| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09785428B2 |
Internal software updating method and system
An internal software updating method, apparatus, system, mobile terminal, and computer-readable storage medium are provided. According to methods in the embodiments of the present invention, a network connection condition between the mobile terminal and a server and a current running mode of the mobile terminal in a regular time interval is detected and, according to the detected network connection condition and the running mode of the mobile terminal, it is determined whether to perform an update processing on the internal software installed in the mobile terminal. |
| US09785425B2 |
Managed clone applications
Disclosed are various embodiments relating to managed clones of applications. In one embodiment, an application is received. If it is determined that the application should be managed, a managed clone of the application is generated. The managed clone of the application is configured for coexistence along with the application upon a client device under management. The managed clone of the application may then be deployed to the client device under management. |
| US09785424B2 |
Capability attributes based application packaging
A method and an apparatus for an application thinning mechanism are described. The thinning mechanism can select a subset of components from a universal application to assemble an application variant to be distributed and installed to a specific type of devices. The universal application may include every component, such as asset, resource or executable, built/developed for targeted device attributes to install one common application to multiple devices. For example, the thinning mechanism can use a trait vector associated with a type of devices to iterate through the components and identify assets to be included or packaged into in each target device specific application or application variant. |
| US09785419B2 |
Executing graph-based program specifications
A graph-based program specification includes components corresponding to tasks and directed links between ports of the components, including: a first type of link configuration defined by respective output and input ports of linked components, and a second type of link configuration defined by respective output and input ports of linked components. A compiler recognizes different types of link configurations and provides in a target program specification occurrences of a target primitive for executing a function for each occurrence of a data element flowing over a link of the second type. A computing node initiates execution of the target program specification, and determines at runtime, for components associated with the occurrences of the target primitive, an order in which instances of tasks corresponding to the components are to be invoked, and/or a computing node on which instances of tasks corresponding to the components are to be executed. |
| US09785417B2 |
Managing reusable artifacts using placeholders
Arrangements described herein relate to managing reusable artifacts. Responsive to receiving a request to create a placeholder for a reusable artifact representing a reusable unit, the placeholder for an appropriate version of the reusable artifact is created within a container and a first parameter identifying the reusable artifact is assigned to an artifact property of the placeholder. Responsive to receiving a request to pin a particular version of the reusable artifact to the placeholder, a version property of the placeholder can be updated to set the version, wherein the request to pin the particular version of the reusable artifact to the placeholder is implemented by assigning a value to a parameter in the placeholder or adding a pin property into the placeholder. The particular version can be maintained as the set version of the reusable artifact regardless of whether new artifact versions are created for the reusable artifact. |
| US09785416B2 |
Presenting a custom view in an integrated development environment based on a variable selection
Within a system comprising a processor and a memory, a method for, within integrated development environment (IDE), presenting a custom view in the IDE based on a variable selection. The method can include selecting a first instance of the first variable in a first portion of program code. Via the processor, the program code can be searched to identify at least a second instance of the first variable in at least a second portion of the program code. Further, via the processor, the custom view can be presented in the IDE to present at least the first portion of the program code and the second portion of the program code based on the identification of the first variable in the second portion of the program code. |
| US09785408B2 |
System and method of centralized random number generator processing
A networked gaming system and method with a central true random number generator (“TRNG”) for generating random numbers (“RNs”). The RNs are supplied to electronic gaming machines (“EGMs”) on a network and are used to determine game outcomes. The system and method are configured to gather requests for RNs from EGMs in batches that are coordinated by a server based gaming (“SBG”) service where the SBG service receives RN requests from EGMs and routes the requests in batches to the central true random number generator request handler (“TRNGRH”) service. The central TRNGRH service responds to the SBG service with a batch of RNs that are then distributed to the EGMs within an acceptable response time. |
| US09785405B2 |
Increment/decrement apparatus and method
A method comprises receiving an N-bit unsigned number and a control signal, in response to the control signal indicating an increment operation, increasing the N-bit unsigned number by 1 through an increment/decrement apparatus having (2m+3) levels of 2-input logic gates, wherein m is equal to log2(N) and in response to the control signal indicating a decrement operation, decreasing the N-bit unsigned number by 1 through the increment/decrement apparatus. |
| US09785401B2 |
Voice commands for online social networking systems
In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a social graph that includes a plurality of nodes and edges, receiving from a first user a voice message comprising one or more commands, receiving location information associated with the first user, identifying edges and nodes in the social graph based on the location information, where each of the identified edges and nodes corresponds to at least one of the commands of the voice message, and generating new nodes or edges in the social graph based on the identified nodes or identified edges. |
| US09785399B2 |
Systems and methods for providing zone functionality in networked media systems
A Zone Control service is disclosed which provides for hierarchically managing a plurality of networked media subsystems. This can provide a layer of abstraction for the collection in the form of a single Renderer zone interface represented by a delegated zone controller. This hierarchy establishes a virtual super-system. Although a Zone Control services can be advertised on all networked media devices, the services will typically be unavailable while a device is subservient to, or equivalently under the control of, a zone controller. A single instance of the Zone Control service can reside in a Services Device, co-existing with a Group Control service. |
| US09785398B2 |
Systems and methods for automatically adjusting volume of a media asset based on navigation distance
Systems and methods for automatically adjusting volume of a media asset are provided. A display of a content navigation page is generated. The content navigation page is associated with a media asset. A navigation distance from a current position in the content navigation page to the media asset within the content navigation page is determined. The navigation distance is cross-referenced with a database of volume levels associated with navigation distances to identify a volume level that is associated with the navigation distance. Audio of the media asset is caused to be presented at the identified volume level. |
| US09785396B2 |
Mobile device
A mobile device includes a main body, a display secured to the main body, and at least one refractor integrated with the display. The main body includes a storage device, a controller, and a switch unit coupled to the controller. A video content is stored in the storage device, and a switch unit is used to open or close the controller. The at least one refractor is used to define at least one projection region. When the controller is opened by the switch unit, the video content is divided into a plurality of video segments to be played on the display and the at least one projection region, and when the controller is closed by the switch unit, the video content is displayed on the display. |
| US09785395B2 |
Interactive synchronized multi-screen display
Systems and method for displaying interactive content. The systems and method include a host device configured to receive register commands from a plurality of client devices, the register commands including arrangement information of the plurality of client devices. The host device registers the plurality of client devices with the host device. The host device is further configured to determine a position for each of the plurality of client devices based on the arrangement information, and transmit display instructions to the plurality of client devices to start display of respective portions of a whole presentation corresponding to the position of the client devices in a synchronized fashion. |
| US09785391B2 |
Method for producing packages of printed materials by generating and executing a job set containing multiple linked sub-jobs
A method for producing packages of printed materials arranged in order based on multiple original digital documents. A user interface is provided to allow the user to specify the order of the original documents to be printed. A print server generates multiple sub-jobs which contain linking information that links them to each other in the specified order to form a job set. The job set can be submitted to a printer in one submission. A printer executes the linked sub-jobs sequentially based on the linking information contained in the sub-jobs to produce the multiple printed documents in the specified order. |
| US09785390B2 |
Printer having global substitution list
A printer is described. The printer includes a processor. A memory is coupled to the processor. The memory contains instructions that when processed by the processor cause a method to be performed. The method includes presenting a list of printing substitutions on a display. The printing substitutions are each associated with a respective printer profile. The list of printing substitutions identify which ones of the printing substitutions are enabled and which ones of the printing substitutions are disabled. The list also identifies the printer profiles that the substitutions are associated with, wherein at least one printer profile that is not enabled for a current print job is included in the list. |
| US09785383B2 |
Memory system and method of controlling nonvolatile memory
According to one embodiment, a memory controller of a memory system includes a command issuing unit, a decoder, a counter, and a statistical processor. The command issuing unit issues a first command for single read of first data from a nonvolatile memory. The decoder performs first error correction on the read first data. The counter counts a number of times of multiple reads. The statistical processor performs statistical processing of results of the multiple reads, and outputs second data obtained by the statistical processing. When the decoder is unable to perform the first error correction on the read first data, the command issuing unit issues a second command for multiple reads of the first data. |
| US09785379B2 |
Operating method of nonvolatile memory device and nonvolatile memory system
An operating method of a nonvolatile memory device which includes receiving a plurality of sub-page data and a write command from an external device; performing a pre-main program operation such that at least one of the plurality of sub-page data is stored in the second plurality of memory cells included in the main region; performing a buffered program operation such that other received sub-page data is stored in the first plurality of memory cells included in the buffer region; and performing a re-main program operation such that the received sub-page data subjected to the buffered program operation at the buffer region is stored in the second plurality of memory cells subjected to the pre-main program operation. |
| US09785377B2 |
Tracking hot areas of disk drive
Methods, apparatuses, systems, and devices are described for determining use of areas of a disk drive. In one method, a score of an area node of the disk drive may be increased each time the area node is accessed during a time interval of a series of time intervals. When each time interval elapses, each existing score of the area nodes (e.g., scores of area nodes that have non-zero scores) may be decreased. Further, after being decreased, each existing score may be saved. In such a manner, a time series analysis of data accesses may be implemented. The increases in score may account for the number of accesses during a given interval, and the decreases in score may account for time passage (e.g., time-weighting the scores). Thus, more frequent accesses and more recent accesses result in higher accumulated scores for the corresponding area nodes. |
| US09785375B2 |
Migrating data between memory units in server
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a data migration method for memory modules in a server and a server. By establishing a mirror relationship between agent apparatuses of two memory modules, a processor in the present invention instructs the agent apparatuses to perform data migration between the two memory modules, to complete migration of data from one memory module to the other memory module. The entire data migration process requires no participation of an operating system, and consumes a short period of time, thereby implementing convenient data migration for memory modules in a server. |
| US09785372B2 |
Storage device and method for configuring raid group
A storage subsystem capable of satisfying conditions such as storage capacity and access performance requested by users and to enable expansion of storage drives that are not in RAID group (RG) units is provided at a low cost. The storage subsystem includes a first storage drive for storing data sent from a host computer, a second storage drive having a property that differs from the first storage drive for storing data sent from the host computer, and a processor for controlling the first storage drive and the second storage drive, wherein a processor receives RG configuration requirements from the host computer and determines whether an RG satisfying the RG configuration requirements can be configured, and if the processor determines that an RG can be configured, the first storage drive and the second storage drive are combined to configure the RG. |
| US09785369B1 |
Multiple-link blockchain
A system includes circuitry for rewriting blockchains in a non-tamper-evident or tamper-evident operation using a key secret held by a trusted party. The blockchains may include a series of blocks secured by multiple integrity codes that may prevent non-tamper-evident rewrites by non-trusted parties that are not in possession of the key secret. In some cases, the key may allow valid but tamper-evident rewrites of the blockchain by trusted entities. Further, in some implementations, tamper-evident rewrites may be converted to non-tamper-evident rewrites through multiple-party ratification. |
| US09785368B1 |
System and method for mapping control and user data
A system for mapping control and user data includes a direction scanner, an address calculator, a collision detector, a buffer, and a mapper for mapping control and user data from a first memory to a second memory. The direction scanner determines the highest priority value of to a code word index. The address calculator calculates start and end addresses of the highest priority value. When an address from an address range, defined by the start and end addresses, is already mapped to other control data, the collision detector detects a collision and generates feedback data. The address calculator outputs modified start and end addresses based on the feedback data. When no collision is detected, the address calculator outputs the modified start and end addresses to the buffer. The mapper then maps the control and user data to the modified start and end addresses in the second memory. |
| US09785366B1 |
Unbuffered log-structured storage
A method of writing data to persistent storage includes (a) for each data block of a set of data blocks, storing data of that data block at an offset within a log segment of the persistent storage in conjunction with a logical block address (LBA) of that data block on the persistent storage, a size of the log segment being larger than a size of each data block, (b) identifying a particular log segment of the persistent storage that has become filled with data blocks, and (c) upon identifying the particular log segment as having become filled, inserting pointers to respective data blocks stored within the particular log segment into respective locations defined by the respective LBA of each respective data block within a map tree. |
| US09785364B2 |
Increasing data storage reliability in a heterogeneous storage system
A method is provided for increasing data storage reliability in a heterogeneous storage system including multiple storage devices of different types. The devices store respective data subsets of a dataset. The method includes accessing configuration parameters for the dataset including first and second amounts of the data subsets respectively stored on the multiple storage devices. The method further includes estimating an initial global reliability of the heterogeneous storage system for the dataset, based on the configuration parameters. The method also includes determining an increased global reliability of the storage system for the dataset, by estimating a global reliability as would be obtained by modifying at least some of the configuration parameters, whereby at least the first and second amounts of the data subsets respectively stored on the devices are modified. The method further includes reconfiguring the dataset stored across the heterogeneous storage system according to the modified configuration parameters. |
| US09785363B2 |
File quarantine method and apparatus
The present disclosure provides a file quarantine method, apparatus, and system. The method includes: receiving by an input/output (I/O) object manager, a change operation request from a first process for a volume device in a file system; and if it is determined that the first process is a process inside a sandbox, redirecting the change operation request to a virtual volume device corresponding to the volume device which is pointed to by the change operation request, and sending the redirected change operation request to the I/O object manager. The foregoing solution may implement file quarantine at a volume device level. |
| US09785361B1 |
Processing data access requests from multiple interfaces for data storage devices
Systems and methods are disclosed for processing data access requests received from a direct access storage (DAS) interface and/or a network access storage (NAS) interface. The data access requests may be received from the DAS interface and the NAS interface substantially simultaneously. The data access requests may be scheduled based on priorities for the data access requests. |
| US09785360B1 |
Adaptive and dynamic mixed read/write input/output balancer
Embodiments are directed to a method of optimizing input/output (I/O) operations to a storage device having mixed read and write operations by determining a current queue state for the read and write operations with respect to defined optimum values of I/O operations per second (IOPS) and latency for the I/O operations, determining device characteristics of the storage device by determining read/write response times, queue depths and dispatch time intervals for an initial read/write operation, and modifying at least one of a wait time or batch size for subsequent read/write operations to meet the defined optimum values of IOPS and latency. |
| US09785359B2 |
Sending packets using optimized PIO write sequences without sfences and out of order credit returns
Methods and apparatus for sending packets using optimized PIO write sequences without sfences and out-of-order credit returns. Sequences of Programmed Input/Output (PIO) write instructions to write packet data to a PIO send memory are received by a processor in an original order and executed out of order, resulting in the packet data being written to send blocks in the PIO send memory out of order, while the packets themselves are stored in sequential order once all of the packet data is written. The packets are egressed out of order by egressing packet data contained in the send blocks to an egress block using a non-sequential packet order that is different than the sequential packet order. In conjunction with egressing the packets, corresponding credits are returned in the non-sequential packet order. A block list comprising a linked list and a free list are used to facilitate out-of-order packet egress and corresponding out-of-order credit returns. |
| US09785358B2 |
Management of extent checking in a storage controller during copy services operations
A storage controller receives a request to avoid extent conflict checking from a host application executing in a host that is coupled to the storage controller. In response to receiving a request, a host I/O process that executes in the storage controller to satisfy I/O requests from the host application opportunistically releases a track of an extent to a copy services process at an earliest point in time when the track of the extent is longer needed by the host I/O process and is needed by the copy services process. |
| US09785351B2 |
Distributed storage network for storing a data object based on storage requirements
A distributed storage network (DSN) includes a user device and a plurality of DSN memories, wherein each of the DSN memories includes a plurality of storage units. The user device includes at least one network interface to the plurality of DSN memories and at least one processing module that is operable to determine one of the plurality of DSN memories for storing a data object based on a comparison of one or more storage requirements of the data object and one or more DSN attributes of the plurality of DSN memories. |
| US09785343B2 |
Terminal device, image display method, and storage medium
An information processing apparatus including a display; a touch panel stacked on or integrally formed with the display; and a controller that receives an output from the touch panel indicating that first gesture input is detected that substantially encloses a region of the display, and controls the display to expand an image displayed by the display based on a size of the region. |
| US09785341B2 |
Inter-application navigation apparatuses, systems, and methods
Inter-application navigation apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed. An exemplary method includes a computing system accessing a plurality of applications, generating an application access history specifying an order by which the applications are accessed by the computing system, and displaying an inter-application navigation user interface including a plurality of user-selectable graphical objects representing the plurality of applications accessed by the mobile phone device, the user-selectable graphical objects arranged in a slideable list within the inter-application navigation user interface based on the application access history. The plurality of applications represented by the plurality of user-selectable graphical objects in the inter-application navigation user interface includes an application being executed by the computing system and an application not being executed by the computing system when the inter-application navigation user interface is displayed. Corresponding apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed. |
| US09785339B2 |
Touch input device in a circuit board
Techniques for a touch input device in a circuit board are described. In at least some embodiments, a touch input device is integrated into a circuit board of an apparatus. For instance, a touch interaction region of the touch input device is formed by cutting and/or etching a portion of the circuit board such that the touch interaction region is moveable with respect to adjacent portions of the circuit board. According to one or more embodiments, a touch input device includes a switch such that movement of the touch interaction region actuates the switch to generate a click input event. |
| US09785337B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing search service
A terminal device for executing an application providing a search service is provided. The terminal device may include a touch sensing display, one or more processors, and a memory. The application is configured to be stored in the memory and implemented by the one or more processors, and includes a first interface providing a code to display a first search interface corresponding to a text-based search on the touch sensing display, and a second interface providing a code to display a second search interface on the touch sensing display, when a call interaction of the second search interface corresponding to a recognition search is sensed in response to a touch input on the touch sensing display while displaying the first search interface. |
| US09785336B2 |
Macro-enabled, verbally accessible graphical data visualizations for visually impaired users
Systems and methods are provided, at an accessible electronic device having a visual display with a touch-sensitive surface, for displaying on the visual display a graphic visualization having a plurality of graphic elements, and in response to detecting a navigation gesture by a finger on the touch-sensitive surface, selecting one of the plurality of graphic elements and outputting accessibility information associated with the selected graphic element. Systems and methods are also provided for generating computer code for converting a data set into graphic visualization annotated with accessibility information. |
| US09785333B2 |
Display device, image processing apparatus, non-transitory computer readable medium, and display control method
A display device includes a display controller. The display controller performs control such that an image that is being partially displayed is fully displayed without any missing portion on a display screen, when arrangement of plural displayed images is changed. |
| US09785331B2 |
One touch scroll and select for a touch screen device
A technique for controlling a touch screen device to select an element from a first list using a second list of numbers assigned to each element in the first list.When displayed next to each other, the first and second lists have different respective spacings between their elements. The spacing used in the second list is scaled so all the numbers therein can fit on the display. In operation, the display is touched at an initial touch point. Dragging the finger up the display will pull up the second list at the touch point, while simultaneously pulling up the first list next to it. However, since the spacing is different for each list, the first list can scroll faster and farther than the second list. The entire second list can fit on the display, but the first list scrolls beyond the display limits. The element corresponding to the number under the touch point is highlighted. Thereafter, releasing the touch point in the first list will select the highlighted element in the second list, which is actually elsewhere on the display from the touch point. |
| US09785326B2 |
Defining and tracking an interactive user interface
The disclosure includes methods and systems for defining and generating graphics for one or more interactive elements to be used in an interactive user interface. Some embodiments include inputting into a graphical user interface a full screen graphic that includes an image illustrating a graphic in a first state. Embodiments may also include selecting an area of the image and defining the area as an interactive element. Additionally, some embodiments may include automatically linking tracking data to the interactive element for analytics and reporting. |
| US09785322B2 |
Encapsulated interactive secondary digital media program, synchronized and associated with a discrete primary audio or video program
There is disclosed an apparatus and method including accessing data comprising a primary program comprising media suitable for linear playback, enabling access to a secondary program, made up of a plurality of channels and associated with the primary program, the secondary program time-synchronized to the primary program, and accepting user interaction identifying at least one of the plurality of channels for playback in synchronicity with the primary program. The method further includes accepting user interaction including configuration characteristics of the playback of the at least one of the plurality of channels on one or more displays, and enabling playback of the primary program in conjunction with the at least one of the plurality of channels as directed by the configuration characteristics. |
| US09785317B2 |
Presentation and analysis of user interaction data
An interactive, graph-based user interaction data analysis system is disclosed. The system is configured to provide analysis and graphical visualizations of user interaction data to a system operator. In various embodiments, interactive visualizations and analyzes provided by the system may be based on user interaction data aggregated across particular groups of users, across particular time frames, and/or from particular computer-based platforms and/or applications. According to various embodiments, the system may enable insights into, for example, user interaction patterns and/or ways to optimize for desired user interactions, among others. In an embodiment, the system allows an operator to analyze and investigate user interactions with content provided via one or more computer-based platforms, software applications, and/or software application editions. |
| US09785314B2 |
Systems and methods for displaying an animation to confirm designation of an image for sharing
Techniques to allow for ease of use of a photo browsing interface of a social networking system. In an embodiment, a designation of a first image for sharing is received from within a view. A first animation indicating that the first image has been designated for sharing is displayed. The displaying may comprise miniaturizing a copy of the first image. The miniaturizing may proceed from a first location within the view to a second location within the view. The first location may be associated with at least one of a center of the view and an option to designate the first image for sharing. The second location may be associated with a message compose option. |
| US09785312B1 |
Database searching based on user-definable parameters
A method of evaluating data in a database, the method including causing a workstation to display a graphical user interface which a user can use to create a screening rule by defining at least one screening condition and by entering a score, whether the score is applied to evaluate data in the database if the screening condition is met, whereby no knowledge of a programming language is required to create the screening rule. Other systems and methods are also provided. |
| US09785311B2 |
Dynamically organizing applications based on a calendar event
A method for dynamically organizing applications based on a calendar event includes presenting a plurality of icons on an electronic display of a mobile device. Each icon of the plurality of icons represents an application configured to execute on the mobile device. The method further includes identifying an upcoming calendar event on a calendar linked to the mobile device and determining if there is a correlation between the application and the calendar event by comparing one or more characteristics of the application to one or more characteristics of the calendar event. The method also includes positioning the plurality of icons on the electronic display according to the determined correlation between the application and the calendar event such that icons representing applications having a positive correlation to the calendar event are positioned to be more visible than icons representing applications that do not have a positive correlation to the calendar event. |
| US09785310B2 |
Control of addition of representations to an application launcher
Techniques to control addition of representations to an application launcher are described. In one or more implementations, an input is received by a computing device to add a representation of an application or content to the application launcher of the computing device. The application launcher has a plurality of representations of applications or content that are selectable to navigate to a user interface corresponding with a respective application or content and are assigned into respective ones of a plurality of groups that together compose a plurality of linear arrangements of the groups. A location is controlled by the computing device at which to include the added representation in the application launcher based at least in part a determination of whether one of the plurality of groups is associated with a positional tag. |
| US09785309B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing a layered webpage
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are described herein that are configured to provide a web page with one or more additional layers allowing certain functionality to be performed without having to navigate away from the web page. One example embodiment may include a method for providing a page, the page comprising a main layer and one or more additional layers, displaying the main layer and one or more indications representing the one or more additional layers, receiving a selection of at least one of the one or more indications, and displaying the at least one of the one or more additional layers in conjunction with displaying the main layer, the at least one of the one or more additional layers configured to manipulate the main layer. |
| US09785307B1 |
Reorder and selection persistence of displayed objects
Providing a thumbnail view of a document or other dataset is disclosed. A user input data associated with a user interaction with a thumbnail as displayed in a viewer component is received via a user interface associated with a viewer component. A tracking data reflecting the interaction is stored in a local data structure. The tracking data stored in the local data structure is used to ensure that a thumbnail affected by the user input is displayed by the viewer component in a manner that reflects the user input. |
| US09785303B2 |
Scenario specialization of file browser
In a graphical user interface environment, a situational-specific browser may be used to provide contextually appropriate levels of information for files whose information is to be displayed. As different views of files are to be displayed, the browser may dynamically adjust its configuration to display different types of information, features and/or command options. Different views may be predefined, or new views may be dynamically created in response to user navigation. |
| US09785302B2 |
Inline display and preview of related information for elements in a document
Disclosed herein is a system and method for optimizing a developer's ability to find and navigate relevant documents, relationships, and other information related to an identifier in the code they are developing. An inline viewport is presented to the user in response to the user selecting an identifier in the code whereby the user is able to see relevant information related to the identifier in a spatially consistent location with the code they are investigating. Further, the developer has the ability to make changes to the code in the viewport without leaving the current editor. |
| US09785300B2 |
Touch detection method and device
A touch detection method and device are provided. The method includes: obtaining coordinates of a point associated with touch points; obtaining distances between the touch points in a direction of an axis to be measured; determining indeterminate coordinates of the touch points based on the coordinates of the point associated with the touch points and the distances between the touch points in the direction of the axis to be measured; and determining actual coordinates of the touch points according to the indeterminate coordinates of the touch points. The device includes: an associated point determining unit, adapted for obtaining coordinates of a point associated with touch points; a distance determining unit, adapted for obtaining distances between the touch points in a direction of an axis to be measured; an indeterminate coordinate determining unit, adapted for determining indeterminate coordinates of the touch points based on the coordinates of the point associated with the touch points and the distances between the touch points in the direction of the axis to be measured; and an actual coordinate determining unit, adapted for determining actual coordinates of the touch points according to the indeterminate coordinates of the touch points. |
| US09785299B2 |
Structures and manufacturing methods for glass covered electronic devices
The disclosure is directed to electronic device displays which are constructed to withstand damage from an impact resistance test wherein a steel ball of 2 g having a diameter of 8 mm is dropped from a designated height greater than 1 ft, more preferably greater than 2 ft, even more preferably greater than 3 ft, still even more preferably greater than 4 ft, yet even more preferably greater than 5 ft and even more preferably greater than 6 ft. The displays are configured using, for example, ultrathin glass adhered to a base glass, wherein the adhesive layer is optimized for thinness and stiffness. |
| US09785296B2 |
Force enhanced input device with shielded electrodes
An input device includes an input surface and a first substrate mechanically coupled to the input surface. The first substrate includes a first plurality of sensor electrodes configured to detect an input force applied by an input object to the input surface. The input device further includes a conductive material disposed between the input surface and the first plurality of sensor electrodes. The conductive material shields the first plurality of sensor electrodes from effects of the input object in a sensing region of the input device. The input device further includes a second substrate mechanically coupled to the first substrate. The second substrate includes a second plurality of sensor electrodes configured to detect a location of an input object at the input surface. |
| US09785294B2 |
Accuracy in a capacitive sense array
A sense array having at least 3 sets of sense elements disposed substantially parallel with each other, with one of the sense elements of the first set extends between two of the sense elements of the second set and another one of the sense elements of the first set extends between two of the sense elements of the third set. |
| US09785292B2 |
Variable-pitch tracking for touch sensors
In one embodiment, a touch sensor includes a first set of tracks configured to electrically couple a first set of connection pads of the touch sensor to a first set of electrodes of the touch sensor. At least a portion of the first set of tracks extends in a direction, and at least one of the tracks in the first set of tracks has two or more different pitches at two or more different points along the extent of the first set of tracks. The touch sensor also includes a second set of tracks configured to electrically couple a second set of connection pads of the touch sensor to a second set of electrodes of the touch sensor. At least a portion of the second set of tracks extends in the direction and adjacent to the extent of the first set of tracks. |
| US09785287B2 |
Optical coupling in touch-sensing systems
A touch-sensitive aparatus operates by light frustration (FTIR) and comprises a light transmissive panel (1) with a front surface (5) and a rear surface (6). Light emitters (2) are optically coupled to the panel (1) at entry ports along a periphery region of the panel (1), and light detectors (3) are optically coupled to the panel (1) at exit ports along the periphery region for detecting light transmitted inside the panel (1). At least one optical sheet (20) is provided on the rear surface (6) in the periphery region. In an outcoupling installation, the light detectors (3) are arranged at the respective optical sheet (20) to receive, on a respective light-sensitive surface (3A); light from the optical sheet (20), and each light detector (3) is arranged with the light-sensitive surface (3A) essentially perpendicular to the rear surface (6). In an incoupling installation, each light emitter (2) is arranged at the respective optical sheet (20) to emit diverging light with a main direction that is essentially parallel to the rear surface (6) such that a portion of the diverging light impinges on the optical sheet (20) so as to define a respective entry port. |
| US09785280B2 |
Touch driving circuit, display device and driving method thereof
The present disclosure provides a touch driving circuit for providing driving signals to touch driving electrodes of a touch panel in a touch phase. The touch driving circuit includes a plurality of cascaded touch shift register units. The number of the touch shift register units is same as the number of columns of the touch driving electrodes. The touch driving circuit further includes a plurality of switching units corresponding to the plurality of touch shift register units. The switching unit includes a driving signal input terminal, a control terminal and a driving signal output terminal. When the touch shift register unit outputs a high level signal, the switching unit connects the driving signal input terminal and the driving signal output terminal. Correspondingly, the present disclosure further provides a display device and a driving method thereof. |
| US09785275B2 |
Contact discrimination using a tilt angle of a touch-sensitive surface
A computing device receives electronic data generated by a touch-sensitive surface in response to a contact made with the touch-sensitive surface, and a tilt sensor detects a tilt angle of the touch-sensitive surface. The tilt angle is indicative of an angular displacement between a reference plane defined by the touch-sensitive surface in a reference position and a current plane defined by the touch-sensitive surface in a current position. A parameter or other aspect of an automated contact discriminating process is modified based at least in part on the detected tilt angle of the touch-sensitive surface. The contact discriminating process determines whether the contact made with the touch-sensitive surface is intentional or not intentional. In response to determining that the contact is intentional, the electronic data is accepted as valid input for further processing. In response to determining that the contact is not intentional, the electronic data is rejected for further processing. |
| US09785274B2 |
Input device having a lowerable touch-sensitive surface
An input device is provided that includes a touch-sensitive surface, and an attachment structure for attaching the surface. The surface is assigned a plane, wherein the attachment structure is configured to allow a displacement of the surface along an axis perpendicular to the assigned plane. The surface can assume a first position and, by displacement, a second position that is different from the first. |
| US09785271B2 |
Gate drive circuit, cascade gate drive circuit and method for driving cascade gate drive circuit
A gate drive circuit, includes a driving transistor and a switching transistor. A gate electrode of the switching transistor is configured to receive first switching signal. A first electrode of the switching transistor is configured to receive second switching signal. A second electrode of the switching transistor is connected to gate electrode of the driving transistor. A first electrode of driving transistor is configured to receive first control signal, and a second electrode of driving transistor is connected to output terminal. During display period, the first control signal is display scanning signal, the first switching signal switches the switching transistor off, the driving transistor is switched on and the driving transistor outputs the display scanning signal. During touch-control period, the first control signal is touch scanning signal, the first switching signal switches the switching transistor on, the second switching signal switches the driving transistor on, and the driving transistor outputs the touch scanning signal. |
| US09785267B2 |
Display apparatus, display system, and control method
A display apparatus includes a display section that displays a displayed image on a display surface based on an original image, an imaging section that captures the displayed image displayed on the display surface by the display section, a generation section that generates a difference image representing a difference between a captured image produced by the imaging section that captures the displayed image and the original image, and an instruction section that instructs the display apparatus to take a predetermined action based on a temporal change in the difference image generated by the generation section. |
| US09785266B2 |
Remote control method and apparatus
A method relates to the field of multimedia technologies, and in particular, to a remote control method and apparatus, which are used to implement remote control on a terminal, includes obtaining a presentation image, where the presentation image is an image used to present an operation performed on a terminal, detecting a presentation screen picture in the presentation image according to detection parameter information of the terminal, where the presentation screen picture is a screen picture of the terminal in the presentation image, determining a mapping relationship between a pixel on the presentation screen picture and a pixel on a display screen of the terminal according to parameter information of the presentation screen picture and screen parameter information of the terminal, and controlling the terminal according to information about an operation by a user on the presentation screen picture, and the mapping relationship. |
| US09785264B2 |
Touch filtering through virtual areas on a touch screen
According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a touch controller includes a touch frame processing component adapted to receive sensor signals containing information about a touch point on a touch screen. The touch frame processing component processes the sensor signals to generate touch information associated with each touch point. A touch coordinate processing component is coupled to receive touch information from the touch frame processing component and includes virtual area parameters that define a plurality of virtual areas on the touch screen. The touch coordinate processing component is operable to identify which one of the plurality of virtual areas contains the current touch point and to report or filter the current touch point as a function of the identified virtual area. |
| US09785261B2 |
Near field communications (NFC)-based active stylus
Described herein are architectures, platforms and methods for NFC-based operations in a stylus device. |
| US09785257B2 |
Shape changing device
In some examples, a device to facilitate prevention or alleviation of a repetitive motion disorder may include a physical interface and a motor. The physical interface may include a size, a shape, an orientation, and a position. The motor may be operably coupled to the physical interface. The motor may be configured to automatically change at least one of the size, the shape, the orientation, or the position of at least a portion of the physical interface ergonomically and repeatedly during use of the device to facilitate prevention or alleviation of the repetitive motion disorder. |
| US09785255B2 |
Apparatus for controlling contents of a computer-generated image using three dimensional measurements
