| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US10175717B2 |
System and method for enhancing real-time clock usage in an information handling system
An information handling system includes a processor complex and a microcontroller unit (MCU). The processor complex includes a Real-Time Clock (RTC) function associated with a port of the processor complex, and that can be invoked on the processor complex by a call to the port. The MCU includes RTC logic to maintain time base information for the information handling system. When the RTC function is invoked, the processor complex traps the call to the port and redirects the call to the MCU. When the MCU receives the redirected call, the MCU invokes the RTC logic to respond to the redirected call and to provide the time base information to the processor complex. |
| US10175712B2 |
Compact vehicle pedal
A vehicle pedal with a pedal base defining a sensor housing and a pedal arm overlying and spaced from and pivotally coupled to the pedal base. A sensor in the sensor housing includes a sensor element that moves in the direction of the pedal base in response to the movement of the pedal arm to generate an electrical signal used to determine to position of the pedal arm. In one embodiment, the sensor includes a strain gage and the sensor element is an actuator that flexes the strain gage. In another embodiment, the sensor includes a Hall Effect sensor and the sensor element is a magnet whose movement results in a magnetic field change sensed by the Hall Effect sensor. In a further embodiment, the sensor element is a cap with wipers that slide against a resistive element. |
| US10175711B1 |
Bandgap curvature correction
In some examples, a device includes a curvature-correction circuit including a first current source configured to generate a PTAT electrical current. In some examples, the curvature-correction circuit also includes three or more programmable current sources configured to generate three or more programmable electrical currents. In some examples, the curvature-correction circuit is configured to generate a PWL electrical current based on the PTAT electrical current and the three or more programmable electrical currents. In some examples, the device also includes a reference voltage circuit configured to generate a reference voltage signal based on the PWL electrical current. |
| US10175709B2 |
Consumer electric power control system and consumer electric power control method
A consumer electric power control system includes a consumer data storage unit, a consumer daily data creation unit, an electric power instruction value acquisition unit, an electric power reduction scenario creation unit, a consumer data prediction unit, a condition change indicator calculation unit configured to calculate a plurality of condition change indicators for a plurality of electric power reduction scenarios, each of the plurality of condition change indicators representing a degree of difference in tendency between consumer prediction data and consumer daily data, an equipment operation determination unit configured to determine one of the plurality of electric power reduction scenarios based on the plurality of condition change indicators and determine an equipment operation pattern based on the determined one electric power reduction scenario; and an equipment operation control unit configured to control various types of equipment based on the determined equipment operation pattern. |
| US10175704B2 |
Thermostat unit and associated system and method
The present invention relates to a thermostat system, to a thermostat unit, as well as to a method for managing power supply in a thermostat unit. A thermostat unit is connected between a power supply and a resistive heating element. Input power is received at the thermostat unit. A temperature difference is calculated between a target temperature and a current temperature. The input power is controlled by operating a power supply module between a heating mode wherein in the input power is channeled to the output port for feeding the resistive heating element based on the temperature difference and a regenerative mode wherein the input power is channeled to an energy storage device for charging said energy storage device in order to supply power therefrom to electronic components of the thermostat unit. |
| US10175702B2 |
Monitoring system and method for fluid-carrying production system
A computer system, a computer-implemented method, and a computer program product determine an operating state of at least one system component in a fluid-carrying, cascading production system. The computer system includes an interface configured to receive a first and a second pressure pulse signal. The first and second pressure pulse signals characterize, respectively, a pressure pulse before and after the pressure pulse passes through the production system. A memory unit stores a plurality of system component-specific transmission functions which describe an operating-state-dependent pulse response of the at least one system component to the pressure pulse. An evaluation unit determines a real transmission function from the first and second pressure pulses, and compares the real transmission function of the production system with the stored plurality of transmission functions for the system components. |
| US10175699B2 |
Method for automatically assisting with the landing of an aircraft
The present invention relates to a method for automatically assisting with the landing of an aircraft on a runway from a return point (A) to a completion point (D), at which the aircraft touches the runway, by means of a data-processing device on-board said aircraft, which device is configured to be connected to an altimeter and a deviation meter, the method including: a return-navigation assistance phase including guidance of the aircraft, on the basis of measurements of the azimuth deviation of the aircraft relative to a reference direction linking said return point (A) and the position of the deviation meter (E) transmitted by said deviation meter, from the return point (A) towards the position of the deviation meter (E), determination of the position of the aircraft at a predetermined capture point (B) that is aligned with the return point (A) and the position of the deviation meter (E), and guidance of the aircraft along a predetermined path from the capture point (B) to a predetermined holding point (C), which is approximately aligned with the axis of the runway, on the basis of altitude data provided by the altimeter and heading and speed data relating to the aircraft, a landing assistance phase including guidance from the holding point (C) to the completion point (D). |
| US10175697B1 |
Object identification and labeling tool for training autonomous vehicle controllers
Techniques for identifying and labeling distinct objects within 3-D images of environments in which vehicles operate, to thereby generate training data used to train models that autonomously control and/or operate vehicles, are disclosed. A 3-D image may be presented from various perspective views (in some cases, dynamically), and/or may be presented with a corresponding 2-D environment image in a side-by-side and/or a layered manner, thereby allowing a user to more accurately identify groups/clusters of data points within the 3-D image that represent distinct objects. Automatic identification/delineation of various types of objects depicted within 3-D images, automatic labeling of identified/delineated objects, and automatic tracking of objects across various frames of a 3-D video are disclosed. A user may modify and/or refine any automatically generated information. Further, at least some of the techniques described herein are equally applicable to 2-D images. |
| US10175690B2 |
Systems and methods for satellite-based on-board autonomous device deactivation
Various arrangements relating to on-board autonomous device deactivation systems are presented. In some embodiments, a status signal is output to a transceiver and transmitted via a satellite antenna to a satellite. A timer is executed that indicates a time duration that has elapsed since receiving a previous permissible operation message via the transceiver and the satellite antenna. The time duration is compared with a stored deactivation time. Prior to the time duration reaching or exceeding the stored deactivation time, a permissible operation message indicative of the autonomous device being permitted to continue operation is received. In response to the receipt of such a permissible operation message, the time duration of the timer is reset such that operation of the autonomous device is uninterrupted. In some embodiments, if such a permissible operation message is not received, the autonomous device is disabled. |
| US10175688B2 |
Apparatus and system for remotely controlling a moving robot and method thereof
Provided is a remote control apparatus for remotely controlling a moving robot, including: a user interface unit displaying a map associated with a traveling area of a moving robot and receiving a user command associated with an operation of the moving robot; a processor selecting at least a part of the map as a designated area and generating a control signal for remotely controlling the moving robot by considering the received user command; and a wireless communication unit transmitting the generated control signal to the moving robot and receiving a response signal depending on the control signal from the moving robot. |
| US10175686B2 |
Devices, methods, and systems for a distributed rule based automated fault detection
Devices, methods, and systems for distributed rule based automated fault detection are described herein. One system includes a data extractor engine configured to: extract configuration data relating to an environment based on a number of defined rules, and receive monitored data relating to the environment, an AFD engine configured to evaluate the monitored data in view of the configuration data to determine a state of the environment, and a fault generation engine to determine whether the state of the environment is outside a range defined by the number of defined rules. |
| US10175680B2 |
Three-dimensional printing system including three-dimensional printing apparatus and support arrangement determining apparatus, and method of determining support arrangement
An arrangement determining apparatus includes a storing processor that stores data of a three-dimensional model of the target object, a reference processor that shifts and rotates the three-dimensional model, a center-of-gravity calculating processor that calculates a center of gravity of the three-dimensional model, a principal axis setting processor that calculates a farthest point that is most distant from the center of gravity of the three-dimensional model, and sets a principal axis connecting the center of gravity of the three-dimensional model and the farthest point, a tilting processor that tilts the three-dimensional model so that the principal axis is parallel or substantially parallel to a horizontal plane, and an arranging processor that attaches and arranges the supports on a top surface or a bottom surface of the three-dimensional model. |
| US10175673B2 |
Programmable controller system
A programmable controller system includes a control device; a functional device including a buffer memory and a general-purpose logic unit; and a peripheral device that creates a user program. The peripheral device includes a circuit setting unit, which sets operation data indicating the operation of a logic of the general-purpose logic unit; and a circuit-control-parameter setting unit, which sets a circuit control parameter representing the relation between a buffer memory address indicating an address in the buffer memory and a logic address indicating an address in the logic. The functional device includes a circuit control unit that transfers the operation data to the logic address on the basis of the specified buffer memory address and the circuit control parameter. |
| US10175670B2 |
Resource control system with local reallocation
Example aspects of the present disclosure allow an end user to determine how a finite amount of a measurable resource is allocated among the various balanceable and feature zones of control defined within the overall measurable resource control system, and which can be implemented using a wide variety of hardware/components. A control program allows the end user unprecedented flexibility and control to determine how the resource is allocated among the various zones or types of resource use within the application, as long as the total resource consumed does not exceed the predetermined/predefined total maximum allowable resource. When the end user adjusts a feature or balanceable zone level, the control program adjusts the other balanceable zones based on predefined algorithms, when necessary, to ensure that the maximum measurable resource consumed by the system does not exceed the predetermined/predefined overall maximum resource allocation. |
| US10175668B2 |
Systems and methods for energy-efficient control of an energy-consuming system
Systems and methods are provided for efficiently controlling energy-consuming systems, such as heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) systems. For example, an electronic device used to control an HVAC system may encourage a user to select energy-efficient temperature setpoints. Based on the selected temperature setpoints, the electronic device may generate or modify a schedule of temperature setpoints to control the HVAC system. |
| US10175667B2 |
Storage devices including dynamic internal thermal throttling
A storage device may include a nonvolatile memory including a plurality of memory blocks and a memory controller configured to determine a comparison between an idle current value of the nonvolatile memory and a reference current value and to adjust, based on the comparison, a start temperature at which the storage device begins operating speed control of the storage device. |
| US10175661B2 |
System, method and apparatus for determining properties of product or process streams
Systems, methods, and apparatuses are provided for determining properties of process streams, in particular, hydrocarbon processing streams. The systems, methods, and apparatuses frequently, for example, substantially in real-time, determine measurements for the properties of the process stream. The systems, methods, and apparatuses provide features that allow such properties of process streams to be accurately measured even as process conditions and other parameters that affect process operations change. More specifically, an analyzer having a measurement device configured to detect one or more independent variables of a process stream, a model configured to determine one or more analyzer measurements from the one or more independent variables, and a procedure to adjust the model using a corresponding primary measurement is disclosed. |
| US10175649B1 |
Negative pressure electrostatic process unit for printers and multifunction peripherals
A system and method for removing toner and particles from a developer cavity of an electrostatic process unit of a toner-based printer includes a filter displaced over at least a portion of the developer cavity, and a fan configured to draw a volume of air through the filter from the portion of the developer cavity adjacent to the filter. The fan is coupled to the photoconductive drum of the electrostatic process unit and rotates when the photoconductive drum rotates. The rotation of the fan generates a negative pressure on the filter which draws the volume of air through the filter. The filter removes airborne toner and particles from the volume of air. The toner and particles are removed from the electrostatic process unit by an associated auger. |
| US10175648B1 |
Paper sensor to sense paper passing through fuser
An image forming apparatus includes a main body, a fan configured to discharge air inside the main body out of the main body, and a paper sensor arranged between a conveyance path of a paper that has passed through a fusing unit and the fan to sense the paper passing through the fusing unit, wherein a light sensing area of the paper sensing unit is open toward the fan. |
| US10175641B1 |
Process cartridge including a drum unit and a toner cartridge having a toner accommodation chamber and a waste-toner accommodation chamber
A drum cleaner in a drum unit removes toner from a photosensitive drum. A waste-toner conveyance pipe has a waste-toner discharge port and conveys toner removed from the photosensitive drum by the drum cleaner. A toner accommodation chamber accommodates toner to be supplied to a developing roller. A waste-toner accommodation chamber accommodates toner removed from the photosensitive drum. A toner cartridge rotatably moves relative to the drum unit between: a first position at which a waste-toner receiving port is separated from the waste-toner discharge port in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum unit; and a second position at which an internal space of the waste-toner accommodation chamber is in communication with an internal space of the waste-toner conveyance pipe through the waste-toner discharge port and the waste-toner receiving port in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum unit. |
| US10175640B1 |
Assembly removable structure and image forming apparatus
An assembly removable structure includes an assembly that includes a connectable member and that is attached to and removed from a receiving member of an apparatus body in a first direction, a connection member disposed on the apparatus body to be movable forward and backward in a cross direction that crosses the first direction, the connection member being connected to the connectable member while being in a projecting state, a switch member operated independently of a lid member and capable of switching the connection member between a first position, in which the connection member is connected to the connectable member, and a second position, in which the connection member is removed from the connectable member, the lid member rendering the receiving member open and closed, and a holding device that holds the switch member in the second position when the assembly is removed from the receiving member. |
| US10175639B2 |
Developer cartridge
A developer cartridge is described. The developer cartridge detachably mountable on a tandem type photosensitive unit slidable to a drawn-out position and a mounted position with respect to an image forming apparatus body may include a casing; a developer carrier rotatably supported on one end portion of the casing for carrying a developer; a pair of upright portions arranged on another end portion of the casing at an interval from each other in the axial direction of the developer carrier to extend from another end portion of the casing in a detaching direction for the developer cartridge; and an elastically deformable coupling portion extending in the axial direction of the developer carrier for coupling the upright portions with each other. |
| US10175635B2 |
Housing structure, electronic apparatus, and image forming apparatus
A housing structure includes a housing, a cover, and a plurality of paths of gas. The cover spatially partitions an inside and an outside of the housing. The plurality of paths of gas connect the inside and the outside of the housing and include a plurality of bypass portions. Two or more paths of gas of the plurality of paths of gas communicate with an outside of the cover via a single housing opening that communicates an inside and the outside of the cover with each other. |
| US10175632B2 |
Power supply and image forming apparatus
A power supply includes a first switching unit, a power restriction unit connected between the first switching unit and a load, a second switching unit connected between the power restriction unit and the load, a controller configured to output a control signal to the first switching unit and the second switching unit, and an adjusting unit configured to adjust input of the control signal to the second switching unit, and the second switching unit is operated selectively in accordance with the control signal. |
| US10175631B2 |
Earth plate with breakaway rotated tabs
A ground plate includes an electrically conductive planar member having a long axis and a perpendicular short axis. The planar member has an elongated hexagonal shape having two opposing long sides, two opposing relatively shorter sides, and four angled sides between the long sides and the relatively shorter sides with a hollow central opening. Spring clips extend from inner edges of the hollow central opening. The inner edges from which the spring clips extend are parallel to the long axis. Each spring clip includes a distal end portion curving outward from the hollow central opening and is configured to contact a shaft extending through the hollow central opening to form an electrical connection between the planar member and the shaft. A tab projection extends from an outer edge of each of the relatively shorter sides. Each tab projection is in the same plane as the planar member. |
| US10175629B2 |
Drive transmission device and image forming apparatus incorporating the drive transmission device
A drive transmission device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a first drive transmitter having a first hollow body, a second drive transmitter having a second hollow body, a link device, and a releasing device. The link device links the first and second drive transmitters and includes a first inserting body with a projection, a second inserting body with a projection, and a link body. The first and second drive transmitters have respective grooves in the first and second hollow body in an axial direction. The second drive transmitter is disposed at an end portion of a shaft of a rotary body detachably attached to a housing of an image forming apparatus. The releasing device relatively moves the link device to the second drive transmitter in the axial direction and releases a link of the driving force between the rotary body and the image forming apparatus. |
| US10175627B2 |
Sheet conveying device and image forming apparatus including the same
In a sheet conveying device, a foreign substance separating unit has an air discharge chamber, foreign substance collection chamber, air introduction chamber, a plurality of first air vents formed in a first partition wall that partitions the air introduction chamber and the foreign substance collection chamber, a plurality of second air vents formed in a second partition wall that partitions the air introduction chamber and the air discharge chamber, centrifugal separation parts each including a reverse truncated cone-like wall portion extending downward from each of the first air vents, cylindrical parts that each are provided coaxially with each of the centrifugal separation parts, and an inclination surface portion that is formed around each of the cylindrical parts above each of the first air vents and is inclined in a circumferential direction. |
| US10175625B2 |
Sheet conveying apparatus which can detect thickness of sheets
A sheet conveying apparatus has a reference roller, a detection roller, and a detection sensor. The detection roller can move, and makes contact with the reference roller, facing the reference roller. The detection sensor outputs a signal corresponding to the displacement of the detection roller. The sheet is conveyed to a nip portion of the pair of rollers. At this time, the timing when an edge portion of the sheet being conveyed passes through the nip portion is detected. In response to the timing detected, the thickness of the sheet is detected, based on the signal output from the detection sensor. |
| US10175624B2 |
Image forming apparatus including a charging member configured to rotate at a peripheral velocity different from a peripheral velocity at which an image carrier rotates
An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image carrier that carries an image, a charging unit having a rotatable charging member that charges the image carrier, a developing unit that supplies a developer including at least toner to the charged image carrier, and a cleaning unit having a cleaning member that cleans a surface of the image carrier. At least when the image forming apparatus is not performing image formation, the charging member on which the toner from the image carrier is carried is caused to rotate at a peripheral velocity different from a peripheral velocity at which the image carrier rotates. |
| US10175620B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus
In this fixing device, a pressing roller includes a pressing roller driving unit, and a heating roller includes a heating roller driving unit. Control is performed such that torque of the heating roller in torque distribution between the pressing roller and the heating roller is greater when a belt load reducing device is activated than when the belt load reducing device is not activated. A fixing device and an image forming apparatus thus can be provided, in which the fixability according to the kind of recording medium is excellent, the durability of the fixing belt is high, and the separability between the fixing belt and the recording medium is excellent. |
| US10175618B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus
A fixing device includes a first fixing member, a second fixing member that fixes a toner image transferred to a recording medium onto the recording medium by transporting the recording medium while holding the recording medium between the first fixing member and the second fixing member, a first support member that supports the first fixing member, a forcing member that supports the second fixing member and presses the second fixing member against the first fixing member, and a restricting member disposed on the first support member to fix a position of the first support member at an attachable member to which the first support member is attached, and to restrict a position of the forcing member. |
| US10175617B2 |
Image heating apparatus including a belt guide member
A fixing apparatus that fixes an image onto a recording material includes: a belt; a nip plate contacting an inner surface of the belt; a roller configured to form a nip portion with the nip plate; a supporting member supporting the nip plate, the supporting member having a cross section in a shape of U, and supporting, with two legs, a surface of the nip plate opposite to a surface contacting the belt; and a guide member disposed on an upstream side of the nip plate and including a guide portion, wherein the recording material on which the image is formed is heated while being conveyed through the nip portion, and the image is fixed onto the recording material, and the guide member is supported by a first surface and a second surface of an upstream side leg among the two legs of the supporting member. |
| US10175612B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit which includes a belt member having an outer peripheral surface which contacts an image holding member, and a transfer member, and the belt member is wound around both of the image holding member and the transfer member, wherein a toner to be used includes a binder resin containing an amorphous resin and a crystalline resin and has specific physical properties described in the specification, and paraffin wax having a melting temperature of 60° C. to 80° C., and an absolute value of a difference between the melting temperature of the crystalline resin and the melting temperature of the paraffin wax is 10° C. or less. |
| US10175611B2 |
Toner conveyance device and image forming apparatus including the same
A toner conveyance device includes a conveying screw having a shaft and a spiral blade. The spiral blade includes a start end-side blade adjacent to a bearing positioned at a start end part side in a toner conveyance path, a terminal-side blade adjacent to a bearing positioned at a terminal part side, and an intermediate blade. A toner discharge port is provided between the intermediate blade and the terminal-side blade. A spiral winding direction of the terminal-side blade is opposite to that of the intermediate blade, a spiral winding direction of the start end-side blade is equal to that of the intermediate blade, and a blade diameter of the start end-side blade and a blade diameter of the terminal-side blade are smaller than that of the intermediate blade. |
| US10175610B2 |
Developing device having toner content detection
A developing device includes a rotatable developer carrying member, first and second chambers configured to accommodate developer supplied to the developer carrying member, and first and second rotatable feeding members provided in the first and second chambers, respectively. A first communication port permits feeding of the developer from the second chamber to the first chamber, and a second communication port permits feeding of the developer from the first chamber to the second chamber. In addition, a toner content detecting portion includes a planar detecting surface including at least a planar coil generating a magnetic field and detects the toner content. The detecting surface is provided in the first communication port above a bottom of the first communication port and is disposed substantially in a central portion of the first communication port. |
| US10175608B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus provided with same
A developing device includes a developing roller, a conveyor roller and a developer stirring unit. The developing roller is arranged to face a photoconductive drum at a predetermined developing position. The developing roller includes a fixed first magnet and a first sleeve. The conveyor roller is arranged to face the developing roller at a predetermined facing position. The conveyor roller includes a fixed second magnet and a second sleeve. The developer stirring unit stirs the developer and supplies the developer to the conveyor roller. The first magnet includes a first magnetic pole composed of a predetermined magnetic pole and a second magnetic pole arranged downstream of and adjacent to the first magnetic pole and having the same polarity as the first magnetic pole. The developer is transferred from the developing roller to the conveyor roller after passing through a repulsive magnetic field formed by the first and second magnetic poles. |
| US10175607B2 |
Developer container including a convex portion, a rotator, and a recess
A removable developer container includes a convex portion to be inserted into a groove of an apparatus main body, a rotator to rotate around a rotational shaft, and a recess convex portion to be inserted into a groove of an apparatus main body, at a rear side of the convex portion. One end of the rotational shaft is inserted into the recess. |
| US10175605B2 |
Network system comprising customer replaceable unit
A network system including a customer replaceable unit (CRU) having an excellent security function for operation information which system can realize improvement of the use efficiency of operation information for making the CRU operate, and reduction in costs, is provided. An apparatus main body of a multifunction printer, a server, a personal computer, etc. are connected to a network of a network system, and a CRU is attached to the apparatus main body so as to be detachable. Operation information necessary for making the CRU operate is stored in the server. The apparatus main body obtains operation information of the CRU from the server via the network and stores the obtained operation information into a buffer memory, and causes the CRU to operate based on the operation information. The operation information stored in the buffer memory is erased when communication between the apparatus main body and the CRU ends. |
| US10175599B2 |
Rotating member, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus
One end portion and the other end portion of a rotating member, which face each other and form a joint portion, have a shape with projections and recesses. Projections of one end portion fit in recesses of the other end portion, while projections of the other end portion fit in recesses of the one end portion, so that the one end portion and the other end portion are interlocked. The projections have a first corner portion rounded in an arc, while the recesses have a second corner portion rounded in an arc in which the first corner portion fits. The first corner portion has a larger radius of curvature than that of the second corner portion. |
| US10175597B2 |
Liquid developer and method of producing same
Provided is a liquid developer that gives a high image density, has a high resistance, suppresses the appearance of image blurring, can be reused, is readily cured by ultraviolet radiation, and can accommodate higher process speeds. This liquid developer contains a carrier liquid, a toner particle insoluble in the carrier liquid, and a compound with the following formula (1) [In formula (1), R1 and R2 each independently represent an alkyl group having at least 13 and not more than 23 carbons.]. |
| US10175596B2 |
Electrostatic latent image developing toner
An electrostatic latent image developing toner includes plural toner particles containing a crystalline resin, a non-crystalline resin, and a plurality of releasing agent domains. The number of releasing agent domains having a dispersion diameter of at least 50 nm and no greater than 700 nm is at least 15 and no greater than 50 per one toner particle in cross-sections of the toner particles. A total area of the releasing agent domains having a dispersion diameter of at least 50 nm and no greater than 700 nm in the cross-sections of the toner particles is at least 5% and no greater than 20% relative to an area of the cross sections of the toner particles. |
| US10175593B2 |
Cold wax dispersion process
A method includes grinding a wax into wax particles having a size in a range from about 600 microns to about 800 microns forming a mixture of the wax particles with water and a surfactant; and homogenizing the mixture to form a wax dispersion, the homogenizing step is maintained below about 35° C. A wax dispersion includes a wax a surfactant; and water, particles of the wax dispersion are a uniform, irregular, non-platelet morphology. A wax dispersion made by a process includes grinding a wax into wax particles having a size in a range from about 600 microns to about 800 microns, forming a mixture of the wax particles with water and a surfactant, and homogenizing the mixture to form a wax dispersion, the homogenizing step is maintained below about 35° C. and the wax has a uniform, irregular, non-platelet morphology imparted by combination of the grinding and homogenizing steps. |
| US10175590B2 |
Electrophotographic photosensitive body and image forming apparatus provided with same
This electrophotographic photosensitive body (20) comprises a supporting body (20a) and a photosensitive layer (20b) that is formed on the surface of the supporting body (20a). The surface of the photosensitive layer (20b) has an arithmetic mean roughness Ra within the range of from 20 nm to 100 nm (inclusive), a ten-point average roughness Rz within the range of from 0.2 μm to 1.0 μm (inclusive) and a mean spacing of profile irregularities Sm of 20 μm or less in the initial stage of use. |
| US10175588B2 |
Decompression processing apparatus
Disclosed herein is a decompression processing apparatus for processing a wafer in a decompressed state including a chamber having a decompressing unit configured to decompress the inside of the chamber, an opening and closing door configured to open and close a carrying-in-and-out opening for carrying the wafer into and out of the chamber, and an inert gas supply source configured to supply an inert gas to the inside of the chamber. The inside of the chamber is maintained in a dry state by continuing to supply the inert gas in a state in which the opening and closing door is opened. |
| US10175584B2 |
Optical element and exposure apparatus
An optical element is used for an exposure apparatus which is configured to illuminate a mask with an exposure light beam for transferring a pattern on the mask onto a substrate through a projection optical system and to interpose a given liquid in a space between a surface of the substrate and the projection optical system. The optical element includes a first anti-dissolution member provided on a surface of a transmissive optical element on the substrate's side of the projection optical system. |
| US10175583B2 |
Illumination optical system, exposure apparatus, device production method, and light polarization unit
An illumination optical system which illuminates an illumination objective surface with a light from a light source. The illumination optical system includes a spatial light modulator which includes a plurality of optical elements arranged within a predetermined plane and controlled individually, and which forms a light intensity distribution in an illumination pupil of the illumination optical system; and a polarization unit which is arranged in a position optically conjugate with the predetermined plane, and which polarizes an incident light beam having a first and second partial light beams, coming into the polarization unit such that the first and second partial light beams have polarization states different from each other, and emits the polarized incident light beam as an outgoing light beam, wherein the polarization unit changes, in a cross section of the outgoing light beam, a ratio between a cross sectional areas of the first and second partial light beams. |
| US10175582B2 |
Optical element, optical assembly and production method
An optical element for transmitting radiation includes: a first surface region surrounding an optically used area of the optical element; and a second surface region that adjoins the first surface region. A circumferential edge is formed between the first and second surface regions. The optical element further includes a one-piece film which covers the first surface region, the edge and the second surface region. The film includes a hydrophobic material at least on its side facing away from the first and the second surface regions. An optical assembly includes at least one such optical element. A method produces such an optical element. |
| US10175575B2 |
Pattern-forming method and composition
A pattern-forming method includes forming a base pattern including a first polymer on a front face side. A composition is applied on at least a lateral face of the base pattern. The composition includes at least one polymer that is capable of interacting with the first polymer. The composition is heated such that a portion of the at least one polymer interacts with the first polymer and that a coating film is formed on the lateral face of the base pattern. Another portion of the at least one polymer not having interacted with the first polymer is removed to form a resist pattern. The base pattern in a planar view has a shape with a long axis and a short axis, and a ratio of lengths of the long axis to the short axis is no less than 1.5 and no greater than 10. |
| US10175572B2 |
Methods of forming patterns using nanoimprint lithography
A method of forming patterns is provided. The method includes forming a resist layer on a substrate, forming a lattice-shaped extrusion barrier region in the resist layer to define pattern transfer regions corresponding to a plurality of separate windows, and positioning a template on the resist layer so that a patterned surface of the template faces the resist layer. The patterned surface provides a plurality of transfer patterns. The template is pressed to perform an imprint step for embedding the transfer patterns of the template into the pattern transfer regions of the resist layer. |
| US10175571B2 |
Hybrid coloring methodology for multi-pattern technology
In an aspect of the disclosure, a method, a computer-readable medium, and an apparatus for assigning feature colors for a multiple patterning process are provided. The apparatus receives integrated circuit layout information including a set of features and an assigned color of a plurality of colors for each feature of a first subset of features of the set of features. In addition, the apparatus performs color decomposition on a second subset of features to assign colors to features in the second subset of features. The second subset of features includes features in the set of features that are not included in the first subset of features with an assigned color. |
| US10175568B2 |
Projective optical system and image projection device including a shielding unit
A projective optical system comprises: a lens optical system including lenses; and a transmissive optical element having an anamorphic surface and being provided in an optical path between the lens optical system and a projected surface, wherein the transmissive optical element has a curvature with respect to a direction corresponding to a long side of a display screen of the image display element, and on a cross-sectional surface being perpendicular to the long side of the display screen, and with respect to light being emitted from the lens optical system and being incident to the transmissive optical element, a light intensity of a first light flux being incident to the transmissive optical element at a first incident angle is lower than a light intensity of a second light flux being incident to the transmissive optical element at a second incident angle being larger than the first incident angle. |
| US10175567B2 |
Light source device including a magnetic or capacitance detecting sensor and an image projection apparatus including the light source device
A light source device includes a light source section that emits laser beam, a member reducing light quantity unevenness of the laser beam, a diffusion member that is provided in a traveling optical path of the laser beam between the light source section and the member reducing light quantity unevenness and diffuses the laser beam, a detection element that detects a physical characteristic of the diffusion member and outputs a state detecting signal, and an abnormal state determiner that determines an abnormal state of the diffusion member based on the state detecting signal. |
| US10175564B2 |
Projector with scanning array light engine
A projector assembly includes a light emitting diode (LED) array, wherein the LED array has an array axis, wherein the LED array includes a plurality of LEDs arranged along the array axis, and wherein the plurality of LEDs are individually addressable. The projector assembly includes a rotatable actuator supporting the LED array, wherein the rotatable actuator has a rotation axis, and wherein the rotation axis and the array axis are parallel. The projector assembly includes a collimator positioned in optical communication with the LED array for collimating light emitted from the plurality of LEDs and a set of imaging optics positioned in optical communication with the collimator for focusing collimated light and forming a first image of the LED array at a distance, wherein the first image includes a first axis corresponding to the array axis and a second axis orthogonal to the rotation axis. |
| US10175563B2 |
Systems and methods for mounting photographic equipment
An apparatus is provided comprising a shaft having an axis and mounted to a boom structure, a support structure configured to be coupled to the shaft, wherein the support structure is configured to rotate about the axis. In addition, a method is provided comprising translating a cradle along a vertical axis, and rotating, in response to the translating, a support structure about a shaft, wherein the cradle is supported by the support structure, wherein the cradle remains stationary with regard to pitch rotation during the translating. |
| US10175562B2 |
Support and connection unit for cameras
The support and connection unit (1) of a camera (10), comprises: a first part (2) intended to be fixed to an installation surface, for example a wall, comprising a first electronic means (21) for the conveyance of signals and provided with connectors (22, 23, 24) for the transmission of signals outwardly, and a second part (3), intended to be coupled to a camera (10), comprising a second electronic means (31), connectable to the first electronic means (21) and adapted to convey the signals produced by the camera (10). The first and the second part (2, 3) may be removably coupled, defining a closed container (25, 32) which houses the first and the second electronic means (21, 31). The first and the second electronic means (21, 31) are placed in the respective part (2, 3) so as to mutually connect following the coupling of the first and the second part (2, 3). |
| US10175561B2 |
Camera mounting assembly
A camera mounting assembly includes a base member or plate for holding a camera and a side member or plate. In an exemplary embodiment, lower slots on the base plate or side slots on the side plate are gripped by a vertical support's quick-release mechanism to mount the camera in a landscape or portrait orientation, respectively, the camera being generally centered and evenly balanced over the support in either case. The side member is detachably fastened to the base member, which modular construction permits separately timed purchase of the base member and side member as allowed by the user's budget and further permits breakdown of the assembly for ease of transport. The side member may be generally L-shaped with a lower arm length less than the side arm length, which also facilitates transport. Other components may be detachably added such as a hand grip facilitating freehand shooting with the camera. |
| US10175559B1 |
System and method for selective flash for camera
A camera flash system and method for the same. In one example, the system includes a camera including an image sensor, a plurality of lights, and an electronic processor. The camera is configured to capture an image frame. Each of the lights is configured to illuminate a region within the image frame. The electronic processor is configured to capture via the camera, while modulating an output of the plurality of lights, a first image frame and determine, using the image sensor, an object of interest within the first image frame. The electronic processor is further configured to identify a region of interest in which the object of interest is located based on the first image frame, identify, based on the region of interest, a subset of lights from the plurality of lights, and activate the subset of lights. |
| US10175556B2 |
Method and system for the generation of optical multipartite quantum states
A method and a system method for generating optical multipartite quantum states, comprising generating optical fields by at least two different spontaneous four-wave mixing processes and overlapping the optical fields spontaneously generated from the different spontaneous four-wave mixing processes into a same resonator mode of a third-order nonlinear resonator. The system comprises a multi-colored laser source exiting a nonlinear third-order resonator at different resonance frequencies belonging to different mode families of the resonator. |
| US10175550B2 |
Applications of electro-optic displays
Electro-optic, especially electrophoretic, displays are used in variety of architectural and furniture applications, including a tile (100) comprising an electro-optic layer (110) capable of changing the color of the file, front and multiple rear electrodes and a light-transmissive polymeric layer (102), the exposed surface of which is textured to provide a plurality of facets inclined to the plane of the tile (100), the rear electrodes being aligned with the facets. A variable color writable board is also provided. |
| US10175548B2 |
Display device, manufacturing method thereof, driving method thereof, and display apparatus
A display device, a manufacturing method thereof, a driving method thereof and a display apparatus. The display device includes: a display panel; and an electrochromic device located on a light exiting side of the display panel. The electrochromic device and the display panel share a first base substrate and a first transparent electrode in the display panel that are close to the light exiting side of the display panel. |
| US10175545B2 |
Backlight module and liquid crystal display device
The present application discloses a backlight module and a liquid crystal display device, the backlight module includes a first connecting terminal disposed on the backlight module for connecting the liquid crystal panel; a second connecting terminal disposed on the backlight module for connecting the control circuit board; a processing circuit is formed on one side of the backlight module to connect to the first connecting terminal and the second connecting terminal, respectively, and for realizing the signal processing and the connection between the liquid crystal panel and the control circuit board. The application can eliminate the conventional FPCA and reducing the thickness and weight of the liquid crystal display device. |
