Hydrogenation catalysts comprising a mixed oxide comprising a promoter metal
A process is disclosed for producing ethanol, comprising contacting hydrogen and a feed stream comprising acetic acid in a reactor in the presence of a catalyst comprising a binder and a mixed oxide comprising a promoter metal and tin, and preferably also comprising cobalt. The promoter metal is selected from the group consisting of rhenium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, and combinations thereof. The feed stream may comprises pure acetic acid or may comprise a mixture of 50 to 95 wt. % acetic acid and 5 to 50 wt. % ethyl acetate. |
| US09382175B2 |
Processed support and methods of making and using same
A method for removing tightly bound sodium from a zeolitic support comprising contacting the support with a sodium specific removal agent to produce a treated support. A method comprising providing an aromatization catalyst comprising a treated support, and contacting the aromatization catalyst with a hydrocarbon feed in a reaction zone under conditions suitable for the production of an aromatic product. A catalyst support comprising an L-zeolite having less than 0.35 wt. % sodium. |
| US09382171B2 |
Iridium-containing catalysts, their production and use
A process is described for producing a catalyst composition comprising an iridium component dispersed on a support. In the process, silica- o group to form an organic iridium complex on the support. The treated support is then heated in an oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature of about 325° C. to about 475° C. to partially decompose the organic metal complex on the support. The treated support is then heated in a reducing atmosphere at a temperature of about 350° C. to about 500° C. to convert the partially decomposed organic iridium complex into the desired iridium component. |
| US09382167B2 |
Layered reactive particles with controlled geometries, energies, and reactivities, and methods for making the same
An energetic composite having a plurality of reactive particles each having a reactive multilayer construction formed by successively depositing reactive layers on a rod-shaped substrate having a longitudinal axis, dividing the reactive-layer-deposited rod-shaped substrate into a plurality of substantially uniform longitudinal segments, and removing the rod-shaped substrate from the longitudinal segments, so that the reactive particles have a controlled, substantially uniform, cylindrically curved or otherwise rod-contoured geometry which facilitates handling and improves its packing fraction, while the reactant multilayer construction controls the stability, reactivity and energy density of the energetic composite. |
| US09382166B1 |
Plant nutrient composition
A plant nutrition composition including long organic fibers having nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium available for plants, in combination with organic substratum providing pH balancing in the range of about 6.0 to about 7.0. The long fibers may be the end product of slow, heat-agitated anaerobic digestion of manure. Combined with the fibers are substratum such as pine bark composted for a duration in the range of between about 9 months and about 12 months. |
| US09382165B1 |
Wind turbine with pollutant capturing surfaces
Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, or other pollutants, are removed from ambient air while at the same time performing other useful functions. For example, surfaces of a vertical axis wind turbine (such as a Savonius) are provided as, or covered by, fabrics, films, or coatings which remove pollutants from flowing ambient air that contacts the turbine vanes and effects rotation of them to produce electricity. Many different materials may be used, such as activated carbon (especially associated with aramid fabrics), hydroxide coated textiles, hydroxyl ion rich cloth (e. g. wool), or coatings or films of titanium dioxide. After pollutant capture the materials or fabrics may be regenerated, burned with biomass, or disposed of. |
| US09382161B2 |
Process using non-fired refractory products as a lining of large-volume industrial furnaces and industrial furnaces lined with the non-fired refractory products
There is a process for creating graphite free non-fired refractory products, which are molded using presses and which includes using a plurality of different binders. The binders comprise a first binder for binding grains of granulation between room temperature and 400° C., a second binder binding the grains of granulation between 300 and 900° C.; and a third binder binding granulations of the refractory materials that enter into ceramic binding at temperatures above 900° C. This process is for producing at least one of magnesia chromite bricks, magnesia spinel and spinel bricks, magnesia zirconia and magnesia zircon bricks, magnesia hercynite and magnesia galaxite bricks, dolomite, dolomite-magnesia, and lime bricks, forsterite and olivine bricks, magnesia forsterite bricks, magnesia pleonast bricks, magnesia bricks. These products are configured to operate as a fire-side, refractory lining of large-volume industrial furnaces operated with an essentially oxidizing atmosphere, for the production of cement, lime, magnesia, and doloma. |
| US09382158B2 |
Method of preparing a coloured self-levelling cementitious floor covering
Method of preparing a colored self-levelling cementitious floor covering by mixing a colorant with a cementitious floor covering premix used in forming of the colored self-levelling cementitious floor covering. The colorant is a flowable, spray-dried, particulate formulation prepared from a mixture of ingredients in water containing 85 to 95% by weight of one or more inorganic pigments, 3 to 7% by weight of poly(ethylene glycol) having a median molecular weight in the range 7,000 to 9,000, 3 to 6% by weight carboxylated acrylic co-polymer dispersant and 0.5 to 2.0% by weight hydroxylated amine. |
| US09382153B2 |