A method for controlling movement of a computer display cursor based on a point-of-aim of a pointing device within an interaction region includes projecting an image of a computer display to create the interaction region. At least one calibration point having a predetermined relation to said interaction region is established. A pointing line is directed to substantially pass through the calibration point while measuring a position of and an orientation of the pointing device. The pointing line has a predetermined relationship to said pointing device. Movement of the cursor is controlled within the interaction region using measurements of the position of and the orientation of the pointing device. |
| US09785253B2 |
Pointing device using camera and outputting mark
Pointing device like mouse or joystick comprises camera for capturing the display screen and image processing means for recognizing and tracking the pointing cursor icon or mark from the captured image and producing the pointing signal. The pointing device of present invention can be used with any type of display without and additional tracking means like ultra sonic sensor, infrared sensor or touch sensor. The pointing device of present invention includes mark outputting portion, camera portion for capturing the said mark outputting portion and image processing portion for recognizing the said mark outputting portion from the captured image and producing the pointing signal. |
| US09785248B2 |
Display device and method for driving the same
A display device and a method for driving the same are disclosed. The display device includes a display unit configured to display a pointer and a controller configured to differently control a motion of the pointer corresponding to a moving distance of a pointing part depending on a distance from the pointing part inputting a gesture command. |
| US09785247B1 |
Systems and methods of tracking moving hands and recognizing gestural interactions
The technology disclosed relates to relates to providing command input to a machine under control. It further relates to gesturally interacting with the machine. The technology disclosed also relates to providing monitoring information about a process under control. The technology disclosed further relates to providing biometric information about an individual. The technology disclosed yet further relates to providing abstract features information (pose, grab strength, pinch strength, confidence, and so forth) about an individual. |
| US09785245B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program for recognizing a gesture
Provided is an image processing apparatus including a hand shape recognition unit that performs hand shape recognition on an input image to detect a position and a size of a hand with a specific shape in the input image, a determination region setting unit that sets a region in a vicinity of the hand on the input image as a determination region used to recognize a gesture performed using the hand, based on the position and the size of the hand, and a gesture recognition unit that recognizes the gesture by monitoring movement of the hand to the determination region. |
| US09785244B2 |
Image projection apparatus, system, and image projection method
An image projection apparatus includes a projection unit configured to project an image onto a projection target; a recognition unit configured to recognize an instruction action for the image being projected by the projection unit; a storage control unit configured to store correspondence information in which multiple instruction actions are associated with image output controls, respectively, for each type of image in a storage device; a determination unit configured to determine, on the basis of the type of the image being projected by the projection unit, correspondence information for image output control; and a projection control unit configured to perform, on the basis of the correspondence information determined by the determination unit and the instruction action recognized by the recognition unit, image projection control corresponding to the image output control that is associated with the instruction action. |
| US09785242B2 |
Multipurpose controllers and methods
Method and apparatus is disclosed for a user to communicate with an electronic device. A processor receives user intention actions comprising facial expression (FE) information indicative of facial expressions and body information indicative of motion or position of one or more body parts of the user. When the FE or body information crosses a first level, the processor starts generating first signals based on the FE or body information to communicate with the electronic device. When the FE or body information crosses a second level, the processor can end generation of the first signals or modify the first signals. An image processing or eye gaze tracking system can provide some FE information or body information. The signals can modify attributes of an object of interest. |
| US09785236B2 |
Haptic interface for portable electronic device
The application includes an apparatus connectable with a portable electronic and/or consumer electronics device that provides haptic information and/or feedback to a user of the portable electronic device. The apparatus may include one or more acousto-haptic transducers that provide at least one of audio and haptic output to a user of the portable electronic device. Systems and methods also provide a vibrating membrane or waveguide that transfers haptic or vibrational feedback to a user that touches the membrane using, for example, their finger. The membrane may be transparent, allowing the membrane to be overlaid over a touch screen, keypad, and/or keyboard to provide haptic feedback to a user as the user types on the touch screen. In this way, a user can continue to view the touch screen or display of a media device while experiencing haptic sensations from the vibrating membrane. |
| US09785234B2 |
Analysis of ambient light for gaze tracking
Technologies for gaze tracking by ambient light include a mobile compute device to capture a first image of a user of the mobile compute device by a first camera and a second image of a real-world environment of the mobile compute device by a second camera. The mobile compute device determines a physical location of a light source relative to the mobile compute device based on the second image and identifies a first and second corneal reflection in an eye of the user captured in the first image. The mobile compute device determines, based on the physical location, a first correspondence between the first corneal reflection and the light source and a second correspondence between the second corneal reflection and an image displayed on a display of the mobile compute device. Further, the mobile compute device performs gaze tracking based on the first correspondence and the second correspondence. |
| US09785232B2 |
Method of displaying content and electronic device for processing the same
A method in an electronic device comprises when a display unit is deformed, determining a display area visible to a user, and displaying content on the confirmed display area. An apparatus for displaying content on an electronic device comprises a processing circuit configured to detect that a flexible display unit is bended, recognize at least a part of a user's body, determine which display area is visible to the user based on the user position; and move at least part of content on the visible display area. |
| US09785231B1 |
Head worn display integrity monitor system and methods
A head worn display system (e.g., helmet mounted (HMD) display system, and an eye wear mounted display system,) can include a combiner, a head position sensor and a computer. The computer provides symbology in response to first sensor input values associated with the head position. The symbology can be conformal with a real world scene. A monitoring system includes a redundant head position sensor for providing second sensor input values associated with head position. The computer monitors for positional accuracy of the symbology by comparing symbology calculated using the first and second input sensor values or by using an inverse function to compare sensor values. |
| US09785230B2 |
Locomotion system and apparatus
A locomotion system for use with a virtual environment technology includes a platform configured to support a user, a harness support assembly coupled to the platform and extending upwardly from the platform, and a safety harness configured to be worn by the user. The harness support assembly includes a support halo positioned above the platform and extending about a vertical central axis. The safety harness includes an interface structure moveably coupled to the support halo. |
| US09785229B1 |
Digital media resource messaging
A digital media resource messaging system provides a convenient digital media resource viewing, managing, organizing, and editing platform that facilitates enhanced resource exchange by storing and forwarding digital media resources via a server between multiple resource-sharing partners designated by the user. In one embodiment, the digital media resource messaging system includes services to view, manage, organize, edit, and exchange digital images and video sequences. |
| US09785218B2 |
Performance state selection for low activity scenarios
A power management controller tracks the idle state of a compute unit and compares the tracked idle state with a first threshold. If the tracked idle state is above the first threshold a power state of the compute unit is limited to a low power state so that the power state does not rise due to activity that occurs in low utilization scenarios. The tracked idle state is compared to a second threshold and if the tracked idle state is below the second threshold, indicating that the compute unit is not in a low utilization scenario, a limit on the power state is removed and the power state of the compute unit is allowed to rise. |
| US09785216B2 |
Management apparatus and power management method
A power management apparatus and a power management method are provided. The method includes the following steps. Conduct a first current path during a first period. Provide a first voltage to an operation end when the first current path conducts and a microprocessor is disabled. The first voltage is used to selectively conduct a second path during the first period. Provide a second voltage to the microprocessor when the second current path conducts. The second voltage is used to turn on the microprocessor. Provide a third voltage to the operation end by the microprocessor when the microprocessor is turned on. The third voltage is used to keep the second current path conducted. |
| US09785213B2 |
Addressable electrical outlets
Smart Appliances are defined that assist in reducing energy consumption or cost. The Smart Appliances communicate with Smart Energy sources via the power lines and in particular by injecting communications signals between the live plus neutral power lines on the one hand and the ground line on the other hand, the communications protocol allowing a power source to identify the electrical circuit to which an appliance is connected and thereby to route a selected type of power to the appliance on the correct electrical circuit for that appliance.An addressable electrical outlet is also disclosed as one form of Smart Appliance. |
| US09785210B2 |
Household appliance having a controller for an electrical energy supply network having an associated data network and method for operating a controller of a household appliance on said energy supply network
A household appliance includes a controller operating on an energy supply network having a data network for exchanging data via the energy supply network, wherein the network may include smart metering. The controller has a first control component embodies as a computer, a second control component for settings data, a third control component for operating data, and a fourth control component connected with the first control component and including a graph algorithm. The first control component determines data for controlling actuators from the settings data and the operating data. Through cooperation of the first control component, the fourth control component and the graph algorithm, the data from the data network for the household appliance are taken into account so as to allow operation of the household appliance always to continue. A corresponding method for operating such household appliance is also described. |
| US09785209B2 |
Thermal management in a computing device based on workload detection
Thermal management in a portable computing device differentiates between a temperature increase caused by a steady workload and a temperature increase caused by an instantaneous workload. If it is determined that a detected temperature increase is caused by a steady workload, then a configuration of thermal parameters is applied that optimizes thermal performance for a steady workload. If it is determined that a temperature increase is caused by an instantaneous workload increase, then a configuration of thermal parameters is applied that optimizes thermal performance for an instantaneous workload. |
| US09785207B1 |
Server
A server includes a main board, a plurality of first expanding modules, a plurality of second expanding modules, a plurality of third expanding modules and a management controlling board. The main board has a first edge, a second edge corresponding to the first edge, a first plane, a second plane corresponding to the first plane. The main board includes a plurality of hardware connectors disposed on the first plane and between the first edge and the second edge. The plurality of first expanding modules, the plurality of second expanding modules and the plurality of third expanding modules are all disposed on the second edge and on the first plane. Each of the first expanding modules has a first Ethernet connector and a plurality of first ports configured to connect to a first external server. Each of the second expanding modules has a plurality of second ports configured to connect to a second external server. The management controlling board is disposed on the second edge and on the second plane. The management controlling board has a plurality of second Ethernet connectors. |
| US09785199B2 |
One way clutch hinge for a base of a tablet computer
An information handling system includes a base, a hinge area, and a clutch device. The hinge area is in physical communication with the base, and includes a curved portion. The curved portion is to be placed in physical communication with a tablet computer when the tablet computer is in a first open position, and the hinge area is to hold the tablet computer in the first open position. The clutch device is located within the hinge area, and includes rollers, a shaft, and a clutch housing. A weight of the tablet computer is to exert a first torque on the clutch device. The rollers are to lock the clutch device in response to the first torque, and the clutch device locks in response to the rollers being placed in physical communication with both the shaft and the clutch housing. |
| US09785192B1 |
Deposit dissipating layer
Described in this disclosure is a surface configured to break down deposits thereon. The surface may include breakdown structures, oleophilic structures, and hydrophilic structures. The oleophilic structures and hydrophilic structures are configured to disperse a deposit, such as fingerprint residue, to the breakdown structures. This dispersion increases the surface area of the deposit with respect to the breakdown structures, increasing the contact area between the two. The breakdown structures modify the deposit physically, chemically, or both, such that fragments are distributed into the ambient environment. The surface may be applied to portable electronic devices. |
| US09785188B1 |
System for integrated magnetic retention
A portable information handling system (IHS), including a housing having a main housing portion, a lid housing portion, and a hinge assembly rotatably coupling the main housing portion and the lid housing portion to rotate the lid housing portion through a plurality of angular positions relative to the main housing portion is disclosed. The plurality of positions include a closed position and a tablet position. The portable IHS further includes a lid magnet assembly in the lid housing portion including a point on the lid magnet assembly closest to the hinge assembly in the tablet position at a first position on a y-axis; and a main magnet assembly in the main housing portion including a point on the main magnet assembly closest to the hinge assembly in the tablet position at a second position on a y-axis, wherein the second position is approximately the same as the first position. |
| US09785186B2 |
Package system with cover structure and method of operation thereof
A package system includes: an exostructure; a ceramic panel attached to the exostructure; and an internal device component housed in the exostructure. |
| US09785184B2 |
Maintaining synchronization during vertical blanking
Embodiments of an apparatus for implementing a display port interface are disclosed. The apparatus may include a source processor and a sink processor coupled through an interface. The interface may include a primary link, an auxiliary link, and a hot plug detect link. The source processor may be operable to send a wake-up command to the sink processor via the auxiliary link. The source processor may send initialization parameters to the sink processor via the primary link. The initialization parameters may include a clock data recovery lock parameter and an idle parameter. Following the initialization parameters, the source processor may send a synchronization signal to the sink processor via the primary link. The source processor may then send a sleep command via the primary link to the sink processor. |
| US09785172B2 |
Switched capacitor DC-DC converter based distributed maximum power point tracking of partially shaded photovoltaic arrays
A method and system for implementing DMPP tracking of partially shaded/uniformly illuminated photovoltaic arrays using switched capacitor DC-DC converter is disclosed. Here, a dedicated SC converter is connected across each PV cell or PV module made of series connected PV cells wherein series connected modules make a PV string and parallel connected PV strings make up a PV array. This SC converter injects an equalization current across the PV module or PV cell so that the total current in the parallel combination of the PV module or PV cell and the corresponding SC converter is the same as the PV string current. In another implementation of DMPP tracking using SC converters, a dedicated SC converter is connected across each isolated PV module to perform MPP tracking of the respective PV module. Then all MPP tracking SC converter outputs are diode ORed to the common load. |
| US09785171B2 |
Apparatuses and related methods for staggering power-up of a stack of semiconductor dies
An apparatus including semiconductor dies in a stack. The semiconductor dies are configured to power-up in a staggered manner. Methods for powering up an electronic device include detecting a power-up event with the semiconductor dies in the stack, and responsive to the power-up event, powering up a first semiconductor die in the stack at a first time, and powering up a second semiconductor die in the stack at a second time that is different from the first time. |
| US09785170B2 |
Dispatcher training simulating device and operation method thereof
A dispatcher training simulating device includes an energy management system (EMS) actual measurement data loader configured to load EMS actual measurement data to the dispatcher training simulating device, an EMS actual measurement data initializing unit configured to calculate a power flow by adjusting a generator output in the loaded EMS actual measurement data, and generate initialized EMS actual measurement data based on whether the calculated power flow converges on a predetermined value, and a dispatcher training simulation providing unit configured to provide a dispatcher training simulation based on the initialized EMS actual measurement data. |
| US09785165B2 |
Voltage regulator with improved line regulation transient response
A significant reduction of the amplitude of the transient response is obtained by keeping a low dropout regulator circuit in a closed loop condition. This is achieved by manipulation of the reference voltage level when an open loop condition arises due to a falling input voltage. In this case, the reference voltage level is tracked with the input voltage level, keeping the output voltage regulated. As a consequence, the power pass element of the regulator is not forced into the linear region (in the case of a MOSFET) or deep saturation (in the case of a bipolar transistor). |
| US09785157B2 |
Method for controlling circuit modules within chip and associated system on chip
A method for controlling circuit modules within a chip is provided, wherein the circuit modules includes at least one processor and at least one network module, and the method includes: obtaining a plurality of temperature-related information of the circuit modules; and allocating power limits or throughput limits of the circuit modules according to the temperature-related information of the circuit modules, respectively. |
| US09785156B2 |
Motor control system, method, and device for changing control software for a vehicle cooling blower
A host controller is incorporated with a plurality of different pieces of control software which are applicable to a plurality of destinations for a cooling blower to cool a main battery incorporated in a vehicle. The host controller transmits a destination-signal request pattern for requesting a destination signal pattern to specify the determinations for the cooling blower, to a motor control device by a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal. Upon receiving the destination-signal request pattern, the motor control device transmits the destination signal pattern to the host controller. The host controller specifies one of the destinations for the cooling blower from the received destination signal pattern, and then changes over the control software to the control software applicable to the specified destination for the cooling blower. |
| US09785154B2 |
Reconfigurable modular fluid flow control system for liquids or gases
The embodiments herein discloses a linear seal system for interconnecting flow controller modules in a fluid flow controller. The system comprises a flow sensing module is coupled to an inlet connection module to measure a fluid flow rate to generate a sensor output signal. A flow control valve module is coupled to the flow sensing module to provide a user desired flow rate through an outlet connection module. An electronic control system is configured to regulate an operation of the flow sensing module and the flow control valve module based on the command signal to achieve a desired flow rate. A linear track system provided to support all the modules in a linear arrangement, includes a dovetail locking configuration. The linear track has two rod/screws to compress the seals between the modules. |
| US09785145B2 |
Controlling driving modes of self-driving vehicles
A computer-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product controls a driving mode of a self-driving vehicle (SDV). Sensor readings describe a current condition of a roadway, which is part of a planned route of a self-driving vehicle (SDV). One or more processors compare a control processor competence level of the on-board SDV control processor that autonomously controls the SDV to a human driver competence level of a human driver in controlling the SDV under the current condition of the roadway. One or more processors then selectively assign control of the SDV to the on-board SDV control processor or to the human driver based on which of the control processor competence level and the human driver competence level is relatively higher to the other. |
| US09785144B2 |
Method and device for automatically managing air operations requiring a guarantee of navigation and guidance performance of an aircraft
Method and device for automatically managing air operations requiring a guarantee of navigation and guidance performance of an aircraft. The device for automatically managing at least one air operation comprises activatable monitoring of the air operation, a computation unit configured to automatically calculate an anticipated activation point as a function of the application point of the air operation, this anticipated activation point being defined upstream of the application point in the direction of flight of the aircraft, and an activation unit configured to automatically activate monitoring and a display when the aircraft reaches, during its flight, the anticipated activation point. |
| US09785141B2 |
Method, system, and computer program product for schematic driven, unified thermal and electromagnetic interference compliance analyses for electronic circuit designs
Disclosed are methods and systems for by identifying or generating an electrical schematic, generating a thermal schematic by associating thermal RC circuits of the electronic design with the electrical schematic, performing at least two analyses of an electrical analysis, a thermal analysis, and an electromagnetic interference compliance (EMC) analysis with the electrical schematic and the thermal schematic of the electronic design. The electrical, thermal, and EMC analyses may be performed concurrently by forwarding intermediate or final analysis results to each other, and the analysis results may be presented simultaneously in one or more user interface windows. The thermal schematic may be obtained by extracting the thermal RC circuits, identifying corresponding electrical circuit components that correspond to the extracted thermal RC circuits, and importing the thermal RC circuits into the electrical schematic so that the electrical and thermal schematics have the same nodes. |
| US09785139B2 |
Working machine feed axis control method and feed axis control device
A working machine feed axis control device: disposes a velocity feedback loop and forms a cascade coupling on the inner side of a location feedback loop; comprises a velocity gain setting apparatus (30) which multiplies the output of the velocity feedback look by a first gain (kv), and a location gain setting apparatus (31) which multiplies the output of the location feedback loop by a second gain (kp); subtracts the output of the velocity gain setting apparatus (30) and the output of the location gain setting apparatus (31) from a torque instruction (τ); and outputs the remaining torque instruction (τ) to a subject to be controlled (27). |
| US09785137B2 |
Five-axis flank milling system for machining curved surface and toolpath planning method thereof
This invention provides a novel tool path planning method for five-axis flank milling by imposing the constraints of curve interpolation on the tool path. The tool motion is described in the form of spline curves during its optimization-driven calculation process, instead of discrete cutter locations in CNC linear interpolation. The coefficients of the curve equations are generated by minimizing accumulated geometrical errors on the machined surface using optimization algorithms. The continuity imposed by the spline motion reduces uneven modifications of cutter locations during the optimization process. The resultant tool path yields superior. |
| US09785136B2 |
PCH thermal sensor dynamic shutdown
Particular embodiments described herein provide for a system, such as a computing system, that includes a processor operable to execute instructions associated with the electronic code, a thermal sensor operable to measure a temperature associated with a device, and a controller in communication with the thermal sensor. The controller is configured to receive an activity status associated with the processor, and receiving a temperature output value representative of a measured temperature associated with the device from the thermal sensor. The controller is further configured to provide a disable signal to the thermal sensor based upon the activity status indicating that the processor is in a reduced activity state and that the temperature output value is less than or equal to a predetermined temperature threshold value. |
| US09785122B2 |
Alarm clock with charging ports
An alarm clock is provided that has a housing, one or more charging ports, an audio transducer, an alarm control device, a display, and a controller. The charging ports are mounted in a surface of the housing and provide power from a power supply to an external device. The controller receives input signals from the alarm control device and sends output signals to the audio transducer and the display. When the controller receives input signals from the alarm control device, it responds by displaying and setting a desired alarm time on the display, and by arming an alarm function. While the alarm function is armed, if a current time matches the alarm time, the controller causes the audio transducer to emit an alarm sound. When the controller receives another input signal from the alarm control device, it responds by taking the alarm time off the display, disarming the alarm function, and, if the alarm sound is being emitted, quieting the alarm sound. The alarm function remains disarmed until the controller receives yet another input signal from the alarm control device, and in response rearms the alarm function. |
| US09785121B2 |
Athletic watch
A device for monitoring athletic performance of a user has a wristband configured to be worn by the user. The electronic module may include a controller and a screen and a plurality of user inputs operably associated with the controller. The user inputs may include a user input configured to be applied by the user against the screen and in a direction generally normal to the screen. The controller may further be configured to generate one or more user interfaces in response to various user inputs and conditions. For example, the controller may generate workout mode interfaces and non-workout mode interfaces including various goal information, workout data, reminders and the like. In one or more arrangements, multiple types of information may be displayed simultaneously. |
| US09785119B2 |
Multiview display screen and multiview mobile device using same
A multiview 3D wrist watch includes clock circuitry to determine a time, and a plurality of light sources to generate a plurality of input planar lightbeams. A directional backplane having a plurality of directional pixels scatters the plurality of input planar lightbeams into a plurality of directional lightbeams. Each directional lightbeam has a direction and an angular spread controlled by characteristics of a directional pixel in the plurality of directional pixels. A shutter layer receives the time from the clock circuitry and modulates the plurality of directional lightbeams to generate a 3D time view. |
| US09785117B2 |
Motor drive device and electronic timepiece
A motor drive device includes a driver unit configured to be connected to a stepping motor, and a controller connected to the driver unit. The controller causes the driver unit to output a drive pulse to the stepping motor for causing the stepping motor to rotate stepwise in a prescribed rotation direction. The controller detects, through the driver unit, a current induced by a counter-electromotive force generated in the stepping motor in response to the drive pulse. The controller causes the driver unit to apply a counter pulse having the same electrical polarity as the drive pulse to the stepping motor so as to suppress an amount of the current induced by the counter-electromotive force when the stepping motor is not rotating in response to the drive pulse so that the amount of the induced current detectably differs between when the stepping motor is rotating and not rotating. |
| US09785116B2 |
Timepiece regulating mechanism with magnetically synchronized rotating arms
A timepiece regulating mechanism including an escape wheel set subjected to a drive torque, and at least one resonator including a rigid structure connected to a plate by an elastic return and carrying at least one inertia arm cooperating with this escape wheel set via magnetically and/or electrically charged tracks comprised both in this inertia arm and in this escape wheel set, to form a synchronizing device between the escape wheel set and the resonator, and the synchronizing device is protected from loss of synchronization in the event of an accidental torque increase by a mechanical anti-desynchronization mechanism including mechanical escapement stops carried by the escape wheel set, and at least one mechanical inertia arm stop, carried by the inertia arm, and together arranged to maintain stopped in abutment in such event. |
| US09785115B2 |
Timepiece movement comprising a date correction mechanism
A timepiece movement including a first lever bearing a first drive wheel, a second lever bearing a second wheel for time setting, and a third lever bearing a date correction mechanism. The third lever is mounted to pivot on the second lever and arranged to move between a meshing position, in which the date correction mechanism cooperates with the date display mechanism, and a retraction position, in which the date correction mechanism is disconnected from the date display mechanism. The first and second levers are arranged to occupy at least one date correction position, in which the first drive wheel is kinematically connected to the date correction mechanism and is not kinematically connected to the second wheel for time setting, and a time setting position, in which the first drive wheel is kinematically connected to the second wheel for time setting and is not kinematically connected to the date correction mechanism, wherein the position of the second lever is modified by cooperation between the first lever and the second lever. |
| US09785113B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an optical system unit and an attachment board. The optical system unit forms an electrostatic latent image by irradiating an image bearing member with light. The optical system unit is attached to the attachment board. The attachment board includes a mounting surface, a first recess portion, and a second recess portion. The optical system unit is mounted on the mounting surface. The first recess portion and the second recess portion are provided in the mounting surface to form air paths. The first recess portion is located below a lower surface of the optical system unit, extending in a first direction. The second recess portion is located below the lower surface of the optical system unit, extending in a direction different from the first direction and crossing the first recess portion. |
| US09785111B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method for controlling an image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus, including a photosensitive member, a charger configured to charge the photosensitive member, a developer roller configured to contact the photosensitive member and supply a developer agent to the photosensitive member, a humidity sensor configured to detect humidity, and a controller is provided. The controller is configured to a voltage-application controlling process, in which the controller controls the photosensitive member and the developer roller to rotate, applies a charger-voltage to the charger, and applies a developer-voltage to the developer roller. In the voltage-application controlling process, the controller controls a voltage difference between the charger-voltage and the developer-voltage based on a peripheral velocity ratio of the developer roller with respect to the photosensitive member and the humidity. |
| US09785109B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a fixed contact point and a movable contact point. The fixed contact point is provided in a unit side opposing part. A movable contact point is provided in a rail side opposing part. The rail side opposing part is formed with an opening. The movable contact point is a contact spring formed of an electrical conductive wire. The movable contact point has a fixing part, a contact part and a pull-out prevention part. The fixing part is fixed to the rail on an opposite side to the rail side opposing part. The contact part is biased with respect to the fixing part to protrude toward the fixed contact point through the opening. The pull-out prevention part restricts a protruding position of the contact part toward the fixed contact point. The pull-out prevention part is formed into a spiral shape. |
| US09785107B2 |
Frame including a post and a stay and image forming apparatus including said frame
A frame for an image forming apparatus includes a first side plate and a second side plate, a post, and a stay. The post includes a first side portion which is a surface opposing the first side plate and which includes a first fastening portion to which the first side plate is fastened, and a second side portion which is formed by being bent from the first side portion in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first side portion and which includes a second fastening portion, to which the stay is fastened, positioned at a height different from a height of the first fastening portion with respect to the vertical direction. The second side portion is continuously formed at least from the first fastening portion to the second fastening portion with respect to the vertical direction. |
| US09785104B2 |
Printing system with creasing control, control method thereof, control apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
A printing system includes a control unit configured to control an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet based on print setting information included in received job setting information, control a post-processing unit to execute a post-process corresponding to a designated type, and control a creasing unit. |
| US09785101B2 |
Fixing device having slider to polish and finish fixing rotator
A fixing device includes a fixing rotator and a slider that slides over the fixing rotator. A cam presses the slider against the fixing rotator. The cam includes a cam rear disposed opposite a rear end of the fixing rotator in an axial direction thereof and a cam front disposed opposite a front end of the fixing rotator in the axial direction thereof. A controller rotates the cam to a first slide position where the cam rear presses the slider against the fixing rotator, a second slide position where the cam rear and the cam front press the slider against the fixing rotator, a third slide position where the cam front presses the slider against the fixing rotator, and an isolation position where the cam rear and the cam front do not press the slider against the fixing rotator. |
| US09785099B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a first forming unit that forms a first image with a substantially flat toner containing a substantially flat metal pigment on a moving movable body; a second forming unit that forms a second image with a substantially non-flat toner on the movable body; a transfer unit that forms a nip with the movable body while circulating and transfers the first image and the second image on a medium transported to the nip; a removing unit that includes a rotational body and removes the toners adhering to the transfer unit, the rotational body having an axis and being configured to rotate around the axis; and a controller that, if the controller causes the first forming unit to form the first image, stops the rotation of the rotational body around the axis. |
| US09785095B2 |
Roller member, sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus
A roller member includes an endless belt elastically deformable and configured to convey a sheet and a holding unit holding the endless belt. The holding unit includes a first holding portion being in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt, a second holding portion being in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the endless belt and movable with respect to the first holding portion, and an engage portion engaging with an engaged portion. The second holding portion is moved with respect to the first holding portion by resilient force of the endless belt in a state in which the second holding portion is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the endless belt in response to a disengagement of the engage portion from the engaged portion. |
| US09785088B2 |
Image forming apparatus including developer container, and the developer container
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a developing roller, a transfer section, a developer container, and a main unit. The image carrier has a surface for allowing an electrostatic latent image to be formed thereon, and carries a developed image. The developer container includes a container body having a side wall extending in a first direction, a container shutter, and a developer discharge port. The container shutter covers or exposes the developer discharge port. The main unit includes a housing and a guide mechanism. The developer container is mounted into the mounting section while being guided by the guide mechanism, and subsequently the container body of the developer container is rotated in a first rotational direction so that the developer discharge port communicates with the developer supply port and the side wall of the developer container is oblique to the vertical plane at an angle. |
| US09785087B2 |
Developer container, developing apparatus, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus
A frame including an opening and configured to store a developer, a seal member configured to seal the opening, and an unsealing member including a fixing portion to which the seal member is bonded or welded are included, and by movement of the unsealing member the seal member is removed from the frame to open the opening. |
| US09785084B2 |
Image forming apparatus that ensures setting surface potential of photoreceptor drum with simple constitution
An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a photoreceptor drum, a charging apparatus, a developing device, a transfer apparatus, a charging bias applying unit, a developing bias applying unit, a bias adjusting unit, and a print density measurement unit. The bias adjusting unit controls the charging bias applying unit to form a plurality of electric potential areas of electric potentials with different magnitudes. The bias adjusting unit applies a predetermined developing bias corresponding to a target electric potential to the developing roller, so as to form a plurality of toner images by electric potential differences between the developing bias and the plurality of electric potential areas. The bias adjusting unit decides a value of a charging bias corresponding to the target electric potential from measurement results of print densities of the plurality of toner images measured by the print density measurement unit. |
| US09785083B2 |
Image forming apparatus including bearing configured to rotatably support charging member which comes into contact with or separates from image carrier
An image forming apparatus includes a unit and an apparatus main body. The unit includes a charging member configured to charge an image carrier and a bearing configured to rotatably support the charging member. To the apparatus main body, the unit is attached along an attachment direction. The bearing is switchable between a contact posture to make the charging member come into contact with the image carrier and a separating posture to make the charging member separate from the image carrier. In a state before the unit is attached to the apparatus main body, the bearing is held in the separating posture. As the unit is attached to the apparatus main body, a pressing part arranged on the apparatus main body presses the bearing and the bearing is switched from the separating posture to the contact posture. |
| US09785079B2 |
Digital printing apparatus and digital printing process
A digital printing apparatus using liquid toner comprising carrier liquid, a dispersing agent and imaging particles, the apparatus comprising: an imaging member adapted to sustain a pattern of electric charge forming a latent image on its surface; a development member arranged to receive a quantity of liquid toner; and to develop said latent image by transferring a portion of said quantity of liquid toner onto said imaging member in accordance with said pattern; a melting unit arranged downstream of the imaging member and configured to melt imaging particles of a transferred part of the portion of liquid toner, said part being transferred from the imaging member, wherein there is provided a dispersing capacity modification unit downstream of the imaging member, said dispersing capacity modification unit being configured for reducing the dispersing capacity of the dispersing agent in the transferred part of the portion of liquid toner. |
| US09785077B2 |
Toner
The present invention provides a toner having a toner particle that contains a binder resin and an organic silicon polymer, wherein the organic silicon polymer has a specific structure, the proportion of the specific structure to the number of a silicon atom in the organic silicon polymer contained in the toner particle is at least 5.0%, the toner particle contain a polyester resin of from at least 1.0% by mass to less than 80% by mass, and the polyester resin is a specific polymer. |
| US09785075B2 |
Toner, developer, image forming apparatus, and process cartridge
Provided is a toner containing a binder resin. The binder resin contains a crystalline resin. The toner has a maximum endothermic peak temperature (P1) of from 50° C. to 80° C. and a total endothermic amount (Q) of from 35 J/g to 90 J/g at a first temperature elevation of differential scanning calorimetry. A ratio (Qp/Q) of a total endothermic amount (Qp) of the toner in a temperature range of from 20° C. to the maximum endothermic peak temperature (P1) to the total endothermic amount (Q) of the toner is from 0.65 to 0.83. |
| US09785073B2 |
Toner
A developer having low-temperature fixability and storage stability, and capable of prolonging the service life is provided. A toner includes a coloring agent, an amorphous polyester, a crystal line polyester, ester wax containing multiple ester compounds, each having a carbon number selected from 32 to 54, and hydrophobic silica having an average primary particle diameter of 8 to 35 nm. When the ion intensity ratio of each ester compound having a different carbon number is expressed as percentage, the content (a) of the ester compound having a carbon number of (Cn) showing the maximum intensity ratio is from 20 to 55% by weight of the entire ester wax, the sum (g) of the content (e) of the ester compound having a carbon number of (Cn+2) and the content (f) of the ester compound having a carbon number of (Cn+4) satisfies the following formula: 0.065≦g/a≦0.200. |
| US09785071B2 |
Toner and method for producing toner
The toner comprising a toner particle having a core-shell structure that contains a core containing an amorphous resin A and a crystalline resin and a shell containing an amorphous resin B, wherein the amorphous resin A contains a styrene-acrylic resin, the content of the styrene-acrylic resin is at least 50% by mass based on the total mass of the amorphous resin A, a degree of compatibility A between the amorphous resin A and the crystalline resin is at least 50% and not more than 100%, and a degree of compatibility B between the amorphous resin B and the crystalline resin is at least 0% and not more than 40%. |
| US09785066B2 |
Toner including microcapsules that contain a fragrant material
A toner includes a plurality of toner particles containing a binder resin and one or more microcapsules that contain a fragrant material. A ratio of a number of toner particles that contain at least one microcapsule in a region from a surface thereof to 1 μm in depth with respect to a total number of toner particles in the region is equal to or greater than 60%. |
| US09785064B2 |
Semi-crystalline consumable materials for electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system
A part material for printing three-dimensional parts with an electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system, the part material including a composition having a semi-crystalline thermoplastic material and a charge control agent. The part material is provided in a powder form having a controlled particle size, and is configured for use in the electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system having a layer transfusion assembly for printing the three-dimensional parts in a layer-by-layer manner. |
