av Circuit configuration with a step-up converter, and inverter circuit having such a circuit configuration By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An inverter circuit contains a first and second DC sources for providing a DC voltage, a common step-up converter for boosting the DC voltage, an intermediate circuit capacitor connected between the outputs of the common step-up converter, and an inverter for converting the DC voltage provided by the capacitor into an AC voltage. The common step-up converter contains a series circuit having a first inductance and a first rectifier element and is connected between an output of the first DC source and one side of the intermediate circuit capacitor as well as a series circuit which includes a second inductance and a second rectifier element and is connected between an output of the second DC source and another side of the intermediate circuit capacitor. The common step-up converter further contains a common switching element which is connected between the first and second DC sources. Full Article
av Electronic devices with printed circuit boards having padded openings By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An electronic device may be provided with a printed circuit board having padded through-holes. The padded through-holes may be formed from openings in a printed circuit board substrate and elastomeric members in the openings. The elastomeric members may be conductive elastomeric members such as electrically or thermally conductive elastomeric members. The printed circuit board may be secured within a housing for the electronic device using engagement members that extend through padded through-holes. The engagement members may engage with the housing or with additional engagement members that are attached to the housing. The electronic device may include a cowling structure formed over electronic components on a surface of the printed circuit board. The cowling structure may be secured to the printed circuit board using attachment members that engage with the engagement members in the padded through-holes. Full Article
av Mounting structure of circuit board having multi-layered ceramic capacitor thereon By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 29 Sep 2015 08:00:00 EDT Disclosed herein is a mounting structure of a circuit board having a multi-layered ceramic capacitor thereon. The mounting structure of a circuit board having a multi-layered ceramic capacitor thereon, in which a dielectric layer on which inner electrodes are disposed is stacked and external electrode terminals connecting the inner electrodes in parallel are disposed on both ends thereof, wherein the inner electrodes of the multi-layered ceramic capacitor and the circuit board are disposed so as to be a horizontal direction to connect the external electrode terminals with a land on the circuit board by a conductive material and a ratio of a bonding area ASOLEDER of the conductive material to the area AMLCC of the external electrode terminals AMLCC is set to be less than 1.4, thereby remarkably reducing the vibration noise. Full Article
av Electric driving type utility vehicle having regenerative brake force distribution control function, and regenerative brake force distribution control method thereof By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An electric driving type utility vehicle having a regenerative brake force distribution control function, and a regenerative brake force distribution control method thereof are provided. The utility vehicle includes: a controller for controlling an output and a recovery of a motor; recovery sensing means for sensing a recovery braking state when the motor is driven; a power measurement unit for measuring the amount of recovery power generated in the recovery braking state; and a power switching unit for automatically switching a drive mode from a two-wheel drive mode to a four-wheel drive mode or vice versa according to the load condition. The present invention can switch the present mode to the four-wheel drive mode by operating the power switching unit according to the control of the controller when sensing the recovery brake through the recovery sensing means in the driving state. Full Article
av Pressure control valve arrangement having pressure medium guiding surface integrally formed onto a projection of the cover By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A pressure control valve arrangement for controlling a fluid pressure in an ABS brake system of a vehicle so that, while there is a tendency of individual wheels of the vehicle to lock, the brake pressure in at least one associated brake cylinder can be adaptively adjusted, including: a housing; and at least one diaphragm valve is accommodated in the housing, the diaphragm valve having a diaphragm as the valve body, which diaphragm can be acted upon by introducing pressure medium into a control chamber that is covered on the outside of the housing by a cover so that the control chamber is formed between the diaphragm and the cover, wherein at least one pressure medium channel carrying pressure medium is formed in the housing in the region of the cover, wherein at least one cover has at least one projection projecting into the pressure medium channel in the housing, a pressure medium guiding surface for directing the flow of the pressure medium carried in the pressure medium channel being formed on the projection. Full Article