Calcium sulphate-based products and methods for the manufacture thereof
The invention provides a calcium sulphate-based product comprising a phosphate as additive for increased fire resistance. Particularly preferred phosphate additives may be those containing aluminum or ammonium ions. |
| US09382152B2 |
Non-alkali glass and method for producing same
The present invention relates to a non-alkali glass having a strain point of from 710° C. to lower than 725° C., an average thermal expansion coefficient at from 50 to 300° C. of from 30×10−7 to 43×10−7/° C., a temperature T2 at which glass viscosity reaches 102 dPa·s of 1710° C. or lower, a temperature T4 at which the glass viscosity reaches 104 dPd·s of 1320° C. or lower, and containing, indicated by mol % on the basis of oxides, SiO2 66 to 70, Al2O3 12 to 14, B2O3 exceeding 0 to 1.5, MgO exceeding 9.5 to 13 (or 5 to 9.5), CaO 4 to 9 (or 4 to 11), SrO 0.5 to 4.5, BaO 0 to 0.5 and ZrO 0 to 2. |
| US09382149B2 |
Methods for producing a semifinished part for the manufacture of an optical fiber which is optimized in terms of bending
Methods for producing a semifinished part for the manufacture of an optical fiber are disclosed. The methods are optimized in terms of bending. The methods include the steps of providing a shell tube with a shell refractive index which is lower in relation to the light-conducting core. Then, at least one protective, intermediate and/or barrier layer is applied to a radially outermost and/or innermost tube surface of the respective shell tube, wherein a build-up of light-conducting layers is realized on the inner side and/or the outer side of the shell tube. Finally, the shell tubes are joined by collapsing so as to form the semifinished part. |
| US09382142B2 |
Apparatus and method for ballast water treatment
An apparatus and method for treating ballast water to achieve IMO standards for ballast water includes a reactor fabricated of copper nickel for receiving and discharging ballast water, a UV source for irradiating the water in the presence of copper nickel thereby to generate free radicals for biocidal and bactericidal effects on organisms and microbes entering the reactor with ballast water. |
| US09382139B2 |
Method of dissolving and/or inhibiting the deposition of scale on a surface of a system
A method of dissolving and/or inhibiting the deposition of scale on a surface of a system comprises the step of bringing the surface of the system into contact with a composition. The composition can comprise from about 3 to about 15 parts by weight of a chelating component. The chelating component is selected from the group of MGDA, NTA, HEDTA, GLDA, EDTA, DTPA, and mixtures thereof. The composition can further comprise from about 3 to about 15 parts by weight of an acidic component, which is different than the chelating component. The composition can further comprise at least about 60 parts by weight of water. Each of the parts by weight ranges above are based on 100 parts by weight of the composition. The composition may further comprise a surfactant component and/or a corrosion inhibitor. |
| US09382138B2 |
Advanced on-site water sanitization system having chlorine generation integrated with copper/silver ionization
An advanced on-site water sanitization system is taught having integrated chlorine generation and copper/silver ionization in the same unit. The system includes a manifold loop connectable to a water supply line for supplying water to be sanitized from a body of water, and connectable to a water return line for returning sanitized water to the body of water. It also includes a copper/silver ionizer, capable of receiving a flow of water to be sanitized, adding copper and silver ions to the flow of water so as to provide a copper/silver ionized flow of water. A chlorinator is also included, capable of receiving a flow of ionized water, and a flow of chlorine, and allowing the flow of chlorine to mix with the flow of ionized water so as to provide a chlorinated flow of ionized water to the manifold loop to return as sanitized water to the body of water. |
| US09382137B2 |
Flow path control device of toilet bidet and toilet bidet having the same
There are provided a flow path control device of a toilet bidet having a simpler connection structure of tubes and smaller number of connection parts of the tubes, and a toilet bidet including the flow path control device. The flow path control device of a toilet bidet, includes: a first housing including two or more demarcated chambers; a first flow path control unit disposed at the interior of the first housing and opening one of the two or more chambers to allow water to be introduced into the chamber; an air mixing unit connected with one of the chambers of the first housing and mixing air with water introduced into the chamber as the chamber is opened by an air pressure; a second housing including three or more compartments connected with the chamber to which the air mixing unit is connected, receiving water containing air, and connected with a bidet nozzle and a cleansing nozzle; and a second flow path control unit disposed within the interior of the second housing and opening some of the three or more compartments to allow water to flow thereinto. |
| US09382126B2 |
Processes for preparing lithium carbonate
There are provided methods for preparing lithium carbonate. For example, such methods can comprise reacting an aqueous composition comprising lithium hydroxide with CO2 by sparging the CO2 the said composition, thereby obtaining a precipitate comprising the lithium carbonate. The methods can also comprise inserting at least a portion of the precipitate into a clarifier and obtaining a supernatant comprising lithium bicarbonate and a solid comprising the lithium carbonate, separating the solid from the supernatant; and heating the supernatant at a desired temperature so as to at least partially convert the lithium bicarbonate into lithium carbonate. |
| US09382124B2 |