| US09785063B2 |
Liquid electrophotographic ink
The present disclosure discloses a liquid electrophotographic ink. The ink includes a liquid vehicle, an ethylene acid copolymer, and an ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid C1-10 alkyl ester copolymer. Also disclosed is a method for the manufacture that ink and a method for performing a liquid electrophotographic process by printing a substrate with the ink. |
| US09785061B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and in-line cleaning apparatus
A lithographic system includes an immersion type lithographic apparatus, which includes a support constructed and arranged to support a substrate, a projection system constructed and arranged to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the substrate, a liquid confinement structure configured to at least partially fill a space between the projection system and at least one of the substrate and support with an immersion liquid, a liquid supply system arranged to provide the immersion liquid to the liquid confinement structure, and a cleaning liquid supply system arranged to provide a cleaning liquid to a surface of the lithographic apparatus that comes into contact with the immersion liquid. The system includes a switch to provide the cleaning liquid directly to the liquid confinement structure and to provide the immersion liquid indirectly to the liquid confinement structure via a liquid purification system. |
| US09785059B2 |
Lateral shift measurement using an optical technique
Alignment of layers during manufacture of a multi-layer sample is controlled by applying optical measurements to a measurement site in the sample. The measurement site includes two diffractive structures located one above the other in two different layers, respectively. The optical measurements include at least two measurements with different polarization states of incident light, each measurement including illuminating the measurement site so as to illuminate one of the diffractive structures through the other. The diffraction properties of the measurement site are indicative of a lateral shift between the diffractive structures. The diffraction properties detected are analyzed for the different polarization states of the incident light to determine an existing lateral shift between the layers. |
| US09785052B2 |
Optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus and method of reducing image placement errors
A method of reducing image placement errors in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes providing a mask, a light sensitive layer and a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus which images features of the mask onto the light sensitive surface using projection light. Subsequently, image placement errors associated with an image of the features formed on the light sensitive surface are determined either by simulation or metrologically. Then an input state of polarization of the projection light is changed to an elliptical output state of polarization which is selected such that the image placement errors are reduced. |
| US09785050B2 |
Pulsed light beam spectral feature control
A system includes a first actuation module coupled to a first actuatable apparatus of an optical source, the first actuatable apparatus being altered by the first actuation module to adjust the spectral feature of the pulsed light beam; a second actuation module coupled to a second actuatable apparatus of the optical source, the second actuatable apparatus being altered by the second actuation module to adjust the spectral feature of the pulsed light beam; and a control system configured to receive an indication regarding the operating state of the first actuatable apparatus; and send a signal to the second actuation module to adjust the spectral feature of the pulsed light beam to either: prevent the first actuatable apparatus from saturating based on the operating state of the first actuatable apparatus, or desaturate the first actuatable apparatus if the first actuatable apparatus is saturated. |
| US09785047B2 |
Method and device for measuring large-area and massive scattered field in nanoscale
A device for measuring a large-area and massive scattered field in nanoscale. The device includes a polarization state generator disposed on an output optical path of a laser source, a polarization state analyzer operating to demodulate a polarized light beam emitted thereon, a first objective lens and a first lens disposed on an optical path of a sample stage, and a scanning mirror disposed on an optical path in front of or at the rear of the polarization state generator. |
| US09785045B2 |
Seamless projection screen for fast installation
Seamless display screens that are portable and can be installed in a fast manner, as well as a projection unit for use with several projectors as well as methods of making such display screens. The projection unit can be suitable for being used as a rear projection unit. Devices are provided for reducing depth of the projection unit, to compensate for blend zones and to make it easy to transport such as to be suitable for trade shows, e.g. mirrors or Fresnel lenses. |
| US09785036B2 |
Imaging system, lighting device, and control method
An imaging system includes a flash device that can automatically drive a movable unit provided with a light emitting unit to change an irradiating direction of the light emitting unit, and an imaging device. The imaging system includes a first distance measuring unit that measures a distance to an object, a correcting unit that corrects first distance information obtained by the first distance measuring unit performing measurement, and a calculating unit that calculates the irradiating direction of the light emitting unit based on the corrected first distance information, wherein the correcting unit corrects the first distance information in a direction in which the irradiating direction calculated by the calculating unit separates away from the object. |
| US09785026B2 |
Liquid crystal display device, liquid crystal display and method for darkening process of the same
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device, a liquid crystal display, a manufacturing method and a darkening process. The liquid crystal display includes a lower substrate provided with a lower common electrode, a scanning line, a data line, a pixel electrode and a TFT. A gate electrode of the TFT is connected with the scanning line. A source electrode of the TFT is connected with a data line. A drain electrode of the TFT is connected with the pixel electrode. Wherein, the lower common electrode has an extension portion. A connection line of the data line and the source electrode of the TFT is spaced apart from and overlapped with the extension portion. When executing a darkening process, the connection line is disconnected from the data line, and connecting the extension portion and the connection line. |
| US09785025B2 |
Pixel structure that increases response speed of liquid crystal
A pixel structure is provided to increase a response speed of liquid crystal and includes a first thin-film transistor, a second thin-film transistor, an upper substrate, a lower substrate opposite to the upper substrate, pixel electrodes arranged on the lower substrate, a common electrode arranged on the upper substrate, and assisting electrodes arranged on the lower substrate. The assisting electrodes are arranged to be each sandwiched between every two pixel electrodes. The first thin-film transistor includes a first drain terminal, a first source terminal, and a first gate terminal. The second thin-film transistor includes a second drain terminal, a second source terminal, and a second gate terminal. The pixel electrodes are electrically connected to the second drain terminal. The assisting electrodes are electrically connected to the first drain terminal. |
| US09785021B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
According to an aspect, a liquid crystal display device includes: a first substrate; a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates; pixels each including sub-pixels corresponding to different color areas; a first electrode in each sub-pixel; and a second electrode facing the first electrode. The first electrode includes an electrode base portion extending in a first direction; and a plurality of comb tooth portions extending in a second direction from the electrode base portion. A slit pitch of a sub-pixel in one color area and a slit pitch of a sub-pixel in the other color area of at least two color areas out of different color areas are different in size, each slit pitch corresponding to a gap between the comb tooth portions adjacent to each other. |
| US09785020B2 |
Liquid crystal display device having rectangular-shaped pixel electrodes overlapping with comb-shaped counter electrodes in plan view
The present invention realizes a bright image display by enhancing a numerical aperture of pixels. At least a portion of a pixel electrode is overlapped to a thin film transistor by way of a first insulation film, the pixel electrode is connected to an output electrode of the thin film transistor via a contact hole which is formed in the first insulation film, the counter electrode is arranged above the pixel electrode by way of a second insulation film in a state that the counter electrode is overlapped to the pixel electrode, the counter electrode is formed at a position avoiding the contact hole formed in the first insulation film as viewed in a plan view, and at least a portion of the counter electrode is overlapped to the thin film transistor. |
| US09785018B2 |
Touch liquid crystal display and method of controlling the same
A touch liquid crystal display is disclosed. The display includes a TFT array substrate, and an opposite substrate opposite to the TFT array substrate. The TFT array substrate and the opposite substrate collectively define a display area and a non-display area. In addition, the opposite substrate includes a first substrate, a plurality of first electrodes, and a plurality of second electrodes, where the plurality of first electrodes are located in the display area of the first substrate, and the plurality of second electrodes are located in the non-display area of the first substrate. The TFT array substrate includes a second substrate, and a plurality of third electrodes, where the third electrodes are located in the display area of the second substrate and are opposite the first electrodes, and where the third electrodes are common electrodes of the TFT array substrate. |
| US09785016B2 |
Liquid crystal grating, manufacturing method and drive method thereof, and optical phased array device
The present invention discloses a liquid crystal grating, a manufacturing method and a drive method thereof, and an optical phased array. In the liquid crystal grating, plurality of first electrodes are formed on a lower substrate with first gaps formed between adjacent first electrodes, second electrodes are further provided above the first gaps with second gaps formed between adjacent second electrodes, and an insulation layer is provided between the first electrodes and the second electrodes. When voltages are applied to the first electrodes and the second electrodes, continuously and smoothly changing electric field is generated inside the liquid crystal grating, and then phases of incident light may be controlled continuously and smoothly, which improves the ability of the liquid crystal grating to modulate light beam. |
| US09785012B2 |
High transmittance PSVA liquid crystal display panel and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention provides a high transmittance PSVA liquid crystal display panel and a manufacturing method thereof. The liquid crystal display panel includes an upper substrate (1) on which a first common electrode (31), an insulation layer (32), and a second common electrode (33) are formed, a lower substrate (2) on which a pixel electrode (4) is formed, and a plurality of polymer projections (5) formed on surfaces of the second common electrode (33) and the pixel electrode (4) to align liquid crystal molecules (7). One of the first and second common electrodes (31, 33) is a patternized common electrode and the other is a planar common electrode. The pixel electrode (4) is a planar electrode. In a manufacturing process, a voltage is applied to the pixel electrode (4) and the patternized common electrode to cause the liquid crystal molecules (7) to tilt in various directions so as to form multiple domains in each of sub-pixels. In a use, a voltage is applied to the pixel electrode (4) and the planar common electrode to make the entire pixel area to simultaneously achieve the maximum transmittance. |
| US09785009B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and electronic apparatus
In a liquid crystal display device, a reflecting surface is attached to a portion, which overlaps with a periphery portion of a light guiding plate where the light incident section is position in a surface on the light guiding plate side in the dispersing sheet which is positioned farthest to the light guiding plate side among a plurality of optical sheets which are positioned between the light guiding plate and a liquid crystal panel. As a result, light which is emitted from the periphery portion of the light guiding plate is returned into the light guiding plate by being reflected by the reflecting surface, and after this, is emitted as illumination light from a light emitting surface while progressing within the light guiding plate. |
| US09785008B2 |
Display module and display apparatus having the same
A display module includes a display panel; a backlight unit which is disposed behind the display panel; a bottom chassis to accommodate the backlight unit; and a reflective sheet which is disposed inside the bottom chassis and configured to reflect a light portion incident thereon toward the display panel. The backlight unit includes LEDs disposed apart from one another in 2D array, and the reflective sheet includes a sheet bottom portion corresponding to a front surface of the bottom chassis, a sheet inclined portion which is obliquely formed to face a rear surface of the display panel, and light adjustment portions which are provided on the sheet inclined portion and configured to adjust the light portion reflected by the sheet inclined portion. Each of the light adjustment portions corresponds to one of the LEDs disposed adjacent to the sheet inclined portion. |
| US09785006B2 |
Display apparatus and illumination unit
An illumination unit of an embodiment of the present technology includes: an illumination optical system configured to generate illumination light; and a plurality of lenses configured to reduce a divergence angle of the illumination light. The illumination optical system includes: a light source (20) configured to apply light onto an end surface of one of a first substrate and a second substrate; and a light modulation layer (30) provided in a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate. The illumination optical system includes an electrode configured to generate an electric filed that generates, in the light modulation layer (30), a plurality of linear scattering regions (30B) in a three-dimensional mode, and to generate an electric field that generates, in the light modulation layer, a planar scattering region in a two-dimensional display mode. The lenses are arranged side by side in a direction in which the linear scattering regions extend, and are also arranged side by side in a direction intersecting with the direction in which the linear scattering regions extend. |
| US09784997B2 |
Array substrate, display device, and driving method therefor
An array substrate, a display device, and a driving method therefor are provided. The array substrate includes multiple pixel units, multiple scan signal lines (2), and multiple data signal lines (3). The pixel units comprise multiple subpixels (10). The subpixels (10) include first sub-subpixels (101) and second sub-subpixels (102). The multiple data signal lines (3) form multiple data signal line sets. The data signal line sets include multiple data signal line subsets. The data signal line subsets include first data signal lines (Sm+1) and second data signal lines (Sm). The first sub-subpixels (101) are connected to the first data signal lines (Sm+1) to acquire a first data signal. The second sub-subpixels (102) are connected to the second data signal lines (Sm) to acquire a second data signal. The voltage of the first data signal is a V. The value interval for the voltage of the second data signal is (0.7a V, a V)∪(a V, 1.3a V). Using the driving method, the display device is provided with a wide viewing angle. |
| US09784993B2 |
Methods and apparatus for ophthalmic devices including cycloidally oriented liquid crystal layers
This invention discloses methods and apparatus for providing a variable optic insert into an ophthalmic lens. A liquid crystal layer may be used to provide a variable optic function and in some examples, an alignment layer for the liquid crystal layer may be patterned in a cycloidally dependent manner. The patterning may allow for a polarization dependent lens in some examples. An energy source is capable of powering the variable optic insert included within the ophthalmic lens. In some examples, an ophthalmic lens is cast-molded from a silicone hydrogel. The various ophthalmic lens entities may include electroactive liquid crystal layers to electrically control optical characteristics. |
| US09784990B2 |
Optical image capturing system
A six-piece optical lens for capturing image and a six-piece optical module for capturing image are provided. In order from an object side to an image side, the optical lens along the optical axis includes a first lens with refractive power, a second lens with refractive power, a third lens with refractive power, a fourth lens with refractive power, a fifth lens with refractive power and a sixth lens with refractive power. At least one of the image-side surface and object-side surface of each of the six lens elements is aspheric. The optical lens can increase aperture value and improve the imagining quality for use in compact cameras. |
| US09784989B2 |
Image pickup apparatus and camera system
An image pickup apparatus comprises a mirror member rotatable between a first state arranged inside an image pickup optical path and a second state arranged outside the image pickup optical path, an abutting member that abuts against the mirror member in a case where the mirror member is the first state, and a bounce control member attached to the mirror member and configured to control a vibration of the mirror member in a case where the mirror member collides with the abutting member. An attachment part attached to the mirror member is formed at a first end of the bounce control member, a weight part is formed at a second end of the bounce control member, and an elastic deformation part, which is elastically deformable, is formed between the first and second ends of the bounce control member. |
| US09784981B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and liquid crystal display module thereof
The invention provides a liquid crystal display module for realizing a switching between 2D and 3D switching and a liquid crystal display device thereof. The liquid crystal display module includes a backlight unit, a liquid crystal display unit and a 2D/3D conversion adjustment unit successively stacked and parallel with one another. The liquid crystal display device and the liquid crystal display module provided by the invention use the arched electrode structural design to make different positions of the liquid crystal layer have different thicknesses. By applying voltages on the electrodes or not to realize the switching between 2D and 3D images, so that the liquid crystal display device is endowed with both functions of playing 2D and 3D images. |
| US09784980B2 |
Optical module and light exposure device
An optical module (1A) includes a polarization beam splitter (10A), polarization elements (20 and 40) having nonreciprocal optical activity and respectively arranged on an optical path of a first polarization component (L2) transmitted through a light splitting surface (11) in irradiation light (L1) and an optical path of a second polarization component (L4) reflected in the light splitting surface (11), a first reflective SLM (30) that modulates and reflects a first polarization component (L2) passing through the first polarization element (20), and a second reflective SLM (50) that modulates and reflects the second polarization component (L4) passing through the second polarization element (40). First modulation light (L3) passing through the polarization element (20) again and then reflected by the light splitting surface (11) and second modulation light (L5) passing through the polarization element (40) again and then transmitted through the light splitting surface (11) are combined with each other. |
| US09784979B2 |
Magnifying bottle assembly with improved sealing capability
A magnifying bottle assembly, comprising a cap; further comprising a cap housing and a magnifying lens. Said magnifying lens provides a radially extended portion, further comprising an integral retaining ring oriented upwardly for engaging said cap housing, and a gasket engaging ring oriented downwardly for engaging a gasket. Said retaining ring is oriented with respect to said radially extended portion so as to form a pressure channel. The magnifying bottle assembly further comprises a container suitable for engaging said cap. |
| US09784978B2 |
Head-mounted display
A head-mounted display includes a shell, a display generation unit, a processing unit, at least one pressure sensor, and a linkage mechanism. The display generation unit includes at least an optical engine and a mirror connected to the optical engine. The processing unit is electrically connected to the optical engine and the pressure sensor, and the pressure sensor detects an external force applied to the shell and outputs a pressure signal to the processing unit. The linkage mechanism is electrically connected to the processing unit and connected to the display generation unit. The processing unit actuates the linkage mechanism to cause the mirror of the display generation unit to move away from the user's face. |
| US09784973B2 |
Micro doppler presentations in head worn computing
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to visual presentation techniques for micro-Doppler signatures. A method may include receiving a micro Doppler signature indicative of a projectile flight path, identifying a beginning trace marker and a termination trace marker, and presenting in a head-worn computing system field of view digital content representative of the projectile flight path, wherein the beginning trace marker and termination trace marker provide a world-lock perspective for a wearer of the head-worn computing system such that the digital content appears to remain referenced to the environment independent of a position of the head-worn computing system. |
| US09784962B2 |
Cooling systems and methods for cryo super-resolution fluorescence light microscopy and other applications
New systems and methods are described for maintaining a desired steady state temperature differential between two objects that may otherwise undergo heat transfer to restore thermal steady state. In one application, a cooling microscope assembly and its use with conventional optical microscopes are described for achieving super-resolution imaging. The assembly allows for the high resolution imaging of samples at cryogenic temperatures while maintaining the temperature of the objective lens above freezing by employing circulation systems and a coupling fluid between the sample and objective Jens. |
| US09784961B2 |
Sperm motility test device and method
Test kits for assessing male fertility include a sample holder defining an object plane, a lens, and a two dimensional light sensor defining an image plane arranged along a common linear axis. The distance between the object plane and the image plane may be no more than 50 mm, and may be no more than 30 mm. A lens aperture may have an area of 1-10 mm2. The test kit may have a housing with a maximum linear dimension of no more than 100 mm. Processing circuitry may be provided that is configured to produce a sperm count and/or sperm motility measurements by processing image data from the two-dimensional light sensor. |
| US09784960B2 |
High frame-rate multichannel beam-scanning microscopy
A beam-scanning optical design is described for achieving up to kHz frame-rate optical imaging on multiple simultaneous data acquisition channels. In one embodiment, two fast-scan resonant mirrors direct the optical beam on a circuitous trajectory through the field of view, with the trajectory repeat-time given by the least common multiplier of the mirror periods. Dicing the raw time-domain data into sub-trajectories combined with model-based image reconstruction (MBIR) 3D in-painting algorithms allows for effective frame-rates much higher than the repeat time of the Lissajous trajectory. Because sub-trajectory and full-trajectory imaging are different methods of analyzing the same data, both high-frame rate images with relatively low resolution and low frame rate images with high resolution are simultaneously acquired. |
| US09784959B2 |
Microscope apparatus for preventing unnecessary degradation of a light detector
Unnecessary degradation of a light detector is prevented. Provided is a microscope apparatus (100) including: a scanner (5) that that performs scanning of illumination light emitted from a light source (3) on a specimen in two directions intersecting each other; an objective lens (7) that collects fluorescence produced in the specimen; a dispersive element (15) that disperses the fluorescence collected by the objective lens (7) into spectral components; a multichannel detector (20) that has a plurality of cells (21) for detecting the spectral components obtained through the dispersion performed by the dispersive element (15); a grouping control section (31) that groups the plurality of cells (21) of the multichannel detector (20) into a used group and an unused group; and a sensitivity control section (33) that turns off the sensitivities of the cells that are grouped into the unused group by the grouping control section (31) or reduces the sensitivities thereof with respect to the sensitivities of the cells that are grouped into the used group. |
| US09784957B2 |
Uniformity adjustment method for a diode-laser line-projector
In a line projector a diode-laser beam having an elliptical cross-section is projected onto a Powell lens which spreads the beam to form a line of light. Distribution of power along the line of light is adjusted by rotating the diode-laser beam with respect to the Powell lens. |
| US09784952B2 |
Magnification optical system
A magnification optical system forms an enlarged image of an object. It includes a refractive optical system including a plurality of lens groups; and a mirror train including a curved mirror, arranged in this order from an object side, a first focus structure configured to move the respective lens groups of the refractive optical system by different amounts along a normal line of a conjugate surface on the object side, and a second focus structure configured to move the respective lens groups along the normal line of the conjugate surface on the object side by different amounts from those of the first focus structure. |
| US09784949B1 |
Image pickup optical lens system
The optical lens system for forming a subject image on a photoelectric conversion section of a solid image pickup element and an image pickup lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, and a fifth lens. The first lens has a positive refractive power and a convex surface on an object side thereof. The second lens has a negative refractive power with a concave surface on an image side thereof. The third lens has a refractive power with an aspheric surface on an object side thereof and a convex surface on an image side thereof. The fourth lens has a positive refractive power with a flat surface on an object side thereof and a convex surface on an image side thereof. The fifth lens has a negative refractive power with aspheric surfaces on an object side and an image side thereof respectively, wherein the fifth lens has at least one inflection point formed at at least one of the aspheric surfaces of the object side and the image side. An aperture stop is disposed at the object side of the first lens and at least one flat element is located between the fifth lens and an image plane. |
| US09784948B2 |
Imaging lens system
An imaging lens system comprises, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface; a second lens element with refractive power; a third lens element with refractive power having object-side and image-side surfaces being aspheric, at least one surface thereof having at least one inflection point; a fourth lens element with refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface; a fifth lens element with refractive power having an aspheric object-side surface and an aspheric concave image-side surface, the image-side surface thereof having at least one inflection point. |
| US09784945B1 |
Optical lens assembly, image capturing apparatus and electronic device
This invention provides an optical lens assembly comprising, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens element with negative refractive power having an image-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof; a second lens element having positive refractive power; a third lens element having an object-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof; and a fourth lens element having an object-side surface being convex in a paraxial region thereof and an image-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof, the image-side surface thereof having at least one convex shape in an off-axis region thereof; wherein the optical lens assembly has a total of four lens elements. With such configuration, the optical lens assembly of the present disclosure is characterized by a reduced size and a wide field of view. |
| US09784944B2 |
Optical image capturing system
A three-piece optical lens for capturing image and a three-piece optical module for capturing image, along the optical axis in order from an object side to an image side, include a first lens with positive refractive power; a second lens with refractive power; and a third lens with refractive power; and at least one of the image-side surface and object-side surface of each of the three lens elements are aspheric. The optical lens can increase aperture value and improve the imagining quality for use in compact cameras. |
| US09784932B2 |
Optical member and optical module
An optical member includes a base having a surface, and a plurality of protrusions formed on the surface of the base. The plurality of protrusions is arranged in a form to cause a space between the protrusions to be filled up with adhesive to adhere an adhesion target component above the base by a capillary phenomenon. |
| US09784928B2 |
Fiber optic connector holder and method
A fiber optic connector holder is sized to fit within an opening for mounting a fiber optic adapter. The fiber optic connector holder is configured to permit a fiber optic connector with a dust cap positioned about a ferrule and a polished end face of an optical fiber held by the ferrule to be inserted within and releasably held by the connector holder. A system for holding fiber optic connectors includes a fiber optic connector holder mounted within an opening in a bulkhead for mounting a fiber optic adapter. The fiber optic connector holder is configured to receive a fiber optic connector with a dust cap mounted about a ferrule and polished end face of an optical fiber held by the ferrule. An optical fiber connector may be held to a bulkhead when the fiber optic connector includes a dust cap mounted about a ferrule and a polished end face of an optical fiber held by the ferrule. |
| US09784922B2 |
Electro-optical connector with hot electrical contact protection
A cable connector, including a housing having a base and a lip, which surrounds the base and defines an aperture configured to receive a mating plug. The cable connector also includes a plurality of electrical contacts enclosed by the housing and configured to convey electrical signals, the electrical contacts having respective first proximal and first distal ends, the first proximal ends being implanted in the base so that the first distal ends are recessed within the aperture at a first distance from the base. The cable connector additionally includes one or more optical fiber terminals containing end portions of respective optical fibers configured to convey optical signals and having respective second proximal and second distal ends, the second proximal ends being implanted in the base so that the second distal ends are recessed within the aperture at a second distance from the base, which is greater than the first distance. |
| US09784913B2 |
Spun round core fiber
Optical waveguide cores having refractive index profiles that vary angularly about a propagation axis of the core can provide single-mode operation with larger core diameters than conventional waveguides. An optical waveguide includes a core that extends along a propagation axis and has a refractive index profile that varies angularly about the propagation axis. The optical waveguide also includes a cladding disposed about the core and extending along the propagation axis. The refractive index profile of the core varies angularly along a length of the propagation axis. |
| US09784911B2 |
Backlight assembly including alignment member and display device having the same
A display device includes: a display panel which display an image with light and has a curvature; a light source which generates and emits the light to the display panel; a light guide plate which guides the light emitted from the light source to the display panel, the light guide plate having a curvature and defining a light incidence surface thereof through which the light is incident; a circuit board which faces the light incidence surface of the light guide plate and on which the light source is mounted; and an alignment member which is between the circuit board and the light guide plate and aligns the light source with the light incidence surface of the light guide plate. |
| US09784907B2 |
Display device
A display device that may include a bottom chassis including a base portion and one or more side portions extending at a predetermined angle from the base portion, a light guide plate on an upper surface of the bottom chassis, an optical sheet on the light guide plate, and a display panel on the optical sheet. At least one of the side portions may have a different width from the other side portions. |
| US09784904B2 |
Display substrate, display apparatus having the same, and fabricating method thereof
The present application discloses a display substrate including a base substrate; and a plurality of pixels on the base substrate. Each of the plurality of pixels in the display substrate includes a color generating layer on the base substrate; a first reflective layer surrounding at least one side of the color generating layer in plan view of the base substrate; and a second reflective layer having a light transmissive area and a light reflective area, the light transmissive area spaced apart from the first reflective layer in a direction perpendicular to the base substrate, the light reflective area configured to be spaced apart from the color generating layer in the direction perpendicular to the base substrate by an adjustable distance relative to the color generating layer. The first reflective layer is configured to reflect an incident light transmitted through the light transmissive area to the light reflective area, the light reflective area and the color generating layer are configured to direct the incident light reflected by the first reflective layer in a direction so that it may pass through the color generating layer. |
| US09784899B2 |
LED illumination apparatus
The present invention is characterized in that a light emitting part of LED 1 has a planar and point-symmetrical shape, a light emission angle distribution is a Lambert distribution and a light emission face is a scattering face; a hemispheric mirror 3 forms a reflection face 3a on the interior face, and has an aperture 3b at the center, while the reflection face 3a is disposed so as to oppose to LED 1; a normal line of LED 1 and an optical axis of the hemispheric mirror 3 are coincident with each other; an interval between LED 1 and the hemispheric mirror 3 is equal to or smaller than a curvature radius of the hemispheric mirror 3; a dimension of the aperture 3b of the hemispheric mirror 3 is substantially equal to a radiation dimension; and sin (tan−1 d LED/2t)≈NA object is established. |
| US09784896B2 |
Pattern structure and method of manufacturing the pattern structure
A pattern structure includes a plurality of pattern structure units arranged substantially on a same plane, where each of the pattern structure units has a first surface and a second surface, which are opposite to each other, and a microstructure is defined on the first surface of each of the pattern structure units, and a flattening layer disposed on the second surface of each of the plurality of pattern structure units, where the flattening layer connects the pattern structure units with each other, and a vertical step difference exists between second surfaces of the pattern structure units. |
| US09784893B2 |
Color filter substrate and display panel
A color filter substrate which includes: a substrate having a surface; a light-shielding layer disposed on the surface; a first color filter layer; and a second color filter layer disposed over the substrate, the second color filter layer covers the light-shielding layer and the first color filter layer and has a second main body on the surface, the light-shielding layer is located between the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer, at least a part of the first main body has a first thickness and at least a part of the second main body has a second thickness, and the first thickness is less than the second thickness. |
| US09784892B2 |
Display devices and methods of manufacturing display devices
A display device includes a first substrate having a display region and a peripheral region, a display structure in the display region, a second substrate parallel to the first substrate, the second substrate including a light scattering structure in the display region, the light scattering structure being configured to scatter light generated in the display structure, and a shielding member adjacent to the light scattering structure. |
| US09784890B2 |
Lens array sheet having glass base and nanoparticle-containing resin lens array layer without a resin planar layer therebetween
A lens array sheet has a glass base and a resin lens array layer formed on the glass base, wherein the resin lens array layer includes a plurality of resin lenses and preferably includes a composite material having nanoparticles added to a matrix of the resin and the plurality of resin lenses are formed on the glass base substantially independently from each other. |
| US09784888B2 |
Titanium nitride based metamaterial
A titanium nitride-based metamaterial, and method for producing the same, is disclosed, consisting of ultrathin, smooth, and alternating layers of a plasmonic titanium nitride (TiN) material and a dielectric material, grown on a substrate to form a superlattice. The dielectric material is made of A1-xScxN, where ‘x’ ranges in value from 0.2 to 0.4. The layers of alternating material have sharp interfaces, and each layer can range from 1-20 nanometers in thickness. Metamaterials based on titanium TiN, a novel plasmonic building block, have many applications including, but not ‘limited to emission enhancers, computer security, etc. The use of nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond, and light emitting diode (LED) efficiency enhancement is of particular interest. |
| US09784885B2 |
Methods and systems for estimating sizes and effects of wellbore obstructions in water injection wells
Methods and systems to estimate physical dimensions of actual obstructions identified as being in a wellbore of an injection well are provided. Methods and systems include the determination of a well performance model with a simulated obstruction, using inflow performance and outflow performance relationships. |
| US09784884B2 |
Multi-sensor workflow for evaluation of gas flow in multiple casing strings with distributed sensors
A gas presence and distance thereof are calculated using pulsed neutron data. A distance of a gas flow path and a velocity of the gas flow therein are calculated using distributed acoustic sensors. The gas saturation and distance, and gas velocity and distance obtained from the noise data are correlated to obtain a first calculated distance and velocity values. The distance and the velocity of the gas flow are calculated using distributed Doppler sensors. The distance and velocity values are compared with the first calculated distance and velocity values to obtain a second calculated distance and velocity values. The distance of the gas flow and the velocity of the gas flow are calculated using distributed temperature sensors. The distance and velocity values are compared with the second calculated distance and velocity values to determine a distance of a cement interface, and a velocity of a gas flow therein. |
| US09784883B2 |
Multi-spectral static CT apparatuses
Multi-spectral static CT apparatuses are disclosed. The apparatus includes a ray source in a form of multiple distributed spots, multiple columns of detectors, a data acquisition device, an article carrying and control device, and a multi-spectral projection data processing device. An object of the present disclosure is to combine static CT scanning technology with multi-spectral analysis technology. It has an advantage of a static CT system, such as high scanning speed, simple mechanic structure, and/or cost reduction due to omission of slip ring. It also can perform identification of material in an article, and can be widely applied in occasions such as safety inspection, and smuggling suppression at customs. |
| US09784882B2 |
Mapping hydrocarbon liquid properties of a kerogencontaining source rock
A method is disclosed for generating an areal map of a pre-determined hydrocarbon liquid property of a subsurface kerogen-containing source rock from an electromagnetic resistivity profile. Preferably, the profile is generated by a transient EM method such as a long-offset transient electromagnetic (LOTEM) method. In some embodiments, the areal map is generated by employing resistivity-hydrocarbon liquid-quality relationship data describing a relationship between (i) a property of hydrocarbon liquid generated within the source rock pore space to (ii) an electrical resistivity of the source rock. In some embodiments, it is possible to acquire such data even in the absence of source rock samples where the hydrocarbon liquids within the samples has been preserved. The areal map is useful for determining a target location and/or depth in the source rock to drill for oil. The presently-disclosed techniques are particularly relevant to tight oil formations. |
| US09784881B2 |
Nuclear magnetic resonance apparatus, systems, and methods
Apparatus and systems include a magnet assembly comprising a central magnet having a first axial end and a second, opposite axial end; a first end piece magnet having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end spaced apart from the first axial end of the central magnet; and a second end piece magnet spaced apart from the second axial end of the central magnet; at least one first shim magnet disposed adjacent to or at least partially surrounded by first magnetically permeable material, the at least one first shim magnet disposed next to an end of the first end piece magnet that is proximal to the central magnet, or next to an end of the first end piece magnet that is distal to the central magnet; and a downhole tool attached to the magnet assembly. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US09784878B2 |
Foreign-object detecting device, wireless electric-power transmitting device, and wireless electric-power transmission system
A foreign-object detecting device includes a first coil, a second coil arranged adjacent to the first coil and having the same winding direction as that of the first coil, and foreign-object detecting circuitry. The foreign-object detecting circuitry outputs a first detection signal to an outside or inside terminal of the first coil, outputs a second detection signal having an inverted phase to an outside or inside terminal of the second coil, causes one of the first and second detection signal to flow clockwise, causes the other detection signal to flow counterclockwise to generate a combined magnetic field across a center of the first and a center of the second coil, measures an amount of change in an impedance value of the first or second coils, and determines that a foreign object is present within the combined magnetic field, based on the amount of change. |
| US09784876B2 |
Characterizing a downhole environment using stiffness coefficients
A method that includes obtaining log data of a downhole formation, and characterizing the downhole formation by determining stiffness coefficients including C33, C44, C66, C11, C12, and C13. C13 is a function of C33, C44, C66, and at least one of a kerogen volume and a clay volume derived from the log data. In another method or system, C13 is derived based at least in part on C11 calculated as C11=k1[C33+2(C66−C44)]+k2 or C33 calculated as C33=((C11−k2)/k1)−2(C66−C44), where k1 and k2 are predetermined constants. In another method or system, C13 is derived in part from at least one of a kerogen volume derived from the log data, a clay volume derived from the log data, C11 calculated as C11=k1[C33+2(C66−C44)]+k2, or C33 calculated as C33=((C11−k2)/k1)−2(C66−C44), where k1 and k2 are predetermined constants. |
| US09784875B2 |
Method to estimate cement acoustic wave speeds from data acquired by a cased hole ultrasonic cement evaluation tool
Embodiments of the disclosure may include systems and methods for estimating an acoustic property of an annulus in a cement evaluation system. In one embodiment, a casing arrival signal is acquired at acoustic receivers a cement evaluation tool. A spectral amplitude ratio is calculated based on the casing arrival signal. The spectral amplitude ratio is scanned to detect and identify discontinuities. If discontinuities are detected, the frequency at the discontinuity may be used to estimate a wavespeed of the annulus. If discontinuities are not detected, attenuation dispersions are calculated and estimated, and an estimated wavespeed and parameters are updated until the calculated and estimated attenuation dispersions match. |
| US09784873B2 |
Fully containerized deployment system for autonomous seismic nodes
Containerized handling, deployment, and retrieval systems for deploying and retrieving a plurality of autonomous seismic nodes from the back deck of a marine vessel are presented. The handling system may comprise a deployment system and a node storage and service system fully contained within a plurality of CSC approved ISO containers. Each of the components of the handling system may be located in a CSC approved ISO container for storage, operation, and transport. In one embodiment, the node deployment system is configured to retrieve and deploy autonomous seismic nodes from the back deck of a vessel. In one embodiment, the node storage and service system is configured to transfer nodes to and from the node deployment system for storage and servicing. |
| US09784862B2 |
Distributed downhole acousting sensing
A method and system to perform distributed downhole acoustic sensing in a borehole are described. The system includes an optical fiber comprising at least one reflector, and a tunable laser configured to perform a transmission of a range of wavelengths through the optical fiber. The system also includes a receiver configured to receive an interferometer signal resulting from the transmission, and a processor configured to determine a component of the interferometer signal. |
| US09784858B2 |
Neutron scintillator, neutron detector and method for manufacturing neutron scintillator