| US10175541B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method thereof
It is possible to separate each liquid crystal display panel from a mother board in which multiple liquid crystal display panels are formed even with a thin glass substrate, by forming a columnar spacer in the boundary between liquid crystal display panels, forming a scribe line corresponding to the columnar spacer on both sides of the counter substrate and the TFT substrate in the mother board, and forming a separation line between the scribe lines by applying a bending stress to the mother board. Since the columnar spacer is formed in a portion corresponding to the scribe line, the strength in this portion increases, so that the proper scribe lines and break lines can be formed when the thickness of the glass substrate is reduced to about 0.15 mm. |
| US10175540B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A display device may include a first pixel electrode, a second pixel electrode, an organic layer, and a light-blocking member. The organic layer may include a first organic portion and a second organic portion. The first organic portion may overlap the first pixel electrode and may be spaced from the second organic portion. The second organic portion may overlap the second pixel electrode. The light-blocking member may be positioned between the first organic portion and the second organic portion. |
| US10175539B2 |
Method of performing photo alignment to liquid crystal panel and mask
The present application discloses a method of performing photo alignment to a liquid crystal panel and a mask, the method including: disposing a mask in one side of a liquid crystal panel, the mask including at least two regions, the two regions makes incident lights passed and generating emission lights with different polarization directions respectively; making the incident light passed through the mask, to generate the emission lights with different polarization direction, and perform a photo alignment to the different regions of the liquid crystal panel. By the approach above, the process of the photo alignment is changed in the present application, thereby reducing the time of the photo alignment process and increase productivity. |
| US10175535B2 |
Liquid crystal display apparatus having four liquid crystal domains
Provided is a liquid crystal display apparatus which has a reduced area of a dark line generated when light is transmitted through a pixel region, and excellent transmittance of light and image quality. The liquid crystal display apparatus has two substrates which respectively have an electrode and a photo alignment film sequentially formed on respective one surfaces, and are disposed so that the one surfaces thereof face to each other, wherein a liquid crystal layer including a vertical alignment type liquid crystal material is interposed between the photo alignment films; a plurality of pixel regions formed on the substrate in a matrix shape in a plane direction of the substrate; and at least two liquid crystal domains which are included in each pixel region, and have standard alignment directions different from each other defined by the photo alignment films. One electrode 2 has oblique slits 21 extending parallel to each standard alignment direction at the region corresponding to each liquid crystal domain. In addition, longitudinal slits 22 and 22 extending in the column direction are provided at the boundary portions of the liquid crystal domains arranged in the row direction, and lateral slits 23 and 23 extending in the row direction at the boundary portions of the liquid crystal domains arranged in the column direction. The longitudinal slits 22 and the lateral slits 23 are independent from the oblique slits 21 without continuing to the oblique slits 21. |
| US10175534B2 |
Compensation film and optical film and display device
A compensation film includes a first retardation layer including a polymer having negative birefringence, and a second retardation layer including a liquid crystal having positive birefringence, where the first retardation layer has an in-plane retardation (Re1) of 320 nm to 1050 nm for incident light having wavelength of 550 nm, the second retardation layer has an in-plane retardation (Re2) of 180 nm to 910 nm for the incident light, an entire in-plane retardation (Re0) of the first and second retardation layers for the incident light is a difference between the in-plane retardations of the first and second retardation layers, an angle between slow axes of the first and second retardation layers is 85 to 95 degrees, and the entire in-plane retardation (Re0) of the first and second retardation layers for the wavelength of 450 nm, 550 nm and 650 nm satisfies Re0 (450 nm) |
| US10175531B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel and liquid crystal display device for improving display brightness uniformity
Disclosed are a liquid crystal display panel and a liquid crystal display device for improving display brightness uniformity. The liquid crystal display panel includes a display substrate, a source driving circuit and a plurality groups of gate driving circuits. Each gate driving circuit includes a gate driving chip and a group of fan-out circuits, and resistances of wirings of different groups of fan-out circuits gradually increase along a direction away from the source driving circuit. The liquid crystal panel can improve brightness uniformity in different positions while displaying. |
| US10175528B2 |
Liquid crystal panel, liquid crystal display device, and reflective polarizing plate and manufacturing method thereof
An aspect of the present invention relates to a liquid crystal panel including a visible side polarizing plate, a liquid crystal cell, and a backlight side polarizing plate, in which the backlight side polarizing plate is a reflective polarizing plate of which a degree of polarization P550 nm with respect to light at a wavelength of 550 nm is greater than or equal to 99.90%, and the reflective polarizing plate and the liquid crystal cell are integrally laminated, a liquid crystal display device, and a reflective polarizing plate and a manufacturing method thereof. |
| US10175521B2 |
Optical composite layer structure with a built-in touch sensitive polymer dispersed liquid crystal structure
The invention provides an optical composite layer structure with a built-in touch sensitive polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) structure. The optical composite layer structure comprises an upper transparent substrate, a lower transparent substrate, an upper transparent conductive layer, a lower transparent conductive layer and a PDLC layer. A PDLC circuit and a touch sensitive circuit are provided on the upper and lower transparent conductive layers. A cable region that is electrically connected to external soft circuit cables is provided at an end of the upper transparent conductive layer and the lower transparent conductive layer to electrically connect to an external control unit. With a touch sensitive operation of a touch sensitive circuit of the optical composite layer structure, a signal instruction is provided to the control unit. The corresponding PDLC circuit may drive the corresponding regions of PDLC layer to conduct the change of light transmission of local region. |
| US10175519B2 |
Mirror display having touch panel
One aspect of the present invention provides a touch panel-equipped mirror display that can reduce distortion and ghosting in mirror images while also reducing the rainbow effect in displayed images. The touch panel-equipped mirror display according to one aspect of the present invention includes, in order from a rear side: a display device that includes a polarizer; a touch panel; and a mirror plate that includes a reflective polarizer and a substrate, wherein the reflective polarizer and the substrate are fixed together, and wherein the touch panel does not create a phase difference in light. It is preferable that the substrate be a glass substrate with a thickness of greater than or equal to 0.1 mm and less than or equal to 0.4 mm. |
| US10175515B2 |
Image display device
An image display device includes a first substrate; a second substrate located to face the first substrate; an electro-optical layer between the first substrate and the second substrate; a plurality of pixel electrodes located between the electro-optical layer and the first substrate; a plurality of switching elements electrically connected with the plurality of pixel electrodes respectively; and a color filter included in a layer between the first substrate and the plurality of switching elements. A side of the first substrate opposite to a side thereof facing the electro-optical layer is an image display side. |
| US10175513B2 |
Light sensor attachment structure of image display device
Provided is an optical sensor mounting structure which is used in an image display device and in which the gap between a reflection sheet and a tubular cushion for preventing the entry of external light into an optical sensor is eliminated so that the amount of light from a backlight can be measured accurately. A liquid crystal image display device includes an optical sensor that measures light from the back surface of a reflection sheet, a substrate having the optical sensor thereon, and a tubular cushion for preventing the entry of external light into the optical sensor. The front surface of the tubular cushion is bonded to the reflection sheet, and the back surface thereof is bonded to the substrate. |
| US10175508B2 |
Photochromic optical lens with selective blue light attenuation
The present invention is a photochromic eyewear lens product comprising photochromics material(s) and selective filtering agent(s) that selectively attenuate a portion of the blue light spectral region between 400 nm and 500 nm. The selective attenuation preferably comprises a maximum reduction in transmittance in the filtered region of about 10-25% T relative to at least one adjacent spectral region when the lens product is in the rest state, and a maximum reduction in transmittance that is measurably less than the transmittance of at least one adjacent region of the visible spectrum when the lens product has darkened in the activated state. |
| US10175507B2 |
Loupe mounting position determination method in binocular loupe device, and system
In assembling a binocular loupe device, a loupe of the binocular loupe device is attached to an appropriate position at a correct angle according to a pupil position of a user in a near vision state. A rectangular, transparent measurement assisting plate fixed to a frame before attachment of a loupe is worn by a user, and the face of the user in a near vision state is photographed by a camera from a work object point P to obtain a first image. The first image is subjected to arithmetic processing by a computer to measure, on the first image, coordinate positions of respective four vertexes of the measurement assisting plate and coordinate positions of respective left and right pupils of the user in the near vision state, and determines the loupe attachment position and/or loupe attachment angle on a plane of the plate member from the measured coordinate positions. |
| US10175506B2 |
Type of presbyopic lens
The present disclosure involves the field of optical lenses, and particularly a type of auto-focusing presbyopic lens for people suffering from light to moderate presbyopia. The lens employs a structure wherein the thickness gradually gets smaller from the center to the edge, and the power of the lens gradually increases from 0 D on the edge to +2.00 D in the center. The length of the progressive passage on the lens is 28-36 mm, the central thickness of the lens is 1.2 mm, and the peripheral thickness is 0.5 mm. In some embodiments, the central thickness of the lens may be 2.4 mm and the peripheral thickness may be 1.0 mm. The invention fully considers the facial features of Asians, and employs an appropriate minimum assembly height while the structure, wherein the thickness gradually gets smaller from the center to the edge, conforms to the daily viewing habits of the elderly population. |
| US10175505B2 |
Ophthalmic lens for presbyopia correction
An ophthalmic lens for presbyopia correction, having at least one diffractive structure, wherein the diffractive structure has at least one region of variable diffraction efficiency in which the diffraction efficiency of at least one diffraction order of the diffractive structure that contributes to the focal power of the lens varies depending on the visual point on the ophthalmic lens. |
| US10175502B2 |
Means for controlling the progression of myopia
A contact lens for use in controlling the progression of myopia has a central optical zone approximating the normal diameter of the pupil of the eye that gives clear central vision at distance for the wearer. An annular peripheral optical zone that is substantially outside the diameter of the pupil is formed around the central optical zone with greater refractive power than that of the central zone so that oblique rays entering the eye through the peripheral optical zone will be brought to focus at a focal plane that is substantially on or anterior to the peripheral region of the retina. |
| US10175501B1 |
Wearable item having a bi-stable mechanism
Described is a wearable item, such as eyewear, that is formed to be stored and worn on a user's wrist. The eyewear includes a pair of lenses separated by a nose bridge assembly. Arms are affixed with each of the lenses. Notably, the pair of lenses are foldable between an open configuration in which they can be worn as eyeglasses and a collapsed configuration in which they fold toward one another and can be worn on the user's wrist. |
| US10175500B2 |
Suspension mechanism for an optical image anti-shake device
An optical image anti-shake device, defined with an X-axis, a Y-axis and a Z-axis, includes a casing, a movable member and a base. A suspension mechanism furnished inside the optical image anti-shake device includes a movable-member support and a suspension module. A first surface of the movable-member support is connected to the movable member. The suspension module suspends the movable-member support together with the movable member inside an inner compartment formed between the casing and the base. |
| US10175497B2 |
Illumination device and projector
An illumination device includes an irradiation device, a diffusing element, a first lens array, a second lens array and a deflecting element, which are arranged in this order along the light path. Diffused light that has entered a particular region on the diffusing element and has been diffused by the diffusing element, and diffused light that has entered a region, which differs from the particular region, on the diffusing element and has been diffused by the diffusing element, travel to regions which at least partly overlap each other. The diffusion angle of diffused light exiting the diffusing element is not more than the acceptable angle formed between two line segments LS extending from the principal point of a second unit lens of the second lens array to both ends of a first unit lens of the first lens array. |
| US10175495B2 |
Wavelength selective switch
The present disclosure relates to wavelength selective switches. In one embodiment, a wavelength selective switch may include a liquid crystal (LC)-based attenuation switching device that has an LC switching module to switch an incident beam to one of a plurality of output paths. The LC switching module may include one or more LC switching cells. The LC-based attenuation switching device further includes a mirror to reflect the beam from the LC switching module so as to output the beam through a corresponding output port, and a temperature compensation module provided on a side of the mirror opposite to the LC switching module. The temperature compensation module may be configured to alter curvature of the mirror as temperature changes so as to compensate for deformation of the LC switching cells due to the temperature change. |
| US10175490B1 |
Light control devices and methods for regional variation of visual information and sampling
Exemplary light control devices and methods provide a regional variation of visual information and sampling (“V-VIS”) of an ocular field of view that improves or stabilizes vision, ameliorates a visual symptom, reduces the rate of vision loss, or reduces the progression of an ophthalmic or neurologic condition, disease, injury or disorder. The V-VIS devices and methods may optically move, at a sampling rate between 50 hertz and 50 kilohertz, one or more apertures anterior to a retina between one or more positions anterior to the retina that are non-coaxial with a center of a pupil and a position anterior to the retina that is coaxial with the center of the pupil. Certain of these V-VIS devices and methods may be combined with augmented or virtual reality, vision measurement, vision monitoring, or other therapies including, but not limited to, pharmacological, gene, retinal replacement and stem cell therapies. |
| US10175483B2 |
Hybrid world/body locked HUD on an HMD
A system and method are disclosed for displaying virtual objects in a mixed reality environment in a way that is optimal and most comfortable for a user to interact with the virtual objects. When a user is not focused on the virtual object, which may be a heads-up display, or HUD, the HUD may remain body locked to the user. As such, the user may explore and interact with a mixed reality environment presented by the head mounted display device without interference from the HUD. When a user wishes to view and/or interact with the HUD, the user may look at the HUD. At this point, the HUD may change from a body locked virtual object to a world locked virtual object. The user is then able to view and interact with the HUD from different positions and perspectives of the HUD. |
| US10175479B2 |
High contrast projection screen
An image display system includes a reflecting screen that has a reflecting surface. The reflecting surface includes hologram which reflects narrow bands of spectrum of incident lights toward desired direction. A projection display system includes a reflecting mirror(s) with hologram so that the image can be projected nearly vertical or short distance. This invention can be used as a head-up-display with improved brightness and eliminating ghost noise. |
| US10175471B2 |
Imaging device including a control unit configured to counteract vibration
It is an object of the present invention to drive a mirror in a wide driving range and at a fast response speed. An imaging device 100 includes an imaging element 103, a mirror 102, a lens 101, and a mirror tilt actuator 110. The imaging element 103 images subject light that is reflected light from a subject. The mirror 102 reflects the subject light, and makes the subject light incident on the imaging element 103. The lens 101 collects the subject light on the mirror 102. The mirror tilt actuator 110 drives the mirror 102 so as to change an optical axis of the lens OAL. The optical axis of the lens OAL is an optical axis to be incident on the central part C of the imaging element 103 in the subject light exited from the lens 101. |
| US10175470B2 |
Intelligent self-healing of electrowetting devices
The disclosed examples relate to methods and systems facilitate self-healing of regions of electrowetting devices. Electrowetting devices may be coupled to a switchable AC/DC electrical power supply that provides AC power to the electrowetting device to control electrowetting device operation and DC power to promote self-healing of the electrowetting device. A monitoring circuit outputs a signal in response to electrical power supply operating characteristic changes due to a failure of the electrowetting device's dielectric. The controller, responding to the signal, switches the power supply output from AC power to DC power to the electrowetting device. In response to the DC power, the electrowetting device responds by healing the degraded dielectric. When the failure is determined to be corrected, the power supply output is switched from DC power to AC power to the electrowetting device. The number of times self-healing is applied may be tracked for future analysis. |
| US10175469B2 |
Endoscope having moveable beam deflecting element
An endoscope is provided having a first beam path formed at least in a distal end region, a second beam path formed at the end region, which second beam path is arranged offset with respect to the first beam path for recording a stereoscopic image, and an image recording chip, which is configured for electronically recording images captured via the first beam path and the second beam path. A beam deflection device is provided having at least one deflection element arranged for displacement along a straight line adjustment travel path between a first position and a second position, and the beam deflection device, in the first position, guides an image captured using the first beam path to the image recording chip and, in the second position, guides an image captured using the second beam path to the image recording chip. |
| US10175461B1 |
Six-piece optical lens system with a wide field of view
A six-piece optical lens system with a wide field of view includes, in order from the object side to the image side: a first lens element with a negative refractive power, a second lens element with a positive refractive power, a stop, a third lens element with a positive refractive power, a fourth lens element with a negative refractive power, a fifth lens element with a positive refractive power. Such arrangements can provide a six-piece optical lens system which has a wide field of view, high resolution, short length and less distortion. |
| US10175460B2 |
Image capturing lens system, image capturing apparatus and electronic device
An image capturing lens system, including, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens element with positive refractive power having an object-side surface being convex thereof; a second lens element having negative refractive power; a third lens element; a fourth lens element; a fifth lens element with negative refractive power having at least one of an object-side surface and an image-side surface thereof being aspheric and having at least one inflection point thereof; and a sixth lens element with positive refractive power having both an object-side surface and an image-side surface being convex thereof and at least one of the object-side surface and the image-side surface thereof being aspheric; wherein the image capturing lens system has a total of six lens elements. |
| US10175459B2 |
Optical imaging system
An optical imaging system includes a first lens including a positive refractive power, a concave object-side surface, and a convex image-side surface. The optical imaging system also includes a second lens including a positive refractive power, a convex object-side surface, and a concave image-side surface. The optical imaging system further includes a third lens, a fourth lens, and a fifth lens. The first to fifth lenses are sequentially disposed from an object side to an image side. |
| US10175457B2 |
Optical imaging lens
An optical imaging lens includes a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element, a fifth lens element, a sixth lens element and a seventh lens element arranged in order from an object side to an image side along an optical axis. Each lens element has an object-side surface and an image-side surface. The optical imaging lens satisfies: V4+V5+V6+V7≤175.00, wherein V4 is an Abbe number of the fourth lens element, V5 is an Abbe number of the fifth lens element, V6 is an Abbe number of the sixth lens element, and V7 is an Abbe number of the seventh lens element. |
| US10175455B2 |
Optical image capturing system having four-piece optical lens
A four-piece optical lens for capturing image and a five-piece optical module for capturing image are provided. In the order from an object side to an image side, the optical lens along the optical axis includes a first lens with positive refractive power; a second lens with refractive power; a third lens with refractive power; and a fourth lens with refractive power; and at least one of the image-side surface and object-side surface of each of the four lens elements are aspheric. The optical lens can increase aperture value and improve the imaging quality for use in compact cameras. |
| US10175446B1 |
Lens mount apparatus and method
A lens mount apparatus comprising a molded first lens component and a second lens component formed integrally with the first lens component through injection-compression molding the second lens component on the first lens component in a secondary operation, resulting in mechanochemical attachment of the second lens component on the first lens component to produce the unitary lens mount apparatus without compromising the lens mount apparatus optics, wherein at least one of the first and second lens components is an optical lens. |
| US10175441B2 |
Ultra-high density patch systems
A plurality of patch trays displaceably received in a chassis received in a left side or right side of an access side of a frame, and a splice tray removeably received in the access side of the frame. The splice tray having a capacity to receive at least about 288 fiber terminations and the plurality of patch trays displaceably received in the chassis having a capacity to collectively receive the at least about 288 fiber terminations from the splice tray. A patch tray including a row of pop-up adapter packs to collectively receive a respective portion of the at least about 288 fiber terminations received by the patch tray. The row of pop-up adapter packs arranged in the patch tray substantially in a left side or right side of the patch tray to offset the row of pop-up adapter packs to provide more space for routing the respective portion of the 288 fiber terminations in the patch tray. |
| US10175438B2 |
Optical fiber cord and method of manufacturing optical fiber cord
An optical fiber cord includes: a multi-fiber cord section that includes an outer cover that encloses an optical fiber unit where a plurality of coated optical fibers are gathered; a plurality of branch cord sections where the coated optical fibers are housed in branch tubes; and a branch protection section that includes an exterior member that covers a branch portion where the plurality of coated optical fibers are branched from the multi-fiber cord section toward the branch cord sections. |
| US10175436B2 |
Optical fiber ribbons and ribbon matrix materials having low oligomer content
An optical fiber ribbon includes a plurality of optical fibers and a ribbon matrix having an inner matrix surrounding and encapsulating the optical fibers, wherein the inner matrix is the cured product of an inner matrix composition substantially free of oligomer components, and an outer matrix surrounding the inner matrix, wherein the outer matrix is the cured product of an outer matrix composition substantially free of oligomer components. |
| US10175434B2 |
Coupling platform of SFP+COB module assembly for photoelectric communication
A coupling platform of SFP+COB module assembly for photoelectric communication, which comprises a lens clamping part, a PCB clamping part, a coupling adjustment part and a supporting part, wherein the lens clamping part comprises a clamping seat, a movable part, a cam, a connecting seat, a fiber optic patch cord limit plate and a fiber optic patch cord; the PCB clamping part comprises a PCB socket, a clamping jaw and a gas jaw The main body of the coupling adjustment part is a multi-shaft fine-tuning rack. and the supporting part comprises a cushion block and a platform bottom plate. The clamping seat, the movable part and the cam are combined, thereby enabling the cam to drive the movable part to slide up and down in a clamping groove of the clamping seat during rotation. When the movable part moves to an upper end, an LC light port of a plastic lens can be inserted into the clamping seat without obstruction. When the movable part moves to a lower end, the LC light port of the plastic lens is limited by a limiting gap of the movable part. When the cam rotates, the cam drives the movable part to slide to the upper end to replace the plastic lens with a new plastic lens. Accordingly, the present invention solves the technical problems of enabling the plastic lens to be easily positioned and bind a PCB, thereby achieving the beneficial effects of improving the quality and the efficiency and reducing the manufacture cost. |
| US10175432B2 |
Optical path change element and optical coupling device
An optical path change element includes a first facet that receives incidence of light beams outgoing from outgoing portions of a first optical element, a second facet that has a predetermined radius of curvature and is provided with a reflection face to reflect the incident light beams from the first facet, and a third facet causing the light beams reflected on the reflection face to outgo to the incident portions of a second optical element. The second facet has protruded faces spaced from the reflection faces. Virtual planes tangent to the protruded faces are defined. At least one of the virtual planes covers the reflection face without being tangent to the reflection face and being parallel with a tangent plane at an arbitrary point of the reflection face. |
| US10175431B2 |
Optical transceiver with a multiplexing device positioned off-center within a transceiver housing to reduce fiber bending loss
Techniques for reducing optical fiber bending loss in an optical transceiver are disclosed. In an embodiment, a small form-factor (SFF) optical transceiver housing includes a demultiplexer device, such as an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) device, having a longitudinal center line that is offset laterally by a distance Doffset from the longitudinal center line of the SFF optical transceiver housing. The lateral offset distance Doffset may advantageously enable an intermediate optical fiber coupling the demultiplexer with an optical coupling receptacle, such as an LC connector, to be routed within the SFF optical transceiver housing in a manner that avoids introducing bends that are less than a minimum bending radius associated with the intermediate optical fiber cable. Thus some embodiments of the present disclosure enable greater tolerance when routing an intermediate optical fiber within housings that would otherwise introduce bending loss by virtue of their constrained dimensions. |
| US10175430B2 |
Overmoulded furcation assembly with strain relief
An assembly comprises an optic cable comprising a plurality of optic fiber subunits each comprising at least one optic fiber encased in a fiber jacket and a plurality of aramid strands is disclosed. The assembly further comprises one or more blocks comprising a passage ways for receiving the optic fiber subunits and maintaining adjacent ones of the optic fiber subunits at a predetermined spacing. A housing is molded over the open end of the cable jacket, the aramid strands and the first end of the at least one block. A method of overmolding a transition between an optic fiber cable and a furcation jacketing is also disclosed wherein a mold comprises ribs arranged at right angles to an axis of the mold and such that aramid strands are prevented during injecting from reaching a surface of the mold. |
| US10175427B2 |
Low debris dust cap for MPO connectors
A low debris dust cap has a plurality of portions corresponding the fiber optic connector on which it is installed. Two latches extending from side walls are disposed between the inner and outer housings. The low debris dust cap can be placed and removed from the connector without movement of either the inner or outer housings. |
| US10175426B2 |
Adapter, and optical plug and optical communication module used with adapter
An adapter is cylindrical and includes a first groove and a locking structure. The first groove is adjacent to an inner peripheral surface at one end of the adapter. The first groove extends in an axial direction of the adapter and turns in a circumferential direction. The locking structure is disposed in a circumferential direction at an outer peripheral surface at other end of the adapter. An optical plug includes an elastic member and a stopper. The elastic member is at a rear end of a holder. The stopper includes an annular portion that is in contact with the elastic member and arm portions bent toward the front end from an outer periphery of the annular portion. Each of the arm portions includes a hook at a front end of the stopper. The hook is configured to be locked into the adapter. The optical plug is attached via the adapter. |
| US10175425B2 |
Integrated polarizing and analyzing optical fiber collimator device and methods of use thereof
An integrated optical collimator device includes an optical fiber extending from a first end to a second end. The first end of the optical fiber is configured to be coupled to a light source or a light receiver. A housing is coupled to the ferrule and extends radially over the ferrule. A collimating lens is positioned in the housing proximate the second end of the optical fiber. A polarizer element is positioned within the housing proximate the collimating lens. |
| US10175422B2 |
Modular optical device and modules therefor
A modular optical device having a set of optoelectronic modules that enables the device to operate, e.g., as a WDM or multichannel transceiver. In an example embodiment, the set of optoelectronic modules includes a laser module, a modulator module, and an optical-to-electrical converter module, all mounted on the same circuit board and optically and electrically connected for the intended application. Each of the optoelectronic modules comprises a respective stack of integrated circuits, at least one of which is a photonic integrated circuit (PIC). Some of the PICs may be configurable for different applications, with the configuration setup being carried out using electrical control signals and/or optical connections of the PICs. The modular structure of the device enables the manufacturer to provide customized solutions to different customers according to their respective specifications while using the same device architecture and/or to interchangeably use parts obtained from different suppliers to engineer those solutions. |
| US10175420B2 |
Raman-enhanced transmission fiber
According to some embodiments an optical fiber comprising: (I) a silica based core having: an inner core region with maximum refractive index delta of the core, Δ0 in % measured relative to pure SiO2≤0.1%, and an outer core region with a minimum refractive index delta Δ1, where Δ1<Δ0; such that the fiber has: (i) an effective area Aeffλ=1525 of LP01 mode at a wavelength λ=1525 nm such that 80 μm2 |
| US10175419B2 |
Backlight module and display device
A backlight module includes first and second backlight units. The first backlight unit includes a first cover, a first light guide plate, a first light source and at least one first optical film. The first cover has a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other. The first light guide plate is disposed on the first surface. The first light source is disposed on the first surface and located on a side of the first light guide plate. The first optical film is disposed between the first surface and the first light guide plate. The second backlight unit is detachably disposed with the first backlight unit and has a structure similar to the first backlight unit. A display device having the backlight module is also provided. |
| US10175418B2 |
Wide angle imaging directional backlights
An imaging directional backlight apparatus including a waveguide, a light source array, for providing large area directed illumination from localized light sources. The waveguide may include a stepped structure, in which the steps may further include extraction features optically hidden to guided light, propagating in a first forward direction. Returning light propagating in a second backward direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide discrete illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the waveguide. Viewing windows are formed through imaging individual light sources and hence defines the relative positions of system elements and ray paths. The uncorrected system creates non-illuminated void portions when viewed off-axis preventing uniform wide angle 2D illumination modes. The system may be corrected to remove this non-uniformity at wide angles through the introduction of additional sources away from the system's object plane, additional imaging surfaces, and/or by altering ray paths. |
| US10175412B2 |
Light guide plate, backlight module and wearable device
According the embodiments of the present disclosure, the light guide plate includes a light guide plate body having an upper surface as a light-exiting surface. The light guide plate is provided at a side portion at least one notch, and a light-reflection layer is arranged at a surface of each notch. A wedge-shaped structure is arranged on a lower surface of the light guide plate body and adjacent to a bottom of each notch. The wedge-shaped structure has a first surface attached onto the lower surface of the light guide plate body, a second surface serving as a light-entering surface, and a third surface intersecting the first surface and the second surface and forming an acute angle relative to the first surface. A light-reflection layer is arranged on the third surface. A light source is arranged at a position on the lower surface of the light guide plate body adjacent to the second surface of the wedge-shaped structure. |
| US10175405B2 |
Uniform efficient light diffusing fiber
Light diffusing optical fibers for use illumination applications and which have a uniform color gradient that is angularly independent are disclosed herein along with methods for making such fibers. The light diffusing fibers are composed of a silica-based glass core that is coated with a number of layers including a scattering layer. |
| US10175398B2 |
Infrared optical filter having glass ceramic layer comprising 19-20% potassium oxide
An infrared optical filter may include a glass ceramic layer, a multilayer oxide thin film formed on a first surface of the glass ceramic layer, and a low reflectivity coating layer formed on a second surface of the glass ceramic layer. |
| US10175395B2 |
Mount for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member and method of mounting an optical structure using such mount
An improved mount for, and method of mounting, an optical structure having a grooved/relieved protruding member is provided. The mount may have the grooved/relieved protruding member extending from a surface of the optical structure, a base element for mounting the mount to another structure and an upper element extending from the base element having a first opening extending therethrough for receipt therein of at least a portion of the grooved/relieved member. The first opening defines first and second arms, each of the arms comprising a head portion and each of the head portions ending at an end. A second opening in the upper element extends through one of the head portions and the end thereof in a direction toward the other head portion, while a third opening exists in the upper element through the end of the other head portion in an orientation substantially opposite to and in communication with the second opening so that a tightening mechanism may be received through the second opening and the third opening. Tightening of the tightening mechanism into the third opening causes the ends of the head portions to draw toward each other so that the first opening of the upper element tightens around the at least a portion of the grooved/relieved protruding member. |
| US10175394B2 |
Substrate with multilayer reflective film, mask blank, transfer mask and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A substrate with multilayer reflective film for discovery of critical defects by inhibiting the detection of pseudo defects attributable to surface roughness of a substrate or film using a highly sensitive defect inspection apparatus. The substrate has a multilayer reflective film obtained by alternately laminating a high refractive index layer and a low refractive index layer on a main surface of a mask blank substrate used in lithography, wherein an integrated value I of the power spectrum density (PSD) at a spatial frequency of 1 μm−1 to 10 μm−1 of the surface of the substrate with a multilayer reflective film, obtained by measuring a region measuring 3 μm×3 μm with an atomic force microscope, is not more than 180×10−3 nm3, and the maximum value of the rower spectrum density (PSD) at a spatial frequency of 1 μm−1 to 10 μm−1 is not more than 50 nm4. |
| US10175391B2 |
Planarization of optical substrates
Planarization of defects in laser mirror and other optical component manufacture is disclosed. The planarization is performed by first depositing a relatively thick planarization layer, then carrying out a sequential deposition and etch process. The technique takes advantage of the non-uniform material removal rate as a function of etchant incident angle, and effectively buries the inclusion in a thick film with a near planar top surface. The process enables faster, more reliable manufacture of a non-defective high fluence multilayer mirror particularly suitable for high energy laser applications. |
| US10175390B2 |
Face protective optical element
An optical element is provided which reflects a reduced amount of light even under a very high intensity lighting system used for a surgical operation, a dental treatment etc., has anti-fogging performance, and is transparent and useful for face protection. The optical element has a flexible transparent substrate and a plurality of structures disposed on opposite surfaces of the substrate at a pitch equal to or less than the wavelength of visible light. The structures are formed from a cured product of a resin having a hydrophilic functional group. |
| US10175389B2 |
Non-crystalline materials having complete photonic, electronic or phononic band gaps
The invention provides an article of manufacture, and methods of designing and making the article. The article permits or prohibits waves of energy, especially photonic/electromagnetic energy, to propagate through it, depending on the energy band gaps built into it. The structure of the article may be reduced to a pattern of points having a hyperuniform distribution. The point-pattern may exhibit a crystalline symmetry, a quasicrystalline symmetry or may be aperiodic. In some embodiments, the point pattern exhibits no long-range order. Preferably, the point-pattern is isotropic. In all embodiments, the article has a complete, TE- and TM-optimized band-gap. The extraordinary transmission phenomena found in the disordered hyperuniform photonic structures of the invention find use in optical micro-circuitry (all-optical, electronic or thermal switching of the transmission), near-field optical probing, thermophotovoltaics, and energy-efficient incandescent sources. |
| US10175383B2 |
System and method for performing simultaneous petrophysical analysis of composition and texture of rock formations
A system and a computer implemented method for performing simultaneous petrophysical analysis for composition and texture of a rock formation. The method includes inputting a set of response equations for sand, shale and fluid that are present in the rock formation, wherein the shale comprises laminated shale, dispersed shale and structural shale; determining simultaneously a solution of the set of response equations, the solution describing composition and texture of the rock formation; and determining from the solution volume fractions for sand, shale and fluid and a texture of the shale including fractions of laminated shale, dispersed shale and structural shale. |
| US10175373B2 |
Determining sub-surface temperature
There is described a technique for determining a temperature at a region below the surface of the Earth. In an embodiment, a time of travel of a seismic wave following the emission from a source into the earth is provided, and the travel time is used to estimate the temperature. In one example, a model based on the travel time and a further component, which may for example be based on heat flow and a constant of proportionality between seismic velocity and thermal conductivity, may be used to estimate the temperature. |
| US10175371B2 |
Method and apparatus for noise control in ultrasonic sensors
The adjustable voltage regulator under control of a microcontroller applies controlled amplitude voltage in the range of 5 to 9 VDC to the sensor transmitter to adjust the output amplitude of the transmitter. The adjustable amplitude transmitter allows an occupancy sensor to have its total output energy adjusted to reduce environmental noise-induced false triggering and to conform to the area to be covered. Lowering the total ultrasonic energy in the monitored space lowers the sensitivity of the receiver to inappropriate activations. Lowering the input power to the transmitter also lowers the total internal system noise and provides an improved signal to noise ratio in the receiver. |
| US10175369B2 |
Signal data processing for radiation detection
To make correct determination of electric charge collection among signals from a semiconductor radiation detector, provided in an embodiment of the present invention is a signal data processing method. The method includes a step of calculating timing data sequences unique to channels (timing data calculation step S02), each of channels corresponding to each of plural electrodes of the radiation detector, from detection signal data sequences. Then, while making a comparison with a first threshold value, a data value for the timing data sequence at timing when a predetermined delay time is elapsed after the timing data sequence reached the first predetermined value is selected as a timing data value for determination for the channel (delay and selection step S04). Finally, by comparing the timing data value for determinations for channels with a second threshold value, a detection signal data sequence greater than or equal to the second threshold value is determined to be a detection signal data sequence for a channel that actually collected the electric charge (determination step S06). In embodiments of the present invention a signal data processing device and radiation detection system are also provided. |
| US10175367B2 |
Tool for detecting photon radiation, particularly adapted for high-flux radiation
A tool for detecting radiation includes a semiconductor detector material that interacts with ionizing radiation, an electrode that collects charge carriers generated in the detector material from an interaction with the ionizing radiation. A shaping circuit forms electrical pulses having a shape that depends on the amount of collected charge. A counting circuit counts the number of pulses and includes a counter and an incrementing element that increments the counter when a comparison parameter exceeds a threshold. The counting circuit further includes a duration-measuring element that measures a pulse duration (f) for each pulse and a peak-detecting element that determines a maximum amplitude (H) of each pulse. A combining element combines maximum amplitude and the pulse duration (f) to establish the comparison parameter. The comparison parameter is the product (H×t) of a maximum amplitude of the pulse and the corresponding pulse duration. |
| US10175366B1 |
Radiation detector and radiation imaging device comprising same
A radiation detector that improves accurately a fluorescence emission-time. A limiter circuit instead of a low-pass filter and a high-pass filter removes a noise component of the amplifier output. The limiter circuit blocks passing through the amplification signal when the amplification signal output from the amplifier a is lower than the limit level. Accordingly, a noise component output not related to the fluorescence detection from the amplifier a is blocked by the limiter circuit L and is unable to reach to the addition circuit. When the amplification signal output from the amplifier a is larger than the limit level, the limiter circuit L passes through such amplification signal; so that the signal, which is related to a fluorescence detection, that the amplifier a outputs can be absolutely input into the fluorescence emission-time calculation element. |
| US10175364B2 |
Systems and methods for estimating whether a receiver is inside or outside a building