Synthesis method for ETS-10 titanosilicate molecular sieve
The present invention relates to a synthesis method for ETS-10 titanosilicate molecular sieves. The method comprises the steps of mixing a titanium oxide hydrosol, a silicon source, a sodium hydroxide, a fluorine-containing mineralizer and a water to give a gel and adjusting the pH thereof to 10.4 to 10.8; and hydrothermal crystallizing the gel at 170 to 250° C. for 10 to 100 hours to obtain the ETS-10 titanosilicate molecular sieves. In the synthesis method for ETS-10 titanosilicate molecular sieves provided by the present invention, a titanium oxide hydrosol is used as the titanium source to synthesize the ETS-10 titanosilicate molecular sieves, and the problem that conventional soluble titanium salt-based titanium sources tend to hydrolyze and the problem of poor dispersibility for the titanium source system of insoluble titanium oxide are therefore prevented. The ETS-10 titanosilicate molecular sieves synthesized has high purity and high crystallinity. |
| US09382123B2 |
Modification of layered double hydroxides
Disclosed herein is a process for modifying a layered double hydroxide (LDH), the process comprising a. providing a material comprising a layered double hydroxide of formula: [Mz+1-xM′y+x(OH)2]q+(Xn−)q/n.bH2O wherein M and M′ are metal cations, z is 1 or 2, x is 0.1 to 1, b is 0 to 5, y is 3 or 4, X is an anion, n is 1 to 3 and q is determined by x, y and z; b. optionally washing the material at least once with a mixture of water and a mixing solvent miscible with water; and c. washing the material obtained in a. or b. at least once with at least one first solvent, the first-solvent being miscible with water and having a solvent polarity P′ in the range of 3.8 to 9 to obtain a modified layered double hydroxide. |
| US09382122B2 |
Method for the production of silicon from silyl halides
The present invention relates to a method for the production of silicon from silyl halides. In a first step, the silyl halide is converted, with the generation of a plasma discharge, to a halogenated polysilane, which is subsequently decomposed to silicon, in a second step, with heating. |
| US09382120B2 |
Carbon dioxide capture and storage system
A system for capturing and storing carbon dioxide. The CO2 sequestration system may include one or more sub-systems for generating electricity, a heat exchange system which may regulate temperature, and a conversion tank. The conversion tank may contain water with dissolved compounds and a catalyst. Carbon dioxide may be converted into carbonate minerals and drawn off to be used in any of a variety of applications. |
| US09382119B2 |
Rapid high-pressure microwave thermal decomposition system, capsule and method for using same
Carbon dioxide, such as may be used for a carbonated beverage, is produced by microwave thermal decomposition of a starting material. An apparatus for the process includes a microwave generator, a microwave chamber, a capsule received in the chamber containing starting material(s) and one or more channel(s) for recovering CO2 generated in the process. |
| US09382117B2 |
Process for producing highly conducting graphitic films from graphene liquid crystals
A process for producing a highly oriented graphitic film, consisting of (a) preparing a dispersion having graphene oxide (GO) or chemically functionalized graphene (CFG) dispersed in a liquid to form a liquid crystal phase (but not in a GO gel state); (b) depositing the dispersion onto a supporting substrate to form a layer of GO or CFG under an orientation-inducing stress; (c) removing the liquid to form a dried GO or CFG layer having an inter-plane spacing d002 of 0.4 nm to 1.2 nm; (d) thermally reducing the dried layer at a first temperature higher than 100° C. to produce a porous layer of reduced GO or CFG; (e) further heat-treating the porous layer at a second temperature to produce a porous graphitic film having an inter-plane spacing d002 less than 0.4 nm; and (f) compressing the porous graphitic film to produce the highly oriented graphitic film. |
| US09382113B2 |
Method for fabricating a self-aligned vertical comb drive structure
In a method for fabricating a self-aligned vertical comb drive structure, a multi-layer structure is first formed. The multi-layer structure includes inter-digitated first and second comb structures formed via etching using a first mask layer as a mask. The first comb structure includes a plurality of first comb fingers, each having a first finger portion formed in a first device layer and a second finger portion formed in a second device layer and separated from the first finger portion by a self-aligned pattern on a stop layer. The second comb structure includes a plurality of second comb fingers formed solely in the second device layer. The second finger portions of the first comb fingers are subsequently removed. |
| US09382111B2 |
Micromechanical system and method for manufacturing a micromechanical system
A method for manufacturing a micromechanical system is shown. The method comprises the steps of forming in a front end of line (FEOL) process a transistor in a transistor region. After the FEOL process, a protective layer is deposited in the transistor region, wherein the protective layer comprises an isolating material, e.g. an oxide. A structured sacrificial layer is formed at least in a region which is not the transistor region. Furthermore, a functional layer is formed which is at least partially covering the structured sacrificial layer. After the functional layer is formed removing the sacrificial layer in order to create a cavity between the functional layer and a surface, where the sacrificial layer was deposited on. The protective layer protects the transistor from being damaged especially during etching processes in further processing steps in MOL (middle of line) and BEOL (back end of line) processes. Using an oxide for said protective layer is advantageous, since the same oxide may be used as the basis for a metallization process in the BEOL. Therefore, the protective layer may remain over the transistor and does not need to be removed like the sacrificial layer, which is typically used as a protection for the transistor. Therefore, the protective layer becomes part of the oxide coverage, which is applied before the BEOL process. |
