| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09644698B2 |
Device for the purpose of influencing the transfer of vibration between two units
The invention is a device for influencing transfer of vibration between two units, one is mounted so that it can vibrate and the other is mounted to be damped. A parallel circuit is connected indirectly or directly with both units, which comprises at least one elastically deformable element, with an associated first force path and at least one force generator, providing a second force path, oriented parallel to the first force path and associated with a lever, connected indirectly or directly with the one unit, which lever at one end is rotated about a first axis of rotation oriented orthogonally to both force paths. |
| US09644697B2 |
Eccentric clamping bushing
A clamping bushing which, due to the particular eccentric geometry and composite materials used to manufacture the same, comprising elastomers (14, 15) and metal sheets (10, 11), is suitable for the reduction of principally vertically acting vibrations and structure-borne sound which can arise in machines/gearboxes and, in particular, in wind turbines. |
| US09644695B2 |
Anti-squeal shim
Anti-squeal shim (100) comprising a fiber reinforced vibration insulating layer (110) and a vibration absorbing layer (120), the fiber reinforced vibration insulating layer comprises reinforcement fibers, a filler material and a binder material. There is also provided a method of producing anti-squeal shims, and a method of preventing squeal noise from a disc brake. |
| US09644692B2 |
One-way transmission structure and one-way transmission method
A one-way transmission structure is provided, which includes a sleeve and a rotating shaft passing through the sleeve, where the rotating shaft is fixed in the sleeve through a rope in a suspended manner, a first end of the rope hitches on the rotating shaft and forms a Prusik knot, and a second end of the rope is fastened on a side wall of the sleeve. In the one-way transmission structure, an active portion and a passive portion can be connected flexibly, which has advantages such as a simple structure, a low manufacturing and maintenance cost, and conveniences in mounting and maintenance. |
| US09644685B2 |
Output shaft adapter
A transmission includes an output shaft. The output shaft is configured to transmit torque from the transmission through an output shaft flange to a driveshaft. The transmission further includes an adapter having a first threaded portion, a second threaded portion, and a journal. The first threaded portion is received by the output shaft. The journal extends from the second threaded portion and is configured to align the driveshaft with the output shaft. |
| US09644683B2 |
Thermal management of bearings in hot magnetic separator
An apparatus for separating hot particles including a plurality of materials having different magnetic properties includes a plurality of permanent magnets arranged in a magnet assembly and configured to create a magnetic flux capable of providing a coercive force on at least a portion of the particles, the magnet assembly being mounted on a stationary shaft, a moving surface proximate the magnet assembly for carrying the particles in a downward path through the magnetic flux while the coercive force attracts the portion of the hot particles toward the moving surface, the moving surface being mounted on a drive shaft supported by a bearing, and an inert gas supply system which supplies inert gas into a gap between the stationary shaft and the drive shaft for cooling the drive shaft and the bearings, and into the magnet assembly for purging the magnet assembly of oxygen. |
| US09644681B2 |
Low-friction dynamic seal
A sealing arrangement, for sealing of a radial gap between relatively rotatable inner and out components, whereby the inner component is rotational about an axis of rotation and the outer component is coaxially arranged around the inner component. The sealing arrangement comprises: a dynamic seal part mountable to the inner component; a static seal part mountable to the outer component; and first and second labyrinth seals, each being formed by a gap between at least one set of opposing surfaces on the static and dynamic seal parts, and a lip seal arranged radially between the first and second labyrinth seal. The lip seal comprises a sealing lip connected to the dynamic seal part and bears against a radially oriented counterface on the static seal part. The sealing lip has a longitudinal extension in a radial cross section that extends towards the rotation axis at an angle between 10° and 80°. |
| US09644669B2 |
Vehicle and a compression load limiter assembly for the vehicle
A vehicle and a compression load limiter assembly for the vehicle are disclosed. The assembly includes a first component defining a first hole along a first axis to present a first wall radially spaced from the first axis. The assembly also includes a second component defining a second hole along a second axis to present a second wall radially spaced from the second axis. The first and second holes generally align with each other to couple together the first and second components. The assembly further includes a load limiter member including a first body portion engaging one of the first and second walls when disposed in one of the first and second holes. The first body portion has a radially compliant feature to allow movement of the load limiter member within one of the first and second holes in response to a force being applied to the load limiter member. |
| US09644667B2 |
Floating fasteners
One or more floating fastener assemblies used to fasten components together are described. In some embodiments, the components are top and bottom portions of an enclosure of a computing device. Each floating fastener assembly can include a fastener having at least one surface that can engage with a surface of the enclosure to limit the rotation of the fastener during fastening. Each floating fastener can also include a clearance area for the fastener to “float” in a lateral direction with respect to the enclosure. Thus, when corresponding openings in the top and bottom portions of the enclosure are not exactly aligned, each fastener can shift laterally to allow screws to engage to fasten the top and bottom portions together. |
| US09644666B2 |
Electrically insulating cage nut
An electrically insulating cage nut (10) having a nut body (12) which is held in a cage (14), in which the nut body (12) has a cylindrical attachment (16) and a broadened holding element (18), and the cylindrical attachment (16) has an internal thread (20) and extends through an opening (22) in the cage (14) to the outside, wherein the internal diameter of the opening (22) is substantially larger than the external diameter of the cylindrical attachment (16), but is smaller than the external size of the holding element (18), and an insulator apparatus (24) is arranged between the cage (14) and cylindrical attachment (16), wherein the insulator apparatus (24) is formed integrally, and in consequence the cage nut (10) consists of only three components (12, 14, 24). |
| US09644664B2 |
Male anti-false thread fastener member
A male anti-false thread fastener member having features, including: a shank that has a lead end and a tool engagement end; a head formed at the tool engagement end of the shank; at least one male fastening thread formed on the exterior of the shank as a plurality of thread windings adapted to mate with a corresponding female fastening thread formed in an interior of a female fastener member; at least one male lead thread formed on the exterior of the shank at the lead end that is at least a half winding around the shank and comprises curved profile defined by an arc having a radius approximately equal to a radius of an arc that is tangent to both flanks of a thread profile of the at least one male fastening thread and below the pitch line of the at least one male fastener thread. |
| US09644662B2 |
Cold spray nodes, studs, stud assemblies, and methods of manufacture
Studs, nodes, and study assembly systems formed by various methods are disclosed. Various disclosed methods include cold spraying a powder onto a substrate to form a node on the substrate and drilling a hole only into the node. Various disclosed methods include cold spraying a powder onto a substrate to form a node and machining the node to form a stud. |
| US09644659B2 |
Temporary clamp up system for sealant squeeze out in lock bolt installations
A joint fastening system employs a lock bolt having a pull stem and locking threads inserted through a bore in a joint having fay sealant between layers. A collar is received over the pull stem to engage the threads, the collar producing tension on the threads to generate clamp force sufficient for fay sealant squeeze out. |
| US09644657B2 |
Fastening device
The invention relates to a fastening device (100) comprising: a bolt (107) with a head (108) and a shaft (109); a sleeve (111) comprising a head (112) able to house the head of the bolt and a body (113) able to house the bolt shaft, the sleeve body having an inner diameter smaller than the bolt shaft diameter; a ring (116) in solid and compressible material, attached to an outer surface (115) of the sleeve body and positioned near the sleeve head, said outer surface being able to contact a wall (106) of a drilled hole (103) made in a structural component, said ring being able to be compressed between said outer surface and said wall. |
| US09644656B2 |
Systems and methods for securing portions of a cord
Systems and methods are operable to secure a coiled portion of an electrical cord, a cable, or a rope. An exemplary embodiment has a coil securing portion with an interior surface, a collapsing portion joined with the coil securing portion, and a means for securing the coil retainer in a collapsed position. The coil securing portion and the collapsing portion cooperatively define a substantially tubular interior region and an opening, wherein the interior region is configured to receive a coil portion inserted through the opening when the coil retainer is in an open position. The coiled portion is frictionally secured by the interior surface of the coil securing portion when the coil retainer is secured in the collapsed position. |
| US09644655B2 |
Approaches for welding sandwich structures
Methods for welding sandwich structures together, especially vehicle structures, where the structures include two opposing face sheets with a core, such as a micro-truss core, therebetween. In one embodiment, two sandwich structures are butt welded together. A cooling fluid barrier is provided at an end of the core between the face sheets to prevent cooling fluid from entering the core during the welding process, where the cooling barrier can be a micro-truss structure and can include cooling fluid channels. A welding insert is inserted into the end of one of the structures adjacent to the cooling barrier, and is welded to the other structure to secure the structures together. |
| US09644654B2 |
Dual-threaded stepped setscrew
Devices and methods for a setscrew device. An elongated cylindrical rod has a first threaded portion with a first diameter and a continuous spiraling thread, an unthreaded shank portion with a second diameter, and a second threaded portion having the second diameter and a continuous spiraling thread. The second diameter is smaller than the first diameter. The unthreaded shank portion is located between the first threaded portion and the second threaded portion forming a step. A bias element is disposed on the step and surrounds the second threaded portion. A compression element is threaded onto the second threaded portion and operatively connected to the bias element. |
| US09644653B2 |
Lightweight construction panel, connecting arrangement and method for producing a connecting arrangement
A lightweight board having an upper covering layer, which extends in a longitudinal direction, a lower covering layer, which extends parallel to the upper covering layer and is spaced apart from the upper covering layer in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, a light middle layer, which extends between the upper covering layer and the lower covering layer, and a bar, which extends between the upper covering layer and the lower covering layer and consists of wood or wood-based material. To simplify the production of a connection arrangement, the bar has a machine-worked tongue profile and/or groove profile, which is formed for mechanical locking in the longitudinal direction and in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction with a corresponding profile of a further component. The invention also relates to a corresponding connection arrangement and a corresponding method for producing a connection arrangement. |
| US09644651B2 |
Method for controlling hydraulic system of construction machinery
The method for controlling the hydraulic system of construction machinery according to the present disclosure includes an engine speed prediction step, in which a variable rated engine speed, which varies within a range larger than a fixed rated engine speed and smaller than a high idle engine speed for the fixed rated engine speed and a virtual engine speed, which is to be input later, are predicted to output a virtual engine speed value predicted before an actual engine speed is input. Accordingly, when an operation load is applied, pump torque may initially have a margin, and even though an engine speed is decreased due to the operation load, it is possible to prevent an engine speed decrease phenomenon in which the engine speed becomes remarkably smaller than the rated engine speed. |
| US09644646B2 |
Multiple-staged fluid operated actuator
A multiple-stage fluid operated actuator (100) is provided. The multiple-stage fluid operated actuator (100) comprises a housing (101) including a first bore (212) with a first cross-sectional area and a second bore (215) with a second cross-sectional area. The multiple-stage fluid operated actuator (100) further comprises a piston assembly (210) including a first piston (210a) movable within the first bore (212) and a second piston (210b) movable within the first and second bores (212, 215). The piston assembly (210) separates the first and second bores (212, 215) into a first fluid chamber (214a) selectively in fluid communication with a pressurized fluid source (220) or an exhaust, an airtight second fluid chamber (214b), and a third fluid chamber (214c) selectively in fluid communication with the pressurized fluid source (220) or the exhaust. |
| US09644644B2 |
Hydraulic accumulator in form of a bellows accumulator
A hydraulic accumulator includes an accumulator housing (1), in which a bellows (21) having a selectable number of pleats (23) forms a mobile separation element between the gas side (25) and the fluid side (13). A distancing device (33) is arranged inside the accumulator housing (1), and is fluidically connected to the inside of the bellows (21) or abuts the bellows (21), forming an additional medium chamber. |
| US09644643B2 |
Aspirator pump with dual high pressure streams
A three stream aspirator includes an upstream passage for receiving and discharging a motivator stream, a low pressure passage for receiving and discharging a low pressure stream, and a Venturi for receiving and discharging the motivator stream and for drawing the low pressure stream through the low pressure passage. The aspirator body also includes a mixing passage for receiving and mixing the motivator stream and the low pressure stream, and a first aspirator outlet, located at the end of the mixing passage, configured to discharge the mixed stream from the aspirator. The aspirator body further includes an isolated passage for receiving a high pressure stream, wherein the high pressure stream is isolated from any other stream while within the aspirator; and a second aspirator outlet, adjacent to the first aspirator outlet, from which the high pressure stream is discharged. |
| US09644640B2 |
Compressor nozzle stage for a turbine engine
A single-piece compressor nozzle stage for a turbine engine, the stage including two coaxial rings, connected together by radial vanes, the inner ring including an annular cavity for housing a damper for damping vibration by friction, which damper is secured to an annular abradable-material support. |
| US09644636B2 |
Centrifugal steam compressor and shaft seal system used with same
In a centrifugal steam compressor having sealing water discharge at pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, a simple structure in which a high-pressure piping system is omitted as much as possible from a sealing water circulation system is realized. A shaft seal system 50 is capable of supplying high-pressure sealing water and low-pressure sealing water. The shaft seal system has a circulating water reservoir 240 to store circulating water, a positive displacement pump 200 to suck the circulating water from the reservoir, and is capable of supplying the sealing water to a first pressure regulating valve 290 provided in a high-pressure side sealing water line 330 of a centrifugal compressor 100 and a second pressure regulating valve 300 provided in a low-pressure side sealing water line 310 of the centrifugal compressor, an accumulator 210 provided between the positive displacement pump and the first and second pressure regulating valves, return pipings 315, 316, 335 and 336 to return the sealing water, which water-seals seal means of the centrifugal compressor, to the circulating water reservoir, and depressurization means 313, 314, 333 and 334 interpositioned in the middle of the return pipings. |
| US09644635B2 |
Electric air blower
Fan (3) includes suction-side shroud (3a) and suction port (22) at the center portion of suction-side shroud (3a). Fan case (2) includes opening part (13) at a location facing suction port (22). Fan seal (4) is disposed between inner wall surface (2a) of fan case (2) and suction port-side end surface (3b) of suction-side shroud (3a). Opening part (13) includes a plurality of mushroom-shaped anchors (2b). Fan seal (4) includes holding parts (4b) that fit onto mushroom-shaped anchors (2b). Fan seal (4) is press-fitted onto fan case (2) that includes mushroom-shaped anchors (2b). |
| US09644633B2 |
Centrifugal motor-compressor unit
A centrifugal compressor unit includes a driving means for rotatably driving a rotor, and at least one compressor including a statoric body and an arrangement of blade wheels mounted on a shaft which is rotatably driven by the rotor in the statoric body. The group formed by the motor and/or each compressor being mounted in a common housing is sealed from the gas used by the compressor. The compressor unit also includes an arrangement of active bearings for axially and radially guiding the rotor and the driven shaft, and a means for cooling the driving means and the guiding bearings by withdrawing the gas used by the compressor at the outlet of a first compression stage. The cooling means includes a set of internal conduits for supplying the driving means and the bearings with cooling gas. The cooling gas flow in the motor and the cooling gas flow in the bearing is separated and then converge upstream of the first compression stage. |
| US09644631B2 |
Multi-blade centrifugal fan and air conditioner employing the same
In a multi-blade centrifugal fan in which an impeller is provided in a scroll casing in a freely rotatable manner, the scroll casing is provided with an axially expanded portion that forms an air channel at a bottom surface thereof which is expanded in a rotation-axis direction at a radially outer side of an annular flange portion which supports the impeller; and is provided, in a region of an outlet between a tongue portion and a spiral-end portion of the scroll casing in the axially expanded portion, with a protrusion that protrudes radially outward from a radially inner side surface by a predetermined amount so as to directly face an airflow in a circumferential direction. |
| US09644630B2 |
Supercharger with integrated contraction chamber for noise attenuation
A supercharger for a vehicle includes a lower body housing a compressor and an upper lid having a contraction chamber. The upper lid includes an air circulation port and is configured to be coupled to the lower body thereby forming a plenum. The contraction chamber is integrally formed in the upper lid adjacent to the air circulation port and includes an attenuator plate that defines a tuning neck. The tuning neck defines an inlet to and part of a volume of the contraction chamber, and includes a predetermined size and shape configured to attenuate a desired sound frequency generated by operation of the supercharger. |
| US09644626B2 |
Vane pump
A vane pump includes: a rotor; vanes; a cam ring; pump chambers; a suction port; a discharge port; back-pressure chambers; a discharge-side back pressure port configured to guide working fluid that is discharged from the discharge port to the back-pressure chambers; and suction-side back pressure ports configured to guide the working fluid to the back-pressure chambers. The suction-side back pressure ports are formed to be divided into a low-pressure port and a high-pressure port, the low-pressure port being configured to guide the working fluid in the suction port to the back-pressure chambers, and the high-pressure port being configured to guide the working fluid that is discharged from the discharge port to the back-pressure chambers. The high-pressure port is arranged at the forward-side of the low-pressure port in rotating direction of the rotor. |
| US09644623B2 |
Fluid control structures in microfluidic devices
Methods and apparatus for implementing microfluidic analysis devices are provided. A monolithic elastomer membrane associated with an integrated pneumatic manifold allows the placement and actuation of a variety of fluid control structures, such as structures for pumping, isolating, mixing, routing, merging, splitting, preparing, and storing volumes of fluid. The fluid control structures can be used to implement a variety of sample introduction, preparation, processing, and storage techniques. |
| US09644622B2 |
Membrane pump with air release valve
A suction pump, in particular a breast pump, comprises a bleed valve with a bleed opening, a bleed body which seals the bleed opening and an operating means for operating the bleed body. The bleed body may be operated such that upon opening the valve initially only a partial region of the bleed opening is released and subsequently a greater part thereof or the whole bleed opening is released. The suction pump provides a large functionality with the smallest size and, furthermore, is cheap to produce and easily assembled. |
| US09644617B2 |
Hydrostatic axial piston machine
The disclosure relates to a hydrostatic axial piston machine having a housing, having a drive shaft, to which a flange disc is fastened in a rotationally fixed manner, and having a swash plate, to which a rotor disc, driven by the drive shaft or the flange disc, is rotatably mounted, and having a plurality of displacement units arranged distributed between the flange disc and the rotor disc and around the axis of the drive shaft, each displacement unit comprising a cylinder sleeve and a piston which extends into the cylinder sleeve and has a ball head and a spherical joint head which extends into the cylinder sleeve, wherein during operation, the piston plunges more or less far into the cylinder sleeve. |
| US09644613B2 |
Wind turbine lighting protection system and wind turbine blade
Method and apparatus for cooling a hydrocarbon stream. The present invention relates to a wind turbine lightning protection system and to a wind turbine blade comprising a wind turbine lightning protection system. A lightning protection system is provided for use in a wind turbine blade, comprising a lightning conductor located along an interior portion of the wind turbine blade and being coupled to ground, at least one receptor module arranged on an external surface of the wind turbine blade, the receptor module being electrically connected to the lightning conductor, and a vortex generator strip arranged in a longitudinal direction on the external surface of the wind turbine blade, the vortex generator strip being adapted to attract and receive a lightning strike and to transmit an electrical current from the lightning strike to the receptor module and thereafter to ground through the lightning conductor. |
| US09644608B2 |
Method and system for shutting down a wind turbine
A method and system for shutting down a wind turbine is presented. The method includes determining one or more pitch positions for one or more rotor blades of the wind turbine such that a sum of potential energy and kinetic energy in the wind turbine is minimized. The method further includes pitching the one or more rotor blades from an operating position to the determined pitch positions. |
| US09644604B2 |
Vertical axis turbine
A vertical axis wind turbine including a turbine rotor having an axis of rotation and at least one blade spaced from and mounted for rotation about the rotation axis of the turbine. The blade has at least one longitudinal surface substantially parallel to the rotation axis and for engagement, in use, with wind incident on the turbine rotor. The blade is a two part blade with a first leading blade portion pivotably connected to a second trailing blade portion. The turbine includes pitch control means and camber control means for controlling the pitch and camber of the blade. |
| US09644603B1 |
Electric generating wind turbine system for low and high wind speeds
An electrical power generating system includes a wind deflecting structure having a contour at a proximal end formed by a plurality of sail segments that in a first position define the contour, a turbine positioned in proximity to a distal end of the wind deflecting structure such that the turbine is driven by wind passing around the wind deflecting structure, and an energy converter coupled to the turbine that converts rotary motion from the turbine into electrical energy, wherein at least one of the plurality of sails is movable between the first position defining a corresponding portion of the contour of the wind deflecting structure and a second position that reduces a wind drag coefficient of the wind deflecting structure. |
| US09644601B2 |
Linear faraday induction generator for the generation of electrical power from ocean wave kinetic energy and arrangements thereof
A linear generator includes a permanent magnet array having at least two magnets arranged end-to-end. A set of conductive coils is arranged around the permanent magnet array. A four-phase full wave rectifier is configured to accept alternating current inputs from the set of conductive coils and to produce one or more direct current outputs. A summing circuit is configured to aggregate the one or more direct current outputs from the rectifier to produce a combined, rectified direct current output. |
| US09644597B2 |
Ceramic glow plug
A ceramic glow pug has a structure in which a portion of an embedded resistor is exposed on a portion of a substrate and forms an exposed surface of an electrode taking-out portion. The resistor formed of an electrically conductive ceramic is embedded in the substrate formed of an electrically insulating ceramic, and a portion of the resistor is exposed on the surface of the substrate and has an exposed surface. The exposed surface and the embedded portion differ in stress acting on the substrate, which may decrease the breakage resistance in the vicinity of the electrode taking-out portion. The shape of the exposed surface is such that dimensions, in the axial and circumferential directions, fall within a range of 1.0 mm to 1.8 mm. |
| US09644595B2 |
Starting battery for an internal combustion engine
A starting battery for use with an internal combustion engine including an electric starting system with a starter motor is provided. The starting battery includes a battery cell and a control system including a timer and configured to operate a starter motor of an internal combustion engine. The control system is configured to actuate the starter motor to start the internal combustion engine in response to a user input and deactivate the motor after a predetermined amount of time measured by the timer. |
| US09644594B2 |
Switch arrangement in a motor vehicle electrical system
Switch system for a motor vehicle electrical system comprising a first switch element arranged between a generator-battery line and a starter-battery line of a vehicle electrical system, such that the generator-battery line and the starter-batter line can be short circuited spatially in the region of the starter. |
| US09644593B2 |
Cold-crank event management
Systems and methods for managing cold-crank events. In an embodiment, a method may include detecting a cold-crank event and setting a switching circuit to a non-conductive state, where the switching circuit is configured to couple a first regulator to a memory circuit such that setting the switching circuit to the non-conductive state de-couples the memory circuit from the first regulator. The method may also include setting the switching circuit to a conductive state in current limitation mode during a recovery period following the cold-crank event to re-couple the memory circuit to the first regulator. In another embodiment, an electronic device include a switching circuit, a first regulator coupled to a first terminal of the switching circuit, a second regulator coupled to a second terminal of the switching circuit, a logic circuit coupled to the switching circuit, and a memory circuit coupled to the second terminal of the switching circuit. |
| US09644585B2 |
Auxiliary pressure relief valve in single piston fuel pump
A fuel pump has a low pressure fuel inlet (40) and a single piston pumping chamber (10) for supplying high pressure fuel through a pump outlet to an inlet side of a common rail (16). The fuel pump comprises a primary pressure relief valve (12) having an inlet side in hydraulic communication with the inlet side of the common rail (16) and an outlet side in fluid communication with the pumping chamber (10); and an auxiliary pressure relief valve (19) having an inlet side (35) in hydraulic communication with the pumping chamber (10) and an outlet side in direct fluid communication with a fuel passage (37) at the low pressure of the pump inlet (40). |
| US09644580B2 |
Filter element with retaining surfaces, filter with a filter element and filter housing of a filter
A filter element (10) is provided with open filter bellows (16) of a filter medium (18). The filter element (10) has at least one longitudinal mating surface (40) which is directed with at least one direction component axially to an element axis (14) of the filter element (10) and which is in contact with a corresponding longitudinal mating surface of the filter housing (11) for securing the filter element (10) axially to the element axis (14). The filter element (10) has at least one transverse retaining surface (52) which is directed with at least one direction component across the element axis (14). The transverse retaining surface (52) is separated from the at least one longitudinal retaining surface (40) and may be in contact with a corresponding transverse mating surface (56) of the filter housing (11) for securing the filter element (10) across the element axis (14). |
| US09644576B2 |
Exhaust gas feed device for an internal combustion engine
An exhaust gas feed device for an internal combustion engine includes an exhaust gas recirculation duct comprising an end, an outlet, and an outflow cross-section. An air intake duct opens into the exhaust gas recirculation duct. A flow-guiding element is arranged in and at the end of the exhaust gas recirculation duct. An exhaust gas recirculation valve comprises a regulator body. The regulator body is configured to control the outflow cross-section. A valve seat is arranged at the outlet at the end of the exhaust gas recirculation duct in which the flow-guiding element is arranged. The valve seat is configured to limit the outflow cross-section of the exhaust gas recirculation duct. |
| US09644572B2 |
Control device for internal combustion engine
This invention relates to a control device for internal combustion engine for performing an exhaust recirculation control for controlling an operation condition of an exhaust recirculation device (50,52) according to a target exhaust gas recirculation amount (TRegr) set such that a detected air-fuel ratio (AFd) corresponds to an estimated air-fuel ratio (AFe). When the sign of the ratio (Rtregr) of the change amount of the actual target exhaust gas recirculation amount relative to the change amount of the base exhaust gas recirculation amount setting parameter (Q) used for the setting of the base exhaust gas recirculation amount (Regrb) is different from that of the ratio of the change amount of the referential target exhaust gas recirculation amount relative to the change amount of the base exhaust gas recirculation amount setting parameter, the performance of the learning function to calculate the learned correction value (KGn) on the basis of the instant correction value (KT) for correcting the current target exhaust gas recirculation amount such that the air-fuel ratio deviation (Raf) becomes zero is forbidden. |
| US09644560B1 |
Emergency forced idle device
The Emergency Forced Idle Device aka “EFID” is a device configured to make an automotive engine idle and the brakes to work normally completely ignoring the accelerator's request for more power, although the driver is inadvertently applying both the brake and the accelerator pedals at the same time. |
| US09644555B2 |
Method of pre-emptively regenerating a lean nox trap
A method of predicting the future use of a vehicle or an engine of the vehicle is used to evaluate whether NOx slippage from a lean NOx trap is likely to occur during a current drive cycle and also for scheduling when favorable conditions are likely to exist to purge the lean NOx trap before the slippage of NOx from the lean NOx trap is expected to occur. |
| US09644548B2 |
Exhaust system pressure estimation systems and methods
A control system for an engine of a vehicle includes an adder module that determines a pressure sum based on a sum of a plurality of pressures determined based on (i) a plurality of operating parameters of the vehicle and (ii) a plurality of predetermined values calibrated for determining an estimated pressure at a location within an exhaust system of the vehicle. An estimating module determines the estimated pressure at the location within the exhaust system based on the pressure sum and a reference pressure. An actuator control module selectively adjusts at least one engine actuator based on the estimated pressure. |
| US09644546B2 |
Internal combustion engine provided with variable compression ratio mechanism
This internal combustion engine is provided with a variable compression ratio mechanism capable of changing a mechanical compression ratio by changing the volume of the combustion chamber at the top dead center. The pressure and temperature of remaining combusted gas within the combustion chamber at the time when the exhaust valve is closed in the intake stroke is measured or estimated, the pressure and temperature of intake air supplied into the combustion chamber after the exhaust valve is closed in the intake stroke is measured or estimated, and based on the assumption that the pressure and temperature of the remaining combusted gas which saturates the volume of the combustion chamber at the time when the exhaust valve is closed in the air intake stroke become, when the intake air is supplied to the combustion chamber, equal to the pressure and temperature of the intake air, the volume of the remaining combusted gas after the change is calculated. |
| US09644544B2 |
Spring biased exhaust valve assembly
An exhaust valve assembly comprises a housing having a central axis. A ram assembly moves along a shaft fixed inside a hollow interior of the housing. Downstream movement of the ram assembly increases the size of the valve opening, allowing additional exhaust gases to pass through the interior of the housing. Springs maintain the ram assembly in a position in which exhaust gases may pass around the ram assembly. Sufficient force on the ram assembly from exhaust gases compresses at least one spring allowing the ram assembly to move downstream, thereby allowing additional exhaust gases to pass through the interior of the housing. |
| US09644543B2 |
Prediction of intake manifold pressure in an engine system
An engine assembly includes an intake manifold and a manifold absolute pressure sensor configured to generate a current measured manifold absolute pressure (MAPM) signal for the intake manifold. The assembly includes a throttle valve adjustable to control airflow to the intake manifold and a throttle position sensor configured to generate a current measured throttle position (TPM) signal. A controller is operatively connected to the throttle valve and the manifold absolute pressure sensor and has a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for executing a method for determining a predicted manifold absolute pressure (MAPP). Execution of the instructions by the processor causes the controller to determine the predicted manifold absolute pressure (MAPP) based at least partially on a predicted throttle flow (TFP) and the current measured manifold absolute pressure (MAPM) signal. |
| US09644538B2 |
Passive cooling system for auxiliary power unit installation
A passive cooling system for an auxiliary power unit (APU) installation on an aircraft is provided. The system is for an auxiliary power unit having at least a compressor portion of a gas turbine engine and an oil cooler contained separately within a nacelle. The system includes the auxiliary power unit housed within the nacelle of the aircraft, an engine exhaust opening defined in the aft portion of the nacelle and communicating with the gas turbine engine, at least a first air inlet duct communicating with a second opening defined in said nacelle and with said compressor portion and the oil cooler is located within a second duct communicating with an opening other than the engine exhaust opening of said nacelle and with the engine exhaust opening. Exterior cooling air and engine exhaust ejected through said engine exhaust opening entrain cooling air through said second duct to said oil cooler, and thus provide engine oil cooling. An exhaust eductor is also provided. |
| US09644534B2 |
Systems and methods for implementing engine cycle count
Systems and methods for implementing engine cycle counts are disclosed. One method may include determining, by at least one processor, a plurality of cycles associated with an engine; determining a category, by at least one processor, for each of the plurality of cycles based at least in part on an acceleration value associated with each of the plurality of cycles; and predicting, by at least one processor, a life cycle associated with the engine based at least in part on the determined category. |
| US09644530B2 |
Internal combustion engine coupled turbocharger with an infinitely variable transmission
A turbocharger for use with an internal combustion engine is provided. The turbocharger comprises a differential device having a carrier portion, a compressor portion, and a turbine portion. The compressor portion is in driving engagement with a first portion of the differential device. The turbine portion is in driving engagement with a second portion of the differential device. The carrier portion of the differential device is in driving engagement with an infinitely variable transmission. The infinitely variable transmission is in driving engagement with the internal combustion engine. The turbocharger is simply controlled, reduces turbo lag, decreases a boost threshold of the turbocharger, and increases an efficiency of the internal combustion engine. |
| US09644528B2 |
Engine system with EGR over-pressure protection
An engine system is disclosed for use with an engine having at least a first cylinder and a second cylinder. The engine system may have a first exhaust manifold fluidly connected to the first cylinder, a second exhaust manifold fluidly connected to the second cylinder, and a recirculation passage extending from the first exhaust manifold to at least one of the first and second cylinders. The engine system may also have a restricted orifice connecting the first exhaust manifold to the second exhaust manifold, a pressure relief passage extending from the first exhaust manifold, and a valve disposed within the pressure relief passage and movable to selectively reduce a back pressure of the first exhaust manifold. |
| US09644527B2 |
Method of operating a combustion engine provided with at least one flushed prechamber
A method of operating a combustion engine provided with at least one flushed prechamber, and the at least one prechamber is connected to a main combustion chamber of the combustion engine. During a compression phase immediately preceding the ignition in the main combustion chamber—after ignition has taken place in the prechamber, in a first transfer phase, gas transfers from the prechamber into the main combustion chamber. After the first transfer phase, an at least two-phase, incompressible medium—preferably water—is introduced into the prechamber. |
| US09644517B2 |
Exhaust aftertreatment device
An exhaust treatment device for treating exhaust includes a main body defining an interior, an inlet, and an outlet; an inlet arrangement disposed at the inlet; an aftertreatment substrate disposed between the inlet and the outlet; a restrictor arrangement disposed between a first closed end of the main body interior and the aftertreatment substrate; and a dosing arrangement configured to inject reactant into the exhaust. The restrictor arrangement defines a restricted passageway that extends towards the first closed end so that exhaust entering the main body interior from the inlet is swirled around the restricted passageway before entering the restricted passageway and passing to a second chamber prior to the aftertreatment substrate. |
| US09644506B2 |
Method and system of oil delivery in a combustion engine
Methods and systems are described for an oil delivery system of an engine. In one method, oil is pumped via a lower pressure oil pump to piston cooling jets while oil is separately pumped via a higher pressure oil pump to a cylinder head, bearings, a turbocharger, or a variable valve operation system. Herein, the higher and lower pressure oil pumps each draw oil from a common, shared sump, and return oil back to the common, shared sump. |
| US09644505B2 |
Rotary valve internal combustion engine
A rotary valve internal combustion engine has a piston connected to a crankshaft and reciprocatable in a cylinder, a combustion chamber being defined in part by the piston. The engine has a rotary valve rotatable in a valve housing fixed relative to the cylinder, the rotary valve having a valve body containing a volume defining, in part, the combustion chamber and further having a wall part thereof a port giving, during rotation of the valve, fluid communication successively to and from the combustion chamber via inlet and exhaust ports in the valve housing, wherein the rotary valve is rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the crankshaft, the valve being mounted in a bearing arrangement which restrains the valve from movement in the axial direction but permits movement in the radial direction. |
| US09644504B2 |
Single crystal engine valve
A valve for use in an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The valve includes a stem friction welded to a head portion. The head portion is cast from a single crystal metal using a casting process that creates little or no grain boundaries. The single crystal metal can be a nickel based superalloys such as CMSX-4, CMSX 3, Rene N5, and Rene N6. By having little or no grain boundaries, defects that occur in other types of casting material, such as large numbers of grain boundaries can be minimized. This allows the head portion and particularly the combustion face to withstand an operating temperature in the combustion chamber in excess of 850° C. |
| US09644503B2 |
System to diagnose variable valve actuation malfunctions by monitoring fluid pressure in a hydraulic lash adjuster gallery
A system for diagnosing malfunctions in a variable valve actuation device. The system has a rocker arm assembly with first and second arms attached at a first end and a hydraulically operated latch assembly to secure the first arm to the second arm when latched. The rocker arm assembly pivots upon a hydraulic lash adjuster and includes a source of pressurized fluid connected to a hydraulic valve providing high or low pressure fluid to the hydraulically-operated latch. The latch may be operated by a remote device. A pressure transducer positioned within the hydraulic lash adjuster (HLA) is adapted to create a signal indicating fluid pressure in the HLA. A control unit coupled to the hydraulic valve and the pressure transducer is adapted to sense engine operating parameters, actuate the hydraulic valve, read the signal from the pressure transducer and identify malfunctions of the rocker arm assembly based upon the signal. |