av Method and apparatus for processing a motor signal, having current ripple, of a DC motor By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 13 May 2014 08:00:00 EDT In order to process a motor signal (Ia, Um) of a DC motor (4), in particular of an adjustment drive of a motor vehicle, the armature current (Ia) and the motor voltage (Um) of the DC motor (4) are detected and used for determining the back-emf (E) of the DC motor (4), wherein the determined back-emf (E) is used to generate a useful signal (Sf, SEFL), which is in particular speed-proportional, from the armature current signal (Ia) for position sensing or for evaluating an excess force limitation. Full Article
av Traveler roller By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A recovery vehicle for recovering other, disabled vehicles, and a method for doing so. A vehicle frame extends along a longitudinal axis, and supports a travel base assembly carrying a boom. The travel base assembly can move along the longitudinal axis of the frame. Two or more traveler rollers may be located between the vehicle frame and the travel base assembly, for supporting the travel base assembly and facilitating longitudinal movement of the travel base assembly relative to the vehicle frame. The traveler rollers may include a plurality of rollers movable about a load-bearing member. Using the invention, a load may be lifted by the boom and moved between positions located at the rear and to the side of the recovery vehicle, without the need to first reposition the boom using boom lift or telescoping cylinders. Full Article
av Method for moving and aligning heavy device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Method for laterally replacing a heavy component of a plant assembly, the method including disconnecting the heavy component from other components of the plant assembly and from a base plate to which the heavy component is fixed; lifting the heavy component above the base plate with a lifting system provided within the base plate; connecting at least a pair of rails to the base plate, under the lifted heavy component, such that the at least a pair of rails extends at substantially a right angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the heavy component; lowering the heavy component on crawling mechanisms disposed on the at least a pair of rails; and laterally replacing the heavy component from the base plate and the other components of the plant assembly by actuating the crawling mechanisms. Full Article
av Method, system, and apparatus having near field communication (NFC) chip with configurable memory that is updatable via a host processor By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A wireless media player and a related system and methodology are disclosed. One aspect of the wireless media player system pertains to a virtual connector system, apparatus, and method for the automatic establishment of wireless connectivity with other electronic devices. In one embodiment, the media player device employs the use of integrated Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to exchange communication settings, media capability, and other parameters with an external device that also has integrated RFID technology. The automatic exchange of settings and other information via a proximity-based RFID data exchange allows a media player to quickly establish a secure communication link with another device via a commonly supported wireless protocol such as Ultra Wideband (UWB) or Bluetooth. Another aspect of the media player system pertains to a method of using the captured media capability of the connecting device to customize certain menu options and software parameters in the media player. Full Article
av Display system of excavating machine and excavating machine By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An display system of an excavating machine includes: a vehicle condition detector detecting information related to a current position and a posture of the excavating machine having a work equipment including a bucket; a memory unit storing position information of a target surface indicating a target shape of an object to be worked; a display unit displaying the bucket and position information of a design surface and the target surface; and a processing unit calculating a position of a blade edge of the bucket based on the information related to the current position and the posture of the excavating machine, and, when at least part of the bucket enters a predetermined range in a periphery of the target surface in a direction orthogonal to the target surface, displaying a trajectory of the blade edge which is calculated based on the position of the blade edge and which exists in the predetermined range. Full Article
av Object sensing (pedestrian avoidance/accident avoidance) By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Methods and systems for a complete vehicle ecosystem are provided. Specifically, systems that when taken alone, or together, provide an individual or group of individuals with an intuitive and comfortable vehicular environment. The present disclosure builds on integrating existing technology with new devices, methods, and systems to provide a complete vehicle ecosystem. Full Article
av Collision avoidance system for rail line vehicles By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A collision avoidance system (CAS) is described that includes one or more sensor technologies, including, for example, an Ultra Wideband (UWB) sensing technology. The collision avoidance system is designed to reliably track the location and speed of vehicles and the distance between vehicles over a wide variety of track and terrain. The collision avoidance system may utilize information from a variety of sensor technologies to determine whether one or more vehicles violate speed and/or separation criteria, and may generate a warning. Full Article