| US09382110B2 |
Component and method for producing a component
A component includes a substrate, a chip and a frame. The frame is bonded to the substrate and the chip rests on the frame. A sealing layer on parts of the frame and the chip is designed to hermetically seal a volume enclosed by the substrate, the chip and the metal frame. |
| US09382109B2 |
MEMS microphone with reduced parasitic capacitance
A MEMS microphone has reduced parasitic capacitance. The microphone includes a trench electrically separating an acoustically active section of a backplate from an acoustically inactive section of the backplate. |
| US09382108B2 |
Nanowire sensor device
A device including: a nanowire that includes a first conductive region, and a second region, wherein the second region is an insulator material, the second region does not occupy an entire thickness of the nanowire, and the nanowire is configured so that a current is able to circulate in the nanowire from one end of the nanowire to another end of the nanowire. |
| US09382107B2 |
Hydration monitoring system
An activity and volume sensing beverage container cap system for a beverage container including a cap that couples with the beverage container, a processor, a timer and at least one activity level sensor, such as an inclinometer, coupled with the processor. The activity level sensor detects container orientation. When the container is tilted, the timer measures an amount of time in an orientation. Based on the current and previous orientation and the amount of time the container is in different orientations, the processor determines an amount of time of activity of the user, and a level of activity of the user, such as number of steps or moves per time. The inclinometer is also used to determine the amount of volume dispensed from the container when tilted over a threshold indicative of drinking. Thus one inclinometer may be utilized as both to determine activity level and volume of fluid dispensed. |
| US09382105B2 |
Fork lift truck with steering means
Fork lift truck 10, comprising a steering means 20, the steering means 20 comprising a steering column 30 which is adjustable by extending and retracting along an adjustment axis 21, a steering wheel 40 that is arranged on the steering column 30, a locking means 50 for locking the steering column 30 at a position along the adjustment axis of the steering column 30 and for releasing the steering column 30 for adjustment, a release button 60 that is connected to the locking means 50 and is adapted to control the locking means 50, wherein upon pushing of the release button 60, the release button 60 releases the locking means 50 thereby enabling the adjustment of the steering column 30, and wherein, simultaneously by one hand, said release button 60 can be actuated and the steering column 30 adjustment can be performed. |
| US09382104B2 |
Trailer lift and storage apparatus
A lifting and storage assembly for a trailer includes a pair of spaced parallel rails disposed on a surface. The rails support an axle of the trailer wherein the wheels of the trailer are lifted above the surface removing a load on the wheels. Each of the pair of spaced rails includes a contoured top surface. The contoured top surface extends from a proximal end to a distal end with a middle portion positioned there between. The proximal end of the contoured top surface includes a ramped structure including an angle defining a travel path of the axle on the contoured top surface. The proximal end of the contoured top surface terminates at a radius that transition to the middle portion having a planar surface. |
| US09382103B2 |
Hoist
Hoists for hoisting loads by means of a cable are in existence for a long period. There are various types of hoists, which include winches and capstans. Generally, the principle of operation of a hoist is based on the cable being driven by adherence of the cable to the drum of the hoist. A hoist is described according to an embodiment of the present invention. The hoist comprises a drum, a plurality of guides, a guide support and a biasing device for displacing a portion of a cable away from the guide when the drum is rotationally displaced to thereby hoist a load. |
| US09382100B2 |
Stairlifts
The invention provides a levelling system for the chair of a stairlift, a characteristic feature of the system being the provision of a safety back-up or locking mechanism that will lock the position of the chair in the event of failure within the levelling drive. This locking mechanism preferably includes a locking wheel that is in partial mesh with a geared wheel forming part of the levelling drive. In the event of failure within the drive the locking wheel meshes to lock the position of the chair. |
| US09382097B2 |
Elevator information display device
An elevator information display device including: an information display control section that selects, based on an elevator state, information to be displayed from elevator information and general information, interrupts, when a predetermined display interruption factor occurs during display of general information, display of the general information concerned, and displays the elevator information; a display state administration section that determines whether or not the general information has finished being displayed to the end of the information display unit; and a redisplay determination section that determines, when the display of general information has been interrupted, based on the display interruption factor relating to the interruption and the result of the determination, whether or not the redisplay of the interrupted general information is necessary, wherein the information display control section redisplays the general information, which has been determined to be necessary to be redisplayed, from the beginning of the information display unit. |