| US09644502B2 |
Regenerative thermodynamic power generation cycle systems, and methods for operating thereof
A regenerative closed loop thermodynamic power generation cycle system is presented. The system includes a high-pressure expander to deliver an exhaust stream. A conduit is fluidly coupled to the high-pressure expander, which is configured to split the exhaust stream from the high-pressure expander into a first exhaust stream and a second exhaust stream. The system further includes a first low-pressure expander and a second low-pressure expander. The first low-pressure expander is coupled to a pressurization device through a turbocompressor shaft, and fluidly coupled to receive the first exhaust stream. The second low-pressure expander is coupled to the high-pressure expander and an electrical generator through a turbogenerator shaft, and fluidly coupled to receive the second exhaust stream. A method for operating the regenerative closed loop thermodynamic power generation cycle system is also presented. |
| US09644500B2 |
Electricity-water co-generation system and method
An electricity-water co-generation system and method, the method comprising: step 1, heating saline water by spent steam, crystallizing a calcium magnesium compound in the saline water, then filtering the saline water; step 2, distilling the descaled water, and discharging strong saline water; step 3, converting the heat energy of the saturated steam into electric energy, dividing condensed water generated by releasing heat energy of the saturated steam into two parts, one part being output as fresh water; step 4, heating the other part of condensed water, and converting the heat energy of the overheated steam into electric energy, then feeding spent steam to heat the saline water and distilling the descaled water at a high temperature. The system comprises a descaling device, a mixed heat exchanger, a residual heat generator and a thermal power generation device, and the working process of the system is accordance with the method. |
| US09644494B2 |
Gas turbine
A gas turbine configured to prevent eccentricity of a rotor (14) due to heat is installed with a strut (23), an outer diffuser (24), an inner diffuser (25), a strut cover (26), and a partition wall (28), wherein the gas turbine includes an inflow hole (31) for cooling air (W), a first flow passage (R1) formed between a casing wall (21) and the outer diffuser (24), a second flow passage (R2) formed between the strut (23) and the strut cover (26), a third flow passage (R3) formed between the inner diffuser (25) and the partition wall (28), and an outflow hole (51) installed in the inner diffuser (25). |
| US09644491B2 |
Single bolting flange arrangement for variable guide vane connection
A single bolting flange arrangement for variable inlet guide vane (VIGV) connection includes a connection arm connected to a stem of the VIGV to rotate the VIGV. The connection arm is driven by a drive pin received in a slot of the connection arm. The connection arm has a bolting flange and the stem of the VIGV is fastened to one side of the single bolting flange by a bolt/nut assembly. |
| US09644489B1 |
Additive manufacturing of abradable mesh structure on ring segment surface
An abradable turbine component, a method of creating a turbine component with an abradable mesh structure, and a gas turbine engine are provided. The abradable turbine component includes a turbine component surface for coupling to a turbine casing, and a deposited abradable mesh structure coupled to the turbine component surface. The abradable mesh structure includes interlacing strands of material, each strand including a height relative to the turbine component surface. At least two of the plurality of interlacing strands include a height different from each other. The method includes applying a bond coat layer followed by a thermal barrier coating layer. An abradable mesh structure is deposited on top of thermal barrier coating wherein the abradable mesh structure includes interlacing strands of material wherein at least two of the interlacing strands include a height different from each other. A gas turbine engine including the abradable turbine component is also provided. |
| US09644488B2 |
Turbine stage with a blow-out arrangement and method for blowing out a sealing gas flow
A turbine stage having a gas channel in which at least one rotor assembly is disposed, is disclosed. A cavity communicates with the gas channel and is delimited by a front side of a rotor element and by a rotor element-mounted seal. A blow-out arrangement with at least one gas passage for blowing out a sealing gas flow into the cavity is provided, where the gas passage for blowing out the sealing gas flow is configured with a swirl in the circumferential direction and has an outlet opening that is offset radially outwardly from the rotor element-mounted seal. |
| US09644487B2 |
Fixed turbine engine receiver part comprising an assembly for holding ancillary systems in position inside a fixed hollow shaft
The invention relates to a fixed turbine engine receiver part comprising a fixed hollow shaft for carrying ancillary systems of a turbine engine, centered on the turbine engine axis, turbine engine ancillary systems, an assembly for holding ancillary systems in position situated inside the fixed hollow shaft. The assembly for holding ancillary systems in position comprises at least one first ancillary system support ring, having an axis substantially parallel with the turbine engine axis, a first distance sleeve for holding the first ancillary system support ring in position, having an axis substantially parallel with the turbine engine axis, the first distance sleeve bearing against the first support ring, such that the first support ring comprises a plurality of mutually separated through holes, each through hole defining a passage for at least one ancillary system, each through hole being traversed by at least one of the ancillary systems of the turbine engine. |
| US09644484B2 |
System and method for providing a film treatment to a surface using inlet bleed heat manifold
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for treating a surface, such as a gas turbine surface, with a filming agent using an inlet bleed heat manifold. A filming control system includes a storage tank configured to contain a filming agent; an inlet bleed heat manifold; and a supply conduit coupled to the storage tank on a first end and the inlet bleed heat manifold on a second end; wherein the filming control system is configured to deliver the filming agent from the storage tank and to discharge the filming agent through the inlet heat bleed manifold and the filming agent includes siloxane, fluorosilane, mercapto silane, amino silane, tetraethyl orthosilicate, succinic anhydride silane, or a combination including at least one of the foregoing. |
| US09644480B2 |
Fluid pressure rotary machine
A fluid pressure rotary machine includes a cylinder block that is fixed to a rotary shaft and includes a plurality of cylinder bores, a piston disposed to be free to slide in each cylinder bore such that a volume chamber is defined thereby, a swash plate that causes the piston to reciprocate such that the volume chamber expands and contracts, and a valve plate that slides against the cylinder block and includes an intake port and a discharge port communicating with the volume chamber. The valve plate includes a sliding surface formed to project in a spherical shape against the cylinder block. The cylinder block includes a sliding surface formed as an indentation corresponding to the shape of the sliding surface of the valve plate. A minute gap is formed between the sliding surface of the valve plate and the sliding surface of the cylinder block in an outer edge position. |
| US09644479B2 |
Device for sampling fluid under pressure for geological site development monitoring
The invention is a device for sampling fluids under pressure from a well which comprises a chamber for retaining the fluid within a sample chamber (01). The chambers includes a first piston which allows or prevents fluid inflow into the lower part of the chamber. The first piston is displaced by means comprising an elastic element (20) disposed in a chamber filled with oil and connected to the piston by a rod (04). Sampled fluid transfer means allows control of the descent of a second piston (02) from the upper part to the lower part of the chamber so that the fluid remains at constant pressure in chamber during the transfer. |
| US09644478B2 |
Sampling assembly for a single packer
A sampling assembly of a single packer assembly may have more guard drains than sampling drains. The single packer assembly having the sampling assembly may be deployed in a wellbore formed in a subterranean formation, and the single packer assembly may be deployed on a wireline cable or another deployment or conveyance. The number and the area of the sampling drains, the number and the area of the guard drains, and the positions of the sampling drains and the guard drains may be designed so that the guard drains which are operational may provide a fluid intake rate exceeding a predetermined threshold if one of the guard drains is congested and/or blocked. |
| US09644475B2 |
Communications protocol for downhole data collection
A method of managing data obtained in a borehole is provided. The method includes monitoring a characteristic with at least one sensor and obtaining raw data therefrom; indexing the raw data with the at least one sensor; recording the indexed data with the at least one sensor; forming a data packet with the at least one sensor, the data packet including at least a portion of the indexed data and index information; and transmitting the data packet in a predetermined segment of a communication protocol. |
| US09644470B2 |
Downhole camera
A camera apparatus that is at least partially incorporated within a downhole tool to be disposed to a subterranean location by a running arrangement. The camera apparatus includes a camera sensor for capturing one or more visual images of a subterranean location and a memory storage operably associated with camera sensor, the camera sensor providing one or more visual images to the storage memory. |
| US09644468B2 |
Steam assisted gravity drainage processes with the addition of oxygen
A process to recover hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon reservoir, namely bitumen (API<10; in situ viscosity>100,000 c.p.), said process comprising;establishing a horizontal production well in said reservoir;separately injecting an oxygen-containing gas and steam into the hydrocarbon reservoir continuously to cause heated hydrocarbons and water to drain, by gravity, to the horizontal production well, the ratio of oxygen/steam injectant gases being controlled in the range from 0.05 to 1.00 (v/v).removing non-condensable combustion gases from at least one separate vent-gas well, which is established in the reservoir to avoid undesirable pressures in the reservoir. |
| US09644467B2 |
Recovery from a hydrocarbon reservoir
A method of recovering heavy oil from a subterranean reservoir. The method includes injecting steam into a subterranean reservoir to heat heavy oil in the subterranean reservoir and thereby produce heavy oil of reduced viscosity; injecting a multi-purpose agent into the subterranean reservoir; and producing the heavy oil of reduced viscosity from the subterranean reservoir after injecting the steam and the multi-purpose agent. The multi-purpose agent comprises an ester of the formula RxCOORy wherein Rx is a straight chained or branched alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, Ry is a straight chained or branched alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, C is carbon and O is oxygen. |
| US09644463B2 |
Method of completing and producing long lateral wellbores
Long lateral wellbores are prepared for the production of hydrocarbons by preparing only a portion of the wellbore for production at a time, starting at a remote end of the long lateral wellbore. The prepared production section is produced until production becomes uneconomic before a further production section is prepared and produced. |
| US09644460B2 |
Method for the enhancement of injection activities and stimulation of oil and gas production
By removing material of low permeability from within and around a perforation tunnel and creating at least one fracture at the tip of a perforation tunnel, injection parameters and effects such as outflow rate and, in the case of multiple perforation tunnels benefiting from such cleanup, distribution of injected fluids along a wellbore are enhanced. Following detonation of a charge carrier, a second explosive event is triggered within a freshly made tunnel, thereby substantially eliminating a crushed zone and improving the geometry and quality (and length) of the tunnel. In addition, this action creates substantially debris-free tunnels and relieves the residual stress cage, resulting in perforation tunnels that are highly conducive to injection under fracturing conditions for disposal and stimulation purposes, and that promote even coverage of injected fluids across the perforated interval. |
| US09644458B2 |
Screen communication sleeve assembly and method
Fluid flow between screen-pipe annuli of pipe sections in a down-hole well structure is provided by a fluid communication sleeve assembly that may be installed where adjacent pipe sections are connected. A flow ring is provided at each pipe section end, each flow ring providing fluid communication from and to an annulus between a screen and a corresponding base pipe. The fluid communication sleeve assembly includes a screen shield spaced from the adjoining pipes and the pipe joint, the screen shield connected to a flow ring at each screen shield end, and a lock nut at each screen shield end, the lock nut retaining a screen shield end to a corresponding flow ring. A method for providing fluid flow between screen-pipe annuli of pipe is also provided. |
| US09644455B2 |
System and method for controlling and optimizing the hydrothermal upgrading of heavy crude oil and bitumen
A system and method is provided for upgrading a continuously flowing process stream including heavy crude oil (HCO). A reactor receives the process stream in combination with water, at an inlet temperature within a range of about 60° C. to about 200° C. The reactor includes one or more process flow tubes having a combined length of about 30 times their aggregated transverse cross-sectional dimension, and progressively heats the process stream to an outlet temperature T(max)1 within a range of between about 260° C. to about 400° C. The reactor maintains the process stream at a pressure sufficient to ensure that it remains a single phase at T(max)1. A controller selectively adjusts the rate of flow of the process stream through the reactor to maintain a total residence time of greater than about 1 minute and less than about 25 minutes. |
| US09644452B2 |
Segmented seat assembly
An apparatus that is usable with a well includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes a first plurality of segments, and the second portion includes a second plurality of segments. The apparatus is deployable in a tubing string that is installed in the well, and the second plurality of segments is adapted to engage the tubing string and exert a force on the first plurality of segments. The first plurality of segments is adapted to expand to form a seat in the tubing string to receive an untethered object in response to the force, and the second plurality of segments is adapted to be released from the first plurality of segments downhole in the well. |
| US09644450B2 |
Well flow control assemblies and associated methods
A well choke, and an actuation mechanism for the well choke are described. The actuation mechanism includes a linearly translating drive mechanism which is coupled to a valve member drive assembly through a fluid coupling which facilitates a change in the overall length of the actuation mechanism. Fluid in the fluid coupling can be released in response to fluid pressure exerted on the valve member when it is proximate a valve seat of the choke, to achieve this change in length. In some embodiments, the fluid coupling will provide a retained fluid column and the valve member drive assembly will include a piston with in the fluid coupling which is movable from a fully extended to a compressed, by the release of fluid from the coupling in response to pressure in the chamber reaching a threshold level. |
| US09644449B2 |
Geothermal integrated expansion spool assembly
A geothermal expansion spool assembly includes an integrated or single piece configuration. The geothermal expansion spool assembly comprises an upper portion adapted to directly couple to a production valve and a lower portion adapted to surround and engage with a surface casing of a geothermal well, wherein the upper and lower portion are permanently fixed to one another. |
| US09644447B2 |
Wireline pressure control apparatus
A wireline pressure control apparatus for use in an oil or gas well, comprising a grease injector having first and second tubes (10) and a bore (12), and a grease injection channel in communication with the bore for injecting grease between the outer surface of the wireline and the inner surface of the bore. The bore (12) has radial passages (15) at spaced apart locations providing a leak path for fluids between the inner surface of the bore and the outer surface of the tubes, allowing pressure to equalize. The radial passages are in fluid communication with one another outwith the bore. |
| US09644443B1 |
Remotely-operated wellhead pressure control apparatus
A wellhead pressure control fitting comprising a generally tubular Pressure Control Equipment (PCE) adapter configured to mate with pressure control equipment at a first adapter end, and with a receptacle inside a generally tubular pressure control assembly at a second adapter end. The pressure control assembly is configured to mate with a wellhead. Cooperating abutment surfaces form a high pressure seal when the second adapter end is compressively received into the receptacle. A plurality of cam locks on the exterior of the pressure control assembly rotate responsive to extension and retraction of the cam lock pistons. Cam lock rotation causes perimeter curvatures on the cam locks to bear down on corresponding curvatures on the second adapter end, which in turn compresses the second adapter end into the receptacle to form the seal. A locking ring may restrain the cam locks from rotation while the seal is enabled. |
| US09644435B2 |
Methods for injecting or retrieving tubewire when connecting two strings of coiled tubing
Systems and methods for injecting tubewire into the core end of coiled tubing sections on reels. Methods are described for disposing tubewire into multiple sections of coiled tubing. |
| US09644430B2 |
Cutting elements for earth-boring tools, earth-boring tools including such cutting elements, and related methods
A cutting element for an earth-boring tool includes a substrate and a volume of superabrasive material disposed over the substrate. The volume of superabrasive material may include a cutting face and a longitudinal extension extending longitudinally along a lateral side surface of the substrate. An outer peripheral surface of the longitudinal extension may define at least a portion of a lateral side surface of the cutting element and may have a surface roughness less than about 10 μin. (about 0.254 μm) RMS. Earth-boring tools may include such cutting elements. Methods may include forming such cutting elements. |
| US09644424B2 |
Touch hem bar control
A motorized shade for covering a window, a door, or a wall opening is provided that can be actuated by touching its hem bar. The motorized shade, such as a roller shade, comprises a shade material extending from a top end to a bottom end, a hem bar assembly connected to the bottom end of the shade material, and a shade drive unit operably connected to the top end of the shade material. The hem bar assembly comprises a touch sensing module adapted to detect a user touching the hem bar assembly and transmit a control signal in response to the detected touch. The shade drive unit comprises a motor and a motor control module adapted to receive the control signal and control the motor to open or close the shade material. The control signal can be wirelessly transmitted from the touch sensing module to the motor control module. |
| US09644423B2 |
Roll control device of a vehicle curtain
A roll control device of a vehicle curtain is mounted on a receiving housing and is connected to a curtain rod for wrapping a curtain fabric. The roll control device has a cover, a gear set mounted in the cover, and a one-way transmission assembly and a damping member respectively mounted on a first gear and a second gear of the gear set. The damping member provides rotational resistance to the first gear. When expanding the curtain fabric, with the one-way transmission assembly, the curtain fabric can be easily drawn. When retracting the curtain fabric, with the torsional resistance, the curtain fabric can be smoothly and gently wrapped on the curtain rod without causing noise and excessive vibration. |
| US09644418B2 |
Money storage device and money storage device managing system
To further strengthen the security function of a money storage device, a money storage device which stores collected money is configured to: receive a locked state releasing instruction signal that instructs releasing of a locked state, from a money storage device managing server which manages the money storage device, via a communication network and a repeater by using wireless communication; and release the locked state in response to the reception of the locked state releasing instruction signal. |
| US09644417B2 |
High traffic flow robotic portal for secure access
Electro-mechanical and electronically controlled access devices are described for controlling access to a building, premises or area in a secure manner such that a subject who is deemed ineligible for access will be barred entry. The devices contain multiple rotatable and moveable door panels. The door panels can be controlled by various drive mechanisms in order to control the passage through the device. The direction of flow through a device according to these embodiments is electronically controlled and may be changed at any point in time. At any instant in time, the flow through the device is unidirectional. Multiple devices can be stacked together to form clusters, which can be controlled according to traffic, time of day, or other factors. |
| US09644415B2 |
Method for controlling a motor-powered hatch arrangement of a motor vehicle
Described herein is a method for controlling a motor-powered hatch arrangement of a motor vehicle, wherein the hatch arrangement has an upwardly deflectable hatch, in particular an upwardly pivotable hatch, a drive arrangement which is assigned to the hatch and a control arrangement which is assigned to the drive arrangement, wherein the motor-powered deflection of the hatch in the opening direction is limited to a maximum hatch deflection by means of a control arrangement. It is proposed that the chassis of the motor vehicle can be adjusted vertically as required in order to set different vehicle body levels, and in that the maximum hatch deflection is adapted to a change in the vehicle body level by means of the control arrangement. |
| US09644408B2 |
Method and device for barricading a door
A barricade device and a method of barricading a door are disclosed. The device and method may be used to barricade a door, and thereby prevent an intruder from entering a sheltering space, such as a classroom, storeroom, or hallway. The barricade-device may have a pivotable stop-device that is pivotable from a location adjacent to a door. The pivot-location may be at an elevation that is lower than a door handle on the door. The stop-device may be pivotable from a reserve-position to a stop-position. In the reserve-position, the stop-device does not barricade the door. In the barricade-position, the stop-device barricades the door. |
| US09644404B2 |
Cinching striker with adjustment mechanism
An adjustable cinching striker assembly for installation on a vehicle. The adjustable striker assembly includes a mounting frame for selectively mounting the adjustable striker assembly to the vehicle, and a striker moveably coupled to the mounting frame. A motor is coupled to the striker for moving the striker with respect to the mounting frame from an uncinched position to a cinched position, movement of the striker defining a cinching direction. The cinched position is adjustable with respect to the mounting frame. |
| US09644397B2 |
Food freezer locks and keys having safety features for preventing child entrapment
A tubular lock and its operating key have safety features that render the lock and key well suited for use with food freezer appliances and the like where the keyway of the lock extends horizontally. The tubular portion of the operating key, and the keyway of the tubular lock are cooperatively configured so a key inserted into the keyway of the lock fits quite loosely and is minimally supported even when fully inserted. The graspable bow of the operating key is made unusually long causing the center of gravity of an inserted operating key to be spaced far from the front face of the lock—so the weight of the loosely fitting and minimally supported operating key levers the graspable bow downwardly, causing the key to drop from the keyway unless being held in the keyway. Gravity is optimally used to effect key ejection. |
| US09644396B2 |
Systems and methods for modular locking
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to a locker bay system. Specifically, in some embodiments the locker bay includes a catch loop coupled to the locker door and a locking mechanism that releaseably secures the catch loop to lock and unlock the locker bay. The locking mechanism, in some embodiments, includes a lock bar that pulls and pushes the catch loop in and out of the lock bar to lock and unlock the locker bay. |
| US09644394B2 |
Door handle assembly, sub-assembly and method of installing same
A vehicle door handle assembly, comprising: a door handle having opposite first and second ends, the first end including a handle leg connectable to a bellcrank; a door handle end-cap; a slide-lock cassette supporting the bellcrank; and a frame mounting the door handle and the door handle end-cap. The frame is securable to a vehicle door and defines an opening receiving the slide-lock cassette therein. The opening is dimensioned to permit sliding movement of the slide-lock cassette therein. The slide-lock cassette is slidingly moveable relative to the frame between a first position, in which the handle leg is not connected to the bellcrank and the door handle end cap is not secured in place relative to the frame, and a second position, in which the handle leg is connected to the bellcrank and the door handle end-cap is captured by the slide-lock cassette against removal from the frame. |
| US09644390B1 |
Portable personal privacy screen
A system and method for simply and efficiently improving on personal privacy, particularly in a portable or temporary format. A system may include a flexible oblong perimeter frame closed with a covering configured to be bowed into an arch, and an arch-retaining system coupled to ends of the frame maintaining the frame. |
| US09644388B1 |
Global positioning system/fire shelter system
A housing has a front panel, a rear panel, side panels, a bottom panel, and an open top. A major chamber is within the housing. An envelope formed with a minor chamber is attached to one of the panels of the housing. A fire shelter system is removably positioned in the major chamber. A global positioning system is removably positioned within the envelope. A cord extending between the major chamber and the minor chamber couples the fire shelter system and the global positioning system. Deployment of the fire shelter system by removal from the major chamber will pull the cord to activate the global positioning system. |
| US09644387B2 |
Frame for portable shelter and assembly
A portable shelter including a base, a collapsible support member that is projectable substantially diagonally upward and rearward from the portion of the base, a collapsible base support member that is projectable first diagonally downward to a bend and then forward from the portion of the base, and another collapsible support member or a spreader bar that is attachable to an end portion of the collapsible base support member, wherein the collapsible support member, the another collapsible support member or the spreader bar, and the collapsible base support member include a frame. |
| US09644385B2 |
Adjustable umbrella base
An umbrella stand may include a receptacle for receiving a portion of a mast of an umbrella and a base portion configured to interface with a ground surface. A movable joint is disposed between the receptacle and the base portion. A frictional force present between components of the movable joint is great enough to maintain a position of the receptacle relative to the base portion under the weight of the umbrella and mast, and is small enough that the receptacle can be repositioned relative to the base portion by application of a manual force to the mast of the umbrella. The movable joint may be lockable into different positions. |
| US09644383B2 |
Safety grate cover for a swimming pool
A grate cover in combination with a swimming pool being installed in a recess in the top of a sump. The grate is formed of an upper and a lower section. The upper section exhibits four squares or four triangles therein, The upper section has a dome-shaped configuration and has four square or triangular shapes therein, depending on the geometric division therein, each shape has openings therein. The lower section has four trapezoid shapes therein. Each of the shapes of the upper section, whether square or triangular, has a concave surface curvature therein at a transition between the upper and the lower section. Each of the trapezoids of the lower section has two concave surfaces- curvatures therein. One curvature extends in a first direction from the upper section toward an outside edge of grate cover. The other second concave curvature extends in a direction which is normal to the first direction. This way, the forceful suction within the sump cannot obtain enough force to suction the skin of a human onto the grate cover to cause any injuries. The curvatures in the top of the grate cover will always induce a lateral flow under a human body no matter how much of the grate is covered by the body. |
| US09644378B2 |
Variable height support
A variable height support with a platform and a base supporting the platform and reconfigurable to selectively change a height of a support surface on the platform relative to a subjacent surface. A control assembly is operable to selectively: a) maintain the support surface at a selected height; and b) release the platform to allow the base to be reconfigured to change the height of the support surface. The control assembly has a ratchet subassembly that, with the control assembly in a first state, allows the base to be reconfigured by exerting a continuous upward force upon the platform that causes the platform to elevate and be blocked within a range at a plurality of different vertical locations against downward movement. The control assembly further has an actuator that is repositionable to change the control assembly into a second state wherein the platform can be lowered over the range. |
| US09644374B2 |
Pergola cover
A louver cover for a pergola, arbor and the like has pivotal elongated slat assemblies that move between an open upright position and a closed position covering the pergola. The cover is secured between upright supports and cross beams of the pergola. Each slat assembly has a pivotal shaft mounted for pivotal movement between parallel cross beams. The pivotal shaft carries at least one slat member, which is movable between an upright position when the cover is open and a closed position when the slat assemblies extend in covering relationship over the pergola. In one embodiment, each slat assembly has a slat member with S-shaped profile, and in another embodiment the slat assembly has two mirror image slat members of J-shaped profile. |
| US09644373B2 |
Tool for facilitating the cutting of shingles
A tool for facilitating the cutting of shingles having a base plate and a tubular member. The tubular member comprises a slot on the horizontal surface of the tubular member that extends the entire length of the tubular member and that is offset from the center of the tubular member. The base plate comprises a semicircular cutout with a terminal point that coincides with the center point on the first side edge of the tubular member. The first side of the tubular member is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the base plate so that the tubular member is off-center on the base plate. |
| US09644360B2 |
Ventilated toilet assembly
Disclosed herein is a unique ventilated toilet assembly. The toilet assembly includes a base with a central opening, the opening defining a toilet bowl. The toilet assembly includes a first annular ring above the base, the first annular ring having means for delivering water to the toilet bowl and a second annular ring surrounding the first annular ring. The second annular ring having side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, the walls defining a conduit for exhausting air through the second annular ring and the second annular ring having exhaust ports for exhausting air from the toilet bowl. The ventilation member includes the combination of the second annular ring, the conduit, and the exhaust port for exhausting air working cooperatively to capture and remove waste air from the toilet bowl. |
| US09644358B2 |
Method of automatically cleaning a toilet bowl
The invention contemplates automatic cleaning of an entire toilet bowel using an electrically powered motor that simultaneously spins flexible, but rigid, circular brushes that are substantially the same length as the height of the bowl in both vertical and horizontal directions, not only around the bowl, but also along the height of the bowl, with special attention to the two parts of the bowl that collect the most rust and debris: at the “water line” and “under the rim”. The longer one waits to clean a toilet bowl, the more likely an anti-rust chemical will be required to soak the water line and under the rim for a few minutes prior to brushing; and before administering chemicals, the toilet should be flushed. Automatically flushing, releasing chemicals, and soaking before cleaning (and then repeating until all debris is removed) requires a programmable microprocessor and debris sensor(s) to truly operate automatically. |
| US09644352B2 |
Kitchen sink sprayer
A kitchen sink sprayer, comprising a body enclosed in an outer enclosure for being gripped and provided with a coupling to a flexible water supply hose connected to a faucet for adjusting the flow-rate between a closed position and an open position, the body comprising a rod which has, at one end, a tip that is adapted to open selectively the access of the water to a duct for forming a central jet and to ducts for forming a peripheral jet, and is provided with means for actuation by the user, the means for actuating the rod having a tab which is connected directly to the rod in an intermediate position of the rod and protrudes from the enclosure of the sprayer, at its lateral surface, by an extent that is sufficient for contact grip by the user when it is necessary to actuate the rod in order to move it from one of its selection positions to the other and vice versa. |
| US09644346B2 |
Calibration system and calibration method for excavator
A calibration system for an excavator includes the excavator having an upper structure swingably attached to a chassis, a working machine having a boom, an arm, and a working tool, and a current position computation unit configured to compute a current position of a working point of the working tool; a calibration device configured to calibrate parameters based on parameters indicating dimensions and rotation angles of the boom, the arm, and the working tool; an external measurement device that measures a position of the working point; and an inclination information detection device that detects inclination information of the excavator in an anteroposterior direction. The calibration device corrects positions of the working point measured by the external measurement device, based on the inclination information of the excavator in the anteroposterior direction, and computes calibrated values of the parameters based on coordinates of the working point at corrected positions. |
| US09644343B2 |
Construction machine with machine component
A construction machine according to the disclosure comprises a primary drive configured to generate waste heat and one or a plurality of machine components, the machine components being arranged in the area of the primary drive of the construction machine. At least one of the machine components is arranged in a housing including at least one flow passage through which ambient air is sucked using underpressure or which can have ambient air supplied thereto using overpressure so that an air current is created. |
| US09644340B1 |
Scraper device, as well as construction machine
A scraper device for a milling drum mounted in a construction machine at a machine frame between lateral walls with a milling drum axis, with a two-part scraper blade arranged in a height-adjustable fashion behind the milling drum when seen in the direction of travel, the lower part of which can glide over the ground surface milled off by the milling drum, where the lower part of the scraper blade is adjustable in height when in operating position, it is provided that the upper part of the scraper blade is attached, at the upper end, to swivel about a swivelling axis parallel to the axis of the milling drum. |
| US09644336B2 |
Method and apparatus for stabilizing an animal trap
The present invention is directed to one or more anchors that can be used to stabilize various types of animal traps to the ground. The invention comprises a clamping structure having at least two holes formed therein. The holes are axially aligned and formed in the top and bottom members of the structure. The invention further comprises a stake for anchoring the invention and trap to the ground. The clamping structure is designed to engage an edge or flange of an animal trap by positioning the flange in a groove in the structure and securing the structure to the flange using a threaded fastener such as a set screw. A threaded stake may be secured to a flange of the trap to anchor and stabilize the trap on the ground. |
| US09644332B1 |
Modular barrier and airfield repair system
A combination traffic barrier and roadway repair system for use on a traffic way, such as a roadway, runway, taxiway or the like, includes an elongated base and an elongated rectangular slab. The base configured to support the rectangular slab in a vertical orientation when used as a barrier. The rectangular slab being detachable from said base and configured to be placed flush with a traffic way surface, thereby forming a portion of the traffic way. |
| US09644331B2 |
Paint-striping laser guidance system and related technology
A system configured in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a paint-striping machine having a carriage, an outrigger operably connected to the carriage, and a downwardly oriented nozzle carried by the outrigger. The carriage moves along pavement while the nozzle dispenses paint, thereby forming a paint stripe on the pavement. The system further includes a guidance system operably connected to the paint-striping machine. The guidance system includes a light-emitting device and a mounting and containment assembly that provides an adjustable connection between the light-emitting device and the paint-striping machine. The light-emitting device forms a planar light region having a vertical orientation. The mounting and containment assembly includes an adjustment mechanism operable to move the light-emitting device relative to the paint-striping machine, thereby changing a yaw angle of the planar light region. |
| US09644330B2 |
Self-propelled construction machine and method for operating a self-propelled construction machine
A self-propelled construction road milling machine, includes a machine frame and a milling drum housing, in which a milling drum is arranged. The machine includes a drive unit with which the height of the scraper blade of a scraper device can be adjusted in relation to the milling drum. A control unit for the drive unit adjusts the height of the scraper blade and a measurement device measures the distance between the lower edge of the scraper blade and the milled material. The control unit is designed in such a way that the scraper blade is height-adjustable depending on the height of the milled material remaining in the milled track. The control unit ensures that, on the one hand, the milled material can come out of the milling drum housing unimpeded behind the milling drum in the direction of work and, on the other hand, that the milling drum housing is shut above the material that is coming out. On the one hand, an unimpeded operation of the milling machine is thus ensured and, on the other hand, a clean result of the work is achieved. |
| US09644328B1 |
Concrete whitetopping system
A system includes a mold configured for forming a paving material into a slab upon a surface, the mold including a width that is substantially perpendicular to a direction of travel of the mold; a mold positioning system coupled to the mold to control a position of the mold above the surface, the mold positioning system including at least one positioning element coupled to the mold to move at least a portion of the mold; and a transport unit including at least one portion configured to contact the surface, the transport unit including a rigid mount coupled to the mold positioning system to maintain a fixed spatial relationship between the transport unit and the mold positioning system, wherein the width of the mold is substantially greater than or equal to a maximum width of the at least one portion of the transport unit configured to contact the surface. |
| US09644327B2 |
Mat for a hybrid turf
A mat for a hybrid sport or decorative turf, having a form of a woven fabric, with a single-sided cover pile made of olefin synthetic yarns such as polyethylene and/or polypropylene and/or polyester, according to a ⅜W or 5/12W or 7/16W weave structure, comprising pile burls interlaced with weft, wherein the ends of the burls form synthetic grass blades. The mat has from 5000 to 20000 pile burls per m2, a warp density from 54 to 72 ends/10 cm, a weft density from 30 to 80 ends/10 cm and a pile height from 20 to 140 mm, wherein each pile burl (3) is interlaced at least two times over three weft fibers (5), and wherein the total surface mass of the mat is from 753 to 2105 g/m2. |
| US09644321B2 |
Method for coating a paper web
The invention relates to a method for coating a paper web (1), comprising the steps in the following sequence: applying a first layer (20) made of a predetermined quantity of melamine resin to a first side of the paper web (1), first drying of the thus coated paper web (1) at a web temperature of at least 120° C., applying a second layer (21) made of a predetermined quantity of urea resin to a second side of the paper web (1), and second drying of the paper web (1) at a web temperature below 100° C. |
| US09644319B2 |
Hybrid sheet, such as a security sheet, formed by assembling a fibrous part and a plastic part
The invention relates to a sheet of a given size, having a rear face and a front face. The invention is characterised in that it includes at least one part which is made from fibrous material and at least one other part which is made from plastic material and which is adjacent to the fibrous part, said parts being joined at a zone in which the two materials overlap. The plastic part at least partially forms a side zone of the sheet that is free of fibrous material and the plastic part includes at least one transparent or translucent zone. |
| US09644314B2 |
Primary carpet backing
A primary carpet backing including at least a first and a second layer of fibers, characterized in that both the first and the second layer of fibers is a nonwoven layer of randomly laid fibers, that both the first layer of fibers and the second layer of fibers has a uniform composition throughout the layer, wherein the linear density of the fibers is in the range of 1 to 25 dtex, wherein both the first layer of fibers and second layer includes at least two different polymers and wherein at least one polymer included in the first layer is different from the polymers included in the second layer. |
| US09644313B2 |
Electrically conductive synthetic fiber and fibrous substrate, method of making, and use thereof