Systems and methods for estimating whether a receiver is indoors or outdoors. Certain approaches evaluate data associated with a network of beacons to determine whether the receiver is indoors or outdoors. Such evaluation may include any of determining whether azimuthal angles corresponding to the beacons meet an azimuthal angle condition, determining whether elevation angles corresponding to the beacons meet an elevation angle condition, determining whether signal strengths corresponding to the beacons meet a signal strength condition, and determining whether other measurements associated with the beacons meet other measurement conditions. |
| US10175352B2 |
Scalable architecture for an automotive radar system
First transmitter circuitry communicates, via bus interface circuitry, on a data bus to detect whether any second transmitter circuitry is coupled to the data bus. In instances that no second transmitter circuitry is detected as being coupled to the data bus, the first transmitter circuitry transmits beamformed signals via a first plurality of antenna elements using beamforming coefficients. In instances that second transmitter circuitry is detected as being coupled to the data bus, the first transmitter circuitry determines a phase offset between clock generation circuitry of the first transmitter circuitry and clock generation circuitry of the detected second transmitter circuitry. The first transmitter circuitry compensates the beamforming coefficients based on the determined phase offset. The first transmitter circuitry use the compensated beamforming coefficients for transmitting signals that are phase coherent with signals transmitted by the second transmitter circuitry. |
| US10175348B2 |
Use of range-rate measurements in a fusion tracking system via projections
A target is located and a track is associated with the target in the fusion coordinate system. An estimate/prediction of the target's velocity is developed within the tracker, as well as , a vector representing the distance from the fusion center to the target as estimated by the tracker, and , a vector representing the known distance from the fusion center to the sensor. The sensor's range vector, (the distance from the sensor to the target as predicted by the tracker) is transformed to fusion coordinates. Using the sensor's range vector, normalized to unit length, in fusion coordinates and the estimated target's velocity, an estimate of the target's speed projected in the direction of is derived. The estimated range-rate is compared per update to the sensor's measured range-rate in the form of an error measurement. The error is then used to correct the track's velocity prediction. |
| US10175339B2 |
Determining a position of a mobile receiver
The invention relates to a method and to a mobile receiver for determining a position of a mobile receiver RX, which moves in an unknown but at least quasi-stationary environment, on the basis of signals s(kT) which are emitted by a transmitter TX positioned at an unknown position and immobile in the environment, wherein the receiver RX receives as reception signal q ( k , τ ) = ∑ i = 0 N ( k ) - 1 S i ( τ ) a signal s(kT) which is emitted by the transmitter TX and which is transmitted via N(k) transmission paths as signal components si(τ), where k:=time step, τ:=time delay, and i=0, . . . , N(k)−1, wherein, as interactions: reflections of the signal components si(τ) at reflectors and scatterings of the signal components si(τ) at scatterers are taken into account on the transmission paths, wherein on the basis of the reception signals q(k,τ) the following are determined: a position ru(k) and a velocity vu(k) of the receiver RX, and for each of the N(k) transmission paths, in each case a position rv,i(k) of a virtual transmitter vTXi, and a transmission path distance dv,i between the transmitter TX and a last scatterer SCATTERi lying on the i-th transmission path, provided that such a scatterer SCATTERi is present, wherein: a signal component si(τ) of the signal s(kT) that is transmitted on the i-th transmission path no longer experiences further scattering between the last scatterer SCATTERi and the receiver RX, and, it is assumed that each signal component si(τ) received by the receiver RX is emitted by an assigned virtual transmitter vTXi and has reached the receiver RX directly without interaction, and at least the determined position ru(k) of the receiver RX and/or the velocity vu(k) of the receiver RX are/is provided and/or output for further evaluations. |
| US10175337B2 |
Method and apparatus for uploading radio maps
In accordance with an example embodiment, an apparatus comprises a first receiver configured to receive a first partial radio map and a second partial radio map, a processor configured to compare the first partial radio map and the second partial radio map, and the processor further configured to determine to replace the first partial radio map with the second partial radio map based at least in part on a result of the comparison. |
| US10175323B2 |
Adapting activation parameters used to generate a pulse sequence when activating a magnetic resonance system
A method for adapting activation parameters used to generate a pulse sequence when activating a magnetic resonance system is provided. The method includes determining stimulation values for the pulse sequence based on predefined activation parameters. The stimulation values represent a stimulation exposure of a patient. Test regions that exhibit stimulation maxima are identified in the pulse sequence, and the identified test regions are tested with respect to compliance with a predefined stimulation limit value. |
| US10175320B2 |
Controlling a magnetic resonance imaging system to generate magnetic resonance image data of an examination subject
In a method to control a magnetic resonance imaging system to generate magnetic resonance image data of an examination subject, raw magnetic resonance data are acquired that include measurement values at multiple readout points in k-space. The readout points are arranged along a readout axis in k-space as readout pairs with a predetermined pair spacing relative to one another. Readout pairs that are adjacent in k-space along the readout axis have a sampling interval that is different than the pair spacing, which sampling interval varies along the readout axis. A control sequence determination system is designed to determine a control sequence for a magnetic resonance imaging system that is designed to control the magnetic resonance imaging system according to this method, and a magnetic resonance imaging system that has a control device designed to control the magnetic resonance imaging system according to such a method. |
| US10175319B2 |
Magnetic resonance imaging of neuro-electro-magnetic oscillations
In vivo methods of non-invasively imaging neuro-electro-magnetic oscillations (NEMO) are carried out by electronically transmitting a pulse sequence to a subject. The pulse sequence has a first excitation pulse, typically applied along an x-axis, followed by a spin-lock pulse applied along a different axis, typically a y-axis, and having a defined frequency, followed by a second RF excitation pulse. Then MR image signal of neuroelectric activity associated with evoked and/or spontaneous neuroelectric oscillations is obtained after the second RF excitation pulse and a neuroactivity (i.e., brain activation) map based on the obtained MR image signal is generated, the neuroactivity map having high temporal and spatial accuracy of the neuroelectric activity. |
| US10175317B2 |
Quiet MRI using alternating gradient sequence
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems and methods to effect MRI data acquisition with reduced noise are described. A readout gradient, having a first polarity used to acquire and store MRI data in k-space memory during analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) of MR RF signals during one TR interval, is continued at substantially a same amplitude and vector direction and used as an image volume selection gradient during a transmitted RF excitation pulse that begins a next TR interval before the readout gradient transitions to an opposite polarity. The acquired k-space data is then used to generate an MR image. |
| US10175316B2 |
Gradient coil arrangement, magnetic resonance apparatus and method for damping a gradient coil arrangement
Gradient coil arrangement for a magnetic resonance apparatus has multiple sub-coils formed by coil conductors on a common substrate, and the gradient coil arrangement has at least one damping producer that damps voltage overshoots occurring due to capacitive and/or inductive coupling between two sub-coils as a result of interfering frequencies in the wanted signal for at least one of the sub-coils affected. The damping producer is directly applied to the coil conductor of at least one of the sub-coils involved in the capacitive and/or inductive coupling. |
| US10175312B2 |
Detachable receiver block comprising a digitizer for a family of local RF coils
An apparatus includes a magnetic resonance (MR) receiver. The MR receiver includes at least one galvanic connector, at least one digitizer connected to the at least one galvanic connector, a power supply connected to the at least one digitizer, and a housing. The at least one galvanic connector connects in a connected configuration to a radio frequency (RF) coil element of at least one local RF coil to receive MR signals. The at least one digitizer converts the received MR signals to a digital format. The power supply provides power to operate the at least one digitizer. The housing is configured to removably attach to a housing of at least one local RF coil in the connected configuration to enclose the at least one galvanic connector and at least one digitizer with the housing and the attached the at least one local RF coil housing. |
| US10175310B2 |
Determining a measuring point-in-time in a cardiac cycle for conducting magnetic resonance diffusion measurements
In a method and magnetic resonance (MR) system for determining at least one measuring point-in-time in a cardiac cycle for conducting diffusion measurements of the myocardium of an examination object, a sequence of MR images of the heart is acquired and a time curve of a parameter of the cardiac geometry is determined in the sequence of MR images. At least one mean of the parameter of the cardiac geometry is determined from the time curve of the parameter. For the determined at least one mean of the parameter, the associated point-in-time in the time curve of the parameter is determined in which the determined mean occurs, wherein the determined point-in-time defines the at least one measuring point-in-time in a cardiac cycle during which the diffusion measurements of the myocardium are carried out. |
| US10175303B2 |
Battery parameter estimation device and parameter estimation method
An apparatus and method for battery parameter estimation estimate the parameters of a battery equivalent circuit model while reducing the computation load. The apparatus includes a charge/discharge current detector (3) that detects a charge/discharge current value of a battery (1); a terminal voltage detector (2) that detects a terminal voltage value of the battery (1); and an estimator (4) that estimates, based on the charge/discharge current value and the terminal voltage value, parameters in a battery equivalent circuit model (41) that approximates the Warburg impedance of the battery (1). |
| US10175301B1 |
Energy managed wireless sensors
A system and method manages power in a wireless micro-sensor having a self-contained energy source. The system and method identify the rated capacity of the self-contained energy course by processing an identification value of the self-contained energy source and measuring the temperature of the self-contained energy source over time. The system and method determine temperature trends, measure the depth of discharge of the self-contained energy source, and control the asynchronous transmission of the micro-sensor. The transmission occurs in response to the measured temperatures, the determined temperature trend, and the depth of discharge of the self-contained energy source. |
| US10175300B2 |
Method and system for motor failure detection
Systems and methods for detecting developing faults in a flow generator or ventilator during therapeutic use thereof are provided. The motor current may be measured to estimate the torque input by the motor, while the output torque from the impeller may be determined (e.g., as inferred from the motor control system model and/or by consulting a lookup table). One or more transducers may collect data useful in determining the input and output torques. A difference between the input (to the motor) torque and the output (from the impeller) torque may be calculated. The difference, optionally filtered using a low-pass filter to reduce noise, may be compared to a predetermined threshold once or over a period of time to detect gross failures and/or developing failures. Once a failure or developing failure is detected, a user may be alerted and/or the flow generator may be placed into a “service required” mode. |
| US10175288B2 |
Electronic device, system and method for insulation resistance measurements with functions of self-diagnosis and diagnosis of insulation loss with respect to ground of an energized electrical apparatus
An electronic device for the diagnosis of insulation loss of an energized electrical apparatus, with respect to a ground. The device includes a first resistance-switch group and a second resistance-switch group, connectable or disconnectable in a controlled manner, and also a first measurement circuit and a second measurement circuit, arranged in parallel to the first and second resistance-switch groups, respectively. The first and second measurement circuits include respective first and second detection circuits, first and second charge modulation circuits and first and second partition resistors (RBminus, RBplus). The first and second charge modulation circuits allow a dynamic “switching” measurement technique. Moreover, a method is described for measuring the insulation resistances (RIminus, RIplus) of an energized electrical apparatus with respect to ground, in which the method is carried out by a device according to the invention. Finally, a self-diagnosis method of device is described. |
| US10175281B2 |
Protective sheath for an electrical harness in order to prevent the deterioration of same
The invention relates to a device for predicting faults in a harness formed by a plurality of cables gathered together, in particular electrical cables, comprising a protective sheath (10) intended to surround the harness, the sheath (10) comprising a plurality of braided elements (100), said braided elements (100) being braided together to form a tubular sheath, each braided element (100) comprising a plurality of longitudinal braiding strands (101) arranged to form a web, characterised in that the sheath (100) comprises at least one electrically conductive detection strand (102), said detection strand (102) being arranged with the braiding strands (101) of a braided element (100) so as to be incorporated into the web forming said braided element (100), the detection strand (102) being electrically insulated from the braiding strands (100) of said braided element (100). |
| US10175279B2 |
Method of deriving S parameter of electric circuit network
A first S parameter of a first circuit network including an input port and a connection port is prepared, a second S parameter of a second circuit network is measured, and an overall S parameter of an overall circuit network is calculated. The S parameter of the overall circuit network is calculated as the overall S parameter corresponding to the input port among virtual S parameters of a virtual overall circuit network in which the connection port of the virtual first circuit network is connected with the second circuit network, by using, as an unknown value, a parameter corresponding to the dummy port among virtual T parameters of a virtual first circuit network obtained through conversion of the first circuit network into a symmetric circuit network by adding a dummy port to the input port side of the first circuit network. |
| US10175277B2 |
Identification of degrading electrodes in a marine electromagnetic survey system
A system and method is provided for identifying degrading electrodes in a marine electromagnetic survey system. A system may comprise a sensor array operable for use in a marine electromagnetic survey system, wherein the sensor array comprises a plurality of electrodes. The system may comprise a shunt resistor connected to the electrodes and a processor operable to vary a resistance of the shunt resistor in the presence of a voltage across the electrodes. A method for identifying degrading electrodes may comprise measuring an electric field in a body of water with a pair of electrodes, wherein a shunt resistor is connected between the pair of electrodes. The method may comprise varying a resistance of the shunt resistor. The method may comprise measuring a voltage across the shunt resistor while varying the resistance of the shunt resistor to obtain measured voltages for different shunt resistor values. The method may comprise comparing the measured voltages of the different shunt resistor values to calculate resistance of the pair of electrodes. |
| US10175276B2 |
Identifying and categorizing power consumption with disaggregation
A power monitor in a building processes a power monitoring signal obtained from the power line to the building to identify electrical events corresponding to state changes of devices in the building. The electrical event may be processed with a classifier to determine if the electrical event corresponds to a state change of an identified device from a list of identified devices or corresponds to a state change of an ambiguous device that is not from the list of identified devices. The power monitor may also determine power consumption information about individual identified devices and about groups of devices, such as a group of always on devices, a group of ambiguous devices, and categories of the group of ambiguous devices. Information about state changes of devices and power consumption of individual devices and groups of devices may be transmitted to a user device for presentation to a user. |
| US10175273B2 |
Method of using power grid as large antenna for geophysical imaging
A high-voltage power transmission system is used as an extremely large antenna to extract spatiotemporal space, physical, and geological information from geomagnetically induced currents (GIC). A differential magnetometer method is used to measure GIC and involves acquiring line measurements from a first fluxgate magnetometer under a high-voltage transmission line, acquiring natural field measurements from a reference magnetometer nearby but not under the transmission line, subtracting the natural field measurements from the line measurements, and determining the GIC-related Biot-Savart field from the difference. NASA warning and alarm systems can be triggered based on determinations of GIC amplitude levels that exceed a set threshold value. |
| US10175269B2 |
Current detector
A current detector includes: a current detection unit including a plurality of cores made of magnetic material, in the plurality of penetration holes are penetrating through, respectively; a terminal block including a plurality of terminal connecting portions being arranged side by side in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the penetration holes, the terminal block being merged with the current detection unit; and a plurality of conductor bars, each having one end inserted into one of the penetration holes and another end connected to corresponding one of the terminal connecting portions. |
| US10175261B2 |
Method, apparatus and monitoring system for acquisition of rotating speed and vibration data of machines
The invention discloses a method, an apparatus, and a monitoring system for acquisition of a machine's rotating speed and vibration data. A machine rotating speed acquisition apparatus according to the inventive disclosure comprises a speed sensor and a controlling unit. The speed sensor is operative to count the pulses triggered during the rotation of the machine so as to acquire the machine's rotating speed. The controlling unit is operative to record the triggering moment of each pulse. Furthermore, each time when a pulse triggering moment is recorded, a rotating speed time scale message containing that pulse triggering moment is broadcasted to at least one machine vibration data acquisition apparatus, in order for the at least one machine vibration data acquisition apparatus to receive that rotating speed time scale message and record the local time when receiving that message. |
| US10175258B2 |
Detection of synthetic cannabinoids
The invention describes methods and kits for detecting and determining current and future synthetic cannabinoids from the JWH and CP families. Unique antibodies derived from novel immunogens enable said methods and kits. |
| US10175256B2 |
Compositions and methods utilizing lysophosphatidylcholine scaffolds
The invention relates to compositions and methods for utilizing lysophosphatidylcholine scaffolds. The compositions and methods can be used for LPC-mediated delivery of fatty acids and other molecules; to screen and identify fatty acid formulations for parenteral nutrition; and for live animal organ imaging, among other uses. The invention also provides compositions and methods for utilizing mutations and polymorphisms in human Mfsd2a as markers for neurological deficits. |
| US10175254B2 |
Methods and systems for quantitative colorimetric capnometry
Quantitative colorimetric carbon dioxide detection and measurement systems are disclosed. The systems can include a gas conduit, a colorimetric indicator adapted to exhibit a color change in response to exposure to carbon dioxide gas, a temperature controller operatively coupled to the colorimetric indicator and configured to control the temperature of the colorimetric indicator, an electro-optical sensor assembly including a light source or sources adapted to transmit light to the colorimetric indicator, and a photodiode or photodiodes configured to detect light reflected from the colorimetric indicator and to generate a measurement signal, and a processor in communication with the electro-optical sensor assembly. The processor can be configured to receive the measurement signal generated by the electro-optical sensor assembly and to compute a concentration of carbon dioxide based on the measurement signal. Methods for using the systems are also disclosed including providing a breathing therapy to a patient or user. |
| US10175253B2 |
Compilation of detection reagents, in-vitro method for detecting mutated leptin, and use of a detection reagent
The invention relates to a compilation of detection reagents, wherein the compilation comprises a first and a second detection reagent, wherein the first detection reagent binds non-mutated leptin with a first binding value, but does not bind mutated leptin or binds it with a maximum of 50% of the binding value of non-mutated leptin, and wherein the second detection reagent binds both mutated and non-mutated leptin with a second binding value. The invention furthermore relates to an in-vitro method for detecting mutated leptin and the use of a detection reagent. |
| US10175242B2 |
Personalized myeloma detection
Disclosed herein is a personalized method for monitoring a condition or disorder associated with antibody production in a subject. The method can involve treating a biological sample comprising immunoglobulin from the subject to enzymatically cleave a target immunoglobulin associated with the PCD into one or more variable domain peptide fragments of the target immunoglobulin, and then measuring the one or more variable domain peptide fragments in the sample by quantitative mass spectrometry to quantify the amount of the target immunoglobulin in the sample. |
| US10175241B2 |
ASC as a marker for lung cancer
The present invention relates to the assessment of lung cancer. It discloses the use of protein ASC in the assessment of lung cancer. It also relates to a method for assessing lung cancer in vitro using a liquid sample, derived from an individual by measuring ASC in the sample. Measurement of ASC can, e.g., be used in the early detection or in the follow-up of patients with lung cancer. |
| US10175232B2 |
Nucleotide sequences, nucleic acid sensors and methods thereof
The present disclosure relates to particular nucleotide sequences comprising of at least one stem and/or loop structure and which optionally bind fluorescent labels, for example DFHBI and a process for obtaining said sequences. The present disclosure also provides nucleic acid sensor for cAMP comprising reporter domain, communication module and target recognition domain. Further, the present disclosure provides for ratiometric sensors 10 for quantifying cAMP using the nucleic sensors of the instant invention. The instant disclosure further provides method for obtaining the sensors, method for detecting and measuring small molecules, such as cAMP using the sensors of the instant disclosure and kits thereof. |
| US10175230B2 |
Use of biomarkers for evaluating the effectiveness of active ingredients
The invention relates to a method for evaluating the effectiveness of an active ingredient selected from C7 avocado sugars, also called avocado perseose, for preventing or treating a deficiency of the skin barrier, said method comprising the determination of the level of expression and/or activation of at least one biological marker, where said biological marker is selected from epidermal maturation markers, lipid barrier markers, hydric regulation markers and stratum granulosum regulation markers. |
| US10175229B2 |
Rapid method for measuring cytotoxicity in non-RI system
The present invention aims to provide a novel compound for measuring cellular cytotoxicity or cell proliferation capacity accurately with high reproducibility, conveniently and rapidly, and a measurement method of cellular cytotoxicity or cell proliferation capacity by using the compound. The present invention relates to a compound represented by the formula (I): wherein R1 is a substituent, R2 and R3 are each an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group, or an optionally substituted heterocyclic group, Y is a substituent, n is an integer of 0-3, Z is a single bond, —O—, —S—, —SO—, —SO2—, or —NR4— (R4 is a hydrogen atom or a substituent), and A is an optionally substituted C1-6 alkylene group) or a salt thereof. |
| US10175228B2 |
Method of using transmembrane channel-like protein 6 (TMC6) protein to identify substances affecting salty taste
A method for screening an objective substance such as a salty-taste modifying substance is provided. It is identified by using a TMC6 protein whether a test substance is an objective substance such as a salty-taste modifying substance. |
| US10175226B2 |
Detection and quantification of acetylamantadine in urine samples
A method for quantifying acetylamantadine in a urine sample comprises eluting acetylamantadine from the urine sample using solid phase extraction and quantifying the acetylamantadine eluted from the urine sample using Raman spectroscopy. |
| US10175224B2 |
Method for identifying target cell and target cell identification device
Provided are a robust and high throughput method for identifying a target cell and a target cell identification device. The method for identifying a target cell includes an image acquisition step of irradiating a specimen with a plurality of light rays having different wavelengths and acquiring a plurality of phase difference images of the specimen, a selection step of selecting a plurality of target cell candidates from the specimen based on a difference in absorption coefficients with respect to the plurality of light rays having different wavelengths, a brightness ratio acquisition step of acquiring brightness ratios between a central part and a peripheral part of each target cell candidate based on the plurality of phase difference images, and a sorting step of sorting a target cell and a non-target cell from the plurality of target cell candidates based on the brightness ratios. |
| US10175223B2 |
Apparatus and method for molecular separation, purification, and sensing
Described are devices and methods for forming one or more nanomembranes including electroactive nanomembranes within a nanowell or nanotube, or combinations thereof, in a support material. Nanopores/nanochannels can be formed by the electroactive nanomembrane within corresponding nanowells. The electroactive nanomembrane is capable of controllably altering a dimensionality, a composition, and/or a variety of properties in response to electrical stimuli. Various embodiments also include devices/systems and methods for using the nanomembrane-containing devices for molecular separation, purification, and sensing. |
| US10175219B2 |
Method to sort cells on the basis of radionuclide uptake
A method of sensing radionuclides in cells is provided that includes exposing a cell of interest to a radiolabeled molecule, encapsulating the cell of interest with a chemical sensor in an encapsulant to hold the cell of interest and the chemical sensor in proximity, where the radiolabeled molecule decays to emit an energetic particle, and detecting a fluorescence or optical absorption signal in the chemical sensor induced by the radio molecule decay, using an illumination source and a detector, where single-cell analysis with the radiolabeled molecule is performed. |
| US10175216B2 |
Reduced parameter space kinetic modeling systems and methods
Systems, methods and devices are provided for fitting kinetic models to measurements of dynamic curves where the kinetic models give rise to nonlinear fitting equations in two or more unknowns that can be formulated so that they are linear in one or more of the unknown parameters and nonlinear in one or more of the unknown parameters. Such systems, methods and devices may be utilized to monitor and characterize the attributes of a given tracer such as a radioactive substance within a body, a drug within the body, a concentration of a substance within a particular medium, and the like. |
| US10175211B2 |
Current-efficient suppressor and pretreatment device and method
An apparatus for treating an aqueous sample stream includes analyte ions. The apparatus comprises an ion exchange barrier; a sample stream flow channel; an ion receiving stream flow channel adjacent to the sample stream flow channel and separated therefrom by said first ion exchange bather. Stationary flow-through ion exchange packing is disposed in the sample flow channel of the same charge as the ion exchange bather. The ion exchange packing comprises a mixture of a first ion exchange portion with strong ionizable groups and a second ion exchange portion with weak ionizable groups of the same charge. First and second electrodes are in electrical communication with the sample stream flow channel and ion receiving flow channel. |
| US10175207B2 |
Probe approach for DGS sizing
An ultrasonic detection assembly for detecting a characteristic in a test object having a cylindrical peripheral surface. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a phased array probe positioned in proximity to the cylindrical peripheral surface of the test object. The phased array probe includes a plurality of adjacent transducer elements. Each transducer is operatively configured to emit a respective beam into the test object so as to provide a pattern of constructive interference. The ultrasonic detection assembly is structurally configured to provide for cylindrical contact between the phased array probe and the cylindrical peripheral surface of the test object. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a controller operatively connected to the phased array probe for causing each transducer to emit the respective beam into the test object. |
| US10175205B2 |
System and method for crack monitoring
In accordance with an aspect of the present application, a system is provided for crack monitoring in a structure of interest, comprising means for extracting wave modes existing in a frequency interval of interest, means for finding a source of emission on the structure of interest, means for correcting for dispersion to reconstruct an original ratio of wave modes at the source of emission, and means for correlating the original ratio of wave modes to a crack depth.One advantage of this solution in contrast to prior art techniques is that no a priori knowledge on propagation speed is necessary since actual wave modes can be detected from dispersion relations of wave modes, e.g. Lamb waves at a fixed frequency band in accordance with their calculated speeds. Decentralized acquisition and processing, i.e. monitoring a structure from a localized area, is an important feature of this solution, consequent to which, the data transfer and storage are reduced substantially. |
| US10175204B2 |
Method of sorting chips
A method of sorting chips divided from a plate-shaped workpiece into acceptable chips and defective chips includes an ultrasonic vibration applying step of applying ultrasonic vibrations to chips, a fracture confirming step of confirming whether the chips have been fractured in the ultrasonic vibration applying step or not, and a sorting step of sorting those chips which have been confirmed as not fractured in the fracture confirming step as acceptable chips. The ultrasonic vibrations applied to the chips in the ultrasonic vibration applying step are set to values that do not cause chips to be fractured if the chips are free of minute fractures and cause chips to be fractured if the chips contain minute fractures. |
| US10175203B2 |
Subsurface sensing using guided surface wave modes on lossy media
Disclosed are various systems and methods for remote surface sensing using guided surface wave modes on lossy media. One system, among others, comprises a guided surface waveguide probe configured to launch a guided surface wave along a surface of a lossy conducting medium, and a receiver configured to receive backscatter reflected by a remotely located subsurface object illuminated by the guided surface wave. One method, among others, includes launching a guided surface wave along a surface of a lossy conducting medium by exciting a charge terminal of a guided surface waveguide probe, and receiving backscatter reflected by a remotely located subsurface object illuminated by the guided surface wave. |
| US10175196B2 |
Hybrid ion mobility spectrometer
Disclosed herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method and/or computer program product embodiments for identifying material. An embodiment includes ionizing, in gas phase, a target substance; creating, in gas phase, a pulse of ionized material from the ionized target substance; injecting the pulse of ionized material into a condensed phase drift medium; and identifying, by at least one processor, the target substance using the pulse of ionized material in the condensed phase drift medium. |
| US10175189B2 |
Determination device for determining an improvement in water quality
A determination device for determining an improvement in water quality, capable of determining it in no time, is provided. The device has a first measuring device for measuring by AC terminal electric conductimetry a capacitance of a first capacitor formed between a pair of electrodes immersed in untreated water to be supplied to a water quality-improving apparatus; a second measuring device for measuring by AC terminal electric conductimetry a capacitance of a second capacitor formed between a pair of electrodes immersed in water discharged by the apparatus; and a processor for calculating a ratio (Y/X) of a capacitance Y to a capacitance X wherein the capacitance X is a capacitance of the first capacitor outputted by the first measuring device when an AC frequency is 100 Hz or less, and the capacitance Y is a capacitance of the second capacitor at the same frequency outputted by the second measuring device. |
| US10175187B2 |
Integration of monolayer graphene with a semiconductor device
The integration of monolayer graphene with a semiconductor device for gas sensing applications involves obtaining a CMOS device that is prepared to receive monolayer graphene channels. After population of the monolayer graphene channels on the CMOS device, electrical contacts are formed at each end of the monolayer graphene channels with interconnect vias having sidewalls angled at less then 90°. Additional metallization pads are added at the location of the monolayer graphene channels to improve planarity and reliability of the semiconductor processing involved. |
| US10175184B2 |
XRF analyzer for light element detection
The invention includes an XRF analyzer with reduced x-ray attenuation between sample and target and between sample and detector. Attenuation can be reduced by removing atmospheric-air paths through which the x-rays must travel. Reduced x-ray attenuation can allow for easier detection of low-atomic-number elements. Cost saving can be achieved by reducing the number of x-ray windows. |
| US10175179B2 |
Apparatus and method for high resolution complex permittivity sensing using high Q microwave sensors for lossy or non-lossy mediums and samples
Apparatuses and methods for non-contact sensing of physical or chemical properties of a target sample using a planar microwave resonator are provided. In one aspect, a planar microwave resonator is used in combination with an active feedback loop for increasing the quality factor of the resonator to compensate for an existing signal loss in the sample or environment. In another aspect, an active feedback loop is used in combination with a microwave resonator to compensate for signal loss in a lossy medium. In another aspect, a planar microwave resonator comprising a secondary layer defining a sensing interface may be used to facilitate the sensing by exposing the secondary layer to a substance to be investigated. In another aspect, a planar microwave resonator sensor is provided comprising separate resonator and active feedback loop components that are indirectly connected through an electromagnetically coupling and may be constructed on two separate support structure. |
| US10175177B2 |
Adjustable variable resolution inspection systems and methods
Camera heads configured to provide digitally articulated images or video, at adjustable resolutions and/or offsets and orientations, to a camera control unit (CCU) or other electronic computing system for display, storage, and/or transmission to other systems are disclosed. |
| US10175173B2 |
Chemical element analysis device and method for contaminants in liquid
The present invention relates to a chemical element analysis device and method for contaminants in a liquid. The chemical element analysis device for contaminants in a liquid according to the present invention comprises: a sample storage unit 10 for storing a sampled liquid sample 1; a laser unit 20 for emitting a laser beam 21: 21a, 21b, and 21c and irradiating the laser beam 21 to the sample 1: 1a, 1b, and 1c sprayed from the sample storage unit 10; and a spectrometer 30 for collecting plasma light 31: 31a, 31b, and 31c generated by irradiating the laser beam 21 to the sample 1, and measuring a spectrum of the plasma light 31. |
| US10175169B2 |
Optical sensor, optical testing apparatus, and optical characteristics detection method
An optical sensor is provided. The optical sensor has an emitting system including at least one light emitting device which emits light onto an object; and a detecting system detecting the light which has been emitted by the emitting system and which has propagated through the object. The light emitting device is capable of emitting a plurality of light beams with different wavelengths onto substantially the same position of the object. |
| US10175165B2 |
Multi-characteristic integrated computational element using light incidence angle manipulation
Multi-characteristic detection is achieved by altering the light incidence angle of a single Integrated Computational Element (“ICE”) used in an optical computing device. |
| US10175163B2 |
Aqueous sample fluid measurement and analysis
An embodiment provides a method for determining a concentration of an analyte in a fluid sample, including: introducing a fluid sample into a measurement chamber; operating a measurement device to introduce light of a first wavelength to the fluid sample; measuring, with a detector, absorbance of the light of the first wavelength with respect to the fluid sample; operating the measurement device to introduce light of a second wavelength to the fluid sample; measuring, with the detector, absorbance of the light of the second wavelength with respect to the fluid sample; determining, using a processor of the measurement device, an absorbance ratio of the fluid sample using both the measured absorbance of the light of the first wavelength and the measured absorbance of the light of the second wavelength; and providing, via an output device, a determined concentration value for the fluid sample that correlates to the absorbance ratio. Other aspects are described and claimed. |
| US10175162B2 |
Paper sensing and analytic service workflow methods and systems
This disclosure provides a workflow method and system associated with a paper-based sensor. Specifically, provided is a paper-based sensor workflow including printing of customized security sensing information and bio-reagents to produce a paper-based sensor, applying a test material, such as, but not limited to, blood, to the paper-based sensor, capturing an image of the paper-based sensor and performing a colorimetric process; and performing one or more analytics to produce results associated with the test material. |
| US10175160B1 |
Method to analyze spectroscopic ellipsometry or intensity data of porous samples utilizing the anisotropic bruggeman-effective medium theory
Methodology of characterizing pore size distribution in a porous thin film having a surface, or in a surface region of a porous semi-infinite bulk substrate having a surface, involving applying a mathematical model of a sample based on effective medium approaches, such as the Bruggeman effective medium approach. |
| US10175159B2 |
Use of vibrational spectroscopy for DNA content inspection
This disclosure concerns a cytometry system including a handling system that enables presentation of single cells to at least one laser source. The laser source is configured to deliver light to a cell within the cells in order to induce bond vibrations in the cellular DNA. The system further includes a detection facility that detects the signature of the bond vibrations, wherein the bond vibration signature is used to determine the folding or packing of the DNA. |
| US10175157B2 |
Size distribution determination of aerosols using hyperspectral image technology and analytics
An aerosol distribution determining system and method are provided. The system includes a set of light emitters for emitting electromagnetic radiation. The system additionally includes a set of black disks for absorbing a portion of the electromagnetic radiation emitted from the set of light emitters. The system further includes a hyperspectral imaging camera for capturing hyperspectral images of the electromagnetic radiation in an absence of and in a presence of an aerosol distribution. The system also includes a data processing system for determining at least one of a size, a vertical density distribution, and a shape of particles in the aerosol distribution based information derived using the hyperspectral images. |
| US10175154B2 |
Methods and system for slide processing
Various examples of systems and methods are provided for slide processing. In one example, among others, a system for processing microscope slides includes a slide positioner that can adjust a position of a slide and a slide treatment system that can dispense a micro stream of a fluid at a location on the slide when the slide is positioned beneath a jet nozzle of the slide treatment system. The system can include a slide sled that can align a smearing slide with a surface of the slide including a fluid sample is disposed, and support the smearing slide at a predefined angle with respect to the surface of the slide. In another example, a method includes obtaining a slide including a sample disposed on a surface, positioning the slide below to a jet nozzle, and dispensing a micro stream of a fluid onto the sample using the jet nozzle. |
| US10175153B2 |
Automated systems and methods for preparing biological specimens for examination
The systems and methods disclosed herein permit automated preparation of biological specimens for examination. The disclosed systems and methods provide fast, efficient, and highly uniform specimen processing using minimal quantities of fluids. The methods include at least a fixing phase for fixing a biological specimen to a substrate such as a microscope slide, a staining phase for staining the specimen, and a rinsing phase for rinsing the specimen. One or more of the fixing, staining, and rinsing phases include one or more agitation cycles for distributing reagents evenly and uniformly across the specimen. The systems can be implemented as a standalone device or as a component in a larger system for preparing and examining biological specimens. |
| US10175150B2 |
Resistance compensator to reduce uncertainty in determination of movement of a structural member
A resistance compensator includes: a first probe line to attach to a structural member and to provide a first combination of displacement of the structural member and an expansion of the first probe line; a second probe line connected to the first probe line and in electrical communication with the first probe line; a resistance probe in electrical communication with the first probe line and the second probe line to provide a probe signal, wherein the resistance probe is connected to the first probe line at a probe junction; a displacement member in mechanical communication with the first probe line, the displacement member to: receive the first combination from the first probe line; and produce a displacement signal comprising the displacement of the structural member, the expansion of the first probe line, or a combination thereof. |
| US10175146B2 |
Device for lifting at least one vehicle wheel or tyre, with detector of the state of wear of the latter
A lifting device (10, 40) for at least one wheel (8) of a vehicle or for a tire (6), said device (10, 40) comprising at least one platform (12, 41, 42) on which the wheel (8) or tire (6) moves, said platform (12) being liftable relative to a fixed surface (P). The movable platform (12) is associated with a laser scanner (20) for detecting the state of wear of the tire (6). |
| US10175142B2 |
Multiple-fiber connector inspection
An inspection system for inspecting a multiple-fiber connector is provided. The inspection system includes a microscope probe and a probe tip configured to provide an optical path between the microscope probe and the multiple-fiber connector. The probe tip and microscope probe are configured so that the field of view of the microscope probe is sufficiently large to cover a portion of the connector surface encompassing a plurality of the optical fiber endfaces. The system further includes a shifting mechanism operable to shift the field of view of the microscope probe between at least two discrete positions over the connector surface. Each discrete position encompasses a different subset of the multiple optical fiber endfaces and optionally at least one positioning reference. A probe tip and a method of inspection are also provided. |
| US10175139B2 |
Sensor information collecting apparatus
A sensor information collecting apparatus includes: a sensor module including a sensor; a sensor amplifier; an acceleration sensor; a control unit; a power supply unit; an illumination unit; an illumination driver; and a battery, which supplies a battery voltage to the acceleration sensor, the control unit, and the power supply unit, wherein, when an acceleration level is equal to or more than a threshold value for data-storing, the control unit activates the sensor amplifier and controls the memory to store the detection data, and wherein, when the acceleration sensor detects an acceleration level which is less than the threshold value for data-storing and is equal to or more than a threshold value for data-transmitting, the control unit outputs an optical communication signal and the illumination driver controls the illumination unit to emit light, on which the optical communication signal is superimposed. |
| US10175138B1 |
Packaging structure and detection method for the tightness thereof and manufacturing method for the same, display apparatus, and photovolaic device