| US09382092B2 |
Tape dispenser
A tape dispenser includes a first arm, a second arm, a holder, a roller, a retaining device, a blade, spring(s) and one or more guides. The tape dispenser is positioned on a tape roll by positioning the holder on the inside of the tape roll and positioning the roller and retaining device on the outside of the tape roll. Tape is able to be pulled through the tape dispenser and then cut using the blade. After the tape is cut, the tape on the roll remains on the retaining device for easy access. The tape dispenser is also removable for use with many tape rolls. |
| US09382090B2 |
Image forming apparatus that ejects printed sheets from multiple trays at the same time
An image forming apparatus includes a body having an opening, an image forming unit, storage units that can store a sheet, and a moving unit provided in each storage unit. The moving unit moves the stored sheet and then stops it in an exposed state where the sheet is partly exposed, from the opening, to a body outside. Where a first sheet and a second sheet, stored in a storage unit different from where the first sheet is stored, contact and then are exposed to the outside, when a first sheet moving distance to the exposed state and a second sheet moving distance to the exposed state are different, the moving unit changes a first sheet movement start timing relative to that of the second sheet or changes a first sheet moving speed relative to that of the second sheet, based on moving distances of the first and second sheets. |
| US09382086B2 |
Tail sealing and methods thereof
A method for bonding the tail of a convolutely wound log to the body is provided. The method comprises the use of a nonadhesive phase-change material to mechanically bond the tail to the wound log. The nonadhesive phase-change material is heated to an amorphous state prior to its application. Once applied to the wound log, the nonadhesive phase-change material mechanical bonds with the tail and wound log and as heat is lost, changes to a non-amorphous state. The mechanical bond can be selectively reversed through the application of a strength degradation accelerator. |
| US09382080B2 |
System, apparatus and method for preparing materials transported in open top conveyance
A system for profiling particulate material in an open top conveyance comprises a profiling structure supported above the open top conveyance and engaging the particulate matter in the open top conveyance as the open top conveyance moves in a forward direction therebelow so that the particulate matter forward of the profiling structure is given a generally uniform profile in at least a longitudinal middle portion of the open top conveyance. The open top conveyance normally is one of a sequential train of gondola cars moving on a pair of rails extending under the profiling structure, and the particulate material typically is or comprises coal. |
| US09382079B2 |
Conveyor for transporting powder, and a method for conveying powder
A conveyor (10) for transporting powder from an inlet point (14) to at least one discharge point (20) comprises a fluidized bed transport space (12) and a fluidization gas supply space (16), the fluidized bed transport space (12) being separated from the fluidization gas supply space (16) by a gas permeable wall (18); a gas outlet (22) for removing fluidization gas from the transport duct (12); means (24) for separating dust from the removed fluidization gas; and means (26) for returning the separated dust to the powder proximate the discharge point (20). In a preferred embodiment, the separated fines dust is returned to, and homogenized into, the powder in a lower portion of a cyclone, which is located at the discharge point. |
| US09382076B1 |
Conveying and accumulating system with product alignment wheel
A product conveying and accumulation system utilizes an alignment wheel which rotates non-aligned rectangular shaped bottles and containers, for smooth movement through the system. The alignment wheel is located at the product pinch point exit of the system, such that products which are out of alignment are reoriented and aligned with the other products in the system, before proceeding to the downstream product destination. |
| US09382074B2 |
Screw drive conveying apparatus
A screw-drive conveying apparatus has on a conveying traveling body side, a first driven roller pair having a shorter distance between two driven front and rear rollers and a second driven roller pair having a longer distance between two driven front and rear rollers. A first screw shaft row with which the respective driven rollers of the first driven roller pair are engaged and a second screw shaft row with which the respective driven rollers of the second driven roller pair are engaged are provided on a traveling path side. The length of screw discontinued spaces between both screw shaft rows is equal to the distance between the driven rollers of the driven roller pair engaged with the screw shaft row on the upstream side. |
| US09382073B2 |
Reconfigurable transporting system
A reconfigurable modular transporting system and related components which can efficiently and effectively move containers and other items is disclosed. The transport system includes a plurality of track components structured to mate with one another by a complementary male connection and female connection at ends thereof. The transport system further includes at least one hub component comprising a rotating track assembly which aligns with male and female track assemblies connected to at least one of the track components. The transport system further includes a plurality of truck assemblies engagable to the plurality of track components and the rotating track of at least one hub component. |
| US09382072B1 |
Bucket elevator adjustable guide system