Electrically conductive synthetic fiber and fibrous substrate (e.g. synthetic leather) are disclosed. The electrically conductive polymeric fiber and polymeric fibrous substrate are made electrically conductive by the use of an electrically conductive polymer disposed on the fibers and in contact with inorganic desiccant particles located at the surface of the fibers. The new material finds utility as an electrode for devices and as a resistive heating element, and as a pathway to efficient thermoelectrics. |
| US09644312B2 |
Method for producing synthetic leather having air permeability
Disclosed is a synthetic leather produced by directly coating a water-soluble synthetic resin solution on the surface of a fabric to form a film thereon such that fine gaps formed on the fabric are partially left open to have a certain degree of air permeability. In particular, a brushing process is used for brushing the surface of a fabric using a brushing machine to raise a nap. Next, a hydrolysis-resistant and flame-retardant resin solution is coated on the back of the fabric, which is opposite to the surface on which the nap is raised, to reinforce the back of the fabric. A film forming process then applies a water-soluble polyurethane resin solution to the nap raised on the surface of the fabric to form a film on the surface of the fabric thereby producing a synthetic leather product that has air permeability properties that are superior to genuine leather. |
| US09644311B2 |
Recharging of NFC system and algorithms to conserve power supply of NFC system designed for clothes dryer
Methods and systems are provided for operating a wireless communications device powered by a rechargeable battery and for providing charging of the rechargeable battery. More particularly methods are provided for recharging a battery used to provide operating power to a communications device, particularly a near field communications (NFC) device in a clothes dryer. The method and system determine whether the drum of the clothes dryer is rotating and if not rotating is in a proper alignment to enable charging of the battery. Battery charging may take place when the a battery charger, located at a stationary position in the dryer, is aligned or rotated to be aligned, with the communications device. The battery charger may correspond to a reader of the communications device, an inductive charger separate from the reader, or a slip ring arrangement. |
| US09644304B2 |
Washing machine
A drum type washing machine is provided. The washing machine includes a tub, a drum rotatably installed in the tub, and a shaft that penetrates the tub and is connected to the drum so as to transmit a drive force of a motor to the drum. A stator is fixed to a rear wall of the tub, and an outer rotor, including at least one magnet, an annular back yoke, and a rotor frame, is rotatably disposed at the outside of the stator. The rotor frame may be made of an aluminum material, and includes a side wall portion and a rear wall portion integrally formed with the side wall portion. |
| US09644303B2 |
Wall-mounted drum washing apparatus
A wall-mounted drum washing apparatus includes: a wall-mounted drum washing machine; and an installation stand formed to extend upward from a floor and contacted with a floor and a wall. The wall-mounted drum washing machine is mounted on the installation stand. |
| US09644300B2 |
Apparatus and method for sensing and adding detergent to water for a washing machine appliance
A method and apparatus for determining the amount of detergent in water used in a washing machine and to supplementing such water as needed for a wash load is provided. The amount of detergent present in grey water that is reused for washing, as well as the amount released from clothes or other articles to be washed, can also be determined. |
| US09644297B2 |
Variable stroke drive system for tufting machine
A variable stroke drive system for a tufting machine includes a series of drive assemblies mounted along the frame of the tufting machine. Primary drive shafts extend through the drive assemblies and are each driven by a drive motor. A series of first drive members are mounted to the primary drive shafts and are linked to associated second drive members such that the driving of the first drive members by the primary drive shafts in turn drives the second drive members. Cam arms are connected to the second drive members and to rocker arms to which push rods are mounted, the cam arms being vertically reciprocated by the rotational movement of the second drive members so as to drive the reciprocation of the push rods, and thus the needle bar(s) connected thereto along a desired stroke or reciprocating path of travel. Controlling the rate at which the primary drive shafts are driven enables control of the stroke of the needle bar(s). |
| US09644295B2 |
Centrifugal electrospinning apparatus and methods and fibrous structures produced therefrom
A centrifugal electrospinning apparatus, centrifugal electrospinning method for the production of fibrous structures, and electrospun fibrous structures are provided. |
| US09644292B2 |
Method for knitting knitted fabric
There is provided a method for knitting a knitted fabric, different from a conventional method, of forming a suppressing section for suppressing a stretch in the knitting width direction of the knitted fabric in the knitting process of the knitted fabric.One side in a longitudinal direction of needle beds (FB, BB) is assumed as a moving direction (DR). A suppressing section (4) is formed by repeating performing of a bind-off process, in which a first stitch (11) held on one needle bed (FB) is overlapped with a second stitch (12) that is proximate in the moving direction (DR) and a retaining stitch (15) is knitted following in a wale direction of a double stitch (13) of the first stitch (11) and the second stitch (12), and forming of a new base stitch (14) branched from at least one of the first stitch (11) and the second stitch (12). |
| US09644291B1 |
Double-sided fabric embedded with continuous linear material and formed as curved form
A double-sided fabric embedded with a continuous linear material and formed as a curved form. The double-sided fabric is knit by a flat bed knitting machine including a front needle bed including front knitting needles, a back needle bed including back knitting needles and a loop presser bed including right-directed and left-directed knitting pressing pieces. The double-sided fabric includes a continuous linear material pressed by the right-directed and/or left-directed knitting pressing pieces and embedded into the double-sided fabric to form loop groups. Each loop group includes loops stitched and formed by one front knitting needle and two back knitting needles at two sides of the front knitting needle in a knitting process and in next knitting process. At least two of the loops groups are located in different knitting processes to cause a level drop in the continuous linear material to form at least one curved portion. |
| US09644286B2 |
Silicon carbide single crystal manufacturing apparatus
A silicon carbide single crystal manufacturing apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, a pedestal on which a seed crystal is disposed, an inlet of source gas, a reaction chamber extending from a bottom surface of the vacuum chamber toward the pedestal, a first heating device disposed around an outer periphery of the reaction chamber, a second heating device disposed around an outer periphery of the pedestal, and an outlet disposed outside the first and second heating devices in the vacuum chamber. After the source gas supplied from the reaction chamber is supplied toward the pedestal, the source gas is let flow outward in a radial direction of the silicon carbide single crystal between the reaction chamber and the silicon carbide single crystal and is discharged through the outlet. |
| US09644284B2 |
Method for producing a hard coating with high corrosion resistance on articles made of anodizable metals or alloys
A method for coating, a composition suitable for coating and a coating generated with the method of coating on anodizable metallic surfaces, especially on magnesium rich and aluminum rich surfaces, is disclosed. The composition is an aqueous solution including alkali metal or ammonium cations, phosphorus containing anions and silicon containing anions as well as optionally a peroxide or a compound of Al, Ti, Zr or any mixture of them. Preferably, the anodizing is carried out with a micro-arc oxidation process. |
| US09644282B2 |
Manufacturing method of electronic component
A manufacturing method of an electronic component allows an intermediate inspection during a manufacturing process and includes forming element electrodes and feed lines such that pad portions of the element electrodes and the corresponding one of the feed lines faces each other via a gap in a plan view, and such that the feed lines are located below the pad portions 11b. Electrolytic plating is performed while power is supplied to the feed lines to form a plating film that electrically connects the feed lines and the pad portions. The mother substrate is singulated to obtain an electronic component. |
| US09644271B1 |
Systems and methods for using electrical asymmetry effect to control plasma process space in semiconductor fabrication
Systems and methods are disclosed for plasma enabled film deposition on a wafer in which a plasma is generated using radiofrequency signals of multiple frequencies and in which a phase angle relationship is controlled between the radiofrequency signals of multiple frequencies. In the system, a pedestal is provided to support the wafer. A plasma generation region is formed above the pedestal. An electrode is disposed in proximity to the plasma generation region to provide for transmission of radiofrequency signals into the plasma generation region. A radiofrequency power supply provides multiple radiofrequency signals of different frequencies to the electrode. A lowest of the different frequencies is a base frequency, and each of the different frequencies that is greater than the base frequency is an even harmonic of the base frequency. The radiofrequency power supply provides for variable control of the phase angle relationship between each of the multiple radiofrequency signals. |
| US09644254B2 |
Method for adjusting pore size of porous metal material and pore structure of porous metal material
Disclosed are a method for adjusting the pore size of a porous metal material and the pore structure of a porous metal material. The method comprises: permeating at least one element into the surface of the pores of the material to generate a permeated layer on the surface of the pores, so that the average pore size of the porous material is reduced to within a certain range, thus obtaining a pore structure of the porous metal material having the pores distributed on the surface of the material and the permeated layer provided on the surface of the pores. |
| US09644253B2 |
Mitigation and elimination of tin whiskers
A method includes providing an electronic assembly, where the electronic assembly has at least one electrical connection that includes at least a surface that is substantially pure tin metal and the pure tin metal has tin whiskers formed thereon and the pure tin metal has a thickness. The method includes exposing the tin metal to at least one mitigating agent selected to interact with the tin metal to oxidize the tin whiskers and mechanically removing substantially all the oxidized tin whiskers from the electronic assembly. The electronic assembly is exposed to the mitigating agent under appropriate conditions to oxidize the tin whiskers. |
| US09644248B2 |
Heavy wall quenched and tempered seamless steel pipes and related method for manufacturing said steel pipes
Disclosed herein are embodiments of a seamless quenched and tempered steel pipe having a wall thickness (WT) higher than or equal to 35 mm and lower than or equal to 80 mm. Embodiments of the steel pipe can comprise C, Mn, Cr, Ni, Mo, Al, Ca, N, Nb, Ti, Zr, and Ta. Further, for some embodiments of the steel pipe wherein, defining a first parameter P1=50×C+Cr+10×Mo+70×V, the chemical composition can satisfy a first condition P1≦8.0. |
| US09644247B2 |
Methods for manufacturing a high-strength press-formed member
A method for manufacturing a high strength press-formed member includes preparing a steel sheet having the composition including by mass %: C: 0.12% to 0.69%, Si: 3.0% or less, Mn: 0.5% to 3.0%, P: 0.1% or less, S: 0.07% or less, Al: 3.0% or less, N: 0.010% or less, Si+Al: at least 0.7%, and remainder as Fe and incidental impurities, heating the steel sheet to a temperature of 750° C. to 1000° C. and retaining the steel sheet in that state for 5 seconds to 1000 seconds; subjecting the steel sheet to hot press-forming at a temperature of 350° C. to 900° C.; cooling the steel sheet to a temperature of 50° C. to 350° C.; heating the steel sheet to a temperature in a temperature region of 350° C. to 490° C.; and retaining the steel sheet at temperature in the temperature region for 5 seconds to 1000 seconds. |
| US09644242B2 |
Resistance to arthropod pest in tomatoes
The present invention is directed to a commercial tomato, namely S. lycopersicum plant, which is resistant to an arthropod pest comprising in its genome introgressed sequences from S. galapagense conferring resistance to said arthropod pest, wherein the introgressed sequences are chosen from those present in the genome of a plant of the line TUT115 NCIMB accession number 42109. The commercial tomato of the invention is preferably resistant to ToMV (Tomato Mosaic Virus). The introgressed sequences are preferably found at one or more of the 12 loci defined by the following SNP markers: SNP solcap_snp_sl_59890 on chromosome 1, SNP solcap_snp_sl_15339 on chromosome 1, SNP solcap_snp_sl_40154 on chromosome 1, SNP solcap_snp_sl_32320 on chromosome 6, SNP SL10187_425 on chromosome 6, SNP EE_2362 on chromosome 6, SNP EE_2996 on chromosome 6, SNP SL10539_786_LC7260 on chromosome 6, SNP EP_0489_LC7684 on chromosome 9, SNP IL2_5178 on chromosome 9, SNP EE_3482_LC7808 on chromosome 9 and SNP EE_1452 on chromosome 9. |
| US09644240B2 |
Disease susceptibility
Provided herein is a method of assessing the susceptibility of a subject to, or aiding the diagnosis of, an anxiety disorder or depression, the method including determining whether the subject has a haplotype including rs3216799, rs6814934, rs7658048, rs2070950 and rs2070951 with respective alleles ‘+CT, ‘C’, ‘T’, ‘C’ and ‘C’. Also provided is a kit of parts or solid substrate for use in assessing the susceptibility of a subject to an anxiety disorder or depression, the kit including or the solid substrate having attached thereto one or more nucleic acid molecules that hybridize selectively to a genomic region encompassing any two or more SNPs selected from the group consisting of rs3216799, rs6814934, rs7658048, rs2070950 and rs2070951, and/or that hybridize selectively to a genomic region encompassing two or more polymorphic sites in linkage disequilibrium with any one or more SNPs selected from rs3216799, rs6814934, rs7658048, rs2070950 and rs2070951. |
| US09644235B2 |
Methods for detection and quantification of nucleic acid or protein targets in a sample
The invention provides an assay method for detection and/or quantification of a plurality of nucleic acid or protein targets in a sample. In the method probes are used to associate a detectable tag sequence with each of the selected targets present in the sample. Probes or primers sufficient to identify at least 25, and preferably at least 500, different targets are used. The method involves segregating aliquots of the sample from each other and detecting the tag sequences in each aliquot. |
| US09644233B2 |
Loop-shaped primer used in nucleic acid amplification and the use thereof
Loop-shaped primer used in nucleic acid amplification is an oligonucleotide with 3-20 bases in both 3′ and 5′ ends which can be combined together to form a double-strand under appropriate conditions, resulting in the primer forming a stem-loop structure. The double-stranded structure is opened and the stem-loop structure dissolves when the primer recognizes and hybridizes with the target sequence. If the target sequence is not present the primer can form a stem-loop structure automatically by self-annealing. The primer can comprise a universal tag sequence or not. Together with universal tag sequence primer the primer comprising the universal tag sequence can be used for a second round of amplification. The primer has high specificity and does not form a primer dimmer. The primer is easy to design and is suitable for measuring gene expression and detecting features of nucleic acids such as SNPs and rare mutations. |
| US09644232B2 |
Method and device for collection and amplification of circulating nucleic acids
Provided herein are methods for the collection and amplification of circulating nucleic acids from a non-cellular fraction of a biological sample. Circulating nucleic acids are extracted from the non-cellular fraction and are circularized to generate single-stranded nucleic acid circles, which are then subsequently amplified by rolling circular amplification using random primers to produce an amplified library. Devices for the collection of a non-cellular fraction from a biological sample are also provided. The device includes a filtration membrane and a dry solid matrix, which is in direct contact with the filtration membrane. |
| US09644230B2 |
Method and device for detecting bacteria and determining the concentration thereof in a liquid sample
A method for detecting bacteria and determining the concentration thereof in a liquid sample includes the steps of taking an optical section through a container holding a volume of the liquid sample at a predetermined field of view and at a predetermined focal plane depth or angle and after a period of time has elapsed to allow non-bacteria in the sample to settle to the bottom of the container. Since bacteria auto arranges in the liquid sample, forming a lattice-like grid pattern, an optical section through the volume of auto-arranged bacteria may be used to measure the quantity of bacteria residing in that section. A container for holding the liquid sample has particular structure which aids in separating the non-bacteria from the bacteria. |
| US09644228B2 |
Protein concentrate from starch containing grains: composition, method of making, and uses thereof
The present invention relates to methods of producing a protein concentrate from a starch containing grain and uses thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, the protein concentrate produced is used to prepare an aquaculture feed. |
| US09644227B2 |
Process for the enzymatic regeneration of redox cofactors
A process for the enzymatic regeneration of the redox cofactors NAD+/NADH and NADP+/NADPH in a one-pot reaction, wherein, as a result of at least two further enzymatically catalyzed redox reactions proceeding in the same reaction batch (product-forming reactions), one of the two redox cofactors accumulates in its reduced form and, respectively, the other one in its oxidized form, characterized in that a) in the regeneration reaction which reconverts the reduced cofactor into its original oxidized form, oxygen or a compound of general formula R1C(O)COOH is reduced, and b) in the regeneration reaction which reconverts the oxidized cofactor into its original reduced form, a compound of general formula R2CH(OH)R3 is oxidized and wherein R1, R2 and R3 in the compounds have different meanings. |
| US09644225B2 |
Programmable oligonucleotide synthesis
The invention relates to methods for the preparation of synthetic nucleic acids, such as double-stranded nucleic acids. The methods involve the preparation of a multiplicity of different nucleic acid fragments by solid-phase synthesis, and the joining together of at least two of the multiplicity of the nucleic acid fragments by binding to one another or by covalent linkage. In the methods at least some of the nucleic acid fragments have a high AT content and are used in an increased amount relative to other fragments for the joining step. |
| US09644224B2 |
Methods for cyclizing synthetic polymers
The invention provides methods and compositions for production of a cyclic polymer in a cell free system. In general, the methods of the invention involve ligating first and second recombinant intein domains to a linear synthetic polymer to form a compound containing the structure: D1-X(n)-D2, where D1 is a first catalytic domain of an intein; D2 is a second catalytic domain of an intein; where the second catalytic domain has at its N-terminus a first reactive site for the intein; and X(n) is a polymer of a number n of monomer X, where the polymer N-terminus has a second reactive site for the intein. D1-X(n)-D2 compounds autocatalytically cyclize the X(n) polymer to produce a cyclic polymer. The invention finds use in a variety of drug discovery, clinical and therapeutic applications. |
| US09644220B2 |
Processes and recombinant microorganisms for the production of fine chemicals
Recombinant microorganisms with deregulated succinyl-CoA synthetase activity, as well as the uses for producing lysine, β-lysine, cadaverine or N-acetylcadaverine thereby are provided. Recombinant polypeptides comprising an amino acid sequence being at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NO: 51 or 53 are also provided. The method of producing fine chemicals using said recombinant microorganisms, in particular the method of producing lysine, or derivatives thereof, such as β-lysine, cadaverine or N-acetylcadaverine is further provided. |
| US09644217B2 |
Method for producing retinoid from microorganism
The present invention relates to a method for producing retinoid from a microorganism, and more specifically, to a method for effectively obtaining retinoid, which lacks stability, from a microorganism by cultivating the microorganism capable of producing retinoid in a medium containing a lipophilic substance, and separating retinoid from the lipophilic substance. |
| US09644214B2 |
Enhanced disease resistance by introduction of NH3
Methods and compositions for improving plant resistance by expression of NPR homolog 3 (NH3) polypeptides are provided. |
| US09644213B2 |
Method of enhancing plant drought tolerance by expression of NDR1
A method of producing improved drought tolerance in a plant by introducing into a plant or plant part a vector having a nucleic acid molecule which expresses or increases a polypeptide that confers drought tolerance compared to a plant in which no vector with the nucleic acid is introduced. The polypeptide is a NON-RACE-SPECIFIC DISEASE RESISTANCE 1 (NDR1). |
| US09644210B2 |
Probiotic gram-positive bacteria for the prophylaxis, suppression, or elimination of allergic reactions in human
A method for a prophylaxis, suppression or elimination of an allergic reaction in a human, or for shifting the TH1-TH2 balance in a human body toward an increase of TH1 or a decrease of TH2 or both an increase in TH1 and a decrease in TH2, includes the steps of preparing a pharmaceutical composition having genomic DNA of at least one probiotic, gram-positive bacteria strain selected from the group Lactobacillus gasseri PA 16/8, Bifidobacterium bifidum MF 20/5, Bifidobacterium bifidum MG 20/5, Bifidumbacterium longum SP 07/3, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (92164) or a combination thereof, as an active ingredient, the at least one probiotic, gram-positive bacteria strain being present in the form of at least one of viable bacteria and inactivated bacteria, and administering to a human as suppository, vaginally, as a cream applied to skin, rectally, as a subcutaneous injection, as intravenous injection, as an inhalation liquid, or orally in combination with food. |
| US09644207B2 |
Compositions and methods for modulating Tau expression
Disclosed are methods for modulating splicing of Tau mRNA in an animal with Tau antisense compounds. Also disclosed herein are methods for reducing expression of Tau mRNA and protein in an animal with Tau antisense compounds. Such compounds and methods are useful to treat, prevent, or ameliorate neurodegenerative diseases in an individual in need thereof. Examples of neurodegenerative diseases that can be treated, prevented, and ameliorated with the administration Tau antisense oligonucleotides include Alzheimer's Disease, Fronto-temporal Dementia (FTD), FTDP-17, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, Epilepsy, and Dravet's Syndrome. |
| US09644206B2 |
Transgenic plants modified for reduced cadmium transport, derivative products, and related methods
Various embodiments are directed to transgenic plants, including transgenic tobacco plants and derivative seeds, genetically modified to impede the transport of Cadmium (Cd) from the root system to aerial portions of transgenic plants by reducing the expression levels of HMA-related transporters. Various embodiments are directed to transgenic tobacco plants genetically modified to stably express a RNAi construct encoding RNAi polynucleotides that enable the degradation of endogenous NtHMA RNA variants. Reduced expression of NtHMA transporters in transgenic plants results in substantially reduced content of Cadmium (Cd) in the leaf lamina. Various consumable products that are substantially free or substantially reduced in Cd content can be produced by incorporating leaves derived from transgenic tobacco plants modified to reduce the expression of NtHMA transporters. |
| US09644202B2 |
Switchable aptamers
The disclosure relates to a switchable aptamer having a high affinity for a selected target such as a virus, cell or antibody when in the presence of a binding ion and a low affinity for said target in the absence of said binding ion. The switchable aptamer may be isolated from a pool comprising a mixture of aptamers by incubating the pool with the target ligand and a binding ion to form target-aptamer complexes; separating unbound aptamer molecules from the target-aptamer complexes; contacting the target-aptamer complexes with a chelating agent having affinity for the binding ion wherein a switchable aptamer specific to said target is released from the target-aptamer complexes; and isolating the switchable aptamer released in the preceding step. |
| US09644199B2 |
Immobilized transposase complexes for DNA fragmentation and tagging
The present invention provides a simple and rapid method for preparing purified transposase complexes that are highly suited for fragmenting DNA. The method includes forming transposase complexes with oligonucleotide adapters in cell lysate, then purifying the complexes from the other substance in the cell lysate. Purification is accomplished using a specific binding pair, in which one member of the pair is bound to an oligonucleotide adapter of the complex and the other member of the pair is bound to a solid substrate. The bound complexes can be immediately used in DNA fragmentation reactions to produce solid substrate-bound DNA fragments, which can be used for any number of purposes, including as templates for amplification and sequencing. |
| US09644198B2 |
RNase H-based assays utilizing modified RNA monomers
The present invention pertains to novel oligonucleotide compounds for use in various biological assays, such as nucleic acid amplification, ligation and sequencing reactions. The novel oligonucleotides comprise a ribonucleic acid domain and a blocking group at or near the 3′ end of the oligonucleotide. These compounds offer an added level of specificity previously unseen. Methods for performing nucleic acid amplification, ligation and sequencing are also provided. Additionally, kits containing the oligonucleotides are also disclosed herein. |
| US09644197B2 |
Fusion protein having factor VII activity
A fusion protein comprising factor VII (FVII) and transferrin according to the present invention has an improved specific activity of FVII compared to existing FVII fusion proteins comprising other fusion partners than transferrin, and thus can be effectively used in a therapy using FVII. |
| US09644196B2 |
Plasminogen and plasmin variants
The invention relates to variants of plasminogen and plasmin comprising one or more point mutations in the catalytic domain which reduce or prevent autocatalytic destruction of the protease activity of plasmin. Compositions, uses and methods of using said variants of plasminogen and plasmin are also disclosed. |
| US09644194B2 |
Cold-adapted protease derived from Pseudoalteromonas arctica PAMC 21717 and uses thereof
A cold-adapted protease derived from Pseudoalteromonas arctica PAMC 21717 or a recombinant cold-adapted protease obtained by expressing a gene encoding the cold-adapted protease in E. coli is described, and more particularly, a crystal of a protease exhibiting activity at low temperatures, a method for crystallizing the protease, a method for preparing the protease, a recombinant microorganism that expresses the protease, a method for preparing the recombinant microorganism, a method for preparing the recombinant protease and the use of the cold-adapted protease. The cold-adapted protease exhibits high activity at low temperatures, and securely maintains its enzymatic activity even in the presence of high pH, various metal ions and surfactants. Thus, it is useful in various industrial applications. |
| US09644193B2 |
B-1,3-glucanase, polynucleotide, recombinant vector, transformant, production method for B-1,3- glucanase, enzyme preparation, and production method for paramylon having reduced molecular weight
A β-1,3-glucanase that exhibits decomposition activity with respect to paramylon derived from the genus Euglena. The β-1,3-glucanase is derived from the genus Euglena and exhibits the properties indicated below: (1) effect: hydrolyzing the β-1,3-bond of β-1,3-glucan; and (2) substrate specificity: decomposing at least paramylon. The β-1,3-glucanase additionally exhibits the properties indicated below: (3) decomposition activity: the ratio of paramylon decomposition activity with respect to laminarin decomposition activity is 20% or higher; (4) optimum pH: 3.7-7.0; and (5) optimum temperature: 30-70° C. |
| US09644191B2 |
Method for producing transgenic plant with increase syringin production and plant produced by using the same
The present invention relates to recombinant glycosyl transferase UGT72E3/2 gene having an excellent syringin synthesis ability based on remarkable enzyme specificity for sinapyl alcohol, a method for producing a transgenic plant with increased syringin production based on a metabolic process which uses F5H and CHS genes that are involved with the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway and Myb58 gene as a transcription factor for positive regulation of the gene that is involved with lignin biosynthesis pathway, and a plant obtained by the method. According to the present invention, syringin with various pharmaceutical applications can be effectively produced in a large amount in a plant, and thus it is expected to allow the development of an industry relating to agrobiological materials that are highly valuable as foods or pharmaceuticals. |
| US09644187B2 |
Methods of producing high titer, high purity virus stocks and methods of use thereof
The purity and titer of virus stocks used for virus clearance studies have a significant influence on study outcome, and impact how well the scale-down model represents the production-scale process. Impurities in virus stocks are particularly important in the testing of small virus retentive filters because these impurities may cause a filter to foul prematurely, leading to underestimation of the true throughput capability of the filter and consequent inappropriate sizing of the production scale unit. In addition, impurities can also affect the levels of virus clearance observed by altering the fouling mechanisms and subsequent fluid passage through the virus filter. Described herein are methods for making, producing and using high purity virus stocks having high titer. |
| US09644184B2 |
Methods for the production of IPS cells using Epstein-Barr (EBV)-based reprogramming vectors
Methods and composition of induction of pluripotent stem cells and other desired cell types are disclosed. For example, in certain aspects methods for generating essentially vector-free induced pluripotent stem cells are described. Furthermore, the invention provides induced pluripotent stem cells and desired cell types essentially free of exogenous vector elements with the episomal expression vectors to express differentiation programming factors. |
| US09644181B2 |
Cell preparation containing myocardium-committed cell
The present invention relates to a method for producing a cell population comprising myocardium-committed cells that differentiate into and survive as myocardial cells under a myocardial tissue environment. Specifically, the method is characterized in that adipose-tissue-derived multi-lineage/multi-potent progenitor cells are cultured in the presence of a polyamine. The present invention further relates to a cell population comprising the myocardium-committed cells, a cell preparation comprising the cell population, or a cell sheet. The present invention further relates to a method for treating a heart disease, which comprises administering the cell population to a subject. |
| US09644176B2 |
Photobioreactor
A photobioreactor has an optical waveguide formed at least in part from a highly scattering optically transmitting polymer. The optical waveguide has a light distributing part immersed in a container holding photoactive biological material and a light collecting part outside the container. |
| US09644174B2 |
Encapsulates
The present application relates to encapsulated, preformed peracids and products comprising such encapsulates, as well as processes for making and using such encapsulates and products comprising such encapsulates. Such products deliver bleaching that results in superior whiteness and stain removal without the stability issues that are normally associated with certain bleaching systems. |
| US09644172B2 |
Patterned candle wick
A substantially planar wick is formed with a two- or three-dimensional pattern. The contours of this pattern are determined by the desired flame characteristics or the desired visual aesthetics of the pattern itself. |
| US09644171B2 |
Cyclic acetals and ketals and use thereof as fragrance
The present invention relates to compounds of the formula (I) and use thereof as fragrance. In a further aspect the present invention relates to compositions and fragrance mixtures containing compounds of the formula (I) and the products perfumed with these compositions and fragrance mixtures.Further, the present invention relates to a method for intensifying an odor or several odors selected from the group consisting of fruity, floral, spicy, woody, musk and ambrette and a method for endowing hair or textile fibers with one, several or all of the notes selected from the group consisting of fruity, floral, spicy, woody, musk and ambrette with use of one or more compounds of the formula (I). |
| US09644160B2 |
Integrated fuel production and electricity generation
A gas inlet configured to convey a gas stream from a feed source to the system. A hydrogen sulfide removal stage includes a first vessel configured to receive a first media. A primary compression stage is configured to elevate a pressure of the gas stream. A moisture removal stage is configured to condense and separate remaining moisture from the gas stream. A siloxane removal stage includes a second vessel configured to receive a second media. A carbon dioxide removal stage includes a single-stage membrane configured to separate carbon dioxide from the gas stream by a permeability characteristic of the gas stream. A secondary compression stage is configured to elevate a pressure of the gas stream to a level suitable for distribution to CNG-compatible vehicles. An electrical generator set has a prime mover configured to be fueled by the gas stream. |
| US09644158B2 |
Feed injector for a gasification system
The present disclosure provides a feed injector for a gasification system. The feed injector may include an inner tube defining an inner feed passage therein, an intermediate tube defining an intermediate feed passage therein, and an outer tube defining an outer feed passage therein. The outer tube may include an outer tube pipe portion and an outer tube tip portion attached to one another, and the outer tube tip portion may be formed of a ceramic matrix composite, a sintered Silicon Carbide, or a sintered Silicon Nitride. The present disclosure also provides a related method of operating a feed injector of a gasification system as well as a related integrated gasification combined cycle power plant. |
| US09644157B2 |
Methods and systems for upgrading heavy oil using catalytic hydrocracking and thermal coking
Methods and systems for hydroprocessing heavy oil feedstocks to form upgraded material use a colloidal or molecular catalyst dispersed within heavy oil feedstock, pre-coking hydrocracking reactor, separator, and coking reactor. The colloidal or molecular catalyst promotes upgrading reactions that reduce the quantity of asphaltenes or other coke forming precursors in the feedstock, increase hydrogen to carbon ratio in the upgraded material, and decrease boiling points of hydrocarbons in the upgraded material. The methods and systems can be used to upgrade vacuum tower bottoms and other low grade heavy oil feedstocks. The result is one or more of increased conversion level and yield, improved quality of upgraded hydrocarbons, reduced coke formation, reduced equipment fouling, processing of a wider range of lower quality feedstocks, and more efficient use of supported catalyst if used with the colloidal or molecular catalyst, as compared to a conventional hydrocracking process or a conventional thermal coking process. |
| US09644156B2 |
Targeted desulfurization apparatus integrating oxidative desulfurization and hydrodesulfurization to produce diesel fuel having an ultra-low level of organosulfur compounds
Deep desulfurization of hydrocarbon feeds containing undesired organosulfur compounds to produce a hydrocarbon product having low levels of sulfur, i.e., 15 ppmw or less of sulfur, is achieved by flashing the feed at a target cut point temperature to obtain two fractions. A first fraction contains refractory organosulfur compounds, which boil at or above the target cut point temperature. A second fraction boiling below the target cut point temperature is substantially free of refractory sulfur-containing compounds. The second fraction is contacted with a hydrodesulfurization catalyst in a hydrodesulfurization reaction zone operating under mild conditions to reduce the quantity of organosulfur compounds to an ultra-low level. The first fraction is contacted with an oxidizing agent and an active metal catalyst in an oxidation reaction zone to convert the refractory organosulfur compounds to oxidized organosulfur compounds. The oxidized organosulfur compounds are removed, producing a stream containing an ultra-low level of organosulfur compounds. The two streams can be combined to obtain a full range hydrocarbon product having an ultra-low level of organosulfur compounds. |
| US09644155B2 |
Integrated process for production of high octane gasoline, high aromatic naphtha and high cetane diesel from high aromatic middle distillate range streams
An integrated process for production of ultra low sulfur products of high octane gasoline, high aromatic naphtha and high Cetane Diesel from high aromatic middle distillate range streams from any cracker units such as Light Cycle Oil (LCO) stream of Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units and subjected to hydrotreating for removal of heteroatoms like sulfur and nitrogen. The effluent from hydrotreating is subjected to hydrocracking at same pressure of hydrotreating step above for selective opening of saturated ring of multi-ring aromatics. The effluent from hydrocracking is separated in CUT-1, CUT 2 in which the monoaromatics and alkylated monoaromatics are concentrated and CUT-3 in which concentration of saturates significantly increased. The CUT-3 is selectively oxidized in selective oxidation step in presence of catalyst, an oxidizing agent and operating conditions such that it results in diesel product with more enhanced Cetane. |
| US09644149B2 |
Medium pressure steam intervention in an olefin cracking furnace decoke procedure
Described herein is a method for removing coke deposits in radiant tubes of an olefin cracking furnace and removing accumulated spalled coke from one or more outlet elbows of the olefin cracking furnace without performing a cold shutdown of the furnace. |
| US09644145B2 |
Birefringent RM lens
The invention relates to a birefringent RM lens obtainable from a polymerizable liquid crystalline medium consisting of a polymerizable liquid crystalline component A, consisting of one or more polymerizable mesogenic compounds, and a non-polymerizable component B, consisting of one or more non-polymerizable compounds and to the use of such birefringent RM lenses in electro optical devices, such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) or other optical or electrooptical devices, for decorative or security applications. |
| US09644140B2 |
Method of reducing dust with particulates coated with a polycationic polymer
A well treatment composite is characterized by particulates wherein at least a portion of the substrate of the particulates is coated with a polycationic polymer. The presence of the polycationic polymer on the surface of the well treatment particulates reduces the generation of dust and fines during a well treatment operation. The polycationic polymer further reduces the amount of dust or fines generated during transport of the well treatment particulates to a remote location as well during the manufacture or processing of well treatment particulates. |
| US09644139B2 |
Self-suspending proppants for hydraulic fracturing
The invention provides for modified proppants, comprising a proppant particle and a hydrogel coating, wherein the hydrogel coating localizes on the surface of the proppant particle to produce the modified proppant, methods of manufacturing such proppants and methods of use. |
| US09644138B2 |
Process and apparatus for making proppants
A highly efficient process is disclosed for making proppants from generally non-spherical or discretized raw material, such as naturally occurring sand or pelletized refractory material. In one embodiment of the process, the discretized material is heated by a counter-current flow of hot gas in a first Moving Bed Gas-Solids Direct Contact Heat Exchanger (MBGSDCHX). The heated discretized material is then further heated to a transformative temperature by a raw material transformation means to a partially or fully melted state in which the discretized raw material assumes generally spherical shapes. The spheres are then cooled by a counter-current flow of cold gas in a second MBGSDCHX. The cooled spheres are then size-classified for use as proppants. In an alternate embodiment, refractory raw material is melted and then discretized into molten drops. The molten drops are cooled and frozen into generally spherical shapes. The cooled spheres are used as proppants. |
| US09644137B2 |
Method of cryogenic acid fracking
A method of fracking carbonate-rich reservoirs, comprising injecting a cryogenic or chilled fluid followed by an acid into the reservoir, allowing the acid to etch the reservoir, and thereby increasing production of a fluid, such as water, oil or gas, from the reservoir. Further, injecting a preflush into the reservoir and later injecting a postflush into the reservoir to displace the acid from the tubulars into the reservoir. |
| US09644135B2 |
Delayed curing silane-based curable resin system
Method involving consolidation compositions comprising an aqueous-based fluid, a silane-based resin, a silane-based amine curing agent, and a delaying agent. The silane-based resin is an epoxy-functionalized alkoxysilane selected from the group consisting of: (3 glycidoxypropyl)trimethoxysilane, (3 glycidoxypropyl)triethoxysilane, 5,6 epoxyhexyltriethoxysilane, (3 glycidoxypropyl)methyldiethoxysilane, (3 glycidoxypropyl)methyldimethoxysilane, and (3 glycidoxypropyl)dimethylethoxysilane. The silane-based amine curing agent is selected from the group consisting of: a polyamine, a hydrophobically modified polyamine, a polyimine, a hydrophobically modified polyimine, a polyalcohol, a hydrophobically modified polyacrylamide, a hydrophobically modified polyacrylate, and any combination thereof. The delaying agent is selected from the group consisting of: methyltrichlorosilane, dimethyldichlorosilane, trimethylchlorosilane, and any combination thereof. |
| US09644132B2 |
Methods for determining reactive index for cement kiln dust, associated compositions and methods of use
A variety of methods and compositions are disclosed, including, in one embodiment, a method of treating a well comprising: providing a treatment fluid comprising a base fluid and a blended cementitious component, wherein the blended cementitious component comprises kiln dust from two or more different sources; and introducing the treatment fluid into a well bore. |
| US09644130B2 |
Reaction products of acrylamide polymers and methods for use thereof as relative permeability modifiers