av Navigation system acquisition and use of cellular coverage map data By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A mobile device can obtain wireless network signal strength map data that indicates, for various nearby geographical regions, the wireless network signal strength in each such region. A mobile device can transmit that data to a vehicular navigation system responsible for automatically selecting a high-quality route of vehicular travel between a specified source and destination. The system can take the wireless network signal map data into account when selecting that route. When selecting from among multiple different routes of vehicular travel between a specified source and destination, the system may employ an algorithm that considers wireless network signal strengths along those routes, in addition to the other factors. Consequently, the system can select a longer route having better signal strength over a shorter route having worse signal strength. The system can present the selected route within a set of suggested routes, potentially along with reasons for each route's suggestion. Full Article
av Adjunct therapy device having driver with cavity for hemostatic agent By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 07 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT An instrument is configured to receive a staple cartridge to staple tissue and expel a fluid from within a container in the staple cartridge. The staple cartridge has an upper deck including staple apertures and orifices formed therein. The orifices are in fluid communication with the containers. The staple cartridge includes staple drivers having a driver body to translate a staple and a container protrusion to expel the fluid out the orifices. The fluid may be expelled while driving the staples out through the staple apertures. The container may be vertically compressible container or, in one alternative, may be a container having a channel and a sealant that is configured to be pierced as the fluid is expelled. Some configurations for the fluid include a hemostatic agent, thrombin, a gel, or a medicament. The containers may also be formed as reservoirs defined within the upper deck and/or cartridge body. Full Article
av Surgical instrument having a plastic surface By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A surgical instrument including a handle portion, a body portion, a movable handle, a tool assembly, a drive beam and a closure apparatus is disclosed. At least one of the closure apparatus and a contact surface of the tool assembly include a plastic surface. The body portion extends distally from the handle portion. The movable handle is located on the handle portion and is in mechanical cooperation with a drive member. The tool assembly includes an anvil, a cartridge assembly and a contact surface. The drive beam includes a proximal engagement portion and is configured to engage a portion of the drive member. The closure apparatus is configured to engage the contact surface of the tool assembly. At least a partial actuation of the movable handle moves the closure apparatus distally into engagement with the contact surface to approximate the anvil and the cartridge assembly. Full Article
av Surgical device having multiple drivers By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A surgical device is provided, the surgical device including a first driver for performing a first movement function; a second driver for performing a second movement function; a first rotatable drive shaft configured, upon actuation, to cause selective engagement of one of the first and second drivers with a second rotatable drive shaft, wherein the second rotatable drive shaft is configured to drive the selectively engaged one of the first and second drivers. Third and fourth drivers may also be included. The drivers may function to rotate a shaft portion of the surgical device relative to, and about the longitudinal axis of, a handle; move a jaw portion relative to the shaft portion; move a first jaw relative to a second jaw; and/or move a surgical member within the second jaw. Full Article
av Surgical instrument having a plastic surface By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A surgical instrument including a handle portion, a body portion, a movable handle, a tool assembly, a drive beam and a closure apparatus is disclosed. At least one of the closure apparatus and a contact surface of the tool assembly include a plastic surface. The body portion extends distally from the handle portion. The movable handle is located on the handle portion and is in mechanical cooperation with a drive member. The tool assembly includes an anvil, a cartridge assembly and a contact surface. The drive beam includes a proximal engagement portion and is configured to engage a portion of the drive member. The closure apparatus is configured to engage the contact surface of the tool assembly. At least a partial actuation of the movable handle moves the closure apparatus distally into engagement with the contact surface to approximate the anvil and the cartridge assembly. Full Article