A bucket elevator adjustable guide system for efficiently dispensing grain from a bucket elevator with reduced grain dispersion. The bucket elevator adjustable guide system generally includes a head housing for a bucket elevator and a guide member attached to a lower portion of the head housing. The guide member is distally spaced from the head housing forming a lower vent and an upper vent between the exterior surface of the guide member and the head housing for air to pass through thereby preventing the accumulation of particulate material. |
| US09382070B2 |
Conveyor and method to convey animal products in an agricultural business
The invention relates to a conveyor and a method to convey animal products in an agricultural business. Such a conveyor comprises a conveyor belt, a belt drive to drive the conveyor belt in at least one conveying direction, and a sensor to record a deviation of a position of a conveyor belt edge. The sensor is designed and arranged to output a deviation signal when the position of the conveyor belt edge deviates by a predetermined value from the target position. Furthermore, a correction device and a control unit are provided, whereby the correction device is designed and arranged to change the belt drive orientation dependent on a correction signal and whereby the control unit is designed to generate a correction signal dependent on the deviation signal and to output it to the correction device. |
| US09382068B1 |
Proximity directed stowage
Features are disclosed for using location awareness, bin capacity, and environmental cues to provide in context guidance to the associate when stowing items such as at a fulfillment center. In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, the associate may scan an item he or she may want to stow. In response, lights on the bins in the associate's vicinity are illuminated to indicate bins in which the item can be stowed (e.g., because the item fits in the bin) without breaking stow etiquette. For example, in order to prevent mix up, stow etiquette may indicate that two types of erasers should not be stored in the same bin. As yet another example, stow etiquette may indicate that an item should not be stowed in a bin, even if it fits and there is room, so that a total weight for the bin is not exceeded. |
| US09382064B2 |
Envelope for overwrapping filter bags for infusion products and sealing device for obtaining the overwrapping envelope
An overwrap envelope (7) containing a filter bag (1) for infusion products comprises a sheet (2) of overwrapping material folded into a U shape along its transversal axis (X) around the filter bag (1). The overwrap envelope (7) has two longitudinal sides (3, 4) and one transversal side (5) sealed by at least two sealing lines (6) which are uninterrupted along the longitudinal sides (3, 4) and along the transversal side (5). Each sealing line (6) is defined by two longitudinal stretches and one transversal stretch which are joined to obtain an uninterrupted shape and which form an uninterrupted perimeter seal. |
| US09382063B2 |
Capsule, device, and method for preparing infused beverages
The present invention relates to a capsule 102 containing dry infusible matter 101 for preparing infused beverages, and comprising: a front face 103 comprising a filter wall 114; a rim 105 surrounding said front face 103 and presenting a tapered outer edge 108; a back face 104, substantially opposed to said front face 103, and comprising a frangible region 116 for the injection of infusing liquid; and a solid envelope 106 between said rim 105 and said back face 104. The present invention also relates to a device 120 for preparing infused beverages comprising: said capsule 102, with the front face 103 in a substantially vertical position; and injecting means 124 for introducing an infusing liquid into said capsule 102 through said frangible region 116 when said capsule 102 is in said receptacle 118; and an infusion vessel 123 with a substantially vertical side opening 125 to said receptacle 118, so as to be in fluid connection with said filter wall 114 of the capsule 102 when said capsule 102 is in said receptacle 118, and an openable and closable bottom opening 127 to allow an infused beverage to flow out of the infusion vessel 123. Finally, the present invention also relates to a method of preparing infused beverages using said capsule 102 and device 120. |
| US09382060B1 |
Spray texture material compositions, systems, and methods with accelerated dry times
A system for dispensing texture material in an orange peel pattern has an aerosol dispenser and a contained material. The aerosol dispenser is a container assembly, a valve assembly, and an outlet assembly. The contained material is texture material and propellant material. The texture material is approximately 24-34% water, 4.1-6.1% latex binder, 48-58% fillers, and 4.8-8.8% drier accelerant by weight. The contained material comprises approximately 10-15% by weight of the propellant material. The outlet assembly alters the cross-sectional of the outlet opening to correspond to a desired orange peel texture pattern. The valve assembly allows the propellant material to force at least a portion of the texture material out of the outlet opening in a spray pattern corresponding to the desired orange peel texture pattern. The drier accelerant promotes drying of the dispensed texture material. |
| US09382055B2 |
Apparatus and method for displacing air from wine containers
An air removal and wine dispenser device for a wine bottle has a bottle seal and a balloon. The balloon is inflated with a pump to displace air from the bottle. Additional inflation forces wine through a dispensing tube. Wine flow is controlled by a wine valve. In one embodiment, a single control valve is used to vent air and dispense wine, and a cam lever is used to expand a cam seal and to operate a balloon deflation valve. |
| US09382053B2 |
Flexible packages having multiple lines of weakness to facilitate opening