The disclosure provides a packaging structure and a detection method for the tightness thereof and a manufacturing method for the same, a display apparatus, and a photovoltaic device. The packaging structure includes: a substrate base-plate and a packaging cover plate arranged opposite to each other, and a packaging adhesive formed between the substrate base-plate and the packaging cover plate and used for connecting the substrate base-plate and the packaging cover plate to form a sealed space, in which packaging adhesive a fluorescent agent is mixed. |
| US10175134B2 |
Physical quantity measuring device
A controller includes: a communication attachment member configured to be detachably attached to a measuring device body; a second light emitter/receiver provided to a communication attachment member and configured to transmit/receive a signal to/from a first light emitter/receiver of the measuring device body; and a second controller configured to transmit/receive a signal to/from the second light emitter/receiver. An electronic circuit unit, electronic calibration unit, first control unit, signal transmission unit and the first light emitter/receiver are provided inside a housing of the measuring device body. A window is hermetically provided to a plate of the measuring device body. The communication attachment member includes a cover configured to be disposed so that the second light emitter/receiver faces the window and an engagement portion provided to the cover to be engageable with the housing. |
| US10175133B2 |
Sensor with protective layer
A sensor comprises a sensor layer comprising a ceramic material; an adhesion layer comprising chromium, the adhesion layer adhered to one or more portions of a liquid facing surface of the sensor layer; and an isolator film comprising a polymer, the isolator film overlaying a liquid facing surface of the adhesion layer. The isolator film may be used to protect the sensor from corrosive and high temperature fluids, for example to protect the sensor from long term exposure to hot water between 85° C. and 100° C. |
| US10175129B2 |
Method for determining a pressure measurement signal, and a pressure measurement arrangement for same
The invention relates to a method for determining a pressure measurement signal in a capacitive pressure measurement cell which comprises a main body and a measurement membrane that is arranged on the front of said main body. Electrodes are arranged on said main body and measurement membrane and form a measurement capacitance in a region of the measurement membrane which has a high degree of pressure sensitivity, and form a reference capacitance in a region of the measurement membrane which has a lower degree of pressure sensitivity, said measurement capacitance and reference capacitance being determined independently of one another, the pressure measurement signal being determined in a first measurement range from the measurement capacitance and the reference capacitance, in accordance with the first evaluation, and said pressure measurement signal being determined in a second measurement range from the reference capacitance in accordance with a second evaluation. |
| US10175126B2 |
Pressing force sensor
A pressing force sensor that includes a sensor element configured with a piezoelectric film, a lead terminal for connection to an external circuit, a wiring conductor which connects pressing force detection electrodes and the lead terminal, and a flexible printed circuit board which withstands solder reflow temperatures. The flexible printed circuit board has the pressing force detection electrodes formed on a first principal surface thereof, and is folded via a folding line while the first principal surface faces inward. The sensor element is deflected by a pressing force applied to a second principal surface which faces outward and is in a first area of the flexible printed circuit board which is on one side with respect to the folding line, and a signal corresponding to the pressing force is thus taken out from the pressing force detection electrodes. |
| US10175125B1 |
Planar sensor for sensing lateral displacement and shear
A planar sensor for sensing lateral displacement and shear measures the displacement of a small ferromagnetic or diamagnetic target that is positioned and allowed to move laterally over a series of specially shaped and orientated planar coils. The coils are preferably multi-layer printed circuit boards (PCB) that contain the planar windings and in other embodiments can be fabricated using flexible PCBs or using micro electromechanical (MEMS) assemblies. The target displacement is constrained to a general area and in multiple lateral directions (measuring shear). |
| US10175124B2 |
Monitoring system for tractive and compressive forces in an energy guiding chain and corresponding force sensor
The invention relates to a monitoring system for tractive and compressive forces in a power track chain (1) for protected guidance of cables, hoses etc. The monitoring system comprises at least one force sensor (10, 90) for measuring a tractive or compressive force transmitted between a driver (4) and a moveable end (3) of the power track chain, and an evaluation unit (12) for evaluating the measurement signals detected by the force sensor. The invention is characterized by the design and arrangement of the force sensor (10, 90). This force sensor is designed as a connecting member for attaching the moveable end (3) of the power track chain (1) on the driver (4) and comprises at least one web (32, 34, 92) extended substantially transversely to the direction of the tractive/compressive force. The web has at least one elastically deformable bending region (321, 322, 341, 342) with an associated sensor (621, 622, 641, 642) for measuring deformation produced by bending. |
| US10175121B2 |
Light diffusing fiber thermal indicators
A light diffusing fiber including one or more segments, and a thermochromic coating on at least a portion of the light diffusing fiber. The thermochromic coating is opaque at a first temperature, and is transparent at a second temperature. A system for detecting the temperature of an apparatus including the apparatus, a light diffusing fiber thermally coupled to the apparatus, and a light source optically coupled to the light diffusing fiber. A method for detecting the temperature of an apparatus including thermally coupling a light diffusing fiber to the apparatus, optically coupling a light source to the light diffusing fiber, and monitoring the light diffusing fiber for transmitted light. |
| US10175120B2 |
Internal temperature measurement method and internal temperature measurement device
A method includes measuring a first temperature difference between first heat entry and discharge parts on a first heat transfer path extending from a portion of a surface of the object to the first heat discharge part using a first thermopile, and measuring a second temperature difference between a second heat entry and discharge parts on a second heat transfer path extending from another portion of the surface of the object to the second heat discharge part using a second thermopile, and measuring a reference temperature at a predetermined position on the first or second heat transfer path using a temperature sensor, and calculating the internal temperature of the object using the measured first and second temperature differences, and the reference temperature, and at least one predetermined value excluding a physical property value of a non-heating part of the object located at a surface side of the object. |
| US10175119B1 |
Temperature sensor with frequency-controlled reference
The temperature-dependent resistance of a MEMS structure is compared with an effective resistance of a switched CMOS capacitive element to implement a high performance temperature sensor. |
| US10175117B2 |
Temperature sensing assembly for measuring temperature of a wall of a high temperature vessel
A temperature sensing assembly for measuring the temperature of an inner wall of a high temperature vessel includes a thermocouple assembly having multiple junction points to provide indications of temperature. The assembly further includes support structures for supporting the thermocouple assembly in the interior space of the vessel and to maintain the junction points proximate the inner wall of the vessel. |
| US10175116B1 |
Color filter used with liquid-crystal polarization interferometer
An apparatus includes a liquid-crystal polarization interferometer that causes an optical path delay between a first and a second polarization of input light. The liquid-crystal polarization interferometer includes a liquid-crystal variable retarder that provides a variable retardance in response to a voltage applied across the liquid-crystal cell. First and second polarizers are located on opposing sides of the liquid-crystal cell. The apparatus includes an image sensor that senses interferograms based on output light that passes through the liquid-crystal polarization interferometer. The apparatus includes a color filter that filters one of the input light and the output light. The color filter has a spectral transmission characteristic that passes more light in a blue spectral region that in a red spectral region. |
| US10175113B2 |
Thermal protection mechanisms for uncooled microbolometers
Methods and apparatus for preventing solar damage, and other heat-related damage, to uncooled microbolometer pixels. In certain examples, at least some of the pixels of an uncooled microbolometer are configured with a bimetallic thermal shorting structure that protects the pixel(s) from excessive heat damage. In other examples a thermochroic membrane that becomes highly reflective at temperatures above a certain threshold is applied over the microbolometer pixels to prevent the pixels from being damaged by excessive heat. |
| US10175096B2 |
System and method to enable re-use of surgical instrument
Some surgical instruments become partially or fully disabled at a device firmware level after being used in a surgical procedure in order to prevent overuse or abuse of the surgical instrument that could create patient safety concerns. A reconditioning device may be used by the end user of such a surgical instrument to perform diagnostics and reconditioning of the surgical instrument so that the surgical instrument may be placed back into service without the direct intervention of the manufacturer. The reconditioning device provides power to the surgical instrument, analyzes device usage history, activates and tests the surgical instrument cutting and gripping functions, and measures electrical characteristics and mechanical characteristics of the surgical instrument. Gathered data is used to determine if the surgical instrument may be safely reconditioned for further use. If reconditioning is possible, the device will be reconfigured for safe use, reactivated, and then sterilized for subsequent re-use. |
| US10175094B2 |
Fiber optic communications with subsea sensors
The present techniques are directed to systems and methods for monitoring parameter data from sensors, for example, in a subsea environment. In one method, an electrical signal including data from the subsea unit is converted into an acoustic signal. The acoustic signal is directed through the water column towards a fiber optic cable. The acoustic signal is detected by changes in a light signal carried in the fiber optic cable, and the changes in the light signal are decoded to obtain a data stream representing the parameter data. |
| US10175092B2 |
Cryogenic vibration sensor and insulator pad assembly, and cryogenic pumps including the same
A cryogenic-rated vibration sensor generally includes a cryogenic-rated accelerometer mounted to a top planar surface of an insulation block, wherein the insulation block includes a threaded opening on a bottom planar surface thereof for attachment to an object. Also disclosed are cryogenic pumps including the cryogenic-rated vibration sensor. |
| US10175091B2 |
Remote sensor control system
A remote sensor control system provides a sensor reading from an insulated environment at a certain interval dependent upon the threat level. The remote sensor control system has a control module and a remote module. The control module is disposed outside the insulated environment. The control module includes an energy source configured to produce an energy beam. The remote module is disposed at least partially within the insulated environment. The remote module is configured to receive the energy beam from the energy source. The remote module includes a battery, a sensor reader configured to sample a sensor, and an optical power gate configured to provide power from the battery to the sensor reader upon receiving said energy beam from the energy source. |
| US10175088B1 |
Liquid level gauge with removable indicator assembly
An indicator assembly for determining a liquid level condition within a tank includes a dial assembly with a base and a lens or cover connected to the base. A channel is formed in the lens and a go-no-go protrusion projects into the channel. An actuator is located between the base and the cover and is movable in response to a change in liquid level in the tank. The indicator assembly also includes a sensor module for insertion into the channel. The sensor module has a housing with a sensor for determining movement of the actuator in response to a change in liquid level. A go-no-go cavity complementary in shape with the go-no-go protrusion is formed in the housing so that the sensor module can be fully inserted into the housing with the sensor aligned with the actuator for generating signals related to the liquid level condition. |
| US10175082B1 |
Plastic cover capable of quantitatively discharging powder
Provided is a plastic cover capable of quantitatively discharging powder, including an upper cover, a powder discharging box, a slidable spoon, a powder feeding box 4, and a spring, wherein the upper cover is screwed on the powder discharging box, the slidable spoon is arranged between the powder discharging box and the powder feeding box, the spring is arranged in the slidable spoon, with one end being connected to the powder feeding box and the other end connected to the slidable spoon. With the plastic cover capable of quantitatively discharging powder, the powder can be taken out quantitatively, and the structure is simple, the use is convenient, and the operation is easy. |
| US10175081B2 |
Fluid level measurement
A system and method for determining a fluid consumption rate from a fluid tank is described. The fluid tank includes a fuel for an internal combustion engine and the internal combustion engine provides power to a powered system. The method includes determining instantaneous fluid consumption; determining an operating condition of the powered system, the powered system providing a load on the internal combustion engine; determining the load on the internal combustion engine and a state of the internal combustion engine; and calculating the fluid consumption rate based on the instantaneous fuel consumption, the load on the internal combustion engine, and the state of the internal combustion engine. |
| US10175078B2 |
Coriolis mass flow meter
A holder is mounted on a U-shaped curved tube portion of a measurement tube formed of a synthetic resin, and wing-shaped strips having a plate shape protrude outward from the holder. Distortion caused by a Coriolis force which depends on a flow rate is generated symmetrically with respect to a center line passing through a distal end of the curved tube portion and parallel to an outbound tube and an inbound tube. Therefore, the outbound tube and the inbound tube are twisted about the center line of the holder, and an amount of distortion is enhanced by the wing-shaped strips under the principle of leverage for detection. |
| US10175077B2 |
Single transceiver ultrasonic flow meter having an array of transducer elements
Elements of a single beam-forming array of ultrasonic transducer elements are selectively activated to direct two or more ultrasonic beams to a series of acoustic mirrors mounted to or fabricated at known locations at an inside surface of the pipe. The ultrasonic beams traverse measurement path segments at known angles through a fluid flowing through the pipe before being received back at the single transducer array. Fluid flow velocity along the fluid flow path is calculated as a function of a difference in time-of-flight (TOF) along first and second ultrasonic beam paths after subtracting TOF components contributed by known-length non-measurement path segments. The difference in TOF results from an additive downstream fluid flow velocity vector component along a first measurement path segment and a subtractive upstream fluid flow velocity vector component along a second measurement path segment. |
| US10175072B2 |
Insertion vortex flowmeter element
An insertion-type flowmeter adapted for removable insertion into a fluid conduit includes an elongate body having a flow opening and a vortex-generating element disposed within the flow opening at distance from the opening entry that is correlated to the size of the flow opening to define a flow conditioning space in the flow opening between the opening entry and the vortex-generating element. |
| US10175070B2 |
Selective decimation and analysis of oversampled data
Useful and meaningful machine characteristic information may be derived through analysis of oversampled digital data collected using dynamic signal analyzers, such as vibration analyzers. Such data have generally been discarded in prior art systems. In addition to peak values and decimated values, other oversampled values are used that are associated with characteristics of the machine being monitored and the sensors and circuits that gather the data. This provides more useful information than has previously been derived from oversampled data within a sampling interval. |
| US10175068B2 |
Pressure compensator for meter housing
Disclosed is a pressure compensator for a housing compartment that includes a housing wall that has an opening between an interior zone that is inside of the compartment and an exterior zone that is outside of the compartment. The housing wall also includes an annulus that defines one portion of the opening. A seal engages the annulus and is seated in the opening to seal the opening, the seal including a flexible diaphragm having a normally closed slit therethrough. The seal is configured so that the diaphragm is normally compressed in a first direction that urges the slit closed when the seal is engaged with the annulus. The diaphragm is arranged so that a pressure difference between the interior zone and exterior zone urges the diaphragm to flex in a direction for opening a slit thus creates a pathway between the interior zone and the exterior zone, thereby reducing the pressure difference. |
| US10175066B2 |
Sensor system for detecting absolute rotational angle of a shaft
A system for detecting the absolute rotational angle of a shaft rotatable more than one revolution includes a drive wheel connected to the shaft to rotate therewith. The drive wheel includes measurement sectors adjacent to one another in a circumferential direction. First and second driven wheels are engaged to the drive wheel. First and second sensors monitor rotational positions of the driven wheels to thereby detect an absolute rotational angle of the shaft. A third sensor monitors a relative angular position of the shaft in relation to a detected one of the measurement sectors to thereby detect the relative angular position of the shaft within one revolution of the shaft. The detected absolute rotational angle of the shaft is refined with the detected relative angular position of the shaft to thereby generate the absolute rotational angle of the shaft with more precision. |
| US10175063B2 |
Method of sensing sliding by hall sensor and sensing system using the same
A method of sensing a sliding by a sensor including grouping one or more Hall elements into one or more groups, measuring magnetic field strength generated by a magnetic field source, and comparing the magnetic field strength at the one or more Hall elements to determine whether a horizontal sliding occurs. |
| US10175060B2 |
Translation of verbal directions into a list of maneuvers
Natural language directions are received and a set of maneuver/context pairs are generated based upon the natural language directions. The set of maneuver/context pairs are provided to a routing engine to obtain route information based upon the set of maneuver/context pairs. The route information is provided to an output system for surfacing to a user. |
| US10175058B2 |
Methods, devices and map databases for green routing
In at least one embodiment, a method is disclosed that includes determining algorithmically a a plurality of vehicle cost values for traveling a plurality of road segments in a vehicle based at least in part on vehicle cost data derived at least in part from position derivative data obtained from at least one vehicle that traveled the road segments (S1); associating each of the plurality of road segments with at least one of the vehicle cost values (S2); and storing the determined vehicle cost values in a memory device (S3). In at least one embodiment, a method for determining a route of travel from a first location to a second location is disclosed. Other embodiments include a map database, storable on a storage medium; a device including a memory (230) storing a map database, a processor (210) and an output device (260); and a device for use in a vehicle, where the device includes a GPS receiver (250), a memory (230) and a processor (210). |
| US10175055B2 |
Navigation system
The invention relates to a navigation method and to a navigation device. In the navigation method, the actual movement of the navigation device and thus of the user of the navigation device is detected. In order for a prescribed destination to be reached, navigation instructions are output by the navigation device. Signals that reflect the actual geometry of the surroundings can be transmitted to the navigation device by a device for detecting the surroundings. If it is recognized that output navigation instructions have not been followed, then the signals that reflect the geometry of the surroundings are detected. Based on the difference between the actual movement and the movement prescribed by the instructions, alternative navigation instructions are determined. In comparison to the originally suggested navigation instructions, the alternative navigation instructions constitute a confirmation in the direction of movement suggested by the original navigation instructions. |
| US10175052B2 |
Method of determining a geolocation of an electronic device
There is disclosed a method of determining a geolocation of an electronic device having a first and second sensor, executable at a server, comprising acquiring route information from a first geo-point to a second geo-point; determining a plurality of route points along the route and receiving, from the first sensor a state indicative of the geo-position; determining the geo-location of one of the plurality of route points; receiving, from the second device sensor a state associated with a specific geo-maneuver at the given route point; comparing the second sensor state to a predetermined second sensor state for the given route point and for the specific geo-maneuver; determining that the device has deviated from the route at the route point; generating revised route information based on a difference of the second sensor state and the geo-position of the first sensor state; sending the revised route to the device. |
| US10175051B2 |
Method of detecting position of human body, and system and positioning server using the same
A human body positioning method, a human body positioning system, and a positioning server are provided, adapted for positioning a human body in a specific space. Best routing paths between a positioning server and a target wireless device among wireless devices are sought according to communication quality of the wireless devices. A device positioning result is estimated according to the best routing paths. A wireless network topology formed by operating wireless devices is established. Voxels of a 3D space image are transmitted into the wireless network topology, and the human body is detected according to the voxels based on serving the operating wireless devices as a neuron of a neural network architecture associated with a body detecting model. When the human body is detected, the human body is positioned at the device positioning result. |
| US10175048B2 |
Geolocation using guided surface waves
Disclosed are various approaches for determining positions of a navigation unit and correcting for errors. The navigation unit can receive a guided surface wave using a guided surface wave receive structure. The navigation unit can then determine a potential location of the guided surface wave receive structure. Finally, the navigation unit can determine an accuracy of the potential location based at least in part on a secondary data source. |
| US10175046B1 |
Optical accelerometer
Methods and apparatus optically measure acceleration, without Sagnac-effect corruption, without requiring slow light and without moving parts. Each optical accelerometer includes at least one measurement cell and at least one reference cell. Two optical signals traverse the cells in opposite directions around a figure-8-configured optical path and then interfere to produce an output signal. The reference cells have different indices of refraction than the measurement cells. Acceleration differentially affects speeds of the optical signals traversing the measurement and reference cells through differentially affecting the indices of refraction of the measurement and reference cells. These differences are evident in changes in the interference in the output signal, thereby enabling measurement of the acceleration. Several embodiments, including optical bench, vertical slab multi-pass, toroidal prism, planar waveguide, cylindrical waveguide, wound waveguide and optical fiber, are described. |
| US10175045B2 |
Vibrator drive circuit
A vibrator drive circuit is configured to drive a vibrator mass 3 in a prescribed vibration direction. The vibrator drive circuit includes a drive unit configured to drive a vibrator based on a reference signal SG1 of a predetermined frequency to cause the vibrator to vibrate in a vibration direction, a phase detector configured to detect a vibration waveform of the vibrator in the vibration direction and to output an output voltage Vcnt in accordance with a phase difference between reference signal SG1 and a vibration waveform thereof, and two capacitors each formed of a movable electrode provided in the vibrator and a fixed electrode provided to face the movable electrode, the output voltage Vcnt being applied to the fixed electrode. The phase detector is configured to adjust the output voltage Vcnt in accordance with the phase difference, thereby changing electrostatic force in each of the capacitors for controlling the phase difference to be 90 degrees. |
| US10175044B2 |
Circuit device, physical quantity detection device, electronic apparatus, and moving object
A circuit device includes a detection circuit which outputs angular velocity information, based on a detection signal from an angular velocity sensor element; and an output unit which outputs rotation number information of fixed-point notation that is obtained based on the angular velocity information. The output unit can output an integer part of the rotation number information as an integer part of the fixed-point notation, and can output a decimal part of the rotation number information as a decimal part of the fixed-point notation. |
| US10175042B2 |
Adaptive compass calibration based on local field conditions
Disclosed is a system and method for calibrating a magnetometer of a compass. With a global navigation satellite system receiver, a current position is determined. The determined position is used to determine a magnetic inclination (e.g., by a global magnetic field model such as the World Magnetic Model). The calibration system may perform different calibration sequences based on the magnetic inclination. In a first calibration sequence, performed responsive to a determination that a magnetic inclination (or the absolute value of the magnetic inclination) is less than a threshold, magnetic field data is measured by the magnetometer as it is rotated through horizontal rotation paths. If the magnetic inclination is greater than the threshold, magnetic field data is measured by the magnetometer as it is rotated through vertical rotation paths. The measured magnetic field data may be used to determine calibration values for the magnetometer compass. |
| US10175041B2 |
Measuring head and eccentricity measuring device including the same
A measuring head includes a light source unit, a first image pickup element, a second image pickup element, an objective optical system, an optical path splitting element, a common optical path, a first optical path, and a second optical path. The common optical path is located on one side of the optical path splitting element, and the first optical path and a second optical path are located on the other side. The optical path splitting element is disposed at a position where the first optical path and the second optical path intersect. The light source unit and the first image pickup element are disposed at predetermined positions. The second image pickup element is disposed at a position different from the predetermined positions. Each of the predetermined positions is a focal position of the objective optical system or a position conjugate to the focal position of the objective optical system. |
| US10175039B2 |
Authentication of articles by white light interferometry and birefringence
The present invention provides a method of authenticating the provenance of an article marked with a removable transparent polymer film comprising measuring the thickness of the removable transparent film while still located on the article or of a layer within the film while still located on the article by white light interferometry. Alternatively, or in addition, the method comprises measuring the birefringence of the removable transparent polymer film while still located on the article or of a layer within the film while still located on the article. |
| US10175038B2 |
Method of inspecting the thickness of a part of hollow shape
A thickness inspection method inspects the thickness of a part having a hollow shape by using tooling enabling a counter-shape to be molded that matches said hollow shape. The method includes putting the part into place on a support secured to the tooling, locking the part in place, and filling the hollow shape with a molding material in order to form the counter-shape. The method also includes solidifying the molding material, acquiring 3D images of the external surface of the part and of the support, and removing the part from the support in order to leave only the counter-shape on the support. The method also includes acquiring 3D images of the outside surface of the counter-shape and of the support, and superposing and processing the 3D images in order to obtain various dimensions of the part enabling its thickness to be inspected. |
| US10175033B2 |
System and method for determining the position of a bullet projectile on a target plane
A method and system are provided for accurately determining the point of impact of a bullet on a shooting disc or target plane and optionally the position of the shooter, wherein a number of light curtains are used for registering time instants of the passage of the bullet projectile through predetermined light planes by detecting the shadow cast by the bullet. Differences between the measured times and/or the measured times themselves are then used for calculating the velocity of the bullet and the points at which the trajectory of the bullet intersects the light planes and the target plane, which may be arranged or located behind or in front of the target disc/target disc arrangement of the system having the particular pattern of light curtains, allowing for the calculation of the centre impact point of the bullet on the shooting disc or target plane in 3D. |
| US10175030B2 |
Threat detection
A method of threat detection includes illuminating a scene with short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) illumination and receiving a return of the SWIR illumination reflected back from the scene. The method includes analyzing the return of the SWIR illumination to detect presence of man-made optics in the scene. Illuminating, receiving, and analyzing can be performed by a device, e.g., a rifle-mounted laser device. |
| US10175028B2 |
Device for use with a target viewing device
A device for use with a target viewing device comprising a collet comprising having a central opening defined by a first part and a second part. The second part is rotatably coupled to the first part such that the second part rotates relative to the first part. An attaching member fixedly couples the first part proximate to the target viewing device such that the central opening does not obstruct an image provided to and from the target viewing device. A mirror is pivotally coupled to a planar body so that the mirror may pivot about a hinge to position the mirror relative to the target viewing device to provide a reflection of an image provided by the target viewing device to the user when the device is positioned behind the target viewing device, and to provide a reflection of an image to the target viewing device when the device is positioned in front of the target viewing device. |
| US10175026B2 |
Device, method and energy product-by-process for launching magnetic projectiles and motivating linear and rotational motion, using permanent magnets or magnetized bodies
A magnetic apparatus and related method and energy product-by-process to motivate linear or rotational motion, comprising: at least one magnet ring tier comprising a ring of a plurality of permanent magnets; a central core comprising a permanent magnet projectile movement channel, an axis of the channel aligned in a direction normal to a geometric plane defined by the magnet ring, and running through a geometric center of the magnet ring; and each of the permanent magnets mounted in the ring at a mount angle thereof, with the components of their polar alignments parallel to the central core all oriented in the same direction; wherein: if the polar alignment of a permanent magnet projectile was introduced with a particular duality-dependent orientation into the permanent magnet projectile movement channel, the magnetic forces between the ring magnets and the projectile would be capable of motivating the permanent magnet projectile relative to the channel. |
| US10175023B2 |
Cocking system for a crossbow
A cocking system for retracting a string carrier on a crossbow that is substantially silent during operation. |
| US10175022B2 |
Crossbow track assembly
A crossbow track assembly includes a crossbow track having a top surface and a side surface. The top surface includes an arrow track. The side surface includes a longitudinal passage leading to a longitudinal cavity. The side surface forms an upper shoulder and a lower shoulder of the longitudinal cavity. A second side surface may include a second longitudinal passage leading to a second longitudinal cavity. The second side surface may form an upper shoulder and a lower shoulder of the second longitudinal cavity. The crossbow track assembly may further include a crossbow accessory including an accessory body operatively connected to a plug, which is dimensioned to fit within the longitudinal cavity of the crossbow track for securing the accessory body to the crossbow track. The accessory body may be adjustably connected to the plug with a fastener. Alternatively, the plug may be in sliding engagement with the longitudinal cavity. |
| US10175021B2 |
Archery bow
In some embodiments, an archery bow comprises a riser comprising a grip, a first limb and a second limb. A drawstring extends between the first limb and the second limb, for example extending between rotatable members supported by the limbs. A first cable, such as a power cable, also extends between the first limb and the second limb. A cable guard is attached to the riser, which comprises a body portion and a cable engaging portion. The cable guard biases a portion of the first cable in a direction away from the riser. |
| US10175020B2 |
Hunting assembly combination including gun rest and gun barrel sleeve
A combination of accessories for use in a deer blind includes a gun rest and a gun barrel sleeve. The gun rest is a three dimensional structure such as a lightweight block having different dimensions to allow different height positioning of a gun. The gun barrel sleeve covers at least the portion of the gun barrel. The gun barrel sleeve may be stored in a hollow opening provided in the gun rest. |
| US10175018B1 |
Firearm safety system
A firearm safety system processes images of a shooter and/or a target, and determines whether to lock or unlock a firearm based on a result of the processing. An image capturing device mounted on the firearm captures images of a shooter and a target. A storage media includes images of authorized users of the firearm, and images of targets not be shot at (“do-not-shoot” targets). A microprocessor compares the shooter image with images of the authorized users, and/or the target images with images of the do-not-shoot targets. The firearm is locked when (a) the shooter image does not match an image of any authorized user or (b) the target image matches an image of any do-not-shoot target. The firearm is unlocked when (a) the shooter image matches an image of any authorized users and (b) the target image does not match an image of any do-not-shoot target. |
| US10175014B2 |
Firearm loading system
A firearm reload system that enables the reloading of a firearm with a single user action. The firearm reload system can include an automatic ammunition chambering system and an empty magazine auto-eject system. The automatic ammunition chambering system includes an actuator on a magazine that actuates a pivoting slide lock when the magazine is introduced into the firearm frame, causing the pivoting slide lock to disengage from the firearm's slide release, thereby freeing the slide and chambering a cartridge. The magazine auto-eject system includes a magazine actuator linking the slide release and the magazine release such that when the slide release is brought into a locked position, the magazine actuator actuates the magazine release such that the magazine is released from the firearm. |
| US10175013B1 |
Modified rifle lower receiver, related components, cartridges, and methods
A modified lower receiver for a standard assault rifle includes a modified receiver body and a magazine release. The modified receiver body defines a modified magazine well, a trigger well and modified forward and rear takedown holes, and the magazine release is mounted on a side of the modified receiver body and extends into the modified magazine well. The modified magazine well is longer than a magazine well of a standard lower receiver by a predetermined distance forward of the magazine release. Positions of the modified forward and rear takedown holes are also forward of respective standard positions of forward and rear takedown holes by the same predetermined distance. A method of modifying the assault rifle includes removing the standard lower receiver and firing pin from an upper receiver, installing a longer, modified firing pin into the upper receiver, and installing the modified lower receiver on the upper receiver. |
| US10175010B2 |
Heat exchanger cleaning system with cable and turbine rotation
An online cleaning system for tube and shell heat exchangers is presented. The system includes a positioner, a plunger, an umbilical cleaner, and a motor. The cleaning system cleans the tubes while the heat exchanger remains in operation. The cleaning system locates and isolates a single tube via rotating and translating mechanical actions and inserts the umbilical cleaner into the tube, which may clean the tube via rotational movement or via sonication. The cleaning system may further clean the outer surface of the tubes of the heat exchanger. |
| US10175009B2 |
Method for manufacturing refrigerant distributor, refrigerant distributor manufacturing apparatus, refrigerant distributor, heat exchanger, and air-conditioning device
A sacrifice positive electrode layer is formed conveniently, efficiently, and accurately on the surface of a refrigerant distributor having a complicated shape. Further, during the formation of the sacrifice positive electrode layer, the strength in the surroundings of joined parts is prevented from being lowered by excessive heating. Included are: an applying step of applying flux to remove an aluminum oxide to a surface of a plurality of outflow sections and a distributing section; an alloy disposing step of disposing a zinc-containing aluminum-silicon alloy on the surface to which the flux is applied; a forming step of forming the sacrifice positive electrode layer on the surface by heating the disposed zinc-containing aluminum-silicon alloy; a brazing material disposing step of inserting a plurality of outflow pipes into the plurality of outflow sections, respectively, and disposing an aluminum-silicon alloy brazing material on the surface of the outflow sections; and a brazing step of brazing the plurality of outflow sections with the plurality of outflow pipes, respectively, by heating the aluminum-silicon alloy brazing material. |
| US10175008B2 |
Heat exchanger
A heat exchanger has a case housing a plurality of heat transfer tubes, a pair of header portions for water inflow and for water outflow, the pair of header portions connecting with both ends of the plurality of heat transfer tubes, and a pair of wall portions for headers respectively constituted with an auxiliary member formed separately from a side plate member of the case, the wall portions for headers constituting the pair of header portions by being assembled with the side plate member. The pair of wall portions for headers are configured to be integrally connected with each other. Thereby, production of the pair of header portions are facilitated and the production cost of the heat exchanger is reduced. |
| US10175006B2 |
Heat transfer elements for a closed channel rotary regenerative air preheater
A closed channel rotary regenerative air preheater includes element supporting baskets that have first heat transfer elements having first arches arranged in an alternating order with second heat transfer elements having second arches. Each of the first arches has a first apex and a concave segment extending therefrom and each of the second arches has a second apex and a convex segment extending therefrom. Each of the convex segments is nested in a respective one of the concave segments thereby defining a contact line therebetween which extends an entire length of the first heat transfer element and the second heat transfer element. Adjacent pairs of the contact lines define a closed passageway therebetween and between the first heat transfer element and the second heat transfer element for heat transfer fluid flow therethrough. |
| US10175005B2 |
Low-cost nano-heat pipe
A method of fabricating a heat pipe may include providing a first material as a body section. The method may include stamping or etching the body section to include the cavity. A portion of the body section may constitute a wall of the cavity. The method may include stamping or etching the wall of the cavity to provide a set of corrugations on a portion of the wall of the cavity. The method may include forming an opening in the wall of the cavity. The method may include attaching a lid over the cavity. The lid constituting at least a portion of a hermetic seal of the cavity. The method may include attaching a cover to the body section approximately adjacent to the opening in the cavity. The method may include attaching a valve to the body section approximately at the opening to the cavity. |
| US10175004B2 |
Method of servicing modular plate and shell heat exchanger
A modular plate and shell heat exchanger in which welded pairs of heat transfer plates are placed in the shell in order to transfer heat from a secondary fluid to a primary fluid. The heat transfer plates are removably connected using gaskets to header pipes which are connected to a primary fluid inlet and a primary fluid outlet nozzle. The header pipes are supported by a structure which rests on an internal track which is attached to the shell and facilitates removal of the heat transfer plates. The modular plate and shell heat exchanger has a removable head integral to the shell for removal of the heat transfer plates for inspection and replacement. |
| US10175000B2 |
Heat dome temperature regulation system
A thermoplastic melter kettle having a heat dome chamber from which combustion gases are exhausted through a conduit that connects between a top of the heat dome chamber and the top of the melter kettle. An adjustable venting arrangement coupled to the conduit allows for adjustment of the flow of exhaust gases through the conduit. |
| US10174998B2 |
Device and method for producing an expanded granular material
The invention relates to an apparatus (10) for producing an expanded granulate from sand-grain-shaped material (1), comprising a furnace (2) with a substantially vertically extending furnace shaft (3) and a feed device (5) arranged above or in the upper region of the furnace shaft (3) for feeding the sand-grain-shaped material (1) to the furnace shaft (3).In order to achieve uniform expansion of the sand-grain-shaped material, the feed device (8) is formed to introduce the sand-grain-shaped material (1) in form of at least one downwardly falling curtain into the upper region of the furnace shaft (3), wherein the drop section (4) of the curtain (25) lies in a decentralised, preferably peripheral region of the furnace shaft cross-section.The invention also relates to a method for producing an expanded granulate from sand-grain-shaped mineral material. |
| US10174997B2 |
Crop drying system
A moisture removal system having a crop drying enclosure for holding a crop product to be dried. A closed loop air circulation system is provided which includes a moisture removal enclosure for removing moisture from circulating air along with air ducting operatively connecting the moisture removal enclosure to the crop drying enclosure air inlet to form a closed loop moisture removal air system. A heat pump system, including a compressor, a first heat exchanger capable of operation as a condenser, along with two additional heat exchangers, each capable of operating as either a condenser or evaporator are positioned within the moisture removal enclosure, to remove excess moisture from the circulating air without the addition or extraction of heat from the ambient air temperature. |
| US10174991B2 |
Locker assembly and associated insert assembly for a cabinet
A locker assembly insert 10 for a cabinet 11. The cabinet 11 is a two door cabinet having a first door 12 and a second door 13. A central mullion 19 having a rear cover plate divides the cabinet 11 down the middle and the doors 12 and 13 close the cabinet. The locker assembly insert 10 in this case is applied to a two door cabinet and has a central support member 20 (which is put in place by first removing the rear cover plate behind the central mullion 19, the rear cover plate is tucked in behind the central support member 20 before assembly allowing it to be reused if the refrigerator is ever restored to its original condition). The insert is completed using vertical divider sets 27, 28 and 29 and ten door locker door assemblies 30 and 31. |
| US10174989B2 |
Refrigerator with vacuum space
A refrigerator includes a body having a storage space. The body includes an inner case having the storage space, an outer case having an inside surface spaced a predetermined gap from an outside surface of the inner case to house the inner case, a vacuum space provided between the inner case and the outer case sealed to maintain a vacuum state for heat insulating between the inner case and the outer case, a supporting portion provided to contact with the outside surface of the inner case and the inside surface of the outer case to maintain a spaced state of the vacuum space, and a dewing preventive unit adjacent to the supporting portion for preventing dewing from taking place at the outer case by suppressing surface temperature drop of the outer case caused by cold conducted from the inner case to the outer case through the supporting portion. |
| US10174988B2 |
Mobile refrigeration cabinet