A neutron scintillator is formed of a resin-based composite. The resin-based composite includes a phosphor part (A) formed of a resin composition including inorganic phosphor particles containing at least one kind of neutron-capturing isotope that is selected from lithium 6 and boron 10 such as Eu:LiCaAlF6 and a resin, and at least one wavelength converting part (B) comprising a wavelength converting fiber or a wavelength converting sheet. In the neutron scintillator, it is preferred that the wavelength converting part (B) is enclosed in the phosphor part (A). |
| US09784856B2 |
Radiographic image capturing apparatus
A radiographic image capturing apparatus includes the following. A connector coupling detector detects coupling between an external connector and a connector of the radiographic image capturing apparatus. A power supply detector detects an available state of external electric power. A controller controls a turned-on and a turned-off state of the radiographic image capturing apparatus. At a timing when the power supply detector detects a change from the available state to the unavailable state of the external electric power, the controller turns off the radiographic image capturing apparatus if the connector coupling detector detects the coupling between the external connector and the connector of the radiographic image capturing apparatus, or the controller maintains the turned-on state if the connector coupling detector detects the uncoupling between the external connector and the connector of the radiographic image capturing apparatus. |
| US09784850B2 |
Multimodal imaging apparatus
A multimodal imaging apparatus (1a, 1b) including scintillator elements (31) for capturing incident gamma quanta (25, 61) and for emitting scintillation photons (26) in response to said captured gamma quanta (25, 61). Photosensitive elements (33) capture the emitted scintillation photons (26) and determine a spatial distribution of the scintillation photons. The imaging apparatus (1a, 1b) is configured to be switched between a first operation mode for detecting low energy gamma quanta and a second operation mode for detecting high energy gamma quanta. The scintillator elements are arranged to capture incident gamma quanta (25, 61) from the same area of interest (65) in both operation modes. The scintillator elements (31) include a first region with high energy scintillator elements (27) for capturing high energy gamma quanta and a second region with low energy scintillator elements (29) for capturing low energy gamma quanta. A positioning mechanism (35) changes the orientation of the scintillator elements (31), in particular for tilting the scintillator elements (31), to switch between operation modes. |
| US09784841B2 |
Method of determining the own-vehicle position of a motor vehicle
A method of determining the own-vehicle position of a motor vehicle having a navigation system fixedly installed in the motor vehicle includes the steps of: providing a mobile terminal having the suitability for self-localization; providing an interface for the communication-related link-up of the mobile terminal to the motor vehicle; determining the own-terminal position of the mobile terminal by self-localization; transmitting the own-terminal position by way of the interface to the motor vehicle; and taking into account the transmitted own-terminal position when determining the own-vehicle position. |
| US09784838B1 |
Compact scanner with gimbaled optics
A scanning device includes a scanner, which includes a base and a gimbal, mounted within the base so as to rotate relative to the base about a first axis. A receive mirror is mounted within the gimbal so as to rotate about a second axis, perpendicular to the first axis. A detector is mounted on the gimbal so as to rotate with the gimbal about the first axis and receive light reflected from the receive mirror while the receive mirror rotates about the second axis. A collection lens is mounted on the gimbal so as to rotate with the gimbal about the first axis while collecting the light so as to focus the light onto the detector by reflection from the receive mirror while the receive mirror rotates about the second axis. |
| US09784837B1 |
Optical ground tracking apparatus, systems, and methods
Apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed for tracking movement over the ground or other surfaces of tools or instruments or equipment, such as buried object locators or other devices, and generating motion, position, location, mapping and/or related information for tracked locations, as well as measuring and storing associated signals and other information detected or generated during tracking. |
| US09784829B2 |
Wheel detection and its application in object tracking and sensor registration
A method and system are disclosed for tracking a remote vehicle which is driving in a lateral position relative to a host vehicle. Target data from two radar sensors are provided to an object detection fusion system. Wheels on the remote vehicle are identified as clusters of radar points with essentially the same location but substantially varying Doppler range rate values. If both wheels on the near side of the remote vehicle can be identified, a fusion calculation is performed using the wheel locations measured by both radar sensors, yielding an accurate estimate of the position, orientation and velocity of the remote vehicle. The position, orientation and velocity of the remote vehicle are used to trigger warnings or evasive maneuvers in a Lateral Collision Prevention (LCP) system. Radar sensor alignment can also be calibrated with an additional fusion calculation based on the same wheel measurement data. |
| US09784826B2 |
Marine multibeam sonar device
A marine multibeam sonar device comprises a processing element and a transmitter. The processing element generates a plurality of transmit transducer electronic signals and inverts a polarity of a first portion of the transmit transducer electronic signals. The transmitter is in communication with the processing element and includes a plurality of transmit electronic circuits and a plurality of transmit transducers. Each transmit electronic circuit receives and processes one of the transmit transducer electronic signals, wherein a first portion of the circuits re-inverts the polarity of the first portion of the transmit transducer electronic signals. The transmit transducers receive the processed transmit transducer electronic signals from the transmit electronic circuits and generate a sonar beam. |
| US09784819B2 |
Pulse compression radar
A radar apparatus for performing pre-distortion is provided, which has a configuration instantly transmittable of a transmission signal without distortion even in a case where a power is turned off. A radar apparatus (pulse compression radar) calculates a correction coefficient based on a transmission signal before distortion occurs therein and a transmission signal (feedback signal) outputted by a power amplifier. The radar apparatus corrects the transmission signal outputted by an ideal transmission signal memory while taking into consideration distortion that is caused in the amplification by the power amplifier, by using the correction coefficient. The radar apparatus includes a non-volatile memory configured to store the calculated correction coefficient as backup. |
| US09784816B2 |
Systems and methods of location and tracking
A system for computing accurate position location coordinates of tags used for tracking assets and people include a first network of access points to help compute a first approximation of the tag position location, a second network of access points underlying the first network for fine position location determination, and a position location server for controlling the second network of access points and computing position location based on round trip delay measurements between tags and the access points. |
| US09784814B2 |
Method and system for measuring and calibrating imaging magnetic field in magnetic resonance apparatus
A method and a system for measuring and calibrating an imaging magnetic field in a magnetic resonance apparatus are provided. The method includes: providing the imaging magnetic field, where the imaging magnetic field is adapted for scanning an object; sampling a signal corresponding to the imaging magnetic field; processing the signal to obtain an actual magnetic field intensity; and calibrating based on a difference between the actual magnetic field intensity and a target magnetic field intensity. The system includes: a magnetic component, adapted for scanning an object to be imaged; a sampling unit, adapted for sampling a signal corresponding to the imaging magnetic field; a processing unit, adapted for processing the signal to obtain an actual magnetic field intensity; a calibration unit, adapted for calibrating based on a difference between the actual magnetic field intensity and a target magnetic field intensity; and a control unit, adapted for controlling the system. |
| US09784813B2 |
Battery control system and battery control method
A relay (20) receives a battery information acquisition time from each battery module (10) and calculates measurement time differential information Δt, that is, a time difference between the battery information acquisition time as a reference and the battery information acquisition time of another battery module (10) among the received battery information acquisition times, for each battery module (10). A measurement time correction unit (115) of each battery module (10) corrects a measurement time by the measurement time differential information Δt, using the measurement time differential information Δt received from the relay (20) to adjust the battery information acquisition time of each battery module (10) to the same time. |
| US09784812B2 |
Method to enter magnetic resonance data into a memory organized as k-space, and magnetic resonance apparatus operating according to the method
In a method to associate k-space lines with echo trains of raw magnetic resonance data, parallel k-space lines orthogonally intersect a plane at respective intersection points. Each echo train has a trajectory length, and the k-space lines are associated with the echo trains such that a sum of trajectory lengths of all echo trains is minimal. The trajectory length TL of an echo train is defined by TL = ∑ i = 1 L - 1 P i P i + 1 _ wherein L is a sequence of k-space lines, Pi is an intersection point of the i-th k-space line of the echo train with the plane; and PiPi+1 is the length of the path from the i-th intersection point to the (i+1)-th intersection point. |
| US09784810B2 |
Magnetic resonance method and apparatus for quick detection of regions of modified temperature
In a method and apparatus to quickly determine regions of modified temperature in a sample volume by magnetic resonance tomography using a multi-echo sequence, one or more one-dimensional or two-dimensional images of regions of modified temperature are respectively determined. |
| US09784808B2 |
Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and magnet for magnetic resonance imaging apparatus
According to one embodiment, a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit and a shield. The imaging unit is configured to perform magnetic resonance imaging of an object by transmitting a radio frequency signal from a radio frequency coil while magnetic fields are formed by a gradient coil and a superconducting magnet respectively. The shield is configured to form a gradient magnetic field for the magnetic resonance imaging with the gradient coil and to prevent ingress of heat into the superconducting magnet. |
| US09784806B2 |
Fractal RF coils for magnetic resonance imaging
Methods and devices which can use fractal radiofrequency coils to improve the use of magnetic resonant imaging over, for example, standard circular coils. The fractal coils can be Koch loops, and can reduce or eliminate mutual inductance between pairs of coils. Further, embodiments of the fractal radiofrequency coils can be used with higher T magnetic resonance imaging. |
| US09784805B2 |
MRI radio frequency receiver comprising digital down converter with connector that passes analog signal being contained within radio frequency receiver coil unit
The invention relates to a nuclear magnetic resonance imaging radio frequency-receiver (112; 216; 308; 404), the receiver (112; 216; 308; 404) being adapted to receive analog signals from at least one radio frequency receiver coil unit (106; 200; 202; 300; 400; 402), the radio frequency receiver (112; 216; 308; 404) comprising: an analog-digital converter (118; 226) to convert the analog pre-amplified magnetic resonance signal into a digital signal, means (120; 230) for digital down converting the digital signal and a first communication interface (130; 252) adapted for transmitting the down converted digital signal via a communication link (e.g. wireless, optical or wire-bound). |
| US09784802B1 |
GMR nanowire sensors
A magnetic position sensor having at least one magnetic field sensor including a solidified layer of GMR nanowire carrier fluid formed on a substrate material. The solidified layer of carrier fluid has (i) discrete GMR nanowires each having a diameter of less than about 0.5 um and a length less than about 250 um; and (ii) a concentration of GMR nanowires in the dried layer between about 0.001 and about 10 percent by weight of the solution. The position sensor further includes a detection circuit capable of detecting a change in resistance of the magnetic field sensor. |
| US09784792B2 |
Taps of different scan classes with, without topology selection logic
Topology discovery of a target system having a plurality of components coupled with a scan topology may be performed by driving a low logic value on the data input signal and a data output signal of the scan topology. An input data value and an output data value for each of the plurality of components is sampled and recorded. A low logic value is then scanned through the scan path and recorded at each component. The scan topology may be determined based on the recorded data values and the recorded scan values. |
| US09784790B2 |
Method for testing through silicon vias in 3D integrated circuits
A design-for-test (DFT) architecture for testing a three dimensional (3D) integrated circuit, may comprise a two dimensional (2D) silicon layer n−1 and a 2D silicon layer n connected together with a through silicon via (TSV) having a first side and a second side; scannable latch circuits on said first side and said second side of said TSV, wherein said scannable latch circuits: control flow of data between said layer n−1 and said layer n and allow said TSV to be verified; allow launch and capture clocks to be applied with variable delay in order to perform an alternating current delay fault test between said layer n−1 and said layer n; and have a quiescent state supply current (IDDq) test function built in which allows selection of an input load for a unidirectional signal connection between said layer n−1 and said layer n. |
| US09784789B2 |
Handler apparatus that conveys a device under test to a test socket and test apparatus including the handler apparatus
Provided is a handler apparatus that conveys a device under test to a test socket, including: a socket for adjustment which, prior to fitting of a device holder holding the device under test to the test socket, fits the device holder; a socket-for-adjustment position detecting section that detects a relative position of the device under test with respect to the socket for adjustment, in a state in which the device holder fits the socket for adjustment; an actuator that adjusts a position of the device under test on the device holder, based on the detected relative position of the device under test; and a conveyer that conveys the device holder, in which a position of the device under test has been adjusted, to fit the test socket. |
| US09784786B2 |
Device for electrically testing the interconnections of a microelectronic device
A simultaneous electrical testing device for TSV interconnection elements passing through a substrate and including one end connected to an integrated testing circuit and another end to a removable connection mechanism assembled to the substrate through an anisotropic conductive glue. |
| US09784785B2 |
Method of detecting metal oxide varistor (MOV) failure within a surge protection device
An example method for monitoring the operation of a metal-oxide varistor (MOV) may involve monitoring an operating value of at least one parameter of the MOV using at least one sensor. Further, the method may involve determining, using one or more processors, that a difference between the operating value and a reference value corresponding to the at least one parameter satisfies a predetermined threshold condition corresponding to the at least one parameter. And the method may involve responsive to determining that the difference between the operating value and the reference value satisfies the predetermined threshold condition, transmitting a notification indicative of a potential failure of the MOV to at least one device. |
| US09784784B2 |
Signal processing device and method and radiation detecting device for a pileup phenomenon
According to an embodiment, a signal processing device includes a first integrator, a second integrator, a switcher, and a calculator. The first integrator is configured to integrate a current represented by a reference waveform equivalent to a normal waveform in a case of no pileup phenomenon regarding the current to calculate a first electrical charge. The second integrator is configured to integrate a current output from a photoelectric converter to calculate a second electrical charge. The switcher is configured to, when a pileup phenomenon has occurred, perform switching either to a state in which the first and second electrical charges are output or to a state in which the first electrical charge and a reference charge are output. The calculator is configured to calculate a first difference charge between the first and second electrical charges, and calculate a second difference charge between the first electrical charge and the reference charge. |
| US09784781B2 |
Islanding detection reliability in electricity distribution network
A device for detecting an islanding condition in an electricity distribution network. The device comprises means for concurrently monitoring an islanding condition and a network event condition in the electricity distribution network, means for detecting an islanding condition in the power system network, and means for determining on the validity of detection of the islanding condition based on whether there is an associated network event with the detected islanding condition. |
| US09784778B2 |
System and method for accumulating and measuring a slowly varying electrical charge
A system for measuring electrical charge, comprising a capacitance detector (110) connected to a charge integrator (120) being an operational amplifier with capacitance (Cf) feedback (130), wherein the input stage (121) of the charge integrator (120) comprises a pair of symmetrically connected complementary JFET transistors (T1, T2), the gates of which are connected to the input of the charge integrator (120), characterized in that an n-type transistor (T1) of the complementary pair of transistors (T1, T2) has its drain connected to a voltage regulating system (122). |
| US09784777B2 |
Methods and systems for measuring power in wireless power systems
The invention provides a method and system for precisely measuring AC power and detecting load impedance using a precise analog front-end, zero-crossing detectors, and a phase detection system capable of extracting precise phase information from the sensed voltage and current measurements. More particularly, the invention provides an apparatus, comprising a transmit circuit configured to generate a wireless field via an antenna for transferring charging power to a receiver device, for determining a phase difference between a first signal and a second signal. The apparatus further comprises a phase detection circuit to output a phase signal indicating a duration of a phase offset between a time-varying voltage and a time-varying current of the transmit circuit. The apparatus further comprises a capacitor configured to receive a variable current from a current source for the duration of the phase offset between the time-varying voltage and a time-varying current. |
| US09784776B2 |
Logical triggering in the frequency domain
A frequency mask trigger capable of triggering based on a logical combination of two or more areas of a frequency mask transforms a frame of digital data representing an input signal into a frequency spectrum having a plurality of frequency bins, with each frequency bin having a power amplitude value. A frequency mask is defined having a plurality of reference power levels, one reference power level being associated with each frequency bin. Two or more areas of the frequency mask are defined, with each mask area corresponding to one or more of the frequency bins. A violation status is determined for each mask area by comparing all of the power amplitude values within each mask area to the associated reference power level. If any of the power amplitude values within the mask area violates the associated reference power level, then the entire mask area is deemed to be violated. A trigger signal is generated when a logical combination of the violation statuses of the mask areas is satisfied. |
| US09784768B2 |
Dual gap current sensor for multi phase conduction system
A three-phase current sensor for measuring currents running in three conductors of a three-phase conductor system includes at least a first magnetic measuring device. The magnetic measuring device includes a magnetic circuit provided with at least two gaps and a magnetic field sensor arranged in each gap of the magnetic circuit. The magnetic field sensors are positioned on both sides of a cavity sized to receive one of the three conductors. The gaps and thus the magnetic field sensors are positioned such that stray magnetic flux from an adjacent conductor has substantially equal amplitude passing through each of the sensors. |
| US09784767B2 |
Shunt resistance type current sensor
A shunt resistance type current sensor includes a bus bar, a circuit board, voltage detection terminals and a voltage detector for detecting a magnitude of voltage applied to the bus bar. The bus bar is constituted of a through hole to be connected to a battery post, a through hole to be connected to a stud bolt for fixing a wire harness, and a shunt resistance part located between the through hole for the battery post and the through hole for the wire harness. The bus bar is configured so that an area including the through hole and an area including the through hole are formed in a stepped manner via a bent part. |
| US09784763B1 |
Shielded probe systems with controlled testing environments
Shielded probe systems are disclosed herein. The shielded probe systems are configured to test a device under test (DUT) and include an enclosure that defines an enclosure volume, a translation stage with a stage surface, a substrate-supporting stack extending from the stage surface, an electrically conductive shielding structure, an isolation structure, and a thermal shielding structure. The substrate-supporting stack includes an electrically conductive support surface and a temperature-controlled chuck. The electrically conductive shielding structure defines a shielded volume. The isolation structure electrically isolates the electrically conductive shielding structure from the enclosure and from the translation stage. The thermal shielding structure extends within the enclosure volume and at least partially between the enclosure and the substrate-supporting stack. |
| US09784762B2 |
Determination of local contact potential difference by noncontact atomic force microscopy
A method for determining a value of a local contact potential difference by noncontact atomic force microscopy. For one or more cantilever positions above a surface of a sample: i) determining two distinct voltage values of DC voltage applied between an oscillating cantilever and the sample, and ii) determining, by one or more processors, a value of a local contact potential difference based, at least in part, on the two distinct voltage values that were determined. |
| US09784759B2 |
Thermally insensitive open-loop hung mass accelerometer with differential Eddy current sensing
A thermally insensitive open-loop hung mass accelerometer utilizes a transverse geometry to attach the body/flexures/proof mass so that thermal expansion effects due to thermal gradients across the accelerometer or bulk temperatures changes of one flexure relative to the other cause minimal or no axial displacement of the proof mass. In this geometry, multiple flexures may be stacked to achieve the required stiffness, thus reducing manufacturing costs and any tolerancing issues, without affecting thermal sensitivity. The accelerometer is suitably designed to exhibit a radial symmetry. The accelerometer is suitably designed to use low CTE materials for at least the proof mass and body and a low thermal expansion differential Eddy current sensor head. |
| US09784757B2 |
On-line fluid sensor
A touch sensor is associated with a housing that is adapted for attachment to the outer perimeter of a fluid conduit. The housing can be attached to the fluid conduit such that the touch sensor can detect the presence of fluid within the fluid conduit. The output of the touch sensor can be used by an indicator or processor. |
| US09784756B2 |
Apparatus and method of measuring web feeding velocity by using single field encoder
A method of measuring feeding velocity of a web, on which a scale having pitches different from pitches of a mask are formed, is provided. The method includes: calculating a number of vibrations of a moiré image of light passing through the mask and the scale; calculating pitches of the scale of the fed web based on the calculated number of vibrations of the moiré image; averaging the pitches of the scale so that a change in a pitch between adjacent timings among the calculated pitches of the scale is minimized; extracting first signals corresponding to our phases for one pitch based on the averaged pitches of the scale; calculating two second signals for forming a Lissajous circle from the first signals; and calculating an angle of the Lissajous circle by the two second signals and then calculating the feeding velocity of the web by using the calculated angle. |
| US09784755B2 |
Sensor interrogation
A method of operating a sensor system including at least one sensor for detecting an analyte gas and a control system includes electronically interrogating the sensor to determine the operational status thereof and upon determining that the operational status is non-conforming based upon one or more predetermined thresholds, the control system initiating an automated calibration of the sensor with the analyte gas or a simulant gas. |
| US09784749B2 |
Biomarker for cardiac disorders
The present invention relates generally to assays, methods and kits for the prognosis and/or diagnosis of cardiac disorders. The present invention also provides, for example, binding agents to a novel class of circulating cardiac troponin T upstream open reading frame (TnTuORF) peptide biomarkers for use in predicting or diagnosing a cardiac disorder other than myocardial infarction or unstable angina. In addition, the binding agents of the present invention may be used to enhance the sensitivity and false positive performance of cardiac troponins in the prognosis and diagnosis of myocardial infarction. |
| US09784748B2 |
Methods for determining anti-drug antibody isotypes
The present invention provides assay methods for the determination of one or more anti-drug antibody (ADA) isotypes in a sample. As a non-limiting example, the assays of the present invention are particularly useful for determining different ADA isotypes in samples from ADA-positive patients receiving an anti-TNFα drug such as REMICADE™ (infliximab) or HUMIRA™ (adalimumab). The present invention also provides methods for optimizing therapy and/or reducing toxicity in subjects receiving TNFα inhibitors for the treatment of TNFα-mediated disease or disorders. |
| US09784746B2 |
Method for studying transport of an agent across a bilayer membrane in bioanalytical sensor applications
The present invention provides a method for studying transport of an agent across a membrane comprising the steps a) providing at least one surface with a bilayer structure tethered to the surface, said bilayer structure comprising a detection volume, b) contacting the bilayer with at least one agent to be analyzed, and c) detecting a change in refractive index in the detection volume resulting from transportation of the agent across the membrane. Further there is provided a device comprising a) at least one surface, b) at least one bilayer structure tethered to the surface, and c) at least one sensor capable of detecting a change in refractive index in a detection volume, wherein the bilayer structure encloses a first volume of the detection volume and wherein the volume not enclosed by the bilayer structure but within the detection volume is a second volume and wherein the ratio between the first volume and second volume is above about 0.001. |
| US09784739B2 |
Regulatory brain specific cytoplasmic RNAS (BC RNAs) and methods of use thereof in diagnosis and treatment of neuropsychiatric lupus
Compositions and methods for diagnosing an increased risk of NPSLE are provided. |
| US09784736B2 |
Biosensor based on measurements of the clustering dynamics of magnetic particles
Disclosed herein is a biosensor for optical detection of Brownian relaxation dynamics of magnetic particles measured by light transmission. The magnetic particles can be functionalized with biological ligands for the detection of target analytes in a sample. |
| US09784733B1 |
Rapid diagnostic test device by driven flow technology
A rapid diagnostic test device uses driven flow technology to significantly expedite the testing time of a sample. The rapid diagnostic test device can be used to analyze liquids, such as some body fluids, by using labeled molecular affinity binding, such as immunochromatography. The test device can detect an analyte, such as an antibody or antigen, which may indicate a particular condition, the presence of a particular drug, or the like. The device includes an inner member that receives the body fluid. Dripping holes in the inner member, or a sloped surface, creates a stream force of the body fluid against the sample pad of the test strip. A portion of the stream force of the body fluid is directed upward toward the conjugate pad to push the antibody/body fluid sample onto the membrane of the test strip. |
| US09784727B2 |
Synthetic microfluidic systems for wound healing
A method of assaying wound healing can include: growing cells on the matrix in the first flow channel; introducing an agent that removes the matrix from the junction; introducing a matrix material into the second flow channel so as to form the second matrix in the second flow channel and junction; and detecting cellular migration into the junction onto the second matrix. The agent that removes the matrix can include a biomolecule or chemical agent. The method can include removing cells in the matrix in the junction before introducing the matrix material into the second flow channel. A bioactive agent can be introduced into the junction to determine if it modulates cellular migration and/or clot formation into the intersection openings of tissue and vascular channels. |
| US09784726B2 |
Screening method, a kit, a method of treatment and a compound for use in a method of treatment
A method of screening for a candidate compound for the treatment of a condition involving dysregulation of metabolism in a mammal, said method comprising bringing a compound into contact with at least one population of cells, comprising cells that express mTOR and Akt and that are capable of activating mTORC2 and Akt; determining mTORC2 activity and Akt activity in cells brought into contact with the compound, and identifying the candidate compound based on the determined mTORC2 activity and Akt activity. A kit for use in such a method of. A compound for use in a method of treatment of a condition involving dysregulation of metabolism in a mammal, and a method of treatment of such a condition. |
| US09784717B2 |
Acoustic testing of sapphire components for electronic devices
In some embodiments, processes for testing for structural flaws in sapphire parts such as display cover plates used in the manufacturing of electronic devices are disclosed. A process may include transmitting a destructive acoustic signal onto a sapphire part, and determining whether the sapphire part failed in response to the destructive signal. The destructive acoustic signal may include a Rayleigh acoustic wave, wherein the destructive acoustic signal breaks the sapphire part if the sapphire part has a surface flaw larger than a specified size. In this manner, only sapphire parts that can withstand the destructive acoustic signal are used in manufacturing of the electronic device. |
| US09784715B2 |
Eddy current inspection probe based on magnetoresistive sensors
A device and method of eddy current based nondestructive testing of tubular structures made of electrically conductive materials is disclosed. The device includes a plurality of excitation electromagnets having an axis of symmetry and magnetoresistive sensors having an easy axis for magnetic field sensing; wherein the magnetoresistive sensors are arranged in a circular array on a single plane with the easy axis aligned radially with respect to the circular pattern and wherein the electromagnets are arranged in a circular pattern on both sides of the plane with their axes of symmetry being arranged parallel to the plane and orthogonal to radii of the circular pattern on which the electromagnets are placed. |
| US09784714B2 |
Discharge ionization current detector and tuning method for the same
An adjusting method for a discharge ionization current detector of the present invention is provided for a discharge ionization current detector for a gas chromatograph, which improves the precision and reproducibility of measurements results of the detector. The discharge ionization current detector adjusts at least one of purity of introduced helium gas, a flow rate of the introduced helium gas, an amplitude of voltage of the low-frequency dielectric barrier discharge, and a frequency of the voltage of the low-frequency dielectric barrier discharge so that intensity of light having a wavelength of 640 nm reaches the maximum in a range of wavelengths of 250 to 700 nm with respect to light emitted by the helium plasma. |
| US09784713B2 |
Discharge ionization current detector
Provided is a discharge ionization current detector that is highly durable and yet can be produced at a low cost. An electrode structure 19 consisting of a dielectric-coated metal tube 16, with an insulator-coated metal wire 18 included therein, is inserted from above into a first gas passage including a dielectric tube 10. The metal tube 16 is connected to the ground on the upstream side of the first gas passage. One end of the metal wire 18 is extracted from the upstream side of the first gas passage to the outside and connected to a bias power source 33. An area which is not covered with the insulator is provided at the other end of the wire 18. This area is arranged in a second gas passage, which extends from the downstream end of the first gas passage. A metal electrode consisting of a flanged metal tube 28 is placed in the second gas passage and connected to an ion current detecting circuit 34. In the present configuration, the second gas passage, which should be heated to high temperatures, has fewer portions at which metallic parts are in contact with insulating members. This is advantageous for improving the durability of the device and reducing the used amount of expensive, highly heat-resistant sealing members and/or insulating members. |
| US09784710B2 |
Bipolar electrode sample preparation devices
An analyte selection device can include: a body defining a fluid channel having a channel inlet and channel outlet; a bipolar electrode (BPE) between the inlet and outlet; one of an anode or cathode electrically coupled with the BPE on a channel inlet side of the BPE and the other of the anode or cathode electrically coupled with the BPE on a channel outlet side of the BPE; and an electronic system operably coupled with the anode and cathode so as to polarize the BPE. The fluid channel can have any shape or dimension. The channel inlet and channel outlet can be longitudinal or lateral with respect to the longitudinal axis of the channel. The BPE can be any metallic member, such as a flat plate on a wall or mesh as a barrier BPE. The anode and cathode can be located at a position that polarizes the BPE. |
| US09784705B2 |
Measuring electrode and measuring system for chemical liquid
A measuring electrode for chemical liquid in semiconductor process that measures a chemical liquid used for a semiconductor process comprises a first body having a first internal liquid chamber into which a first internal liquid is filled, and a flow tube for a part or all of which a responsive glass is used and that forms a flow channel where a chemical liquid as being a measuring object flows, wherein the flow tube is so arranged to penetrate the first body and the responsive glass makes contact with the first internal liquid in the first internal liquid chamber. |
| US09784699B2 |
Quantitative X-ray analysis—matrix thickness correction
Quantitative X-ray analysis is carried out by making X-ray fluorescence measurements to determine the elemental composition of a sample and a correction measurement by measuring the transmitted intensity of X-rays at an energy E transmitted directly through the sample without deviation. An X-ray diffraction measurement is made in transmission by directing X-rays from an X-ray source at the energy E onto a sample at an incident angle ψ1 to the surface of the sample and measuring a measured intensity Id(θfl) of the diffracted X-rays at the energy E with an X-ray detector at an exit angle ψ2 corresponding to an X-ray diffraction peak of a predetermined component. A matrix corrected X-ray intensity is obtained using the measured X-ray intensity in the X-ray diffraction measurement, the correction measurement and the mass attenuation coefficient of the sample calculated from the elemental composition and the mass attenuation coefficients of the elements. |
| US09784698B2 |
Method for correcting timing skew in X-ray data read out of an X-ray detector in a rolling shutter mode
In an X-ray detector operating in a rolling shutter read out mode, by precisely synchronizing sample rotation with the detector readout, the effects of timing skew on the image intensities and angular positions caused by the rolling shutter read out can be compensated by interpolation or calculation, thus allowing the data to be accurately integrated with conventional software. In one embodiment, the reflection intensities are interpolated with respect to time to recreate data that is synchronized to a predetermined time. This interpolated data can then be processed by any conventional integration routine to generate a 3D model of the sample. In another embodiment a 3D integration routine is specially adapted to allow the time-skewed data to be processed directly and generate a 3D model of the sample. |
| US09784696B2 |
Method for controlling X-ray exposure
The present invention pertains to a system and method for X-ray imaging wherein a targeted fluence at the detector for projection images can be achieved at a plurality of projection angles around the imaging subject by control of exposure times implemented during image acquisition. Exposure time for a second projection image may be determined by the fluence in a first projection image, and in a third projection image by the fluence in a second projection image, where projection images are acquired within two degrees of one another. An acquisition parameter calculation can be configured to calculate acquisition parameters, such as said exposure times, to achieve the targeted fluence in projection images and can be coupled to a rotation controller that implements the acquisition parameters by controlling a relative angle between the imaging subject and X-ray image acquisition device. |
| US09784694B2 |
X-ray computed tomography apparatus and reconstruction processing method
According to one embodiment, an X-ray computed tomography apparatus includes an X-ray generation unit, an X-ray detection unit, a unit to reconstruct volume data for a reconstruction region having an operator-designated diameter based on projection data, a unit to generate interpolation data based on measurement data to complete projection data for end portions of the reconstruction region wherein the projection data required for reconstructing the volume data of a middle portion of the reconstruction region is acquired as the measurement data, and a unit to decide a width of the end portions based on the set radiation range along the top's longitudinal direction, reconstruction region's diameter, and object's imaging target portion. |
| US09784689B2 |
Method and system for inspecting an object with an array of beams
According to an embodiment of the invention there may be provided a system for inspecting an object, the system may include a traveling lens acousto-optic device that is configured to generate a sequence of traveling lenses that propagate through an active region of the traveling lens acousto-optic device; an illumination unit that that is configured to illuminate the sequence of traveling lenses to provide a sequence of input beams; a first beam splitter that is configured to split the sequence of input beams to an intermediate array of intermediate beams, the intermediate array comprises multiple sequences of intermediate beams, the sequences of intermediate beams are spaced apart from each other; a masking unit that is configured to mask first beams of the intermediate array and unmask output beams of the intermediate array in an alternating manner; multiple detectors; and an objective lens that is configured to receive the output beams, direct the output beams towards multiple areas of the object, receive collected beams from the multiple areas of the object, and direct the collected beams towards the multiple detectors; and wherein each detector is associated with an area of the multiple areas. |
| US09784687B2 |
Examination method to apprais corundum that has undergone beryllium diffusion treatment
This invention is within the technical field of corundum appraisal, and it involves an examination method to determine whether corundum has undergone beryllium diffusion treatment. Procedurally, a highly sensitive Raman spectrometer (S/N>10,000) is used to scan and examine the samples. The spectrometer is fitted with a tailor-made probe having a large facula and surface area. Specially developed software is then used to perform an intensity correction and a background elimination to obtain a specific Raman spectral range (250-120 cm-1) with the corrected intensity and a smooth baseline. The corrected and standardized Raman characteristic peak at 804 cm-1 (side-band) is used as a basis to determine whether the corundum has undergone beryllium diffusion treatment. This invention method has the advantages of being non-destructive, simple, fast, and practical. Also, it can accurately determine whether corundum has been treated. |
| US09784679B2 |
Integrated device with external light source for probing detecting and analyzing molecules
System and methods for analyzing single molecules and performing nucleic acid sequencing. An integrated device includes multiple pixels with sample wells configured to receive a sample, which when excited, emits radiation. The integrated device includes at least one waveguide configured to propagate excitation energy to the sample wells from a region of the integrated device configured to couple with an excitation energy source. A pixel may also include at least one element for directing the emission energy towards a sensor within the pixel. The system also includes an instrument that interfaces with the integrated device. The instrument may include an excitation energy source for providing excitation energy to the integrated device by coupling to an excitation energy coupling region of the integrated device. One of multiple markers distinguishable by temporal parameters of the emission energy may label the sample and configuration of the sensor within a pixel may allow for detection of a temporal parameter associated with the marker labeling the sample. |
| US09784677B2 |
System and method for remotely sensing visible ray transmittance of vehicle window
A vehicle window visible ray transmittance remote sensing system emits a plurality of laser beams to a driving vehicle, estimates transmittance of a window of the vehicle by acquiring a plurality of point data of a plurality of points from which a plurality of laser beams are reflected from a surface of the vehicle, and distinguishes a vehicle that deviates from a transmittance reference based on the estimated window transmittance. |
| US09784672B2 |
Foodstuff analysis device
Provided is a foodstuff analysis device capable of readily calculating calories or component weights. The foodstuff analysis device has a light-emitting unit, a light-receiving section, and a control unit. The light-emitting unit irradiates light including at least some wavelengths among wavelengths in the range 700-1,100 nm, on to an analysis target. The light-receiving section receives light reflected from the analysis target. The control unit calculates the absorbance of light received by the light-receiving section, and calculates the calories of the analysis target on the basis of the calculated absorbance and on the basis of the correlation between absorbance and calories. |
| US09784670B1 |
Unified detection system for fluorometry, luminometry and spectrometry
The devices and systems disclosed herein provide multiple optical capabilities in a single device or system. Methods for using these devices and systems are provided. These devices and systems are configurable for operation in each of a spectroscopy mode, a fluorescence mode, and a luminescence mode, and are capable of performing spectroscopic, fluorescence, and luminescence observations, measurements, and analyses when operated in the corresponding spectroscopy mode, fluorescence mode, or luminescence mode. These devices and systems include mirror dispersion elements having multiple faces including an optical dispersion element on one face (e.g., a diffraction grating or a prism) and a reflective element on another face (e.g., a mirror). These multiple capabilities eliminate the need to move or load a sample in multiple devices when subjecting a sample to multiple analyses, and thus provide greater accuracy, precision, and speed while reducing complexity and cost of sample analysis. |
| US09784669B2 |
Nephelometric turbidimeter
A nephelometric turbidimeter with a cylindrical turbidimeter vial. The cylindrical turbidimeter vial includes a transparent vial body and a circular optical shielding configured to optically block an inside from an outside of the turbidimeter vial. The vial body comprises a transparent and flat bottom inlet window, and a transparent vial cylinder body. The vial cylinder body comprises a circular outlet window. The optical shielding is arranged axially above the outlet window of the vial cylinder body, over a part of an axial length of the vial cylinder body, and axially adjacent to a non-shielded part of the vial cylinder body which serves as the outlet window. |
| US09784663B2 |
Method and system for microfluidic particle orientation and/or sorting
A system for orienting particles in a microfluidic system includes one or more radiation pressure sources arranged to expose particles to radiation pressure to cause the particles to adopt a particular orientation in the fluid. A system for sorting particles in a microfluidic system includes a detection stage arranged to detect at least one difference or discriminate between particles in the fluid flow past the detection stage, and one or more radiation pressure sources past which the particles move sequentially and a controller arranged to switch radiation energy to cause a change in direction of movement of selected particles in the fluid flow to sort the particles. The particles may be biological particles such as spermatazoa. The radiation pressure may be optical pressure and may be from one or more waveguides which may extend across a channel of the microfluidic system. |
| US09784662B2 |
Device for vascular hemodynamic bionic cell experiment and methods for using the same