Suppressing passage of an aqueous fluid in a subterranean formation in preference to passage of an oleaginous fluid can often be desirable. Methods for suppressing the passage of an aqueous fluid in a subterranean formation, particularly a carbonate formation, can comprise: providing a treatment fluid comprising a carrier fluid and a relative permeability modifier comprising a reaction product of 1) an acrylamide polymer, any copolymer thereof, any derivative thereof, any salt thereof, or any combination thereof, and 2) a plurality of amine-containing compounds or any salt thereof, each amine-containing compound containing a primary amine, a secondary amine, or any combination thereof, and the amine-containing compounds being randomly reacted with at least a portion of the amide groups of the acrylamide polymer; and introducing the treatment fluid into a subterranean formation. |
| US09644129B2 |
High-pressure/high-temperature solids-free fluid system for drilling, completing and repairing petroleum and gas wells
The present invention relates to the composition, preparation method and use of a solids-free drilling fluid system formulated with a mixture of divalent heavy brines, which is resistant to high pressures and high temperatures. The system has the special feature that it significantly reduces productive-formation permeability damage as it uses mixtures of different salts of water-soluble divalent metals to provide the features of density, polymers and special additives to provide the system with the physicochemical properties that any fluid for drilling, completing and repairing wells requires in order to fulfill the functions thereof and to provide heat resistance up to 200° C. A main feature of the present invention is that the composition that embeds the drilling/completing/repairing of oil wells fluid contains synthetic polymers and biopolymers that do not require large amounts of time, high shear speeds or heating for hydration thereof in divalent metal salt derived simple or binary brines. |
| US09644125B2 |
Composition comprising HFC and HFO
The present invention provides a composition comprising a mixture of HFC and HFO and having improved lubrication performance. Specifically, the present invention provides a composition comprising HFC and HFO, wherein the composition comprises 1) at least one of HFC-134a and HFC-134 as the HFC, 2) at least one of HFO-1234yf and HFO-1234ze as the HFO, and 3) at least one member selected from the group consisting of HCFC-1122, HCFC-124, CFC-1113, and 3,3,3-trifluoropropyne as a third component. |
| US09644121B2 |
Adhesives suitable for use in bonding applications
The present invention relates to adhesives that are suitable for use in a broad variety of bonding applications. In particular, the present invention relates to adhesives that are suitable for use in polymer-to-metal, for example elastomer-to-metal, such as rubber-to-metal bonding applications, wherein the adhesives comprise at least one halogenated polyolefin, at least one epoxysilane having at least one terminal alkoxy silane group, at least one bis-silane, and optionally at lease one organic solvent. |
| US09644115B2 |
Fluorochemical coating composition and article treated therewith
A fluorochemical coating composition is provided comprising (A) a hydrolyzable group-containing silane modified with a fluoropolyether-containing polymer and (B) a hydrolyzable group-containing silane modified with a fluoropolyether-polysiloxane copolymer in a weight ratio (A)/(B) of 40/60 to 95/5. The composition forms on a substrate a water/oil repellent layer which does not detract from the visibility of the substrate. |
| US09644114B2 |
Silane endcapped polyamide resins
Disclosed herein are compounds having the formula: R1—(CO—NH—R2—R3)n and polymers made by moisture curing the compound. R1 is an organic group, a dimeric fatty acid chain, a dimeric linoleic fatty acid chain, a trimeric fatty acid chain, a saturated form of any thereof, a residue of a phenalkamine compound, or a residue of a polyamine. Each R2 is an aliphatic group or an aminoaliphatic group. Each R3 comprises an alkoxysilane group. The value n is a positive integer. The compound may be made by reacting a polyester with an amine having an alkoxysilane group or reacting a polyacid with an isocyanate having an alkoxysilane group. Also disclose are compounds made by reacting an amido amine with an epoxy compound. |
| US09644113B2 |
Composition for forming a thin layer with low refractive index, manufacturing method thereof, and manufacturing method of a thin layer with low refractive index
To provide a low refractive index film-forming composition for forming a low refractive index film which has a low refractive index, produces a strong antireflection effect, exhibits excellent adhesiveness with respect to a substrate, and is excellent in water repellency or antifouling properties of the coat surface; a production method of the composition; and a method for forming a low refractive index film. The low refractive index film-forming composition is prepared by generating a hydrolysate of (A) a silicon alkoxide by mixing the (A) silicon alkoxide with (B) water, (C) an inorganic acid or an organic acid, and (D) an organic solvent at a predetermined ratio, and mixing the hydrolysate with (E) silica sol, which is obtained by dispersing fumed silica particles in a liquid medium, at a predetermined ratio. |
| US09644109B2 |
Sealant composition, method for preventing liquid crystal contamination, liquid crystal panel and display device
Disclosed is a sealant composition, a liquid crystal device and a method for preventing liquid crystal contamination using the sealant composition. The sealant composition consists of 20-30 parts by weight of an ultraviolet polymerizable double bond monomer, 15-20 parts by weight of a heat polymerization monomer, 5-20 parts by weight of a polymerizable oligomer, 0.1-5 parts by weight of a photoinitiator, 10-20 parts by weight of a heat curing agent and 0-20 parts by weight of a particulate additive, wherein said polymerizable oligomer is poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate or derivatives thereof. Through the reaction between the polymerizable oligomers and the polymer of the ultraviolet polymerizable double bond monomers to generate a reticular high molecular polymer, the anchoring effect of the polymer on the surrounding unreacted heat polymerization monomers is effectively enhanced, thereby reducing the contamination of the crystal liquid by the sealant. |
| US09644108B2 |
Additives to improve open-time and freeze-thaw characteristics of water-based paints and coatings
Waterborne coatings are described having an acceptable balance of properties both during the storage of coating, application and drying. The period in which irregularities in a freshly applied coating can be repaired without resulting in brush marks is referred to as the open time. Aqueous coatings generally employ dispersed high molecular weight polymers as binders. These binders often provide short open times when the coating is dried since the dispersed polymer particles tend to be immobilized quickly in the edge region of an applied coating. As a result, the viscosity of the coating increases rapidly, which leads to a limited window of workability. The instant invention provides additives that are not volatile but that will extend the time that the film is malleable after it is applied without interfering with other attributes, such as the resistance of the coating to freezing while in the can prior to application. |
| US09644106B2 |
Aqueous emulsion solution, coloring agent composition containing said aqueous solution, aqueous inkjet ink, and method for producing aqueous emulsion solution
A novel aqueous emulsion solution is provided that can be used as a binder for forming a coating film suitable for an inkjet printing system. The present invention is an aqueous emulsion solution containing a polymer I and a polymer II mixed together therein, wherein the polymer I is an A-B block copolymer formed from 90 mass % or more of a methacrylate-based monomer, the A-B block copolymer neutralized with an alkali, a polymer block A is substantially water-insoluble and has a number average molecular weight of 1000 to 10000 and a polydispersity index of 1.5 or less, a polymer block B is synthesized using a monomer containing at least a methacrylic acid and has an acid value of 30 to 250 mgKOH/g, the A-B block copolymer has a number average molecular weight of 5000 to 20000, a content of the polymer block A of 5 to 60% in the A-B block copolymer, and a polydispersity index as a whole of 1.6 or less, the polymer II is a polymer obtained by polymerizing a hydrophobic addition polymerizable monomer and having a glass transition temperature of 70° C. or lower, and further the mass ratio of the polymer I and the polymer II is 5 to 80:95 to 20. |
| US09644102B2 |
Method of manufacturing a corrosion-resistant sacrificial protective coating
The present disclosure provides an aqueous binder composition for forming a sacrificial corrosion-protective coating, said composition being free of chromates and also preferably free of borates and molybdates. Said binder composition advantageously has a pH of less than 6 and comprises a binder, particles of at least one metal oxide and at least one metallic phosphate, said binder comprising a hydrolyzed organosilane oligomer. In addition, the proportion by weight of said particles of at least one metal oxide relative to the total dry weight of said binder composition is greater than or equal to 75%. |
| US09644101B2 |
Inorganic pigment containing calcium carbonate, aqueous suspension containing same, and uses thereof
The present invention concerns the technical sector of mineral pigments containing a product formed in situ by the double and/or multiple reaction between a calcium carbonate and the reaction product or products of the said carbonate with one or more moderately strong to strong H3O+ ion donors and the reaction product or products of the said carbonate with gaseous CO2 formed in situ and/or coming from an external supply, and at least one aluminum silicate and/or at least one synthetic silica and/or at least one calcium silicate and/or at least one silicate of a monovalent salt such as sodium silicate and/or potassium silicate and/or lithium silicate, and/or at least one aluminum hydroxide and/or at least one sodium and/or potassium aluminate, containing less than 0.1% by weight silicate of a monovalent salt such as sodium, potassium or lithium silicate or mixtures thereof, relative to the dry weight of calcium carbonate, having a pH greater than 7.5 measured at 20° C., and their uses in papermaking applications such as mass filling and/or the coating of paper and more particularly of printing paper, in particular for offset printing, or digital printing such as inkjet and/or laser printing. |
| US09644100B2 |
Process for the manufacture of self-binding pigmentary particles, dry or in aqueous suspension or dispersion, containing inorganic matter and binders
The present invention is directed to a process for the preparation of an aqueous suspension of self-binding pigmentary particles comprising the following stages: (a) forming one or more aqueous suspensions of at least one inorganic matter comprising calcium carbonate; (b) forming or obtaining one or more aqueous solutions or suspensions or emulsions of at least one binder; and (c) co-grinding the aqueous suspension or suspensions obtained in stage a) with the aqueous solutions or suspensions or emulsions obtained in stage b) in a mill so as to obtain an aqueous suspension of self-binding pigmentary particles. |
| US09644098B2 |
Curable resin composition and cured product thereof, encapsulant, and semiconductor device
Provided is a curable resin composition capable of forming a cured product that has excellent heat resistance and transparency and, in particular, offers excellent barrier properties to a corrosive gas.The curable resin composition according to the present invention includes a polyorganosiloxane (A), an isocyanurate compound (B), and a silane coupling agent (C). The polyorganosiloxane (A) is an aryl-containing polyorganosiloxane. The polyorganosiloxane (A) preferably includes a polyorganosiloxane having a number-average molecular weight (Mn) of 500 to 4000 as determined by gel permeation chromatography and calibrated with a polystyrene standard. |
| US09644093B2 |
Thermoplastic polymer composition, shoes and outer soles
Provided are a thermoplastic polymer composition having excellent mechanical strength and also having both of abrasion resistance and transparency; shoes, in which the thermoplastic polymer composition is used; and an outer sole, in which the thermoplastic polymer composition is used. The thermoplastic polymer composition contains (I) a hydrogenated product of a block copolymer having a polymer block (A) mainly containing α-methylstyrene units and a polymer block (B) mainly containing conjugated diene compound units; (II) a hydrogenated product of a block copolymer having a polymer block (A′) mainly containing aromatic vinyl compound units other than α-methylstyrene and a polymer block (B′) mainly containing conjugated diene compound units, in which the block copolymer has a hydroxyl group; (III) a polypropylene-based polymer; and (IV) a polyethylene-based polymer. |
| US09644090B2 |
Polymer mixtures with optimized toughness/stiffness ratio and optical properties
The invention relates to a polymer mixture made of styrene/nitrile monomer copolymers and of graft copolymers based on acrylate rubbers, and also to thermoplastic moulding compositions and mouldings produced therefrom and use of these. |
| US09644086B2 |
Resin blend
Provided are a resin blend for melt processing, a pellet and a method of preparing a resin article using the same. The resin blend may include a first resin, and a second resin having a difference in solubility parameter from the first resin at 25° C. of 0.001 to 10 (J/cm3)1/2. The resin blend can improve mechanical and surface characteristics of a resin article. Further, since coating or plating is not required for manufacturing a resin article, a manufacturing time and/or cost can be reduced, and productivity can be increased. |
| US09644084B2 |
Method of preparing chitin nanofibers
The present invention discloses a method of preparing chitin nanofibers. By increasing the saturated moisture content of chitin and instantaneously releasing the pressure under a high temperature and high pressure environment, water within the chitin micro-particles is quickly evaporated and thus generated a high vapor pressure. Consequently, the interaction in chitin fiber is broken, and therefore the chitin nanofibers are obtained. |
| US09644082B2 |
Polyester resin composition and molded article containing this resin composition
An object is to improve both slow crystallization and brittleness that are drawbacks of polyhydroxyalkanoates, so that processability in mold processing, such as injection molding, is improved, processing speed is increased, and ductility is imparted to a resulting molded article. Provided is an aliphatic polyester resin composition including a polyhydroxyalkanoate (A), an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin (B), and pentaerythritol (C), wherein the ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin (B) has a vinyl acetate content of 65 to 95 wt %, and the polyhydroxyalkanoate (A) and the ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin (B) are compatible. |
| US09644079B2 |
Shaping of expanded polystyrene made using D-limonene as a plasticizer
Disclosed is a process for production of expanded polystyrene using D-limonene as a plasticizer, which allows reducing the amount of pentane in the process, yet allows generating beads with similar cell size as if greater quantities of pentane had been used. Pentane is an organic solvent with toxicity associated with organic solvents. After forming beads, they are melted in a mold to form a variety of products, or they can be extruded in a process where limonene is used instead of or in addition to other blowing agents. |
| US09644077B2 |
Method for forming quantum dot thin film
A method for manufacturing a quantum dot thin film includes applying a tensile force to a substrate to elongate the substrate, coating a quantum dot particle on the substrate to form a quantum dot thin film, replacing a ligand of the quantum dot particle, and removing the tensile force from the substrate. The method may reduce a crack in a quantum dot thin film. |
| US09644074B2 |
Benzene polycarboxylic acid compounds and their use as drug
The present invention relates to new benzene polycarboxylic acids compound, which is prepared by alkaline oxidation of hydrolyzed lignin. The present invention also relates to the use of the new benzene polycarboxylic acids compound as part of a composite substance, where the composite substance is prepared by complexing or encapsulating the new benzene polycarboxylic acid compounds with a metal cation. The present invention also relates to a method for preparing the new benzene polycarboxylic acids compound and for its use in cosmetic, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical compositions. |
| US09644071B1 |
Bis(azobenzene) diamines and photomechanical polymers made therefrom
Bis(azo-benzene) diamine monomers and a method of synthesizing the monomers are provided. The bis(azo-benzene) diamine monomers, in combination with amine reactive monomers, form polymers, such as polyimides and copolyimides, having photomechanical and thermomechanical properties. |
| US09644068B2 |
Semiconducting materials based on naphthalenediimide-vinylene-oligothiophene-vinylene polymers
The present invention provides a polymer comprising a unit of formula, wherein R1 and R2 are independently from each other C1-30-alkyl, C2-30-alkenyl, C2-30-alkynyl, phenyl or a 5 to 8 membered heterocyclic ring system, wherein each of the C1-30-alkyl, C2-30-alkenyl or C2-30-alkynyl group may be substituted with 1 to 10 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, —CN, —NO2, —OH, —NH2, —NH(C1-20-alkyl), —N(C1-20-alkyl)2, —NH—C(O)—(C1-20-alkyl), —S(O)2OH, —CHO, —C(O)—C1-20-alkyl, —C(O)OH, —C(O)—OC1-20-alkyl, —C(O)NH2, —CO(O)NH—C1-20-alkyl, —C(O)N(C1-20-alkyl)2, —O—C1-20-alkyl, —O—C(O)—C1-20-alkyl, —SiH3, SiH2(C1-20-alkyl), SiH(C1-20-alkyl)2, Si(C1-20-alkyl)3, C4-8-cycloalkyl, phenyl and a 5 to 8 membered heterocyclic ring system, and phenyl and the 5 to 8 membered heterocyclic ring system may be substituted with 1 to 5 C1-16-alkyl groups, is 1, 2 or 3 and n is an integer from 2 to 10'000, a process for the preparation of the polymer and an electronic device comprising the polymer. |
| US09644063B2 |
Ordered architectures in acrylic polymers
Polymers having ordered architectures and one or more reactive functional groups incorporated in select blocks or regions of the polymer in particular proportions relative to other regions in the polymer, are described. The polymers are well suited for use in adhesive compositions, and particularly for pressure sensitive adhesive compositions. In addition, various methods for forming the noted polymers and adhesive compositions utilizing the ordered polymers are disclosed. |
| US09644061B2 |
Ethylene polymer pellet and extrusion process using the same
Provided is a pellet of an ethylene polymer having a kneading torque at 160° C. of 2 to 15 Nm, wherein the pellet has a specific surface area of 1,800 to 3,000 mm2/g. |
| US09644058B2 |
Process for producing polyacrylic acid (salt)-based water absorbent resin
Provided is a method for producing a polyacrylic acid (salt)-based water absorbent resin in which the physical properties (especially liquid permeability) are improved and maintained even in large scale production. The method for producing a polyacrylic acid (salt)-based water absorbent resin, which sequentially includes a polymerization step, in which a monomer aqueous solution having acrylic acid (salt) as a main component is polymerized, a drying step, in which a water-containing gel-like crosslinked polymer obtained in the polymerization step is dried, and a classification step, in which a polymer obtained in the drying step is classified, wherein a rocking-type sieve classification apparatus is used in the classification step, and the rocking-type sieve classification apparatus has a sieve net having a trajectory and a rotation speed in the following ranges; radial gradient R: from 5 to 40 mm, tangential gradient T: from 0.1 to 25 mm, eccentric gradient E: from 40 to 80 mm, and rotation speed F: from 60 to 600 rpm. |
| US09644048B2 |
Composition for anode buffer layer, high-molecular weight compound for anode buffer layer, organic electroluminescence element, and production process and uses of the same
There is provided a material for an anode buffer lay which permits the use of an organic solvent as a solvent an anode buffer layer-forming solution, and is capable forming an anode buffer layer that does not dissolve even win coated with a luminescent layer-forming material solution containing an organic solvent as a solvent, and which is capable of producing an organic EL element having high electrical power efficiency and long life. |
| US09644042B2 |
Electrochemically mediated atom transfer radical polymerization
Electrochemical reduction of an exemplary ATRP catalyst, CIIBr2/Me6TREN, is shown to be an efficient process to mediate and execute an ATRP. The onset of polymerization occurs only through passage of a cathodic current achieved under a reductive potential to form CuIBr2/Me6TREN, within the reaction medium. Unprecedented control over the polymerization kinetics can be attained through electrochemical methods by modulating the magnitude of the applied potential allowing polymerization rate enhancement or retardation. Additional polymerization control is gained through electrochemical “dials” allowing polymerization rate enhancements achieved by larger applied potentials and the ability to successfully switch a polymerization “on” and “off between dormant and active states by application of multistep intermittent potentials. |
| US09644040B2 |
Hyaluronic acid derivatives
The present disclosure relates to hyaluronic acid derivatives, and in particular, derivatives in which the N-acetyl group of hyaluronic acid has been substituted, and methods and uses thereof. |
| US09644039B2 |
Acid-degradable and bioerodible modified polyhydroxylated materials
Compositions and methods of making a modified polyhydroxylated polymer comprising a polyhydroxylated polymer having reversibly modified hydroxyl groups, whereby the hydroxyl groups are modified by an acid-catalyzed reaction between a polydroxylated polymer and a reagent such as acetals, aldehydes, vinyl ethers and ketones such that the modified polyhydroxylated polymers become insoluble in water but freely soluble in common organic solvents allowing for the facile preparation of acid-sensitive materials. Materials made from these polymers can be made to degrade in a pH-dependent manner. Both hydrophobic and hydrophilic cargoes were successfully loaded into particles made from the present polymers using single and double emulsion techniques, respectively. Due to its ease of preparation, processability, pH-sensitivity, and biocompatibility, of the present modified polyhydroxylated polymers should find use in numerous drug delivery applications. |
| US09644036B2 |
Predictive marker for topoisomerase I inhibitors
The present invention generally relates to phospho-serine 10 topoisomerase I antibodies and other protein binding moieties, and kits and uses thereof. |
| US09644035B2 |
Methods for treating conditions associated with MASP-2 dependent complement activation
In one aspect, the invention provides methods of inhibiting the effects of MASP-2-dependent complement activation in a living subject. The methods comprise the step of administering, to a subject in need thereof, an amount of a MASP-2 inhibitory agent effective to inhibit MASP-2-dependent complement activation. In some embodiments, the MASP-2 inhibitory agent inhibits cellular injury associated with MASP-2-mediated alternative complement pathway activation, while leaving the classical (Clq-dependent) pathway component of the immune system intact. In another aspect, the invention provides compositions for inhibiting the effects of lectin-dependent complement activation, comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a MASP-2 inhibitory agent and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. |
| US09644034B2 |
Anti-RSPO2 antibodies and uses thereof
The present invention relates to RSPO-binding agents and methods of using the agents for treating diseases such as cancer. The present invention provides antibodies that specifically bind human RSPO proteins and modulate β-catenin activity. The present invention further provides methods of using agents that modulate the activity of RSPO proteins, such as antibodies that specifically bind RSPO1, RSPO2, and/or RSPO3 and inhibit tumor growth. Also described are methods of treating cancer comprising administering a therapeutically effect amount of an agent or antibody of the present invention to a patient having a tumor or cancer. |
| US09644033B2 |
Protein constructs designed for targeting and lysis of cells
The invention relates to a protein construct, comprising (i) a targeting moiety that is capable of binding to a target cell, and (ii) an effector immunogenic moiety that is capable of triggering an existing, vaccine-induced or natural, immune response. The protein construct, that is preferably in the form of a heteromultimeric protein, is useful for redirecting an immune response that was pre-existing in a patient, toward an undesired target cell. |
| US09644032B2 |
Antibodies against OX40 and uses thereof
Provided herein are antibodies, or antigen binding portions thereof, that bind to OX40. Also provided are uses of these proteins in therapeutic applications, such as in the treatment of cancer. Further provided are cells that produce the antibodies, polynucleotides encoding the heavy and/or light chain variable region of the antibodies, and vectors comprising the polynucleotides encoding the heavy and/or light chain variable region of the antibodies. |
| US09644031B2 |
Epidermal growth factor receptor antibody
Provided are an improved EGFR antibody or a functional segment thereof, comprising an engineered heavy chain and light chain. Specifically, the antibody is an engineered whole human-source monoclonal antibody. Also provided is a method for manufacturing said whole human-source antibody and usage of the antibody in the manufacture of medicines used for the treatment of tumors. |
| US09644030B2 |
Antibodies to VLA-1
Antibodies that specifically bind to VLA-1 integrin and methods of using these antibodies to treat immunological disorders in a subject. Also included are crystal structures of complexes formed by VLA-1 antibodies and their ligands, and VLA-1 antagonists and agonists identified by using the structure coordinates of these structures. |
| US09644028B2 |
Anti-CDH3 humanized antibody, drug conjugate thereof, and use thereof
The present invention provides an anti-CDH3 humanized antibody having lower immunogenicity, and an anti-CDH3 humanized antibody drug conjugate having the aforementioned anti-CDH3 humanized antibody. The present invention provides a conjugate of an anti-CDH3 humanized antibody and a drug by conjugating a drug having cytotoxicity to an anti-CDH3 humanized antibody having complementarity determining region sequences derived from the heavy chain variable region of an antibody produced by cells having Accession No. NITE BP-1536, and complementarity determining region sequences derived from the light chain variable region thereof, and which also comprises a heavy chain human subgroup III consensus framework sequence or a human germline sequence selected under optimal alignment as a framework region sequence of the heavy chain variable region, and a light chain human κ subgroup I consensus framework sequence or a human germline sequence selected under optimal alignment as a framework region sequence of the light chain variable region. |
| US09644027B2 |
Antibodies that specifically bind to DRG11-responsive (DRAGON) proteins
This invention features antibodies that specifically bind to a murine Dragon family protein. |
| US09644023B2 |
Compositions and methods for phagocyte delivery of anti-staphylococcal agents
The present application generally relates to multi-specific molecules that bind to multiple bacterial virulence factors, methods for producing these binding molecules, and the use of these binding molecules to treat bacterial infections. In particular, the binding molecules comprise at least two binding domains, preferably an antibody or antibody fragment and an alternative scaffold. The first binding domain is capable of binding to a glycosylated staphylococcal surface protein, preferably an SDR-containing protein. The second binding domain is capable of binding to a staphylococcal leukotoxin, preferably LukAB, LukD or LukE. These multi-specific binding compounds have killing activity against staphylococci and, thus, can be used in the treatment and/or amelioration of a Staphylococcus infection, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. |
| US09644021B2 |
Bovine fusion antibodies
Disclosed herein are immunoglobulin constructs comprising at least one immunoglobulin domain or fragment thereof; and a therapeutic polypeptide or derivative or variant thereof attached to or inserted into said immunoglobulin domain. Also provided are immunoglobulin constructs comprising a mammalian immunoglobulin heavy chain comprising at least a portion of a knob domain in the complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3H) or fragment thereof; and a therapeutic polypeptide attached to or inserted into said knob domain of the CDR3H. Also provided are immunoglobulin constructs comprising a mammalian immunoglobulin heavy chain comprising at least a portion of a stalk domain in the complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3H) or fragment thereof; and a therapeutic polypeptide attached to or inserted into said stalk domain of the CDR3H. Also described herein are methods and compositions comprising the immunoglobulin constructs described herein for treatment and prevention of a disease or condition in a subject. |
| US09644020B2 |
Human Tim-3 fusion protein capable of blocking Tim-3 signaling pathway
The present invention provides a human Tim-3-Ig fusion protein which can block Tim-3 signal pathway, and said Ig fusion protein comprises Tim-3 protein, human Ig fragment, and the linking sequence therebetween. In the present invention, a human Tim-3-Ig gene is obtained by an artificial synthesis process; an expression vector containing the Tim-3-Ig gene is constructed; and the prepared Ig fusion protein is tested in an expression verification experiment, a binding activity experiment, a blocking activity experiment in different cell lines, and in vivo experiments in mice. The human Tim-3-Ig fusion protein prepared in the present invention can be used to treat immunological diseases caused by high expression of Tim-3. |
| US09644019B2 |
Compounds for treating cardiac damage after ischaemia/reperfusion
The present invention relates to the use of an Extracellular Matrix Metalloproteinase Inducer (EMMPRIN) inhibitor for preventing and/or treating cardiac damage arising after an ischemic process followed by reperfusion. The authors of the present invention have observed that EMMPRIN expression increases in subjects who have suffered ischemia/reperfusion, ascertaining that an EMMPRIN inhibitor is capable of reducing the cardiac damage caused after ischemia followed by reperfusion, both in vitro and in vivo. |
| US09644018B2 |
Antibody modulators of APLNR
The present invention provides apelin receptor (APLNR) modulators that bind to APLNR and methods of using the same. The invention includes APLNR modulators such as antibodies, or antigen-binding fragments thereof, which inhibit or attenuate APLNR-mediated signaling. The invention includes APLNR modulators such as antibodies, or antibody fusion proteins thereof, that activate APLNR-mediated signaling. According to certain embodiments of the invention, the antibodies or antigen-binding fragments or antibody fusion proteins are fully human antibodies that bind to human APLNR with high affinity. The APLNR modulators of the invention are useful for the treatment of diseases and disorders associated with APLNR signaling and/or APLNR cellular expression, such as cardiovascular diseases, angiogenesis diseases, metabolic diseases and fibrotic diseases. |
| US09644017B2 |
Insulin derivatives having an extremely delayed time-action profile
The invention relates to novel insulin analogs having a basal time-action profile, which are characterized by the following features: a) the B chain end consists of an amidated basic amino acid residue such as lysine or arginine amide; b) the N-terminal amino acid residue of the insulin A chain is a lysine or arginine radical; c) the amino acid position A8 is occupied by a histidine radical; d) the amino acid position A21 is occupied by a glycine radical; and e) one or more substitutions and/or additions of negatively charged amino acid residues are carried out in the positions A5, A15, A18, B-1, B0, B1, B2, B3 and B4. |
| US09644015B2 |
Codon optimized sequence for an antiviral protein
A codon optimized nucleic acid sequence for Interferon Alpha-2a is provided which can be used for expression of Interferon Alpha-2a in E. Coli. |
| US09644011B2 |
Mu-conotoxin peptides and use thereof as a local anesthetic
The present invention relates to novel mu-conotoxin peptides, biologically active fragments thereof, combinations thereof and/or variants thereof. The invention also relates to their use in pharmaceutical composition for the treatment or prevention of pain, and their use in the preparation of an anesthetic. |
| US09644006B2 |
Carrier peptides for cell delivery
The invention relates to the technological sector of the transport and delivery of molecules into cells, either at cytoplasm or at nucleus or inter-cells (cell to cell transport), using peptides binding proteins from the cell microtubule motor complex, preferably dynein-binding peptides, as carrier/delivery peptides; or functionalized structures, as nanoparticles, linked to said carrier/delivery peptides. This delivery can be useful in many technical fields comprising, among some others: diagnosis, therapy and pharmacology. |
| US09643998B2 |
Real time monitoring and control of protein production processes using impedance spectroscopy
Methods and systems for monitoring and/or controlling protein separation, purification, extraction, and/or fractionation processes are provided. The impedance of a protein mixture undergoing a protein process is measured and compared to a target reference impedance value or range of reference impedance values. If the measured impedance is not within an acceptable deviation of the target reference impedance value, a parameter of the protein mixture or process is adjusted. |
| US09643993B2 |
Crystalline polymorphic form of ulipristal acetate
A novel crystalline polymorphic form of ulipristal acetate useful as an agent for preventing and/or treating uterine leiomyoma and as a contraceptive, and a process for producing the crystalline polymorphic form are provided. The novel crystalline polymorphic form of ulipristal acetate is obtained by dissolving an isopropanol-solvated crystal of ulipristal acetate in a mixed solvent containing ethanol and water, and crystallizing an ulipristal acetate from the solution without addition of a seed crystal to the solution. |
| US09643990B2 |
Non-caloric sweeteners and methods for synthesizing
Disclosed are steviol glycosides referred to as rebaudioside V and rebaudioside W. Also disclosed are methods for producing rebaudioside M (Reb M), rebausoside G (Reb G), rebaudioside KA (Reb KA), rebaudioside V (Reb V) and rebaudioside (Reb W). |
| US09643989B2 |
Methods for preparing ruthenium carbene complex precursors and ruthenium carbene complexes
A method for preparing a ruthenium carbene complex precursor includes reacting a ruthenium refinery salt with a hydrogen halide to form a ruthenium intermediate, and reacting the ruthenium intermediate with an L-type ligand to form the ruthenium carbene complex precursor. A method for preparing a ruthenium vinylcarbene complex includes converting a ruthenium carbene complex precursor into a ruthenium hydrido halide complex, and reacting the ruthenium hydrido halide complex with a propargyl halide to form the ruthenium vinylcarbene complex. A method for preparing a ruthenium carbene complex includes converting a ruthenium carbene complex precursor into a ruthenium carbene complex having a structure (PR1R2R3)2Cl2Ru═CH—R4, wherein R1, R2, R3, and R4 are alike or different, and wherein covalent bonds may optionally exist between two or more of R1, R2, and R3. |
| US09643988B2 |
Compounds having low ionization energy
The present invention provides compounds that are soluble in a non-polar solvent and having a low ionization energy and negative oxidation potentials in tetrahydrofuran (THF). The present invention also provides a method for producing and using the same. |
| US09643980B2 |
Benzoxazepin oxazolidinone compounds and methods of use
Described herein are benzoxazepin oxazolidinone compounds with phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) modulation activity or function having the Formula I structure: or stereoisomers, tautomers, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and with the substituents and structural features described herein. Also described are pharmaceutical compositions and medicaments that include the Formula I compounds, as well as methods of using such PI3K modulators, alone and in combination with other therapeutic agents, for treating diseases or conditions that are mediated or dependent upon PI3K dysregulation. |
| US09643979B2 |
Inhibitors of DNA gyrase for the treatment of bacterial infections
The present invention relates to compounds which specifically inhibit bacterial DNA Gyrase and can be used for the treatment of respiratory tract infections. |
| US09643976B2 |
Solvates of darunavir
The present invention relates to novel solvates of Darunavir of Formula I. |
| US09643974B2 |
Amino-substituted imidazopyridazines
The present invention relates to amino-substituted imidazopyndazine compounds of general formula (I): in which A, R1, R2, R3, R4 and n are as defined in the claims, to methods of preparing said compounds, to intermediate compounds useful for preparing said compounds, to pharmaceutical compositions and combinations comprising said compounds and to the use of said compounds for manufacturing a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment or prophylaxis of a disease, in particular of a hyper-proliferative and/or angiogenesis disorder, as a sole agent or in combination with other active ingredients. |
| US09643973B1 |
Crystalline form of diclosulam, a process for its preparation and use of the same
A crystalline form of diclosulam of formula (I), the crystal preparation process, the analyses of the crystal through various analytical methods and using the crystal to prepare stable agrochemical formulation. The invention also describes the use of various solvents towards the crystalline form preparation conditions. |
| US09643972B2 |
Immunoregulatory agents
Compounds that modulate the oxidoreductase enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, and compositions containing the compounds, are described herein. The use of such compounds and compositions for the treatment and/or prevention of a diverse array of diseases, disorders and conditions, including cancer- and immune-related disorders, that are mediated by indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase is also provided. |
| US09643969B2 |
(aza)indolizine derivative and pharmaceutical use thereof
(Aza)indolizine derivatives represented by Formula (I) having xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities and useful as agents for the prevention or treatment of a disease associated with abnormality of serum uric acid level, prodrugs thereof, salts thereof or the like. In Formula (I), 0 to 2 of X1, X2, X3 and X4 are a nitrogen atom and the others are CR1; one of T1 and T2 represents cyano and the other represents a group represented by Formula (A), with the proviso that when T1 is cyano, at least one of X1 to X4 is a nitrogen atom; R1 independently represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydroxy group, C1-6 alkyl, C1-6 alkoxy or the like; ring U represents a benzene ring or the like; m represents integral number from 0 to 2; R2 independently represents a fluorine atom, a hydroxy group or the like. |
| US09643968B2 |
Fused acridine derivative and pharmaceutical composition, preparation method and use thereof
Provided is a fused acridine derivative as formula (I), which has good antitumor activity. In addition, also provided are a process for preparing the derivative, a pharmaceutical composition containing the derivative, and the use thereof. |
| US09643964B2 |
3-(2-aminopyrimidin-4-yl)-5-(3-hydroxypropynyl)-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-C]pyridine derivatives as NIK inhibitors for the treatment of cancer
The present invention relates to pharmaceutical agents useful for therapy and/or prophylaxis in a mammal, and in particular to inhibitors of NF-κB-inducing kinase (NIK—also known as MAP3K14) useful for treating diseases such as cancer, inflammatory disorders, metabolic disorders and autoimmune disorders. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, to processes to prepare such compounds and compositions, and to the use of such compounds or pharmaceutical compositions for the prevention or treatment of diseases such as cancer, inflammatory disorders, metabolic disorders including obesity and diabetes, and autoimmune disorders. |
| US09643961B2 |
Cyclohexylamine derivatives having β2 adrenergic antagonist and M3 muscarinic antagonist activities
The present invention relates to novel compounds having β2 adrenergic agonist and M3 muscarinic antagonist dual activity, to pharmaceutical compositions containing them, to the process for their preparation and to their use in respiratory therapies. |
| US09643953B2 |
Substituted benzylpyrazoles
Compounds of formula (I) and their use as pharmaceutical. |
| US09643952B2 |
Pyridone compound
The invention provides a pyridone compound represented by the following formula (I) [wherein, R1 represents cycloalkyl optionally having substituent(s) and the like, R2 represents a hydrogen atom and the like, R3 represents hydroxy and the like, and R4A represents the following formula (R4A-1) (wherein, R4 and R5 are the same or different and each represents a hydrogen atom and the like), and the like], or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, which is useful as a prophylactic and/or therapeutic agent for skin diseases, and the like. |
| US09643951B2 |
Compound having somatostatin receptor agonistic activity and pharmaceutical use thereof
The present invention provides a somatostatin receptor subtype 2 agonist. A disclosed compound represented by the general formula (I): wherein all symbols have the same definitions as described in the specification; a salt thereof, an N-oxide thereof or a solvate thereof, or a prodrug of the foregoing is a low-molecular compound having strong somatostatin receptor subtype 2 agonistic activity, and thus can be administered in a simple manner, has high stability and has low toxicity. Therefore, the present compound is useful for prophylaxis and/or therapy of somatostatin-related diseases such as acromegaly and gastrointestinal obstruction. |
| US09643949B2 |
Method for producing glycolide
A method for producing a GL comprising: (I) a heating step of heating a mixture either under normal pressure or reduced pressure at a temperature at which a polyglycolic acid (PGA) undergoes depolymerization, the mixture containing the PGA and a polyethylene glycol ether which is represented by the formula: X—O—(—CH2CH2—O—)p—Y (wherein X and Y are each independently an alkyl group or an aryl group having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms, and p is an integer from 1 to 5) and which has a molecular weight of from 150 to 450 and a boiling point of from 130 to 220° C. at a pressure of 3 kPa; (II) a solution-forming step in which the mixture is rendered in a solution state in which a melt phase of the PGA and a liquid phase consisting of the polyethylene glycol ether essentially form a uniform phase; (III) a GL production step in which a glycolide (GL) is produced by a depolymerization reaction of the PGA by continuing to heat the mixture in the solution state; (IV) a distillation step of distilling off the produced GL together with the polyethylene glycol ether (B) from the depolymerization reaction system; and (V) a recovery step of recovering the GL from the distillate. |
| US09643948B2 |
2-oxo-1,3-dioxolane-4-acyl halides, their preparation and use