A mobile refrigeration cabinet that includes a refrigerated section, a non-refrigerated section that has an aperture in a side thereof, and an opening between the refrigerated and non-refrigerated section. The aperture allows access to the non-refrigerated section. The cabinet may include a movable tray disposed in the non-refrigerated section that is movable through the aperture, and a refrigeration system removably mounted on the movable tray. A biasing system is configured to engage the movable tray so as to bias the refrigeration system towards the opening between the refrigerated section and the non-refrigerated section such that a portion of the refrigeration system sealingly engages the opening. |
| US10174987B2 |
Refrigerator
A refrigerator including a housing mounted at a rear surface of a door to define a storage space of food, a basket disposed inside the housing, a duct extending to the housing from one side of an evaporator to supply cold air generated by the evaporator into the storage space of the housing, and a fan assembly coupled to the duct to allow the cold air to be forcibly supplied. |
| US10174984B2 |
Ice making system with provision for cleaning and cleaning method
An ice making apparatus includes an ice machine for making ice with internal surfaces that come in contact with water and ice during normal operation. A cleaning container provides receiving cleaning solution to clean and disinfect the internal surfaces of the ice machine. A programmable control system controls the cleaning operation. |
| US10174977B2 |
Apparatus and method for subcooling control based on superheat setpoint control
A system including a setpoint module, a summer, a control module, and an expansion valve module. The setpoint module is configured to indirectly control sub-cooling of a condenser by adjusting a superheat setpoint based on (i) a return air temperature setpoint or a supply air temperature setpoint, and (ii) an outdoor ambient temperature. The summer is configured to determine an error between the superheat setpoint and a superheat level of a compressor. The control module is configured to generate a control signal based on the error. The expansion valve module is configured to electronically control a state of an expansion valve based on the control signal. |
| US10174966B2 |
Energy saving controller
An energy saving controller for an air handler having a heater and a dual speed fan adapted to switch between a first speed and a second higher speed via a gas furnace controller, the energy saving controller being configured to be mounted between a thermostat and the gas furnace controller, and having: input terminals configured to connect to corresponding thermostat output terminals and receive output signals; a microcontroller configured to: process the output signals into revised signals; and cause the gas furnace controller to alternate between the first speed and the second higher speed to mimic a behavior of a variable speed fan; drivers configured to receive the revised signals and use the revised signals to actuate mechanical relays; wherein the mechanical relays are configured to actuate the fan or the compressor via ESC output terminals. |
| US10174961B2 |
Open fume capture and exhaust ventilated work station
An open fume capture and exhaust work station for a laboratory classroom having an air exhaust system that provides unobstructed sight lines for students at the station of the other students and of a classroom instructor. The work station includes an upper table surface providing a plurality of individual work surfaces, a fume extractor extending upwardly from a middle portion of the table surface to an elevation below the student sight lines, a pair of elongated air outlet openings adjacent to opposed sides of the table for directing fan generated opposed airflows to the extractor which defines opposed upstanding air inlet faces and communicates those faces with the air exhaust system creating a pressure drop within the extractor that captures the opposed inwardly airflows and pull the airflows over the individual work surfaces and into said extractor, capturing and removing emissions from spills and experiments on those work surfaces. |
| US10174956B2 |
Anti-theft air conditioner enclosure
An anti-theft enclosure for protecting an outdoor air conditioning (A/C) unit is made up of an open framework of structural members which surround and protect the A/C unit. Individual steel panels are assembled to form a series of upstanding walls which are covered by a top panels and which together define the quasi-enclosed area surrounding the A/C unit. The tubing which makes up the steel panels is spaced to allow access to the enclosed area by a worker needing to access the A/C unit. The steel panels are joined with connecting and mating elements which facilitate easy and quick disassembling of the enclosure. The upright panels also have adjustable panel legs which can be extended and cemented into the ground for added stability and security. |
| US10174953B2 |
Domestic appliance including door mounted through articulated hinge mechanism
A domestic appliance, such as a double oven range, incorporates a door having a bottom end portion which, when shifted between closed and opened positions, both pivots and vertically shifts relative to a frame body of the appliance through at least a connecting rod, push rod and pivot arm of a hinge mechanism. Due to a combined pivoting and lifting action of the door, minimal to no clearance is required between the bottom end portion and adjacent structure. |
| US10174944B2 |
Combustor assembly and method therefor
A method for staged combustion in a combustor assembly includes introducing an oxidant stream and a fuel stream at a first location into a combustion chamber to produce a heated stream. A Liquid water stream and an additional oxidant stream, fuel stream or both are then introduced into the heated stream in at least one location along the heated stream downstream from the first location. The additional oxidant stream, fuel stream or both react in the heated stream to generate additional heat that vaporizes liquid water from the liquid water stream to water vapor. |
| US10174943B2 |
System and method for integrated carbon dioxide gas separation from combustion gases
An integrated fuel combustion system with gas separation (adsorptive, absorptive, membrane or other suitable gas separation) separates a portion of carbon dioxide from a combustion gas mixture and provides for recycle of separated carbon dioxide to the intake of a fuel combustor for combustion. A process for carbon dioxide separation and recycle includes: admitting combustion gas to an adsorptive gas separation system contactor containing adsorbent material; adsorbing a portion of carbon dioxide; recovering a first product stream depleted in carbon dioxide for release or use; desorbing carbon dioxide from the adsorbent material and recovering a desorbed second product stream enriched in carbon dioxide for sequestration or use; admitting a conditioning and/or desorption fluid into the contactor and desorbing a second portion of carbon dioxide to recover a carbon dioxide enriched conditioning stream; and recycling a portion of the carbon dioxide enriched conditioning stream to an inlet of fuel combustor to pass through the fuel combustor for combustion. |
| US10174941B2 |
Ribbon pack for gas burners
A gas burner system comprising a longitudinal burner body defining a longitudinal central cavity, and a ribbon pack configured to be removably installed into the central cavity, the ribbon pack comprising: (i) at least one ribbon positioned between a first vertical wall and a second vertical wall; (ii) a first transverse arm extending horizontally outward from a first longitudinal side of the ribbon pack; (iii) a second transverse arm extending horizontally outward from a second longitudinal side of the ribbon pack, wherein the first and second transverse arms are configured to attach to the longitudinal burner body. |
| US10174940B2 |
Raw material powder-heating method
An object of the present invention is to provide a combustion burner that is capable of efficiently performing heating of a raw material powder by improving the dispersibility of the raw material powder that is ejected from a raw material powder-ejecting port using a simple configuration, and a combustion burner in which raw material powder introduction pipes that introduce the raw material powder inside a raw material powder supply pathway are provided so that axes that extend from central axes of the raw material powder introduction pipes do not intersect a central axis of the burner main body, and so that angles θ that are formed by central axes of the raw material powder introduction pipes and an outer surface of a second circular member are larger than 0° and smaller than 90°. |
| US10174939B2 |
Solid fuel nozzle tips
A solid fuel nozzle tip for issuing a flow of mixed solid fuel and air to a boiler includes a tip body having an inlet and an outlet defining a longitudinal axis therebetween. The tip body includes a slot on an inlet side of the tip body extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. The slot includes an opening facing the inlet side of the tip body and a recess formed at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis to at least partially retain a pivot pin. A solid fuel nozzle assembly for issuing a flow of mixed solid fuel and air to a boiler includes a solid fuel nozzle tip with a tip body, as described above, and a locking plate operatively connected to the tip body to assist in retaining a pivot pin within the slot of the tip body. |
| US10174936B2 |
Circular fluidizing bed combustion system with uniform airflow distributing device
A circular fluidizing bed combustion system with uniform airflow distributing device is provided. The system comprises a fluidizing bed and a uniform airflow distributing device. The fluidizing bed is comprised of a fluidizing bed boiler body, an airflow distributing plate and a plurality of air caps, wherein, the airflow distributing plate is provided inside the fluidizing bed boiler body and divides the inner space of the fluidizing bed boiler body into a fluidizing chamber which is located in the upper portion of the boiler body and an air chamber which is located in the lower portion of the boiler body, and the plurality of air caps are arranged on the airflow distributing plate for injecting the fluidizing air into the fluidizing chamber. The inner space of the air chamber is divided into a distributing chamber that is located under the airflow distributing plate and an air inlet chamber that is located on one side of the distributing chamber by means of a perforated plate. The distributing chamber is comprised of a front wall, two side walls, a top wall that extends upwards obliquely from the upside of the front wall, and a bottom wall extends downwards obliquely from the downside of the front wall. A first guide plate, a second guide plate and a third guide plate are installed in the distributing chamber. This system makes the flow of the fluidizing air entered into the fluidizing chamber through each air cap uniform, and enhances the combusting efficiency of the coal powder in the fluidizing chamber. |
| US10174935B2 |
System and method for operating a liquid gas evaporator
A system (1) and method for operating a liquid gas evaporator (3), comprising an evaporator (3), a trough (5) carrying the evaporator (3), a housing (7) which surrounds the evaporator (3) on three sides, at least one detector (9) for sensing liquid gas arranged in the trough (5), a line (11) for the distribution of vapor D on the fourth, non-housed side of the evaporator (3) arranged at the margin of the trough (5) which is not closed off by the housing (7), a feed (13), connected to the line (11), and a regulating valve (15) provided on the feed (13) and connected to the detector (9) and at least one shut-off valve (17). |
| US10174928B2 |
Light source unit and lamp
A light source unit includes a heat-dissipation member having positive expansibility that volume is expanded with an increase in temperature, the heat-dissipation member having a through-hole, a heating component having a heating component body and a pin terminal, the heating component body fixed to the heat-dissipation member in one opening side of the through-hole, the pin terminal connected to the heating component body, and inserted through the through hole and protruding from the other opening side of the through-hole of the heat-dissipation member a substrate fixed to the heat-dissipation member in the other opening side of the through-hole and having a wiring connected to the pin terminal, and a buffering member having negative thermal-expansibility that volume is contracted with an increase in temperature. |
| US10174922B2 |
Handheld compact flashlight
A compact flashlight housing configured for hand held use concurrently with a hand-held weapon. The flashlight housing holds a light source and power source and is configured with a strap secured to an external surface of the housing opposite a light emitting surface. The strap is configured to be supported by one or more fingers of a user's hand and allows the flashlight to be held on a top side of a user's hand or outside of a user's fist while allowing the user to also securely grip a weapon with a two-hand grip. |
| US10174920B2 |
Safety device with lighting element and magnetic attachment
A safety device including a side wall, a receiving area defined by the side wall, at least one magnet disposed within the receiving area, and at least one lighting element disposed on the side wall, wherein, the receiving area receives a portion of a structure when the plurality of magnets magnetically interact with the portion of the structure, is provided. Furthermore, an associated method is also provided. |
| US10174919B1 |
Light for insecticide bait gel dispenser
A clip-on light assembly includes a semi-cylindrical body that fits onto a cylindrical reservoir of fluid to be dispensed and a light carried at a front of the body and projecting a light beam in front of a dispensing tip of the reservoir. A battery is carried by the body and is electrically connected to the light. The light can be an LED. A circuit board carries a circuit electrically connected to the LED, the circuit board and battery contained in a compartment fixed to the body. The circuit can include a port for recharging the battery via a cord. |
| US10174911B2 |
Filter, CMY color mixing assembly using the filter and optical system thereof
The present invention relates to a filter, a CMY color mixing assembly using the filter and an optical system thereof. Said filter comprises a substrate and a filtering film plated on the substrate, and the filtering film comprises a uniform region and a color mixing region. The thickness of the filtering film in the uniform region is uniform, while the thickness of the filtering film in the color mixing region is not uniform. The thickness of the filtering film in the uniform region is greater than or equal to the thickness of the filtering film in the color mixing region, and the thickness of the filtering film of a central region of the color mixing region is greater than the thickness of the filtering film of side regions of the color mixing region. Said color mixing region is provided at a side where the filter first accesses to a light path. |
| US10174906B2 |
LED luminaire tiling with a lens array containing a plurality of lenslets
A light source is provided which comprises an LED array containing a plurality of LEDs, and a lens array containing a plurality of lenslets. The lens array is aligned with the LED array such that one lenslet is disposed over each LED, wherein each of said plurality of lenslets comprises at least first and second sublenslets having first and second respective optical centers, and wherein at least one of said first and second optical centers deviates from the geometric center of the lenslet. |
| US10174905B2 |
Optical film production method, optical film, surface light-emitting body and optical film production device
An optical film production method for suppressing air bubbles in microlenses, comprising rotating a roll die having a plurality of concave-shaped microlens transfer portions on the surface and running a substrate in the rotation direction; supplying an active energy ray-curable composition β onto a coating roll adjacent to the roll die surface, flattening the composition β, coating the flattened composition β on the roll die surface; supplying an active energy ray-curable composition α on the substrate and coating the composition α on a surface of the substrate; associating the compositions α and β between the roll die and the substrate to form a liquid pool; and irradiating a region between the roll die surface and the substrate surface with an active energy ray so the compositions α and β are sandwiched between the roll die surface and the substrate surface to cure the compositions α and β. |
| US10174903B2 |
Lamp for vehicle
A lamp for a vehicle that radiates a beam pattern to a vehicle front side is provided. The lamp for a vehicle includes at least one light source and a lens configured to radiate a low beam to a front side of the vehicle through refraction of light emitted from the at least one light source. The lens includes a light incident portion that light emitted from the light source is incident and a light exit portion from that refracts and exits the light. The light exit portion includes a plurality of facets formed to have independent curvatures to refract the light from the light source and to form a beam pattern of the low beam. The portions of the plurality of facets are inclined with respect to a virtual vertical line having at least portions of boundary lines formed between the inclined facets and the neighboring facets. |
| US10174902B2 |
Vehicle lighting fixture
A vehicle lighting fixture can achieve uniform projection of light while being capable of providing improved luxurious sense of projected light. The vehicle lighting fixture can include a housing, an outer lens configured to cover an opening of the housing to define a lighting chamber; and a light source and a light guiding lens located in the lighting chamber. The light guiding lens is configured so as to receive light from the light source and guide the light to a light exiting surface thereof for light projection. The light guiding lens has a functional surface which is opposite to the light exiting surface and can include a plurality of flute cuts configured to diffuse light and a plurality of prism cuts configured to reflect light. The plurality of prism cuts are arranged at random on the functional surface. |
| US10174901B2 |
Vehicle lamp
A vehicle lamp includes a light source including a plurality of light emitting elements or light emitting surfaces, a projection lens that projects light emitted from the light source, and a light distribution adjusting element that adjusts light distribution of the light emitted from the light source, wherein the light distribution adjusting element has a plurality of prisms having different angles of inclined surfaces corresponding to a direction in which the plurality of light emitting elements or light emitting surfaces are arranged, and prism surfaces in which at least one or a plurality of flat surfaces are arranged. |
| US10174900B2 |
Lighting apparatus for vehicles
A lighting apparatus for vehicles with a number of semiconductor-based light sources and a projection device for generating the specified light distribution with a cut-off line. The projection device features a correction device with at least two lenses. The surface of at least one of the lenses is designed as a diffractive lens surface for achromatization in a visible wavelength range. The two lenses are made from different lens materials. The surfaces of at least two lenses are designed as refractive lens surfaces that have their optical power calculated based on a temperature range and/or expansion coefficient of the lens material of at least two lenses such that adding the optical power of the lenses yields a predefined total optical power of the correction device. |
| US10174898B2 |
Light source module
A light source module includes light source having a light emitting element, a stem configured to support the light emitting element, and a terminal, one end side of which is electrically connected to the light emitting element, a wiring portion to which the other end of the terminal is electrically connected and which is configured to electrically connect the terminal to an external power supply terminal, a connection portion configured to fix the wiring portion and the other end side of the terminal by a connection member, and a thermal diffusion member disposed between the stem and the connection portion and thermally connected to the light emitting element, the terminal has a bent portion which is deformed in accordance with dimensional change in at least one of the thermal diffusion member, the terminal, the wiring portion and the connection member. |
| US10174895B2 |
Vehicle headlamp unit and vehicle headlamp system
A vehicle headlamp unit for irradiating light in front of the vehicle with a high contrast ratio and is capable of sufficiently cutting off the illumination light is provided. The unit includes a light source, a parallel optical system that produces parallel light, a polarizing beam splitter that splits light emitted from the parallel optical system into two polarized beams having polarization directions orthogonal to each other, a reflection-type liquid crystal element capable of switching between a first state where the light emitted from a first surface of the polarizing beam splitter is reflected without rotation of the polarization direction, and a second state where the light is reflected with rotation of the polarization direction, in each predetermined section, and a projection optical system that projects light, reflected by the reflection-type liquid crystal element and passed through the polarizing beam splitter once again, in front of the vehicle. |
| US10174891B1 |
Shallow design of LED illuminating downlight devices in ceilings
A recessed, adjustable LED downlight is provided for shallow plenum installations. The fixture comprises a bottom plate, a circular base rotatable along an upper surface of the bottom plate, a heat sink enclosure secured to the upper surface of, and rotatable with, the circular base, and a bridge. The heat sink enclosure comprises a pair of fins on first opposite sides of the light source enclosure and a pair of tracks formed in second opposite sides of the heat sink enclosure between the pair of fins. The bridge, to which an LED module is secured, is affixed to the heat sink enclosure, whereby heat from the LED module is transferred to, and dissipated by, the bridge. The bridge is engaged with and pivotable along the pair of tracks in the heat sink enclosure. |
| US10174890B2 |
Light source and sunlight imitating lighting system
An optical system (2A) is disclosed for receiving and collimating light, wherein the optical system (2A) comprises a collimation unit (200) comprising at least one parabolic interface (220, 230) that defines an inlet opening (212) and an outlet opening (214), wherein the at least one parabolic interface (220, 230) is configured to reflect light entering through the inlet opening (212) through the outlet opening (214) and limit the angular spread of the light to an acceptance angle (θCPC) associated with the at least one parabolic interface (220, 230); and a homogenization unit (300) for homogenizing the light emerging from the collimation unit (200), the homogenization unit (300) comprising a lens array with pairs of a first lens and a second lens, wherein the lens array is configured such that light from the outlet opening (214) collected by a first lens illuminates the respective second lens to provide for a continuously emitting output aperture. |
| US10174888B1 |
Modular lighting unit
Problem: To provide a modular lighting unit that allows freely designing a lighting fitting in accordance with the demand for illumination design of the user, and moreover that can be easily assembled, resulting from the simple structure thereof, whereby the cost can be substantially reduced, and its commercial value is high.Solution: A modular lighting unit 10, including one light emitting element 42 disposed in a lamp chamber that is enclosed by a case 20 and a cover 30, the case 20 and the cover 30 being combined with each other in such a way that the peripheral wall 31 of the cover 30 covers the peripheral wall 21 of the case 20, and in the mutually combined state, they being fixed to each other with an engaging part 34 provided for either one of them being engaged with an engaged part 24 provided for the other by snap fitting. Between the light emitting element 42 and the irradiation aperture 33a, there being disposed a lens body 50. A plurality of types of lens bodies 50 that emit the light originated from the LED 42 in different light distribution patterns are previously prepared, and an appropriate one is selected from among them. |
| US10174885B2 |
Light bar and backlight module
The present invention provides a light bar and a backlight module. The light bar comprises a circuit board, a plurality of light sources, a quantum tube and a first tape, and the circuit board is employed to generate a control signal, and the light sources are located on the circuit board and electrically connected to the circuit board, and the light sources generate a first light under control of the control signal, and the first light emitted from the light sources exits through an illuminating surface of the light sources, and the quantum tube is located adjacent to the illuminating surface of the light sources and the quantum tube is fixed and connected with the circuit board with the first tape, and the quantum tube is employed to convert the first light emitted from the light sources into a second light. |
| US10174878B2 |
Aerial advertising display apparatus
An aerial advertising display apparatus includes a support base for placing on a support surface, a lift mechanism mounted on the support base and being actuatable to change the elevation of an upper end of the lift mechanism above the support surface, and an attachment mechanism supported by the upper end portion of the lift mechanism. The attachment mechanism includes a rearward component attached to the upper end portion of the lift mechanism and a forward component attached to an advertising display mounting frame. The rearward and forward components are linkable to couple and decouple with and from one another so as to correspondingly attach and detach the advertising display mounting frame to and from the upper end portion of the lift mechanism. |
| US10174874B2 |
Pipe fitting with inner and outer seals
A pipe fitting configured to be coupled to a pipe, the pipe fitting including a body that is elongate along a central axis that extends in a longitudinal direction, the body including a shell, a stiffener, and a shell-stiffener. The shell includes a shell inner surface that defines a shell through hole that extends through the shell in the longitudinal direction. The stiffener is positioned within the shell through hole, and the stiffener includes a shell outer surface that faces the shell inner surface such that the stiffener outer surface and the shell inner surface cooperate to define a pocket configured to receive the pipe. The shell-stiffener seal member includes a first seal member and a second seal member aligned in a radial direction, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. |
| US10174869B2 |
Multiple failure mode clamps and related methods
Some embodiments of the present clamps include a first clamp portion having a first end defining a recess and a second end configured to be coupled to a first structure, a second clamp portion having a first end configured to be coupled to a second structure and a second end configured to be received in the recess of the first clamp portion, and a shear pin configured to secure the second clamp portion relative to the first clamp portion. Some embodiments include a retaining member disposed in the recess. In some embodiments, the recess and/or retaining member is configured to resist shearing of the shear pin if a force is applied to the second clamp portion in a first direction, but not if the force is applied in a second direction. In some embodiments, the first direction is substantially parallel with, but opposite to, the second direction. |
| US10174868B2 |
Internally supported power track
A boom assembly for a lift device includes a plurality of telescoping boom sections. The plurality of telescoping boom sections include a base boom section, a mid boom section, and a fly boom section. The plurality of telescoping boom sections define an inner volume. The boom assembly also includes a push tube coupled to the base boom section and a support member positioned within the inner volume. The support member includes sidewalls having an inner surface and an outer surface. The boom assembly also includes a power track positioned within the inner volume that includes a plurality of movable links, a first supported portion that interfaces with at least one of the inner surface of the support member and a surface of the push tube, and a second supported portion that interfaces with the outer surface of the support member. |
| US10174863B2 |
Method for monitoring a valve of an aircraft engine
A method and a system are provided for detecting first signs of failure in an aircraft engine valve. The system includes an acquisition device configured to acquire output pressure measurements of the valve and command and context data related to the valve, and a processing device configured to define a set of indicators of first signs of failure as a function of the output pressure measurements and the command and context data. The processing device is configured to monitor a change over time in each indicator of the set of indicators of first signs of failure. The processing device is configured to detect a possible deviation of at least one indicator among the set of indicators, the deviation representing the first signs of failure of the valve. |
| US10174861B2 |
Geared interface for valve
An actuation mechanism for a valve comprises a first member having a generally spherical surface on a first side of a bisecting line and a generally ellipsoidal surface on a second side of the bisecting line. The first member is rotatable around a central point of the bisecting line. The valve has a second member with a truncated ellipsoidal surface on both sides of a bisecting line. The second member matingly engages the first member at the first member ellipsoidal surface. The valve also includes a longitudinal member coupled to the second member and a biasing member coupled to the longitudinal member. The first member is rotated around the central point from a first position to a second position to move the second member and the longitudinal member linearly. The biasing member returns the first member and second member to the first position upon release of the first member. |
| US10174860B2 |
Electromagnetic valve and transmission-use fuel pressure control device using electromagnetic valve
An electromagnetic valve for a transmission-use oil pressure control device including an oil pump that supplies oil pressure to a transmission, and an accumulator that accumulates an oil pressure generated by the oil pump. The electromagnetic valve includes: an electromagnetic valve main body connected to the accumulator and includes an oil path opening/closing valve element opening/closing an oil path between the accumulator and the transmission; a seal member disposed in the electromagnetic valve main body sealing against oil leakage from a sliding portion of the oil path opening/closing valve element in the opening/closing operation of the oil path opening/closing valve element; and a pressure regulation mechanism disposed in the electromagnetic valve main body regulating to release an internal pressure in the accumulator when an accumulator-side oil pressure in the electromagnetic valve main body rises to a predetermined pressure or more. |
| US10174858B2 |
Piezoelectric element-driven valve and flow rate control device including piezoelectric element-driven valve
A piezoelectric element-driven valve includes a body provided with a fluid channel and a valve seat, a valve element which opens and closes the fluid channel by being in contact with and separated from the valve seat of the body, and piezoelectric actuators which drive the valve element to open and close by means of the extension of the piezoelectric element. In the piezoelectric element-driven valve, at least two piezoelectric actuators are arranged on a straight line via a spacer which allows pulling out of wiring. |
| US10174856B2 |
Main valve with grooved rigid internal structure
A method of manufacturing a main valve of a hydrant includes: forming an internal rigid structure including a top surface, a bottom surface, a side surface, and a locating feature, the locating feature defined in a one of the top surface and the bottom surface; positioning the internal rigid structure in a mold by contacting the locating feature with the mold; and forming an outer shell around the internal rigid structure. |
| US10174855B2 |
Pin release thermal valve
A valve includes a valve body forming a channel defining a fluid flow path from inlet to outlet ports of the valve body via a gallery disposed therebetween, an opening disposed in communication with the gallery, a valve assembly at least partially disposed through the opening and in the gallery, and a fusible element. A valve disc of the valve assembly moves between a first position spaced from a valve seat of the valve body and a second position contacting the valve seat. The fusible element is coupled to and at least partly supported by the valve assembly to maintain the valve assembly in the first position. The fluid flow path allows fluid to flow through the valve body in a first direction and a second, opposite direction. The fusible element fails when contacted by fluid traversing the fluid flow path in the second direction, allowing the valve disc to move to the second position. |
| US10174854B2 |
Hydraulic overpressure valve and hydraulic machine
A hydraulic overpressure valve (1) is provided comprising a valve housing (2), a valve seat (3) located in said valve housing and having a seat center and a seat center axis (4), a cone element (5) movable relatively to said valve seat (3), said cone element (5) having a cone (6) protruding at least partly into said valve seat (3) and having a cone center axis (4), and force generating means acting on said cone element (5) in a direction towards said valve seat (3). Such a hydraulic overpressure valve should be operated with low noise. To this end said cone (6) is movable along a path of movement in which said cone center axis is kept outside said seat center axis (4). |
| US10174852B2 |
Hybrid check valve
An assembly is provided that can include check valve. The check valve can include a ball positioned between an inflow line and an outflow line. The ball can be movable between (i) an open position at which a fluid is allowed to flow between the inflow line and the outflow line and (ii) a closed position at which the fluid is prevented from flowing between the inflow line and the outflow line. The assembly can also include a spring positioned adjacent to the ball and operable to bias the ball in a closed position. The assembly can further include a poppet positioned adjacent to the ball. The poppet can be movable in response to a communication of a pilot pressure to the poppet. Further, the ball can be movable to the closed position in response to a force applied by the poppet. |
| US10174850B2 |
Check valves
A check valve comprises a valve housing defining a valve opening. A pair of mounting posts is arranged on opposite sides of the opening. A pair of flapper elements is pivotably mounted for rotation between an open position and a closed position. The flapper elements are mounted to hinge pins mounted to respective mounting posts. A base portion of the hinge pins is formed with a sleeve having a bore which is slidably mounted on a hinge pin mounting portion of a respective mounting post. |
| US10174848B2 |
Gate valve with seat assembly
The present invention provides a gate valve assembly having a valve body with a channel extending from a distal end to a proximal end, a gate configured to be moved from a first position to a second position, the second position being when the gate is positioned in the channel of the valve body between the distal end and the proximal end of the valve body. A seat insert is also provided to be threaded into a pocked of the valve body and a seat is configured to be positioned within the seat insert. A seal is adapted within a groove of the seat insert positioned between the valve body and the seat insert, wherein the seal is a fixed static seal providing no gaps and/or spaces between the seal insert and the valve body allowing no debris to corrupt the seals. |
| US10174847B2 |
Saw tooth design for control damper
A control damper for a housing of an air-handling unit includes a rigid main body rotatable about a first rotational axis. A sealing element extends radially outwardly from a first side of the rigid main body. The sealing element is formed of a resilient material. The sealing element further includes a resilient lip extending outwardly from a distal end thereof. The lip has a first series of undulations formed in an outer edge thereof, wherein the undulations form a wave-shaped profile in the outer edge of the lip. |
| US10174845B2 |
Ceramic seal runner and mount for a rotating shaft
A circumferential seal for a machine having a rotating shaft is provided. The seal may comprise a metallic mounting element and a ceramic sealing runner. The mounting element may be affixed around the shaft and comprise a base and a mounting member. The mounting member may extend radially outward from the base and axially along the shaft to form a radially inward facing cylindrical surface. The sealing runner may have a radially outward facing surface and be carried by said mounting element in axial and radial alignment by an interference fit between at least a portion of the radially outward facing surface of the runner and at least a portion of the radially inward facing surface of the mounting member. |
| US10174844B2 |
Shaft seal mechanism
A shaft seal mechanism (11) that blocks a fluid (G) flowing within a ring-shaped space (14) is equipped with: a ring-shaped seal housing (21) disposed on a fixed section (12); a plurality of thin-plate seal pieces (22) that are secured to the seal housing (21), are in sliding contact with a rotating shaft (13), and are layered in a ring shape; a ring-shaped high-pressure-side plate (25) that forms a high-pressure-side gap (δH) between itself and the seal housing (21); a ring-shaped low-pressure-side plate (26) that forms a low-pressure-side gap (δL) between the seal housing (21) and the thin-plate seal pieces (22); stepped sections (31, 32) that are formed on side edge sections (22c, 22d) of the thin-plate seal pieces (22); and locking sections (25b, 26b) that lock the stepped sections (31, 32). |
| US10174835B2 |
Method of diagnosing malfunction in dual clutch transmission
Disclosed is a method of diagnosing a malfunction in a dual clutch transmission (DCT) attributable to a gear synchromesh failure, without an output shaft speed sensor. The method includes: calculating, a difference (referred to as a first difference) between a first input shaft speed and the product of a wheel speed and a first gear ratio; a difference (referred to as a second difference) between a second input shaft speed and the product of a wheel speed and a second gear ratio; diagnosing a first input shaft as having a transmission gear synchromesh failure when the first difference is greater than a first reference value and the second difference is equal to or smaller than a second reference value; and performing control such that a gear shifting operation is performed using only a second input shaft when the first input shaft is diagnosed as having a transmission gear synchromesh failure. |
| US10174834B2 |
Control apparatus for vehicular continuously variable transmission
A control apparatus for a vehicular continuously variable transmission is provided. The control apparatus includes a pair of pulley pressure adjusting valves, a pair of electromagnetic valves, a source pressure adjusting valve and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to control the source pressure adjusting valve in such a manner as to lower the source pressure at a time of a fail mode below the source pressure at a time of a non-fail mode, at the time of the fail mode, and control command signals to the pair of the electromagnetic valves such that the command signals temporarily decrease below command signals at the time of the non-fail mode, before cancelling the lowering of the source pressure in making a changeover from the fail mode to the non-fail mode. |
| US10174832B2 |
System and method to control the operation of a transmission using engine fuel consumption data
A system and method of controlling the operation of a transmission using fuel consumption data. The system and method includes controlling the operation of a vehicle transmission which is operatively connected to an engine having operating characteristics and operatively connected to a transmission control module having access to a memory. Fuel consumption data for an engine is converted to engine efficiency loss data representative of the engine operating. A set of equations is determined to provide a pattern representative of the operating characteristics the engine. A transmission controller using the pattern determines a prospective operating condition of the transmission to provide fuel efficient operation of the engine. |
| US10174831B2 |
Manual shifter reverse lockout mechanism with vibration isolation system
A vibration isolation system reduces rattling in a reverse lockout mechanism for a manual shifter. A shaft retained in a shifter housing has an upper end for a shift knob and an enlarged barrel section proximate the housing. A lockout skirt slides on the shaft between upper and lower positions. The lockout skirt has a shoulder extending radially outward, and the housing includes a stop block such that the shaft is prevented from pivoting to a reverse gear position when the lockout skirt is in the lower position and is free to move to the reverse gear position when the lockout skirt is in the upper position. A spring retained on the shaft biases the lockout skirt toward the lower position. A plurality of lubricated O-rings are disposed on the shaft to define sliding interfaces between the lockout skirt and the shaft and between the lockout skirt and the barrel. |
| US10174825B2 |
Passing-type-meshing negative-deflection strain wave gearing
A strain wave gearing is a negative deflection strain wave gearing. The tooth profile shape for the internally toothed gear is defined by using a convex, basic tooth profile curve, which is a curve portion from an inflection point (A) to a bottom-part point (B) of a moving locus (Mc) of an externally toothed gear with regard to an internally toothed gear obtained by a rack meshing approximation. The tooth profile shape for the externally toothed gear at a principal cross section is defined by a concave, basic tooth profile curve, which is generated in the externally toothed gear by the convex, basic tooth profile curve of the internally toothed gear moving from an apex (C) to an inflection point (A) of the moving locus (Mc). Passing-type meshing that is effective in lubrication is established, and bending stress in the tooth-bottom rim of the externally toothed gear can be reduced. |
| US10174824B2 |
Hydrostatic transmission and method of operation
A hydrostatic transmission which utilizes a combination of a multiple planetary gear pump and a multiple planetary gear motor encased within one compact unit sealed so as to direct passage of hydraulic fluid between the combination thereof. The hydrostatic transmission comprises a power component provided with a plurality of planetary gears that can provide power to at least one load delivered by at least one of the plurality of planetary gears. The power component is configured with an integrated oil-switching mechanism that controls the rotational speed delivered to the load. The hydrostatic transmission is provided in one compact, sealed casing suitable for use in vehicles, having an output shaft optionally mechanically connected directly to the wheels of a vehicle drive. The inventive hydrostatic transmission operates without the need for lengthy pressure hoses and related connectors and fittings for cycling hydraulic fluid along needed flow paths. |
| US10174822B2 |
Hydraulic control device for automatic transmission
A hydraulic control device for an automatic transmission where the spool is locked at the first position and the switching pressure can regulate the belt holding force of the primary pulley or the secondary pulley without switching a position of the spool when the engagement pressure is supplied to the second working oil chamber, and the spool is not locked at the first position and the switching pressure can switch the spool to the second position against the urging member when the engagement pressure is not supplied to the second working oil chamber. |
| US10174818B2 |
Roller drive
A high speed ratio drive system is formed of planet rollers, each having varying diameter, an outer fixed ring in contact with one diameter of the planet rollers, and an outer drive ring in contact with another diameter of the planet rollers. An inner drive element is provided by a sun drive roller in contact with the planet rollers or by a planet carrier. Preferably the system has an axial reflective symmetry minimizing twisting forces on the planet rollers. |
| US10174815B1 |
Planetary gear train of automatic transmission for vehicle
A planetary gear train of automatic transmission for vehicle according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention including first planetary gear set including first to third rotation elements, second planetary gear set including fourth to sixth rotation elements, third planetary gear set including seventh to ninth rotation elements, fourth planetary gear set including tenth to twelfth rotation elements, fifth planetary gear set including thirteenth to fifteenth rotation elements, first shaft fixed to the first rotation element and the input shaft, second shaft fixed to the fourteenth rotation element and the output shaft, third shaft fixed to the fifth rotation element, fourth shaft fixed to the sixth and rotation elements element, fifth shaft fixed to the eighth, twelfth, and fifteenth rotation elements, sixth shaft fixed to the eleventh rotation element, and shafts formed by combinations of remaining rotation elements among the first to fifteenth rotation elements that are not connected to the first shaft to the sixth shaft. |
| US10174814B2 |
Multi-speed planetary transmission
A multi-speed transmission including a plurality of planetary gearsets and a plurality of selective couplers to achieve at least nine forward speed ratios is disclosed. The plurality of planetary gearsets may include a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset. The plurality of selective couplers may include a number of clutches and a number of brakes. The multi-speed transmission may have four planetary gearsets and six selective couplers. The six selective couplers may include four clutches and two brakes. |
| US10174811B2 |
Transmission unit for wheel and power-assisted wheel set
A transmission unit comprises a planet carrier, a first hollow planet gear, a second hollow planet gear, a first ring gear, and a second ring gear. The first hollow planet gear with a first module is coupled to the planet carrier through a bearing. The second hollow planet gear with a second module different from the first module is fixed to and moving in synchronization with the first hollow planet gear. The first ring gear encircles and meshes with the first hollow planet gear. The second ring gear encircles and meshes with the second follow planet gear. |
| US10174809B2 |
Chain element and method for the production thereof
A chain element (2), in particular a chain pin (4), for joining at least two chain links (3), characterized in that it comprises a surface layer (5) containing boron and vanadium, formed by at least one step of diffusing boron and vanadium in the areas of the chain element (2) which are close to the surface. The surface layer (5) containing boron and vanadium is formed by boriding and subsequently vanadizing a substrate material having a carbon content of 0.60 wt.-% to 1.0 wt.-%. |