A method of using a device for conducting a vascular hemodynamic bionic cell experiment is provided, the method comprises: firstly, experiment preparation; and secondly, experiment operation, namely, switching on a peristaltic pump, pumping a circulation liquid from a collection bottle into an independently corresponding shunting chamber of a corresponding shunting bottle through a collection bottle sampling tube of an independent chamber of a collection bottle, after shunting by the shunting chamber of the shunting bottle, the circulation liquid flowing out of a branch shunting tube flows to a corresponding flow chamber on the 1-3 flow chamber platforms placed side by side, and then converging the circulation liquid to a corresponding independent chamber of the collection bottle through respective sampling tubes of the flow chamber platforms. The method provided by the present disclosure has the technical characteristics of strong practicability and low manufacturing cost, and can perform a vascular hemodynamic bionic cell experiment under multiple conditions with multiple parameters when used in combination with different models of shunting bottles and flow chamber platforms. |
| US09784660B2 |
Microparticle sorting device, and method and program for sorting microparticles
Provided are a microparticle sorting device, and a method and a program for sorting microparticles capable of stabilizing sorting performance over a prolonged period of time.The microparticle sorting device includes an imaging element and a controller. The imaging element obtains an image of fluid and fluid droplets at a position where the fluid discharged from an orifice which generates a fluid stream is converted into the fluid droplets. The controller controls driving voltage of an oscillation element which gives oscillation to the orifice and/or controls a position of the imaging element based on a state of the fluid in the image and/or a state of a satellite fluid droplet. The satellite fluid droplet does not include microparticles and exists between the position, where the fluid is converted into the fluid droplets, and a fluid droplet, among fluid droplets including the microparticles, which is closest to the position where the fluid is converted into the fluid droplets. |
| US09784657B2 |
Apparatus and methods for density and mass flow sensing with a micromachined dual-tube resonator
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a base structure and a tube. The tube has a first tube portion, a second tube portion substantially parallel to the first tube portion, an inlet portion, and an outlet portion. The tube is configured to have a material pass from the inlet portion to the outlet portion. The apparatus further includes a drive element in contact with the tube. The drive element is configured to vibrate the tube such that the first tube portion conducts vibrational movements out of phase with vibrational movements of the second tube portion. The apparatus also includes a sensing element, at least a portion of which is in contact with the tube. The sensing element is configured to sense deflections of the first tube portion and the second tube portion such that at least one property of the material is determined. |
| US09784656B2 |
Methods and apparatus for measuring properties of a cantilevered member
Methods and apparatus for measuring properties of a cantilevered member according to various aspects of the present technology may utilize a test stand comprising a chuck configured to secure a first end of a test member or shaft such that a second end of the test member is cantilevered outward from the chuck. A loading system may be configured to apply a force to the test member causing the test member to deflect in response to the load. An image capturing system is configured to acquire one or more images of the deflected test member and a data acquisition system may analyze the collected data and images to calculate one or more properties of the test member. |
| US09784653B2 |
Apparatus and method for processing a sample
A first apparatus for processing a liquid sample is disclosed. The apparatus includes a sample-receiving, a filtrate-receiving component, and an analyte-capture element. The apparatus forms a liquid flow path through which the sample passes, thereby causing the analyte-capture element to capture an analyte, if present. A method is disclosed whereby a liquid sample is passed through the first apparatus and the analyte-capture element is easily separated from the apparatus for further processing and detection of the analyte. A structurally-related second apparatus for processing a plurality of liquid samples, and a corresponding method of use, also is disclosed. |
| US09784647B2 |
Wear sensing device having a housing
A wear sensing device is disclosed. The wear sensing device may have a wear sensor. The wear sensor may have plurality of wear members, a communication device, and a processing device. The processing device may be configured to generate a signal indicative of wear, based on a state of the plurality of wear members. The processing device may be further configured transmit the signal with the communication device. The wear sensing device may further have a housing. The housing may at least partially enclose the wear sensor and include a plurality of separate slots. The plurality of wear members may be positioned in the plurality of separate slots. |
| US09784645B2 |
Engine control device
An engine control device includes: a pre-ignition determination module that determines whether an operation state of an engine indicated by a rotation speed detected by a rotation speed detection unit and a load calculated by a load calculating module is in a pre-ignition occurring region; a catalyst protection determination module that determines whether the operation state of the engine is in a catalyst protection region; and a fuel cut execution control module that stops a fuel supplied to the engine, when a remaining amount of a fuel tank is determined to be smaller than a tank threshold value and the operation state is determined to be in the pre-ignition occurring region, and when the remaining amount of the fuel tank is determined to be smaller than the tank threshold value and the operation state is determined to be in the catalyst protection region. |
| US09784644B2 |
Engine error detection system
A variety of methods and arrangements for detecting misfire and other engine-related errors are described. In one aspect, a window is assigned to a target firing opportunity for a target working chamber. There is an attempt to fire a target working chamber during the target firing opportunity. A change in an engine parameter (e.g., crankshaft angular acceleration) is measured during the window. A model (e.g., a pressure model) is used to help determine an expected change in the engine parameter during the target firing opportunity. Based on a comparison of the expected change and the measured change in the engine parameter, a determination is made as to whether an engine error (e.g., misfire) has occurred. |
| US09784639B2 |
Tightness test during the evacuation of a film chamber
A method for testing the sealing tightness of a specimen, containing a gas, in a film chamber made from flexible material. The film chamber is evacuated by a vacuum pump and the gas flow flowing out of the film chamber and generated by the vacuum pump is measured during the evacuation and is examined with respect to a possible leak of the specimen. |
| US09784636B2 |
Weight material dispensing, cutting and applying system
An apparatus for balancing a wheel includes a tool that is mechanically coupled to an arm. The tool includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a face surface that forms an arc between the leading and trailing edges. The apparatus includes an arm control module that actuates the arm to position the leading edge of the tool a predetermined distance from an edge of a deck to receive a wheel weight. The apparatus includes a cutting apparatus for separating the wheel weight from a supply feed of wheel weight material. The apparatus includes a sensor that detects presence or absence of the wheel weight on the tool. |
| US09784632B2 |
Sensor signal detection device
Sensor signal detection device includes: a sensor element; a temperature detection element connected in series with the sensor element; a constant voltage power supply applying constant voltage to a series circuit of the temperature detection element and the sensor element; a short-circuit switch short-circuiting both terminals of the temperature detection element; and a controller controlling a changeover between a sensor detection state and a temperature detection state. In the sensor detection state, a sensor signal from the sensor element is obtained by turning on the short-circuit switch to apply the constant voltage across both terminals of the sensor element from the constant voltage power supply. In the temperature detection state, a temperature detection signal of the temperature detection element is obtained by turning off the short-circuit switch to connect the temperature detection element to the sensor element in series and applying constant voltage from the constant voltage power supply. |
| US09784630B2 |
Sensor
A sensor is provided having a diaphragm. One side of the diaphragm is arranged to be exposed to a fluid, to measure a characteristic of the fluid. Two supports are mounted on the diaphragm and a resonator is provided on the supports. The proportion of energy transferred from the resonator to the diaphragm is variable for the sensor to be used either as a viscosity/density sensor or as a pressure sensor. |
| US09784628B1 |
Bicycle power meter
A power meter for a bicycle includes a body having a torque input section and a torque output section, the body configured to transmit power between the torque input section and the torque output section. The power meter also includes a printed circuit board (“PCB”) having a substrate and at least one strain measurement device attached to the PCB. |
| US09784626B2 |
Pressure array sensor module and manufacturing method thereof
A pressure array sensor module, comprising an array electrode board, a plurality of pressure sensing elements, at least one first conductive structure and at least one second conductive structure is provided. The array electrode board comprises a substrate and an electrode array disposed on the substrate and having a first electrode pattern and a second electrode pattern. Each pressure sensing element is disposed at a sensing position on the array electrode board, and comprises a top electrode layer, a bottom electrode layer and at least one pressure sensing layer disposed between the top electrode layer and the bottom electrode layer. The top electrode layer has a first lead. The bottom electrode layer has a second lead. The first conductive structure electrically connects the first lead and the corresponding first electrode pattern. The second conductive structure electrically connects the second lead and the corresponding second electrode pattern. |
| US09784623B2 |
Bolometric detector with MIM structures of different dimensions
A bolometric detector of LWIR wavelengths, including: a substrate; a membrane suspended above the substrate by supporting elements; an absorbing element comprising several MIM structures each formed with a lower metal element, an upper metal element specific to each MIM structure and with a dielectric element positioned between the lower and upper metal elements; a thermometric element comprising at least one thermometric material; wherein: the membrane includes the upper metal element, the thermometric material and one portion of the dielectric element of each MIM structure, the upper metal elements of at least two MIM structure have different dimensions relatively to each other in the main plane of the membrane, and the dielectric element of each of the MIM structures includes at least one of the following materials having vibrational modes in the LWIR range: Al2O3, AlN, TiO2. |
| US09784621B2 |
Spectroscopic apparatus and methods
A method of estimating background radiation in spectral data. The method may comprise, iteratively, fitting an analytical curve, such as a spline curve, to reference data, determining an allowable deviation of the reference data from the analytical curve and clipping data points of the reference data or the spectral data that are more than the allowable deviation above the analytical curve to provide the reference data for the next iteration until termination criterion is met. The reference data is initially based upon the spectral data. The method may comprise generating estimates of background radiation of the spectral data, each estimate based upon fitting a different order polynomial to the spectral data, and selecting an order of polynomial to use for estimating background radiation and/or one of the estimates of the background radiation. The method may further comprise estimating the noise in the spectral data from the reference data. |
| US09784614B2 |
Method and apparatus for color measurement of non-solid colors
In one embodiment, an apparatus for measuring a color of a non-solid colored sample includes an integrating sphere having a sensor port, a sample port, and a plurality of registration marks affixed to an interior surface of the integrating sphere, outside a periphery of the sample port, a camera positioned near the sensor port, and a plurality of filters positioned between the integrating sphere and camera. An optical axis of the camera extends from the camera, through at least one of the plurality of filters, through the sensor port, to the sample port. |
| US09784613B2 |
Sensor for detecting and localising laser beam sources
A sensor for detecting and localizing laser beam sources, includes a beam-sensitive detector which is arranged in the image field of an imaging optic, an electric image processing device which is connected to the detector, and an optical diffraction element which is arranged in the beam path. The diffraction properties of the optical diffraction element are such that incident laser light on different wavelength bands produce diffraction patterns with different shapes, and the electronic image processing device is designed such that it can detect and evaluate the different forms of the diffraction pattern. |
| US09784606B2 |
Two-phase flow detector using heat transfer in cross flow
A temperature sensing device comprising a plurality of thermocouples in a hollow tube, where the thermocouples sensing tips contact the outer wall of the tube, and a heat flux source that heats the hollow tube. The hollow tube is inserted through a cross section of a pipe perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe. The apparatus measures a void fraction in a two-phase flow of a liquid-gas mixture flowing through the pipe. A process of measuring void fraction whereby the hollow tube is heated to an initial temperature, and in the presence of a liquid-gas mixture flow through the pipe the difference is calculated between the initial temperature of the tube and the temperature during liquid-gas mixture flow, to determine the void fraction in the two-phase flow of liquid-gas mixture through the pipe. |
| US09784604B2 |
Method for determining at least one gas parameter of a flowing gas
A method for determining at least one gas parameter, of a flowing gas, by means of a flow meter, comprising a measurement section having a heating element and at least three temperature sensors, over which the gas is fed, at least one first temperature sensor being arranged upstream of the heating element, at least one second temperature sensor being arranged in the region of the heating element, and at least one third temperature sensor being arranged downstream of the heating element, wherein a calculation unit determines the at least one gas parameter as a function of the temperature measurement values at the first, second and third temperature sensors, and/or at least two separate gas parameters as a function of the temperature measurement values of individual different temperature sensors and/or the combinations of temperature measurement values of different temperature sensors. |
| US09784599B1 |
Modular infrastructure asset inspection robot
One aspect provides a modular infrastructure asset inspection robot, including: a plurality of modules for use in fluid conveyance infrastructure assets; each of the plurality of modules including at least one standardized electromechanical connection permitting a connection to be established with another of the plurality of modules; the plurality of modules being interchangeable and allowing reconfiguration of said modular infrastructure asset inspection robot to perform one or more of: two or more deployment methods for a first infrastructure asset type; and one deployment method for the first infrastructure asset type and a second infrastructure asset type. Other aspects are described and claimed. |
| US09784598B2 |
Position detecting device, electronic apparatus, recording apparatus, robot, and position detecting method having a ratio computing unit
A position detecting device detects the position of a moving body by using first and second detected signals that have voltage values changing in connection with a movement of the moving body. The position detecting device includes a difference computing unit that computes first and second difference values, the first being the difference between a center voltage of the first detected signal and the voltage value of the first detected signal, and the second being the difference between a center voltage of the second detected signal and the voltage value of the second detected signal. A ratio computing unit computes a difference-sum ratio index in accordance with the ratio of the difference value between the absolute values of the first and second difference values and the absolute value of the second difference value to the sum of the absolute values of the first and second difference values. |
| US09784593B2 |
Relative wind display and landing aid
A system for displaying information obtained along the direction of flight of an aircraft is provided. The system includes a vane assembly pivotally mounted to the aircraft having a sensor mounted thereto. The vane comprises a pointing axis configured to continuously align with the direction of the flight path of the aircraft. A display device is operatively connected to the output of the sensor for providing a display along the actual flight path of the aircraft. |
| US09784591B2 |
Computing systems, devices and methods for identifying important access roads to a geographic location
To identify important access roads for a geographic location, multiple previous requests for directions between a multiplicity of sources and one or more destinations identical, or proximate, to the geographic location are identified. Further, routes between the multiplicity of sources and the one or more destinations are determined. Still further, common road segments shared by at least some of the determined routes are identified, and a set of important access roads for the geographic location are selected from among the identified road segments based on how frequently the identified road segments are used. |
| US09784590B2 |
Vehicle navigation system for estimating energy consumption of route links
A vehicle navigation system having a database configured to store map data. The database includes links corresponding to road segments and attributes associated with the links. The map data includes at least some links associated with a curvature attribute. A mean absolute curvature is stored for the curvature attribute for corresponding links. The mean absolute curvature may be determined from a normalized sum or integral of absolute curvature values along the road segment corresponding to the link. The system includes a processing unit configured to estimate an energy consumption of the vehicle for a link using the curvature attribute retrieved from the database for the link. |
| US09784589B1 |
Electronic route navigation method in a road network on a map
An electronic route navigation method is used in navigating an autonomous vehicle in a road network. In an implementation of the method a map is stored on at least one computer, and is sectioned into quads by a processor. The smallest size quads are grouped as base level quads. Extended area quads are defined to contain the area of a plurality of base level quads. Thereafter, a route along a road is calculated from a start point to a destination point. Further extended area quads on the map that do not contain the start point or the destination point are used for cross routing. In said cross routing only the road routes crossing the extended area quad leading from the start point to destination point are calculated. |
| US09784588B2 |
Navigation method and system, map data management cloud and data update method thereof
A navigation method and system, a map data management cloud and data update method thereof, wherein the navigation method includes: a map data management cloud receiving a navigation request from a mobile terminal, wherein the navigation request includes: requesting for route information of the navigation; the map data management cloud obtaining an optimal route according to the navigation request and collected real-time route condition information; wherein the real-time route condition information includes: route condition information, uploaded by at least one mobile terminal, collected during navigation processes of the at least one mobile terminal; the map data management cloud sending the optimal route to the mobile terminal which sends the navigation request, thereby providing real-time navigation data and improving navigation efficiency. |
| US09784586B2 |
Path planning
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for determining a path (4) for a vehicle (2). The method comprises providing starting and final positions for the vehicle (2), and using the provided positions, determining an ordered sequence of points, thereby providing the path (4) for the vehicle (2). Performing the optimisation process comprises: minimising a distance between the final position and a last point in the sequence; for each point other than a last point in the sequence, constraining a distance between that point and the next point to be equal to a predefined distance; and, for each path point other than the first and last points, constraining an angle between a line that connects that point to the point that precedes it and a line that connects that point to the next point to be greater than or equal to a predefined angle. |
| US09784585B2 |
Automatic driving of a route
A method for automatically driving a predetermined route includes the steps of scanning route data and environmental data while the route is being driven manually, determining an automatic driving strategy based on the scanned data, comparing the automatic driving strategy to the manual driving strategy and enabling the automatic driving of the route if the automatic driving strategy differs by less than a predetermined measure from the manual driving strategy. |
| US09784583B2 |
System and method for reporting a status of an asset
A system and method for reporting a status of an asset is described. In one embodiment, an asset status is determined based on configurable parameters to thereby enable accurate reporting of departures and arrivals of an asset. |
| US09784579B2 |
Runway measurement system and method
A measuring system comprising a fixed measurement unit (101), a data processing unit (130) and a mobile unit (120). The mobile unit comprises a planar base (111), a reflector (118), an elevation element (119) fixed to the base and the reflector, and attaching the reflector to a fixed position in respect of the base. The mobile unit comprises also mobility means (112) for moving the base along a surface (113) such that the spatial orientation of the base (114) substantially corresponds with the spatial orientation of the currently underlying part of the surface. In addition the mobile unit comprises tilt measuring means (123) for determining a deviation between the spatial orientation of the base and a plane perpendicular to the ambient gravitational force, and tilt elimination means for eliminating the effect of the determined deviation. Measurement results are thus more accurate. |
| US09784578B2 |
Wake test instrumentation
A wake test instrumentation and more particularly, systems and methods for determining wake velocities and directions are provided. The wake test instrument includes a linkage system mounted to a base and a pole pivotally mounted to the linkage system and which comprises a hydrofoil system. The wake test instrument further includes a hydrofoil system mounted to the pole. The wake test instrument further includes a water flow meter mounted to the pole which is structured to measure wake parameters. |
| US09784577B2 |
Measuring distance from object by using size of pattern projected onto object
An apparatus for measuring a distance can include a camera module and a film having a reference pattern. The camera module can include an infrared LED transmission unit to transmit an infrared LED light toward the film and a module unit calculating a distance from an object by using a size of a pattern projected onto the object which is obtained from an image of a camera unit. The film can include an infrared film and a plurality of holes formed in the infrared film. |
| US09784576B2 |
Calibration method for merging object coordinates and calibration board device using the same
A calibration method for merging object coordinates and a calibration board device using the same are provided. The calibration board device has a plurality of characteristic points and a central reflection element. A center of the central reflection element has a central characteristic point. A distance sensor emits a distance sensing signal to the central reflection element, so as to obtain a central real coordinate. Intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of a camera is used to establish a transformation equation which transforms the central real coordinate into a central image coordinate. Finally, a calibration image of the calibration board device is retrieved, and the central characteristic point is searched, and the central image coordinate is projected on the calibration image whereby the central image coordinate is calibrated to aim at the central characteristic point on the calibration image, thereby generating extrinsic and intrinsic parameter parameters calibrated. |
| US09784575B2 |
Optical device with a measurement scale
An optical device with at least one measurement scale for the determination of the distance to an object with an at least approximately known size observed by the measurement scale. In order to make possible a quick, object size-independent readability of measurement values and a simpler calculation of the distance to an object from the read-off measurement values, the measurement scale includes a reference marking and at least one additional measurement marking with a numerical value that is correlated with it and that is inversely proportional to the distance of the reference marking from the pertinent measurement marking. The distance to the object observed by the measurement scale is produced by a multiplication of the size of the object with a measurement value read off from the measurement scale. |
| US09784573B2 |
Positional deviation measuring device, non-transitory computer-readable recording medium containing a positional deviation measuring program, and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
According to one embodiment, an adjusting unit adjusts a refracting angle of incident light with respect to a substrate, a detector detects reflected light from the substrate, and a calculating unit calculates positional deviation of the pattern based on patterns respectively reflected in reflected lights obtained from the incident light generating N number of refracting angles with respect to the substrate, where N is an integer of two or greater. |
| US09784568B2 |
Method and device for non-contact three dimensional object surface imaging
A slit m is projected onto an object surface in which reference point X1 is in a horizontal axis x closest to in focus point P. One image of a field of view area F is acquired after reflection of light comprising said reference point X1. Position Z1 of the object in a vertical axis z is determined. Images of respective field of view areas F are acquired after reflection of light having reference points X2, X3 . . . Xn by simultaneously moving the object along axis z to maintain reference points X2, X3 . . . Xn closest to in focus point P. Positions Z2, Z3 . . . Zn in which images were acquired are determined. The in focus point P along horizontal axis x is determined for each image. A correction differential Δ1, Δ2 . . . Δn between in focus point P and reference points X1, X2 . . . Xn is calculated. |
| US09784567B2 |
Distributed brillouin sensing using correlation
Methods and systems for sensing conditions of a fiber include splitting a light signal into two branches. A first branch is converted to have a mode different from that of the second branch. Both branches are mode multiplexed into a single fiber. An output of the fiber is mode demultiplexed into the two branches. The first branch is mode converted to its original mode. Brillouin scattering patterns of the two branches are compared to determine a temperature and strain profile of the fiber. |
| US09784565B2 |
Track reference targets and method of using same to define left and right top-of-rail elevations
A dimension measuring system and method are provided. Two track reference target (TRT) assemblies are positioned at spaced-apart locations on a railroad track's rails. Each of the TRT assemblies has two targets at fixed positions in a plane perpendicular to the rails. For each of the TRT assemblies, at least one of the two targets is positioned at a known and fixed height over one of the rails. A laser-based distance measuring device measures vector distances to the two targets associated with each of the TRT assemblies. The vector distances are processed in combination with the fixed positions to determine an elevation of each of the rails in the plane associated with each of the TRT assemblies. |
| US09784557B2 |
Hand tool device
A hand tool device comprises a computing unit and at least one locating device configured to receive two orthogonal polarization directions of at least one reflected locating signal. The computing unit is configured to determine, from two received polarization directions of the reflected locating signal, an item of orientation information of a concealed, elongate object. |
| US09784553B2 |
Apparatus for checking dimensions and/or shape of a mechanical part
An apparatus for checking dimensions and/or shape includes one or more feelers (7,8;9;67,68), three for preference, adapted to touch the surface of a mechanical part (2;61) to be checked, a transducer and/or display device (33;78) with a movable part (34;77), and a mechanical transmission assembly (20) to transmit to the movable part of the transducer and/or display device the displacements of the feeler/s. The mechanical transmission assembly includes a shaft (22) defining an axis (A) and a guiding element (30) adapted to house a guide portion (25) of the shaft. The shaft includes a resiliently deformable portion (26), that is preferably a reduced diameter portion having axial symmetry, in an intermediate position between the guide portion and an abutment portion (27). |
| US09784550B2 |
Blast-resistant container
The present invention relates to a blast-resistant container, and particularly to such a container configured to receive an explosive, an explosive-suspect item or a thereto related article for preventing or minimizing damage in the event an explosion occurs. Advantages with the invention includes for example an improved safety situation surrounding the process of handling potentially explosive devices, as the blast-resistant container may be made readily available for use in any situation where potentially dangerous objects may be presented. |
| US09784544B2 |
Frangible munition
The invention relates to a common carrier munition ammunition device, more particularly to common carrier payload delivery shell with a frangible ogive element.There is provided a common carrier munition comprising a tail unit, a main body which comprises a payload cavity for receiving a payload, a fuze, and located between said main body and the fuze an frangible ogive element, wherein the tail unit and main body comprise cooperatively engaging male and female threaded portions, wherein at least one of the threads is a shearable thread. |
| US09784543B2 |
Weapon and weapon system employing the same
A weapon system including a weapon, and methods of manufacturing and operating the same. In one embodiment, the weapon includes a guidance section in a front section of the weapon, and a signal cartridge assembly behind the front section and including a signal cartridge configured to provide a signal indicating a location of impact for the weapon. |
| US09784542B1 |
Arrow tracking system
An arrow tracking system includes an arrow that has a shaft and a head. The head is removably coupled to the shaft. The arrow is launched at an animal thereby facilitating the animal to be killed. A reservoir is coupled to the arrow and the reservoir contains a fluid dye. The fluid dye is selectively released from the reservoir when the arrow strikes the animal. Thus, the fluid dye is released into the animal's blood stream. The fluid dye reacts with blood thereby enhancing visibility of blood released from the animal thereby. Thus, the fluid dye enhances tracking the animal during hunting. |
| US09784537B2 |
Entanglement obstacle
An entanglement obstacle for obstructing an area of a surface includes a mesh layer suspended over upright perimeter members via a perimeter cable and over upright central members via a central cable. The upright members are operatively attached to the surface. The perimeter cable is operatively attached to the perimeter members at a perimeter clearance above the surface to provide a trip impediment. The central cable is operatively attached to the central members at a central clearance above the surface to provide a step-over impediment. The central clearance is greater than the perimeter clearance. The mesh layer is operatively attached to the perimeter and central cables such that the mesh layer covers the obstructed area to provide an entanglement obstacle. The mesh layer is inclined from the central cable to each of first and second sides of the obstacle at an angle defined by the central perimeter clearances. |
| US09784530B1 |
Gun holster system and method of use
A gun holster system includes a body having a front side and a back side forming an upper opening disposed therebetween and forming a lower opening at a lower surface of the body; a strap assembly integrally secured to the body; a first magnet disposed within a thickness of the fastener protrusion; and a second magnet disposed within a thickness of the housing. The strap assembly includes an elongated strap extending from the body; a fastener protrusion extending from a surface of the elongated strap; and a faster housing extending from an outer surface of the back side of the body. |
| US09784529B1 |
Small arms stabilization system
A self-stabilizing small arm having a barrel assembly rigidly connected to a stock assembly. The small arm includes at least one shooter interface surface and a stabilization assembly controlling the relative position of the shooter interface surface and the barrel assembly or stock assembly. The stabilization assembly includes (i) at least one movement sensor; (ii) at least one actuator; and (iii) a controller using signals from the movement sensor to operate the actuator in order to compensate for unintended movement of the small arm. |
| US09784528B2 |
Special automatic out the front knife transformed as a bayonet
A special automatic out the front knife device transformed as a bayonet for rifles, shotguns and pistols. Particularly this knife product is related to rifle, pistol and shotgun applications where having a knife or bayonet readily available is desired. The device is to be used with a weapon such as a rifle, shotgun or pistol and is comprised of an out-the front, encased spring activated blade component and at least one manner or way for connecting the blade component to the weapon wherein the out-the front, encased spring activated blade component which can be removably secured to the rifle, shotgun or pistol for use as a bayonet. |
| US09784524B1 |
Toy gun
The invention relates to a magazine for receiving and accommodating one or more projectiles in a toy gun. The magazine comprises a housing defining a chamber adapted to accommodate the one or more projectiles in a longitudinal, inline arrangement; a first positioning member arranged at the chamber and being movable relative to the housing; wherein the first positioning member comprises one or more first engaging means adapted to engage the one or more projectiles, such that the one or more projectiles are permitted to move longitudinally along the chamber in one direction only in response to a projectile advancing or loading movement of the first positioning member. The invention also relates to a toy gun having the magazine as described. |
| US09784521B2 |
Bipod firearm support
A bipod firearm support has a body defining a first bore and a second bore, a first offset bore segment associated with the first bore, and angularly offset with respect to the first bore, a second offset bore segment associated with the second bore, and angularly offset with respect to the second bore, a first elongated leg adapted to be closely and removably received in the first bore for stowage, a second elongated leg closely and removably received in the second bore for stowage, each of the first and second legs having a base segment sized to be closely received in the associated offset bore segment for deployment, and each of the first and second legs having an elongated leg portion connected to the base segment by way of a connection facility that enables angular flexure of each elongated leg portion with respect to the base segment. |
| US09784511B2 |
Magazine assembly with magnetically activated tacticle indicator
A magazine assembly having an elongated housing with a channel dimensioned to contain a plurality of stacked ammunitions between a first and second end of the housing. A spring loaded follower is mounted within the housing channel and is adapted to abut against one end of the stacked ammunition adjacent the second end of the housing and urge the stacked ammunition towards the first end of the housing. A tactile indicator assembly is mounted to the housing which cooperates with the follower to indicate the position of the follower between the ends of the housing and thus the amount of ammunition remaining in the magazine. |
| US09784508B2 |
Method of monitoring a heat exchanger arrangement and ram air fan in an aircraft to prevent stall conditions
A method of monitoring a heat exchanger arrangement is provided. The method includes detecting a rotational speed of a ram air fan configured to draw air through the heat exchanger arrangement. The method also includes detecting a power input from a motor to the ram air fan to maintain a commanded rotational speed of the ram air fan. The method further includes comparing the power input detected to a predetermined power limit for the commanded rotational speed. The method yet further includes decreasing the rotational speed of the ram air fan with a controller if the power input detected exceeds the predetermined power limit. |
| US09784505B2 |
System, apparatus, and method for micro-capillary heat exchanger
A heat exchanger for use with a refrigeration device having a FPA disposed therein being comprised of a polymeric composite mesh material having a hot end and a cold end and defining an array of weft capillaries interwoven with a perpendicular array of warp strands. The array of weft capillaries may include a plurality of high pressure inlet capillaries for channeling and distributing high pressure gas from an inlet at the hot end to a Joule-Thomson orifice at the cold end, a plurality of low pressure outlet capillaries for channeling and distributing high pressure gas from a Joule-Thomson orifice to an outlet of the heat exchanger, and a plurality of low thermal conductivity fibers interspersed between the high pressure inlet capillaries and the low pressure outlet capillaries. In example embodiments. the array of warp strands comprises at least one or more of carbon fibers, copper fibers or glass fibers. |
| US09784497B2 |
Smart refrigerator
A smart refrigerator has a body having a shelf and a drawer, a door coupled to the body and has a plurality of trays. The shelf has a corresponding camera configured to capture an image of items on the shelf. The drawer has a corresponding camera configured to capture an image of items in the drawer. The trays have a corresponding camera configured to capture an image of items in the trays. The images captured by the cameras are processed to identify the type of the item and the location of the item within the smart refrigerator. |
| US09784494B2 |
Universal fixing system for a range of modular refrigerator components
A modular component fixing system for an appliance including a refrigerating appliance having an inner liner defining a plurality of modular attachment slots, each having an upturned flange defining an angular recess. Each modular attachment slots includes a downwardly angled channel in communication with the angular recess. Each of a plurality of modular components includes an abutment surface and a supporting flange extending from the abutment surface at a predetermined angle, the predetermined angle of the supporting flange being substantially similar to a recess angle define by the angular recess, wherein each modular component is configured to be removably engaged with any one of the plurality of modular attachment slots by inserting the supporting flange into a corresponding angular recess of the one of the plurality of modular attachment slots such that the abutment surface is substantially flush with an interior surface of the inner liner. |
| US09784493B2 |
Condenser exhaust fan location within a transport refrigeration unit
A transport refrigeration unit (TRU) for a transport refrigeration system (TRS) is described. The TRU can be configured to have an upper compartment to accommodate a compressor and an engine, and a condenser compartment that is generally positioned below the upper comportment. The condenser compartment can include a condenser and a fan at a bottom portion of the condenser compartment. The fan can be configured to blow air out of the condenser compartment in a downward direction from the bottom portion of the condenser compartment. The TRU can also have an evaporator compartment that is generally positioned behind the condenser compartment. The evaporator compartment can accommodate an evaporator that is generally positioned below the upper compartment. The evaporator compartment can have an air inlet and an air outlet that is positioned higher than the air outlet. In operation, airflow through the evaporator compartment is directed in a downward direction. |
| US09784490B2 |
Refrigeration system with humidity control
A refrigeration system includes a supplemental heat exchanger operably disposed between a condenser and an evaporator. This supplemental heat exchanger is located in selective fluid communication with the air in the conditioned space, and can be toggled between an “invisible” mode in which the heat exchanger acts as a simple fluid conduit between the condenser and evaporator, and a “humidity reduction” mode in which the heat exchanger operates to transfer heat from hot refrigerant to the colder conditioned space. This addition of heat into the conditioned space decreases the relative humidity of the conditioned space and subcools the refrigerant leading to the expansion valve and evaporator. This subcooling of the liquid enables the evaporator to operate at a lower temperature which enhances the moisture removal from the air moving through the evaporator. The supplemental heat exchanger may be located in a physically elevated position relative to the remainder of the conditioned space to utilize stratification of hot air to create a default “invisible mode” without inducing airflow. |
| US09784487B2 |
Decompression device having flow control valves and refrigeration cycle with said decompression device
A body part of a decompression device has a swirl space for swirling a refrigerant that flows from a refrigerant inlet, and a refrigerant outlet that is positioned on an extension line of a swirl center line of the refrigerant and functions as a throttle. Further, a passage cross-sectional area of the refrigerant inlet is configured to be smaller than a twelve-fold value of a passage cross-sectional size of the refrigerant outlet, such that a swirl speed of the refrigerant in the swirl space is increased so as to enable a decompression boiling of the refrigerant around the swirl center line. In such manner, a gas-liquid mixture phase refrigerant securely flows into the refrigerant outlet, and it restricts a fluctuation of a flow amount of the refrigerant flowing toward a downstream side without complicating a cycle structure. |
| US09784486B2 |
Mechanism for controlling refrigerant in a vehicle air conditioning apparatus
A vehicle air conditioning apparatus includes an outdoor expansion valve controller configured to control an evaporating temperature of a refrigerant in a heat exchanger by regulating an opening of an outdoor expansion valve during a heating and dehumidifying operation, an evaporating temperature control valve provided in a refrigerant flow passage to an output side of the heat exchanger from which the refrigerant is discharged, and configured to control the evaporating temperature of the refrigerant in the heat exchanger by regulating an amount of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow passage, a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature of the refrigerant in the heat exchanger, and a control changer configured to change control of the evaporating temperature of the refrigerant in the heat exchanger from by regulating an opening of the outdoor expansion valve to by regulating an opening of the evaporating temperature control valve. |
| US09784484B2 |
Absorption cooling system with solar collector
A solar powered absorption cooling system employing refrigerant-absorbent solutions such as water and lithium bromide and hybrid storage capabilities, and a method of employing the system in refrigeration and air conditioning units. The system includes a first temperature control valve and second temperature control valve that together regulate the flow of solar heating fluid into the generator and substantially reduce absorbent crystal formation. |
| US09784482B2 |
Magnetic cooling apparatus and method of controlling the same
A magnetic cooling apparatus having a plurality of cooling modules, where each of the cooling modules includes at least one magnetic regenerator allowing a heat transfer fluid to pass therethrough and filled with a magnetocaloric material; and a fluid supply device to supply the heat transfer fluid into the magnetic regenerator. The cooling modules are rotatably arranged in a circumferential direction. |
| US09784481B2 |
Heat-recovery-type refrigerating apparatus
A heat-recovery-type refrigerating apparatus includes a compressor, a heat-source-side heat exchanger, and a plurality of usage-side heat exchangers, and refrigerant is sent from the usage-side heat exchanger functioning as a refrigerant radiator to the usage-side heat exchanger functioning as a refrigerant evaporator, whereby heat can be recovered between the usage-side heat exchangers. Here, a portion of the heat-source-side heat exchanger is configured as a precooling heat exchanger for always circulating high-pressure vapor refrigerant discharged from the compressor, and a refrigerant cooler for cooling an electrical equipment item is connected to a downstream side of the precooling heat exchanger. |
| US09784480B1 |
Pulse tube refrigerator with tunable inertance tube
An inertance tube for a pulse tube refrigerator which can be tuned to optimize performance. Apertures in the inertance tube fluidly communicate the inertance tube with a fluid reservoir. The effective length of the inertance tube is changed by alternatively closing or opening the apertures. Changing the effective length of the inertance tube causes a phase shift between the mass flow and pressure waves in the working gas which, in turn, changes the acoustic power. Controlling the phase angle improves Carnot efficiency. The cooling load capacity of the pulse tube refrigerator is a function of the acoustic power. |
| US09784477B2 |
Apparatus for reflecting light