The present invention suggests 2-oxo-1,3-dioxolane-4-acyl halides of formula (I), wherein X is selected from F, Cl, Br, I and mixtures thereof, preferably Cl, processes for the preparation of said 2-oxo-1,3-dioxolane-4-acyl halides, the use of said 2-oxo-1,3-dioxolane-4-acyl halides for the preparation of 2-oxo-1,3-dioxolane-4-carboxylic esters of formula (II), the use of said 2-oxo-1,3-dioxolane-4-acyl halides for the preparation of 2-oxo-1,3-dioxolane-4-carboxamides of formula (III), and also the use of said 2-oxo-1,3-dioxolane-4-acyl halides as agents for the blocking of amines. |
| US09643945B2 |
Process for the preparation of 2,5-furan-dicarboxylic acid
2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid and methyl acetate are prepared in a continuous process by introducing a 5-methoxymethylfurfural-containing feedstock, an oxygen-containing gas, an oxidation catalyst and an acetic acid-containing solvent into a reactor; allowing 5-methoxymethylfurfural to react with oxygen and acetic acid in the presence of the oxidation catalyst to yield 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid as main product and methyl acetate; withdrawing 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid-containing product from the reactor and recovering 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid product; and withdrawing a vaporous stream containing methyl acetate from the reactor. |
| US09643941B2 |
2,2′-tandem dithiazole compound, preparation method therefor, and use thereof
The present invention relates to a thiazole-based compound, a preparation method therefor, and a use thereof. More specifically, the present invention relates to a 2,2′-bis-thiazole-based compound, a preparation method therefor, and a use of 2,2′-bis-thiazole-based compound a histone deacetylase inhibitor in the preparation of an antitumor medicament, a medicament for treating autoimmune diseases, a medicament for treating type II diabetes mellitus and complication thereof, or a medicament for treating neurodegenerative diseases. |
| US09643934B2 |
Process for synthesis of phenoxy diaminopyrimidine derivatives
A method for preparing a compound of formula k or a salt or solvate thereof, wherein R1 is as defined herein, the method comprising treating a compound of formula j or a salt or solvate thereof, with ammonia, to form the compound of formula k. |
| US09643932B2 |
Process for the preparation of bendamustine hydrochloride
The present invention relates to an improved process for the synthesis of bendamustine, in particular, bendamustine hydrochloride of the formula (VI) and its intermediate 1-methyl-5-[bis(2-chloroethyl)amino]-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl]lithium butanoate of formula (V), both having a purity of ≧99%, which is simple, convenient, economical, does not use hazardous chemicals and is industrially viable. |
| US09643930B2 |
Substituted indazole derivatives as in vitro MAO-B inhibitors
Substituted indazole or imidazole derivatives of formula I as an in vitro selective and reversible MAO-B inhibitors and for use in the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and dementia. |
| US09643929B2 |
Asymmetric catalytic reduction of oxcarbazepine
A process for preparing (S)-(+)-10,11-dihydro-10-hydroxy-5H-dibenz/b,f/azepine-5-carboxamide or (R)-(−)-10,11-dihydro-10-hydroxy-5H-dibenz/b,f/azepine-5-carboxamide, by reduction of oxcarbazepine in the presence of a catalyst and a hydride source is disclosed. The catalyst is prepared from a combination of [RuX2(L)]2 wherein X is chlorine, bromine or iodine, and L is an aryl or aryl-aliphatic ligand, with a ligand of formula (A) or formula (B): wherein R1 is chosen from C1-6 alkoxy and C1-6 alkyl, n is a number from 0 to 5, and when n is a number from 2 to 5, R1 can be the same or different, and R2 is alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, alkaryl or substituted alkaryl. The hydride source is either NR3R4R5 and formic acid, [R3R4R5NH][OOCH] and optionally formic acid, or [M][OOCH]x and formic acid, wherein R3, R4 and R5 are C1-6 alkyl, M is an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal and x is 1 or 2. A pH from 6.5 to 8 is maintained during the process. |
| US09643925B2 |
Compounds, compositions and methods
Certain substituted urea derivatives selectively modulate the cardiac sarcomere, for example by potentiating cardiac myosin, and are useful in the treatment of systolic heart failure including congestive heart failure. |
| US09643923B2 |
Derivatives of indole for the treatment of cancer, viral infections and lung diseases
The present invention relates to a new class of indole derivatives, having a particular MKlp2 inhibition profile and useful as a therapeutic agent, in particular for the treatment of cancer, viral infections and lung diseases. |
| US09643922B2 |
MIF modulators
The invention provides novel heterocyclic compounds, pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treatment that modulate levels of MIF expression and treat disorders associated with high or low levels of MIF expression. |
| US09643919B2 |
Cycloalkyl-dione derivatives and methods of their use
The present invention is directed to compounds of formula I: wherein A is n is 0, 1, or 2; m is 0 or 1; R1 is H or C1-6alkyl and R2 is H, C1-6alkyl, C1-6alkaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl; and X is O or NH. Tautomers, enantiomers, and diastereomers, as well as pharmaceutically acceptable salt forms, of compounds of formula I are also within the scope of the invention. Methods of preparing and using the compounds of formula I are also described. wherein A is |
| US09643916B2 |
Low molecular weight cationic lipids for oligonucleotide delivery
The instant invention provides for novel cationic lipids that can be used in combination with other lipid components such as cholesterol and PEG-lipids to form lipid nanoparticles with oligonucleotides. It is an object of the instant invention to provide a cationic lipid scaffold that demonstrates enhanced efficacy along with lower liver toxicity as a result of lower lipid levels in the liver. The present invention employs low molecular weight cationic lipids with one short lipid chain to enhance the efficiency and tolerability of in vivo delivery of siRNA. |
| US09643915B2 |
Methods for the synthesis of sphingomyelins and dihydrosphingomyelins
The present invention includes methods for the synthesis of sphingomyelins and dihydrosphingomyelins. The present invention also includes methods for the synthesis of sphingosines and dihydrosphingosines. The present invention further includes methods for the synthesis of ceramides and dihydroceramides. |
| US09643910B2 |
Extraction column and process for extracting a constituent from a fluid
The present invention relates to an extraction column 1 having a vertically aligned column body 2 which is cylindrical at least in sections and forms a column cavity 3 having a horizontal maximum extent, with provision in the column body 2 of at least one first feed 4 for an extractant, at least one second feed 5 for the fluid to be extracted and at least one outlet 6 for the extract mixture and at least one outlet for the raffinate. In the inventive extraction column 1, a vertically aligned divider 7 arranged within the column cavity 3 subdivides the column cavity 3 into a plurality of vertically aligned and horizontally divided regions, the horizontal maximum extent of each region being less than the horizontal maximum extent of the column cavity 3. The invention further relates to a process for extracting a constituent from a fluid by means of such an extraction column 1. |
| US09643909B2 |
Process for hydrolyzing 1,2,4-trihalobenzene
The present invention relates to a process for providing a compound of formula (I): wherein Hal is a halogen, the process comprising the step of: reacting a compound of formula (II) wherein Hal is defined as above, with an alkali metal sulfite of the formula X2SO3 and an alkali metal hydroxide of the formula YOH, wherein X and Y are independently selected from an alkali metal. |
| US09643907B2 |
Fluoronation of alpha-haloalkyl ketones
The present invention provides methods and processes for producing α-fluoroalkyl ketones from non-fluoro α-haloalkyl ketones using a fluorohydrogenate compound. In some embodiments, the fluorohydrogenate compound is an ionic liquid. One particular method of the invention utilizes a fluorohydrogenate ionic liquid compound of the formula: Q+[F.(HF)n], wherein Q30 is an onium cation and n is a number from 0 to 3. |
| US09643902B2 |
Processes utilizing solvent extraction
Embodiments of an invention disclosed herein relate to processes utilizing solvent extraction to remove nitrogen containing compounds and optionally other components from feedstreams of olefins and paraffins. |
| US09643899B2 |
SSZ-13 as a catalyst for conversion of chloromethane to olefins
Disclosed are methods and systems for converting chloromethane to olefins. A method includes contacting an aluminosilicate catalyst having a chabazite zeolite structure with a feed that includes an alkyl halide and is substantially free of oxygenates under reaction conditions sufficient to produce an olefin hydrocarbon product comprising C2-C4 olefins. |
| US09643897B2 |
Enhanced propylene production in OTO process with modified zeolites
A process for oxygenate conversion using a family of crystalline aluminosilicate zeolites that is a layered pentasil zeolite with a silica or fluorine modified surface. These zeolites are represented by the empirical formula: Mmn+Rrp+Al1-xExSiyOz where M is an alkali, alkaline earth, or rare earth metal such as sodium or potassium, R can be a mixture of organoammonium cations and E is a framework element such as gallium, iron, boron, or indium. These zeolites are characterized by unique x-ray diffraction patterns and compositions and have catalytic properties for carrying out oxygenate conversion processes. |
| US09643896B2 |
Dual purpose agricultural compositions
A method of fertilizing a plant comprises applying to a plant an effective amount of a composition comprising a product of a salicylic acid, a potassium polyphosphite, a potassium phosphite, and a potassium phosphate. The composition may be prepared by reacting salicylic acid, ammonium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and/or potassium carbonate, phosphoric acid, and phosphorous acid. |
| US09643894B2 |
High surface area carbon opals and inverse opals obtained therefrom
A self-assembled carbon structure such as a carbon opal is disclosed herein. The structure is composed of hydrophilic carbon spheres oriented in a periodic colloidal crystal structure, wherein the carbon spheres have a porous surface, wherein the carbons spheres have an average particle diameter less than 3000 nm. Also disclosed is an inverse opal structure that includes a plurality of voids in the structural material. The voids are regularly arranged in an ordered periodic structure, the voids having a spherical shape. The inverse opal structure has a specific surface area greater than 100 m2/g and method for making the same together with materials that employ the same. |
| US09643893B2 |
Method of manufacturing joint body of conductive ceramic body and metal body
A method of manufacturing a joint body of a ceramic body and a metal body includes a step of joining them together by passing a current to an abutment surface between them. The joining step includes a step of heating up the abutment surface to a temperature T1 within a temperature range between (Tr-220)° C. and (Tr-50)° C. in a period longer than 10 seconds, Tr being a recrystallization temperature of the metal body, a step of heating the abutment surface for a period longer than 5 seconds at a temperature T2 within a temperature range between Tm×0.3° C. and Tm×0.45° C., Tm being a melting point of the metal body, and a step of heating the abutment surface for a period longer than 3 seconds at a heating temperature higher than Tm×0.48° C. and lower than Tm×0.6° C. |
| US09643891B2 |
Method for making amorphous particles using a uniform melt-state in a microwave generated plasma torch
Feed material comprising uniform solution precursor droplets is processed in a uniform melt state using microwave generated plasma. The plasma torch employed is capable of generating laminar gas flows and providing a uniform temperature profile within the plasma. Plasma exhaust products are quenched at high rates to yield amorphous products. Products of this process include spherical, highly porous and amorphous oxide ceramic particles such as magnesia-yttria (MgO—Y2O3). The present invention can also be used to produce amorphous non oxide ceramic particles comprised of Boron, Carbon, and Nitrogen which can be subsequently consolidated into super hard materials. |
| US09643889B1 |
Method of storing exfoliated nanoclay particles
The method of storing exfoliated nanoclay particles involves the freezing of exfoliated nanoclay particles in water, thus forming ice with the exfoliated nanoclay particles suspended therein. The frozen state of the suspension prevents the exfoliated nanoclay particles from agglomerating, thus allowing the nanoclay particles to be stored and transported while maintaining their exfoliated state. The exfoliated nanoclay particles are added to the water to form a suspension, and the suspension is then mixed for between 24 and 72 hours to ensure that no agglomerated nanoclay particles are in suspension and that the suspension contains only exfoliated nanoclay particles. The suspension is then frozen to store the exfoliated nanoclay particles in ice. |
| US09643885B2 |
Method and arrangement for burning lime mud
The present invention relates to a method and an arrangement for burning lime mud into lime in a lime kiln. The lime mud flows counter-currently to flue gases from a feed end to a firing end and the fuel used is flue gas that is produced by gasifying a fuel in the presence of combustion air in a gasifier. The combustion air for gasification is preheated with heat generated in lime mud combustion. The arrangement is provided with a conduit between the lime kiln and the gasifier for leading air from the lime kiln into the gasifier as combustion air. At least a portion of the combustion air for gasification is preheated with heat generated in the lime mud combustion so that air is led into cooling of lime obtained in the combustion and further into the kiln, from or through the firing end of which air is taken into the gasification. |
| US09643878B2 |
Sheet glass manufacturing method and manufacturing device
Provided is a manufacturing method for a glass sheet, including: fusing a glass ribbon (G) by irradiating the glass ribbon (G) with a laser (L) along a preset cutting line (X), which is a boundary between a product portion (G1) to be used as a product and a non-product portion (G2) to be discarded, and jetting an assist gas (A) onto molten glass (M) generated by melting the glass ribbon (G) through heating with the laser (L) so as to remove the molten glass (M) by scattering the molten glass (M); and breaking the non-product portion (G2) so as to discard the non-product portion (G2), the assist gas (A) being jetted from the product portion (G1) side with respect to the preset cutting line (X), to thereby cause scattered pieces of the molten glass (M) to adhere to the non-product portion (G2) as pieces of dross (D). |
| US09643875B2 |
Fusion draw apparatus and methods
A fusion draw apparatus includes a pair of engagement rollers. At least one of the pair of engagement rollers includes a circumferential knife edge configured to cooperate with the other of the pair of engagement rollers to thin the edge portion or sever the edge portion from a central portion of the glass ribbon within the viscous zone of the glass ribbon. In further examples, fusion draw methods include the step of thinning the edge portion or severing the edge portion from the central portion of the glass ribbon within the viscous zone. |
| US09643874B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for reducing heat loss from edge directors
An apparatus and methods for making a glass ribbon includes a forming wedge with a pair of inclined forming surface portions converging along a downstream direction to form a root. The apparatus further includes an edge director intersecting with at least one of the pair of downwardly inclined forming surface portions, and a replaceable heating cartridge configured to direct heat to the edge director and thermally shield the edge director from heat loss. A replaceable heating cartridge is also provided for directing heat to the edge director and thermally shielding the edge director from heat loss. |
| US09643872B2 |
Methods and apparatus for forming a glass ribbon
A roll forming apparatus includes at least one forming roll being spaced from a forming body to define a gap. The forming roll includes a working zone portion having a working zone surface with a length extending along a rotation axis of the forming roll and a thermal resistance boundary extending at an acute angle relative to the rotation axis. In further examples, methods include the step of feeding a stream of molten glass through the gap to form a glass ribbon including a formed thickness. The thermal resistance boundary facilitates substantial uniform radial expansion of the working zone surface relative to the rotation axis across the length of the working zone surface in response to heating of the working zone portion by the molten glass. |
| US09643863B2 |
Electrolysis water-making apparatus
An electrolysis water-making apparatus (1) generates electrolyzed products by supplying a raw material solution into an electrolytic cell (4) to perform electrolysis, and generates electrolyzed water by diluting the electrolyzed products. The electrolysis water-making apparatus (1) includes a casing (20) configured to accommodate the electrolytic cell (4), and a bracket (30) fixed to the casing (20) in a freely detachable manner, and the bracket (30) includes a pair of rigid walls to which one end and the other end of the electrolytic cell (4) are attached. The pair of rigid walls have a dimension therebetween that can be adjusted according to the linear dimension of the electrolytic cell (4). |
| US09643860B2 |
System and method for hydrate-based desalination
The present invention relates to systems and methods for desalinating and/or treating polluted water. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for desalinating and/or treating polluted water using gas hydrates. In particular, the system comprises a desalination tank configured to form gas hydrates using a suitable hydrate former taken from a storage tank that is operatively connected to the desalination tank. With all operations, including formation of gas hydrates, discharging of highly saline water, washing the gas hydrates and dissociation of gas hydrates being conducted in a single pressurized tank such as the desalination tank, the present apparatus provides a simple and efficient solution at a low manufacturing and operating cost. |
| US09643859B2 |
Process for producing carbonate compound and cathode active material
To provide a carbonate compound and a cathode active material, whereby a lithium ion secondary battery having excellent cycle characteristics can be obtained.A process for producing a carbonate compound, which comprises mixing a sulfate (A) comprising a sulfate comprising a sulfate of Mn and a sulfate of Ni, or a sulfate comprising a sulfate of Mn, a sulfate of Ni and a sulfate of Co, and a carbonate (B) which is at least one carbonate selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate, in the form of aqueous solutions and controlling the proportion of Mn to the total of Ni, Co and Mn contained in the sulfate (A) to be higher than 65 mol % at the initiation of the mixing, to precipitate a carbonate compound having a proportion of Mn of from 33.3 to 65 mol %, a proportion of Ni of from 17.5 to 50 mol % and a proportion of Co of from 0 to 33.3 mol % to the total of Ni, Co and Mn in the total average composition. A process for producing a cathode active material, which comprises mixing the carbonate compound obtained by the above process and lithium carbonate, followed by firing at from 500 to 1,000° C. |
| US09643853B2 |
Synthesis of GME framework type zeolites
An organotemplate-free synthetic process is disclosed for the production of GME framework type zeolites by hydrothermal conversion of FAU framework type zeolites with sodium cations. The resulting zeolite product is substantially free of non-GME framework type material. |
| US09643852B2 |
Seeded synthesis of aluminosilicate molecular sieves
A process for producing an aluminosilicate molecular sieve comprises crystallizing a reaction mixture comprising water, a source of silica and seeds of a silicoaluminophosphate and/or an aluminophosphate molecular sieve. The resultant aluminosilicate molecular sieve product can advantageously be substantially free of framework phosphorus. |
| US09643848B2 |
Method for transferring carbon nanotube array and method for forming carbon nanotube structure
A method for transferring a carbon nanotube array includes providing a substitute substrate, a growing substrate, and a carbon nanotube array. The carbon nanotube array is grown on the growing substrate. A carbon nanotube structure can be drawn from the carbon nanotube array. The carbon nanotube structure includes carbon nanotube segments joined end-to-end. The carbon nanotube array is transferred from the growing substrate onto the substitute substrate. During transfer, the structural integrity of the carbon nanotube array is maintained. |
| US09643843B2 |
Method for producing synthesis gas
A method for reforming hydrocarbon-containing feed gas into synthesis gas, involving processing of the feed gas by pre-reforming at least partially converting one or more higher hydrocarbons into methane, and heating the feed gas by exothermic catalytic partial oxidation of hydrocarbons before the introduction thereof into the main reforming zone, and, subsequent to the pre-reforming, reforming the pre-reformed product with the addition of a controlled quantity of an oxidizing agent. |
| US09643841B2 |
Graphene-based plasmonic nano-antenna for terahertz band communication
An antenna system includes an elongated conductive plane and an elongated dielectric layer that is disposed on the conductive plane. An elongated graphene nanoribbon is disposed along an axis and is coupled to the dielectric layer at a graphene/dielectric interface. A feeding mechanism is coupled to the conductive plane. The feeding mechanism is configured to accept a signal that excites surface plasmon polariton waves at the graphene/dielectric interface. In a method of making a surface plasmon polariton wave antenna, an elongated conductive plane is formed. An elongated dielectric layer is applied on a surface of the conductive plane. An elongated graphene nanoribbon is applied to the dielectric layer. A signal source is coupled to the elongated conductive plane. |
| US09643839B2 |
Electromechanical switching device with electrodes having 2D layered materials with distinct functional areas
An electromechanical switching device includes a first electrode, comprising layers of a first 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a first surface; a second electrode, comprising layers of a second 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a second surface opposite the first surface; and an actuation mechanism; wherein each of the first and second 2D layered materials has an anisotropic electrical conductivity, which is lower transversely to its layers than in-plane with the layers; the first electrode includes two distinct areas alongside the first surface, which areas differ in at least one structural, electrical and/or magnetic property; and at least one of the first and second electrodes is actuatable by the actuation mechanism, such that actuation thereof for modification of an electrical conductance transverse to each of the first surface and the second surface to enable current modulation between the first electrode and the second electrode. |
| US09643836B2 |
Method for producing a pressure sensor and corresponding sensor
The invention relates to a method for producing a pressure sensor, comprising the following steps: assembling a support substrate with a deformable membrane on which strain gauges have been deposited, wherein the deformable membrane comprises a thinned area at the center thereof, the support substrate is disposed on top of the deformable membrane, the support substrate comprises an upper surface and a lower surface in contact with the deformable membrane, and the support substrate also comprises lateral recesses arranged on top of the strain gauges and a central recess arranged on top of the thinned area of the membrane, so as to obtain a micromechanical structure; and, once the assembly has been obtained, depositing, in a single step, at least one conductive material on the upper surface of the support and in the lateral recesses of the support, said conductive material extending into the recesses in order to be in contact with the strain gauges so as to form electrical contacts in contact with the strain gauges. |
| US09643835B2 |
Microfluidic devices and applications thereof
In one aspect, single-sided microfluidic devices are described herein. In some embodiments, a single-sided microfluidic device comprises a substrate, a photoconductive layer positioned over the substrate, electrical contacts in electrical communication with the photoconductive layer, and a dielectric assembly positioned over the photoconductive layer. The dielectric assembly comprises a hydrophobic surface for receiving a liquid. In some embodiments, the dielectric assembly has an effective capacitance of about 10 μF/m2 to about 10,000 μF/m2 and/or an average thickness between about 20 nm and about 2000 nm. |
| US09643833B2 |
Disposable assembly for a reusable urn or vessel
The present invention provides a container assembly for use with a reusable urn or vessel. The assembly includes a (1) flexible pouch, (2) a fitment connected to the pouch and having a flexible flange and a first fluid passageway therethrough in fluid communication with the chamber, (3) a tubing adapter having a first end connected to the fitment and a second end having a member for connecting to a tubing and a second fluid passageway in fluid communication with the first fluid passageway; and (4) wherein the flexible flange is capable of bending to conform to an interior wall of the urn or vessel to place the second fluid passageway in alignment with an axis of a through hole in the urn or vessel. |
| US09643828B2 |
Arcuate multi-dispensing beverage dispenser
Disclosed is a beverage dispenser having a plurality of non-linear dispensing sides each having a dispensing station of a dimension suitable to comfortably accommodate a user/operator. Each dispensing station is of a dimension narrower than that of a dispensing station of a conventional dispenser. The beverage dispenser of the present disclosure allows for variations and flexibility in the shape of the unit, and a user-friendly touch screen accommodates one or more concurrent users/operators, while also allowing a choice of various beverage selections. The touch screen provides a user interface that may be configured for use by a restaurant employee and/or self-service applications. In addition, the user friendly touchscreen interface also facilitates the use of ADA compliant controls. The beverage dispenser of the present disclosure also allows for “banking” of multiple units into a “kiosk” type formation. |
| US09643827B2 |
Fire tube implement, system, and method
An implement is disclosed for use in moving a fire tube in relation to a heat treater. The disclosed implement includes a frame extending along a first axis, a shaft extending from the frame along a second axis, and a stabilizer extending from the frame that is configured to inhibit rotation of the fire tube when the implement is employed to move the fire tube. |
| US09643815B2 |
Adjustable safety brake
A brake device having a block member, a first and second brake member movable relative to each other, and at least one adjustment member positioned between the block member and the first brake member to adjust the distance there between. |
| US09643813B2 |
Paper folding apparatus and image forming apparatus
A paper folding apparatus includes: a pair of folding rollers driven in a rotational manner; a carrying roller configured to carry paper in such a manner that the paper passes near a nip part of the pair of folding rollers; a unit configured to form, near the nip part, deflection of the paper carried by the carrying roller toward the nip part; a pushing member which is configured to push the paper, which is carried by the carrying roller, toward the nip part of the folding rollers, the pushing member being provided in a manner movable from a position retracted from a carrying path of the paper toward the nip part; a drive unit configured to generate driving force to move the pushing member; and an elastic member configured to transmit the driving force from the drive unit to the pushing member. |
| US09643806B2 |
Paper transfer device
A paper transfer device includes a paper transfer unit that transfers a paper laid on a transfer surface beneath an inkjet head, a downstream-side transfer portion that is disposed on a downstream side of the transfer unit along a transfer direction of the paper and transfers the paper along a downstream-side transfer path extending downward from the transfer surface, a paper leading portion that leads the paper from the transfer unit to the downstream-side transfer portion, and a controller that controls the paper leading portion to press the paper after a leading end of the paper is led to the downstream-side transfer portion by the paper leading portion. |
| US09643805B2 |
Device for separating individual, two-dimensional, flexible objects from the lower side of a stack
A device for separating individual, two-dimensional, flexible objects from the lower side of a stack of such objects and for conveying the separated objects away from the stack. The device includes a stack space with a support region, and a support member that supports the stack from below in the support region. The support member includes a support roller arrangement of a plurality of support rollers. The device further includes at least one separating member for separating the objects from the lower side of the stack in the support region. The support roller arrangement is part of a roller guidance device and is translatorily movable to and from between a support position and a release position. |
| US09643802B1 |
Drop frame trailer roller bed
A vehicle for conveying racks of goods includes a drop frame trailer having an interior with a rear floor and a front floor, the rear floor being lower than the front floor. An anti-friction device (an array of rollers mounted to the front floor) slopes upwardly to the trailer front. A stop on the front floor is resiliently movable from a first position to a second position, the first position extending vertically above tops of the rollers, and the second position being lower than the first position. A forklift can position a rack of goods on the anti-friction device on the front floor, with the rack depressing the stop from the first position to the second position as the rack is positioned until an opening in the rack is positioned above the stop. The stop can counter a gravitational force which would cause rack movement down the anti-friction device. |
| US09643801B2 |
Method and device for transferring layers of articles between adjacent modules
The invention comprises a method for horizontal movement of a group or layer of articles (10) from a vertically movable first support level (38) of a first module (12) to a vertically movable second support level (40) of a second module (14) immediately downstream of the first conveyor module (12) in a direction of transport or transfer (20, 50) while substantially maintaining the relative positions of a plurality of articles (16) forming the group or layer of articles (10). The movement or transfer is carried out by means of a transfer device (19). Additionally, the horizontal movement of the group or layer of articles (10) while the first and second support levels (38, 40) of the first and second modules (12, 14), which can move vertically in a synchronized fashion during the transfer process, are approximately aligned. |
| US09643797B2 |
Conveying device for granulate and also method for conveying granulate
The invention relates to a conveying device for conveying granular material that is stored in a source (10), for example polyamide 6 (PA6) granules, to multiple receiving points (11, 12, 13, . . . ), the conveying device having a number of injectors (11, 12, 13, . . . ) corresponding to the number of receiving points. Also disclosed is a method for conveying granular material, for example PA6 granules, from a source (10) to multiple receiving points. |
| US09643794B2 |
Product-stream-transfer apparatus
The invention proceeds from a product-stream-transfer apparatus (10a) for transferring at least a first product sub-stream (12a) and a further product sub-stream (14a) into a main product stream (16a) or for separating a main product stream into at least a first product sub-stream and a further product sub-stream along a product-stream-transfer route (18a), having a first side route (20a) with a multiplicity of transporting elements (22a) for transporting products (24a) of the first product sub-stream (12a), having at least a further side route (26a) with a multiplicity of transporting elements (22a) for transporting products (24a) of the further product sub-stream (14a), and having a main route (28a), which is adjacent to the product-stream-transfer route (18a) and is intended for transporting the products (24a) of the main product stream (16a). It is proposed for at least sub-quantities of the transporting elements (22a) to be driveable independently of one another at least along one of the side routes (20a; 26a) of the product-stream-transfer route (18a). |
| US09643792B2 |
Positioning table
A material handling system includes an array of independently controlled positioning devices, a positioning table which support and manipulate workpiece attributes such as position, orientation, velocity and/or acceleration of workpieces on the table. The positioning devices are arrayed such that no single positioning device supports more than one workpiece at a time, thereby allowing for simultaneous and independent control of each workpiece. |
| US09643785B2 |
Bunch presentation
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for presenting at least one item of media to a user from a media recycler module. The media recycler module may be included in a Self-Service Terminal (SST). The media recycler module comprises a pocket interface for presenting media items to a user, and a moveable member operable to move media items located within the pocket interface towards an opening of the pocket interface, thereby enabling a user to retrieve the media items within the pocket interface. |
| US09643784B2 |
Roller drive sleeve
A sleeve for a conveyor roller includes a tubular wall configured to receive and press-fittingly engage with an outer surface of the conveyor roller. The sleeve includes a plurality of engagement members. The plurality of engagement members are formed on an outer surface of the tube and configured to engage with a torque transmitter. |
| US09643782B1 |
Automatic storage and retrieval system with planar motion mechanism
The invention is an automated storage and retrieval system in which objects within the system may be repositioned one at a time in a circular or non-circular sequence. The system comprises a frame with one or more walls, one or more movable objects arranged in columns within the frame, one or more connectors mounted to the walls to which the movable objects are attached, and one or more planar motion mechanisms mounted to the frame. The system further comprises suspending the objects from the planar motion mechanisms to reposition the objects within the frame. Preferably, the planar motion mechanism is an H-bot. The objects can be storage bins or appliances. Advantages of the system are that it objects can be retrieved more quickly, the system can operate at less than full capacity, and the objects do not stack and therefore do not have strict structural requirements. |
| US09643780B2 |
Storage system and methods
A storage system includes a rack with a plurality of layers, each layer including an aisle and a plurality of rows extending from the aisle defining storage locations for items. A shuttle usable with the rack includes a first cart movable along the aisle and a second cart configured to be carriable by the first cart and to be movable along a row. The second cart is configured to carry an item between the first cart and the storage locations. A conveyor is located on one of the first or second carts to move the item onto or off the first cart. Related methods of storing and/or retrieving items from a rack are also disclosed. A rack system is disclosed and is readily assembled without welding, transferring loading so that the weight of the rack and any item stored therein is supported by the upright elements via support brackets. |
| US09643779B2 |
Article management system and transport robot
An article management system includes a transport robot and a rack robot. The transport robot has an input interface that receives a transport request from a user, the transport request having a first request to transport a first article stored in the rack robot to the user, a first communication circuit that transmits the first request to the rack robot, and a movement that causes the transport robot to move toward the rack robot. The rack robot has a second communication circuit that receives the first request, and a conveyor that moves the first article on the first request between the rack robot and the transport robot. |
| US09643777B2 |
Inflatable refuse containers and methods of use
Provided are exemplary embodiments of a trash container. The trash container for collecting trash or waste may include an outer container having a first cavity and an inner container being connected to the outer container and being positioned within the first cavity. The outer container may include a bottom first wall, opposing first walls, and a back first wall to define the first cavity. The inner container may include a bottom inner wall, opposing inner sidewalls, and a back inner wall to define a second cavity. A space between the walls of the outer container and the inner container would be created. |
| US09643776B2 |
Device for conveying a fine-particle medium
The invention relates to a device for conveying a fine-particle medium, in particular a granulate, including a flexible receptacle for receiving the medium, a receiving fixture for fastening of the receptacle in the region of an upper end facing away from a base of the receptacle, and a suction apparatus, inserted from above into the receptacle, for sucking the medium out of the receptacle. The device further includes outside the receptacle, in its base region or its lateral region, an apparatus for acting on the receptacle for the purpose of its deformation. The device ensures that feed interruptions during the conveyance of the fine-particle medium are avoided so that the medium is kept in a conveyable state, whereby an undisturbed automated feed of the medium is secured. |
| US09643775B2 |
Stacked collapsible container
The present invention discloses a novel apparatus and way for folding a shipping container in order to improve space utilization when in a folded condition. As a result of the container design, less vertical space is occupied in the folded condition thereby allowing an additional folded container to be stacked in an assembly of folded containers when compared to the prior art designs. |
| US09643773B2 |
Flavor pouch
A flavor pouch includes a porous covering that encloses a carrier having a flavorant. The carrier may be solid or particulate. Flavorants may be one or more of tea, coffee, rose hips, honey, royal jelly, fruit extracts, mint, sweeteners, ginger, pepper extract, exotic flavors, ethnic flavors and the like. Where the carrier comprises a plurality of beads, the beads may have randomly dissolvable encapsulation to extend the time duration of flavor release. To use the flavor pouch, it is placed in the mouth and masticated or exposed to saliva to thereby release the flavorant. |
| US09643771B2 |
Methods, systems and apparatuses for management and storage
The present invention relates to systems, methods, and apparatuses for the management, distribution, dispensing, and administration of consumer products, including over-the-counter and prescription medications through use of a product container labeling system and an optional integrated computer-based or online management system. In certain aspects, the invention relates to a product container comprising a hollow body, a child-resistant cap, and a specialized information label affixed to the hollow body. |
| US09643769B2 |
Storage box with synchronous opening/lifting mechanism
A storage box with synchronous opening and lifting mechanisms, having a shell unit, a storage unit arranged inside the shell unit for receiving the object, a lifting unit disposed at a position between the shell unit and the storage unit for lifting and lowering the object, and a synchronization unit disposed inside the shell unit and the storage unit for enabling the shell unit to perform a synchronous opening and closing operation. The lift unit is coupled to the synchronous unit for lifting an object in the storage unit during the synchronous opening operation of the shell unit and lowering the object during the synchronous closing operation of the shell unit. |
| US09643768B1 |
Portable water supply
Embodiments of the disclosed invention provide for a wheeled apparatus suitable for storing liquids, such as water for consumption, when ordinary drinking water may be scarce or unavailable. Embodiments disclosed herein can be collapsed and stored in a small profile arrangement during periods when the apparatus is not in use. Embodiments may include wheels so that the apparatus may be assembled in one location and rolled to a water source, and rolled to shelter when full of water. Embodiments may provide a hose to connect the apparatus to a standard household faucets or spigots. Once the apparatus is filled, it can be rolled to storage location while awaiting future needs. After an emergency situation passes, the apparatus may be drained and re-packed for storage. |
| US09643763B2 |
Reusable cable tie
A reusable cable tie comprises an elongated strap, made of semi-rigid plastic material, and a buckle, made of rigid plastic material, for interlocking with the elongated strap. The elongated strap includes a first end a second end, an inner side and an outer side. The inner side incorporates a rack with a multiplicity of teeth, alternating with a multiplicity of grooves. The multiplicity of teeth extends from the first end up to a flat indented zone adjoining the second end that is provided with several teeth and grooves, the several teeth projecting from the outer side in an external zone corresponding to a beginning of the flat indented zone. The buckle incorporates a cavity so shaped and sized as to allow a passage through of the first and the second end of the elongated strap. |
| US09643756B2 |
Storage bag and paper sheet storing device
A storage bag includes a body having a top opening, a first fitting portion and a second fitting portion disposed in the vicinity of the opening of the body, an adhesive portion disposed on an inner surface of the body in the vicinity of the first fitting portion, the adhesive portion being configured to seal the body, and a release sheet detachably adhering to the adhesive portion, the release sheet protecting the adhesive portion, and the release sheet covers at least one of the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion. |
| US09643754B2 |
Envelopes with hanging features
An envelope includes an envelope body having a first pair of substantially parallel edges that extend in a transverse direction and a second pair of substantially parallel edges that extend in a longitudinal direction, a face and a back. An openable region is formed in the envelope body and is spaced from the first and second pairs of parallel edges that is partially bounded by a line of weakness. The openable region being partially separable from the envelope body to provide a hanging feature. A barrier film is exposed after separation of the openable region from the envelope body. The barrier film is at least partially sealed to the envelope body about at least a portion of the openable region. |
| US09643752B2 |
Stackable storage box
A stackable storage box includes an upper box body and at least one modular storage unit. The upper box body includes a box bottom having a rotary portion and a positioning portion. The modular storage unit includes a lower base, an upper base and a drawer. The lower base includes a lower rotary portion and a lower positioning portion. The upper base includes an upper rotary portion and an upper positioning portion. The upper rotary portion is rotatably coupled with the rotary portion of the upper box body. The upper positioning portion is coupled with the positioning portion of the upper box body for positioning when the modular storage unit relative to the upper box body is rotated by a specific angle. A plurality of modular storage units can be rotatably stacked relative to one another and positioned with the upper and lower positioning portions combined. |