| US10174805B2 |
Simplified torsion damping device having pendulum
A pendulum-type torsional damping device comprises oscillating masses (6, 8, 10) mounted movably on a support (4). Each oscillating mass (6) is intercalated circumferentially between a first adjacent oscillating mass (8) and a second adjacent oscillating mass (10). Each oscillating mass (6) is mounted movably on the support (4) by a rolling contact via a single bearing element (12) associated with that oscillating mass, and a sliding contact between one of terminal edges (18) thereof and a terminal edge (20) of the second adjacent oscillating mass (10), which forms a radial retention edge for that oscillating mass (6). The device allows effective pendulum damping to be obtained with a limited number of bearing elements. |
| US10174803B2 |
Hydraulic buffer assembly
A hydraulic buffer assembly for use in a paint gun includes a sealed housing having first and second ends and an interior including a chamber containing a hydraulic fluid. A piston assembly including at least one piston rod and a piston head is axially movable through the interior of the housing, wherein the piston head includes at least one orifice through which hydraulic fluid flows when the piston assembly is moved under load. The buffer assembly is configured to decrease or slow the firing rate of an automatic paint gun. |
| US10174801B2 |
Method for manufacturing vehicle brake disc
A brake disc manufactured by a method of manufacturing a brake disc according to the present invention includes a carbon fiber Cf, silicon Si, silicon carbide Sic, and a silicon-copper alloy SixCuy. The carbon fiber Cf, silicon Si, carbon C, and silicon carbide SiC make a disc light and provide high thermal shock resistance, anti-oxidation, wear resistance, strength, and friction coefficient. The copper Cu and silicon-copper alloy SixCuy increase heat capacity at constant volume of a disc, so a large increase in temperature of the disc is prevented and a changing range of the friction coefficient is reduced in braking. Accordingly, the brake disc according to the present invention has all of the advantage of a brake disc made of a carbon fiber-reinforced ceramic composites without thermal deformation and deterioration of a pad, a hat part, and a caliper. |
| US10174800B2 |
Force transmission device, tappet, and method of manufacture
A force transmission device, tappet, and method of manufacture. The tappet may include a shaft portion for transmission of a thrust loading from an actuating member to a piston of a disc brake and a gear portion for transmission of rotary motion to the shaft. The gear portion may be formed as a separate piece from the shaft portion. |
| US10174789B1 |
Low friction bearing assembly
An bearing assembly comprises a housing having a tapered interior bore, a ball bearing element, a ball bearing retainer disposed within the housing, wherein the ball bearing retainer has an interior bore for receiving the ball bearing element. The sides of the ball bearing retainer comprise a plurality of slots defining a plurality of fingers. The ball bearing element is disposed within the interior bore of the ball bearing retainer. A spring mechanism for maintaining a prescribed tension of the ball bearing element within the interior bore of the ball bearing retainer is disposed within the tapered interior bore of the housing. The bearing assembly may also include a locking mechanism for retaining the ball bearing element, the ball bearing retainer and the spring mechanism within the housing. |
| US10174784B1 |
Bungee cord with interlocking hooks
Interlocking hook assemblies for elastic straps include an elastic member 500 including a pair of similar interlocking hook devices 100 connected to each end of elastic member 501. Each interlocking hook device 100, is provided with a connector 300 which is fixedly attached thereon. Each hook device can be connected, preferably in a locking manner, onto the other hook device creating a closed hook assembly thereby disabling the hooks to prevent entanglement of elastic or rigid straps when not in use or during storage and/or transportation. Multiple elastic straps 500 can be connected end-to-end forming an elongated elastic strap of desired length having closed central hooks with open hooks on each end. Interlocking hook assemblies for elastic members include an elastic member with interlocking hook devices 900 including two similar interlocking hook devices 800 with a connector groove 801 and a catch feature 802 and elastic member 811. Each interlocking hook device 800 is provided with a groove 801 and catch feature 802 designed to allow each hook to engage the other within their respective grooves and to releasably lock them together. Each hook device can be engaged and preferably locked onto the other hook device thereby disabling the hooks to prevent entanglement of the elastic member when not in use or during storage and/or transportation. Multiple elastic members 900 can be connected end-to-end forming an elongated elastic strap of desired length having closed central hooks with open hooks on each end. |
| US10174783B1 |
System for protecting equipment surfaces
A system for protecting an equipment surface during manufacture, fabrication, transport, storage, and installation of equipment. The system comprises an adhered surface cover to mechanically protect machined surfaces, as well as hermetically sealing any covered openings. An impact absorbing cover with a deforming layer can be attached with a fastener to provide further impact protection for the equipment surface. The system has the benefit of being lightweight to allow for easy handling and shipping, is safer to use than other methods known in the art, and has the coincident benefit of protecting larger systems that equipment is a component of. |
| US10174780B2 |
Systems and methods for structurally interrelating components using inserts made from metallic glass-based materials
Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention operate to structurally interrelate two components using inserts made from metallic glass-based materials. In one embodiment, a method of structurally interrelating two components includes: forming an insert from a metallic glass-based composition; where the formed insert includes a metallic glass-based material; affixing the insert to a first component; and structurally interrelating the second component to the first component using the insert. |
| US10174779B2 |
Low profile bolt/clip assembly
A fastening system includes a fastener having a shank with a threaded portion and a head region disposed at an end of the shank and defining a retaining cavity in an end thereof. A clip includes a base region snap fit in the retaining cavity of the fastener and an anchor region for anchoring a wire harness, hose, cable sheath or other component. |
| US10174776B2 |
Modular rail system
A rail system includes a first rail unit with a hook portion forming a recessed cavity with an opening. A resilient strip or cord is located within the recessed cavity and is at least partially exposed through the opening. A cam portion positioned apart from the hook portion has a detent and a recessed portion. A second rail unit, releasably fastenable to the first rail unit, has a first flange section insertable into the hook portion of the first rail unit to compress the strip or cord and a second flange section snappable into the recessed portion of the cam portion of the first rail unit. The first flange extends through the opening of the recessed cavity and an end surface of the first flange engages the strip or cord when the second rail unit is fastened to the first rail unit. |
| US10174774B2 |
In-tank valve
In a detector that constitutes an in-tank valve, an attachment part formed on one end thereof is arranged in facing relation to a connector of a drive unit, and arm members of a bracket, which is substantially U-shaped in cross section and is fixed to the connector, are inserted in and engaged with engagement holes of the attachment part. Thus, the detector is always retained firmly in a state of being pulled to the side of the drive unit by elastic forces of the bracket. |
| US10174772B2 |
Device and method for controlling fluid flow over an optical instrument
A device is provided for controlling fluid flow over a window of a movable optical instrument housing. The device includes a generally annular body having an inner peripheral edge configured to correspond to a peripheral edge of the window of the housing and an outer peripheral edge, an arcuate outer surface disposed between the inner peripheral edge and the outer peripheral edge, and a reduced width portion between the inner peripheral edge and the outer peripheral edge. The reduced width portion is configured to lower elevation torque. Other embodiments of the device and methods for controlling fluid flow are further disclosed. |
| US10174771B2 |
Dual 4-port electromagnetic valve
[Object] To provide a compact, rationally designed, dual 4-port electromagnetic valve that is an electromagnetic valve having functions of two 4-port valves.[Solution] A dual 4-port electromagnetic valve includes two spools (8a, 8b) slidable independently of each other in a valve hole (7); two pilot valves (4a, 4b) that drive the two spools, respectively; a main supply port (P) that communicates with the valve hole (7) at a position where the two spools face each other; first and second output ports (A1, A2) that communicate with the valve hole (7) on two respective sides of the main supply port (P), first and second discharge ports (E1, E2) that communicate with the valve hole (7) on two respective outer sides of the output ports (A1, A2), third and fourth output ports (B1, B2) that communicate with the valve hole (7) on two respective outer sides of the discharge ports (E1, E2), and first and second supply ports (P1, P2) that communicate with the valve hole (7) on two respective outer sides of the output ports (B1, B2). The main supply port (P) and each of the first and second supply ports (P1, P2) communicate with each other. |
| US10174761B2 |
Synchronous electric motor for the operation of a pump and the related motor pump
A synchronous electric motor for operating a pump includes a motor body, a stator and a rotor coupled to an impeller of the pump. The motor also comprises a cylindrical element that extends towards the inside of the motor body from one of its outer walls so as to define a first cylindrical cavity open to the outside to insert inside the rotor, wherein the rotor has a circular cross section essentially corresponding to the inner section of the cylindrical element so that the rotor is in contact with the cylindrical element and then there is a friction between the rotor and the cylindrical element when the rotor rotates, and the rotor is shaftless and axially and directly coupled to the impeller of the pump. |
| US10174758B2 |
Pump unit
Pump units are known that have a drive shaft and a rotor, which is driven by the drive shaft and is arranged rotatably in a housing, the drive shaft having an oblique sliding plane, which interacts with the rotor and allows the rotor to nutate with the rotor axis thereof about a drive axis of the drive shaft, the rotor having a set of teeth on the end face of the rotor facing away from the drive shaft, said teeth meshing with a set of teeth formed on a housing of the pump unit, working spaces being formed between the teeth of the rotor and the teeth of the housing, which working spaces can be filled via an inlet and emptied via an outlet. It is disadvantageous that the pump unit has a comparatively large axial installation length, because the drive of the pump unit is arranged on an end of the drive shaft facing away from the rotor. In the pump unit according to the invention, the axial installation length is shortened. According to the invention the drive shaft (1) is surrounded by a stator (15) and magnets (16) are provided on the drive shaft (1), which magnets interact magnetically with the stator (15). |
| US10174754B2 |
Displacement pump
A valve assembly with a valve member coaxially received within a valve casing and interacts with the casing to provide a one-way inlet valve at one end of the valve casing and a one-way outlet valve at the other end of the casing with an annular compartment therebetween adapted to be coupled to a variable volume compartment and thereby together provide a simplified construction for valving components of a fluid pump. |
| US10174753B2 |
Method for operating a linear compressor
A method for operating a linear compressor includes providing a current controller, a resonance controller and a clearance controller. The current controller, the resonance controller and the clearance controller are configured for regulating operating parameters of a motor of the linear compressor. By managing priority between the current controller, the resonance controller and the clearance controller, the method may assist with efficiently operating the linear compressor while also maintaining stability. |
| US10174744B2 |
Semi-submersible floating wind turbine platform structure with water entrapment plates
A structure of a floating, semi-submersible wind turbine platform is provided. The floating wind turbine platform includes three elongate stabilizing columns, each having a top end, a keel end, and an outer shell containing an inner shaft. Each stabilizing column further includes a water entrapment plate. The floating wind turbine platform also includes three truss members, each truss member including two chord members and two diagonal members. The truss members connect the stabilizing columns to form a triangular cross-section. An elongate wind turbine tower is disposed over the top end of one of the three stabilizing columns. |
| US10174741B2 |
Blade pitch control apparatus for small size wind power generator
The present invention relates to a blade pitch control apparatus for a small size wind power generator. More specifically, the present invention relates to a blade pitch control apparatus for a small size wind power generator configured to accomplish continuous generation by continuously maintaining the necessary rotating force of the blade by systematically operating the ball screw, spinner driver, and pitch angle controller when the rotation number of blades exceeds the reference rotation number by over wind speed, so that the blade pitch is automatically controlled. To this end, the present invention comprises a blade combined with an outer circumference surface of a rotator, rotating by wind; a spinner box installed and fixed in the middle of the front surface of the blade; a ball screw formed with speed control wings at one end in a state positioned in the longitudinal direction in the middle of the spinner box and having screws at the other end; a spinner driver screw-combined with the screw of the ball screw, and moving to the front and back when the rotation number of blades exceeds the reference rotation number by over wind speed or when the wind speed decreases; and a pitch angle controller connected between the spinner driver and blade, folding and unfolding the blade according to the movement direction of the spinner driver to control the pitch angle of the blade. |
| US10174737B2 |
Heating device for fluid
A heating device for heating of a fluid, particularly in a vehicle or vessel, comprising at least one heating element in a housing with a house wall and a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The wall or a part of this or a part of the house wall is a heat conductor for conducting heat between the heating element and at least one of the fluid channels. At least one chamber is defined by the at least one wall and a portion of the housing wall, or by walls in pairs between the fluid channels. The heating element is mountable in the chamber, which has an opening towards the outside of the housing. The opening is not fluidly connected to the fluid channels. The heating element can be a PTC element. |
| US10174736B2 |
Emergency starting device and emergency starting method
The present invention provides an emergency starting device, including a first output end and a second output end, wherein the first output end is used for being connected to a positive electrode of an accumulator battery in an engine starting system and the second output end is used for being connected to a negative electrode of the accumulator battery; the device includes a super-capacitor, a controller and a DC-DC booster circuit, wherein the controller receives first electrical signal from the accumulator battery and electrically connects the super-capacitor and the accumulator battery to start the engine with energy stored in the super-capacitor when the first electrical signal changes suddenly, the DC-DC booster circuit increases the output voltage of the accumulator battery to charge the super-capacitor. The invention further provides an emergency starting method accordingly. By using the super-capacitor, the controller and the DC-DC booster circuit the invention fits in various severe environments and can start an engine in emergency permanently and effectively. |
| US10174733B2 |
Oil lubricated common rail diesel pump
An oil lubricated common rail diesel pump includes a pumping assembly and a drivetrain assembly. The pumping assembly includes a pump housing and a plunger mounted along a pumping axis. The drivetrain assembly includes a driveshaft and a cam mounted within a first chamber of a drivetrain housing. The plunger is arranged for reciprocating linear movement along the pumping axis within a second chamber of the housing upon rotation of the cam. The drivetrain assembly also includes a guide mounted within the housing between the cam and the plunger and being adapted to receive a cam follower. At least the housing is adapted to be substantially filled with oil in use and the guide includes at least one flow passage communicating between the first chamber and the second chamber. |
| US10174730B2 |
Fuel injector
A fuel injector for use in delivering fuel to an internal combustion engine includes a nozzle having a valve needle which is moveable with respect to a valve needle seating through a range of movement between a fully-closed position and a fully-open position to control fuel delivery through at least one nozzle outlet, whereby movement of the nozzle needle is controlled by fuel pressure within a control chamber. A nozzle control valve controls fuel flow into and out of the control chamber to pressurize and depressurize the control chamber, respectively. The fuel injector also includes a variable flow passage in communication with the control chamber through which fuel flows out of the control chamber at a variable rate throughout the range of movement of the valve needle so that movement of the valve needle is damped to a greater extent as it approaches the fully-open position. |
| US10174727B2 |
Intake air control apparatus for vehicle
An intake air control apparatus for a vehicle may include a valve flap provided in an air intake passage, the valve flap having a rotation shaft facing opposite sides of the air intake passage, to control a cross-sectional area of air intake flow according to a rotation angle thereof about the rotation shaft; a driving device supplying a driving force to the valve flap; and a port plate being provided in the air intake passage, with a longitudinal direction thereof being in parallel to a longitudinal direction of the air intake passage, the port plate dividing the air intake passage into an upper passage and a lower passage, wherein based on a width direction, at least a portion of the port plate has a height changing portion that changes a height of the port plate from a lower internal wall of the air intake passage. |
| US10174726B2 |
Intake manifold
An intake manifold is provided with a surge tank and a plurality of branch pipes branching from the surge tank, and is made up of a plurality of separate pieces. Each of the branch pipes is provided with an intake outlet for outflow of intake air to each cylinder of an engine. The intake manifold further includes a single gas inflow port, a plurality of gas outflow ports opening one in each of the branch pipes, and a gas passage extending in a branch form from the gas inflow port to each of the gas outflow ports. Each of the gas outflow ports is located away from the intake outlet of the corresponding branch pipe by a predetermined passage length. |
| US10174724B2 |
Fuel reforming system for vehicle
A fuel reforming system for a vehicle includes an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) line for recirculating a part of exhaust gas of an engine towards an intake side, a fuel reformer provided on the EGR line, the fuel reformer reforming fuel that is to be supplied to the engine, and the fuel reformer supplying the reformed fuel to the engine via the EGR line, an EGR valve provided downstream of the fuel reformer, and a pressure control valve provided in the fuel reformer for controlling an inner pressure of the fuel reformer. |
| US10174723B2 |
Bottom fire dense phalanx forcible measurement of hydrogen-oxygen complete combustion vehicle exhaust pollutant-elimination near zero tank
A device for removing pollutants from an automobile exhaust, the device including: a body filled with active carbon particles, first supporting columns, an output pipe for outputting a fuel additive, a basin-shaped base of a regulating valve box, a top cover, a regulating pipe, second supporting columns, a bearing grid plate configured to bear the active carbon particles, a bottom sealing cover, and an air pipe. The first supporting columns are disposed on the top of the body. The output pipe is connected to the middle part of the top of the body via the first supporting columns. The basin-shaped base of the regulating valve box is connected to two sides of the top of the body via the first supporting columns. The basin-shaped base is connected to the top cover; the regulating pipe is disposed on the upper part of the top cover. |
| US10174719B2 |
Control device for internal combustion engine
In a non-EGR region that is a light load operating region, an EGR control valve (21) is opened at a predetermined infinitesimal opening degree M that corresponds to such infinitesimal EGR ratio as not to affect an ignition timing. With this control, since an EGR passage (20) is basically in a state in which the EGR passage (20) is filled with EGR gas, when an operating condition is changed from the non-EGR region to an EGR region and the EGR control valve (21) is opened so as to gain a target EGR ratio, a desired quantity of the EGR gas is introduced into an intake passage (2) substantially at the same time as the opening of the EGR control valve (21). An actual EGR ratio can thus follow the target EGR ratio with a good response. |
| US10174716B2 |
Gas turbine engine with axial movable fan variable area nozzle
A turbofan engine includes fan section including a plurality of fan blades, a gear train, a low spool including a low pressure turbine and a low pressure compressor, the low pressure turbine driving the plurality of fan blades through the gear train, and a high spool including a high pressure turbine driving a high pressure compressor. A fan nacelle at least partially surrounds a core nacelle to define a fan bypass flow path. A fan variable area nozzle is in communication with the fan bypass flow path and defines a fan nozzle exit area between the fan nacelle and the core nacelle. The fan variable area nozzle varies the fan nozzle exit area. |
| US10174715B2 |
Gas turbine engine with axial movable fan variable area nozzle
A method of designing a turbofan engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, providing a fan section including a plurality of fan blades, providing a low pressure turbine driving the plurality of fan blades through a gear train, providing a fan nacelle and a core nacelle, the fan nacelle at least partially surrounding the core nacelle, providing a fan bypass flow path defined between the core nacelle and the fan nacelle, and providing a fan variable area nozzle in communication with the fan bypass flow path and defining a fan nozzle exit area between the fan nacelle and the core nacelle. |
| US10174712B2 |
Piston for an internal combustion engine
A piston for an internal combustion engine may include a piston crown and a piston skirt. The piston crown may include a piston head, a peripheral top land, a peripheral annular zone having a plurality of annular grooves and an annular closed cooling channel. The cooling channel may include a cooling channel base and a cooling channel cover. The cooling channel base may be arranged above the lower annular groove in relation to a region of combustion. |
| US10174710B2 |
Method for producing a piston for an internal combustion engine and piston produced by means of said method
A method for producing a piston may include aligning at least two piston components along corresponding joining surfaces, activating a laser designed for deep-welding, and aligning a laser beam with a starting point. The method may then include increasing a power density of the laser beam over a first defined path along the joining surfaces to produce a weld seam with an increasing weld seam depth, deep welding along the joining surfaces to produce a deep weld seam with a substantially constant weld seam depth up to a defined end point, and reducing the power density over a second defined path to produce a weld seam with a decreasing weld seam depth. The method may further include overwelding at least part of at least one of the first and second defined paths by a laser designed for heat conduction welding to produce at least one heat conduction weld seam. |
| US10174708B2 |
Cooling structure of multi-cylinder engine
A cooling structure of a multi-cylinder engine is provided, which includes a water jacket formed in a cylinder block to surround cylinder bores of cylinders arranged inline, a spacer, and a coolant inlet. The spacer includes openings at positions corresponding to inter-cylinder-bore portions and a rectifying part extending outwardly on a lower side of the openings. The rectifying part inclines continuously upwardly while extending in one of an exhaust- and intake-side section of the jacket from a first end side to a second end side that is the opposite side from the first end side in a cylinder line-up direction, extending on the second end side from the one of the exhaust- and intake-side sections to the other one of the exhaust- and intake-side sections, and then extending from the second end side to the first end side in the other one of the exhaust- and intake-side sections. |
| US10174707B2 |
Internal combustion engine and method of forming
A tool and a method of forming an engine using the tool are provided. The tool includes an insert and at least one die. The insert is formed by forming an interbore passage between first and second siamesed cylinder liners, casting a lost core, and then casting a metal shell. The insert is positioned into a die of the tool and the engine block is cast. The lost core material may then be removed to provide the cooling jacket. The engine includes a cylinder block with a cooling jacket circumferentially surrounding first and second siamesed cylinder liners intersecting a closed deck face. The cooling jacket has first and second widths in first and second axial sections, respectively. An interbore region of the first and second cylinder liners defines first and second interbore cooling passages spaced apart from the deck face and parallel to one another. |
| US10174706B2 |
Method of injecting fuel into an internal combustion engine
A method is described of injecting fuel into an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine utilises direct fuel injection and comprises a plurality of cylinders, each of which has an associated piston. The method comprises simultaneously applying different injection patterns to at least two of the cylinders in dependence on initial positions of their respective pistons. The method comprises injecting a first cylinder of the internal combustion engine according to an optimum injection pattern, and, simultaneously, injecting a second cylinder of the internal combustion engine according to a start-up injection pattern. The start-up injection pattern is determined in dependence on the optimum injection pattern and the initial position of the piston associated with said second cylinder. |
| US10174692B2 |
Method for operating an internal combustion engine
Method for the operation of an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders (11 to detect misfires. An exhaust gas sensor at the exhaust gas of every cylinder of the internal combustion engine measures at least one actual exhaust gas value individually for the respective cylinder, and the respective measured actual exhaust gas value is compared with a reference exhaust gas value to determine at least one cylinder-specific deviation between the reference exhaust gas value and the actual exhaust gas value for each of the cylinders. It is determined for every cylinder based on the cylinder-specific deviation or based on every cylinder-specific deviation whether or not misfires are occurring at the respective cylinder. |
| US10174689B2 |
Method and device for operating a drive system including an internal combustion engine
A method for operating a drive system including an internal combustion engine, the drive system including an electromotively-assisted exhaust-driven supercharging device or a strictly electrically operated supercharging device, the method including checking on whether a gear change has been initiated and a drive train has been disengaged accordingly; upon detecting an initiated gear change, adjusting the compressor power of the supercharging device by additionally facilitating electric power to the electromotively-assisted exhaust-driven supercharging device or to the strictly electrically operated supercharging device, in such a way that, at least toward the end of the gear change, a charging pressure is made available in a charging pressure section of the drive system which is higher than a charging pressure resulting at a compressor power, which corresponds to the exhaust gas enthalpy of the internal combustion engine provided during the gear change. |
| US10174688B2 |
Method of controlling engine system equipped with supercharger
A method of controlling an engine system equipped with a supercharger may include determining a target value of boost pressure, depending on an rpm of an engine and then determining whether the supercharger is in an operable region, deducing a target rpm of the supercharger, based on a reference value previously input into the controller and a current state value of a vehicle input into the controller, when it has been determined in the operating-region determination that the supercharger is in the operable region, setting a maximum value, in the target rpm deduced in the target-rpm deduction, to a drive rpm of the supercharger, and verifying whether the set drive rpm is greater than or equal to a predetermined reference value previously input into the controller, and driving the supercharger at the set drive rpm, by closing the bypass valve to open the supercharger path. |
| US10174687B2 |
Method of controlling engine
A method of controlling an engine which has a continuous variable valve duration (CVVD) device that controls an operation of opening or closing an intake valve, and an ETC device that controls an operation of opening or closing a throttle valve and adjusts the amount of air to be introduced into a combustion chamber, may include determining whether it is necessary to increase or decrease engine torque; changing a duration of the intake valve by using the CVVD device when it is necessary to increase or decrease the engine torque; and adjusting the amount of air introduced through the ETC device in a state in which the duration of the intake valve is changed. |
| US10174686B2 |
Control device and control method for internal combustion engine
An ECU calculates a target phase angle of an intake valve, a target phase angle of an exhaust valve, and a target overlap period based on a rotational speed and a load factor of an engine. The ECU is configured to, in the case where valve timings of the intake valve and the exhaust valve are advanced, set the target phase angle of an intake valve and the target phase angle of the exhaust valve as the target phase angles of the exhaust valve and the intake valve when a minus overlap takes place. |
| US10174685B2 |
Control device and control method for internal combustion engine
The control device for an internal combustion engine including a plurality of cylinders includes: a misfire detection unit for detecting a misfire state for each of the plurality of cylinders; a plurality of electronic throttles each provided on an intake pipe corresponding to each of the plurality of cylinders, for adjusting an intake air amount taken into each cylinder by way of a throttle opening degree; and a throttle opening degree control unit for controlling the throttle opening degree of each of the plurality of electronic throttles. When the misfire detection unit detects the misfire state in any one of the plurality of cylinders, the throttle opening degree control unit decreases a limited value of the throttle opening degree of the cylinder in the misfire state as time elapses. |
| US10174682B2 |
Systems and methods for optimizing stoichiometric combustion
Provided are more efficient techniques for operating gas turbine systems. In one embodiment a gas turbine system comprises an oxidant system, a fuel system, a control system, and a number of combustors adapted to receive and combust an oxidant from the oxidant system and a fuel from the fuel system to produce an exhaust gas. The gas turbine system also includes a number of oxidant-flow adjustment devices, each of which are operatively associated with one of the combustors, wherein an oxidant-flow adjustment device is configured to independently regulate an oxidant flow rate into the associated combustor. An exhaust sensor is in communication with the control system. The exhaust sensor is adapted to measure at least one parameter of the exhaust gas, and the control system is configured to independently adjust each of the oxidant-flow adjustment devices based, at least in part, on the parameter measured by the exhaust sensor. |
| US10174679B2 |
Systems and methods related to control of gas turbine startup
A method of controlling a startup sequence of a gas turbine. A turbine of the gas turbine may include a rotor that has a rotor velocity and a rotor acceleration during the startup sequence. The method may include the steps of: determining an originally scheduled startup duration for the gas turbine; measuring an intermediate rotor velocity at an intermediate time within the startup sequence; determining a recalculated remaining startup duration that is a duration calculated as necessary to achieve the final rotor velocity given the intermediate rotor velocity; determining a remaining portion of the originally scheduled startup duration based on the intermediate time; calculating a time multiplier based on a comparison of the recalculated remaining startup duration to the remaining portion of the originally scheduled startup duration; and scaling the rotor acceleration per the time multiplier for a duration until the final rotor velocity is achieved by the turbine. |
| US10174677B2 |
Close-out enclosure for panel of a gas turbine engine
Methods and fire sealing systems for a panel of a gas turbine engine are provided. The fire sealing systems include a thermal blanket mounted on the panel, the thermal blanket having a close-out and defining a seal landing at a periphery edge of the panel, a seal retainer mounted to the panel along the seal landing, and a fire seal securely retained within the seal retainer, wherein at least one of the seal retainer or the fire seal comprises an extension portion and a blanket engaging portion such that a close-out volume formed between the thermal blanket and the fire seal above the close-out of the thermal blanket is enclosed. |
| US10174674B2 |
Device for the extraction of bleed air and aircraft engine with at least one device for the extraction of bleed air
A device for extraction of bleed air from flowing air at or in an aircraft engine includes an adjusting device for adjustment of an inlet cross section of an opening for the bleed air in or at a wall during operation of the aircraft engine. The opening for the bleed air is arranged in or at a deformable base and the adjusting device acts on the deformable base for modifying the inlet cross section of the opening relative to the flowing air. The deformable base is part of a metallic housing in the aircraft engine. |
| US10174672B2 |
Electric waste gate valve control device
An electric waste gate valve control device controls a waste gate valve provided in a waste gate passage that bypasses a portion between an upstream and a downstream of a turbine driven by exhaust of an engine and opening/closing the waste gate passage by an electric actuator. The electric waste gate valve control device includes: a position sensor that detects a position of the waste gate valve; an actuator controller that controls the electric actuator such that an opening degree of the waste gate valve becomes a target opening degree; and a fully closed position learning unit that performs fully closed position learning to acquire the position of the waste gate valve at a time when the electric actuator is driven to bring the waste gate valve into a fully closed state. |
| US10174664B2 |
Cooling control apparatus for internal combustion engine and cooling control method therefor
The present invention relates to a cooling control apparatus which performs control for cooling an internal combustion engine by causing an electric pump to circulate cooling water and causing an electric fan to supply cooling air to a radiator. The cooling control apparatus comprises an electric pump for circulating a coolant through a coolant passage formed in the internal combustion engine, and a radiator and a radiator fan which are for cooling the coolant. When the internal combustion engine stops after completion of warming-up, the radiator fan and the electric pump are driven to cool the internal combustion engine, and when a temperature of the coolant decreases to less than a temperature at a time of engine stop, the radiator fan is stopped in a state in which the electric pump is operated. |
| US10174663B1 |
Double layered, bent exhaust pipe
An exhaust pathway for an internal combustion engine passes from a larger pipe to a smaller pipe, and then back to a larger pipe. The smaller pipe has a bend of at least approximately 80°, and each of the smaller and downstream larger pipes is disposed within, and spaced apart from, portions of a shell, such that cooling air passes in an air gap between the pipes and the shell. |
| US10174661B1 |
Apparatuses and methods for cooling exhaust gas emitted from an internal combustion engine in a marine drive
Apparatuses and methods are for cooling exhaust gas emitted from an internal combustion engine in a marine drive. An upstream exhaust conduit is configured to convey exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine. A cooling jacket is located on the upstream exhaust conduit. A cooling passage is located radially between the upstream exhaust conduit and the cooling jacket. The cooling passage is configured to convey cooling fluid along an outer periphery of the upstream exhaust conduit to a location where the cooling fluid is mixed with the exhaust gas. A downstream exhaust conduit conveys the exhaust gas from the upstream exhaust conduit. An orifice device is configured to radially outwardly spray the cooling fluid from the cooling passage onto an inner radial surface of the downstream exhaust conduit so that the cooling fluid cools the downstream exhaust conduit and mixes with and cools the exhaust gas. |
| US10174660B2 |
Method for measuring catalytic reactivity in diagnosing a gas-permeable object, and apparatus therefor
Method and apparatus for measuring catalytic reactivity in diagnosing a gas-permeable object, such as a catalyst or a filter, that has been removed from an exhaust gas tract connected downstream of an internal combustion engine of, motor vehicle. The method includes applying, through an opening in a device, a test medium with a defined composition, to a front face of the removed object; and measuring, at a position located, with respect to a flow direction of the test medium, downstream of the front face, at least of: a concentration of at least one reduced or oxidized constituent of the test medium after passage of the test medium through the gas-permeable object; and a temperature of the object after the test medium is applied to the gas-permeable object. |
| US10174656B2 |
Exhaust systems and methods of assembling exhaust systems for marine propulsion devices
An exhaust system is for a marine propulsion device having an internal combustion engine. A catalyst housing has a housing inlet end that receives an exhaust gas flow from the internal combustion engine into the catalyst housing and an opposite, housing outlet end that discharges the exhaust flow out of the catalyst housing. A catalyst is disposed in the catalyst housing. The catalyst has a catalyst inlet end that receives the exhaust gas flow and an opposite, catalyst outlet end that discharges the exhaust gas flow. A catalyst mantel is on an outer periphery of the catalyst. The catalyst mantel has a mantel inlet end and an opposite, mantel outlet end. A radial flange is on at least one of the mantel outlet end and mantel inlet end. A connector mates with an inner diameter of the catalyst housing. The radially extending flange of the catalyst mantel is axially sandwiched between the connector and a radially inner shoulder of the catalyst housing. |
| US10174655B2 |
Silencer
A silencer includes: a housing that has a draw-in portion drawing in fluid, and a plurality of sound attenuating portions arranged in a flowing direction of the fluid; a first partition provided with an intermediate communicating portion communicating the most downstream attenuating portion with the adjacent attenuating portion located adjacent to the most downstream attenuating portion; a valve portion disposed in the most downstream attenuating portion, the valve portion being capable of closing the intermediate communicating portion; a valve holding portion holding the valve portion, the valve holding portion being detachably attached to the housing; and a draw-out portion provided in a portion of the most downstream attenuating portion other than the valve holding portion, the draw-out portion drawing out the fluid from the most downstream attenuating portion. |
| US10174651B2 |
Controllable oil separation device
An oil separation device for separating oil from a gas stream for ventilating a crankcase of a combustion engine may include an inflow side and an outflow side. The inflow side can be fluidically connected to the crankcase of the combustion engine and may receive the gas stream laden with oil. The outflow side can be fluidically connected to an intake tract of the combustion engine and may receive the gas stream substantially purged of oil. The device may include a first control member for varying a first flow cross section of the gas stream and controlled by a gas pressure in the crankcase. The device may have a second control member for varying a second flow cross section of the gas stream positioned downstream of the first flow cross section, wherein the second control member is controlled by a vacuum in the intake tract of the combustion engine. |
| US10174650B2 |
Vehicle with integrated turbocharger oil control restriction
A vehicle incorporates a turbocharged internal combustion engine and a crankcase ventilation system. That crankcase ventilation system includes a first vent line connecting a cam cover at a first spigot to an air inlet duct at a second spigot. In addition the system includes a second vent line connected between the crankcase and the intake manifold of the engine. A one-way valve is provided in the second vent line. A restriction is integrated into either the first spigot, the second spigot or a quick connect that connects the first vent line to the first or second spigot. |
| US10174646B2 |
Valve opening and closing timing control apparatus
A valve opening and closing timing control apparatus includes: a driving side rotor synchronously rotating with a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine; a driven side rotor disposed coaxially with a rotary axis of the driving side rotor and synchronously rotating with a camshaft; a connecting bolt disposed coaxially with the rotary axis, and connecting the driven side rotor to the camshaft; and a position determination unit performing positioning between the driven side rotor and the camshaft, or in a case where an intermediate member is provided between the driven side rotor and the camshaft, between the driven side rotor and the intermediate member, or between the camshaft and the intermediate member, wherein the position determination unit includes an engaging pin, first and second hole portions, and a deformation absorbing unit. |
| US10174645B2 |
Variable valve duration system and engine provided with the same
A variable valve duration system may include a camshaft, a first cam portion including a first cam, into which the camshaft is inserted and of which a relative phase angle of the first cam with respect to the camshaft is variable, an inner bracket transmitting rotation of the camshaft to the first cam portion, a slider housing into which the inner bracket is rotatably inserted, a first rocker arm having a first end contacting the first cam and a second end connected to a first valve, a rocker shaft to which the first rocker arm is rotatably connected, a solenoid valve to selectively supply hydraulic pressure, and a position controller to selectively change a position of the slider housing according to the selective supplying of the hydraulic pressure from the solenoid valve. |
| US10174641B2 |
Rankine cycle system for vehicle having dual fluid circulation circuit and method of controlling the same
A Rankine cycle system for a vehicle having a dual fluid circulation circuit includes a high temperature (HT) loop in which a HT working fluid is converted to steam by heat of exhaust gas discharged from an engine. The steam is condensed back into the liquid state of the HT working fluid. A Low Temperature (LT) loop in which a temperature of an LT working fluid converted to steam is increased so that power is generated while the LT working fluid cools the HT working fluid in the HT loop, and the steam is condensed back into the liquid state of the LT working fluid. An engine coolant circulation auxiliary line forming a circulation flow in which engine coolant heats the LT working fluid and is then returned to the engine after the engine coolant circulated in the engine is supplied to the LT loop. |
| US10174638B2 |
Device for expanding steam and method to control such a device
A device for expanding steam, whereby this device comprises an expander with an inlet that is connected to an inlet pipe and an outlet that is connected to an outlet pipe, whereby the inlet pipe is provided with an inlet valve and the outlet pipe is provided with an outlet valve for isolating the space between the valves, by closing these valves when the expander is not operating, whereby the device is provided with a steam supply that conditions the space between the valves when the expander is not operating, such that no air can penetrate into the space. |
| US10174630B2 |
Gas turbine in mechanical drive applications and operating methods
A drive system for driving at least one compressor is described. The system comprises a gas turbine configured and arranged for driving the compressor. The gas turbine has a hot end and a cold end. A load coupling for connection of said gas turbine to the compressor is arranged at hot end of the gas turbine. An electric motor/generator arranged at the cold end of the gas turbine. The electric motor/generator is electrically connected to an electric power grid and is adapted to function as a generator for converting excess mechanical power from the gas turbine into electrical power and delivering the electrical power to the electric power grid, and as a motor for supplementing driving power to the compressor. |
| US10174629B1 |
Phonic seal seat