The invention relates to an apparatus for reflecting incident light, in particular sunlight, comprising a plurality of reflector units arranged next to one another, in particular next to one another in two directions, each reflector unit comprising at least one reflector surface (4), wherein the reflector surfaces (4) of all of the reflector units are pivotable, wherein each reflector unit (2, 3, 4, 5) comprises a rod (3) and comprises a reflector surface (4) fastened at the upper free end of the rod (3) and a lower spherical hinge (5) at the lower end of the rod (3), with which hinge the rod (3) is connected in articulated fashion to a movable coupling element (6), which is common to all of the reflector units (2, 3, 4, 5), and comprises a spherical hinge (2) in an intermediate region between the upper end and the lower end of the rod (3), said hinge connecting, in articulated fashion, the rod (3) to a stationary base element (1) which is common to all of the reflector units (2, 3, 4, 5) and bearing each reflector unit (2, 3, 4, 5) movably about a dedicated stationary hinge center point thereof and wherein, owing to the movement of the coupling element (6) arranged beneath the base element (1), the reflector surfaces (4) of all of the reflector units (2, 3, 4, 5) are movable simultaneously in the same direction and to the same extent. |
| US09784474B2 |
Solar power tower receiver
A central receiver for a solar power facility is provided comprising an arrangement of heat absorber tubes located in a chamber having a window that, in use, is to receive solar radiation reflected by a heliostat field. The heat absorber tubes extend transversely relative to the window and are connected into a working fluid circuit. The window forms an atmospheric air inlet and the chamber has an outlet in a region opposite the window. An air flow promoting fan induces a flow of atmospheric air inwards through the window, past the absorber tubes; and through the outlet. The receiver preferably includes multiple rows of unpressurized louvers or panes having oblique frontal surfaces such that reflected rays travel into the chamber and provide a leading row in which the temperature of the louvers is, under operating conditions, maintained at a level low enough to reduce thermal reflection and radiation losses. |
| US09784466B2 |
Air supply damper for separately supplying leakage air flow and supplementary air flow, method for controlling the same, and smoke control system utilizing the same
Disclosed is a smoke control system provided in a high-rise building for separately supplying leakage air flow and supplementary air flow, including: a blowing means for supplying air into a building; a ventilating means having a leakage air flow supplying passage and a supplementary air flow supplying passage connected to the blowing means for introducing air; and an air supply damper connected to the leakage air flow supplying passage and the supplementary air flow supplying passage to supply air into each lobby of a building according to the leakage air flow and supplementary air flow. |
| US09784464B2 |
Air-conditioning control system and air-conditioning control method
A heat load predictor predicts a change over time of a heat amount to be processed by air-conditioning equipment, an operation plan creator previously creates an operation plan of the air-conditioning equipment to reduce an evaluation index under a first restrictive condition that a total process heat load be maintained at a same level or within a range of a predetermined amount of difference and a room temperature be maintained within a predetermined comfortable temperature range, and an operation plan corrector corrects the operation plan during controlling the air-conditioning equipment based on the operation plan. If an actually measured temperature differs from a predicted temperature predicted by the operation plan creator at the time of creating the operation plan, the operation plan creator predicts a change over time of the temperature in the room, and corrects the operation plan to minimize the evaluation index under the first restrictive condition. |
| US09784461B2 |
Air conditioner heater control based on power supply cord parameters
Air conditioner units and methods of operating the same are provided. One example method includes determining whether one or more heaters included in the air conditioner unit are energized. The method includes determining whether an operating speed of a fan included in the air conditioner unit is less than a threshold speed. The method includes determining whether a power provided to the air conditioner unit by a utilized power supply cord is greater than a threshold power. The method includes de-energizing at least one of the one or more heaters when it is determined that the one or more heaters are energized, the operating speed of the fan is less than the threshold speed, and the power provided by the utilized power supply cord is greater than the threshold power. |
| US09784459B2 |
Ice slurry producing apparatus and method therefor
The invention relates to an energy system, and more particularly to an air conditioning system for air conditioning rooms, comprising an energy source for heat pump systems, in which energy and/or heat is stored in a latent energy or heat storage system, comprising an ice slurry production device (100) for producing ice slurry from a liquid ice slurry brine (10), which operate according to a method for air conditioning rooms, in which energy or heat is stored or buffered in a latent energy or heat storage system and/or removed or extracted therefrom, wherein ice slurry is provided as the latent energy or heat storage system, or according to a method for producing ice slurry from an ice slurry brine (10), comprising the following steps: filling a housing (110) with the liquid ice slurry brine; cooling the liquid ice slurry brine by bringing it in contact with a heat exchanger device (220) disposed in the housing (110) while stirring the ice slurry brine (10) so as to generate the ice slurry, wherein, when an ice layer forms on the heat exchanger device (200), cooling is interrupted as soon as the ice layer reaches a predetermined thickness, and cooling is continued as soon as the ice layer drops below the predetermined thickness. |
| US09784457B2 |
Oven, door assembly applied to the same, and method for controlling the oven
A display device is provided. The display device includes a transparent display panel; and an optical switching element arranged on the transparent display panel and configured to be switched into any of transmissive state, non-transmissive state, and reflective state, wherein the optical switching element includes a non-transmission layer formed to contact the transparent display panel and switched into transmissive state or non-transmissive state, and a reflection layer formed on one side of the non-transmission layer and switched into transmissive state or reflective state. |
| US09784456B2 |
Electric stove
An electric stove includes an electric heating element arranged at a distance from a position right below a target to be heated. A first mirror surface portion is arranged to surround the electric heating element and configured to reflect heat rays radiated from the electric heating elements. A second mirror surface portion is arranged below the electric heating elements and configured to collect the heat rays reflected by the first mirror surface portion to a side below the target by reflecting the heat rays substantially immediately upwardly. The first mirror surface portion includes a plurality of partial elliptical mirror surface portions having one focus near the electric heating elements and the other focus below the electric heating elements, and the second mirror surface portion includes a partial elliptical mirror surface portion a having one focus near the electric heating elements and the other focus below the electric heating elements. |
| US09784452B2 |
System having a multi-tube fuel nozzle with an aft plate assembly
A system including a first multi-tube fuel nozzle including a plurality of first tubes extending in an axial direction, wherein each first tube of the plurality of first tubes includes a first air inlet, a first fuel inlet, and a first fuel-air mixture outlet, a second multi-tube fuel nozzle including a plurality of second tubes extending in an axial direction, wherein each second tube of the plurality of second tubes includes a second air inlet, a second fuel inlet, and a second fuel-air mixture outlet, and an aft plate including a plurality of first tube apertures and a plurality of second tube apertures, wherein the plurality of first tubes extend to the plurality of first tube apertures, and the plurality of second tubes extend to the plurality of second tube apertures. |
| US09784445B2 |
External bed type double-fluidized bed system for preventing boiler contamination
An external bed type double-fluidized bed system for preventing boiler contamination includes a fluidized bed combustion furnace, a cyclone separator, a coal ash distributor and a fluidized bed pyrolysis furnace. The fluidized bed combustion furnace is connected with the coal ash distributor, the coal ash distributor is connected with the coal ash inlet on a side wall of the fluidized bed combustion furnace through a return feeder with which the coal ash outlet of the fluidized bed pyrolysis furnace is also connected through an external bed, and the return feeder is connected with the fluidized bed combustion furnace. A fuel coal is pyrolyzed in the fluidized bed pyrolysis furnace at a temperature to volatize alkali chlorides into a pyrolysis gas, thereby reducing the content of the alkali chlorides contained in the coal in the fluidized bed combustion furnace and relieving the contamination to a convective heat-absorbing surface. |
| US09784444B2 |
Accent lighting system for decks, patios and indoor/outdoor spaces
An accent lighting source utilizes a light source having a metal heat dissipating housing with an aperture within which at least one point light source, such as from an LED, is mounted. The aperture is closed by a lens/diffuser structure. The light source is mounted within a housing for the accent light source. The housing has a design configuration that supports one or more of a preferred accent lighting installation on a horizontal or vertical surface. Exemplary horizontal surfaces include the top of a post member, a deck surface, a stair surface or an overhanging or ceiling surface. Exemplary vertical surfaces include a stair riser and the side of post or wall surface. |
| US09784443B2 |
Fire rated recessed lighting assembly
Provided is a fire rated or resistant recessed lighting assembly including a metal housing inside of which a lighting unit is placed, the housing being fire resistant for 120 minutes when tested, according ASTM E119-12a without a protective fire resistant cover on outside of the housing. The fire resistant recessed lighting assembly can include a metal housing inside of which a light is placed and one or both of: i) an object made of a fire resistant material, such as an intumescent material, placed inside of the housing in between a trim and a closed end of the housing; and ii) an ring made of a fire resistant material, such as an intumescent material, placed outside of the housing, wherein in event of a fire, the intumescent material expands to slow spread of the fire. |
| US09784441B2 |
Compact A.C. powered LED light fixture
A compact LED light fixture includes an LED circuit board whose top surface mounts one or more LED's and an A.C. LED Driver circuit. An input circuit board is mounted on an underside of the mounting platform. Unconditioned A.C. power from electrical cables positioned in a wire way is conducted by an electrical connector to the top surface the LED circuit board, then across and down through the top surface of the LED circuit board to the input circuit board where the A.C. power is conditioned and then conducted back through the LED circuit board to the A.C. LED driver. |
| US09784438B2 |
Connected body of a plurality of light emitting devices
A connected body includes first and second light emitting devices and a connecting member. The first light emitting device includes a flexible first substrate member extending in a predetermined direction, a first light emitting element arranged on the first substrate member, and an electronic component arranged on a first end portion of the first substrate member with respect to the predetermined direction. The second light emitting device includes a flexible second substrate member extending in the predetermined direction, and a second light emitting element arranged on the second substrate member. The connecting member connecting the first end portion of the first substrate member and a second end portion of the second substrate member adjacent to the first end portion of the first substrate. A position of at least a part of the connecting member in the predetermined direction overlaps a position of the electronic component in the predetermined direction. |
| US09784434B2 |
Lighting device and lighting fixture
A lighting device, having: a first light irradiation unit including a first concave reflecting mirror and a first light source provided within the first concave reflecting mirror; and a second light irradiation unit that has a second concave reflecting mirror that is smaller than the first concave reflecting mirror and a second light source provided within the second concave reflecting mirror, the second light irradiation unit being disposed more to the light irradiation direction side than the first light source, and being disposed so that the optical axes of the first concave reflecting mirror and the second concave reflecting mirror are the same. |
| US09784431B2 |
Light-emitting device with diffractive structures and a synthetic hologram
A light-emitting device including at least a metal layer able to be heated and to propagate surface waves consecutive to the heating of the metal layer, with the metal layer being structured such that it comprises several diffraction patterns able to carry out a diffraction of the surface waves to free-space propagation modes, wherein a synthetic hologram is encoded such that a phase image of a pixel of the hologram is encoded by an offset in the position of one of the diffraction patterns, and a heater of the metal layer. |
| US09784430B2 |
Lens and lighting device
Disclosed is a lens (100) for a lighting device (10) comprising a solid state lighting element (20), the lens comprising a light exit surface (110); a central lens portion (120) opposite said light exit surface; an inner annular reflective element (130) opposite said light exit surface and extending away from said light exit surface by a first distance (d1), said inner annular reflective element delimiting said central lens portion; and a side surface defined by an outer annular reflective element (140) opposite said light exit surface and extending away from said light exit surface by a second distance (d2) that is larger than the first distance such that the outer annular reflective element extends beyond the inner annular reflective element. A lighting device such as a light bulb including such as lens is also disclosed. |
| US09784425B2 |
Signal lamp
A signal lamp comprises at least one light source arranged at the entry of a longitudinal light guide oriented with its longitudinal axis (γ) in the direction (s) of light exit from the lamp, and at least a portion of the light from the light source passes into a transversal light guide oriented with its longitudinal axis (α, β) transversally to longitudinal axis (γ). Transversal light guide is fitted on a part of its casing with an exit surface for light to exit from the lamp. Longitudinal light guide is fitted with at least two reflective surfaces that do not overlap when viewed in the direction of longitudinal axis (γ), and that are inclined towards axis (γ) to reflect light beams to at least two transversal light guides having their entries against the reflective surfaces, and their exit surfaces at a distance from each other in direction (s). |
| US09784420B2 |
LED device and preparation method thereof
The present invention provides a light-emitting diode (LED) device and a method for manufacturing the same. The LED device comprises: a substrate (1); a chip (2) disposed on the substrate (1); and a first lens (3) disposed on the substrate (1) and spaced from the chip (2); wherein the first lens (3) comprises luminescent powder (7) and at least one of light-diffusing particles (8) and light-reflecting particles (10). The LED device provided by the present invention has a high luminous efficiency, and solves the problem in the prior art that the LED device has a small angle of emergence and the emergent light emergence lacks of uniformity. |
| US09784415B2 |
Safety illumination solutions for handrails, grab bars, floor mats and the like
A safety cover for use on a handrail, grab bar or peripheral edge of a fixture or object at a darkened location. The cover features a longitudinally split tubular member of resiliently flexible material and an illumination source carried thereby that is operable to provide illumination of the darkened location. The tubular member has a circumferential resiliency that biases two free edges of the tubular member toward one another from to automatically close up the longitudinal split, whereby the tubular member frictionally grips the rail, bar or peripheral edge over which it is placed. An illuminating floor mat or toilet lid cover features at least one longitudinally-shaped illumination member running along at least one peripheral edge of the mat or cover with one or more light-emitting areas of said longitudinally-shaped illumination member in a visually detectable position left unconcealed by the mat or cover. |
| US09784412B2 |
Adjustable cylinder bracket
A cylinder transport and mounting system is provided. This system includes a object mounting yoke, and at least one bracket selected from the group consisting of a conveyance mounting bracket, and user mounting bracket, wherein the cylinder mounting yoke is configured to attach securely to a cylinder and to detachably interface with the conveyance mounting bracket and/or to detachably interface with the user mounting bracket. |
| US09784410B2 |
Operating method for a cryopressure tank
An operating method is provided for a cryopressure tank in which cryogenic hydrogen for supplying a motor vehicle fuel cell can be stored under supercritical pressure at 13 bar or more. In order to compensate the pressure drop resulting from removal of hydrogen from the cryopressure tank, either a heat transfer medium is supplied to a heat exchanger provided in the cryopressure tank via a control valve over a period of time which significantly exceeds the cycle times of a conventional cycle valve or the heat transfer medium is not supplied to the heat exchanger. Depending on the fill level of the cryopressure tank, the control valve is actuated with respect to a desired temperature or a desired pressure of the hydrogen in the cryopressure tank. As long as there is a risk of liquefaction of the residual hydrogen in the cryopressure tank, as is the case when the temperature falls below the critical temperature of 33 K if the pressure drops below the critical pressure of approximately 13 bar, during the removal of cryogenic hydrogen from the cryopressure tank, the temperature is adjusted such that it does not drop below the critical temperature of 33 Kelvin. If the fill state in the cryopressure tank drops further, the pressure in the cryopressure tank is adjusted when there is no longer a risk of liquefaction such that the pressure does not drop below a minimum pressure value which the hydrogen that is removed from the cryopressure tank must have in order to be usable in the consumer without restricting the function thereof. |
| US09784409B2 |
Tank filling device and method
A device for filling a tank with a pressurized gas, in particular with pressurized hydrogen, comprising a pressurized-gas source and a circuit for transferring gas from the source to the tank, the transfer circuit including a member for expanding and cooling the gas in order to lower the pressure and temperature of the gas from the source to respective values determined with a view to filling the tank, characterized in that the gas-expansion and cooling member includes a refrigerator that expands the gas by means of a Stirling or Ericsson thermodynamic cycle, the refrigerator being selectively supplied with gas from the source, and in that at least a portion of the cooled and expanded gas supplied to the tank is extracted from the refrigerator. |
| US09784407B2 |
Optical touch system, light curtain generating module and adjusting structure
An adjusting structure includes a first plate, a second plate opposite to the first plate, a first connection element, a second connection element and a third connection element. The second plate has a first connection portion, a second connection portion, and a third connection portion. The first connection element has a first spherical portion and a first rod. The first spherical portion is rotatably coupled to the first connection portion. The first rod is engaged through the first spherical portion and rotatably fixed to the first plate. The second connection element has a second spherical portion and a second rod. The second spherical portion is rotatably coupled to the second connection portion. The second rod is engaged through the second spherical portion and rotatably fixed to the first plate. The third connection element is connected to the second plate and the first plate. |
| US09784406B1 |
Pivotal device for a support of an electric device
A pivotal device for a support of an electric device includes a base and a flip module. The base includes a compartment. At least one first track is disposed in the compartment and is arcuate. A pressing member is connected to the base via an adjusting member. The adjusting member is coupled to and movable relative to the base. The pressing member and the adjusting member are jointly movable toward to or away from the base. The flip module is received in the compartment and is movable relative to the base along a contour of the at least one first track. The flip module is located between the base and the pressing member. The pressing member abuts a side of the flip module opposite to the base. |
| US09784404B2 |
Lightweight thermal shield
A method of making a lightweight thermal shield that includes obtaining a mold having a shaped support screen with a molding surface configured to allow the passage of air and moisture therethrough, and with the mold being adapted for drawing a vacuum from behind the support screen. The method also includes applying a wet insulation material onto the molding surface of the support screen and drawing a vacuum to withdraw moisture through the support screen and consolidate a layer of insulation material on top the molding surface. The method further includes removing the consolidated layer of insulation material from off the molding surface, installing the consolidated layer of insulation material into an outer shell layer, and drying the consolidated layer of insulation material within the outer shell layer to form a lightweight core insulation layer. |
| US09784398B2 |
Reinforcement strip for repairing fluid transport pipes
A reinforcement strip (20) suitable for repairing a fluid transport pipe (10) during which the strip is wound, under traction, around the portion of the pipe where the repair needs to be made at the same time that a crosslinking resin is applied to the strip in such a way as to form a sleeve around the portion to be repaired. The reinforcement strip includes at least one integrated metal wire, the electrical properties of the wire being used for operations including crosslinking the resin, detecting the portion of the pipe that includes the sleeve or detecting repaired portions of the pipe that have increased in diameter due to a thinning of the wall of the pipe. |
| US09784396B2 |
Microfluidic manifold for shear sensitive fluids
A microfluidic device is provided. A manifold having a first channel, a second channel, and a third channel configured to transport blood can be coupled to a substrate defining an artificial vasculature. The first channel can be configured to carry blood in a first direction. Each of the second and third channels can couple to the first channel at a first junction and can be configured to receive blood from the first channel. The second channel can be configured to carry blood in a second direction away from the first direction. The third channel can be configured to carry blood in a third direction away from the second direction. The first, second, and third channels can be non-coplanar. |
| US09784390B2 |
Screw connection device for connecting the flared ends of two pipes
A screw connection device for connecting two pipes with flared ends, comprises a screw, a nut and a spacer. The nut has a front end aperture from which an accommodating space extends to a rear end aperture in a rear end wall. A surface of the nut in the accommodating space has a threaded section which extends toward the rear end wall which has a flange face in the accommodating space. In a pre-installed state, the spacer and a first pipe end with a first flare are accommodated in the nut, such that the spacer is held undetachable between the first flare and the internal thread. A second pipe end with a second flare can be held in the accommodating space by the screw, threaded into the nut such that the second flare is pressed against a sealing surface of the spacer and the spacer is pressed with a further sealing surface against the first flare. |
| US09784389B2 |
Pipe joint
A pipe joint contains a body having a fluid passage in the interior thereof, a tightening cap screw-engaged with an end of the body for connecting a tube thereto, and an indicator ring interposed between a stopper of the body and an end of the tightening cap. The indicator ring is equipped with a flat section and an inclined section, which is inclined with respect to the flat section, and is formed with a smaller diameter than an outer circumferential surface of the tightening cap. When the tightening cap is screw-rotated to thereby connect the tube, as a result of the inclined section being pressed and deformed by movement of the tightening cap, the inclined section projects radially outward with respect to the outer circumferential surface of the tightening cap, whereby a tightened condition is visually confirmed by the outer edge of the indicator ring. |
| US09784388B1 |
Pipe liner for abrasive materials
An electrically grounded wear resistant liner is described that inserts into a conventional frac sand delivery conduit. The liner allows for conveyance of highly abrasive materials through the liner and conduit while electrically grounding potential static build up from within the liner. Sand, cement and other abrasive slurries may be conveyed through the liner. The wear resistant liner extends the amount of time that the conduit may be used to convey materials without downtime for replacement and repairs. The liner further provides a tri layer construction that includes a middle layer having a color notably different than the outer and inner layers, allowing a user in the fields to quickly determine that the conduit should be replaced. |
| US09784386B2 |
Large flexible submarine conduit system
This large flexible submarine conduit system (10) for a platform floating at sea includes: a flexible conduit (12) including a plurality of sheets (26A, 26B, 26C) linked together by a sliding closure (28) on each of the lateral sides of the sheets, the conduit (12) including elements for maintaining a circular cross-section of the conduit (12) that are both flexible and flattenable; and a device capable of being placed on the platform at the upper end of the conduit (12), allowing winding and unwinding of each of the sheets (26A, 26B, 26C) of the conduit (12), this device including a drum (14A, 14B, 14C) for each of the sheets (26A, 26B, 26C). |
| US09784382B2 |
Gas shut-off valve
A gas shut-off valve for installation in gas meters, has a valve disk that can be moved in the longitudinal direction with respect to its valve seat. The movement is realized by a linear unit held in the longitudinal direction in a valve casing, which is actuated by an electric motor via reduction gearing. The valve seat has a lip seal. The electric motor is a small DC motor. The reduction gearing and the linear unit, are installed in a panel of the valve casing. The linear unit is a rack-and-pinion gearing or a sliding-screw gearing, having an adjusting-nut element and an adjusting rod. |
| US09784379B2 |
T shaped deflator tool
This invention is a device designed to deflate rubber rafts, inner tubes, air mattresses and other inflatable objects equipped with cut-check valves or self-closing squeeze valves. The device is constructed of a rigid material, the body of which is comprised of a slender conical shape, terminating in a perpendicular T shaped handle. A tapered air gap runs through the core of the slender conical body along the vertical axis of the device. When inserted into said valves, the smooth rounded tip of the device safely penetrates the cut-check or flap portion of the valve, allowing air to flow from the inflatable object, through the device, and into the atmosphere. The tapered body is compatible with valves of various size diameters. When inserted into said valves, friction ensures the device will remain firmly seated inside said valves allowing hands free deflation. |
| US09784376B2 |
Check valve assembly
A valve assembly for a compressor includes a flow passage defining an inlet, an outlet, and a valve seat located proximate the inlet. The valve assembly also has a valve member that includes a head portion engageable with the valve seat. The head portion has a front face, a rear face located closer to the outlet than the front face, and a side face extending between the front and rear faces. The head portion further has a first convex curvature formed between the front face and the side face. The valve member also includes a collar portion extending toward the outlet from the rear face of the head portion. |
| US09784375B2 |
Pressure independent control valve
A pressure independent control valve contains a valve body with an inlet, an outlet and a flow channel coupling the inlet to the outlet. A hollow piston is arranged in a seat in the valve body, such that the hollow piston is configured to move. The hollow piston has an enclosure, such that the pressure independent control valve maintains different fluid pressures in the flow channel and inside the hollow piston. The pressure independent control valve contains a chamber and a biasing member to urge the hollow piston towards the chamber. The chamber is in fluid communication with the inlet and with the inside of the hollow piston, such that the valve applies substantially the same pressure inside the annular channel, at the inlet and inside the hollow piston. |
| US09784373B2 |
Shut-off device and gate valve with a shut-off device
The invention relates to a shut-off device for valve systems of industrial plants, in particular of chemical and petrochemical plants, with a disc (12) to shut off an opening for a fluid flow and with a seal seat (13a). The invention is characterised in that the disc (12) is arranged between the seal seat and a pressing means (26) to subject the disc (12) to a pressing force and can be pressed by the pressing means (26) against the seal seat (13a), wherein the pressing means (26) has in a housing (10) a plurality of pistons (48) and a transmission element for transmitting the pressing force to the disc (12), the transmission element being arranged between the pistons (48) and the disc (12) and extending along the disc circumference, and wherein the pistons (48) are fluidically connected by a feed line (49) for hydraulic fluid. |
| US09784372B2 |
Sealing device
Provided is a sealing device that increases the lubricity of seal surfaces, prevents leakage of sealed fluids, and prevents excessive heat generation and excessive friction at seal surfaces. Said sealing device, which is of the type that seals a fluid trying to leak from the outer periphery of a sealing surface towards the inner periphery thereof, forms at least two dimples in a circumferential direction in each of a plurality of rows arranged in a radial direction on a sealing surface of a stationary-side sealing element or a rotating-side sealing element. Each dimple is tilted by a dimple angle θ between 0° and 90°, exclusive, such that the tip of that dimple in the direction of rotation is tilted toward the inner periphery side. In each of the plurality of rows of dimples, land areas are formed in the circumferential direction between the proximate tips of adjacent dimples. For each of the plurality of rows of dimples, if a circle is drawn through the centers of the dimples in that row, let L1 be the distance along the circle from the point the circle enters a dimple to the point the circle leaves that dimple, and let L2 be the length, along the circle, of the land areas between dimples. The dimples are characterized by being arranged such that the gap ratio L1/L2 is between 0.001 and 0.1, inclusive. |
| US09784370B2 |
Seal with one or more engaging features
A seal and a seal assembly. The seal includes a generally annular casing, an engaging feature coupled to or integral with the casing and configured to be coupled to an accessory that is separate from the casing, and a generally annular sealing element coupled to the casing, the engaging feature, or both. The sealing element is configured to seal with a relatively movable member, wherein the engaging feature is separately-formed from the sealing element. |
| US09784363B2 |
Lubricating device for ball screw device
A ball screw device includes an elongated shaft having an outer groove, a ball nut having a screw hole for receiving the elongated shaft and having a passage communicating with the screw hole of the ball nut, and a lubricating device includes an oil distributing member engaged into the ball nut and having one end portion engaged into the ball nut for engaging with the groove of the elongated shaft, and a spacing element is attached onto an outer peripheral portion of the distributing member, and the spacing element includes an end portion engaged into the ball nut for engaging with the elongated shaft and for spacing the distributing member from being engaged with the elongated shaft. |
| US09784359B2 |
Multi-ratio gearbox housing
A multi-ratio gearbox housing for a vehicle is made of light metal material and includes a first bearing seat having a cylindrical inner surface, and a reinforcement member having a first cylindrical inner surface surrounding the first bearing seat for reducing thermal radial expansion of the first bearing seat, the reinforcement member being of a material the coefficient of thermal expansion of which is less than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the light metal material of the housing. The reinforcing member is a cast-in insert arranged in the housing, and a radial distance between the first cylindrical inner surface and the cylindrical inner surface of the first bearing seat is substantially constant along circumferential lines of the first bearing seat, facilitating improved form stability of the cylindrical inner surface of the first bearing seat over the temperature operating range of the housing. |
| US09784350B2 |
Linear motion assembly, improved wiper and scraper assembly therefor and methods of assembly thereof
A wiper and scraper assembly for a linear motion assembly has a wiper and a scraper constructed from separate pieces of material. The wiper has a width extending between opposite sides with an opening extending through the opposite sides, with a first helical thread of the wiper being received in an external groove of a screw of the linear motion assembly. The scraper is disposed in the opening of the wiper, and has a second helical thread received in the external groove of the screw. The wiper has at least one lubrication return plow extending into one of its opposite sides, with the lubrication return plow facing axially inwardly into a nut of the linear motion assembly. The wiper has at least one debris ejection plow formed in the first helical thread, with the debris ejection plow facing axially outwardly from the ball nut. |
| US09784348B2 |
Tailgate and door adjustors
A tailgate adjuster in a preferred example comprises an adjustably locking rotatable bracket comprising a plurality of rotatably linked shank components, with at least one shank component joined to a sprocket component having a plurality of sprocket teeth, and at least one other shank component joined to a rotatable trigger component having a sprocket-engaging trigger tooth. The trigger component is preferably spring biased to maintain the trigger tooth in an engaged position with the sprocket teeth, and can be adjusted to disengage the trigger component from the sprocket teeth. The sprocket teeth are spaced to permit the locking of shank components at a desired angle to each other. Holes at each end of the tailgate adjuster permit the rotatable mounting of one such end to a vehicle tailgate or hatchback and the other end to a fixed location of the vehicle. In other examples the invention concerns a tailgate-reinforcing sheath and methods for maintaining a vehicle tailgate or other hinged door, gate or window in a one of a plurality of partly open positions. |
| US09784347B2 |
Apparatus for converting motion
An assembly for converting motion, the assembly comprising a first arm rotatable about a first fixed pivot; a second arm rotatable about a second fixed pivot, the second fixed pivot spaced apart from the first fixed pivot; a third arm pivotably connected to the second arm; a first connecting arm extending between the first arm and the third arm, the first connecting arm pivotably connected to the first arm spaced and pivotably connected to the third arm; and a second connecting arm extending between the first arm and the second arm, the second connecting arm pivotably connected to the first arm and pivotably connected to the second arm. The assembly finds use in supporting and moving components of a building. In one embodiment, the assembly finds use in deploying a solar panel array. |
| US09784344B1 |
Planetary gear train of an automatic transmission for a vehicle
A planetary gear train of an automatic transmission for a vehicle includes at least ten forward speeds and one reverse speed. The planetary gear train includes an input shaft, an output shaft, four planetary gear sets respectively having three rotational elements, and six control elements for selectively interconnecting the rotational elements and a transmission housing. |
| US09784341B2 |
Planetary gear train of automatic transmission for vehicle
A planetary gear train of an automatic transmission for a vehicle may include an input shaft, an output shaft, a first planetary gear set including first, second, and third rotation elements, a second planetary gear set including fourth, fifth, and sixth rotation elements, a third planetary gear set including seventh, eighth, and ninth rotation element, and a fourth planetary gear set including tenth, eleventh, and twelfth rotation elements, in which the input shaft is directly connected to the third rotation element, the second rotation element is directly connected to the eleventh rotation element, the output shaft is directly connected to the second rotation element, the third rotation element is directly connected to the fourth rotation element, the sixth rotation element is directly connected to the eighth rotation element, the ninth rotation element is directly connected to the tenth rotation element, and the fifth rotation element is selectively connected to a transmission housing. |
| US09784340B2 |
Multi-speed transmission
A family of transmission gearing arrangements provides between eight and ten forward speed ratios and a reverse speed ratio. Three planetary gear sets are located on the input axis and a fourth planetary gear set is located on an offset axis. Axis transfer gears convey power between the input axis and the offset axis. One axis transfer gear is supported by a front support while another is supported by a center support. The center support also supports a clutch module and supplies pressurized fluid to engage the clutches in the clutch module. |
| US09784331B2 |
Method and apparatus for receiving of a cylindrical body and the use of the method and the apparatus
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for receiving cylindrical bodies. In the method according to the invention, the receiving utilizes tight, self-restoring pressure elements, in which by adjusting the inflow and/or outflow of compressed air, the motion speed of the cylindrical body is decelerated. The apparatus according to the invention includes a pressure element within the elastic and tight material of which is installed self-restoring porous material. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of the method and the apparatus for receiving a cylindrical body. |
| US09784330B2 |
Air spring
There is provided an air spring for supporting a load, the air spring comprises a chamber for holding a pressurized gas in use, a load-bearing surface arranged to transmit a force from a load in use to the pressurized gas held in the chamber. Importantly, in order to lower the spring rate, the chamber contains a mass of adsorptive material. There is also provided a use of an adsorptive material for the purpose of lowering the spring rate of an air spring, including a gas strut and a pneumatic wheel. There is also provided a method of designing an air spring using an adsorptive material to lower the spring rate. |
| US09784317B2 |
Vacuum processing system, vacuum processing device, lubricating agent supply device, and lubricating agent supplying method
A transport system is a vacuum processing system that includes a transport device that is provided in a vacuum, and a lubricating agent supply device that supplies lubricating agent to the transport device and provided in the ambient atmosphere. The transport device has a lubricating agent flow channel that is a channel for grease injected to a site subject to lubrication. The lubricating agent supply device has a grease server that stores a lubricating agent in the ambient atmosphere, a lubricating agent supply pipe which is a channel that guides the grease stored in the grease server to the lubricating agent flow channel and that connects the grease server and the lubricating agent flow channel, and an exhaust pump that exhausts the inside of the lubricating agent supply pipe. |
| US09784316B2 |
Process for preparing a protective layer on a tribological surface of a mechanical component
The invention provides a process for preparing a protective layer on a tribological surface of a mechanical component, wherein the layer comprises a metal phosphate and/or metal sulphate having anti-wear and/or anti-fretting properties, and the process comprises subjecting the tribological surface of the component to a mechanical treatment which is carried out with a tool that moves at or along the tribological surface during which treatment the metal phosphate and/or metal sulphate in solid form is provided and the layer is formed on the surface of the mechanical component by means of deposition of the metal phosphate and/or metal sulphate compound. |
| US09784312B1 |
Method for increasing load capacity on a porous aerostatic bearing with a two-phase fluid
A method for increasing load capacity on a porous aerostatic bearing through use of a two-phase fluid that is less viscous than lubrication oils and the bearing gap is of the size of air bearings. The porous material throttles vapor and liquid. As liquid goes through the porous media, the pressure drop from the porous media resistance causes it to vaporize. The increased volume flow in the bearing gap reduces the vapor flow rate through porous media, resulting in higher pressure in gap. As the vapor-liquid mixture escapes from bearing gap, another vaporization occurs at the end of bearings which retards escaping, and further increases pressure in the gap. The liquid portion of the two-phase fluid in the bearing gap increases the load capacity and stiffness, similar to hydrostatic bearings fed with liquid. The vaporization absorbs heat generated by bearing friction to allow higher relative speed between bearing surfaces. |
| US09784308B2 |
Rolling bearing
A rolling bearing, in particular a center-free large rolling bearing, having two concentric ball races with one ball race comprising a groove open toward the other ball race and the other ball race comprising a scraper ring engaging into the groove, wherein the scraper ring is supported at the groove in the axial direction of the rolling bearing by at least two axial bearings arranged at oppositely disposed scraper ring front sides and wherein the scraper ring is supported in the radial direction by at least one radial bearing which is arranged on a scraper ring jacket surface. The scraper ring is supported in the axial direction at the groove by a third axial bearing, wherein two axial bearings are arranged at the same side of the scraper ring at separate raceways offset from one another in the axial direction of the rolling bearing. |
| US09784304B2 |
Connecting rod for an engine and method of making thereof
A method to modify the geometry of a connecting rod of an internal combustion engine includes providing a connecting rod having a crankshaft bore at a first end, wherein the first end has a bearing cap and a bottom end portion of the connecting rod, mating the bearing cap with the bottom end portion of the connecting rod to form the crankshaft bore of the connecting rod, machining a width upset portion of the bottom end portion to reduce a width of the bottom end portion of the connecting rod, machining a width upset portion of the bearing cap to reduce a portion of a width of the bearing cap, and reducing the width of the bottom end portion of the connecting rod and the portion of the width of the bearing cap to a width smaller than a cylinder bore of the internal combustion engine. |
| US09784302B2 |
Cooking splatter protection device
A cooking splatter guard is provided that includes a surface extending up from a top edge of a cooking implement at an angle. The angle formed between a plane defined by a top edge of the cooking implement and the surface is greater than 90 degrees. The surface forms a friction fit with the top edge of the cooking implement. A lip of the cooking implement formed by the top edge the cooking implement is a same size or slightly smaller than a bottom edge of the cooking splatter guard. |
| US09784298B2 |
Theft-resistant cable clamp
Aspects of the present invention provide a theft-resistant cable clamp that increases the time and effort required to remove the cable from the irrigation equipment, thereby deterring thieves As the extensions that protrude from the cable-reception loop are forced together, the walls of the cable-reception loop compress against the cable. Openings in the extensions on the cable clamp allow the cable clamp to fit over a component of the irrigation equipment. A plurality of teeth can protrude from the perimeter of an opening to grip the exterior of the component. A coupler or other component may have a groove into which the teeth engage when the cable clamp is in a final location on the component. |
| US09784295B2 |
Fastener and assembly utilizing the same
A locking mechanism includes a lock housing and an activation shaft. The lock housing defines first and second axes, each being different than the other. The lock housing includes an inner mechanism housing wall, a hollow conduit defined by the inner mechanism housing wall, and a channel. The channel is defined by a portion of the inner mechanism housing wall and has first and second portions, where the first portion extends along the first axis and the second portion extends along the second axis. The activation shaft is at least partially surrounded by the hollow conduit and includes a shoulder protruding from the activation shaft towards the channel of the inner mechanism housing wall. In an unlock position, the shoulder is freely manipulatable within the first portion of the channel along the first axis, and in a lock position the shoulder is prevented from moving along the first axis. |
| US09784293B2 |
Utility pole mounted solar panels and securing brackets