| US09643751B2 |
Lid with sealing foil comprising retaining means
The invention relates to a lid (1) for a can for foodstuff, paint and so on, which lid comprises: ringlike bare part (2) defining a opening (3); a sealing foil (4) arranged an the base part and covering the opening; a lip (5) arranged with one end to the foil for tearing the foil; retaining means for retaining a free end of the lip adjacent the sealing foil, whereby the retaining means comprise a first retaining part being part (7) of the sealing foil and a second retaining part being (8) part or the lip. |
| US09643750B2 |
End panel, and a container body or container provided by a double seam with such end panel
The present invention relates to an end panel to be seamed by a double seam to a container body which double seam includes an end hook confined by the container body and a body hook, wherein a panel edge of the end panel forms the end hook and is provided with at least one notch, wherein the panel edge includes at least two adjacent edge parts of which a first edge part has a first radius and a second edge part has a second radius or is a straight edge, and the notch has a width to depth ration of about 10 to 150, and is formed in both adjacent edge parts, to a container body and to a container provided with such end panel. |
| US09643744B2 |
Method and device for packing tubes or cans
A method for packing tubes or cans is proposed which arrive continuously from a production line and are taken over by a transport unit by means of a grouping unit. The transport unit transports the tubes or cans in a desired formation into a retaining hoop of a strapping unit, wherein the retaining hoop is able to grip the formation in a pincer-like movement, whereupon the formation is strapped using a plastic band and transported further. The transport is achieved by means of two spike plates which are used alternately. |
| US09643742B2 |
Ice distribution system and method
An ice distribution system and method according to which ice-filled bags are distributed within a unit such as, for example, an ice merchandiser. |
| US09643741B2 |
Hydraulic accumulator for propellant tank in spacecraft
A liquid storage device for a propellant tank in a spacecraft includes a gas-guide tube, a cover plate, a housing, blades, a supporting column, a base, a passage-window pressing plate, a passage-window mesh piece, a liquid-storage-device mesh piece, a fixing block, and a pressing plate for the liquid-storage-device mesh piece. The blades are uniformly distributed on and fixed to the support column in a radial direction to form an integral structure, and the integral structure is mounted on and fixed to a circular partition plate in the base. The liquid-storage-device mesh piece is pressed on the circular partition plate in the base by the pressing plate for the liquid-storage-device mesh piece and then is fixed. The passage-window mesh piece is pressed on the outer side of a cylinder wall of the base by the passage-window pressing plate and then is fixed. |
| US09643740B2 |
Gyroless three-axis sun acquisition using sun sensor and unscented kalman filter
An attitude estimator that uses sun sensor outputs as the only attitude determination measurements to provide three-axis attitude information. This is accomplished by incorporating the Euler equation into the estimator. An unscented Kalman filter is employed to accommodate various nonlinear characteristics and uncertainties of the spacecraft dynamics and thus improve the robustness and accuracy of the attitude estimate. |
| US09643736B1 |
Systems and methods for landing lights
A landing light system and steering method and computer readable medium is provided. A landing light system includes a camera, a controller, and a landing light. A tangible, non-transitory memory may have instructions for controlling a landing light. The controller may perform operations including receiving a first image at a first time from the camera, receiving a second image at a second time from the camera, estimating a focus of expansion between the first image and the second image, and aiming the landing light based on the focus of expansion. |
| US09643735B2 |
Integration of braking action information with flight deck runway functions
Flight deck systems are provided for integrating braking action information with flight deck runway functions. In one embodiment, the flight deck system includes a cockpit display device on which an airport display, such as a two dimensional or three dimensional Airport Moving Map, is generated. A controller is coupled to the cockpit display device and configured to produce a braking action graphic on the airport display indicative of the current braking action of a first runway approached for usage by the aircraft. The controller may determine the current braking action of the runway from braking action information received over a datalink. Further, in certain embodiments, the controller can assign the current braking action of the runway to a predetermined braking action category and produce the braking action graphic to visually identify the assigned braking action category. |
| US09643732B2 |
Aircraft attitude indicator device
An aeroplane attitude indicator device includes a mobile rod which includes a first end connected by a link to a support fastened to the aeroplane and a second end to which is connected a moving body, at least one actuator for controlling the motions of the rod, and a system for piloting the at least one actuator as a function of information originating from an attitude detection system of the aeroplane, so as to orient the rod in a vertical direction. The assembly of rod and moving body correspond to a pendulum-like artifact. Also described is an aeroplane cockpit equipped with an attitude indicator device. |
| US09643726B2 |
Lockable safety device for prevention of accidental airbag depolyment
A safety device for preventing accidental discharge of an airbag. A lower portion of the safety device includes two opposing sidewalls at least partially defining a cavity for holding a seat belt buckle assembly. An upper portion of the safety devices is hingedly coupled to the lower portion. The safety device also includes a mechanism for securely latching the upper portion to the lower portion and a mechanism for releasing the upper portion from the lower portion when the upper portion is securely latched to the lower portion to allow the upper portion to rotate away from the lower portion. |
| US09643724B2 |
Aircraft galley configuration
Embodiments of the present invention provide improved layouts that can increase space on-board aircraft and other passenger transport vehicles. The improved layouts may include two galley sections installed on an aircraft having a centerline and curved outer sidewalls. The first galley section can be positioned so that its longitudinal axis generally aligns with one of the outer sidewalls of the aircraft, and the second galley section can be positioned so that its longitudinal axis generally aligns with the longitudinal axis of the first galley. This can create a space along a rear side of the second galley section. The created space may be used for any number of options. |
| US09643716B2 |
Air vehicle, actuator assembly and associated method of manufacture
An air vehicle, an actuator assembly and a method of manufacture are provided in order to incorporate the actuator assembly within the outer mold line of the air vehicle. In regards to an air vehicle, the air vehicle includes a primary structure and a movable structure configured to be controllably moved relative to the primary structure. The air vehicle also includes an actuator assembly configured to cause the movable structure to be positioned relative to the primary structure. The actuator assembly includes an actuator housing and an actuation mechanism. The actuation mechanism is at least partially disposed within the actuator housing and is configured to provide for relative movement between the primary structure and the movable structure. At least a portion of the actuator assembly is built into at least one of the primary structure and the movable structure so as to be within an outer mold line of the air vehicle. |
| US09643715B2 |
Failure detection mechanism for selector lever
A selector lever includes a housing with front and rear ends and a lever with a shaft pivotally disposed on a cross-shaft. The shaft defines a shaft axis. The lever has a top that is disposed outside of the housing. A movable shaft moves substantially axially along the shaft axis. A pin, having first and second protrusions, is disposed adjacent to a bottom end of the movable shaft. A first detent plate is disposed on a first side of the movable shaft and includes at least a first slot that receives the first protrusion. A second detent plate is disposed on a second side of the moveable shaft and includes at least a second slot therein receiving the second protrusion. A first failure detection slot is associated with the first slot, permitting movement of the first protrusion therein in the absence of the second protrusion. |
| US09643714B2 |
Aircraft propulsion unit comprising a nacelle provided with a fan cowl locking and closing mechanism
An aircraft propulsion unit comprising a nacelle with a fan cowl locking and closing mechanism. The fan cowls of the nacelle can be closed by a single operator in accordance with the ergonomic standards defined for a single individual. A nacelle is provided with a lateral locking mechanism configured to keep one of the two fan cowls in the closed position, so as to reduce the spacing between the two lower sides of the fan cowls, whereas the presence of a stop between a first elastic member provided on one fan cowl and a second elastic member provided on the other fan cowl allows the operator to provide only that effort required to overcome the force exerted by a single spring at a time. |
| US09643713B2 |
Stiffened panel and method of manufacturing same
A method of manufacturing a stiffened panel having a skin and at least one substantially elongate stiffener having a longitudinal groove forming a cavity. At least one storage device for storing and releasing electrical energy. The longitudinal groove is filled with at least one storage device for storing and releasing electrical energy. The storage device is covered with a skin which forms the cavity together with the longitudinal groove of the stiffener. A stiffened ring can be derived from the method. |
| US09643706B2 |
Systems and applications of lighter-than-air (LTA) platforms
Innovative new systems and method of operating the systems, wherein the system comprises an airborne platform comprising an unmanned balloon; a payload that is separate from the unmanned balloon; a transceiver; first and second flight termination devices; at least two separate power sources for the first and second flight termination devices; a sensor; a processor; a pump; a valve; and a tether that when broken separates the unmanned balloon and the payload, are disclosed herein. |
| US09643705B2 |
Integrated grab bar and navigation controller
A navigation controller for a watercraft includes a grip member and control head that act as an integrated grab bar to be grabbed by a hand of a user and transfer an applied force to a mount. The grip member is engagable by fingers on the hand of the user for providing a grab bar to the user to resist movement of the body of the user caused by the applied force. A control plate supports control switches and is configured and dimensioned relative to the grip member to enable a thumb of the user to engage with one or more of the control switches while the fingers remain engaged with the grip member so that the resistance of the applied force to keep the user steady does not cause a unintended activation of one or more of the control switches. |
| US09643704B2 |
Coupling provisions for diver propulsion vehicle
An arrangement comprises: a plurality of diver propulsion vehicles (1), each configured for propelling at least one diver, wherein each diver propulsion vehicle (1) comprises a wireless communication interface (9, 10, 13) configured for providing a wireless communication, a support (30) for mechanically coupling the plurality of diver propulsion vehicles (1), wherein the support (30) is configured for mechanically coupling the plurality of diver propulsion vehicles (1) side-by-side or longitudinally via the support (30). |
| US09643703B1 |
Vibration isolation mounting arrangement for outboard motor
An arrangement is for coupling a vibration isolation mount to an outboard motor. A pocket is formed in a midsection housing of the outboard motor and defines a first concave surface. A cover is configured to be mounted to the midsection housing over the pocket via a plurality of fasteners. The cover defines a second, oppositely concave surface on an inner face thereof. When the cover is mounted to the midsection housing over the pocket, the first concave surface and the second concave surface together form a cavity therebetween for holding a vibration isolation mount therein. One of the first concave surface and the second concave surface has a protrusion that extends into the cavity and contacts the mount held therein upon tightening of the plurality of fasteners to hold the cover over mount in the pocket. A mounting arrangement is also provided. |
| US09643701B2 |
Folding bowsprit
A folding bowsprit permits deployment of sails from a point forward of the bow on sailing vessels. The folding function allows the sprit to rotate around an axis at ninety degrees to the vessels centerline and permits the end of the sprit to move vertically up or down. This unique ability to fold facilitates: compact stowage when not in use and reduces the overall length of the vessel; adjustment of tack position vertically while sailing; and safer and simpler sail handling by accessing the tack point of said sprit within the deck footprint while sailing. |
| US09643697B2 |
Wake-modifying device for a boat
A recreational sport boat includes a hull, having starboard and port sides and a transom, and a pair of wake-modifying devices positioned aft of the transom. One of the wake-modifying devices is positioned on a port side of the boat's centerline and another of the wake-modifying devices is positioned on a starboard side of the boat's centerline. Each wake-modifying device includes a plate-like member and at least one downturned surface at a trailing portion of the plate-like member. Each wake-modifying device is pivotable between a non-deployed position and a deployed position about a pivot axis that is horizontal or inclined no more than about 35° from horizontal. When a wake-modifying device is in the deployed position, the downturned surface is lower than it is in the non-deployed position so as to be able to modify the boat's wake. |
| US09643692B2 |
Apparatus and methods for recovering oil from a body of water
System for collecting oil on a waterborne vessel from an oil spill area at or near the surface of a body of water includes at least three successively fluidly coupled cargo compartments. At least one suction conduit is fluidly coupled to each cargo compartment and configured to allow each successive cargo compartment to be concurrently substantially emptied of sea water and substantially filled with oil, starting with the aft-most cargo compartment. |
| US09643690B2 |
Transfer system, ship and method for transferring persons and/or goods to and/or from a floating ship
A transfer system, ship and method for transferring persons and/or goods to and/or from a floating ship (102). The transfer system according to the invention comprises: a pedestal (114); an integrated gangway boom crane (104) connected to the pedestal; and an actuator (122) acting between the pedestal (114) and the integrated gangway boom crane (104) configured for rotating the integrated gangway boom crane relative to the pedestal. |
| US09643688B2 |
Method and apparatus for a mooring beacon
A remote controlled lighted mooring beacon is adapted to be secured to a mooring ball. The beacon includes a central shaft of a mooring stick. A ballast at the base of the shaft contains at least one battery which supplies the ballast for the mooring stick. A float surrounds a middle portion of the mooring stick and is located along the shaft between the top of the shaft and the ballast. An electronics package is located on the shaft including a receiver that responds to a wireless code for generating an activation signal. A 360 degree viewable high intensity light source is on top of the shaft, is daylight visible and is activated by the actuation. A conductor is connected from the at least one battery in the ballast to the electronics package and the light source for the powering thereof for at least one boating season. |
| US09643683B2 |
Electric bicycle and propulsion system therefor
An electric propulsion system, an electric bicycle, and a method for converting a non-electric bicycle into an electric bicycle are disclosed. The electric propulsion system has an electric motor with a motor output shaft rotatable about a motor shaft axis. An output end of the motor output shaft is disposed on a first side. A transmission interconnects the electric motor and a drive chain of the bicycle to transmit a drive of the electric motor to the rear wheel. The transmission has a rotatable driven member on the first side engaged with the output end and is rotated thereby. A drive sprocket on the second side and rotatable about a drive sprocket axis is connected to the driven member by a transmission shaft. The drive sprocket engages the drive chain to transmit the drive of the electric motor thereto. |
| US09643678B2 |
Bicycle setting calculating system, method of calculating bicycle setting, and computer-readable storage medium
A bicycle setting calculating system comprises a drive-train calculating device. The drive-train calculating device is configured to calculate reference drive-train information as a reference for a setting of a drive train based on bicycle information and rider information. The bicycle information relates to a bicycle configured to be equipped with the drive train. The rider information relates to a rider who is to ride the bicycle. |
| US09643676B2 |
Bottle holder for bicycle
An improved bottle holder may include a supporting board, which has a screw hole configured to connect with a screw to secure the bottle holder on the bicycle, and a lower portion of the supporting board has a supporting piece connecting with an arc-shaped elastic portion on each of both sides of the supporting piece. A limited hole and a through hole partially overlapped with each other are formed on the supporting piece, and the size of the through hole is larger than that of the limited hole, and a protruding edge is formed at a connecting portion of the limited hole and the through hole on each side thereof. |
| US09643672B2 |
Child's ride-on toy with removable cart
A child's ride-on toy comprising a push rod and a removable cart connected to the child's ride-on toy is described. The push rod of a child's ride-on toy typically extends upward and rearward from a connector at the rear of the frame of the child's ride-on toy to a handle at a height that may be easily manipulated by an adult. The push rod may be manipulated by an adult to control the speed and direction of the child's ride-toy or removed and connected to the cart for use of the cart independently of the ride-on toy. |
| US09643667B2 |
Conversion system for a wheeled vehicle
A track assembly 30 for converting a wheeled vehicle 10 into a tracked vehicle. The track assembly 30 has a longitudinally adjustable support frame 40 having a motive source 170 with a drive sprocket 190, a plurality of support rollers 80, 84, 88, a tensioning assembly 90, and an endless track 200. The track assembly 30 is connected to a vehicle 10 by articulated, resiliently biased mounting assemblies 210, 410. Each mounting assembly 210, 410 includes a first attachment member 212, 412, a link 250, 450, and a second attachment member 300, 500, with the first attachment member 212, 412 configured to be removably attached to a position on a vehicle 10 where a wheel axle attached to an internal drive unit 19 would normally reside but which has been disconnected from its control lines and removed, and with the second attachment member 300, 500 configured to be connected to the support frame 40. The motive source 170 of the track assembly 30 is connected to and controlled by the same control lines 18 that were previously connected to the internal drive unit 19. |
| US09643666B2 |
Removable supporting cross-member provided with an adjustable-height fifth wheel for supporting a semi-trailer during the loading, rail transport and unloading thereof
The invention relates to a removable supporting cross-member (1) comprising: a built-in adjustable-height fifth wheel (18) for receiving the kingpin of semi-trailer, and front (26, 27) and rear (28) openings for the passage of the fork arms of a forklift truck or tractor. The invention can be used for moving a semi-trailer, positioning the semi-trailer horizontally on a carriage and securing same for transport, as well as for the corresponding operations during unloading, using only a forklift truck or tractor suitably dimensioned for the loads to be supplied. The invention is suitable for use by those involved in intermodal trail transport. |
| US09643665B2 |
Adjustable splitter for a motor vehicle
A splitter system for a vehicle includes a splitter body having a first splitter-body side and a second splitter-body side. The vehicle includes a vehicle body arranged along a longitudinal body axis and having a first vehicle body end configured to face oncoming ambient airflow. The splitter body is mounted at the first vehicle body end to generate an aerodynamic downforce thereon when the vehicle is in motion. The splitter system has a first winglet operatively connected to a first splitter-body side and a second winglet operatively connected to a second splitter-body side, wherein the first and second winglets are configured to control movement of the ambient airflow relative to the splitter body. A mechanism is configured to selectively shift each of the winglets in a direction transverse to the longitudinal body axis, to thereby adjust the aerodynamic downforce generated by the splitter body on the first vehicle body end. |
| US09643662B2 |
Cab for work vehicle and work vehicle
A center pillar (3) has a pipe structure having a hollow space (3a). In the center pillar (3), a lower end opening (3c) for connecting the hollow space (3a) to an outdoor space and an upper end opening (3b) for connecting the hollow space (3a) to an indoor space (10) are formed. The lower end opening (3c) and the upper end opening (3b) are arranged at a prescribed distance from each other in a longitudinal direction of the center pillar (3). Thus, a cab for work vehicle and a work vehicle capable of preventing dust, water, or the like from entering the cab and realizing an environment in the cab comfortable for an operator are obtained. |
| US09643660B2 |
Bumper assembly for an undercarriage mounted battery pack
A battery pack protection system is provided for use with an electric vehicle in which the battery pack is mounted under the car. The system utilizes a bumper that is attached to the front of the battery pack enclosure and which is configured to (i) deflect debris striking the bumper and (ii) absorb impact energy due to the debris, thereby minimizing the transference of impact energy to the battery pack and the batteries contained within the pack. |
| US09643658B2 |
Narrowed truck hood and associated method of modification
Modified vehicle hoods and methods of modifying truck hoods are provided herein. The modified vehicle hoods are narrowed in width compared to the original truck hood. The modified width of the modified hood may be less than the horizontal width between the forward support posts of a hauler rack, allowing the modified hood to be opened without contacting the support posts. Methods of modifying truck hoods include marking each of the pair of fenders of the vehicle with cut lines, cutting the pair of fenders to remove excess hood material, and then attaching a pair of fender panels to the pair of cut vehicle fenders. |
| US09643657B2 |
Mud flap system
A mud flap system for a tractor is described. The mud flap system includes brackets that clamp or secure to a frame of the tractor. Lateral extensions engage to the brackets to support covers over a top surface of rear wheels of the tractor. |
| US09643651B2 |
Casting, hollow interconnecting member for connecting vehicular frame members, and vehicular frame assembly including hollow interconnecting member
A hollow interconnecting member for connecting vehicular frame members is provided. The hollow interconnecting member is formed of a metal material and defines a centerline. The hollow interconnecting member comprises a first end and a second end. The centerline extends through the first end and the second end. A plurality of walls cooperate to define a continuous passageway that extends between the first end and the second end and defines a first opening and a second opening at the first end and the second end, respectively. The hollow interconnecting member is formed as an as-cast one-piece construction. |
| US09643650B2 |
Lane change control device and control method
The present disclosure relates to an automatic lane change control of a vehicle is possible using a lane change control device including: a space recognition unit that detects a front object using a camera sensor of a vehicle, recognizes an empty space, and determines a target position, within the empty space on the basis of a lane modeling equation determined from a lateral offset, the vehicle's traveling velocity (V), and a lane change request time (t); a path generation unit that generates a path for moving from a current vehicle position to the target position; and a control unit that performs a lane change control that controls at least one of the vehicle's steering angle and a vehicle velocity such that the vehicle moves to the target position along the path. |
| US09643644B2 |
Actuator and vehicle steering device
An actuator includes a motor, a rotation transmitting member, a reverse input preventing device, a converting device, and a rod. The motor includes a rotating shaft. The rotation transmitting member is configured to transmit rotation of the rotating shaft. The reverse input preventing device includes an input member and an output member. The reverse input preventing device is configured to prevent external force input to the output member from being transmitted to the input member. The converting device includes a nut that rotates according to the rotation of the output member. The converting device is configured to convert a rotary motion of the nut into a linear motion. The rod is configured to advance and retract according to the linear motion of the converting device. The input member and the rotation transmitting member are integrated. The output member and the nut are integrated. |
| US09643641B1 |
Tunable steering column energy absorption system
A steering column assembly includes an upper jacket assembly received within a lower jacket assembly and an energy absorption strap. The energy absorption strap has a first portion that defines a first slot that receives a first fastener to couple the first portion to a telescope drive bracket disposed on the upper jacket assembly. A second portion defines a second opening that receives a second fastener to couple the second portion to the upper jacket assembly. |
| US09643639B1 |
Stair-climbing hand truck
The stair-climbing hand truck is an improved hand truck that includes a back plate with a plurality of secondary wheels that may be used to roll the hand truck along a floor surface or up or down a flight of stairs. The back plate is rigidly affixed to the vertical frame of the hand truck. Moreover, the back plate is acutely oriented behind the vertical frame. The back plate has at least one wheel on opposing sides, which adaptively interact with a ground surface to roll the entire assembly. The vertical frame and the back plate are supported with primary wheels that are located adjacent to where the vertical frame meets a load plate. The primary wheels have a diameter larger than the wheels of the back plate. |
| US09643637B1 |
Cargo bag for an insulated cooler
This shortcoming of wheeled insulated coolers is addressed in this disclosure. The cargo bag for an insulated cooler is a harness and a pack that is adapted for use with a wheeled insulated cooler. The cargo bag for an insulated cooler is attached to the wheeled insulated cooler using the harness such that the pack is attached to the wheeled insulated cooler and can be carried on the wheeled insulated cooler while the wheeled insulated cooler is transported to an event location. The cargo bag for an insulated cooler comprises a container and a plurality of straps. |
| US09643636B2 |
Apparatus for securing a walking assist device
An apparatus for securing a user's accessory or walking assist device is disclosed. The apparatus includes a base and at least one hook extending outwardly from a rear surface of the base and adapted to secure the apparatus to a support. The apparatus further includes a first gripping arm extending outwardly from a first side of the base and protruding forward of a front surface of the base and a second gripping arm extending outwardly from a second side of the base and protruding forward of the front surface of the base. The first and second gripping arms form a holding space therebetween to secure an accessory therein, thereby securing the accessory to the support 14. |
| US09643635B2 |
Storage and transportation cart for retail shelving
A lightweight utility cart for the transportation and/or storage of retail display shelves comprising a thermoplastic base and top, a plurality of rectangular tubular posts and a plurality of wheels. Currently available retail display shelves are placed vertically into such a cart from two opposing sides of the cart and secured within the cart by way of integrated partitions formed in the top and base members providing a method of separation and capture for inserted shelves thus eliminating the likelihood of shelf damage resulting from contact with adjacent shelves while placed in the cart. Upon the loading of shelves into the cart, the shelves can be safely stored in the cart for later use or easily transported throughout a typical retail environment conveniently and securely for placement in a retail shelving system. |
| US09643633B2 |
Front wheel folding structure of three-wheeled cart
A front wheel folding structure of a three-wheeled cart, including: a pipe sleeve of a front wheel rack, a rotational joint, a first joint base, a second joint base, and a locking mechanism. The first joint base and the second joint base are symmetrically disposed at two sides of the rotational joint. The locking mechanism is configured to lock the rotational joint. The rotational joint is coupled to the first joint base and the second joint base. The rotational joint includes a front part and a rear part, and the front part is adapted to rotate in relative to the rear part. The front part of the rotational joint is connected to the pipe sleeve of the front wheel rack and is sleeved with a first gear, and a second gear is disposed in the inner side of the first joint base and is engaged with the first gear. |
| US09643631B2 |
Hand truck exchangeable tool attachment method
A hand truck includes a quick release/attach mechanism operating according to a method for quickly and easily exchanging various tools with the hand truck, the quick release/latch mechanism including biased locking pins movably located within tubular frame members integral to the hand truck and proximal holes in the tubular frame members for receiving a projection member of the tool and spaced a predetermined distance from a hangar portion of the tool and wherein the hangar portion may be hung on a crossbar of the tubular frame and then the projection members of the tool may be coupled with and retained by the locking pins of the tubular frame. The arrangement requires no hand tools such as wrenches or screwdrivers, and no external fasteners such as pins or bolts. The geometry of the cross bars on the hand truck allow tool attachments to be captured or releases simply by tilting the hand truck forward or backward. The tool attachments are then locked to the truck by means of locking rods and pins that operate inside the two main tubes of the hand truck. |
| US09643626B2 |
Rail vehicle unit
A rail vehicle unit, having a running gear and a wagon body unit. The wagon body unit is supported on the running gear via a suspension device, a first rotational buffer device and a second rotational buffer device being associated to the running gear and the wagon body unit. The first rotational buffer device and the second rotational buffer device are adapted to damp a rotational motion between the running gear and the wagon body unit about a rotational axis parallel to the height direction. The first rotational buffer device and the second rotational buffer device are configured to form a traction link between the running gear and the wagon body unit. |
| US09643624B2 |
Railroad tank car
Railroad tank cars are provided that include an inner tank, an outer tank, and tank to tank clearance between the inner tank and the outer tank. Insulation and spacers can be located within the tank to tank clearance. The inner tank can shift within the outer tank, and spacers can crush, under significant force loading, such as impact forces generated during a collision or derailment. The inner tank, insulation, spacers, and outer tank thus form an energy absorbing system that reduces the likelihood that the inner tank will be breached, and that a hazardous material contained therein will be released, under such conditions. |
| US09643623B2 |
Gussets for reinforcement in tank cars and tank cars including gussets
A gusset is capable of providing reinforcement in tank cars, particularly for nozzles in tank cars. A tank car includes a body having a curved wall portion, a nozzle opening formed in the wall, a reinforcing pad disposed on the wall, adjacent to the nozzle, and a gusset configured to support the nozzle. The gusset includes a portion of a cylinder having a predetermined radius. The portion of the cylinder includes a first edge disposed adjacent to a circumferential surface of the nozzle and a second edge disposed adjacent to a circumferential surface of the reinforcing pad, such that an axis of the portion of the cylinder intersects an axis of the nozzle at a predetermined angle. The predetermined radius and the predetermined angle are configured such that an arc of the portion of the cylinder extends less than approximately 180 degrees. |
| US09643621B2 |
Method and apparatus for guiding inertia driving of manual transmission vehicle
An apparatus and method for guiding inertia driving of a manual transmission vehicle is provided to maximally extend a no-load driving state with an inertia driving state by blocking a power transmission path of a drive train. The apparatus includes a user selection switch operated to select a coasting mode and a display unit configured to display an entrance enabled state to an inertia driving mode to allow the entrance enabled state to be visually recognized. In addition, a controller is configured to receive an operation signal of the user selection switch and display the entrance enabled state to the inertia driving mode on the display unit to induce the inertia driving mode selection. |
| US09643620B2 |
Automatic operation vehicle control apparatus
An automatic operation vehicle control apparatus includes a contact detecting unit, an override detecting unit, and an automatic operation control unit. The contact detecting unit detects the presence of contact of a hand or hands of a driver with a steering wheel of a vehicle. The override detecting unit detects the presence of override on the steering wheel by the driver on the basis of the result of the detection by the contact detecting unit. The automatic operation control unit switches the operation mode at least including the automatic operation and the manual operation of the vehicle on the basis of the result of the detection by the override detecting unit. |
| US09643618B2 |
Sensor system for a vehicle and operating method for a sensor system in a vehicle
A sensor system for a vehicle includes: at least one sensor unit; and one evaluation and control unit transmitting a synchronization signal via a communication connection to the sensor unit. The sensor unit transmits a sensor signal representing the measured variable via the communication connection to the evaluation and control unit. The evaluation and control unit ascertains an instantaneous signal quality of the received sensor signal and transmits a piece of information about the ascertained instantaneous signal quality to the sensor unit. The sensor unit predefines a modulation amplitude for the transmission of the sensor signal as a function of the ascertained instantaneous signal quality. |
| US09643616B2 |
Systems and methods for providing predictive vehicle dynamics
Systems and methods for providing predictive vehicle dynamics are described herein. Accordingly, embodiments of a method may include predicting a route of a vehicle, determining a route feature along the route, and determining a user-desired speed for traversing the route. Some embodiments may include determining an adjustment to a vehicle performance characteristic to be made in anticipation of the route feature at the user-desired speed and implementing the adjustment on a vehicle system of the vehicle. |
| US09643613B2 |
Method for operating a motor vehicle
A method is provided for operating a motor vehicle having at least one drive unit which is suitable for providing a drive torque. A drive torque prompted by the driver by way of the accelerator pedal, in the case of a rapid change of the accelerator pedal position, is filtered by way of a guidance former and/or an accelerator pedal filter or its rate of change is limited, so that a slower drive torque reduction or drive torque buildup will occur. In the case of a prompted reduction of the drive torque, simultaneously with the slowed-down drive torque reduction, a corresponding triggering of a vehicle brake system is carried out for achieving a predefined vehicle deceleration. |
| US09643607B2 |
Vehicle motion control system
Disclosed is a vehicle motion control system that can control a vehicle without making a driver feel uncomfortable. The vehicle motion control system includes a control command value calculation unit configured to calculate a control command value for controlling the longitudinal acceleration of a vehicle; a longitudinal acceleration estimating unit configured to estimate the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle induced by a driver's brake operation; a longitudinal jark estimating unit configured to estimate the longitudinal jark of the vehicle by differentiating the longitudinal acceleration with respect to time; a deviation determination unit configured to determine a deviation between vehicle's motion induced by the driver's brake operation and vehicle's motion induced by a control command using the longitudinal jark and the control command value; and a control command value correction unit configured to correct the control command in accordance with a deviation determination result of the deviation determination unit. |
| US09643606B2 |
Vehicle control in traffic conditions
A vehicle may include a steering wheel assembly, a powertrain, and a controller. The steering wheel assembly may include an interface. The controller may be programmed to, in response to a vehicle speed being less than a threshold, enable the interface to receive a driver input, and in response to a driver input received while the vehicle speed is less than the threshold, operate a powertrain to increase/decrease the vehicle speed subject to a range of authority. |
| US09643602B2 |
Parking support device
A parking support device 1 includes a calculation unit 17 that calculates a speed pattern, an acceleration recognition unit 13 that recognizes driver-requested acceleration, a parking support control unit 19 that performs parking support control in a target parking position based on the speed pattern, and a determination unit 18 that determines whether a host vehicle V can stop in the target parking position at a set deceleration. When the driver-requested acceleration is recognized during the control and exceeds acceleration of the speed pattern at the time of recognition, the parking support control unit 19 accelerates the host vehicle V at the driver-requested acceleration. When the determination unit 18 determines that the host vehicle V can stop in the target parking position at the set deceleration, the host vehicle V is decelerated at the set deceleration and is stopped in the target parking position regardless of the driver-requested acceleration. |
| US09643600B2 |
Vehicle control system
To provide a vehicle control system capable of promptly achieving a travel motion along a travel path. A yaw moment control amount is imparted according to a traveling-direction virtual line extending from an ego vehicle in a traveling direction and a formed angle between the traveling-direction virtual line and a travel-path defining line. |
| US09643599B2 |
Vehicle control device, and vehicle control method
A vehicle control device includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor detects wheel speed. The controller estimates sprung mass state based on detected information in a prescribed frequency range. The controller controls a variable-damping force shock absorber to bring the estimated sprung mass state to a target sprung mass state. The controller estimates wheel rim braking/drive torque acting on a wheel. The controller determines the estimation accuracy of the sprung mass state has deteriorated when a rate of change of a stationary component extracted from components of wheel rim braking/drive torque acting on a wheel is detected to equal or exceed a prescribed value. The controller controls the variable-damping force shock absorber to a more limited extent than when the estimation accuracy has not deteriorated. |
| US09643598B2 |
Control device for vehicle drive device
A control device for a vehicle drive device includes performing neutral travel control in which disengagement/engagement elements are disengaged with the wheels rotating so the state of a speed change mechanism is controlled into a neutral state where transfer of a drive force between the input member to the engine and the output member to the wheels is not performed, and the wheels are driven by a rotary electric machine drive force; and comparing an operating state value of each of target actuators that control the state of the disengagement/engagement elements, and a determination value so torque from the speed change mechanism to the wheels because of torque transferred by each of the disengagement/engagement elements, falls within an allowable range during neutral travel control, and determines whether the torque transferred from the speed change mechanism to the wheels falls within the allowable range. |
| US09643597B2 |
Control apparatus for hybrid vehicle
A power that is required to start an engine, a required power of a driver of a hybrid vehicle, a power that is consumed by auxiliaries and a power that is outputtable from an electrical storage device are obtained. A first correction value is obtained such that the first correction value becomes a smaller value as the obtained outputtable power increases, the first correction value becomes a larger value as the outputtable power reduces and the first correction value is a positive value or a negative value. A first threshold for an engine startup is obtained by subtracting the power that is required to start the engine and the power that is consumed by the auxiliaries and the first correction value from the power that is outputtable from the electrical storage device such that the first threshold becomes a larger value as the outputtable power increases. |
| US09643596B2 |
Method for controlling the state of a drive train of a power train of an electric, hybrid or combustion engine vehicle
A method for controlling a state of a drive train of a power train including at least one motive power source and a set of couplers and reducers of which respective engagements define a plurality of states of the drive train, by engagement of one or a plurality of energy sources in provision of torque and by the ratio of transmission of same to wheels. States targeted from a current state are ranked in real time on the basis of the difference between the motive force available in a current state and in each target state. |
| US09643591B2 |
Speed change control system and speed change control method for hybrid vehicle