A sealing assembly for a bearing compartment of a gas turbine engine includes a shaft and a seal plate mounted to the shaft. The shaft is configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine. The seal plate includes an annular body, scoop, sealing surface, plurality of teeth, and channel. The scoop is connected to and extends radially from the annular body. The scoop defines a lip and an annulus surrounding the shaft and is disposed on a first axial end of the annular body. The sealing surface is disposed on a second axial end of the annular body opposite from the scoop. The plurality of teeth are disposed into and along an outer perimeter of a portion of the annular body. The channel extends through a portion of the annular body and is fluidly connected to the scoop and to the sealing surface. |
| US10174626B2 |
Partially coated blade
A partially coated blade for a gas turbine engine, including a fillet surface surrounding the airfoil section and connecting it to the platform section. A radially outermost portion of the pressure side and leading edge is covered by a thermal barrier coating. This portion extends radially from a first limit to the blade tip. The first limit is located at a radial distance from the platform of at most 21% of the maximum span. The fillet surface is free or substantially free of the thermal barrier coating. In another embodiment, a second portion of the pressure side and of the leading edge is free or substantially free of the thermal barrier coating, extending radially from the platform section to a second limit located a radial distance from the platform section corresponding to at least 5% of the maximum span. A method of applying a thermal barrier coating is also discussed. |
| US10174624B1 |
Composite blade root lay-up
A blade for a gas turbine engine includes composite layers that include a uni-directional layer and a fabric compliant wedge layer that are arranged adjacent to the uni-directional layer. The fabric compliant wedge layer has a reduced compressive Young's modulus compared to the uni-directional layer. |
| US10174623B2 |
Rotary blade manufacturing method
The present invention provides a method of designing a manufacturing geometry for a tip portion of a rotary blade for a gas turbine engine. The method comprises first devising a theoretical hot running geometry of the tip portion at a specified design condition. Next, the theoretical operational forces acting on the theoretical hot running geometry at the specified design condition are calculated e.g. using CFD software. Then, the manufacturing geometry is determined (e.g. using FEA analysis) using the calculated theoretical operational forces. |
| US10174622B2 |
Wrapped serpentine passages for turbine blade cooling
A turbine blade for a gas turbine engine may include at least two wrapped, serpentine-shaped internal cooling paths. A first one of the serpentine-shaped internal cooling paths may include a first passage that extends radially along a leading edge of the turbine blade from adjacent a root end of the turbine blade to adjacent a tip end of the turbine blade. The first passage may be configured to provide fresh cooling fluid to the leading edge. A second passage downstream of the first passage may be configured to discharge spent cooling fluid from the first passage of the first one of the serpentine-shaped internal cooling paths across a plurality of flow disrupters positioned along an upper span of a trailing edge of the turbine blade before exiting from the trailing edge of the turbine blade. A second one of the serpentine-shaped internal cooling paths may be configured to supply fresh cooling fluid to a lower span of the trailing edge of the turbine blade. |
| US10174617B2 |
Systems and methods for deep tip crack repair
The present application provides a method of repairing a turbine blade. The method may include the steps of removing an existing tip cap from the turbine blade in whole or in part, machining the turbine blade to form a machined groove, positioning an insert in the machined groove, welding the insert to the turbine blade, and brazing the turbine blade. |
| US10174615B2 |
Cutter holder for a tunnel boring machine and an associated cutting set
The invention relates to a cutter holder (1) for a tunnel boring machine, comprising: a housing (2) comprising two cavities (26) formed in opposite walls (20), and two clamping sets (3), configured to be removably mounted on either side of the roller cutter (10) in the housing (2), and each comprising: a base plate (32), and a center wedge (34), movably mounted on the base plate (32), two side wedges (36), hinged between the base plate (32) and the center wedge (34) between a retracted position and a clamping position, wherein the side wedges (36) transversely swing and enter into the cavity (26) facing the housing (2). |
| US10174614B2 |
Mine vehicle and method of initiating mine work task
A method and mine vehicle includes at least one scanning device for scanning surroundings of the mine vehicle and producing operational point cloud data. The mine vehicle has a control unit provided with reference point cloud data of the mine. The control unit is configured to match the operational point cloud data to the reference point cloud data in order to determine position of the mine vehicle. The control unit further includes a mine work plan, which is connected to the detected position of the mine vehicle. |
| US10174612B2 |
Method for determining a water intake profile in an injection well
A first water injection into an injection well is carried out followed by a first shut-in of the injection well. A second water injection is carried out, a volume of the injected water exceeds several times a volume of water in the well in an intake interval. Then there is a second shut-in of the injection well, and during the second shut-in transient temperature profiles are registered within the intake interval by temperature sensors. Then a third water injection step is carried out and at an initial stage of the third injection transient temperature profiles in the intake interval are registered using the temperature sensors. The transient temperature profiles registered during the second shut-in period are analyzed and intake zone boundaries are determined. The transient temperature profiles registered at the initial stage of the third water injection are analyzed and a water intake profile is determined. |
| US10174599B2 |
Split stream oilfield pumping systems
A method of pumping an oilfield fluid from a well surface to a wellbore is provided that includes providing a clean stream; operating one or more clean pumps to pump the clean stream from the well surface to the wellbore; providing a dirty stream including a solid material disposed in a fluid carrier; and operating one or more dirty pumps to pump the dirty stream from the well surface to the wellbore, wherein the clean stream and the dirty stream together form said oilfield fluid. |
| US10174598B2 |
Tight-shale oil production tool
A tight-shale oil production tool includes a combustor operable to generate an aqueous-phase nitric acid, combustion products. |
| US10174596B2 |
Surfactant composition
The invention provides a synergistic surfactant composition comprising: (a) a first amphoteric surfactant, which is selected from C8-C22 sultaines, salts thereof, and mixtures thereof; and (b) a second amphoteric surfactant, which is selected from C8-C22 betaines and salts thereof, C8-C22 propionates and salts thereof, and mixtures thereof. This surfactant composition may be used to generate foam that is used for unloading a liquid from a hydrocarbon reservoir. It may be that the liquid unloading of foam generated using the surfactant composition is greater than that of foam generated from the first and second surfactants when they are foamed individually. |
| US10174595B2 |
Perforating tool
A charge tube for use with a perforating tool that includes a tubular member having a first end, a second end, an outer surface, and a passage extending between the first end and the second end, and a receptacle extending through the outer surface of the tubular member for receiving a shaped charge, wherein the tubular member includes a reduced diameter section, and a first expanded diameter section disposed at the first end of the tubular member, the first expanded diameter section having a greater diameter than the reduced diameter section, and wherein the reduced diameter section and the first expanded diameter section of the tubular member are monolithically formed. |
| US10174589B2 |
Magnetic spring booster for subsurface safety valve
Disclosed is a subsurface safety valve with a magnetic booster feature. One disclosed safety valve includes a housing, a flow tube reciprocably disposed between an upper position and a lower position within the housing, a first magnetic element coupled to the housing, and a second magnetic element coupled to the flow tube and configured such that interaction of the first and second magnetic elements induces at least one of a first force on the flow tube when the flow tube is in the upper position and a second force on the flow tube when the flow tube is in the lower position. |
| US10174582B2 |
Wellbore annular safety valve and method
A well system includes an annular barrier separating the tubing-casing annulus into an upper annulus and a lower annulus and a barrier valve coupled with the annular barrier, the barrier valve permitting one-way fluid communication from the upper annulus to the lower annulus. |
| US10174580B2 |
Automatic dump valve and method of operating an inflatable packer
A hydraulic dump valve (10) for use with an inflatable packer (38) in a downhole (32) installation. The hydraulic dump valve (10) includes disc springs (102, 118) to adjust the pressure of operation of the valve (10) to allow use of liquid operated packers (38) in boreholes (32) with low static water levels by isolating the hydrostatic pressure in an inflation line (51) from the packers (38) and at the same time provide communication from the inflatable packer (38) to the well annulus (30) to allow downhole deflation of the packer (38). |
| US10174572B2 |
Universal drilling and completion system
Methods and apparatus are described to drill and complete wellbores. Such wellbores include extended reach horizontal wellbores, for example in shales, deep subsea extended reach wellbores, and multilateral wellbores. Specifically, the invention provides simple threaded subassemblies that are added to existing threaded tubular drilling and completion equipment which are used to dramatically increase the lateral reach using that existing on-site equipment. These subassemblies extract power from downward flowing clean mud, or other fluids, in an annulus to provide additional force or torque on tubular elements within the wellbore, while maintaining circulation, to extend the lateral reach of the drilling equipment and completion equipment. These added elements include combinations of The Leaky Seal™, a Cross-Over, The Force Sub™ and The Torque Sub™. The use of such additional simple elements allow lighter drilling equipment to be used to reach a given lateral distance, therefore reducing drilling costs. |
| US10174569B2 |
NMR/MRI-based integrated system for analyzing and treating of a drilling mud for drilling mud recycling process and methods thereof
An NMR/MRI-based integrated system for analyzing and treating of a drilling mud for drilling mud recycling line; the system comprising drilling mud recycling equipment; an NMR/MRI device configured to provide at least one image of at least a portion of the drilling mud at least one characterized recycling step in the drilling mud recycling line; and a processor for analyzing and controlling the recycling of the drilling mud; wherein the NMR/MRI-based integrated system is operating in a method of analyzing the NMR/MRI image online; operatively communicating results of the analysis to the drilling mud recycling equipment; and online feedback controlling at least one step in the recycling of the drilling mud recycling equipment, thereby controlling automatically at least one step in the recycling of the drilling mud recycling. |
| US10174567B2 |
Handling device for drill string component in respect of a rock drill rig and rock drill rig
A handing device for handling drill string components in a rock drill rig. The handing device includes a magazine for storing drill string components to be introduced into and removed from a drill string position of the drill rig. The magazine includes, in the region of a loading position, a transfer unit for separation of a drill string component being positioned on a support from an adjacent drill string component and to transfer the separated drill string component to the loading position. The transfer unit includes a plurality of pivot arms being pivotal around a pivot axis, being parallel to the axial direction, from a first position. The pivot arms lie against a drill string component being closest to the loading position on the support, to a second position. The pivot arms allow bringing down the separated drill string component to the loading position. Also a rock drill rig. |
| US10174566B2 |
Inverted pull-up riser tensioner
Embodiments of the present disclosure include a riser tensioner includes a cylinder barrel, a rod reciprocally carried within the cylinder barrel and having an external end sealingly extending out of a proximal end of the cylinder barrel, and a piston on an interior end of the rod that slides and seals against an inner surface of the cylinder barrel. The tensioner further includes a selectively sealed low pressure chamber in the cylinder barrel between the piston and a distal end of the cylinder barrel and fillable with a low pressure fluid, and a selectively sealed annulus between the rod and the cylinder barrel, the annulus extending between the piston and the proximal end of the cylinder barrel and fillable with an annulus fluid at a pressure higher than the low pressure fluid, thereby urging the piston and rod towards retraction. |
| US10174562B2 |
Methods of forming polycrystalline elements from brown polycrystalline tables
Methods of forming a polycrystalline table may involve disposing a plurality of particles comprising a superabrasive material, a substrate comprising a hard material, and a catalyst material in a mold. The plurality of particles may be partially sintered in the presence of the catalyst material to form a brown polycrystalline table having a first permeability attached to an end of the substrate. The substrate may be removed from the brown polycrystalline table and catalyst material may be removed from the brown polycrystalline table. The brown polycrystalline table may then be fully sintered to form a polycrystalline table having a reduced, second permeability. Intermediate structures formed during a process of attaching a polycrystalline table to a substrate may include a substantially fully leached brown polycrystalline table. The substantially fully leached brown polycrystalline table may include a plurality of interbonded grains of a superabrasive material. |
| US10174561B2 |
Polycrystalline diamond cutting elements with transition zones and downhole cutting tools incorporating the same
A cutting element may include a substrate including a plurality of metal carbide particles and a first metal binder having a first metal binder content; an outer layer of polycrystalline diamond material at an end of the cutting element, the polycrystalline diamond material including a plurality of interconnected diamond particles; and a plurality of interstitial regions disposed among the interconnected diamond particles, the plurality of interstitial regions containing a second metal binder having a second metal binder content. The cutting element also includes at least one transition zone between the substrate and the outer layer, the at least one transition zone including a plurality of refractory metal carbide particles and a third metal binder having a third metal binder content, the third metal binder content being less than the first metal binder content and the second metal binder content. |
| US10174557B2 |
Method and device for making a lateral opening out of a wellbore
A method and device are for making lateral openings out of a wellbore in a ground formation where at least one laterally directed drill string is movable in the axial direction inside a motherbore tubular, and where the leading end portion of the drill string is equipped with the drill bit that is driven by a rotatable drill string. The method includes connecting a fluid driven engine to the rotatable drill string inside the motherbore tubular, and directing flow in the motherbore tubular through the fluid driven engine to create rotation of the drill bit via the drill string. |
| US10174556B2 |
Downhole drilling motor
A downhole drilling motor comprises a housing located in a drill string. A power sleeve is located inside the housing and is operatively coupled to a drill bit. The power sleeve has a spiral lobed, elastomer covered internal surface. The power sleeve is rotatable with respect to the outer housing. A lobed shaft is located within the power sleeve. The lobed shaft has a spiral lobed outer surface. An anchoring assembly is engaged between the lobed shaft and the outer housing to limit rotation of the lobed shaft with respect to the housing such that a fluid flow through the downhole drilling motor causes the power sleeve to rotate with respect, to the outer housing and the lobed shaft. |
| US10174553B2 |
Method for controlling a winding actuator, winding actuator configured for such a method, and closure or sun-shading apparatus including such an actuator
The disclosed method enables control of an actuator for winding a blackout screen around a winding shaft. The actuator includes at least one electric motor. The method includes: at least one step that involves using an electronic unit to detect screen locking, during lowering or raising, by detecting a torque exerted by the motor on the winding shaft, the torque being determined on the basis of a current for supplying power to the motor; and a step that involves stopping the motor when a signal representing the detected current is greater than a threshold value. The electronic unit is parametrizable. Moreover, the method includes at least one additional step, used when the signal representing the detected current is less than the threshold value and involving detecting, on the basis of the detected current, a localized change in the shape of the screen, during lowering, by using the same electronic unit. |
| US10174552B2 |
Apparatus and method for extending door brake lifespan
The present disclosure includes a retrofitted door brake. The retrofitted door brake may, in various embodiments, comprise a hub comprising a cylindrical central axle, a plurality of projections extending radially away from an outer circumference of the central axle, and/or a cam comprising a plurality of pins that hold the projections away from a channel wall of a brake housing. The pins may be configured to break away from the cam to release the projections into contact with the channel wall, and the pins may be fitted with a cover, such that the pins are capable of withstanding abrasion and wear. The cover may comprise a cylinder having an axially running aperture, and/or a beveled edge that shaves a layer of the outer surface from one of the plurality of pins as it is fitted over the pin. |
| US10174550B2 |
Cable guided shade system
A cable guided shade system can include a head rail at least one guide cable anchor spaced from the head rail, and at least on guide cable that is fixed to the head rail and extends to the guide cable anchor. The guide cable anchor is configured such that the guide cable can be tensioned at the guide cabled anchor. The system further includes a covering material that is fixed to the head rail and is configured to move along the guide cable between an open position and a closed position. |
| US10174542B1 |
Vehicle rear door control system
A vehicle rear door control system includes a vehicle rear door, a keyfob sensor array, a movement detection sensor, a projector and an electronic controller. The keyfob sensor array is configured to detect proximity of an individual with an authorized keyfob. The movement detection sensor installed to the vehicle below the rear door. The projector installed proximate the rear door and aimed to project images to a ground surface rearward of the vehicle proximate the rear door. The electronic controller controls opening operation of the rear door in response to detection of the authorized keyfob and detection of a conforming gesture detected by the movement detection sensor. The electronic controller is further configured to operate the projector to project a position image to the ground surface alerting the individual to stand rearward of a portion of the positioning image during opening of the rear door. |
| US10174540B2 |
Domestic refrigeration appliance with an overload protection device of an opening assisting device and associated method
A refrigerator has a heat-insulated carcass which has an inner container with a cool able interior space for storing food, a refrigeration device for cooling the interior space, an electromechanical opening assisting device, and a door leaf mounted to the carcass for opening and closing the interior space. The opening assisting device contains an actuator configured to open the door leaf automatically by displacement of a control body. The actuator has a displaceable base body, a plunger mounted in the base body as the control body and an overload protection device arresting the plunger in the base body. The overload protection device fixes the plunger rigidly in the base body, for as long as an impact force acting on the plunger remains smaller than a trigger force and to release the plunger from the base body as soon as an impact force acting on the plunger exceeds the trigger force. |
| US10174537B1 |
Ribbon coil spring anchor mount system for use in a window counterbalance assembly
A counterbalance system for a window sash in a window frame. The window frame has guide tracks. The guide tracks have wall surfaces. The wall surfaces are supported by reinforcement ribs. A mounting slot is formed in the guide track. The mounting slot is formed in a limited area of a wall that is not supported by a reinforcement rib. A coil spring is provided. The coil spring is made of a steel ribbon having a first end, an opposite second end, and a slot engagement configuration proximate said second end. The coil spring has a wide first width from its first end to the slot engagement configuration. This first width is too large to directly engage the mounting slot. The steel ribbon is reduced to a second width through the slot engagement configuration and continuing to the second end to pass into the mounting slot. |
| US10174533B2 |
Hinge
An intelligent hinge determines motions of a swinging door. The hinge has an accelerometer secured to a leaf of the hinge. As the door swings, the leaf also rotates and the accelerometer determines an acceleration value. A velocity of the swinging door may be determined from the acceleration value. An initial, instantaneous, and final angular position of the door may also be determined from the acceleration value. |
| US10174531B2 |
Locking device
A locking device, in which a larger force is required only when a vertical moving block protruding from a lower surface of a locking hook is moved up and down while being in line contact with a vertical-movement support block, thus allowing the locking device to be easily used with a relatively smaller force. Further, the tilting guide is restored by a restoring force of a restoring member, so that no frictional force is generated between the tilting guide and the housing, thus preventing a noise from being generated and allowing for a smooth operation, thereby ensuring the ease of use. |
| US10174530B2 |
Casement window opening control device with sliding arms
A device may limit opening of a sash hingedly coupled to a master frame, and includes: a bracket attached to the sash; a first arm having a first end pivotally coupled to the bracket; a second arm having a first end pivotally coupled to the first arm's second end; means for biasing the second arm into a retracted position; and a release assembly. The release assembly is secured to the master frame and includes a hook pivotable between a first position and a second position, which, in the first position, may be releasably received in an opening in the second end of the second arm when the second arm is in the retracted position, as the sash is closed and received within the master window frame The second arm is disengaged from the hook, permitting full opening of the sash, when the hook is pivoted into the second position. |
| US10174529B2 |
Handle device for vehicle door
A handle device for a vehicle door is provided in which a tact switch that can switch between switching modes in response to a pressing-in operation of an operating button is housed and fixed within a housing recess of a handle main body so as to be electrically connected to printed wiring of a board. The printed wiring is disposed at a different site from one face, facing a cover member side, of the board, the tact switch which is fixed to the one face of the board is electrically connected to the printed wiring, a flange portion abutting against the one face of the board is provided integrally with a switch cover covering the tact switch and connected to the operating button, and the push-in stroke of the operating button is restricted to a predetermined value or below with a hold-down member engaged with the handle main body. |
| US10174528B2 |
Motor vehicle door handle
The invention relates to a motor vehicle door handle for locking and/or activating a door of a motor vehicle, having a handle housing and a pulling handle arranged in the handle housing, wherein in a closed position the pulling handle terminates flush with the handle housing and/or rests in the handle housing and can be moved into an operating position in which the pulling handle protrudes outward from the handle housing and it can be gripped from the rear, wherein when the pulling handle is pulled manually in the operating position the door lock and/or the door opens, wherein the pulling handle has two articulation points spaced apart from one another, wherein the pulling handle is mounted at the first articulation point in an articulated fashion at one end of a first rotary lever, and is mounted spaced apart therefrom at the second articulation point in an articulated fashion at one end of a second rotary lever, wherein the two rotary levers rotate about rotational axes in order to move the pulling handle from the closed position into the operating position. |
| US10174526B2 |
Double shackle lock
A bicycle lock including a lock body having a locked state and an unlocked state. A movable shackle is operatively coupled to the lock body, wherein the lock body in the locked state prevents movement of the movable shackle, and wherein the lock body in the unlocked state enables movement of the movable shackle. A pawl is mounted to one of the lock body and the movable shackle. A rack is configured to engage the pawl, and wherein the unlocked state of the lock body enables at least one of bidirectional movement of the pawl and rotational movement of the rack away from engagement with the pawl. |
| US10174520B1 |
Hand tool for unlocking and locking aircraft pallet locking mechanisms
A hand tool for use by a user to lock and unlock a locking mechanism to secure a pallet to an aircraft is provided. The locking mechanism is coupled to a floor of the aircraft and includes a release trigger operably connected to a clamp that is designed to engage with a flange of the pallet. The hand tool includes an elongated rod having a top portion, an intermediate portion and a bottom portion, the bottom portion having a hook member with a curved hook portion continuously connected to an end hook portion, the end hook portion having a top slanted surface oriented approximately 5 degrees relative to a first horizontal plane. The elongated rod is designed to maneuver to permit the hook member to communicate with the release trigger of the locking mechanism, thereby unlocking or locking the locking mechanism. |
| US10174518B2 |
Latch fitting tool
A method of fitting a childproof latch fitting mechanism and a latch installation tool arranged to locate between a first latch fitting and a second latch fitting, to spatially locate the first and second latch fitting at a pre-determined distance respectfully one from the other, wherein in the installation tool is temporarily attached to the first and second latch fittings, whilst they are located and fixed, at least temporarily in place. |
| US10174512B2 |
Suspended scaffolding and suspending device therefore
A suspended scaffold comprises a work platform (6) and at least one suspending device (2) via which the work platform (6) is attachable to an object (1). The suspending device (2) comprises a claw device (3) intended and configured to engage optionally directly on the object (1), and a coupling device (4). The claw device (3) is adjustable relative to the coupling device (4) between a first position (21) and a second position (22). The second position (22) lies spatially offset relative to the first position (21). |
| US10174511B2 |
Screed hook apparatus
A screed hook apparatus includes a tubular collar having an opening through a sidewall thereof. A tubular retainer member is aligned with the opening on the collar and extends away from an outer surface of the collar. The retainer member has a threaded internal wall surface. The apparatus also includes an arm forming a hook shape. The arm has a first portion extending away from the collar and a second portion extending transverse to a direction of extension of the first portion such that a surface of the second portion of the arm faces the sidewall of the collar. A set screw has a threaded portion to engage the threaded internal wall surface of the retainer member, and a handle is attached to the set screw. |
| US10174508B2 |
Drywall joint tape and method
A joint tape for drywall includes a substrate layer having an elongate shape in a lengthwise direction and being flexible in the lengthwise direction and in a transverse direction. The tape further includes a covering layer disposed in bonding relation on the substrate layer. The covering layer is rigid in the transverse direction and configured to withstand compressive forces applied generally in the transverse direction and shear stresses applied generally along the transverse direction. |
| US10174506B2 |
Elastic foothold for stairs
The present invention relates to an elastic foothold for stairs comprising: an upper plate, wherein one or more first coupling protrusions are formed on a side of a bottom surface, one or more first block insertion parts having second coupling protrusions are formed on the other side of the bottom surface, and a first anti-slip part is formed on a side of a top surface; a lower plate, wherein first coupling grooves corresponding to the first coupling protrusions are formed on a side of the bottom surface so as to be male/female-coupled to a side of the upper plate, and one or more second block insertion parts having third coupling protrusions are formed on the other side of the bottom surface; one or more first blocks that are inserted and coupled to the first block insertion parts, that have second coupling grooves formed on a bottom surface so as to be male/female-coupled to the second coupling protrusions, and that have third coupling grooves formed on a top surface; one or more second blocks that are inserted and coupled to the second block insertion parts, that have fourth coupling grooves formed on a bottom surface so as to be male/female-coupled to the third coupling protrusions, and that have fifth coupling grooves formed on a top surface; and one or more first elastic members, wherein both ends are respectively fixed to the fourth coupling grooves and the fifth coupling grooves between the first blocks and the second blocks. According to the present invention, an elastic foothold for stairs that can be fixed to stairs and that minimises shock applied to feet when climbing up and down the stairs so as to be able to prevent harmful effects on joints such as knees of a walker can be provided. |
| US10174499B1 |
Acoustical sound proofing material for architectural retrofit applications and methods for manufacturing same
A laminated structure for use in retrofit building construction (partition, wall, ceiling, floor or door) that exhibits improved acoustical sound proofing characteristics while being optimized for efficient installation. The laminated structure includes a panel with at least one layer of viscoelastic glue, or fire-resistant, viscoelastic glue, which functions both as a glue and an energy dissipating layer. In one embodiment, the laminated structure to be attached to an existing wall in some embodiments includes standard paper-faced gypsum board. In another embodiment the to-be-applied laminated structure includes a cement-based board, and in yet another embodiment the to-be-applied laminated structure includes a cellulose-based board. Once the laminated structure is installed on an existing wall or other partition, the resulting structure greatly attenuates transmitted noise and minimizes the labor required for installation and finishing. |
| US10174498B2 |
Deck component with post sleeve and flanges
Deck components comprising a post sleeve and flanges extending away from side walls of the post sleeve are described. The post sleeve includes a rectangular cross section. Interior flanges can comprise attachment holes for affixing the interior flanges to box-frame-segments having square-cut edges. Box-frame-segments and box-frame-segment attachments with square-cut edges can abut the exterior surface of a post sleeve side wall. Use of the post sleeve can reduce or eliminate the need to produce beveled joints box-frame-segments and box-frame-segment attachments. Post sleeves can comprise a post sleeve extension extending above box-frame-segments that attach to the flanges of the post sleeve. The post sleeve and post sleeve extension can comprise a single metal extrusion. Alternatively, the post sleeve extension can be attached to the post sleeve. In one example, a post sleeve extender is placed into a post sleeve and the post sleeve extension is placed onto the post sleeve extender. |
| US10174491B2 |
Toilet bowl unit
A toilet bowl unit includes a toilet bowl with an inner toilet bowl surface having an upper peripheral portion, a central peripheral portion and a lower sump portion. A peripheral slot separates a lower edge of the upper peripheral portion from an upper edge of the central peripheral portion. A peripheral water channel is concealed inside the toilet bowl unit and has a side wall which is a weir over which water may flow into the peripheral slot. The slot has a discharge opening which is substantially horizontal at the rear and sides of the inner toilet bowl surface (for discharging a curtain of water) and includes at least one serpentine portion at the front of the inner toilet bowl surface (for discharging a jet of water). The horizontal portion(s) of the discharge opening are positioned just below a seat platform surface in order to minimize the unwashed area at the top of the inner toilet bowl surface. |
| US10174487B2 |
Rationed outlet device
A rationed water outlet device with a variable water flow volume includes a process control module including an outlet valve, a flow meter, a control chip, and an encoder that includes an unlimited outlet gear and a plurality of rationed outlet gears which are switchably connected to the outlet valve to provide respectively, when engaged, an unlimited water flow volume or a selected rationed water flow volume from among a plurality of rationed water flow volumes, and that is electrically connected to the control chip to provide gear selection information; a volume option switch that is rotatably linked to the encoder for engaging the unlimited outlet gear or one rationed outlet gear; and an outlet control switch that is independent of the volume option switch and that is engaged after the volume option switch is engaged. |
| US10174479B2 |
Dual blade implement system
An implement system for a machine includes a primary blade and a secondary blade coupled to the primary blade through a linkage mechanism such that the secondary blade is trailing the primary blade. The implement system includes an actuator which controls a movement of the secondary blade. The implement system includes at least one position sensor which generates signals indicative of a position of the primary blade and a position of the secondary blade. The implement system further includes a controller which is in communication with the primary blade, the secondary blade and the position sensor. The controller receives the signals indicative of the position of the primary blade and the position of the secondary blade. The controller operates the actuator to control the movement of the secondary blade based on the position of the primary blade and secondary blade. |
| US10174477B2 |
Reinforced wall system
A reinforced wall system comprising fill material, a plurality of facing baskets, a plurality of reinforcing members at least partially disposed within the fill material, and an impermeable membrane at least partially encapsulating at least a portion of the fill material and one or more of the reinforcing members. Each of the plurality of reinforcing members is associated with a corresponding facing basket. An outer end of each reinforcing member is above a substantially horizontal portion of the corresponding facing basket. The facing baskets and the reinforcing members are positioned in a plurality of layers, with each layer comprising one facing basket and one corresponding reinforcing member. The impermeable membrane is positioned to span two or more layers of the plurality of layers. At one or more layers of the plurality of layers, a portion of the impermeable membrane is positioned around an outer end of the corresponding reinforcing member. |
| US10174476B2 |
Grab bucket of an auger
A grab bucket for making reinforced concrete piles of high load bearing capacity. The grab bucket includes a framework with three wings, a moving assembly movable upward and downward along the length of the framework, a fixed assembly mounted beneath the moving assembly, three grab buckets mounted pivotally to the fixed assembly and having boring teeth oriented outwards, three pushing frames for closing the three grab buckets, and a transmission configured to control opening and closing of said bucket sections in unison. |
| US10174473B2 |
System and method for active vibration cancellation for use in a snow plow
A system of actively introducing opposite phase vibrations to reduce or cancel vibrations caused by operating a snow plow. The invention also relates to a method of actively introducing such opposite phase vibrations. |
| US10174472B2 |
Energy absorption device
A method of absorbing energy from a moving object upon impact, where the method includes utilizing at least two types of energy absorbing elements to absorb at least some of the energy of the impact in an energy absorbing apparatus. A first type of energy absorbing element absorbs the majority of the energy absorbed by the apparatus and subsequent types of energy absorbing elements continue to absorb energy after the first type of energy absorbing element has ceased operation and can no longer absorb energy. |
| US10174465B2 |
Method for mounting a milling unit of a ground milling machine, and ground milling machine comprising a dismountable and mountable milling unit
The present invention relates to methods for mounting a milling unit of a ground milling machine and to a ground milling machine comprising a mountable and dismountable milling unit. |
| US10174463B1 |
Ski mat and spliced baseplate thereof
A ski mat is provided in the present application, comprising a baseplate used for paving a ski field and a plurality of supports mounted on the baseplate to support skiing tools, wherein a mounting base capable of mounting the supports on the baseplate is provided on bottoms of the supports, and a plurality of connectors are provided on a bottom of the mounting base; a plurality of mounting holes capable of clamping the connectors are provided on the baseplate at positions corresponding to the connectors; and, the connectors is clamped into the mounting holes so that the supports are mounted on the baseplate. By clamping the connectors arranged on the supports to the baseplate, it is firmer and difficult to result in a separation of the baseplate and the supports, thus it is safer. The present application also provides a spliced baseplate used for the ski mat. |
| US10174462B2 |
Method for waterproofing railway bridges and waterproofing material for carrying out said method
A method for waterproofing of bridges (1) and similar structures aimed at railway traffic is described, the structures comprising an arch or deck structure, on which there is placed a ballast (M) of gravel or crushed stone (2) upon which the tracks (6) extend between the two ends of the bridge (1). The waterproofing is obtained first by the removal of the tracks (6) and a reduced layer (S) of gravel or crushed stone (2), leaving in place the remaining part of gravel or crushed stone (2), and then by laying one or more sheets (10) of cured rubber on the remaining part of gravel or crushed stone (2). The thickness of the rubber is such as to be sufficiently resistant to perforation by the gravel or crushed stone (2), which is subsequently placed thereon to complete the ballast, Finally, the previously removed tracks (6) are set in place again. According to the method, a joint is made between the sheets (10) by means of a connection of mechanical type, with a positive locking shape fit, or a chemical bond using a suitable adhesive. |
| US10174461B2 |
Method for calibrating a device for measuring tracks
A method for calibrating a device for measuring tracks having a track-driveable track-measuring car with a lifting and lining device and track-position measurement sensors measuring the height, direction and superelevation of the rails of the track using the machine frame as a reference zero line. A lifting and lowering device is associated with the track-measuring car. A calibration device is associated with the machine frame the track-measuring car, for calibrating the sensors, is first lowered from a parking position, in which the track-measuring car is lifted from the track, onto the track or into an intermediate position. Calibration stops are moved by an actuator from an idle position into a calibration position, against which the track-measuring car is subsequently raised and applied. The values of the track-position measurement sensors are read out and stored in the measurement system as calibration values, and the track-measuring car is lowered onto the track. |
| US10174452B2 |
Clothes treating apparatus
The present invention relates to a clothes treating apparatus, including a communication unit to transmit or receive information related to a usage history of the clothes treating apparatus, a memory to store the information related to the usage history, an air supply device to heat air supplied into an accommodation space of the clothes treating apparatus, and a controller to extract a use time zone of the clothes treating apparatus based on the information related to the usage history, drive the air supply device in a preset pattern within the extracted use time zone, and stop an operation of the clothes treating apparatus at a time zone except for the extracted use time zone. |
| US10174451B2 |
Wall-mounted drum-type washing machine
A wall-mounted drum-type washing machine include a rear panel mounted on a wall surface; a control block on the rear panel; a power line extending from the control block to outside the rear panel; and a guide unit on a rear surface of the rear panel, fixing the power line and guiding it to the outside of the rear panel. |
| US10174448B2 |
Device and method for manually changing a feed dog
A sewing machine having a device for manually changing a feed dog (10), including the feed dog (10) and a feed-dog holder (30). The feed-dog holder (30) is disposed in an arm bed (103) that is associated with the sewing machine, and the feed dog (10) is receivable in a clearance (31, 81) of the feed-dog holder (30). The feed dog (10) that is located in the clearance (31, 81) has a support face (15) which may be disposed parallel with the surface of a sewn-product support which may contain a needle-hole plate (113) or be configured as a needle-hole plate (113), the sewn-product support and/or the needle-hole plate (113) may at least partially be formed by the surface of the arm bed (103), and the support face (15) may be received in an opening (140) of the needle-hole plate (113). The feed dog (10) is fastenable in the clearance by a fastening element (40, 82, 83) or of a setting element (50) such that the support face (15) is alignable so as to be substantially parallel with the surface of the sewn-product support or of the needle-hole plate (113). The fastening element (40, 82, 83) or the setting element (50) is releasably held in the feed-dog holder (30). |
| US10174447B2 |
Thermoplastic non-woven textile elements
A non-woven textile may be formed from a plurality of thermoplastic polymer filaments. The non-woven textile may have a first region and a second region, with the filaments of the first region being fused to a greater degree than the filaments of the second region. A variety of products, including apparel (e.g., shirts, pants, footwear), may incorporate the non-woven textile. In some of these products, the non-woven textile may be joined with another textile element to form a seam. More particularly, an edge area of the non-woven textile may be heatbonded with an edge area of the other textile element at the seam. In other products, the non-woven textile may be joined with another component, whether a textile or a non-textile. |
| US10174445B2 |
Woven fabric-like jacquard fabric for mattress ticking and method for knitting the same
A jacquard fabric for a mattress ticking to be used for a bedding mattress and a method for knitting this jacquard fabric are provided. The method according to the present invention is a method for producing a jacquard fabric for a mattress ticking using a double-sided needle selection circular knitting machine of a rib gating type, the method by which a suitable pattern is created by means of computer-based needle selection on a cylinder side, a suitable pattern is also created by means of computer-based needle selection on a dial side, and a suitable knitting structure is made in a suitable part by combining the pattern obtained on the cylinder side with the pattern obtained on the dial side. As a result of employing an irregular twill pattern as a background knitting structure serving as a base, a stretchable fabric that has a soft texture, a tight knitting structure, and similar strength to woven fabric is obtained. |
| US10174444B1 |
Weaving equipment with strand modifying unit
Weaving equipment may include warp strand positioning equipment that positions warp strands and weft strand positioning equipment that inserts weft strands among the warp strands to form fabric. One or more of the warp strands may be selectively modified along its length using a warp strand modification unit. The warp strand modification unit may be interposed between the fabric and a reed, may be interposed between the fabric and the warp strand positioning equipment, may be mounted to the reed, or may be incorporated elsewhere in the weaving equipment. Warp strand modifications may include adding segments of metallic paint coatings or other conductive coatings, adding insulating coatings, applying other liquids to segments of the warp strand, modifying the stretchiness of warp strands, removing material from segments of the warp strand, and attaching electrical components to the warp strand. |
| US10174441B2 |
Laminated nonwoven fabric and air purifier
A laminated nonwoven fabric (NF) includes a first NF containing first fibers and a second NF containing second fibers and laminated on the first NF, and has a cut-off edge at an end thereof. An average diameter of the first fibers is larger than that of the second fibers not more than 3 μm. 50% by mass to 70% by mass, inclusive, of the second fibers satisfy x≥y, and 5% by mass to 30% by mass, inclusive, thereof satisfy x |
| US10174436B2 |
Process for enhanced corrosion protection of anodized aluminum
Processes for enhancing the corrosion resistance of anodized substrates are disclosed. In some embodiments, the process involves a second anodizing operation that targets an area of the substrate that is left inadequately protected by a first anodizing operation, and also targets defects that may have been arisen from intermediate processing operations such as laser-marking operations. The second anodizing operation can be conducted in a non-pore-forming electrolyte, and grows a thick protective barrier film over inadequately protected areas of the substrate, such as laser-marking treated areas. |