An electrical transmission system has solar electrical generation stations mounted directly to existing utility poles along a transmission line. Solar panels and securing brackets define each solar electric generation station. Each station has at least one generally East facing panel, at least one generally South facing panel, and at least one generally West facing panel. A power coupling conducts electricity generated by the solar electric generation station into the transmission lines. In one embodiment, a plurality of spacer members support the separate and distinct solar collector surfaces in a fixed position relative to the utility pole and have a plurality of clamp passages. A plurality of clamps pass through the clamp passages to guide and retain the clamps. In another embodiment, a plurality of adjustable brackets affix with the spacer members adjacent a first end and to the utility pole adjacent a second end distal to the first end. |
| US09784286B2 |
Flutter-resistant turbomachinery blades
Flutter-resistant transonic turbomachinery blades and methods for reducing transonic turbomachinery blade flutter are provided. The flutter-resistant transonic turbomachinery blade comprises a transonic turbomachinery blade that includes opposite pressure and suction surfaces extending longitudinally in span from a root to an opposite tip, and extending axially in chord between opposite leading and trailing edges. The flutter-resistant transonic turbomachinery blade includes a local positive camber in or proximate a predicted local region of supersonic flow over the transonic turbomachinery blade. The method comprises predicting a local region of supersonic flow over the transonic turbomachinery blade and inducing the local positive camber to the transonic turbomachinery blade in or proximate the predicted region of supersonic flow. |
| US09784281B2 |
Exhaust-gas turbocharger
An exhaust-gas turbocharger (1) with a bearing housing (2), a shaft (3) mounted in the bearing housing (2), a compressor wheel (5) arranged on the shaft (3) and a turbine wheel (4) arranged on the shaft (3), a housing component (7) which surrounds the compressor wheel (5) or the turbine wheel (4), and a sealing ring (14) between the bearing housing (2) and the housing component (7), wherein the sealing ring (14) is, in order to impart its sealing action, compressed in a direction perpendicular to the shaft (3). |
| US09784279B2 |
Zero ripple fan noise suppression
A fan noise suppression circuit may be coupled between a power source and a power input to at least one fan. The fan noise suppression circuit may include an adjustable current source coupled to the power source. The adjustable current source may provide a voltage output and a current output based on a power output of the power source. The fan noise suppression circuit may include a feedback controller coupled to an output of the adjustable current source. The feedback controller may be configured to compare the voltage output to a reference voltage and provide an error value to the adjustable current source, wherein the adjustable current source may adjust the current output based on the error value. |
| US09784272B2 |
Scroll-type fluid machine
A scroll-type fluid machine including: a scroll unit (4) having a fixed scroll (2) and a movable scroll (3) in which a bottom plate center (3c) and a wrap spiral center (3d) are made eccentric; and a rotation-inhibiting mechanism (30) with multiple rotating-inhibiting parts (33), each part (33) being composed of a circular hole (31) and a pin (32), wherein the rotation-inhibiting mechanism (30), a straight line A connecting the bottom plate center (3c) and the wrap spiral center (3d) is rotated on the bottom plate center by 90° in a direction opposite to a wrapping direction of the wrap (3b), a point at which the rotated straight line A intersects a pitch circle is set as a center position of one of the rotation-inhibiting parts (33), the other rotation-inhibiting parts (33) are arranged on the pitch circle at even intervals based on one of the rotation-inhibiting part (33). |
| US09784271B2 |
Scroll compressor
A scroll compressor is provided that may include a first scroll, a second scroll that defines a plurality of compression chambers together with the first scroll, the second scroll having a discharge hole that communicates with a compression chamber among the plurality of compression chambers, a back pressure plate that defines a back pressure chamber to accommodate a refrigerant discharged from the discharge hole, a floating plate to define the back pressure chamber, and a sealing member to prevent the refrigerant from flowing between a first surface, which may be a sliding surface of the floating plate, and a second surface, which may face the first surface, of the back pressure plate. The sealing member may include a seal cover that contacts the other one of the first and second surfaces, and a seal, a portion of which may be accommodated in the seal cover. The seal cover may have a friction coefficient less than a friction coefficient of the seal. |
| US09784270B2 |
Trochoid pump with air ejection port
An air ejection port for ejecting air-mixed oil is structured with a first air ejection port provided on the inner peripheral side from an inscribed circle of an outer rotor and a second air ejection port provided on the outer peripheral side from a circumscribed circle of the inner rotor, the air ejection port can have an enlarged port area as the total of area of the first air ejection port and area of the second air ejection port in a state without being in communication with either of a suction port and a discharge port, and a disadvantage that a pump chamber of a previous stroke and a pump chamber of a subsequent stroke communicate with each other through the air ejection port can be avoided. |
| US09784269B2 |
Hydraulic tools including inserts and related methods
A hydraulic tool includes a stator and a rotor rotatably disposed within the stator. At least one of at least an inner portion of the stator and at least an outer portion of the rotor includes an insert comprising a hard material. A method of forming a hydraulic tool includes attaching at least one insert comprising a hard material to a surface of a stator or a surface of a rotor. A downhole motor or pump includes a stator and a rotor. The stator includes at least one insert comprising a hard material disposed over at least a portion of an interior surface thereof and a matrix material at least partially surrounding the at least one insert. The rotor includes at least one insert disposed over at least a portion of an exterior surface thereof and a matrix material at least partially surrounding the at least one insert. |
| US09784268B2 |
Sealing ring for hydraulic pump distributor
A hydraulic pump distributor sealing ring for a hydraulic distributor of a hydraulic pump, includes a continuous sealing ring housed in a ring groove formed in a pump stator whose inlet-delivery ports are each aligned with a distribution opening passing right through the ring in the direction of its thickness, this ring including a circumferential-contact boss which has a circumferential line of contact that can come into contact with a rotor-side low-pressure sealing surface, the ring also including a compression-decompression track, a ring sealing lip that provides sealing between the ring and the ring groove, and rotation-proofing elements. |
| US09784266B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling preferential function of construction machine
A priority function control apparatus for a construction machine and a control method thereof are disclosed, which enable an operator to set the order of preference or the extent of preference of an optional device in the case where a work is done through replacement of the optional device attached to an excavator. The priority function control apparatus includes a hydraulic pump and a pilot pump; an optional device and an attachment connected to the hydraulic pump; an attachment operation lever outputting an operation signal when an operator performs an operation; an optional device spool controlling a flow direction of hydraulic fluid that is supplied from the hydraulic pump to the optional device; an attachment spool controlling an amount and a flow direction of the hydraulic fluid supplied from the hydraulic pump to the attachment; an electrical operation device for the optional device; an electro proportional reducing valve outputting secondary signal pressure that corresponds to the operation signal of the electrical operation device for the optional device; a first pressure detection sensor detecting in real time signal pressure depending on the operation amount of the attachment operation lever to output a detection signal; and a controller limiting the signal pressure that is applied from the electro proportional reducing valve to the optional device spool by the operation of the electrical operation device for the optional device to a preset signal pressure if a priority function is applied depending on the operation amount of the attachment through detection of the first pressure detection sensor. |
| US09784258B2 |
Microfluidic oscillator pump utilizing a ring oscillator circuit implemented by pneumatic or hydraulic valves
Microfluidic oscillator circuits and pumps for microfluidic devices are provided. The microfluidic pump may include a plurality of fluid valves and a microfluidic oscillator circuit having an oscillation frequency. The fluid valves may be configured to move fluids. Each fluid valve may be connected to a node of the microfluidic oscillator circuit. The pumps may be driven by the oscillator circuits such that fluid movement is accomplished entirely by circuits on a microfluidic chip, without the need for off-chip controls. |
| US09784255B2 |
Tri-chamber nutating pump
A tri-chamber nutating pump is disclosed which includes two pump chambers disposed within a pump housing that accommodates a nutating piston. A reciprocating compensating piston is also provided with its own compensating housing that is connected to the outlet. As a cumulative output from the first two pump chambers reaches its maximum level, the compensating piston is pushed into the outlet or through a passage to reduce the output of the first two chambers and avoid splashing. As the output from the first two chambers reaches its minimum level, the compensating piston is withdrawn from the outlet or through a passage thereby increasing the output of the third chamber to its maximum level when the output from the first two pump chambers reaches its minimum level. |
| US09784253B2 |
Variable displacement piston-in-piston hydraulic unit
A piston-in-piston non-compressible unit is disclosed that utilizes an elastic volume to store and release energy with each stroke by varying the non-compressible fluid volumes in and out of the hydraulic unit. |
| US09784251B2 |
Fault tolerant control system for distributed micro-thrusters
A control system for controlling the operation of a plurality of micro thrusters arranged in a plurality of parallel horizontal rows and a plurality of parallel vertical columns, the control system requires a power source, a first plurality of power lines connected to the power source and coupled to at least one micro thruster of the plurality of micro thrusters in a horizontal row of the plurality of parallel horizontal rows, a second plurality of power lines connected to the power source and coupled to at least one micro thruster of the plurality of micro thrusters in a vertical column of the plurality of parallel vertical columns, and a control unit coupled to the power source to control activation of the first plurality of power lines and activation of the second plurality of power lines. |
| US09784250B2 |
Power generation apparatus and methods
A power generation apparatus includes a rocker arm having a first end and a second end and is mounted pivotally between the first end and the second end, wherein reciprocal movement of the first end between raised and lowered positions urges reciprocal movement of the second end between lowered and raised positions. A pulley apparatus couples the second end of the rocker arm to a drive member, wherein reciprocal movement of the second end of the rocker arm between its lowered and raised positions urges reciprocal rotation of the drive member between first and second positions. A transmission interacts between the drive member and the output shaft, wherein reciprocal rotation of the drive member between its first and second positions urges rotation of the output shaft in one direction. |
| US09784249B2 |
Coiled and non-coiled twisted nanofiber yarn torsional and tensile actuators
Actuators (artificial muscles) comprising twist-spun nanofiber yarn or twist-inserted polymer fibers generate torsional and/or tensile actuation when powered electrically, photonically, chemically, thermally, by absorption, or by other means. These artificial muscles utilize non-coiled or coiled yarns and can be either neat or comprising a guest. Devices comprising these artificial muscles are also described. |
| US09784245B2 |
Wind turbine gearbox
The invention relates to a wind turbine gearbox (1) having at least one gearwheel (2) which is mounted on an axle (5), wherein a bearing point with a plain bearing (4) is arranged between the gearwheel (2) and the axle (5), and wherein, in the axle (5), there is formed a recess for the supply of a lubricant to the plain bearing (4). In the region of a contact surface of the plain bearing (4), a groove (18) is formed in the gearwheel (2) or an intermediate space (7) is formed between the plain bearings (4), which groove or intermediate space is connected via at least one connecting line (16) to the surrounding atmosphere. |
| US09784243B2 |
Airborne rigid kite with on-board power plant for ship propulsion
A vehicle-based airborne wind turbine system having an aerial wing, a plurality of rotors each having a plurality of rotatable blades positioned on the aerial wing, an electrically conductive tether secured to the aerial wing and secured to a ground station positioned on a vehicle, wherein the aerial wing is adapted to receive electrical power from the vehicle that is delivered to the aerial wing through the electrically conductive tether; wherein the aerial wing is adapted to operate in a flying mode to harness wind energy to provide a first pulling force through the tether to pull the vehicle; and wherein the aerial wing is also adapted to operate in a powered flying mode wherein the rotors may be powered so that the turbine blades serve as thrust-generating propellers to provide a second pulling force through the tether to pull the vehicle. |
| US09784241B2 |
System and method for controlling a wind turbine
A wind turbine includes a rotor, a plurality of rotor blades coupled to the rotor, and a blade pitch control system coupled to each rotor blade. A computer-implemented method for controlling the wind turbine includes determining at least one pitch position for a first blade. The method also includes determining whether there is a malfunction of the blade pitch control system associated with the first blade. The method further includes predicting a rotor imbalance using a model of at least a portion of the wind turbine. The method also includes comparing the predicted rotor imbalance with a predetermined threshold value. The method further includes one of regulating the pitch position for the second blade such that the predicted rotor imbalance is restored to a value below the predetermined threshold and regulating a pitch position for a second blade such that the predicted rotor imbalance does not exceed the predetermined threshold. |
| US09784236B2 |
Flexible water turbine
A water mill, power generator, for use underwater, has a flexible support shaft which permits the water current to orient the turbine axis substantially parallel to the direction of flow so that the force of the water on the blades is optimized for a given turbine, without the need for slip ring style connections between the generator at the turbine and the 5 anchored base. Optionally, the design features fins or cowlings on the flexible support shaft to further improve reorientation of the turbine with the water current or flow acting as the source of power; and/or output power links or power conditioning systems at the anchored base. The generators may be selected to meet low rotation operating conditions, and the entire system may be designed for particular ocean bottom and/or current parameters applicable to the 10 deployment. |
| US09784233B2 |
Igniter and vehicle
An igniter includes: a switch connected to an ignition coil; and a controller to control the switch according to an ignition signal. The controller includes an ignition signal input; a determination stage comparing a voltage of the input with a reference voltage to generate a determination signal; a drive stage controlling the switch's ON/OFF according to the determination signal; a comparison circuit receiving a first supply voltage, comparing a current on the switch with a reference current, and generating a feedback-signal having a level based on the comparison; an output transistor having one end grounded and the other end connected to an output terminal of an ignition check signal and having a threshold voltage higher than the first supply voltage; and a level-shifter receiving a second supply voltage higher than the threshold voltage, level-shifting the feedback-signal, and outputting the level-shifted feedback-signal to a control terminal of the output transistor. |
| US09784232B1 |
Forced frequency ignition system for an internal combustion engine
An ignition system for an internal combustion engine has a power source, a transformer having first and second primary windings and a secondary winding, a connector extending from the secondary winding and adapted so as to connect with a terminal of the spark plug of the internal combustion engine, and electronic spark timing circuit cooperative with the transformer so as to activate and deactivate voltage to the first and second primary windings. The first and second primary windings are connected to the power source such that the transformer produces an alternating voltage output from the secondary winding of between 1 kHz and 100 kHz and a voltage of at least 20 kV. A forced push-pull inverter is cooperative with the electronic spark timing circuit so as to fix a frequency of voltage to the first and second primary windings. |
| US09784226B2 |
Vehicle fuel delivery system
A vehicle fuel delivery system, includes: a first line configured to deliver fuel from a fuel tank to an internal combustion engine (ICE); a second line configured to return fuel from the ICE to the tank or the first line; a heat exchanger in thermal communication with the second line; and a latent material in the heat exchanger configured to change from a solid state to a liquid state when fuel in the second line reaches a predetermined temperature. |
| US09784222B2 |
Controller for internal combustion engine
A controller for an internal combustion engine is provided. The engine includes a compressor, a three way catalyst, a canister, an evaporated fuel passage, an ejector, and a purge control valve. The controller includes an ECU. The ECU is configured to decrease an opening degree of the purge control valve in response to an increase in pressure on the downstream side of the compressor in a lean supercharging range. The is a range in which an operation air-fuel ratio of the internal combustion engine is leaner than a theoretical air-fuel ratio of the internal combustion engine, and in which the pressure on the downstream side of the compressor is higher than pressure on the upstream side of the compressor. |
| US09784221B2 |
Exhaust gas flow control system for an internal combustion engine
In an exhaust gas flow control system for an internal combustion engine, with a first exhaust gas duct and a second exhaust gas duct, through both of which exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine can flow to a turbine of an exhaust gas turbocharger with an exhaust gas recirculation line branching off the first exhaust gas duct, a shut-off element is provided which is adjustable between a closed position in which exhaust gas is prevented from flowing into the exhaust gas recirculation line and directing it via a communication passage into the second exhaust gas duct, and at least a first open position in which exhaust gas is directed out of the first exhaust gas duct into the exhaust gas recirculation line while blocking the communication passage between the first and second exhaust gas ducts and a second open position wherein both the first and the second exhaust gas ducts as well as the communication passage between the two ducts is open but the recirculation line is closed. |
| US09784216B2 |
Nacelle
A nacelle is configured to be coupled to an underside of a wing and forms a clearance space between the nacelle and a leading edge slat of the wing. A portion of an outlet cowling moves longitudinally aft when a reverse thrust configuration is activated and the leading edge slat is deployed toward the nacelle. The outlet cowling also includes another portion located adjacent to the leading edge slat that does not move when the reverse thrust configuration is activated and thus maintains its clearance space from the leading edge slat. |
| US09784214B2 |
Thrust reverser with hidden linkage blocker doors
Aspects are directed to a system that includes an outer structure of a thrust reverser, a blocker door, and a plurality of four-bar mechanisms arranged in series with one another that couple the outer structure and the blocker door. Aspects are directed to a system for a thrust reverser of an aircraft that includes a blocker door, a kinematic mechanism configured to actuate the blocker door, and a pressure shelf, where the blocker door is configured to reside below the pressure shelf in proximity to a duct of the thrust reverser, and where at least a portion of the kinematic mechanism is configured to reside above the pressure shelf. |
| US09784213B2 |
Aeroengine thrust reverser arrangement
A blocker door for a gas turbine engine thrust reverser having a tray with a base and sidewalls extending about the base to define a volume, the volume being closed by a cover that extends beyond the periphery of the tray. The extension of the cover beyond the periphery provides a sealing feature. |
| US09784210B2 |
Piston for an internal combustion engine
A piston for an internal combustion engine is proposed with a piston head and with two pin bosses which lie opposite one another, are molded integrally onto the piston head in the direction which faces away from the piston head, and have in each case one pin bore. In each case one turned groove is formed into the radially inner regions of the lower halves of the pin bores, which halves face away from the piston head. |
| US09784206B2 |
Method for managing the amount of fuel injected into an engine
A method for managing the mass of fuel injected into the cylinder of an internal combustion engine fed by direct injection. The pressure and the pressure drop per unit of time are monitored (13) during the starting phase. If the pressure becomes too low (7), or if it drops too quickly (9), the mass of fuel injected on each cycle is adjusted (15) in order to maintain a high fuel pressure in the injector (37). The method can be applied, for example, in the event of low-temperature starting using any type of fuel, for example pure or mixed ethanol. |
| US09784205B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling internal-combustion engine
A method for controlling an internal-combustion engine includes detecting knocking in the internal-combustion engine. An EGR gas quantity of EGR gas is increased in a case where the knocking is detected. A part of exhaust gas is circulated into an intake passage as the EGR gas. A fuel octane number of fuel supplied to a cylinder is increased in the case. The fuel octane number is decreased after the fuel octane number has been increased. The EGR gas quantity is maintained so as to prevent the knocking after the EGR gas quantity has been increased. |
| US09784203B2 |
Method for limiting engine torque when error occurs in water sensor of fuel filter
A method for limiting an engine torque when a failure occurs in a water sensor of a fuel filter includes sensing the failure of the water sensor installed in the fuel filter through a failure diagnosis logic in a diesel hybrid vehicle. A current vehicle driving mode is checked when the failure of the water sensor is sensed. Whether or not a first time period elapses a first delay time after sensing the failure of the water sensor when the current vehicle driving mode is an engine driving mode is determined. The engine torque is limited and reduced when the first time period elapses the first delay time. |
| US09784197B2 |
Internal combustion engine control apparatus
There is provided an internal combustion engine control apparatus having an exhaust gas recirculation amount estimation unit that learns the relationship between an exhaust gas recirculation valve opening area calculated by an exhaust gas recirculation valve opening area calculation unit and an opening degree of the exhaust gas recirculation valve and estimates an recirculation amount of exhaust gas utilized in controlling an internal combustion engine, based on the relationship between the exhaust gas recirculation valve opening area and the opening degree of the exhaust gas recirculation valve. |
| US09784193B2 |
Method for preventing engine stall
A method for preventing engine stall of a vehicle includes detecting, by a control portion, whether a purge control valve becomes short to ground or not, determining, by the control portion, how rich a fuel is that has flowed into the engine using an oxygen sensor when it is determined that the purge control valve becomes short to ground in the detecting step, and controlling, by the control portion, a target RPM of the engine to be increased when it is determined that the fuel is rich in the determining step. |
| US09784190B2 |
Internal combustion engine control device and control method
A target compression ratio ε(t+Tact) after a prescribed time Tact has expired from a current point of time is calculated from an intake air volume drawn into a cylinder after expiration of the prescribed time Tact from the current point of time. A control command to an electric motor that drives a variable compression ratio mechanism is calculated so as to bring an actual compression ratio εr(t+Tact) after the prescribed time Tact into accordance with the target compression ratio ε(t+Tact) after the prescribed time Tact. This enables the actual compression ratio to follow the target compression ratio accurately. |
| US09784189B2 |
Method and system for an engine variable charge motion system
Methods and systems are provided for introducing a charge motion to a cylinder via a bladder in an intake manifold runner. In one example, a system may include positioning a bladder in an intake port proximate to a cylinder. |
| US09784188B2 |
Sensor module
A sensor module is adapted to be attached to an actuator body incorporating an electric actuator. The sensor module includes a sensor assembly, a sensor cover, and a connector housing. The sensor assembly includes a sensor detection part and a sensor housing. The sensor detection part is configured to detect a physical change amount of a driven body driven by the electric actuator and to convert the physical change amount into an electrical signal. The sensor housing incorporates the sensor detection part. The sensor cover is provided separately from the sensor housing and is attached to the actuator body. The sensor module is configured integrally by attaching the sensor assembly to the sensor cover. A connector terminal electrically connected to a connection terminal of the sensor detection part is insert-molded in the connector housing. The connector housing is provided integrally with the sensor housing. |
| US09784185B2 |
System and method for cooling a gas turbine with an exhaust gas provided by the gas turbine
A system for cooling a gas turbine with an exhaust gas provided by the gas turbine generally includes an exhaust gas recirculation system including an exhaust gas scrubber. The exhaust gas recirculation system is disposed downstream from the gas turbine and may receive at least a portion of the exhaust gas provided by the gas turbine. The system may also include a moisture separator located downstream from the exhaust gas recirculation system, and a cooling circuit configured to connect to one or more cooling circuit inlets. The one or more cooling circuit inlets may provide fluid communication between the cooling circuit and the gas turbine. |
| US09784183B2 |
Power outlet, emissions, fuel flow and water flow based probabilistic control in liquid-fueled gas turbine tuning, related control systems, computer program products and methods
Various embodiments include a system having: at least one computing device configured to tune a set of gas turbines (GTs) by performing actions including: commanding each GT in the set of GTs to a base load level, based upon a measured ambient condition for each GT; commanding each GT in the set of GTs to adjust a respective output to match a nominal mega-watt power output value, and subsequently measuring an actual fuel flow value and an actual emissions value for each GT; adjusting at least one of a fuel flow or a water flow for each GT to an adjusted water/fuel ratio in response to the actual emissions value deviating from an emissions level associated with the base load level, while maintaining the respective adjusted output; and adjusting an operating condition of each GT in the set of GTs based upon a difference between the respective measured actual fuel flow value and a nominal fuel flow value at the ambient condition, while maintaining the adjusted water/fuel ratio. |
| US09784181B2 |
Gas turbine engine architecture with low pressure compressor hub between high and low rotor thrust bearings
A method for servicing a gas turbine engine includes providing access from a forward section of the gas turbine engine to a gearbox contained within a bearing compartment. |
| US09784179B2 |
Adjustment device for an exhaust gas turbocharger
In an adjusting device for an exhaust gas turbocharger with a first adjusting member and a second adjusting member for operating a valve element for varying the flow cross-section of a bypass duct of a flow-through exhaust gas guide portion of a turbine of an exhaust gas turbocharger, the first adjusting member and the second adjusting member are connected so as to be pivotable relative to one another by a pin-shaped connecting element with a locking element establishing a pivot joint of the first adjusting member and the second adjusting member with a predetermined axial engagement force. |
| US09784177B2 |
Engine system
An engine system may include main exhaust ports fluidly communicated with each combustion chamber, main exhaust valves opening and closing each main exhaust port, a main exhaust manifold connected with the main exhaust ports, scavenge exhaust ports fluidly communicated with the each combustion chamber, scavenge valves opening and closing the each scavenge exhaust port, a scavenge manifold connected with the scavenge exhaust ports, in which at least a part of an exhaust gas passing through the scavenge manifold is re-circulated to the combustion chamber to be burned. |
| US09784174B2 |
Method for operating a rail vehicle
A rail vehicle has a diesel engine, an engine radiator and a cooling circuit that connects the diesel engine to the engine radiator. A cooling liquid is circulated in the cooling circuit, a cooling liquid temperature of the circulated cooling liquid and an outer air temperature of the atmospheric outer air are detected. The outer air temperature is compared with the outer air limit temperature, the cooling power of the engine radiator is set in such a way that the cooling liquid temperature corresponds to a normal operating temperature if the outer air temperature is less than the outer air limit temperature. The cooling power of the engine radiator is set such that the cooling liquid temperature corresponds to a lower operating temperature below the normal operating temperature if the outer air temperature is greater than the outer air limit temperature. |
| US09784172B2 |
Liquid-cooled internal combustion engine with selector guide valve, and method for controlling the selector guide valve of an internal combustion engine of said type
A selector guide valve in cooling system of an internal combustion engine is provided. The selector guide valve includes a first control drum independently rotatable and including an inlet receiving engine coolant from a pump and a plurality of coolant openings extending through the first control drum and a second control drum independently rotatable, circumferentially surrounding the first control drum, and including a plurality of coolant openings extending through the second control drum. |
| US09784171B2 |
Air cooling system for an unmanned aerial vehicle
An air cooling system for an unmanned aerial vehicle including a propeller (14) driven by an engine (12) has at least one cooling air duct (22) to direct cooling air to cool a vehicle component e.g. a cylinder head. The duct has at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet. Operation of the propeller causes a pressure differential between the air outlet (24,124) and the air inlet (23,123) which draws air through said cooling air duct (22). A cowling (16) can cover at least part of the engine, and can form a plenum and have the supply of cooling air through a front face aperture (164) or side walls (17) of the engine cowl (16). |
| US09784169B2 |
Two-port integrated exhaust manifold for an internal combustion engine having three cylinders
Methods and systems are provided for a 2-port integrated exhaust manifold for an inline-3, inline-6, V-6, and/or V-12 engine. In one example, a system may include an exhaust manifold integrated within a cylinder head of an engine block. The integrated exhaust manifold may include a first set of two runners from a first outer cylinder coupled to a first manifold exhaust port, a second set of two runners of a second outer cylinder coupled to a second manifold exhaust port, and one runner of an inner cylinder coupled to the first manifold exhaust port and another runner of the inner cylinder coupled to the second manifold exhaust port. |
| US09784168B2 |
Apparatus for compensating for thermal expansion occurring from exhaust manifold
An apparatus for compensating for thermal expansion occurring from an exhaust manifold in an engine may include an anti-thermal deformation member provided between the exhaust manifold and a turbo charger and connecting the exhaust manifold and the turbo charger together and configured to be deformed when the exhaust manifold thermally expands due to hot exhaust gas, compensating for thermal deformation caused by the thermal expansion. |
| US09784167B2 |
Exhaust pipe
The exhaust pipe comprises an inlet pipe, an outlet pipe and a bend portion arranged between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe. The bend portion comprises an inlet bend and an outlet bend, wherein a central bend portion defines an intermediate section of inlet bend and outlet bend and wherein the inlet bend and the outlet bend each cover 50 percent of the total bend angle covered by the bend portion. The central bend portion comprises a diameter, which is smaller than a diameter of the inlet bend and of the outlet bend in a bending plane. In addition a bend radius R of the bend portion varies along the bend portion such that a bend radius of the inlet bend is larger than a bend radius of the outlet bend. |
| US09784164B2 |
On-site regeneration method of denitration catalyst in exhaust gas purification system
In an exhaust gas purification system provided with a denitration catalyst layer, a reducing agent oxidation catalyst layer is installed together; a reducing agent and air are supplied into the reducing agent oxidation catalyst layer at the time of catalyst regeneration of the denitration catalyst layer; a high-temperature oxidation reaction gas is produced by a reaction heat generated by an oxidation reaction of the reducing agent and the air in this reducing agent oxidation catalyst layer; and this high-temperature oxidation reaction gas is introduced into the denitration catalyst layer to heat the denitration catalyst, thereby recovering a denitration performance of the catalyst. |
| US09784160B2 |
Honeycomb body with connection-free region, exhaust-gas purification unit and motor vehicle
A honeycomb body includes at least a housing and a honeycomb structure having a plurality of channels. The honeycomb structure is formed of at least one at least partially structured metallic layer that forms connecting points fixing the honeycomb structure. At most 20% of inner contact points in a cross section of the honeycomb structure form a connection point, and the connection points are disposed at a distance from each other in such a way that respective connection-free regions of the same size surround each of the connection points. An exhaust-gas purification unit and a motor vehicle are also provided. |
| US09784158B2 |
Device for providing a liquid additive
A device for providing a liquid additive includes an assembly main body on which at least one hydraulic component is mounted for the operation of the device. A plug-in plate is fastened to the assembly main body and at least one electric heater and at least one further electrical component for the operation of the device are mounted on the plug-in plate. The at least one electric heater extends from the plug-in plate into at least one cutout of the assembly main body. A motor vehicle having the device is also provided. |
| US09784150B2 |
Lubricant level control for lubricated systems
Disclosed herein is a system includes a lubricated component and a lubricant pump that selectively provides lubricant to the lubricated component. The system also includes a lubricant source in lubricant providing communication with the lubricant pump. Additionally, the system includes a lubricant flow regulation device in lubricant receiving communication with the lubricated component and lubricant providing communication with the lubricant source. The lubricant flow regulation device is configured to drain lubricant from the lubricated component to the lubricant source based on when the lubricant pump provides lubricant to the lubricated component, and to prevent drainage of lubricant from the lubricated component to the lubricant source based on when the lubricant pump stops providing lubricant to the lubricated component. |
| US09784148B2 |
Valve gear for engine
A valve gear for an engine includes cam shafts, first and second support walls, and rocker arms supported on the first and second support walls by supports. The supports switch among a plurality of support modes. The supports include first and second shaft holes, rocker shafts, tracks in the support walls, and return springs. The rocker shafts, move to positions where the support walls and the rocker arms are connected via the rocker shafts in a first support mode. In a second support mode, the rocker shafts move to positions where the connection between the support walls and the rocker arms is canceled. This makes it possible to provide a valve gear for an engine capable of smoothly switching a normal operation state support mode and cylinder resting state support mode, thus increasing the reliability of the operation. |
| US09784147B1 |
Fluid-electric actuated reciprocating piston engine valves
A mechanically simplified electric and fluid (gas, vapor or liquid) control for a piston engine, including an engine valve actuator system that eliminates rotating cam shafts and heavy internal combustion engine valve closing springs by using an electromagnet and an armature which is attracted by the electromagnet to initiate movement of both a fluid control valve and the engine valve. When the control valve is moved only slightly off its seat by the armature, fluid pressure instantly drives the control valve a much greater distance closing the engine valve. Opening and closing time is regulated independently. Engine valves are opened by reversing the fluid pressure balance across the control valve at the time selected. |
| US09784145B2 |
Atomization valve
An atomization valve for use as an intake valve in an internal combustion engine that consists essentially of an elongated valve stem with two opposed ends, a valve head located at one of the two opposed ends and formed integrally with the valve stem in which the valve head having an outer rim and a tapered shoulder portion terminating adjacent the stem portion and the tapered shoulder portion having an upper surface bearing a plurality of grooves. |
| US09784143B2 |
Mid lock directional supply and cam torsional recirculation
A valve timing control device, in effect a cam phaser, for an internal combustion engine. The valve timing control device includes a rotor connected to a camshaft and having a plurality of vanes. A stator is engaged with the rotor, and includes a plurality of webs. Pressure chambers are provided between each of the webs and vanes. The cam phaser is configured to automatically locate to its mid-lock position, without having to rely on electronic control. At least one embodiment of the present invention is configured to use cam torque to recirculate oil from one side of the vanes of the rotor to the other. |
| US09784142B2 |
Spring arrangement for a variable valve drive of an internal combustion engine
A spring arrangement for a variable valve drive of an internal combustion engine includes an intermediate lever, a control shaft, a control shaft roller, a working cam contour, and a spring element. The intermediate lever comprises a contact surface, a camshaft roller which bears against a camshaft, and a slot roller which bears against a slotted guide. The control shaft roller is arranged on the intermediate lever to face away from the slotted guide. The control shaft roller bears against the control shaft. The working cam contour is formed at an end of the intermediate lever opposite the camshaft roller. The spring element comprises a force component on the contact surface in the direction of the camshaft and the slotted guide, and an end leg. The spring element loads the camshaft roller against the camshaft and the slot roller against the slotted guide. The end leg bears against the contact surface. |
| US09784139B2 |
Compact energy cycle construction utilizing some combination of a scroll type expander, pump, and compressor for operating according to a rankine, an organic rankine, heat pump, or combined organic rankine and heat pump cycle
A compact energy cycle construction that operates as or in accordance with a Rankine, Organic Rankine, Heat Pump, or Combined Organic Rankine and Heat Pump Cycle, comprising a compact housing of a generally cylindrical form with some combination of a scroll type expander, pump, and compressor disposed therein to share a common shaft with a motor or generator and to form an integrated system, with the working fluid of the system circulating within the housing as a torus along the common shaft and toroidally within the housing as the system operates. |
| US09784136B2 |
Rotor turning device for large turbine/generator in-situ rotors
A tool assembly for safely rotating a heavy turbine generator rotor for alignment and maintenance purposes. The tool assembly includes a plurality of segments mounted to an outer face of a coupling affixed to an end of a shaft of the rotor, where the segments include a plurality of segment teeth extending beyond an outer edge of the coupling. A tool is positioned adjacent to the coupling and includes a support assembly, a hydraulic ram and a ratcheting pawl. The ratcheting pawl includes a drive pin positioned to engage the teeth of the segments, where extension of a piston rod from the hydraulic ram causes the coupling and shaft to rotate. |
| US09784135B2 |
Turbine engine comprising means for supporting at least one item of equipment
Turbine engine, comprising means for absorbing the thrust forces from its engine, which comprise longitudinal connecting rods, the ends of which are connected to structural annular casings of the turbine engine, characterized in that it comprises means for supporting at least one item of equipment on said thrust-absorbing connecting rods and/or for suspending at least one item of equipment from said thrust-absorbing connecting rods. |
| US09784134B2 |
Gas turbine engine inlet assembly and method of making same
A method of fabricating an inlet assembly for a gas turbine engine, the method including defining an intake duct of the inlet assembly between first and second space apart inlet case portions, locating at least one strut across the intake duct, each strut having a proximal end made integral to the first inlet case portion and an opposed distal end engaged in a respective strut-receiving aperture defined through the second inlet case portion, while maintaining the distal end of each strut in the respective strut-receiving aperture, adjusting the relative position of the first inlet case portion and the second inlet case portion until a predetermined throat dimension of the intake duct is obtained, and locking the adjusted relative position by attaching the second inlet case portion to each strut. An inlet assembly and gas turbine engine with inlet assembly as also disclosed. |
| US09784130B2 |
Turbine engine comprising an upstream attachment means for a de-oiling pipe
A turbine engine in which an air flow circulates from upstream to downstream, or for an aircraft, including a rotary shaft extending axially and a de-oiling tube mounted to be rigidly connected to and on the inside of the shaft by an upstream fixing mechanism including: a first inner dog clutch extending on an inside from the shaft, a second dog clutch extending on an outside from the de-oiling tube, which is longitudinally aligned with the first dog clutch and positioned downstream of the first dog clutch, and an anti-rotation longitudinal locking latch extending between the rotary shaft and the de-oiling tube to prohibit rotation of the second dog clutch of the de-oiling tube relative to the first dog clutch of the rotary shaft. |
| US09784129B2 |
Rear mount assembly for gas turbine engine
A gas turbine engine with a rear mount assembly including link rods interconnecting the bypass duct wall and the core portion and connecting assemblies connected to the bypass duct wall. Each connecting assembly has inner and outer surfaces bordering an opening through which an outer end of a respective link rod extends. The outer surface is accessible from outside the bypass duct wall. A first locking member is engaged to the outer end in a first locked position, and includes an abutment portion located radially inwardly of the inner surface and abutting the inner surface, and an outer portion protruding radially outwardly through the opening beyond the outer surface. A second locking member is engaged the outer end in a second locked position, and has an abutment portion located radially outwardly of the outer surface and abutting the outer surface. A method of supporting a core portion is also discussed. |
| US09784122B2 |
Method of fabricating a composite material casing for a gas turbine engine, and a casing obtained thereby
A method of fabricating a composite material casing for a gas turbine engine, the method including making an outer shroud including a platform and a flange, making an inner shroud of smaller diameter than the outer shroud and including a platform and a flange, making a plurality of casing arms, each including a blade that is terminated at each radial end by a respective platform, arranging a plurality of openings in the respective platforms of the shrouds, each opening serving to receive a platform of a casing arm, and assembling the casing arms with the outer shroud and with the inner shroud by inserting the platforms of the casing arms in the openings of the shrouds. A composite material casing is obtained by such a method. |
| US09784121B2 |
System and method for continuous solids slurry depressurization
A continuous slag processing system includes a rotating parallel disc pump, coupled to a motor and a brake. The rotating parallel disc pump includes opposing discs coupled to a shaft, an outlet configured to continuously receive a fluid at a first pressure, and an inlet configured to continuously discharge the fluid at a second pressure less than the first pressure. The rotating parallel disc pump is configurable in a reverse-acting pump mode and a letdown turbine mode. The motor is configured to drive the opposing discs about the shaft and against a flow of the fluid to control a difference between the first pressure and the second pressure in the reverse-acting pump mode. The brake is configured to resist rotation of the opposing discs about the shaft to control the difference between the first pressure and the second pressure in the letdown turbine mode. |