A flexible film package for storing food products comprises a body with a side wall, a closed bottom end, and a closed top end. The body includes a primary line of weakness and a pair of secondary lines of weakness formed in the side wall. Each of the primary and secondary lines of weakness includes a plurality of score lines spaced apart by non-scored portions of the side wall. The score lines of the primary line of weakness have a greater length, width, and depth than the score lines of the secondary lines of weakness. The non-scored portions between the score lines of the primary line of weakness are longer than the non-scored portions between the score lines of the secondary lines of weakness. |
| US09382051B2 |
Holder for cords, hoses, and other articles
The present invention relates to holders for securing an elongated, flexible article of manufacture like an electric cord or a hose in a desired configuration, for example, a rolled-up configuration for storage. |
| US09382048B2 |
Closure band for containers
A retaining band is provided for a container, e.g. for a joint between a flexible plastics pouring spout and a container neck, or for a lidded drum or pail. The band is movable from an expanded position in which it can be placed over the container with a clearance fit, to a constricted position in which the band tightly engages about the container. The band comprises a detent formed by a toothed spigot lockingly receivable in a toothed receptacle that are mechanically interengageable to prevent movement of the band from the constricted position towards the expanded position. The band may be formed as a separate component or as an integral part of a closure, the spout or the container. |
| US09382045B2 |
Dispensing closure
The present invention relates to a dispensing closure comprising a base and a cover being attached to said base by a hinge and being movable between an opened and a closed position, said cover comprising an outer side-wall, wherein said dispensing closure also comprises tamper evident elements indicating whether said cover had been opened or not. The tamper-evident elements comprise a first latch element and a second latch element engaging with each other when said cover is in its closed position The cover comprises a push-button region being arranged such that when being pushed by a user at least partly in a radial inward direction, the first latch element will be brought out of engagement with said second latch element. |
| US09382044B2 |
Locking device for a cap
A locking device is disclosed for locking a cap on a container with a flange including a lid housing a bushing provided with lower inner notches supported under the flange and outer notches engaging with a groove in the lid to secure the bushing to the lid, the lid including a severable frangible zone, the bushing being formed by a ring extended by lugs intended to surround the cap and provided with at least one deformable and severable bridge provided opposite the lugs and capable of being elastically deformed radially to allow the forced insertion of the flange into the bushing and of being broken to allow the removal of the bushing relative to the flange followed by the removal of the cap from the container. |
| US09382042B2 |
Pull activated greeting cards and gift bags with motion and audio
The greeting card of the present invention is a traditional greeting card enhanced by audio and movement. The greeting card contains a pull trigger mechanism so that the user must interact with the greeting card to trigger the audio and motor movement. The pull trigger mechanism may be made of a variety of different materials and are intended to resemble the tail of various animals. Once the pull mechanism or tail has been pulled, the motor is activated causing movement of a portion of the greeting card proximate to the pull mechanism or tail which resembles the behind of an animal. The moveable portion of the greeting card moves, by for example back and forth, while audio plays in the background. |
| US09382036B2 |
Ecological pallet
Disclosed is an ecological pallet with two semi-circular support structures, each an elongated arch-shaped structure, with openings located at equidistant distances on one of the sides of each of the semi-circular support structures. The semi-circular support structures are similar and connected to each other by a fabric web. The fabric web is fixed through parallel opening lines to each of the support structures by: one or more first and second double male anchor type member with pins, extending on both sides of the double male anchoring members keeping between the pins the same equidistant distances to each other that keep the openings of the semi-circular support structures; and one or more first and second female anchoring members with equidistant openings keeping between the openings the same equidistant distances to each other that keep the openings of the semi-circular support structures. |
| US09382034B2 |
Strengthened food container and method
A metal food can including a metal sidewall is provided. The diameter of the sidewall varies at different axial positions along the sidewall. The can includes a can end coupled to an end of the metal sidewall, and a plurality of circumferential beads formed in the metal sidewall. The shape of each circumferential bead varies based upon the diameter of the section of the sidewall in which the beads are formed. |
| US09382032B2 |
Storage device and storage system
Collapsible storage device and system having a container with a planar section and side wall pivotably joined to the base so that the container is movable between a collapsed configuration in which the container is substantially flat and an expanded configuration defining a top opening and a side opening to an interior of the container. The storage device further includes a cover frame. Locking members are provided for securing the frame to the sidewall to close the top opening of the container and to form a rigid structure. The locking members include a complimentary shaped locking tooth and slot. The storage device is further provided with a closable flap or door which provides access to the interior of the container through the side opening when the container is in the expanded configuration. |