A speed change control system for a hybrid vehicle comprised of a first motor-generator, a differential mechanism that distributes a power of an engine to the first motor-generator and to an output member and that changes an engine speed in accordance with a speed of the first motor-generator, and a second motor-generator that exchanges a torque with any of wheels. The speed change control system comprises: a first power control means that outputs a command for changing an engine power in a direction to expedite a change in an engine speed, at the beginning of a speed change for changing the engine speed stepwise; a first speed control means that continues controls of the first and the second motor-generators as before the speed change, during a period from a point at which the first power control means outputs the command for changing the engine power to a point at which a response delay of the engine elapses; a second speed control means that controls the first motor-generator in a manner such that the engine speed is changed in a direction to be changed by the change in the engine power, after a lapse of the response delay of the engine; and a second power control means that outputs a command for changing the engine power to a power to be achieved after the speed change, when the engine speed is changed substantially to a target speed to be achieved after the speed change. |
| US09643586B2 |
Method for releasing an automatic parking brake
A method for releasing an automatic parking break includes estimating a release travel of the automatic parking brake based on a measured motor voltage and a motor current. The method further includes querying an additional switch-off criterion to obtain a minimum total release travel. The method further includes comparing the estimated release travel with the minimum total release travel. The automatic parking brake includes an electric motor brake device for producing an electromechanical clamping force. |
| US09643577B2 |
Vehicle control device and vehicle control method
A vehicle control device controls a vehicle that has an electric oil pump, executes idling stop control for stopping a drive source when predetermined conditions are satisfied, and is capable of applying a braking force in a state where a brake pedal is released. The vehicle control device determines whether or not the vehicle is stopped, determines whether or not the electric oil pump is driven, and executes the idling stop control when stop of the vehicle is determined, driving of the electric oil pump is determined, and the braking force is applied to the vehicle. Application of the braking force is started after the vehicle is determined to be stopped and the electric oil pump is determined to be driven. |
| US09643576B2 |
Collision avoidance assist device and collision avoidance assist method
A collision avoidance assist device that performs an assist for avoiding a collision between a vehicle and an object includes an object detection unit that detects the object around the vehicle, a time calculation unit that calculates a time to collision between the vehicle and the object based on the detection result of the object detection unit, and an assist control unit that suppresses a release of a braking for avoidance assist as the time to collision decreases when an execution of the collision avoidance assist is controlled based on the time to collision. |
| US09643569B2 |
Locking mechanism
A locking mechanism (18) for a belt reel (10) of a belt retractor in a vehicle, including a carrier (22) coupled to the belt reel (10) of the belt retractor, an inertia mass (24) which is pivoting to a limited extent relative to the carrier (22) and a leaf spring (28) applying the inertia mass (24) in a home position, includes at each of the carrier (22) and the inertia mass (24) a seat (34, 36) for the spring ends (30, 32) of the leaf spring (28) in which the spring ends (30, 32) of the leaf spring (28) are pivoted to a limited extent. |
| US09643568B2 |
Seat belt retractor including pretensioner and slack remover
A seat belt retractor includes a housing and a spool supported by the housing. Webbing is wound around the spool. A webbing engagement member is supported by the housing and is movable to a locked position engaged with the webbing for preventing movement of the webbing relative to webbing engagement member. An activating device is slideably supported by the housing and is slideably engageable with the webbing engagement member for moving the webbing locking device to the locked position. In the locked position, the webbing locking device prevents the webbing from being fed from the spool, thus preventing any slack in the webbing on the spool from being fed out when the webbing locking device is in the locked position. |
| US09643566B2 |
Height adjuster of seat belt for vehicle
A height adjuster of a seat belt for a vehicle may include a rail bracket configured to be fixedly mounted on a vehicle body so that rail grooves are formed to be continuously connected and the rail grooves are vertically disposed on the rail bracket, a slider configured to be coupled to the rail bracket and moving along a length direction of the rail bracket and having left and right surfaces provided with guide grooves so as to be fitted in edge portions of the rail bracket which are provided with the rail grooves, and a locking mechanism configured to be coupled to the slider so as to elastically slidably move and restrict a movement of the slider at a time of contacting the rail groove and release the restriction of the movement of the slider at a time of being separated from the rail groove. |
| US09643563B2 |
Airbag module with heat shield
A driver airbag module (20) comprising a cover (22), a housing (40) matably configured with cover (22), a pyrotechnic inflator (60) having a flange (70), and airbag fitted within the space between housing (40, 40a) and cover (22), the airbag inflating with gas provided by the inflator (60), wherein the heat shield (80) is positioned between the lower surface (42) of housing (40, 40a) and an upper surface (71) of flange (70), the heat shield protectively shielding surface (42) from the heat transfer from flange (70) to prevent surface (42) from melting. |
| US09643562B1 |
Airbag with passive adaptive venting
Airbags and airbag assemblies are disclosed that include passive adaptive venting. The disclosed embodiments include an airbag cushion to define an inflation chamber and that include a set of vents. The set of vents is disposed through a panel of the airbag cushion. The set of vents allow egress of inflation gas from the inflation chamber and to be in an open state when a degree of compression of the airbag cushion is below a threshold level. The set of vents is configured to be in a closed state and/or obstructed by a vehicle surface of a vehicle structure when the degree of compression of the airbag cushion exceeds the threshold level. |
| US09643557B1 |
Multifunctional airbag triggering system
A multifunctional airbag triggering system embedded to any kind of vehicle and coupled to a communication network, comprising: a method of activating the inflation of vehicular airbags jointly with the broadcasting of a warning alert to all correspondent vehicles adhered to the system, whenever that precautionary measures to mitigate possible undesirable consequences arisen from a sudden vehicular accident of major severity are needed; electronic means for the instant broadcasting of a general alert announcing that an urgency is presently in force somewhere in the vicinity, allowing so that all incoming drivers should be ready to avert sequential collisions somewhere ahead with an affected vehicle much before it can be seen, giving so time enough to the oncoming drivers for a safe deceleration; a large, exclusive and dedicated broadcasting network instantly created between drivers and authorities through which a warning alert is sent simultaneously with the occurrence of a vehicular accident. |
| US09643549B2 |
Electronic circuit comprising two static converters operating in a quasi-resonant zero-voltage switching mode and a method of operating such a circuit
A method of operating an electronic circuit including: a master converter including a master controller and a switch, a slave converter including a slave controller and a switch, designed to step up an input voltage of the electronic circuit to an output voltage, each converter operating in a quasi-resonant mode by zero-voltage switching of their respective switch, wherein: the master controller sends, when the master converter switch is turned on and when a preset phase-shift criterion is met, a control signal to the slave controller which turns off the slave converter switch, the master and slave controllers turn on the switch of their respective converter as soon as a zero voltage is detected across the terminals of the switch, wherein the electric current magnitude in the master converter switch is measured, and the preset phase-shift criterion is met when the measured magnitude reaches a preset value. |
| US09643548B2 |
System and method for detecting and providing power to an accessory in a vehicle
An electrical system for providing power to an accessory in a vehicle is provided. The electrical system includes a power source, a relay coupled to the power source, an accessory socket coupled to the relay, and a switch coupled to the relay and disposed at least partially within the accessory socket. The accessory socket is configured such that the switch is in a closed state when an accessory is coupled to the accessory socket and the switch is in an open state when the accessory is not coupled to the accessory socket. When the switch is in the closed state, the relay consumes power from the power source and when the switch is in the open state, the relay does not consume power from the power source. |
| US09643547B2 |
Switching device for the top-end of an automobile vehicle steering column
The invention relates to a switching device for motor vehicle column top comprising a microcontroller (1). The latter comprises at least two distinct functional switching blocks (3, 5), each block being linked to two signal inputs (e1, e2, e3, e4) and two signal outputs (a, b, c) of the microcontroller (1), a signal output (a, b, c) or a signal input (e1, e2, e3, e4) of which is linked solely to a single functional block (3, 5) and comprising four switches (7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21), each switch (7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21) being linked to a signal input/output pair of the microcontroller (1) distinct from that of the other three of the same block (3, 5). At least two distinct functional switching blocks (3, 5) share only either one signal output (a, b, c), or input (e1, e2, e3, e4) of the microcontroller (1), and the microcontroller (1) is configured so as to deduce front a signal dispatched by at least one signal output (a, b, c) that has passed through at least one functional switching block (3, 5) and has been received at at least one signal input (e1, e2, e3, e4), the state of switching of at least one switch (7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21) of a functional switching block (3, 5). |
| US09643545B2 |
Wire harness
A wire harness includes a conducting path. The conducting path includes a conductor and a sheath. The conductor includes a first conductor and a second conductor which are connected to each other. The first conductor is disposed in a route regulation section requiring route regulation. The second conductor is disposed in another section than the route regulation section. The conductor in which the first conductor and the second conductor are connected to each other is covered with the sheath. |
| US09643543B1 |
Hinge for tool boxes and the like and particularly vehicle-mounted tool boxes
An improved hinge particularly suitable for improving a truck tool box such as is conventionally mountable into a bed of a pick-up truck or the like, the hinge of the invention being decorative, less subject to tampering, capable of increased strength as a hinge per se relative to existing structures utilized in the manufacture of truck tool boxes as well as imparting increased strength to such tool boxes in total, and permitting more automated manufacture of such tool boxes, the hinge of the invention being integrally formed with a portion of the tool box lid and with an adjacent portion of the box to connect said lid and box yet allow ease of rotation therebetween to open and close said box. |
| US09643542B2 |
Vehicle article carrier system having cross bar end supports with anti-loosening mechanism
The present disclosure relates to a cross bar for a vehicle article carrier that may be releasably secured to a support rail. The cross bar has an end support at each end thereof for securing the cross bar to the support rail. Each end support has a main body configured to engage with a portion of the support rail, an opening in the main body, and a latching element moveably supported from the main body. A threaded member is used for controlling engagement of the latching member with the support rail. The threaded member has a head portion which engages with portions of a spring clip secured in the opening. This helps prevent loosening of the threaded member after it has been tightened. |
| US09643534B1 |
Method of modulating a vehicle's brake light activation by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium
A method of modulating a vehicle's brake light activation causes the vehicle's brake light to flash on and off according to a specified modulation sequence during brake activation. Modulation of the brake light during a subsequent brake activation during a timeout duration after the initial brake activation. The modulation sequence may be modified through user input, continual brake activation, and braking force detected. |
| US09643530B2 |
Daytime running light apparatus for vehicle
A daytime running light apparatus for a vehicle may include a lamp disposed in a daytime running light for a vehicle, configured to receive information about a vehicle starting condition, and determine whether to turn on the daytime running light, and a controller coupled to the lamp to control an amount of light of the daytime running light in accordance with illumination intensity or brightness at a periphery of the vehicle, in which the controller may be adapted to increase the amount of light of the daytime running light in proportion to an increase in illumination intensity or brightness at the periphery of the vehicle. |
| US09643528B1 |
Propane tank securing cradle
The propane tank storage cradle is a storage device that is designed to hold a propane tank in a horizontal position. The cradle forms a chamber into which the propane tank is laid. Accommodations are also provided with the propane tank storage cradle to receive the tank valve guard and the tank base. The dimensions of propane tank storage cradle are designed to prevent the propane tank from rolling and the cradle from flipping. The bottom of the propane tank storage cradle is fitted with non-skid feet which prevent the propane tank storage cradle from shifting during transport. The propane tank storage cradle comprises a first end cap, a second end cap, a third internal support and a fourth internal support. |
| US09643524B2 |
Backrest for a rear seat of a motor vehicle
The invention relates to a backrest (3) for a rear seat or a rear bench (1) of a motor vehicle, in particular a backrest (3) produced in accordance with a method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the backrest (3) has upholstery (4) and a back plate (5, 5B) which is arranged behind the upholstery (4) and extends essentially over the entire backrest (3), wherein at least two thirds of the back plate (5, 5B) are composed of a rolled metal sheet. |
| US09643520B2 |
Combined car seat cover and infant seat
The present invention relates to a combined car seat cover and infant seat, which is normally used as a seat cover for improving a riding comfort and can be transformed into an infant seat when an infant or a child is a passenger, wherein a seat fixing means for fixing a seat cover to a car seat is formed at the back of the seat cover including a seat sheet and a backrest sheet in which a cushioning material is accommodated therein, a safety belt is provided on both sides of the seat cover, a foldable shielding member is formed on the seat sheet, and the seat cover can be used as an infant seat by using the shielding member and the safety belt, and even in the case of an impact, a seat cover having this structure effectively prevents damage to the seat cover and disperses the impact by means of the safety belt and a reinforcing band, thereby preventing injuries. |
| US09643516B2 |
Vehicle drive battery attachment structure
A vehicle drive battery attachment structure including a battery case disposed at the vehicle rear of a vehicle cabin, a rear side member that is provided at a side portion of a vehicle body rear section and extends along a vehicle front-rear direction, and a bracket that is fixed to the battery case, that includes a low strength portion and a high strength portion in a row along the vehicle front-rear direction, that is fixed to the rear side member at both vehicle front-rear direction end sides of the low strength portion and the high strength portion respectively, and in which the low strength portion is set with lower strength with respect to vehicle front-rear direction load than the high strength portion. |
| US09643515B2 |
Method and apparatus for operating a battery arrangement of a motor vehicle
The invention relates to a method (40) for operating a battery arrangement (14) of a motor vehicle (10), in particular a traction battery of the motor vehicle (10), wherein expected environmental conditions and/or use parameters of the motor vehicle (10) are determined (42), wherein an expected withdrawal of energy from an electrical energy store of the battery arrangement (14) is determined (44), wherein a heat loss of the battery arrangement (14) is calculated (46) on the basis of the expected withdrawal of energy, wherein a temperature profile (30) of the battery arrangement (14) is predicted (48) on the basis of the calculated heat loss and the expected environmental conditions and/or use parameters, and wherein a temperature of the battery arrangement (14) is set (54) on the basis of the predicted temperature profile (30). |
| US09643514B2 |
Straddle electric vehicle
A straddle electric vehicle comprises a battery case accommodating a battery which is an electric power supply for an electric motor; an inverter which converts DC power stored in the battery into AC power and supplies the AC power to the electric motor; an air passage through which ram air is guided to an interior of a battery case and discharges air from the battery case; and a radiator for cooling a coolant used to cool the inverter using water or oil, wherein the radiator is placed forward relative to an air inlet of the air passage or within the air passage. |
| US09643513B2 |
Propelling system and energy management system and methods
An energy management system comprises a first electricity transformer with one or more first leg circuit(s), a second electricity transformer with one or more second leg circuit(s), and a control device. One or more first leg circuit(s) is (are) coupled to an energy-type supply, and one or more second leg circuit(s) is (are) coupled to a power-type supply. The control device will control the first and second electricity transformers operating under at least one of two conditions when a traction device is under driving mode. |
| US09643511B2 |
Method and apparatus for estimating state of charge (SOC) of battery in electric vehicle
An apparatus for estimating a state of charge (SOC) of a battery in an electric vehicle is provided. The apparatus may include a driving history data storage configured to store driving history data for each category among categories generated based on a frequency of appearance of road data, a driving profile generator configured to categorize road data associated with a driving route for each of the generated categories and generate a driving profile with respect to the driving route based on the driving history data corresponding to the categorized road data, and a battery SOC estimator configured to estimate the SOC of a the battery with respect to the driving route based on the driving profile. |
| US09643505B2 |
Power receiving device, power transmitting device, power transfer system, and parking assisting device
A power receiving device includes: a power receiving unit moved between a first position and a second position and receiving electric power in the second position from a power transmitting unit contactlessly; a movement mechanism moving the power receiving unit to the first position and the second position; and a sensing unit provided at a vehicular body independently of the power receiving unit and sensing the intensity of one of a magnetic field and an electric field formed by the power transmitting unit. The second position is obliquely below the first position with respect to the vertical direction, and the second position has a shorter distance to the sensing unit than the first position. |
| US09643503B2 |
Hybrid battery charger
A hybrid battery charger is disclosed that includes a linear charger circuit for providing vehicle starting current and battery charging and a high frequency battery charging circuit that provides battery charging current. The linear charger circuit and the high frequency battery charging circuits are selectively enabled to provide vehicle starting current, maximum charging current and optimum efficiency. |
| US09643502B2 |
Method and apparatus to monitor an on-vehicle battery charger
A method for monitoring an on-vehicle battery charger includes estimating a charging efficiency of the battery charger. Upon achieving an indeterminate result related to the estimated charging efficiency of the battery charger, a commanded input power to the battery charger and an electric power at the on-vehicle battery during operation of the battery charger are determined. Flow of electric current through the battery charger is interrupted, and electric power flow from the on-vehicle battery is determined. An active charging efficiency of the battery charger is determined based upon the commanded input power to the battery charger, the electric power at the on-vehicle battery during operation of the battery charger and the monitored electric power flow from the on-vehicle battery when the flow of electric current through the battery charger is interrupted. Charging performance of the battery charger is evaluated based upon the active charging efficiency. |
| US09643498B2 |
Method for recharging a pair of vehicle batteries of different nominal voltages, and associated system
A system supplying electrical power to a vehicle including: a network of electricity consuming units; a first electrical accumulation battery connected to the network, exhibiting a first maximum voltage when unloaded less than a maximum network voltage; a second electrical accumulation battery connected to the network, exhibiting a second maximum voltage when unloaded greater than the maximum voltage when unloaded of the first battery, and a minimum acceptable voltage when unloaded below the maximum network voltage; a drivable alternator connected to the network, configured to deliver to the second battery an electrical energy under a setpoint voltage drivable to various setpoint values; an electronic management facility, configured to impose at least two different setpoint voltages successively on the alternator when the vehicle is running, a low alternator voltage greater than the first maximum voltage, and a high alternator voltage greater both than the minimum voltage and than the low alternator voltage. |
| US09643497B2 |
Bicycle control apparatus
A bicycle control apparatus is basically provided with a memory device and a control device. The control device is programmed with an automatic switching function and a manual switching function. The automatic switching function automatically switches an assist ratio, which is a ratio of a manual drive force to a drag force of an electric assist motor, based on a relationship between a threshold value that is stored and a reference value that is indicative of one of a bicycle traveling environment and a bicycle traveling state. The manual switching function switches the assist ratio based on a manual operation. The control device is further programmed to update the threshold value is updated based on the reference value when switching the assist ratio by the manual switching function. |
| US09643495B2 |
Pantograph device of trolley truck
A pantograph device of a trolley-type truck includes: a base frame; a bottom frame rockably attached to the base frame; a top frame rockably attached to the vicinity of the top end portion of the bottom frame through a connecting shaft; a collector shoe rockably supported in proximity to the top end portion of the top frame; a hydraulic cylinder for raising and lowering the bottom frame, attached to the base frame; and a spring which acts so as to rotate the top frame upward through the connecting shaft. By erecting the bottom frame by the hydraulic cylinder, the tensile force produced in the spring is increased and the top frame is rotated upward through the connecting shaft. This makes it possible to obtain a wide movable range without use of a long and strong spring and enhance the followability to overhead wires without increasing pressing force. |
| US09643493B2 |
Display control apparatus
In a vehicle-mounted display system, a spare attentiveness level deriving part derives a spare attentiveness level that is a parameter determined according to a state of a driver of a vehicle at a present moment and a risk level deriving part derives a risk level that is a parameter determined according to a risk level of an accident at the present moment. Then a display continuously displays a driving state mark that is a reference graphic, determined according to the spare attentiveness level and the risk level, while the driver is driving the vehicle. Therefore, the driver can continuously understand the own state and the risk level of an accident at the present moment. |
| US09643484B2 |
Method for operating a hybrid vehicle
A method for operating a hybrid vehicle which comprises at least one internal combustion engine with a fuel tank and a filter, and an additional motor for driving the vehicle. The filter is designed to receive fuel vapors from the fuel tank in a filtering mode and to discharge the fuel vapors to the internal combustion engine in a flushing mode. In the method, a current operating point of the internal combustion engine is detected and the flushing mode of the filter is activated according to the current operating point and an operating time of the vehicle. |
| US09643483B2 |
Air duct for vehicle
An air duct for a vehicle is provided. The air duct includes a first duct component that is formed from a rigid material through which air external air is introduced. A second duct component is formed from a pliable material through which introduced air is discharged towards an air filter. The second duct component is formed integrally with the first duct component. |
| US09643479B1 |
Box cover of pickup truck
A box cover of a pickup truck, includes at least two panels and at least one rotating shaft mechanism. The rotating shaft mechanism is connected with two adjacent panels, and the rotating shaft mechanism includes a base and two connecting units. The base includes a base portion having a hollow structure inside and two rotating shaft portions respectively disposed on two sides of the base portion. The base portion and one of the rotating shaft portion form a rotating space. The rotating space is isolated from the interior of the base portion. The connecting unit includes a fixing portion fixedly connecting with the panels and a rotary portion rotatably inserted into the rotating space. It is capable of avoiding water falling into the rotating space of the rotating shaft mechanism from seeping into the interior of the base portion of the rotating shaft mechanism. The structure is simple and waterproof. |
| US09643477B2 |
Vehicle interior structure
A vehicle interior structure has a driver's seat disposed inside a cabin, a rear passenger's seat disposed on a vehicle rear side of the driver's seat inside the cabin, and a partition panel arranged along a vehicle width direction between the driver's seat and the rear passenger's seat. The partition panel has a bulging section bulging toward a vehicle front side. |
| US09643474B2 |
Air conditioner for vehicle
Disclosed therein is an air conditioner for a vehicle, which includes: a bypass passageway formed at a lower portion of an air-conditioning case which bypasses cold air and warm air passageways; a regeneration passageway formed at the lower portion of the air-conditioning case for supplying the air passing through the bypass passageway to a regeneration part of the desiccant rotor; and a heater having one side area arranged on the bypass passageway and the other side area arranged on the warm air passageway. The air conditioner heats the dehumidified air passing through the desiccant part of the desiccant rotor and the bypass passageway by the heater and supplies the heated air to the regeneration part of the desiccant rotor so as to regenerate the desiccant rotor, thereby reducing the number of components and the entire size and enhancing heating performance and increasing an air volume by moving the air, which is heated while passing the bypass passageway through a door mounted in the communication chamber, toward the warm air passageway in a heating mode. |
| US09643468B2 |
Regenerative vehicle air conditioning system
A regenerative air conditioning system for a vehicle includes a condenser, a compressor, an evaporator subsystem, an expansion valve, and a solenoid controlled expansion valve arranged and coupled together in a direct expansion cooling circuit. The evaporator subsystem has a main evaporator and a storage evaporator. The storage evaporator has a phase change material therein surrounding refrigerant passages in the storage evaporator. The storage evaporator in a charge state when the vehicle is decelerating wherein refrigerant flows through the storage evaporator to cool the phase change material to cause it to change phases to store thermal cooling potential. The storage evaporator in a discharge state when the vehicle is stopped and an engine of the vehicle is off to cool cabin cooling air flowing across the storage evaporator by the phase change material absorbing heat from the cabin cooling air flowing across the storage evaporator. |
| US09643464B2 |
Wheel suspension and axle including wheel suspension for a motor vehicle
A single wheel suspension is provided for a rear axle of a vehicle. The single wheel suspension may have a transverse leaf spring, a damper, and a wheel carrier. The wheel carrier can be connected to the vehicle via a transverse link connected to the wheel carrier in an articulated manner. The wheel carrier can be further connected to the vehicle via a tie rod. The transverse links may include a carrier link and a camber link. The carrier link may be connected to the wheel carrier via two connections, with the transverse leaf spring being coupled in an articulated manner to one of the transverse links or wheel carrier via a connection element, which permits relative movement between the leaf spring and the transverse link or wheel carrier the leaf spring is coupled to. |
| US09643462B2 |
Ball mount for measuring tongue weight of a trailer
A ball mount for measuring tongue weight of a trailer is disclosed. The ball mount can include a ball portion having a hitch ball configured to couple with a tongue of a trailer. The ball mount can also include a hitch portion for interfacing with a hitch receiver associated with a vehicle. In addition, the ball mount can include a load measurement device associated with the ball portion to determine a magnitude of a downward force on the hitch ball. The load measurement device can include a reservoir having a fluid and a piston disposed therein, and a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the reservoir. The hitch ball can be configured to exert a force on the piston, thereby affecting a pressure of the fluid in response to the downward force on the hitch ball. |
| US09643460B2 |
Tire pressure sensor modules, tire pressure monitoring system, wheel, methods and computer programs for providing information related to a tire pressure
A first tire pressure sensor module is configured to provide information related to a pressure of a tire of a vehicle and comprises a pressure sensor configured to determine the information related to the pressure of the tire. The pressure module further includes a controller configured to selectively operate the tire pressure sensor module in an active state and in an inactive state, wherein an energy consumption of the tire pressure sensor module is lower in the inactive state than in the active state. The controller is further configured to control an output of the information related to the pressure of the tire in the active state, and operate the tire pressure sensor module in the inactive state based on determining that information related to a velocity of the tire indicates a velocity above a threshold. |
| US09643446B2 |
Clip-less clipboard
A clip-less clipboard device is disclosed having a clipboard surface having: a first planer surface area; a second planar surface area generally parallel to the first surface area and generally equidistant apart from the first surface area at a predetermined distance; a plurality of flutes disposed within the first surface area and the second surface area and generally perpendicular to the first surface area and the second surface area; and a corrugated core disposed within each of the plurality of flutes, thereby to create a plurality of hollow channels within the flutes within the first surface area and the second surface area, and wherein each channel runs a continuous length within the first surface area and the second surface area; and a slit defined on the first planer surface area of the clipboard surface and configured to hold an article of paper upon the first planer surface area. |
| US09643443B2 |
Greeting cards with suspended motion
The present invention is directed to various embodiments of a greeting card having at least one motor attached to a mechanism which causes movement to a mobile object and one or more attachments suspended from the mobile object. The mobile object may be a circular disc, a string or a swing structure. Each mobile object contains one or more attachments either attached directly thereto or suspended therefrom via a string or line. The motor may effect various movements in the mobile object such as circular motion, back-and-forth motion or bouncing or vibrating motion. |
| US09643442B2 |
Page-turning device and document camera system
A page-turning device for turning a page of an opened book, page-turning device including an adhesive part which adheres to the page of the book; an arm part with the adhesive part provided on a top end, the arm part making the adhesive part go to and fro between a departure position and a destination position such that the adhesive part adheres to the page at the departure position and separates from the page at the destination position; and a drive unit which rotates the adhesive part in relation to the arm part. The drive unit rotates the adhesive part before the adhesive part reaches the destination position so that an adhering portion of the adhesive part is changed, and stops rotation of the adhesive part when the adhesive part adheres to the page. |
| US09643439B2 |
Portable cleanroom printing cabinet
A portable printing cabinet having a housing with a substantially enclosed interior and an opening formed in a side surface thereof, a printing device located within the interior of said housing, and a paper tray positioned outside of the housing and in communication with the opening of the housing is provided. |
| US09643434B2 |
Recording apparatus
A recording apparatus includes a recording portion; a liquid reservoir portion; a medium ejection route that is provided, at an end portion thereof, with a medium outlet from which the medium is ejected; an ejection roller that ejects the medium from the medium outlet; and a stacking member that stacks the medium. The medium ejection route includes, in an interval where the medium having been subjected to recording by the recording portion is transported to the medium outlet, a reversing curved route along which the medium is curved in a state where a recorded face of the medium faces an inner side of the curve, and the liquid reservoir portion is disposed, in a vertical direction, at a further antigravity direction side position than a position of the medium ejection route and a position of a movement trajectory drawn by the medium during a period until its stack on the stacking member. |
| US09643433B2 |
Media processing device and method of controlling a media processing device
Maintenance requirements are reduced by using only a subset of the functions of a media processing device having plural function units for processing processed media. When a control unit of the media processing device receives a command from a host computer to disable a function of an inkjet printer unit disposed to a conveyance path for the processed media or to disable a function of a contact image sensor unit disposed to the conveyance path, a function-disabled mode is entered that disables the specified function. While in the function-disabled mode, detected operating errors related to the disabled function are not reported to the host computer. |
| US09643432B2 |
Liquid ejecting apparatus and liquid ejecting method
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a transporting unit which can transport a medium along a first direction; an ejecting unit which can eject liquid; a cutting unit which is provided on a downstream side in the first direction compared to the ejecting unit, and can cut the medium; and a control unit which can execute an ejecting operation in which the liquid is ejected onto the medium using the ejecting unit, and a cutting operation in which the medium is cut using the cutting unit, in which the control unit executes a post-cutting transport operation in which the medium is transported using the transporting unit between executing of the cutting operation and executing of the ejecting operation. |
| US09643426B2 |
Liquid ejecting apparatus
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting unit which can eject liquid from a nozzle; a supply flow path through which liquid is supplied to the nozzle; a pressure adjusting unit which includes a pressure chamber which can store liquid; a storage chamber at least a part of which is formed by a gas permeable unit, and which stores liquid; a connection flow path which connects a space including a flow path portion from the pressure chamber to the nozzle and the pressure chamber, and the storage chamber; an opening-closing valve which can switch a communicating state between the space and the storage chamber through the connection flow path; and a pressurizing unit which pressurizes the storage chamber when the opening-closing valve is in the closed state. |
| US09643422B2 |
Cartridge, cartridge unit and liquid ejection system
A cartridge comprises a liquid container that is at least partly made of a flexible material and is configured to contain a liquid therein; a recess that is configured to be open toward a mounting direction of the cartridge to a liquid ejection apparatus; and a fluid receiving portion that is placed inside of the recess and is configured to receive supply of a pressurized fluid. |
| US09643415B2 |
Piezoelectric substrate, assembly, liquid discharge head, and recording device, each using piezoelectric substrate
The present invention aims at providing a piezoelectric substrate that is less susceptible to the influence of adhesive after being subjected to connection, as well as an assembly, a liquid discharge head, and a recording device, each of which uses the piezoelectric substrate. The piezoelectric substrate of the present invention is a flat plate shaped piezoelectric substrate including a piezoelectric ceramic layer, a plurality of first electrodes, a second electrode, and a third electrode. The second electrode includes an outer peripheral part disposed so as to surround the entirety of the first electrodes, and a protrusion extending from the outer peripheral part toward the inside of the outer peripheral part when the piezoelectric substrate is viewed from above. The second electrode and the third electrode are electrically connected to each other at the protrusion. The outer peripheral part is used for an electrical connection with the outside. |
| US09643414B2 |
Device to discharge liquid and head driving method
A device to discharge liquid includes a liquid discharging head to discharge the liquid and a drive waveform generating device to generate and output a drive waveform including continuous multiple drive pulses to discharge the liquid from the liquid discharging head that are continuously arranged in chronological order to form a single droplet. The continuous multiple drive pulses include an inflation waveform element to inflate an individual liquid chamber of the liquid discharging head and a contraction waveform element to contract the inflated individual liquid chamber to discharge the liquid. When the wave element between the continuous multiple drive pulses is determined as the holding wave element between pulses, the voltage held by the holding waveform element is higher than the initial voltage of the inflation waveform element of the first drive pulse and the ending voltage of the contraction waveform element of the last drive pulse. |
| US09643413B2 |
Printing apparatus and leakage detection method of the same
An embodiment of this invention is directed to a leakage detection of a printhead. The embodiment executes leakage detection as follows in a printing apparatus which uses a reciprocally movable printhead. That is, the embodiment monitors a voltage appearing on a second power line which supplies, to the printhead, a second voltage that is used for detecting the current leakage from the printhead and is lower than a first voltage to be supplied to perform printing by the printhead through a first power line to which a capacitor is parallel-connected. If a timing at which detection of the current leakage is executed is detected, the embodiment performs control so as to execute detection of the current leakage based on the monitored voltage, by turning off supply of the first voltage and turning on supply of the second voltage. |
| US09643412B1 |
Ejection apparatus
An ejection apparatus is provided with a plurality of ejection units, a controller that controls a temperature of a liquid, and a supply mechanism that includes a plurality of supply units. The plurality of supply units flow the liquid in a predetermined flow direction. Respective portion of the plurality of supply units in the flow direction are connected to the ejection units to supply the liquid to the ejection units. A downstream side portion of one of the supply units in the flow direction is connected to another one of supply units via a heat transfer member. |
| US09643411B2 |
Position deviation order detection method, image position deviation correction method, streak unevenness correction table creation method, and streak unevenness correction method
A position deviation order detection method according to the invention calculates a difference between input image data of an original image used for printing an image using an inkjet printer and output image data acquired by reading the image using a scanner for each pixel, and compares the calculated difference with a first threshold value to extract pixels for which the difference is equal to or larger than the first threshold value, and detects the size of a position deviation of the image by the number of pixels of a closed pixel group among the extracted pixels. |
| US09643407B2 |
Warming printheads during print passes
A drive signal may be determined to drive a printhead to a series of target temperatures during respective portions of a print pass by the printhead. Each of the target temperatures may be the greater of a temperature of the printhead caused by printing a quantity of printing fluid to be printed during the respective portion and a predetermined threshold temperature. A drive signal may be provided to warm the printhead to the series of target temperatures during the respective portions of the print pass. |
| US09643406B2 |
Printhead leak determination
In some examples, a system includes a printhead including a printer fluid nozzle, an air valve in fluid communication with a channel of the nozzle to: (1) create back pressure in the channel when the air valve is closed and printer fluid is ejected through the nozzle and (2) release back pressure in the channel when the air valve is open, an ejector to eject printer fluid through the nozzle to form a meniscus of printer fluid in the channel when the air valve is closed, a pressure sensor to measure pressure within the channel, and an indicator in electrical communication with the pressure sensor. The indicator can, for example, indicate whether there is an air leak in the channel by determining whether the pressure in the channel is within a predetermined pressure range after a predetermined idle time following the formation of the meniscus in the nozzle. |