| US09784119B2 |
Opening degree regulating structure for variable nozzle mechanism and variable displacement turbocharger
It is provided with: a variable nozzle mechanism section 23; an opening degree regulating member 43 for regulating an angle of a nozzle vane 19a by bringing an outer peripheral surface 41 of an inner cylinder of a bearing housing 13 to which a nozzle mount is affixed and an inner peripheral surface of a lever plate 33 into contact; and a discharge recess 47 for discharging soot which accumulates in the gap between an inner peripheral end portion of the lever plate 33, the nozzle mount 21, and the bearing housing 13 to the inner peripheral end portion of the lever plate 33. |
| US09784117B2 |
Turbine engine tip clearance control system with rocker arms
An assembly is provided for a turbine engine with an axial centerline. This turbine engine assembly includes a blade outer air seal segment, a linkage, a rocker arm and an actuation device. The linkage is attached to the blade outer air seal segment. The rocker arm includes a first arm and a second arm engaged with the linkage. The actuation device is engaged with the first arm. The actuation device is configured to pivot the rocker arm and thereby radially move the blade outer air seal segment. |
| US09784113B2 |
Method of fabricating a turbine or compressor guide vane sector made of composite material for a turbine engine, and a turbine or a compressor incorporating such guide vane sectors
Single-airfoil vanes each having an inner platform, an outer platform, and an airfoil are obtained by three-dimensionally weaving a fiber blank in a single piece, by shaping the fiber blank to obtain a single-piece fiber preform, and by densifying the preform with a matrix to obtain a vane of composite material forming a single piece with inner and outer platforms incorporated therein. A plurality of vanes is assembled together at an intermediate stage of densification to form a multi-airfoil composite material guide vane sector for a turbine nozzle or a compressor diffuser and the assembled-together vanes are bonded together. |
| US09784107B2 |
Hydraulic motor
A hydraulic geroller (gerotor) motor, wherein an inner rotor of a revolving group has a plurality of lobes circumferentially spaced along an outer periphery of the inner rotor, and an orbiter of the revolving group includes an orbiting ring and rounded vane portions preferably formed by roller vanes contained in inner recesses of the orbiting ring for common orbiting with the orbiting ring about the fixed longitudinal axis. The orbiter also has fixed for orbiting therewith, fluid windows for directing fluid from the fluid ports to the revolving group. The windows may be formed in an integral portion of the orbiter or in a valve plate mounted for common orbiting with the orbiting orbiter. The valve plate cooperates with a stationary commutator plate or assembly to provide an efficient arrangement for the delivery and exhaust of hydraulic pressure fluid to and from the hydraulic motor. |
| US09784106B2 |
Multi-stage double-acting traveling-wave thermoacoustic system
The present invention provides a multi-stage double-acting traveling-wave thermoacoustic system, comprising three elementary units, each elementary unit comprises a linear motor and a thermoacoustic conversion device; the linear motor comprises a piston and a cylinder, the piston can perform a straight reciprocating motion in the cylinder; each thermoacoustic conversion device comprises a main heat exchanger and a heat regenerator connected in sequence, and the heat regenerator is of a ladder structure; a set of a non-normal-temperature heat exchanger, a thermal buffer tube and an auxiliary heat exchanger is connected at each ladder of the heat regenerator; and the main heat exchanger and the auxiliary heat exchanger of each thermoacoustic conversion device are connected to cylinder cavities of different linear motors respectively forming a loop structure for flow of a gas medium. The multi-stage double-acting traveling-wave thermoacoustic system can improve the working performance of the multi-stage double-acting traveling-wave thermoacoustic system. |
| US09784104B2 |
Engine capable of reducing noise
An engine includes a cylinder system, a driving system including a piston and a crankshaft, a power generating system and a cooling system. The power generating system is disposed on a side of the driving system and includes a generator and a counterweight. The generator includes a main body and a rotor pivotally disposed within the main body. The cooling system is disposed on an opposite side of the driving system and includes a first water pump in fluid communication with the cylinder system. An outline of the rotor is projected along the crankshaft to form a first projecting zone. Projections of the first water pump and the driving system along the crankshaft overlap the first projecting zone. |
| US09784103B2 |
Mining shovel with bushings at pin locations
A cartridge includes a body, an aperture extending through the body sized to receive a pivot pin, and a spherical bushing disposed within the body. The cartridge also includes a first internal seal disposed axially on one side of the bushing and a second internal seal disposed axially on an opposite side of the bushing. The cartridge also includes an end cap disposed at least partially within the aperture that abuts the bushing and prevents the bushing from moving axially in a first direction within the aperture. |
| US09784102B2 |
Variable geometry fracture sealing tester
A fracture insert is disclosed including a first cylindrical portion and a second cylindrical portion disposed opposite the first cylindrical portion defining a radial gap therebetween to form an axial flow channel. The axial flow channel provides a flow path for a drilling fluid from a top of the cylindrical portions to a bottom of the cylindrical portions and the radial gap provides a flow path for the drilling fluid from the axial flow channel to a radial terminus of the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion. |
| US09784098B2 |
Downhole telemetry systems with voice coil actuator
Pulse telemetry systems and methods for communicating digital data from a wellbore to a surface unit are presented that include a valve fluidly coupled to drilling fluid. The valve adjusts pressure in a drillpipe to cause pressure transitions within the drilling fluid within the drillpipe to transmit data over the drilling fluid. The valve includes a voice coil actuator for developing the pressure transitions within the drilling fluid. Other systems and methods and are included. |
| US09784097B2 |
Compressed telemetry for time series downhole data using variable scaling and grouped words
A method for transmitting data from a downhole location to a location at the surface of the earth includes determining a minimum value and a maximum value of M-samples of data values, determining a keycode for the M-samples of data values that provides an indication of the maximum and minimum values of the M-samples, and encoding the keycode and the data values into one or more encoded words. The one or more encoded words are then transmitted as an acoustic signal in drilling fluid by modulating a mud-pulser. The acoustic signal is received by a transducer uphole from the mud-pulser and converted into an electrical signal. The electrical signal is demodulated into a received encoded word, which is decompressed into the M-samples in accordance with the keycode. The M-samples are then received by a computer processing system disposed as the surface of the earth. |
| US09784096B2 |
Expanded mud pulse telemetry
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for expanded mud pulse telemetry. Certain methods provided include measuring pressure proximate at least one of first and second pressure control modules along a drilling apparatus and telemetering the measured pressure to a surface controller. A command is transmitted from the surface controller to at least one of the first and second pressure control modules or one of first and second controllable flow restrictors via mud pulse telemetry while mud is not being pumped through a main standpipe. |
| US09784095B2 |
Position indicator through acoustics
Assemblies and methods of use are disclosed for determining a position of a body within a tubing section. A signal generator coupled to the body is operable to generate a pressure wave in response to detecting a detectable portion of the tubing section when the body is moved relative to the tubing section. |
| US09784090B2 |
Method for selecting the location of a stimulating geothermal well
The present invention provides a method for selecting the location of a stimulating well, comprising the steps of conducting a geological study of a field containing a geothermal hydrothermal resource by operating geological useful equipment, determining a maximum horizontal stress line within said field by means of a device, generating a map of existing wells including a plurality of sub-commercial wells within said field relative to said maximum horizontal stress line, measuring a distance between each of said sub-commercial wells and the maximum horizontal stress line, determining that those sub-commercial wells aligned with, or located relatively close to the maximum horizontal stress line are stimulatable, and selecting a location of a stimulating well for stimulating the stimulatable well that is separated less than an anticipated fracture propagating distance from said stimulatable well. |
| US09784086B2 |
Method and process for extracting shale oil and gas by fracturing and chemical retorting in oil shale in-situ horizontal well
Disclosed is a method for extracting shale oil and gas by fracturing, and chemical retorting in oil shale in-situ horizontal well and a process for implementing the method. In the method and process, an inclined well is drilled from the ground to the upper part of an underground oil shale stratum, and a horizontal well is drilled in parallel to the oil shale stratum in the upper part of the oil shale stratum. Behind the horizontal well and the inclined well in the upper part, an inclined well leading to the lower part of the oil shale stratum is drilled, and a horizontal well is drilled in parallel to the lower part of the oil shale stratum. Highly pressurized media are injected into the horizontal well in the upper part of the oil shale stratum. |
| US09784085B2 |
Method for transverse fracturing of a subterranean formation
Techniques for fracturing a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore are provided. The subterranean formation has vertical and horizontal stresses applied thereto. The wellbore has a near wellbore stress zone thereabout. The method involves drilling the wellbore along a drilling path (the wellbore having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion), creating at least one 360-degree perforation in the subterranean formation about the horizontal portions of the wellbore, and fracturing the formation by injecting a fluid into the 360-degree perforations. The 360-degree perforations extend about the wellbore a distance beyond the near wellbore stress zone and at least twice a diameter of the wellbore starting from an axis of the wellbore. A direction of the 360-degree perforation is transverse to the wellbore axis. |
| US09784081B2 |
Oil recovery process
The present invention provides a method for enhancing the recovery of oil from a formation. An enhanced oil recovery formulation comprising a gas comprised of a hydrocarbon-containing gas and an ether having from 2 to 4 carbons is injected into an oil-bearing formation to mobilize the oil. The mobilized oil is then produced from the formation. |
| US09784073B2 |
Rotating control device docking station
A system and method is provided for converting a drilling rig between conventional hydrostatic pressure drilling and managed pressure drilling or underbalanced drilling using a docking station housing mounted on a marine riser or bell nipple. This docking station housing may be positioned above the surface of the water. When a removable rotating control device is remotely hydraulically latched with the docking station housing, the system and method allows for interactive lubrication and cooling of the rotating control device, as needed, along with a supply of fluid for use with active seals. |
| US09784072B2 |
Removing cured resins from subterranean formations and completions
A process for chemically removing cured resin product from subterranean formations in case of inappropriate consolidation, plugging of screens or tubing, and equipment damage. A chemical solvent is introduced to a wellbore where a resin has cured. The resin is contacted with the chemical solvent until the resin at least partially dissolves. The dissolved resin is then removed from the wellbore. The process may also be used to remove consolidated packs consisting of cured resin and particulate materials. |
| US09784071B2 |
Casing annulus cement foundation system and a method for forming a flange collar constituting a cement foundation
A method for forming a flange collar constituting a cement foundation in a casing annulus, includes the steps of installing a casing section comprising an internal sleeve axially displaceable by a conveyed tool for opening a casing cementing outlet; the internal sleeve connected through radial bolts through axial-parallel slots through the casing wall to a casing-external sleeve, the casing-external sleeve abutting against a first edge of a deformable metal sleeve having its opposite, second end abutting axially against a radial shoulder on the casing section; using the drill pipe conveyed tool for axially displacing the internal sleeve thus forcing the external sleeve to deforming the metal sleeve to a radially extending flange collar radially extending across the casing annulus, and ejecting cement via the casing cementing outlet to the annulus, allowing the cement to distribute above the formed radially extending flange collar, and allowing the cement to settle in the annulus. |
| US09784069B1 |
Hydraulic drain for oilfield service
A hydraulically actuated tubing drain for service with oil wells, water wells, gas wells and/or thermal wells has a configuration of structural features which, upon hydraulically opening the drain, prevent any debris from the rupture disk from entering either the tubing or the tubing-casing annulus. The disk housing and flow diffuser of the present invention mate directly together, capturing between the disk housing and flow diffuser a shoulder of the mandrel. This design eliminates the need for a threaded aperture through the side wall of the mandrel and the need for elastomeric seals. |
| US09784068B2 |
Stem guide system
A system including a stem guide system, including a stem guide, and a sleeve coupled to the stem guide, wherein the sleeve is configured to rest within a valve stem groove of a valve stem. |
| US09784062B1 |
Pipe cutting and plugging device
A device for cutting and plugging underwater pipes, the device includes a frame with one or more clamps for securing the device to the pipe. Attached to the frame is an arm having a first end and a second end. The first end is attached to an actuation element that in combination with a support bar can pivot and extend the arm. A motor is attached to the second end of the arm. A saw blade and pipe plug is concentrically mounted to the motor. The motor powers the saw blade to cut the pipe transversely. The arm then positions the pipe plug concentric with the cut pipe, and in combination with rotation of the motor, plugs the cut pipe with the pipe plug. |
| US09784061B2 |
Bore hole tracer injection apparatus
The bore hole tracer injection apparatus is a mechanical device for inserting a tracer agent into a bore hole at a predetermined depth. Outer and inner cylinders have side ports, with the side ports of the cylinders misaligned to prevent fluid escape from the inner cylinder until desired. The bottom of the inner cylinder includes a filler passage. A line passes through the top of the outer cylinder and attaches to a rod across the top of the inner cylinder, above the closed top thereof. The inner cylinder is filled with a tracer agent, and the apparatus is lowered into the bore hole to the desired depth. A weight is then dropped down the line, and jars the outer cylinder down around the inner cylinder when it contacts the top of the outer cylinder. This aligns the side ports of the cylinders to allow escape of the tracer agent therefrom. |
| US09784054B2 |
System and method for establishing tubular connections
A drilling system includes a multi-function sub configured to be coupled to a top drive of a drilling rig and configured to be coupled to a tubular in order to selectively transfer a torque from the top drive to the tubular. The multi-function sub includes a torque sensing component configured to measure the torque provided from the top drive to the tubular via the multi-function sub, a clutch configured to suspend a transfer of torque from the top drive to the tubular when the clutch is released, and a clutch actuator communicatively coupled to the torque sensing component and configured to release the clutch when the torque measured by the torque sensing component is greater than a threshold torque value. The multi-function sub also includes a compensator configured to enable the multi-function sub to move the tubular in an axial direction relative to the top drive. |
| US09784050B2 |
Transfer sleeve for completions landing systems
A tubular handling system and method for handling tubulars are provided. The tubular handling system includes a load transfer sleeve. The load transfer sleeve includes a body defining an inner diameter and a tapered bowl extending outward from the inner diameter, with the bowl defining a landing surface. The load transfer sleeve also includes a load bushing comprising a plurality of load bushing segments that are slidable along the bowl. The load bushing radially expands and contracts by axial translation of the plurality of load bushing segments relative to the body. Further, the plurality of load bushing segments each define an axial engagement surface configured to engage an upset of a tubular and a landing surface that engages the landing surface of the bowl when the axial engagement surface engages the upset. |
| US09784047B2 |
Extendable and retractable stabilizer
A method of drilling a wellbore includes running a drilling assembly into the wellbore through a casing string, the drilling assembly having a tubular string, a stabilizer, and a drill bit; applying a force to an arm of the stabilizer, thereby causing the arm to retract; and removing the stabilizer and the drill bit from the wellbore. |
| US09784046B2 |
Methods and apparatus for mitigating downhole torsional vibration
A well tool apparatus for damping torsional vibration of a drill string comprises stabilizing members projecting radially outwards from a housing that is, in operation, rotationally integrated in the drill string, to stabilize the drill string by engagement with a borehole wall. The stabilizing members are displaceably mounted on the housing to permit limited angular movement thereof relative to the housing about its rotational axis. The well tool apparatus includes a hydraulic damping mechanism to damp angular displacement of the stabilizing members relative to the housing, thereby damping torsional vibration of the housing and the connected drill string, in use. |
| US09784044B2 |
Connector for risers equipped with an external locking collar
The present invention is a connector (5) for a riser equipped with an external locking collar (11). Locking collar (11) cooperates with a male flange (24) of a male connector element (9) and a female flange (23) of a female connector element (8) by means of a series of tenons. The invention also relates to a riser including several sections (4) assembled by a connector (5). |
| US09784043B2 |
Releasable connection for coiled tubing drilling apparatus
A releasable connection for coiled tubing drilling apparatus is presented wherein the connection has an outer body configured with an inner volume, a mandrel located at least partially within the outer body and in the inner volume, a plug located with the outer body and a structural weakpoint apparatus, wherein the structural weakpoint apparatus is configured to structurally fail at a predetermined tensile load placed upon the releasable connection apparatus, wherein the structural weakpoint apparatus is configured at a lower end of the mandrel. |
| US09784039B2 |
Device and method related to lubrication of components in a rock drilling machine and rock drilling machine
A device in respect of a hydraulic rock drilling machine (1) with a machine housing (2,3,11), which encloses a hydraulic percussion device, a rotation mechanism (4) for rotation driving a shank adapter (1) and a guiding device (6) for the shank adapter, wherein the rock drilling machine includes at least one supply channel for lubricant to said components intended for lubrication, and at least one outlet channel (5,7) for used lubricant. Said at least one outlet channel (5,7) is connected to a separation chamber (8) for separating particle-shaped impurities existing in used lubricant. The separation chamber (8) has a discharge conduit (9) for treated lubricant. The invention also concerns a method and a rock drilling machine. |
| US09784038B2 |
High-productivity drill bits
Drill bits having flushing channels and surface features that cooperate to evacuate cuttings. The surface features can be provided as flutes, fins, and/or ribs defined in a body portion of the bits. Optionally, the surface features can define back-cutting edges the permit back reaming. |
| US09784037B2 |
Electric motor for laser-mechanical drilling
A high power laser drilling system utilizing an electric motor laser bottom hole assembly. A high power laser beam travels within the electric motor for performing a laser operation. A system includes a down hole electrical motor having a hollow rotor for conveying a high power laser beam having a wavelength less than 1060 nm through the electrical motor. |
| US09784034B2 |
Tether system for a safety line
A tether system for a safety line has an elongate guide track and stay elements arranged to move along the guide track and be carried at spaced positions along the length of a tether line. The system is typically employed in a fall arrest or protection system mounted to a structure, having an ascent/descent ladder fixed to the structure, the system including a self-retracting safety line device including a safety line, mounted at height. |
| US09784033B2 |
Ladders, ladder components and related methods
Ladders, ladder components and related methods are provided. In some embodiments, adjustable stepladders are provided which include locking mechanisms that enable height adjustment of the ladder through application of a force towards the rails of the ladder. In other embodiments, spreader mechanisms are provided with cross bracing located and configured to provide additional stability to the ladder while also incorporating a handle that enables efficient collapsing of the ladder while reducing the potential of pinching ones hands or fingers. In another embodiment, a device is provided for selective coupling with the ladder that includes a support or safety rail and an adjustable tray. The device may be coupled with the ladder in a number of different positions including a stowed position. In another embodiment, a hinge assembly is provided having a magnetic component configured to be magnetically coupled with and temporarily store an object on the ladder. |
| US09784030B2 |
Louvered light re-directing structure
Generally plano rectangular louvers are capable of being ganged in a stacked tiltable array to enhance light re-direction when titled to follow the solar elevation. Combinations of features and optical characteristic avoid optical artifacts and enhance efficiency of light utilization and manufacturing. Different louvers can be combined in alternative ways in such arrays. |
| US09784029B2 |
Door jamb and sill assemblies
Door jamb and sill assemblies are provided. In one aspect, a door jamb weatherstripping assembly includes a weatherstrip member and a retaining member. The retaining member is elongated and is affixed along a length of the door jamb. The retaining member defines a retaining channel for retaining an anchor portion of the weatherstrip member, and a door seal being configured to sealingly contact the face of the door parallely to a weatherstrip portion of the weatherstrip member when the door is closed. According to another aspect, an elongated cap may be secured to the retaining member in a spaced-apart arrangement to jointly form a shielding chamber along an outer portion of the jamb. In another aspect, a door sill assembly having a U-shaped body engaging the bottom edge of the door is provided. The door sill assembly may include side channel seals and bottom channel seals. |
| US09784027B2 |
Vacuum insulating glass (VIG) unit with metallic peripheral edge seal and/or methods of making the same
Certain example embodiments relate to vacuum insulating glass units having edge seals based on solder alloys that, when reactively reflowed, wet metallic coatings pre-coated on the glass substrates' perimeters, and/or associated methods. The alloys may be based on materials that form a seal at temperatures that will not de-temper glass and/or decompose a laminate, and/or remain hermetic and lack porous structures in their bulks. Example alloys may be based on inter-metallics of Sn and one or more additional materials selected from post-transition metals or metalloids; Zintl anions (e.g., In, Bi, etc.) from Group 13, 14, 15 or 16; and transition metals (e.g., Cu, Ag, Ni, etc.); and excludes Pb. Thin film coatings in certain example embodiments work with the solder material to form robust and durable hermetic interfaces. Because low temperatures are used, certain example embodiments can use compliant and visco-elastic spacer technology based on lamellar structures and/or the like. |
| US09784022B2 |
Latch assembly
A latch having a fork bolt and a detent lever is provided. The detent lever moves between an engaged position, wherein the detent lever engages the fork bolt and a disengaged position wherein the detent lever is disengaged from the fork bolt. A first spring acts on the detent lever, the first spring has a first biasing position wherein the detent lever is biased into the engaged position and has a second biasing position wherein the detent lever is biased into the disengaged position. The first spring moves between the first biasing position and the second biasing position during unlatching of the latch and the first spring is in the first biasing position during latching of the latch. |
| US09784013B2 |
Eliminating maximum adjacent cut specification restrictions for telescoping pins
A key device (10) includes a generally elongate shaft portion (12) including a key combination surface (16) that has a plurality of key cut stations (18) for forming telescoping key cuts at each key cut station (18). Each key cut station (18) has a telescoping maximum adjacent cut specification (MACS) that defines a maximum depth of adjacent. The key device (10) also has a non-MACS key cut (20), formed at one or more of the key cut stations (18), for interfacing with a first pin (24) of a given telescoping plug pin. The non-MACS key cut (20) is dimensioned to leave material in the elongate shaft portion (12) for forming another key cut (20A) for interfacing with a second pin (26) of the given telescoping plug pin. |
| US09784010B2 |
Moveable cover assembly for shelter structures
A cover assembly for use with a first window and an opposing second window is provided. The cover assembly includes a first slide fastener assembly coupled to the first window and includes a first track; a second slide fastener assembly coupled to the second window and includes a second track; and, a cover coupled to the second slide fastener assembly. The cover assembly further includes a connector coupled to the first slide fastener assembly and to the second slide fastener assembly. As the first slide fastener assembly travels along the first track, the connector is configured to move the second slide fastener assembly along the second track such that the cover moves between a first position and a second position relative to the second window. |
| US09784008B1 |
Portable changing tent
A locking mechanism for a portable changing tent includes a puck body that houses a locking plate having a perimeter defined by at least three sets of alternating concave- and convex-shaped surfaces. A knob located at an uppermost end of the puck body rotates the locking plate between a fully unlocked and a fully locked position. The vertical centerline of the puck body's leg receivers is aligned with a corresponding horizontal centerline of the concave-shaped surface of the locking plate when the knob is in the fully locked position. The vertical centerline of each leg receiver is aligned with a corresponding horizontal centerline of the concave-shaped surface of the locking plate when the knob is in the fully unlocked position. Each concave-shaped surface of the locking plate urges against an end of a respective leg connector when the locking plate is in the fully locked position. |
| US09784006B2 |
Portable toilets and portable restroom arrangements
A portable toilet is provided. The toilet includes a shelter defining a rounded sidewall, the sidewall having a door, and the shelter further including a toilet assembly. The toilet further includes a roof configured for removable engagement with the shelter. The toilet has a storage configuration when the roof is inverted and at least partially housed within the shelter, and the toilet has an bottle configuration when the roof is engaged with the shelter. |
| US09784005B2 |
Systems for restoring, repairing, reinforcing, protecting, insulating and/or cladding structures with locatable stand-off components
Apparatus covering at least a portion of a surface of an existing structure with a repair structure comprise: a plurality of longitudinally and transversely extending panels connected to one another in edge-adjacent relationship; and a plurality of standoffs connected to the panels and extending from the panels toward the existing structure. Each panel comprises a panel connector component which extends longitudinally along the panel and from an interior surface of the panel toward the existing structure, and each standoff comprises a standoff connector component complementary to the panel connector component. The connector components are shaped such that a connection formed therebetween comprises deformation of at least one of the panel connector component and the standoff connector component and creates corresponding restorative deformation forces that prevent relative movement between the panel and the standoff under the force of gravity. |
| US09784004B2 |
Fiber reinforced anchors and connectors, methods of making anchors and connectors, and processes for reinforcing a structure
A method of anchoring surface mounted strengthening systems to a structural member being repaired/strengthened or connecting the surface mounted strengthening systems to adjacent structural members to provide force-transfer or terminating a surface-mounted strengthening system includes drilling a hole in an existing structural member and inserting a portion of a fiber-reinforced anchor or connector into the hole in the existing structural member. The anchor or connector includes a bundle of fibers/rovings, and the portion includes rovings encapsulated in a pre-cured adhesive to form a reinforced portion having a desired cross-sectional size and shape to be received by the hole. The method further includes splaying free ends of the fibers/rovings at an end of the anchor and adhering the splayed ends of the fibers/rovings onto the surface-mounted strengthening system of the strengthened member or onto adjacent members with adhesive. |
| US09784001B1 |
Adjustable scaffolding suspension assembly
An assembly of a sling detachably attached to an adjustment device for suspending one structure relative to another structure. The adjustment device comprises a pair of elongate spaced apart plates which are attached to each other and to a hook, for attachment to one of the structures, at the first end portion. Each plate has a plurality of pairs of longitudinally spaced aligned holes for receiving a pin for connecting one end of a sling to the adjustment device at a selected incremental one of the plurality of pairs of holes. The other end of the sling is connected to the other structure to adjust the distance over which the one structure is suspended relative to the other structure. To allow greater adjustability, two or more of the adjustment devices are joined end-to-end. |
| US09784000B1 |
Apparatus and methods for ergonomic building tools
The present invention is directed generally to building tools with improved comfort in gripping and/or efficient control that may be used in various manners and orientations. A handle and work object (e.g., trowel blade) may be connected together by a connecting member (or connecting means) that may be a sloped, angled, and/or substantially curved member, so that a user has increased hand orientation options and/or control over the tool while gripping the handle and/or connecting member in various manners and orientations. In various embodiment(s), the connecting member (e.g., a tang for a trowel) may be a relatively gradually and/or notably sloped, angled, and/or curved structure that may reasonably provide a comfortable extension of the handle and augment the gripping of the tool. The various tools may include a handle connecting member having construction whereby a portion of the sides of the handle connecting member are removed. Magnesium may be used. |
| US09783999B2 |
Flexible corner trim product
A trim piece for sealing a work surface including a body having a first side, a second side, and a span disposed between the first side and the second side, wherein the first side and the second side are joined at a junction defining an angle between the first side and the second side of between 80 degrees and 100 degrees, a topcap is affixed to the span of the body, wherein the topcap includes a left side having a first wing and a right side having a second wing, an adhesive is bonded to the first side of the body and an aperture is disposed within the body. |
| US09783997B2 |
Method of coating PVC tile floor with improved fouling resistance, abrasion resistance, workability and gloss
Provided is a method of coating a PVC tile floor with improved fouling resistance, abrasion resistance, workability and gloss. The method includes forming wax coating having a plurality of layers (a multilayer structure) on the surface of PVC tiles, and coating the uppermost surface of a wax layer with a coating agent for polishing stone surfaces so that a protective coating film for primarily protecting the floor from the outside is formed unlike a conventional floor coating having a pure wax layer structure, thereby advantageously fundamentally preventing scratches and stains of the surface, avoiding detachment and sliding of films and greatly improving durability and safety in use, and, in spite of simplified coating process, preventing yellowing, securing superior gloss, and improving workability and processability as well as maintenance/conservation after working and economic efficiency. |
| US09783995B2 |
Floor panel
A floor panel may include a substrate having a top side and a bottom side. A top layer may be provided on the substrate. The top layer may consist of a printed thermoplastic film and a thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer provided on the printed thermoplastic film. The top layer may be directly applied to the substrate using a glue layer available between the printed thermoplastic film and the top side of the substrate. The substrate may be an extruded synthetic material board including a filler selected from the group consisting of chalk, wood and sand. The substrate at least at two opposite edges may include coupling means provided in the extruded synthetic material board. The floor panel may have a thickness of 5 to 10 millimeters. |
| US09783983B1 |
Lotus dome
The present invention provides a method for prefabricating, transporting, and rapidly assembling a portable, rigid, dome-shaped structure, with the structural integrity to enable the suspension of extensive hardware and supplies. Said structure would be shaped for acoustic purposes, extremely durable, and allow for extensive climate control. Said structure would be able to be fabricated in a wide range of sizes and shipped to remote locations. |
| US09783982B2 |
Stay-in-place fascia forms and methods and equipment for installation thereof
Stay-in-place fascia forms and methods and equipment for installing thereof. A concrete form includes a vertical component and a horizontal component, the vertical component located substantially perpendicular to the horizontal component. Also, the form includes an interior surface, at least a portion of the interior surface providing a form for supporting uncured concrete; wherein the uncured concrete forms a concrete structural portion upon curing of the uncured concrete; and wherein the interior surface remains attached to the concrete structural portion after curing. The form may include inserts and compatible form attachments. Also, forms including recesses may be utilized to reduce the weight thereof. Lifting equipment and accessories may be utilized to lift the form from a form holder and set same in place. Forms contain the work area as soon as it is installed to minimize fall hazards and the time, costs, and downtime associated with installation of safety measures. |
| US09783977B2 |
Shape-morphing space frame apparatus using unit cell bistable elements
Unit cell bistable elements, and particular arrangements thereof, that can transform or morph a structure from one shape to another. In certain embodiments, the current invention includes unit cell bistable elements, and particular arrangements and uses thereof, that can transform or morph a structure from one shape to another. In an embodiment, the current invention provides a method/ability to transform any four-bar compliant mechanism into a bistable compliant mechanism. It is an object of the current invention to facilitate structures morphing from one specific shape to another specific shape using unit cell bistable elements. |
| US09783972B2 |
Cistern for flushing a toilet with potable and gray water
A cistern comprises an upper water tank as a first chamber, and a lower water tank as a second chamber connected by an opening. At the top of the upper tank a mains water inlet allows mains water into the tank through an inlet valve, which is under the control of an upper float. An auxiliary water inlet allows water from an auxiliary supply, such as condensate from an air-conditioning unit, into the tank. At the bottom of lower tank is an water outlet, which allows flushing water from the lower tank 104 to flush an appliance (not shown) under the control of an outlet valve. The outlet valve is under the control of an actuator, which is configured to move up and down, and is also under the control of a lower float. |
| US09783969B2 |
Bathroom fittings
A bath or basin waste having a plug in which the upper face of the cap is substantially bellow the upper face of the bottom of the bath or basin to which it is fitted when in the closed position and substantially flush with the upper face of the bottom of the bath or basin when in the open position. |
| US09783964B2 |
Apparatus and control system for multi-gestural control of water delivery devices
A water delivery device includes a body, a user interface, a micro-mixing valve, first and second capacitive sensors, and a controller. The body includes a base and a spout. The user interface is provided on the spout. The micro-mixing valve is contained within the body and is in fluid communication with a hot water source and a cold water source. The first capacitive sensor is provided below the user interface. The second capacitive sensor is provided below the user interface and is spaced apart from the first capacitive sensor. The controller is operatively connected to the first capacitive sensor, the second capacitive sensor, and the micro-mixing valve. Each of the first and second capacitive sensors is configured to be independently activated by a user to transmit a signal to the controller to increase or decrease a temperature of a flow of water flowing from the micro-mixing valve. |
| US09783963B2 |
Safety device for circulating water utilization system and circulating-water utilization system
A safety device of a recirculating-water utilization system to be constructed in a specific area includes: at least one of a circulating-water monitoring unit configured to monitor a water quality of circulating water purified by a purifying unit, or a treatment-vessel monitoring unit configured to detect abnormality of treatment vessels constituting the purifying unit. |
| US09783957B2 |
Hydraulic excavator
A hydraulic excavator includes a revolving unit revolvably mounted on a traveling unit. A counterweight is disposed on a rear end part of the revolving unit. An engine compartment is disposed in front of the counterweight on the revolving unit. An equipment compartment is disposed in front of the engine compartment on the revolving unit. A Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) antenna supporting part is fixed on the equipment compartment. |
| US09783954B1 |
Single line bucket
A single line bucket which has a first position in which the opening of the scoop is disposed downward and the arm and crossbar are retained by a cam latch, and a second position in which the cross bar are released and the scoop of the bucket extends therebeneath with the scoop opening upward retaining material within. |
| US09783950B2 |
Retrofit reinforcing structure addition and method for wind turbine concrete gravity spread foundations and the like
A retrofit reinforcing structure addition and method for an existing gravity spread foundation for a wind turbine or the like having a central pedestal and a spread section is provided. The retrofit structure addition includes a collar formed around the pedestal of the spread foundation. The collar is formed by a shape sustaining member, such as a CMP, placed around the pedestal to define an annular ring between the CMP and the pedestal that is filled with cementitious material. Radial bolts extend horizontally through the collar and into the side of the pedestal. Soil and/or rock anchor bolts extend vertically through the collar, the spread portion of the foundation and into the underlying soil and/or rock substrate. The radial and anchor bolts are post-tensioned to ensure that the cementitious material of the collar remains in compression and the bolts are always in static tension, strengthening the original gravity spread foundation and extending the fatigue life thereof. |
| US09783947B2 |
Submerged oil storage, loading and offloading system
An oil storage, loading and offloading system includes a submerged oil storage tank with multiple vertically placed flexible containers. The system directly connects to the topsides of an offshore oil production platform above water to assist oil loading and offloading operations. During loading, oil is pumped in and stored inside flexible containers, which are expanded to displace equivalent amount of water out of the oil storage tank; during offloading, oil is pumped out from flexible containers and the reduced volume of each contracted container is then filled in by the equivalent amount of water from the surroundings There is no physical contact between water and oil. The submerged tank on-bottom weight has a limited variation during the loading and offloading operations. This disclosed system can be utilized for fixed offshore platforms, especially for shallow water marginal field developments, and for deepwater floating platforms such as SPAR and semi-submersible (SEMI) structures. |
| US09783944B2 |
Berm or levee expansion system and method
A system and method to create or elevate a berm of a liquid retention facility by placement of lightweight fill material anchored by an impervious liner material(s). The impervious liner material is integral to a water retention system such as a containment system of a retention pond. The system and method can also be used to elevate the liquid retention height of a levee in combination with impervious liner retention material. By constructing the berm system on an existing levee, the effective height of the levee can be increased. The lightweight fill material provides the shape of the berm or levee extension. The liquid impervious liner material provides a watertight surface, the media for joining of the lightweight fill material, and the anchoring of the lightweight fill material to the existing berm or levee structure. |
| US09783937B2 |
Pavement joints and methods for treating the same
Techniques for protecting joints in pavement structures include applying a hardener/densifier to one or more surfaces that define a joint in a pavement structure and, optionally, to portions of one or more surfaces that are located adjacent to the joint. One or more other compounds, such as hydrophobic materials, water resistant materials, anti-scaling compounds, anti-wear compounds, multi-functional blended compositions and the like, may also be applied to the surfaces that define a joint and/or to portions of one or more surfaces that are adjacent to the joint. A seal may also be formed in a joint in a pavement structure. |
| US09783935B1 |
Method for manufacturing microwavable food containers
Methods and apparatus for manufacturing vacuum forming a produce container using a fiber-based slurry. The slurry includes a moisture barrier comprising alkylketene dimer in the range of about 4% by weight, and a cationic liquid starch component in the range of 1%-7% by weight. |
| US09783933B2 |
Modified vinylamine-containing polymers and their use in papermaking
Provided is a method of making paper and paperboard. In particular graft copolymers of vinyl monomers and functionalized vinylamine-containing base polymers by Michael addition are added to a paper furnish. The composition can be used alone or in combination with other additives for use in paper making and to improve paper making processes such as paper dry and wet strength properties. |
| US09783926B2 |
Process for the coating of textiles
A process for the production of coated textiles comprises at least the steps of a) bringing a textile substrate into contact with an aqueous dispersion A comprising at least one salt and at least one modified cellulose, b) bringing a textile substrate into contact with an aqueous dispersion B comprising at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyacrylate and polybutadiene and c) precipitation of the polyurethane in or on the textile substrate. The salt of dispersion A is an organic onium salt of one or more elements of the fifth main group of the periodic table of the elements. The invention further relates to a coated textile obtainable by a process according to the invention and to the use of organic onium salts of one or more elements of the fifth main group of the periodic table of the elements for the production of coated textiles. |
| US09783922B2 |
Washing machine
A washing machine includes a cabinet, a tub in the cabinet, an air supply unit, which is on an upper surface of the tub so as to supply air to the center of the tub in a circulating manner, a detergent dispenser including a detergent receiver, which is over one side of a front part of the tub so as to contain detergent, a subsidiary detergent receiver, which is over the opposite side of the front part of the tub so as to contain subsidiary detergent and a connecting hose connecting the detergent receiver and the subsidiary detergent receiver, and a dispenser cover for opening and closing the upper face of the detergent dispenser. |
| US09783919B2 |
Washing drum
A washing drum (1) having an opening (4) in its cylindrical wall (3) and two door leaves (5, 6) which are arranged articulately between a first position, in order to close off the opening (4), and a second position, in order to free up the opening (4), wherein the first door leaf (5) has lugs (10) and the second door leaf (6) has hooks (9), which in the first position hook together, and having at least one resilient element (11), between a lateral side of the second door leaf (6) and the casing (3) laterally adjoining the opening (4), which resilient element (11) in the first position applies to the second door leaf (6) a spring force, towards the second position. |