| US09382027B2 |
Device for the transfer of fitting parts for container labelling
A device for transferring fitting parts for container labelling includes a hub coupled centrally and directly to a direct drive so as to be rotationally driven by the direct drive around a rotational axis in a stationary hub bearing arrangement disposed in an outer circumferential region of the hub. A plurality of drive shafts are rotatably mounted near an outside circumference of the hub. Each drive shaft is parallel to the rotational axis and coupled to a respective transfer shaft carrying a transfer element. A lantern wheel is disposed underneath the hub. The lantern wheel includes drive pinions and toothed wheel segments disposed on the drive shafts and a stationary control cam plate for pivotally rotating the drive shafts with rotation of the hub. The direct drive is disposed underneath the control cam plate. |
| US09382026B2 |
Apparatus for cutting a packaging material for a package
The invention relates to an apparatus for cutting a packaging material (4) for a package, comprising an ultrasonic welding device (2) that includes a sonotrode (3) and an anvil (5) for sealing the packaging material (4), the sonotrode (3) being rotatable about a first axis of rotation (X) and the anvil (5) being rotatable about a second axis of rotation (Y). The apparatus further comprises a cutting device (6) which includes at least one knife (7) for cutting the packaging material (4) and which is arranged within the anvil (5). The invention is characterized in that the knife (7) has a blade (8) with a cutting edge (28) that includes at least two tips (33, 35) and at least two curved sections (22) interconnecting the two tips (33, 35). |
| US09382023B2 |
Methods for packaging and sterilizing elastomeric articles, and packaged elastomeric articles produced thereby
The present invention relates generally to methods of sterilizing elastomeric articles in a manner that prevents and/or reduces degradation to the articles, particularly degradation that may be caused and/or accelerated by sterilization techniques such as gamma irradiation, x-ray irradiation, and electron-beam processing. The methods include packaging the elastomeric articles in order to improve their resistance to degradation. In certain aspects of the invention, packaged elastomeric articles, optionally containing one or more antidegradants, such as antioxidant and/or antiozonant compounds, are also provided. The methods of providing degradation-resistant elastomeric articles in accordance with the present invention may also be used to reduce the occurrence of cracking and discoloration in elastomeric articles, regardless of whether they are subjected to sterilization. |
| US09382019B2 |
Despin device
A despin device includes a central base installed in an outer rotational ring. The outer rotational ring includes a plurality of through-holes extending from an inner wall face thereof through an outer wall face thereof. Masses are symmetrically installed in ball grooves of the central base and the through-holes of the outer rotational ring. The masses are connected by a connecting line extending through a line cutter and tensioned by a tensioning device. Cables are wrapped around an outer periphery of the central base. Each cable includes an end attached to one of the masses. A plurality of release-hitch devices is provided. Each release-hitch device includes a hitch member fixed to the central base and a disengagement member releasably engaged with the hitch member and fixed to the other end of one of the cables. |
| US09382018B2 |
Method for repairing an aircraft fuselage
A method for repairing damage to the coating of an aircraft fuselage, the coating being made of fiber-reinforced composite material. This method comprising making a cut-out in the fuselage with a substantially parallelepipedal outline around the damage and drilling a circular hole substantially centered on the intersection of the sides of the outline of the parallelepiped of the cut-out at each of the corners of the outline before the cutting out operation. |
| US09382016B2 |
Aircraft landing monitor
According to an aspect, a method of monitoring landing of an aircraft includes determining whether the aircraft is in a landing phase to maneuver the aircraft to a landing zone. Either or both of a landing profile monitor and a pattern matcher can set a landing instability indicator. The landing profile monitor compares aircraft sensor data indicative of a current state of the aircraft to a landing profile of the aircraft and sets the landing instability indicator based on the landing profile. The pattern matcher identifies a pattern associated with the landing zone in perception sensor data indicative of current conditions at the landing zone, monitors the pattern for a change indicative of landing zone instability, and sets the landing instability indicator based on detecting the change indicative of landing zone instability. Landing abort logic is triggered to abort landing based on determining that the landing instability indicator is set. |
| US09382012B2 |
Unmanned helicopter
A helicopter includes a mast, a main rotor, an engine, a radiator, and a body cover. The engine and the radiator are housed in the body cover. The body cover includes a first opening penetrated by the mast, a second opening that is located at a more forward position than the first opening and configured to introduce air to the radiator, and a third opening located at a position that is more forward than the first opening and more rearward than the radiator. The third opening is located at a higher position than the second opening and the radiator. |