| US10174435B2 |
System and method for selective plating of interior surface of elongated articles
A multiplicity of sleeve subassemblies each include an electrically insulative portion, and are configured to support an electrical contact having a socket. Each insulative portion has a socket bore and at least one radial aperture extending radially outward therefrom. The sleeve subassemblies are transported across a plating bath whereby at least a lower segment of the insulative portions become submerged in plating solution. The socket bore maskingly engages the contact, thereby substantially preventing plating solution from contacting the outer surface of the socket. The radial apertures facilitate the continuous flow of plating solution through each socket so as to enable selective plating of the socket inner surface. The sleeve subassemblies may be formed from mutually-engageable half-sleeves conveyed on separate closed-loop transport belts so as to facilitate efficient loading, plating and release of the electrical contacts. The radial apertures may take on various forms, including holes, circumferential slits or vertical slits. |
| US10174427B2 |
Method for treatment of surfaces
The method for treatment of parts, characterized in that it comprises the stages of applying an electrolytic chromium plating layer on a part; applying a coating over the entire outer surface of the part; selective stripping of the coating in order to leave the part with at least one coated portion and at least one uncoated portion; carrying out a selective etching on the layer in at least one part of the uncoated portion; metallization of the entire surface of the part; and removal of the coating. |
| US10174417B2 |
Thin-film deposition methods with fluid-assisted thermal management of evaporation sources
In various embodiments, evaporation sources are heated and/or cooled via a fluid-based thermal management system during deposition of thin films. |
| US10174414B2 |
Manufactured article and method
Manufactured articles, and methods of manufacturing enhanced surface smoothed components and articles. More particularly, surface smoothed components and articles, such as combustor components of turbine engines, having surface treatment conferring reduced roughness for enhanced performance and reduced wear related reduction in part life. |
| US10174408B2 |
Alumina-forming, high temperature creep resistant Ni-based alloys
An alumina-forming, high temperature creep resistant alloy is composed essentially of, in terms of weight percent: up to 10 Fe, 3.3 to 4.6 Al, 6 to 22 Cr, 0.68 to 0.74 Mn, 5.2 to 6.6 Mo, 0.4 to 1.2 Ti, up to 0.1 Hf, 0.005 to 0.05 La, 0.4 to 0.6 W, 0.1 to 0.35 C, up to 0.002 B, 0.001 to 0.02 N, balance Ni. |
| US10174407B2 |
Oxygen-enriched Ti-6AI-4V alloy and process for manufacture
A titanium alloy comprising an elevated level of oxygen is disclosed. The alloy may have 5.5 to 6.75 weight percent of aluminum, 3.5 to 4.5 weight percent of vanadium, 0.21 to 0.30 weight percent of oxygen, and up to 0.40% of weight percent of iron. The alloy may also have a minimum ultimate tensile strength of 130,000 psi, a minimum tensile yield strength of 120,000 psi, and a minimum ductility of 10% elongation. Also disclosed is a method for manufacturing components having the aforementioned alloy. |
| US10174402B2 |
Processes for preparing alumina and various other products
There are provided processes for preparing alumina. These processes can comprise leaching an aluminum-containing material with HCl so as to obtain a leachate comprising aluminum ions and a solid, and separating said solid from said leachate; reacting said leachate with HCl so as to obtain a liquid and a precipitate comprising said aluminum ions in the form of AlCl3, and separating said precipitate from said liquid; and heating said precipitate under conditions effective for converting AlCl3 into Al2O3 and optionally recovering gaseous HCl so-produced. These processes can also be used for preparing various other products such as hematite, MgO, silica and oxides of various metals, sulphates and chlorides of various metals, as well as rare earth elements, rare metals and aluminum. |
| US10174401B2 |
Methods for binding and precipitating gold using microbial-derived metallophores and their uses
The present application discloses metallophores that complex soluble gold and generate solid gold forms, including gold nanoparticles. In an embodiment, the metallophores are microbial metabolites isolated from organisms that are resistant to gold, or are analogs thereof. Methods of using the metallophores to extract and detect gold, along with detectors comprising the metallophores are disclosed. |
| US10174398B2 |
Weathering steel
A method of making weathering steel by preparing a molten melt producing an as-cast carbon alloy steel strip with a corrosion index of at least 6.0 comprising, by weight, 0.02%-0.08% carbon, <0.6% silicon, 0.2%-2.0% manganese, <0.03% phosphorus, <0.01% sulfur, <0.01% nitrogen, 0.2%-0.5% copper, 0.01%-0.2% niobium, 0.01%-0.2% vanadium, 0.1%-0.4% chromium, 0.08%-0.25% nickel, <0.01% aluminum, and the remainder iron and impurities. The molten melt is solidified and cooled into a cast strip ≤4 mm in thickness in a non-oxidizing atmosphere. The strip is hot rolled in an austenitic temperature range above Ar3 to between 10% and 50% reduction, cooled at above 20° C./s and coiled below 700° C. to form a steel strip with a microstructure comprising bainite and acicular ferrite with more than 70% niobium in solid solution. Then, age hardening the strip resulting in a yield strength of at least 550 MPa and a total elongation of at least 8%. |
| US10174397B2 |
Titanium-free alloy
Titanium-free alloy which has great resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion and a high yield point in the strain-hardened state and includes (in wt %) a maximum of 0.02% C, a maximum of 0.01% S, a maximum of 0.03% N, 20.0-23.0% Cr, 39.0-44.0% Ni, 0.4-<1.0% Mn, 0.1-<0.5% Si, >4.0-<7.0% Mo, a maximum of 0.15% Nb, >1.5-<2.5% Cu, 0.05-<0.3% Al, a maximum of 0.5% Co, 0.001-<0.005% B, 0.005-<0.015% Mg, the remainder consisting of Fe and smelting-related impurities. |
| US10174395B2 |
Interference fit quench plug assembly and methods for use thereof
A method is provided including heating a workpiece beyond a transformation temperature. The workpiece has at least one internal surface that has a nominal diameter, and a transformation diameter that corresponds to the start of a transformation from a first state to a second state. The method includes inserting a quench plug assembly into the the workpiece. The quench plug assembly includes at least one contact surface. The at least one contact surface has a diameter that is larger than the nominal diameter and at least as large as the transformation diameter. The method includes quenching the workpiece with the quench plug assembly disposed in the bore of the workpiece. The at least one internal surface is contacted and restrained by the at least one contact surface while the workpiece transforms from the first state to the second state. Also, the method includes removing the quench plug assembly from the workpiece. |
| US10174394B2 |
Steel for blades and method for producing the same
An object of the present invention is to provide steel for blades with a significantly improved carbide concentration and a method for producing the same. The steel for blades has a metal composition consisting of, by mass, 0.55% to 0.8% C, not more than 1.0% Si, not more than 1.0% Mn, 12.0% to 14.0% Cr, and the balance of Fe with inevitable impurities, wherein the number of carbides in a ferrite structure of the steel for blades is 600 to 1,000 per an area of 100 μm2. |
| US10174391B2 |
Cryogenic treatment of martensitic steel with mixed hardening
The invention relates to a method for producing martensitic steel that comprises a content of other metals such that the steel can be hardened by an intermetallic compound and carbide precipitation, with an Al content of between 0.4% and 3%, comprising the following steps: (a) heating the entirety of the steel above its austenizing temperature, (b) cooling said steel approximately to ambient temperature, (c) placing said steel in a cryogenic medium. The temperature T1 is substantially lower than the martensitic transformation temperature Mf, and the time t during which said steel is kept in said cryogenic medium at a temperature T1 from the moment when the hottest part of the steel reaches a temperature lower than the martensitic transformation temperature Mf is at least equal to a non-zero time t1, the temperature T1 (in ° C.) and the time t1 (in hours) being linked by the equation T1=ƒ(t1), the first derivative of the function ƒ relative to t, ƒ′(t), being positive, and the second derivative of ƒ relative to t, ƒ″(t), being negative. |
| US10174388B2 |
Method for selection of agents influencing intestinal motility disorders and pain
A method is provided for evaluating agents for the treatment of different intestinal motility disorders, using distinct methodological parts related to musculature and nerves of the GI tract which communicate with the brain. In particular, the present invention provides a method for the selection of an agent effective for the treatment of an intestinal motility disorder, wherein the method comprises: a) a step of spatiotemporal (ST) mapping carried out on a gastrointestinal segment to analyze the effect of the agent on gastrointestinal motility; and b) a step of ex vivo nerve bundle recording carried out on a gastrointestinal segment to analyze the effect of the agent on mesenteric afferent nerve firing. Bacterial strains selected by the methods of the invention and the use of the bacterial strains in the treatment of intestinal motility disorders are also provided. |
| US10174386B2 |
Method of quantitatively analyzing microorganism targeting rRNA
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of quantitating or detecting a microorganism, capable of detecting a live microorganism at high sensitivity and more precisely. A method of quantitating a microorganism of interest, using as an index the amount of rRNA of the microorganism of interest is provided. |
| US10174383B2 |
Method of estimating the amount of a methylated locus in a sample
A method of estimating the amount of a methylated locus is provided. In certain embodiments the method comprises: digesting a nucleic acid sample that contains both unmethylated and methylated copies of a genomic locus with an MspJI family member to produce a population of fragments that are in the range of 20-40 nucleotides in length, ligating adaptor sequence A and adaptor sequence B to the respective ends of a target fragment of sequence X, and quantifying the amount of ligation products of formula A-X-B. A kit for performing the method is also provided. |
| US10174381B2 |
Systems and methods for determining a treatment course of action
The present disclosure relates to methods of determining a treatment course of action. In particular, the present disclosure relates to mutations in the gene encoding estrogen receptor and their association with responsiveness to estrogen therapies for cancer. |
| US10174377B2 |
Method for diagnosing and assessing risk of pancreatitis using genetic variants
The present application discloses methods for predicting the risk of developing, or the presence of, recurrent acute pancreatitis and/or chronic pancreatitis, in a subject, by identifying the presence of an rs12688220 T allele, an rs7057398 T allele, and/or an rs10273639 C allele in a sample from the subject. The present application also discloses methods for treating or preventing pancreatitis in a human subject in need thereof. |
| US10174376B2 |
Methods and compositions for diagnosing, prognosing, and treating endometriosis
This document provides methods and materials related to genetic variations associated with endometriosis. For example, this document provides methods for using such genetic variations to assess risk of, or susceptibility of developing or diagnosing endometriosis. |
| US10174374B2 |
Detecting the brachyspina mutation
This invention relates to methods for the detection of a bovine that is affected by or carrier of brachyspina. It is based on the identification of a 3.3 Kb deletion in the bovine FANCI gene that is shown to cause the brachyspina syndrome. The present invention provides methods and uses for determining whether a bovine is affected by or carrier of brachyspina by analyzing its genomic DNA or its RNA. The methods can be used to perform marker assisted selection or genomic selection for increased fertility in said bovine. |
| US10174370B2 |
Method for analyzing maternal DNA in large plant populations
The present invention relates to a non-destructive method for analyzing maternal DNA of a seed. In this method the DNA may be dislodged from the seed coat surface and may be used to collect information on the genome of the maternal parent of the seed. Also, the present invention provides a high throughput DNA analysis system for large plant populations. |
| US10174368B2 |
Methods and systems for sequencing long nucleic acids
The present invention provides methods and systems for sequencing long nucleic acid fragment. The present invention also provides a method of sequencing a target polynucleotide with fewer probes. Further, the present invention provides a method of sequencing a target polynucleotide with longer reads. Locus-specific, ligation-assisted sequencing/genotyping method and ligation-captured sequencing method are also provided in the present invention. The methods of the present invention allow low-cost, high-throughput and accurate sequencing of nucleic acids. |
| US10174366B2 |
Localised RCA-based amplification method
The present invention provides a method for performing a localised RCA reaction comprising at least two rounds of RCA, wherein the product of a second RCA reaction is attached, and hence localised, to a product of a first RCA reaction, said method comprising: (a) providing a first RCA product; (b) directly or indirectly hybridising to said first RCA product a probe which comprises or provides a primer for a second RCA reaction; and (c) performing a second RCA reaction using said RCA primer of (b) to form a second RCA product, wherein in said reaction: (i) said probe and said primer are not able to prime extension using said first RCA product as template or any such extension is limited to avoid displacement of any probe hybridised to the first RCA product; (ii) the direct or indirect hybridisation of the RCA primer of (b) to the first RCA product is maintained and, by virtue of said hybridisation, the second RCA product is attached to the first RCA product; (iii) a RCA template for said second RCA reaction is comprised in or provided by the probe, or is separately provided. The method finds particular utility in the detection of analytes, wherein the analyte is a nucleic acid or wherein a nucleic acid is used or generated as a marker for the analyte. |
| US10174365B2 |
Method of analysing a blood sample of a subject for the presence of a disease marker
The present invention relates to a method of analyzing a blood sample of a subject for the presence of a disease marker, said method comprising the steps of a) extracting nucleic acid from anucleated blood cells in said blood sample to provide an anucleated blood cells-extracted nucleic acid fraction, and b) analyzing said anucleated blood cells-extracted nucleic acid fraction for the presence of a disease marker, wherein said disease marker is a disease-specific mutation in a gene of a cell of said subject, or wherein said disease marker is a disease-specific expression profile of genes of a cell of said subject. |
| US10174363B2 |
Methods for nucleic acid sequencing
Methods of sequencing molecules based on luminescence lifetimes and/or intensities are provided. In some aspects, methods of sequencing nucleic acids involve determining the luminescence lifetimes, and optionally luminescence intensities, of a series of luminescently labeled nucleotides incorporated during a nucleic acid sequencing reaction. |
| US10174362B2 |
Nucleic acid preservation solution and methods of manufacture and use
Disclosed is nucleic acid preserving compositions and methods of manufacturing and using the same. Compositions include a carrier, a chaotropic agent, a buffering agent, a chelating agent, a surfactant, an alcohol, an acid, and a mucolytic agent. Compositions as aqueous solutions can include water as a carrier. Preferred embodiments include water, guanidine thiocyanate, Tris, EDTA, SLS, SDA 3C, HCl, and N-acetyl-L-cysteine. Some embodiments include a colored dye as a visual indicator. Methods of manufacturing include combining the components into a mixture, such as an aqueous solution. Methods of use include providing a biological sample that includes nucleic acid and contacting the biological sample with the composition. Kits include the composition disposed in a portion of a biological sample collection apparatus. |
| US10174361B2 |
Cerebrospinal fluid assay
The present invention is directed to methods of isolating particles, such as nucleic acid-containing particles or microvesicles, from a biological sample and extracting nucleic acids therefrom, wherein the biological sample is cerebrospinal fluid. The present invention further provides methods for aiding diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring and evaluation of a disease or other medical condition in a subject by detecting a biomarker associated with a disease or medical condition thereof. |
| US10174353B2 |
Methods of producing rhamnolipids
The present invention relates to a method of preparing at least one rhamnolipid comprising: contacting a recombinant cell with a medium containing a carbon source; and culturing the cell under suitable conditions for preparation of the rhamnolipid from the carbon source by the cell, wherein the recombinant cell has been genetically modified such that, compared to the wild-type of the cell, the cell has an increased activity of at least one of the enzymes E1, E2 and E3, wherein the enzyme E1 is an α/β hydrolase, the enzyme E2 is a rhamnosyltransferase I and the enzyme E3 is a rhamnosyl-transferase II, and wherein the carbon source is a C4 molecule. |
| US10174348B2 |
Bacteria engineered for ester production
The present disclosure provides recombinant bacteria with elevated 2-keto acid decarboxylase and alcohol transferase activities. Some recombinant bacteria further have elevated aldehyde dehydrogenase activity. Some recombinant bacteria further have reduced alcohol dehydrogenase and/or aldehyde reductase activity. Methods for the production of the recombinant bacteria, as well as for use thereof for production of various esters are also provided. |
| US10174345B2 |
Polypeptides with ketol-acid reductoisomerase activity
Polypeptides having ketol-acid reductoisomerase activity are provided. Also disclosed are recombinant host cells comprising isobutanol biosynthetic pathways employing such polypeptides. Methods for producing isobutanol employing host cells comprising the polypeptides having ketol-acid reductoisomerase activity are also disclosed. |
| US10174344B2 |
Processes of producing fermentation products
The invention relates to a process of fermenting plant material in a fermentation medium into a fermentation product using a fermenting organism, wherein one or more carbonic anhydrases are present in the fermentation medium. |
| US10174343B2 |
Lactic acid bacteria for the production of ethanol from biomass material
Lactic acid bacterial cultures, cell populations and articles of manufacture comprising same are disclosed for generating ethanol from lignocellulose. |
| US10174338B2 |
Method to trigger RNA interference
A method to generate siRNAs in vivo is described, as are constructs and compositions useful in the method. The method does not depend on the use of DNA or synthetic constructs that contain inverted duplications or dual promoters so as to form perfect or largely double-stranded RNA. Rather, the method depends on constructs that yield single-stranded RNA transcripts, and exploits endogenous or in vivo-produced miRNAs or siRNAs to initiate production of siRNAs. The miRNAs or siRNAs guide cleavage of the transcript and set the register for production of siRNAs (usually 21 nucleotides in length) encoded adjacent to the initiation cleavage site within the construct. The method results in specific formation of siRNAs of predictable size and register (phase) relative to the initiation cleavage site. The method can be used to produce specific siRNAs in vivo for inactivation or suppression of one or more target genes or other entities, such as pathogens. |
| US10174337B2 |
Herbicide resistance genes
The subject invention provides novel plants that are not only resistant to 2,4-D and other phenoxy auxin herbicides, but also to aryloxyphenoxypropionate herbicides. Heretofore, there was no expectation or suggestion that a plant with both of these advantageous properties could be produced by the introduction of a single gene. The subject invention also includes plants that produce one or more enzymes of the subject invention alone or “stacked” together with another herbicide resistance gene, preferably a glyphosate resistance gene, so as to provide broader and more robust weed control, increased treatment flexibility, and improved herbicide resistance management options. More specifically, preferred enzymes and genes for use according to the subject invention are referred to herein as AAD (aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenase) genes and proteins. No α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase enzyme has previously been reported to have the ability to degrade herbicides of different chemical classes and modes of action. This highly novel discovery is the basis of significant herbicide tolerant crop trait opportunities as well as development of selectable marker technology. The subject invention also includes related methods of controlling weeds. The subject invention enables novel combinations of herbicides to be used in new ways. Furthermore, the subject invention provides novel methods of preventing the formation of, and controlling, weeds that are resistant (or naturally more tolerant) to one or more herbicides such as glyphosate. |
| US10174332B2 |
Construction of new cucumber fruit mottle mosaic virus derived subgenomic promotor and expression vector, and use thereof
The purpose of the present invention is to develop a cucumber fruit mottle mosaic virus vector so as to enable a study of gene function through gene silencing phenomenon in Cucurbitaceae plants, which has been difficult to study in the past, and to enable the study in fruits as well through stable expression. Furthermore, the present invention establishes a system that enables expression of a heterologous protein in plants, thereby, for the first time, providing a vector applicable to both the gene silencing phenomenon and protein expression in Cucurbtaceae plants. |
| US10174328B2 |
Compositions and methods for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Methods for modulating expression of SMN1 and/or SMN2 in cells obtained from subjects having ALS or in subjects having ALS using single stranded oligonucleotides are provided. Methods for treating ALS using single stranded oligonucleotides are also provided. |
| US10174327B2 |
RNA oligonucleotide and immune system enhancer comprising same
The present disclosure provides an RNA oligonucleotide having a helical bend structure and a use thereof. Specifically, double strands formed by a complementary binding of two sequences have a helical bend structure in the RNA oligonucleotide. The RNA oligonucleotide can increase the expression of interferon-β or ISG56 and thus can be used as an immune system enhancer. |
| US10174318B2 |
Antisense oligonucleotide compositions
The present disclosure provides compositions comprising an antisense oligonucleotide and one or more excipients that modulates viscosity, turbidity or both viscosity and turbidity. In certain embodiments, compositions comprising an antisense oligonucleotide and one or more excipients having low viscosity are provided. In certain embodiments, compositions comprising an antisense oligonucleotide and one or more excipients having low turbidity are provided. In certain embodiments, pharmaceutical compositions comprising an antisense oligonucleotide and one or more excipients having low viscosity and turbidity are provided. |
| US10174317B2 |
Recombinant RNA particles and methods of use
The present invention provides compositions and methods for the production and delivery of recombinant double-stranded RNA molecules (dsRNA) targeting pathogen sequences, which can be useful as an RNA vaccine. The compositions contain engineered double-stranded RNA particles (dsRPs) that can contain a double-stranded RNA molecule that can be a genome or portion of a genome, which can be enclosed in a capsid or coat protein. The dsRNA molecule also comprises an RNA sub-sequence that binds to a target sequence of a pathogenic organism. The dsRPs can be derived from wild-type viral organisms. The delivery of the dsRPs of the invention to an organism provides a protection to the organism from the pathogen. |
| US10174315B2 |
Compositions and methods for modulating hemoglobin gene family expression
Aspects of the invention provide single stranded oligonucleotides for activating or enhancing expression of hemoglobin genes (HBB, HBD, HBE1, HBG1 or HBG2). Further aspects provide compositions and kits comprising single stranded oligonucleotides for activating or enhancing expression of hemoglobin genes. Methods for modulating expression of hemoglobin genes using the single stranded oligonucleotides are also provided. Further aspects of the invention provide methods for selecting a candidate oligonucleotide for activating or enhancing expression of hemoglobin genes. |
| US10174314B2 |
MiRNA for treating head and neck cancer
The invention relates to the diagnostic and therapeutic uses of a miRNA-323, miRNA-342, miRNA-326, miRNA-371, miRNA-3157 and/or miRNA-345 molecule, an equivalent or a source thereof in a disease and condition associated with a squamous cell carcinoma such as head and neck cancer or a preneoplastic mucosal change. |
| US10174313B2 |
Methods and devices for micro-isolation, extraction, and/or analysis of microscale components in an array
Provided herein are devices and methods for the micro-isolation of biological cellular material. A micro-isolation device described can comprise a photomask that protects regions of interest against DNA-destroying illumination. The micro-isolation device can further comprise photosensitive material defining access wells following illumination and subsequent developing of the photosensitive material. The micro-isolation device can further comprise a chambered microfluidic device comprising channels providing access to wells defined in photosensitive material. The micro-isolation device can comprise a chambered microfluidic device without access wells defined in photosensitive material where valves control the flow of gases or liquids through the channels of the microfluidic device. Also included are methods for selectively isolating cellular material using the devices described herein, as are methods for biochemical analysis of individual regions of interest of cellular material using the devices described herein. Further included are methods of making masking arrays useful for the methods described herein. The micro-isolation devices can comprise a unique combination of barcodes in each microfluidics well, allowing two-dimensional mapping of genetic information. |
| US10174312B2 |
Screening method for drug target gene using heterozygous deletion fission yeast strain
The present invention relates to a screening method for a drug target gene by using chemical-genetic profile compendium of the heterozygous deletion fission yeast strain and the comparative genetic analysis using the same. More precisely, the present inventors constructed the chemical-genetic profile compendium for drug candidates from the heterozygous deletion fission yeast strain of Schizosaccharomyces pombe (S. pombe), and then compared with the compendium with the chemical-genetic profile compendium of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) in order to select efficiently drug target genes showing drug sensitivity. The screening method of the present invention can be efficiently used for the identification of a drug target gene in various eukaryotes because it facilitates the selection of a drug target gene showing sensitivity to the drug from the chemical-genetic profile compendium of the heterozygous deletion fission yeast strain. |
| US10174309B2 |
Transposition-mediated identification of specific binding or functional proteins
The method disclosed herein describes a novel technology offering unparalleled efficiency, flexibility, utility and speed for the discovery and optimization of polypeptides having desired binding specificity and/or functionality, including antigen-binding molecules such as antibodies and fragments thereof, for desired functional and/or binding phenotypes. The novel method is based on transposable constructs and diverse DNA libraries cloned into transposable vectors and their transfection into host cells by concomitant transient expression of a functional transposase enzyme. This ensures an efficient, stable introduction of the transposon-based expression vectors into vertebrate host cells in one step, which can then be screened for a desired functional or binding phenotype of the expressed proteins, after which the relevant coding sequences for the expressed proteins, including antibodies and fragments thereof, can be identified by standard cloning and DNA sequencing techniques. |
| US10174306B2 |
Method for preparing kaolin immobilized GY2B bacteria and application thereof
Provided are a method for preparing kaolin immobilized GY2B bacteria and use thereof. |
| US10174302B1 |
Modified L-asparaginase
The disclosure provides a modified protein that is a combination of (i) an L-asparaginase and (ii) one or more (poly)peptide(s), wherein the (poly)peptide consists solely of proline and alanine amino acid residues, and methods of preparation and use thereof. |
| US10174298B2 |
Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) mutant and use thereof
The present invention discloses a Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (nampt) mutant and use thereof. The present invention relates to a nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt) mutant artificially obtained through genic site-directed mutation. An object of the present invention is to provide a Nampt mutant having a catalytic activity higher than that of a conventional wild type parent, wherein the enzymatic activity of the Nampt mutant provided in the present invention is 1.2-6.9 times of the enzymatic activity of the parent. |
| US10174294B1 |
Recombinant K2 bacteriophages and uses thereof
The present disclosure provides compositions including recombinant K2 bacteriophages, methods for making the same, and uses thereof. The recombinant K2 bacteriophages disclosed herein are useful for the identification and/or antibiotic susceptibility profiling of specific bacterial strains/species present in a sample. |
| US10174288B2 |
Induced pluripotent stem cell model for cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome and uses thereof
The present invention relates to an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS) model for cardiofaciocutaneous (CFC) syndrome, a method for producing the model, and uses of the iPS model in the analysis of neural development in CFC syndrome. Specifically, the CFC syndrome-derived iPS and generation and differentiation of an embryonic body were induced from the fibroblasts of a CFC syndrome patient, and the CFC syndrome-derived iPS and embryonic body were confirmed to exhibit broken embryonic body shapes and no differentiation into neurons. When a CFC syndrome-derived embryonic body was induced by treating with p-ERK and p-SMAD1 inhibitors, the embryonic body exhibited a normal embryonic body shape and effectively differentiated into neurons. Thus, the CFC syndrome patient-derived stem cell model of the invention can be effectively used in the research for neural development in cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome. |
| US10174287B2 |
Composition for inducing direct transdifferentiation of somatic cell into vascular progenitor cell, and use thereof
The present invention relates to a composition for inducing direct transdifferentiation of a somatic cell into a vascular progenitor cell and a use thereof and, more specifically, to a composition for inducing direct transdifferentiation of a somatic cell into a vascular progenitor cell, a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of ischemic vascular diseases, a cell therapeutic agent for the prevention or treatment of ischemic vascular diseases, a composition for screening a therapeutic drug for ischemic vascular diseases, a 3D printing biological material composition for the production of an artificial tissue for the treatment of ischemic vascular diseases, and a method for direct transdifferentiation of a somatic cell into a vascular progenitor cell. By producing a vascular progenitor cell by direct transdifferentiation of a somatic cell according to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the production period of the vascular progenitor cell and to avoid the formation of teratoma, which is a side effect of an induced pluripotent stem cell, thereby minimizing the side effects of a stem cell therapeutic agent. |
| US10174282B2 |
Method for mass culturing photosynthetic microalgae by additionally supplying environmental water
The present invention relates to a method for culturing microalgae, including: (a) immersing a photobioreactor including a culture container through which a culture solution but not microalgae passes into environmental water; and (b) supplying additional environmental water into the culture container. Through the present invention, it is expected that microalgae can be economically and efficiently mass cultured. |
| US10174281B2 |
Biomass treatment system
This biomass treatment system includes: a hydrothermal decomposition section for decomposing the cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin contained in a biomass as a raw material under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions in a main section, namely a tank having a gas-liquid interface, and thus removing a lignin component and a hemicellulose component from the biomass; a discharge section for discharging a biomass solid (a component insoluble in hot-water) obtained by the decomposition; a slurrying tank which is connected to the discharge section and in which the discharged biomass solid is slurried in water fed thereinto to form a biomass slurry; and a solid-liquid separation apparatus including both a settling tank which is provided on a discharge line for discharging the biomass slurry and in which the biomass slurry is settled and a scooping-up and conveying means for scooping up the biomass solid deposited at the bottom of the settling tank and separating the solid biomass component from water. |
| US10174269B2 |
Use of a hydrocarbyl-substituted dicarboxylic acid for improving or boosting the separation of water from fuel oils and gasoline fuels
Use of a hydrocarbyl-substituted dicarboxylic acid for improving or boosting the separation of water from fuel oils and gasoline fuels which comprise additives with detergent action. A Fuel additive concentrate comprising the said hydrocarbyl-substituted dicarboxylic acid, certain additives with detergent action and optionally other customary additives and solvents or diluents. |
| US10174268B2 |
Mitigation of harmful combustion emissions using sorbent containing engineered fuel feed stocks
The invention relates to the use of engineered fuel feedstocks to control the emission of sulfur-based, chlorine-based, nitrogen-based, or mercury-based pollutants, such as SO2, SO3, H2SO4, NO, NO2, HCl, and Hg that are generated during the combustion of fossil fuels, such as coal. Disclosed are novel engineered fuel feedstocks, feedstocks produced by the described processes, methods of making the fuel feedstocks, methods of producing energy from the fuel feedstocks, and methods of generating electricity from the fuel feedstocks. |
| US10174267B2 |
Process for producing high-carbon biogenic reagents
This invention provides processes and systems for converting biomass into high carbon biogenic reagents that are suitable for a variety of commercial applications. Some embodiments employ pyrolysis in the presence of an inert gas to generate hot pyrolyzed solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases, followed by separation of vapors and gases, and cooling of the hot pyrolyzed solids in the presence of the inert gas. Additives may be introduced during processing or combined with the reagent, or both. The biogenic reagent may include at least 70 wt %, 80 wt %, 90 wt %, 95 wt %, or more total carbon on a dry basis. The biogenic reagent may have an energy content of at least 12,000 Btu/lb, 13,000 Btu/lb, 14,000 Btu/lb, or 14,500 Btu/lb on a dry basis. The biogenic reagent may be formed into fine powders, or structural objects. The structural objects may have a structure and/or strength that derive from the feedstock, heat rate, and additives. |
| US10174263B2 |
Process for producing C2 and C3 hydrocarbons
The invention relates to a process for producing C2 and C3 hydrocarbons, comprising a) subjecting a mixed hydrocarbon feedstream to first hydrocracking in the presence of a first hydrocracking catalyst to produce a first hydrocracking product stream; b) separating the first hydrocracking product stream to provide a light hydrocarbon stream comprising C4− hydrocarbons and c) subjecting the light hydrocarbon stream to C4 hydrocracking in the presence of a C4 hydrocracking catalyst to obtain a C4 hydrocracking product stream comprising C2 and C3 hydrocarbons. |
| US10174262B2 |
Biorefinery for conversion of carbohydrates and lignocellulosics via primary hydrolysate CMF to liquid fuels
A method of making alkanes from lignocellulosic sources of C5 and C6 sugars. Suitable biomass feedstocks are converted into alkane-based fuels such as diesel and jet fuel blendstocks. Sugar monomers from the feedstocks are converted to chloromethylfurfural (CMF) with a levulinic acid (LA) byproduct. The CMF and LA are converted to ethyl levulinate (EL) and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), which are then combined into longer chain molecules via aldol condensation reactions. The condensation products are partially or fully saturated by mild hydrotreating, followed by deoxygenation to form alkanes with boiling ranges suitable for use as liquid fuels. |
| US10174256B2 |
Distillation unit for carbon-based feedstock processing system
An apparatus for distillation of feedstock. Including a distillation chamber with an inlet for receiving feedstock and an outlet for discharging feedstock, and a plate for supporting the feedstock in the distillation chamber. The plate is positioned parallel to a substantially horizontal plane across a portion of the distillation chamber, and defines a plurality of transverse apertures extending transversely across a substantial portion of the width of the plate. A plurality of heating rods is included for insertion into the apertures of the plate to heat the plate. The apparatus also includes a conveyor enclosed within the distillation chamber and extending longitudinally across the distillation chamber, the conveyor having a plurality of paddles attached thereto that, when driven by the conveyor, move proximate and parallel to the plate to agitate feedstock on the plate, and to drive the feedstock from the inlet to the outlet of the distillation chamber. |
| US10174251B2 |
Exchangeable cation (Mg) swell potential reduction method
A method of reducing the swell potential of an expansive clay mineral. The method includes (a) carrying out a forcefield-modified molecular level simulation to determine an amount of a swelling reduction agent to be incorporated into the expansive clay mineral to form a swelling reduction agent incorporated expansive clay mineral with a reduced swell potential Si(ECM) that is no greater than a pre-set level T, wherein the swelling reduction agent comprises at least one cementation material of calcite, gypsum, and potassium chloride and/or at least one exchangeable cation of K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+, and wherein the forcefield-modified molecular level simulation comprises molecular mechanics, molecular dynamics, and Monte Carlo simulation techniques configured to simulate the reduced swell potential Si(ECM), and (b) incorporating the amount of the swelling reduction agent into the expansive clay mineral to form the swelling reduction agent incorporated expansive clay mineral. |
| US10174249B2 |
Quantum rod composition, quantum rod film and display device including the same
Embodiments relate to a quantum rod composition, a quantum rod film, a display device with a quantum rod film, and a method of forming a quantum rod film. The quantum rod film includes a plurality of quantum rods and a polymer with a dipole side chain. Responsive to an external electric field, the major axis of the quantum rods and an axis of the dipole side chain arranges in the same direction. The display device includes a plurality of pixel and common electrodes for generating an electric field, and a backlight unit positioned under a first substrate. Responsive to receiving light from the backlight unit, the quantum rod film emits light polarized in a direction parallel to the major axis of the quantum rods. |
| US10174248B2 |
Process for improved halide materials
A process for treating a luminescent halogen-containing material includes contacting the luminescent halogen-containing material with an atmosphere comprising a halogen-containing oxidizing agent for a period of at least about two hours. The luminescent halogen-containing material has a composition other than (i) Ax[MFy]:Mn4+, where A is Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, or a combination thereof; M is Si, Ge, Sn, Ti, Zr, Al, Ga, In, Sc, Y, La, Nb, Ta, Bi, Gd, or a combination thereof; x is the absolute value of the charge of the [MFy] ion; and y is 5, 6 or 7; (ii) Zn2[MF7]:Mn4+, where M is selected from Al, Ga, In, and combinations thereof; (iii) E[MF6]:Mn4+, where E is selected from Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn, and combinations thereof; and where M is selected from Ge, Si, Sn, Ti, Zr, and combinations thereof; or (iv) Ba0.65Zr0.35F2.70:Mn4+. |
| US10174245B2 |
Method for producing a luminescent material, luminescent material and optoelectronic component
A method for producing a luminescent material includes producing a mixture of starting substances, wherein the starting substances have a first component and a second component. The first component is selected from a group that comprises aluminum, silicon, at least one element of the 2nd main group of the periodic table and at least one element of the lanthanides and combinations thereof. The second component comprises oxygen and/or nitrogen. The method also includes annealing the mixture at a temperature of at least 1300° C. in a reducing atmosphere. After method the annealing, at least one or several phases are obtained. At least one phase comprises a luminescent material. The luminescent material absorbs at least a portion of an electromagnetic primary radiation in the UV or blue range and emits an electromagnetic secondary radiation with an emission maximum of greater than or equal to 600 nm. |
| US10174244B2 |
Doped halide scintillators
The present invention provides for a composition comprising an inorganic scintillator comprising a doped halide, useful for detecting nuclear material. |
| US10174239B2 |
Process for preventing or mitigating biofouling
Biofouling may be prevented or at least mitigated by employing a cinnamaldehyde additive to augment the affect of the conventional biocide. Exemplary cinnamaldehyde additives include, but are not limited to, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid and cinnamyl alcohol. A cinnamaldehyde additive by itself, in some embodiments, may also inhibit biofouling. |
| US10174238B2 |
Environmentally friendly lubricant for drilling processes
Yellow grease is an inexpensive, environmentally friendly commodity that can be used as a lubricant on oil drilling sites as well as for many other applications. The present invention outlines use of yellow grease and a lubricant on drilling sites. |
| US10174234B2 |
Adhesive composition and adhesive sheet
A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition including an addition reaction type silicone polymer as a component (A); an ultraviolet absorber as a component (B); and a platinum group metal catalyst as a component (C). The ultraviolet absorber as the component (B) includes a benzophenone-based ultraviolet absorber and its amount is set to a value within the range of 1 part to 4 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the addition reaction type silicone polymer as the component (A). The amount of the platinum group metal catalyst as the component (C) is set to a value within the range of 0.001 parts to 0.05 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the addition reaction type silicone polymer as the component (A). |
| US10174231B2 |
Hot-melt adhesive composition, preparation method thereof and vehicle headlamp
A hot-melt adhesive composition comprises 35 wt % to 40 wt % of petroleum resin, 10 wt % to 14 wt % of polyester elastomer resin, 10 wt % to 14 wt % of ethylene vinyl acetate resin, 14 wt % to 19 wt % of polyether polyol, 15 wt % to 21 wt % of polyester polyol, 8 wt % to 10 wt % of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, and 0.1 wt % to 0.5 wt % of an amine catalyst, wherein the hot-melt adhesive composition has a melt viscosity of 20,000 cps to 50,000 cps as measured at 150° C. |
| US10174219B2 |
Non-etherified reaction product of a cyclic urea and a multifunctional aldehyde
The invention relates to a coating composition comprising a reaction product UA of at least one multifunctional aldehyde A with at least one cyclic urea U, and a crosslinkable resin having at least one kind of functional groups selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl functional groups, acid functional groups, amide functional groups, amino functional groups, imino functional groups, mercaptan functional groups, phosphine functional groups, and carbamate functional groups, characterized in that the degree of etherification, measured as the ratio <<(—O—R)/<<(U) of the amount of substance n(-O—R) of alkoxy groups as substituents of the aldehyde carbon atoms of the multifunctional aldehyde chemically bound in the reaction product UA to the amount of substance <<(U) of cyclic urea U chemically bound in the reaction products, is less than 0.01 mol/mol, and to a process for the preparation of the reaction product UA. |
| US10174217B2 |
Ink, ink stored container, image forming method, liquid discharging apparatus, and image
Provided is an ink including: a coloring material; an organic solvent; resin particles; an amine compound; and water, wherein the resin particles include urethane resin particles, and urethane-modified acrylic resin particles including a core portion containing an acrylic resin and a shell portion formed on a surface of the core portion and containing at least a urethane resin, and wherein the amine compound has a boiling point of 120 degrees C. or higher but 200 degrees C. or lower and a molecular weight of 100 or less. |
| US10174213B2 |
Coating system
A coating formed on a substrate is provided which coating comprises (a) an organic NIR-transparent pigment and/or an inorganic NIR-reflective pigment; (b) a dye having a transmittance of at least 75% in the range of from 700 to 2500 nm; and (c) optionally an effect pigment; wherein said coating exhibits a total solar reflectance (TSR) of (i) ≥40%, if 60 |
| US10174209B2 |
Masking solutions comprising siloxane-based surfactants for using in painting operations
This invention provides a masking material that can be used to protect an underling surface (e.g. an automobile surface) during an overcoating (e.g. painting) operation. The masking material in one embodiment includes a thickener and a pH control agent and water. The masking material can be applied to a surface that is to be protected from paint overspray or other coating processes, allowed to dry, and the surface then coated (e.g. with paint). After drying of the paint, or other coating, the masking material can removed by water washing. |