| US09643405B1 |
System and method for aligning images on media or platens
A printing system facilitates the registration of printheads in the system. The system includes a plurality of printheads, a planar member having at least three pins along a first edge of the planar member and a plurality of pins on a second edge of the planar member that is orthogonal to the first edge, a plurality of actuators, an optical imaging device, and a controller. The controller operates one of the printheads to form a registration target on the media sheet and processes image data of the planar member and the media sheet received from the optical imaging device to identify positions for the registration target and at least two of the three pins on the planar member. Error distances are identified from the positions for the registration target and the at least two pins on the edge of the planar member and are used to register the printheads. |
| US09643400B2 |
Treatment of release layer
There is provided a method for treating a hydrophobic release layer of an intermediate transfer member for use in a printing process in which a negatively charged aqueous inkjet ink including a polymeric resin and a colorant is jetted onto said layer, the claimed method comprising contacting the release layer, prior to jetting the ink, with an aqueous solution or dispersion of a positively charged polymeric chemical agent reducing the tendency of a jetted ink droplet to bead up on the intermediate transfer member. Other embodiments, such as hydrophobic release layers having such chemical agents disposed thereupon and printed ink images comprising the same, are also described. |
| US09643399B2 |
Ink feed device comprising an ink blade
An ink feed device includes an ink blade, a mounting device for the precise mounting of an ink blade and a system for feeding and dosing printing ink. The system includes an ink feed device and a mounting device. A method is provided for renewing a dosing edge of an ink blade, which edge is used to dose the ink. A method for operating an ink feed device, and including an ink blade, is also provided. |
| US09643397B2 |
Variable data lithography system for applying multi-component images and systems therefor
A reimageable layer of an imaging member is provided with a dampening fluid layer. The reimageable layer has specific properties such as composition, surface profile, and so on so as to be well suited for receipt and carrying the dampening fluid layer. An optical patterning subsystem such as a scanned modulated laser patterns the dampening fluid layer. Ink having a first set of properties such as color, composition, etc., is applied at an inking subsystem such that it selectively resides in voids formed by the patterning subsystem in the dampening fluid layer to thereby form an inked latent image. The inked latent image is then transferred to a substrate, and the reimageable surface cleaned. The process is repeated for a second ink having properties different than the first. Each ink image may successively be applied to the substrate, or a composite image may be formed then applied to the substrate. |
| US09643393B2 |
Sealing apparatus and method for fabricating display device using the same
A sealing apparatus for sealing a first substrate and a second substrate by a sealant includes: a stage which supports the first and second substrates, where the sealant is interposed between the first and second substrates along edges of the first and second substrates, and the stage includes a concave portion defined to correspond to the sealant; and an optical head configured to irradiate light onto the sealant, where the first substrate and the second substrate are fixed together by the light irradiated onto the sealant such that a space surrounded by the sealant between the first substrate and the second substrate is sealed. |
| US09643389B2 |
Plastic window and organic light-emitting display apparatus including the same
A plastic window and an organic light-emitting display apparatus, the plastic window including a first layer; a second layer stacked on the first layer; and coating layers on a bottom surface of the first layer and on a top surface of the second layer, respectively, the top surface of the second layer facing a direction opposite to that of the bottom surface of the first layer, wherein the first layer and the second layer each include polyethylene terephthalate, and the first layer has the same thickness as the second layer. |
| US09643386B2 |
Low emissivity film and window having the same
Provided are a low emissivity film and a window having the same. According to an embodiment of the inventive concept, the low emissivity film may include a first substrate, a first metal oxide layer, a first reflective layer, a second metal oxide layer, and a second substrate. The first metal oxide layer may reflect light having a wavelength of infrared rays. The light having a first wavelength is reflected by cavity effect of the first metal oxide layer, the first reflective layer, and the second metal oxide layer, and the light having a second wavelength may pass through the low emissivity film. Thus, the low emissivity film may express a color. |
| US09643385B1 |
Layered heusler alloys and methods for the fabrication and use thereof
Disclosed herein are layered Heusler alloys. The layered Heusler alloys can comprise a first layer comprising a first Heusler alloy with a face-centered cubic (fcc) crystal structure and a second layer comprising a second Heusler alloy with a fcc crystal structure, the second Heusler alloy being different than the first Heusler alloy, wherein the first layer and the second layer are layered along a layering direction, the layering direction being the [110] or [111] direction of the fcc crystal structure, thereby forming the layered Heusler alloy. |
| US09643384B2 |
Display device
Disclosed is display device including a display panel; a window disposed on the display panel; and an adhesive layer positioned between the display panel and the window, wherein the adhesive layer includes a polymer resin and a woven fiber. |
| US09643382B2 |
Fiber reinforced structural element
A fiber reinforced structural element comprising a thermoplastic fiber reinforced member, a non-thermoplastic fiber reinforced member, and a multi-layer woven tie layer. The thermoplastic fiber reinforced member contains at least one layer of thermoplastic fibers and the non-thermoplastic fiber reinforced member contains at least one layer of non-thermoplastic fibers. The multi-layer woven tie layer contains at least a first woven ply and a second woven ply, where the woven plies are integrated through combined portions formed by interlacing warps or wefts of adjacent woven plies. The multi-layer woven tie layer is oriented such that the upper surface of the multi-layer woven tie layer which is predominately thermoplastic fibers is adjacent the thermoplastic fiber reinforced member and the lower surface of the multi-layer woven tie layer which is predominately non-thermoplastic fibers is adjacent the non-thermoplastic fiber reinforced member. |
| US09643375B2 |
Method and device for folding a stack of sheets
Provided herein is a device for folding a stack of sheets. The device includes a frame, means for pre-folding a stack of sheets along a crease line into a main plane such that a booklet with a straight back is obtained, means for keeping the pre-folded booklet relative to the frame, a carriage movably arranged to the frame and moveable parallel to the back of the booklet, and a nip arranged to the carriage for receiving the back of the pre-folded booklet. The nip direction forms an angle greater than zero with respect to a direction of movement of the carriage. |
| US09643372B2 |
Apparatus for compacting fibrous plant material, especially for compacting stalk material
An apparatus for pelletizing renewable raw materials, such as stalk material, having a feeding device for feeding the materials to be pelletized and having at least one press drum pair that is settable into opposite rotational movements, wherein the feeding device has a drivable conveyor belt which conveys the material to be compressed into the region of a feed hopper between the press drum pair, and which wraps around one of the two press drums regionally over an angle of at least 20° in order to form a precompaction region, and wherein the precompaction region has a constant width with respect to its length, said width corresponding more or less to the width of the press drums. |
| US09643363B2 |
Manufacture of a structural composites component
A method of manufacturing a structural composites component in a mold comprising first and second mold halves is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing a fiber or fabric preform, providing a resin layer that is separate from the preform, inserting one of the preform or the resin layer into the first mold half of the mold, then separately inserting the other of the preform or the resin layer into the first mold half such that the one of the preform or the resin layer is disposed on top of the other of the preform or the resin layer in the first mold half. The second mold half is then closed over the first mold half and the mold is pressurized in a compression press to cause the resin film to impregnate the preform, the mold being maintained at a constant temperature throughout the method of manufacture. |
| US09643358B2 |
Multinozzle deposition system for direct write applications
A multinozzle deposition system for direct write applications comprises a body including a first network of microchannels embedded therein, where the first network of microchannels extends from a parent microchannel through a series of furcations to a plurality of branching microchannels. The series consists of k generations with furcation number m where the kth generation includes mk branching microchannels. A first end of the body includes a single inlet to the parent microchannel and a second end of the body includes mk outlets from the branching microchannels, where k is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and m is an integer greater than or equal to 2. The body comprises a material having a sufficient rigidity to sustain a pressure in the microchannels of about 690 kPa or greater without distortion. |
| US09643357B2 |
Electrophotography-based additive manufacturing with powder density detection and utilization
An additive manufacturing system for printing a three-dimensional part, which includes one or more electrophotography engines configured to develop layers of the three-dimensional part, a rotatable transfer belt configured to receive the developed layers from the electrophotography engine(s), a detector configured to measure powder densities of the developed layers on the rotatable transfer belt, and to transmit signals relating to the measured powder densities to a controller assembly, and a printing assembly configured to receive the developed layer from the rotatable transfer belt and to print the three-dimensional part from the developed layers. |
| US09643353B2 |
Mill-style blow molding wheel mechanism and method of manufacturing using the same
In one embodiment, an apparatus and a method of manufacturing a paperboard tray therewith is provided. In particular, a hub is configured to rotate about a shaft. On the hub, a plurality of first molds are formed in the hub. Conversely, a plurality of second molds are each disposed above each of the plurality of first molds respectively and rotate above the first molds. In this configuration, the plurality of second molds are configured to move in unison with the plurality of first molds as the hub and second molds rotate and to move orthogonally towards and then away from the first molds as the second molds rotate. |
| US09643349B2 |
Insert molded splits in housings
A housing includes first and second housing elements coupled by an insert molded split. The insert molded split includes an injection guide that extends between a first aperture of the first housing element and a second aperture of the second housing element and material injection molded around the injection guide. A method for producing an insert molded split in a housing includes selecting an injection guide, inserting the injection guide into a first aperture of the first housing and the second aperture of the second housing, and injection molded material into and/or at least partially around the injection guide to form the insert molded split. |
| US09643345B2 |
Resin molding apparatus and resin molding method
A lens molding apparatus (100) of the present invention includes: a mold (1) having a transfer surface (1a) for transferring a predetermined lens shape to a resin material; a mold (2) having a transfer surface (2a) for transferring a predetermined lens shape to the resin material; a support device (3) for moving the mold (1); a heating device (4) curing the resin material so as to form a lens, the resin material having been supplied between the transfer surface (1a) and the transfer surface (2a); and an ultrasonic vibrator (5) applying vibration from a side surface of the mold (1 or 2) so as to form a gap at least at a part between the transfer surface (1a or 2a) and the lens. |
| US09643344B2 |
UV curing method and an assembly therefor
It is presented a method for producing a cured polymer structure from a polymer compound which is UV curable and partly UV transparent. The method comprises injecting the polymer compound into a mold (2), which mold (2) has at least one wall (7) defining a mold space (6) for receiving the polymer compound in the mold space (6). The at least one wall (7) of the mold (2) is UV transparent and comprises a thermoplastic polymer. The polymer compound is then irradiated through the at least one wall (7), by means of at least one UV semiconductor light source, thereby curing the polymer compound to form the cured polymer structure. An assembly for producing a polymer structure and a mold (2) is also presented herein. |
| US09643343B2 |
Method for molding recycled EPS using powder adhesive and steam
A method is provided of molding recycled EPS and other suitable expanded bead materials using a powder adhesive and steam. The method allows for molding EPS parts with over 5% and up to 100% recycled content. The method involves using an adhesive to fuse the regrind EPS particles under pressure from steam. The adhesive may be in powder form and preferably comprises small particles having a high surface area per unit weight and high static so the adhesive powder sticks to the surface of the regrind EPS particles during a dry blending step. |
| US09643341B2 |
Mold comprising shells and at least one slide
A mold includes a first shell and a second shell that are suitable, in the closed position, for imparting a shape to a part that is to be molded in the mold, a main axis being perpendicular to the main plane in which the first shell and the second shell extend. The mold further includes a slide that is situated between the first shell and the second shell and that is in contact with the first shell and the second shell when the mold is in the closed position, and that is to come into contact with the molded part, the slide presenting a first face that constitutes its interface with the first shell, the first face presenting a primary direction along which the slide is suitable for sliding along the first face when the mold is in the open position. |
| US09643339B2 |
Sheet manufacturing apparatus and defibration unit
A sheet manufacturing apparatus includes a defibration unit and a sheet forming unit. The defibration unit includes a rotating unit and a housing including a cover portion and a fixing unit attached to the cover portion and spaced apart from the rotating unit in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the rotating unit so as to form a gap between the rotating unit and the fixing unit. The defibrating unit is configured to cause the rotating unit to rotate and dry-defibrate a defibration object. The sheet forming unit is configured to form a sheet by depositing defibrated material. The rotating unit includes rotating plates base sections located on a side of a central rotation axis and protruding sections protruding out in a direction drawing away from the central rotation axis, and the rotating plates is stacked such that the protruding sections are in contact in the axial direction. |
| US09643332B2 |
Apparatus and method for cutting products
Apparatus for cutting products, comprising: a base; a cutting head rotatably fitted to the base; an impeller adapted for rotating concentrically within the cutting head to urge products fed into the cutting head towards the circumference of the cutting head by means of centrifugal force; an impeller drive mechanism for driving the rotation of the impeller at an impeller rotational speed setting the centrifugal force; and a cutting head drive mechanism for driving the rotation of the cutting head at a cutting head rotational speed which is greater than the impeller rotational speed. |
| US09643329B2 |
Method of making a roof pipe flashing
A roof pipe flashing with a raised boot and elongated opposite extensions extending therefrom which roof pipe flashing is used to cover and weatherproof an existing but damaged roof pipe flashing on the pitched roof of a building. The roof pipe flashing can be made manually by cutting or tearing along pre-marked lines on the flat base of a roof pipe flashing. |
| US09643321B2 |
Robot capable of dancing with musical tempo
A dancing robot includes a play unit, a processor, and a memory. The play unit plays music. The processor analyzes a musical tempo of the music. The memory stores a relationship between different musical tempos and movement patterns of the robot. The robot can move its head, body, and arms in certain movement patterns in time to the music, and if a human face is recognized through a camera of the robot, the robot can be controlled to give the appearance of dancing with the person who has the recognized face. |
| US09643315B2 |
Device and method for programming a handling apparatus
A device for programming an handling apparatus, an industrial robot in particular, having an operating unit situated on an arm of the handling apparatus, which is able to be moved by an operator for programming motion sequences together with the arm to different positions, especially processing positions, having input devices on the operating unit for detecting at least positions of the arm, preferably in the form of input keys, the operating unit being connected to a control device for the handling apparatus; and data transmitted via input devices of the operating unit to the control device being displayed to the operator via a monitoring unit. The input devices are additionally used for controlling and operating display menus and input menus stored in the control device, the display menus and the input menus being displayed on the monitoring unit. |
| US09643314B2 |
Robot control, training and collaboration in an immersive virtual reality environment
System and methods to create an immersive virtual environment using a virtual reality system that receives parameters corresponding to a real-world robot. The real-world robot may be simulated to create a virtual robot based on the received parameters. The immersive virtual environment may be transmitted to a user. The user may supply input and interact with the virtual robot. Feedback such as the current state of the virtual robot or the real-world robot may be provided to the user. The user may train the virtual robot. The real-world robot may be programmed based on the virtual robot training. |
| US09643312B2 |
Piston supply method
A piston supply apparatus includes a piston gripping portion and a piston supply portion. The piston supply portion includes a connecting rod gripping unit gripping the connecting rod of the piston placed in a preparation area, a guide member abutting against a skirt portion of the piston to match an axial direction of the piston with a predetermined specified direction, a moving unit moving the gripping unit from the preparation area to a supply position in air, and a pivoting unit making the gripping unit pivot such that the piston top portion of the piston in a downward state is set in an upward state. The piston supply apparatus further includes a pressing unit pressing the piston top portion of the piston made to pivot to the upward state against the guide member. |
| US09643311B1 |
Octagonal extension handle
An extension handle for bull floats and other tools is presented with an octagonal shaped handle. A connector end is provided to allow for additional lengths of extension to be added to the handle. |
| US09643309B2 |
Portable machine tool switching unit
A portable machine tool switching unit includes a turning knob unit, which has a coupling unit that can be rotatably driven for coupling to at least one switching element, and further includes at least one energy storage element provided for storing switching energy in the case of a preselection. The energy storage element is integrated in the turning knob unit. |
| US09643306B2 |
Fastener-driving tool including a driving device
A fastener-driving tool including a housing, a driving device associated with the housing and including a driver blade, a biasing member and a coupler attached to the driver blade and the biasing member, and a compound gear rotatably attached to the housing and in engagement with the coupler, where the compound gear is configured to rotate between a first position and a second position. The compound gear is rotated to the first position to move and secure the biasing member in a biased position when the driver blade is in a pre-drive position, and upon actuation, the biasing member is released from the biased position and biases the compound gear to move to the second position thereby causing the driver blade to move to a driven position for driving a fastener. |
| US09643301B2 |
Impact device for power transmission
An impact device for power transmission includes an impact unit and a hydraulic pressure adjusting unit. The impact unit has a hydraulic cylinder which is installed with a piston assembly and an output shaft therein for outputting torque through the output shaft by utilizing a hydraulic pressure provided in the hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic pressure adjusting unit is disposed in the hydraulic cylinder and operative to adjust the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic cylinder. Therefore, the impact device for power transmission can generate a hydraulic torque pulse, and the magnitude of the output torque can be adjusted by the hydraulic pressure adjusting unit. |
| US09643300B2 |
Impact tool
An impact driver or impact tool includes a motor, a motor housing that houses the motor, a grip housing integrally provided with the motor housing, a hammer case is disposed frontward of the motor housing, a spindle rotated by the motor, a hammer housed inside the hammer case and configured to be rotated by the spindle, and an anvil housed inside the hammer case which anvil is configured to be impacted by the hammer. In this impact driver, a length from a rear end of the motor housing to a front end of the anvil (i.e., the front-rear length of a main body) is less than 128 mm. |
| US09643298B2 |
Thin bi-directional ratchet wrench
The thickness of the thin bidirectional ratchet wrench of the present disclosure is preferably less than or equal to 30.0 mm, it can be used in narrow spaces easily, achieves two working modes, and can convert between them conveniently and stably. During use of the thin bidirectional ratchet wrench of the present disclosure, the input torque that the operator exerts is a clockwise torque or a counterclockwise torque, the output torque of the output end of the thin bidirectional ratchet wrench of the present disclosure is a clockwise torque or a counterclockwise torque, alternatively. |
| US09643295B1 |
Sanding block
A hand-held sanding block used by a hand of a user, replaceably holds sheet sandpaper, prevents the sheet sandpaper held therein from unintentional removal therefrom during use, and does not collapse under heavy pressure from the hand of the user during use. The hand-held sanding block includes a body. The body is used by the hand of the user, replaceably holds the sheet sandpaper, prevents the sheet sandpaper held therein from unintentional removal therefrom during use, and does not collapse under the heavy pressure from the hand of the user during use. |
| US09643289B1 |
Method and apparatus for aligning a wind turbine generator
A method and apparatus for aligning an input shaft of a wind turbine generator with an output shaft of a wind turbine are disclosed. Preferably, the method includes placing a push plate of a wind turbine alignment tool into pressing contact with a selected support flange of a wind turbine generator identified by a misalignment measurement device. With the push plate positioned, an indexing means of the wind turbine alignment tool is advanced along an adjustment link member of the wind turbine alignment tool to impart an alignment force onto the selected support flange to align the input shaft of the wind turbine generator with the output shaft of the wind turbine. The method preferably concludes by rechecking the alignment of the input shaft of the wind turbine generator with the output shaft of the wind turbine. |
| US09643288B2 |
Heat exchange reactor using thin plate provided with flow path therein and method of manufacturing the same
Disclosed are a heat exchange reactor and a method of manufacturing the same, and a method of manufacturing a heat exchange reactor includes: preparing lateral plates provided with a plurality of slits formed in parallel in a longitudinal direction; disposing two lateral plates to be spaced apart from each other while facing each other in a vertical direction; forming a plurality of flow path channels by inserting flow path partition plates into one or more slits of the two lateral plates in a horizontal direction; forming a plurality of flow path channels by inserting printed circuit heat exchange plates, which autonomously include one or more heat exchange flow paths therein, into one or more slits of the two lateral plates in a horizontal direction; and bonding the lateral plates, the flow path partition plates, and the printed circuit heat exchange plates. |
| US09643286B2 |
Method of repairing a turbine engine component
The inventive method involves the inspection of a turbine engine. A damaged component of the turbine engine is identified. Portions of the turbine engine component are removed from the damaged area to accommodate an overlay. The overlay is sized smaller than the turbine engine component. The overlay is then placed in a location previously occupied by the removed portion and attached to the turbine engine component. |
| US09643284B2 |
Welding wire and welding method
A welding wire is formed from a hoop having an inner surface and formed from a metal material, a core wire having a surface and formed from a metal material, and an alkaline metal compound. The hoop metal material and the core wire metal material are different from each other. A composition of the welding wire is divided into the hoop metal material and the core wire metal material. The alkaline metal compound is disposed between the inner face of the hoop and the surface of the core wire. An amount of the alkaline metal compound is from more than 10 ppm to 1000 ppm based on a weight of the welding wire. |
| US09643281B1 |
Process of forming a metal part from a metal powder using a laser to melt the metal powder over a support surface that can be easily removed after the metal part has been formed
A process of forming a metal part from a metal powder using a laser to melt the metal powder, where a complex part can be formed in which a support structure is formed from lightly bonding metal powder together without melting so that a support structure can be formed, or melting metal powder to form thin ligaments capable of forming a support layer within the metal powder that can be easily broken away when the metal part is finished. The lightly bonded support layer of metal powder can be formed using a ceramic slurry or controlling the laser power or speed so that the metal powder is not melted but lightly bonded together. |
| US09643279B2 |
Fabrication tools for exerting normal forces on feedstock
The present invention relates to tooling and methods for disposing, coating, building up, repairing, or otherwise modifying the surface of a metal substrate using frictional heating and compressive loading of a consumable metal material against the substrate. Embodiments of the invention include friction-based fabrication tooling comprising a non-consumable member with a throat and a consumable member disposed in the throat, wherein the throat is operably configured such that during rotation of the non-consumable member at a selected speed, the throat exerts normal forces on and rotates the consumable member at the selected speed; and comprising means for dispensing the consumable member through the throat and onto a substrate using frictional heating and compressive loading. Embodiments of the invention also include fabrication methods using the tools described herein. |
| US09643276B2 |
Welding wire retraction system and method
A method and system for retracting welding wire is provided. One welding torch includes a handle configured to receive welding wire from a wire source and to direct the welding wire to a torch tip. The welding torch also includes a first switch coupled to the handle and configured to cause the welding wire to extend out of the torch tip to expose more wire when the first switch is actuated. The welding torch includes a second switch coupled to the handle and configured to cause the welding wire to retract into the torch tip to expose less wire when the second switch is actuated. |
| US09643275B2 |
Interface of a welding power source and method for defining the same
The invention relates to a method for defining an interface (32, 42, 52, 62) of a welding power source (31, 41, 51, 61) for communication with an external machine (26) that is connected to the interface. A freely configurable interface is used in the welding device, said interface being configured and activated via software directly via the operating panel of the welding power source or an external device that can be connected to the welding power source. A parameter of the welding device is allocated to an internal and/or external connection (101 . . . 105). Optionally, a link is established by stringing together graphic symbols of the software. The invention further relates to a welding power source (31, 41, 51, 61) and to a computer program which are set up for performing or storing the process according to the invention. |
| US09643272B2 |
Encapsulation process enabling hotbar soldering without direct PCB support
A method for connecting or terminating wires to a printed circuit is disclosed. The method includes applying layers, such as a first layer and a second layer, to the printed circuit. The first layer is applied over several active components on the printed circuit, and provides a sealant against ingress of contaminants in the active components. The second layer is a rigid layer applied over the first layer. When the printed circuit is placed in a fixture, a metallic element, such as a thermode or hot bar, presses against the wires to hold the wires against several terminals on the printed circuit. The metallic element is heated to melt solder between the wires and the terminals. The second layer is configured to resist compressive forces from the metallic element and the fixture, such that the printed circuit and the active components are not damaged during the connection process. |
| US09643270B2 |
Wire discharge-machining apparatus with parallel cutting wires
A wire machining method includes: a wire electrode set as cutting wires provided in parallel with a distance between the cutting wires of which a predetermined regional part faces a workpiece; a machining power source that generates a pulse-shaped machining voltage; and plural feeder units that are electrically connected to the plural cutting wires respectively of the wire electrode and supply the machining voltage between the cutting wires and the workpiece respectively. In the parallel cutting wires, the feeder units are arranged such that a direction of a current passed to at least a part of the cutting wires becomes a direction different from a direction of a current passed to other cutting wires. |
| US09643269B2 |
Method of producing injection-molding die for worm wheel, and method of producing worm wheel
A worm wheel is provided in which a step is not formed near a tooth face meshing with a worm, and noise does not easily occur during power transmission.A worm wheel 1 includes a circular arc-shaped tooth section 5 that is a portion meshing with a worm 101 and configuring a circular tube worm gear, and a helical tooth section 4 that is connected to one end side of the circular arc-shaped tooth section 5. An angle of torsion at an arbitrary reference point 14 in a tooth depth direction of a tooth 3 on a boundary 7 between the circular arc-shaped tooth section 5 and the helical tooth section 4 is equal to an angle of torsion at a second reference point 15 corresponding to the first reference point 14 in the tooth depth direction of the tooth 3 in a diameter portion P0 of a throat of the circular arc-shaped section 5. As a result, a step is not formed on a tooth face on the boundary 7 between the circular arc-shaped tooth section 5 and the helical tooth section 4. A tooth face of the circular arc-shaped tooth section 5 and a tooth face of the helical tooth section 4 are smoothly connected. |
| US09643264B2 |
Coupling mechanism for cutting tool
A rotary cutting tool includes a cutter of generally cylindrical shape disposed about a central longitudinal axis. The cutter has a first end having an active fluted portion and an opposite second end, the second end having a male threaded portion disposed thereabout. The cutting tool further includes a shank of generally cylindrical shape disposed about the central longitudinal axis, the shank having a recessed female threaded portion formed in a first end. The male threaded portion includes a number of threads disposed at a first pitch and the female threaded portion includes a number of threads disposed at a second pitch different than the first pitch. The cutter and the shank are selectively coupled via threaded engagement of the male threaded portion and the female threaded portion. |
| US09643257B2 |
Cutting tool
[Object] To provide a cutting tool having good chipping resistance and good wear resistance.[Solution] Provided is a cutting tool 1 including a base body 2 whose surface is coated with a coating layer 6 made of CraM1-a (C1-xNx) (here, M is at least one element selected from Ti, Al, Si, W, Mo, Ta, Hf, Nb, Zr, and Y, 0.01≦a≦0.4, and 0≦x ≦1), a cutting edge 5 is formed on an intersection ridgeline between a rake face 3 and a flank face 4, and the coating layer 6 for the cutting edge 5 has a Cr content ratio greater than a Cr content ratio of the coating layer 6 for the flank face 4. |
| US09643256B2 |
Machine tool
A machine tool includes a spindle equipped with a workpiece gripping portion arranged so as to face an operator side, the spindle being configured to rotatably drive a workpiece gripped by the workpiece gripping portion, and a tool mount equipped with a rotary member supporting a plurality of tools in a rotatably indexable manner about an axis parallel to an axis of the spindle. The tool mount is arranged at a tool mount installation portion formed to be positioned on the operator side in a manner such that the rotary member faces a workpiece gripping portion side. |
| US09643255B2 |
Flexible electrosurgical ablation and aspiration electrode with beveled active surface
Disclosed herein is a flexible single piece active element for use in connection with aspirating electrosurgical ablators, particularly those configured for bulk tissue vaporization. The active electrode elements of the present invention provide a simple construction suitable for use with a wide array of electrosurgical components and adjustable to wide range of angled positions to permit access to a variety of tissues, in an array of diverse environments and address a host of ablation needs. Additionally, the novel geometry and positioning of both ablation surface and aspiration ports permit aspiration flow to remove primarily waste heat rather than process heat, to thereby improve vaporization efficiency and reduce procedure time. Thus, active electrodes and ablation devices of the present invention maximize efficiency and adaptability while minimizing manufacturing cost and device profile. |
| US09643252B2 |
Electrically controlled catalytic nanowire growth based on surface charge density
A population of nanowires can be prepared by a method involving electric field catalyzed growth and alteration based on surface charge density. |
| US09643251B2 |
Optimized additive manufacturing process
A method for additive manufacturing a multilayered part includes optimizing a powder material based on at least one parameter characterizing the powder material. Each layer of the multilayered part formed from the optimized powder material is optimized based on at least one parameter characterizing the layer. The multilayered part is formed using additive manufacturing based on the optimized powder material and optimized layers constituting the multilayered part. The multilayered part is optimized based on at least one parameter characterizing the multilayered part. |
| US09643250B2 |
Method of controlling the corrosion rate of alloy particles, alloy particle with controlled corrosion rate, and articles comprising the particle
A composite particle comprises a core, a shielding layer deposited on the core, and further comprising an interlayer region formed at an interface of the shielding layer and the core, the interlayer region having a reactivity less than that of the core, and the shielding layer having a reactivity less than that of the interlayer region, a metallic layer not identical to the shielding layer and deposited on the shielding layer, the metallic layer having a reactivity less than that of the core, and optionally, an adhesion metal layer deposited on the metallic layer. |
| US09643248B2 |
Impact pad, tundish and apparatus including the impact pad, and method of using same
A tundish impact pad, a tundish containing the same, and a method of using and assembly containing the impact pad and tundish are provided. The tundish impact pad features a base having a base surface with a conical impact surface area establishing an apex, a sidewall, and a top wall extending inwardly relative to the sidewall to terminate at an inner edge establishing a mouth opening spaced above and centered relative to the apex. The top wall includes a lip sloping radially inwardly and downwardly towards the conical impact surface. |
| US09643247B2 |
Molten metal transfer and degassing system
Disclosed, among other things, is a transfer chamber constructed inside of or next to a vessel used to retain and degas molten metal. The transfer chamber is in fluid communication with the vessel so molten metal from the vessel is pulled through the vessel by the pump as it is degassed. This helps maintain a generally constant flow of molten metal through the degassing vessel. Other aspects relate to a system and method for efficiently performing maintenance on components positioned in a vessel. |
| US09643242B2 |
Back-up roll device and method for conducting corner deformation on chamfered continuous casting slab
A back-up roll device and method for conducting corner deformation on a chamfered continuous casting slab. The back-up roll device includes back-up rolls with α-angle bevels, movable bearing seats, bearing seat moving rails, bearing seat motion holding mechanisms and inner arc or outer arc frames of a casting machine. The back-up rolls are arranged on the inner and/or outer arc frames of the horizontal segment of the casting machine. Support surfaces of the back-up rolls make contact with and squeeze smaller obtuse angles adjacent to the wide face of the inner or outer arc on the chamfered continuous casting slab, and therefore each smaller obtuse angle is squeezed into two larger obtuse angles. The back-up roll device and method for conducting corner deformation on the chamfered casting slab can achieve the purposes of eliminating edge slivers. |
| US09643240B2 |
Shell mould having a heat shield
A field of casting, and more particularly to a shell mold, and also to methods of fabricating and using such a shell mold. This shell mold includes a central cylinder, a plurality of molding cavities arranged in an assembly around the central cylinder, and at least one heat shield that is substantially perpendicular to the main axis. The central cylinder extends along a main axis between a casting cup and a base. Each molding cavity is connected to the casting cup by at least one feed channel, and also, by a baffle-selector with a starter in the base. The at least one heat shield completely surrounds each molding cavity in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the main axis. |
| US09643239B2 |
Casting investment composition and casting process using same
The object of the present invention is to provide an embedding material composition for casting that makes it possible to conduct a favorable casting in the case where casting is conducted using a resin pattern that is different from a conventional wax pattern in disappearance temperature and disappearance behaviors through “rapid heating” excellent in treatment efficiency. The present invention relates to an embedding material composition for casting not using a heat-expandable refractory material as a main component, comprising: a binder; and a non-heat-expandable refractory material having an average particle diameter of 5 to 20 μm as main components, in which a content of the binder is 25 to 40 parts by mass and a content of the non-heat-expandable refractory material is 60 to 75 parts by mass in the case where the total amount of the main components is 100 parts by mass, and the present invention also relates to a casting process using the embedding material composition for casting. |
| US09643237B1 |
Compound die for dual thread forming
The compound die includes a working surface with a coarse end for forming coarse threads and a fine end for forming fine threads. The coarse end has coarse crests and coarse roots thereon angled at a coarse thread pitch angle for the screw to be formed. The fine end has fine crests and fine roots formed into a working surface thereof at an angle matching a pitch angle for the fine threads of the screw to be formed. A transition is provided between the coarse end and fine end where each of the coarse roots is aligned with one of the fine roots. A screw such as a bolt is roll formed by first being rolled between a standard die parallel with the compound die and a course end of the compound die, followed by rolling between the standard die and the fine end of the compound die. |
| US09643230B2 |
Grounding spacer
A grounding spacer is provided. The grounding spacer comprising a circular body having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a central aperture, and a plurality of radially spaced penetration features, wherein at least one of the penetration features has at least a portion thereof extending from the top surface, and wherein at least one of the penetration features has at least a portion thereof extending from the bottom surface. |
| US09643229B2 |
Method and apparatus for making aerosol cans for metered dose inhaler
A method and apparatus for forming aerosol cans for metered dose inhalers. |
| US09643225B2 |
Extrusion press
The present invention provides an extrusion press which eliminates unevenness of dynamic and thermal fatigue degrees of the hydraulic devices which form the hydraulic circuit in the extrusion press, the electric motors which drive the hydraulic pump, the control devices, etc., which makes the dynamic and thermal fatigue degrees and remaining service lives of the component devices even, and which is excellent in energy saving effect.An extrusion press which has a plurality of variable capacity type hydraulic pumps connected to it in parallel for supplying working oil to hydraulic cylinders of the extrusion press, uses a preset working speed as the basis to find the required discharge rate of the hydraulic pumps, and selectively controls the drive operations of the hydraulic pumps, wherein the order of selection of the hydraulic pumps which are selectively controlled in drive operation is controlled by a program which progressively advances when a predetermined number of molding cycles are completed. |