av Methods and apparatus having bowstring-like staple delivery to a target tissue By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Devices for attaching a sheet-like implant to a target tissue include a sheath and a staple push rod. The sheath has a distal end configured to be pressed against the target tissue. The staple push rod is disposed within at least a portion of the sheath and is slidable relative thereto. The staple push rod includes a pair of stakes. Each stake is dimensioned to abut a surface of a staple to apply pushing forces thereto. The stakes are biased to assume a bow-like shape such that an intermediate portion of a staple extends tautly between the first stake and the second stake when the stakes are extending beyond the distal end of the tubular member. Methods for attaching a sheet-like implant to a target tissue are also disclosed. Full Article
av Surgical instrument having a plastic surface By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A surgical instrument including a handle portion, a body portion, a movable handle, a tool assembly, a drive beam and a closure apparatus is disclosed. At least one of the closure apparatus and a contact surface of the tool assembly include a plastic surface. The body portion extends distally from the handle portion. The movable handle is located on the handle portion and is in mechanical cooperation with a drive member. The tool assembly includes an anvil, a cartridge assembly and a contact surface. The drive beam includes a proximal engagement portion and is configured to engage a portion of the drive member. The closure apparatus is configured to engage the contact surface of the tool assembly. At least a partial actuation of the movable handle moves the closure apparatus distally into engagement with the contact surface to approximate the anvil and the cartridge assembly. Full Article
av Selective MMP inhibitors having reduced side-effects By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 16 Nov 2004 08:00:00 EST The subject invention pertains to matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitors that exhibit an IC50 of below 10−4M against MMP and have substantially no activity against non-MMP metalloproteinase-related events. The MMP inhibitors of the invention have reduced side-effects, especially with respect to joint pain. Full Article
av Shaped body made of fiber-reinforced composites having a segmented covering layer, its production and its use By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 08:00:00 EDT The present invention relates to shaped bodies made of fiber-reinforced ceramic composites and comprising a core zone and at least one covering layer which has a coefficient of thermal expansion which is higher than that of the core zone. The covering layer is an SiC-rich covering layer and is divided into segments which are separated from the adjacent segments by gaps or bridging zones of a material which is different from the material of the segments. The invention also relates to a process for producing such shaped bodies by infiltration of an intermediate body with molten silicon and their use for friction disks, in vehicle construction or as protective plates. Full Article
av Punching device, sheet processor having the punching device, and image forming apparatus having the punching device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 11 Jul 2006 08:00:00 EDT There is provided a punching device including: a die member having a plurality of die holes formed therein; a plurality of punch members which are caused to advance into the die holes to punch holes in a member to be punched; an operating member having cam portions formed along a direction intersecting the direction of advancement of the punch members, the operating member being moved along the direction intersecting the direction of advancement of the punch members to cause by a conversion function of the cam portions the punch members to advance into the die holes; and a drive unit for selectively causing advancement of the plurality of punch members by changing the direction of movement of the operating member. In the punching device, each of the cam portions has a straight groove and a cam groove for performing the conversion function, and when the operating member is moved in one of opposite directions, at least one of the cam grooves of the cam portions acts on one of the punch members to selectively cause the same to advance. Full Article
av Sheet punching device and image forming apparatus having the same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 15 Aug 2006 08:00:00 EDT A sheet punching device that cuts holes in a sheet while punches are entering die holes, in which a plurality of punch trains along each of which a plurality of punches are aligned on a rotating shaft in parallel with the rotating shaft are disposed in the rotation direction of the rotating shaft, and the die holes are disposed in correspondence with the punches of the punch trains. Full Article
av Display device having an improved video signal drive circuit By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Jun 2007 08:00:00 EDT A display device has a video circuit for pixels arranged in a matrix. The video circuit includes a digital data store section; a transfer-data processing section for generating a data signal at a time assigned to one of gray scale levels for the data in synchronism with a supplied clock; a gray-scale voltage generator for generating gray-scale voltages; a selection gate circuit for successively generating gate pulses associated with the gray-scale voltages, in synchronism with the clock; and a gray-scale voltage selector circuit for receiving the data signal via a selection-data transfer line provided for each of plural columns of the pixels, and for successively selecting the gray-scale voltages from the gray-scale voltage generator, in synchronism with the gate pulses. The gray-scale voltage selector circuit outputs as the video signal, one of the gray-scale voltages selected from the successively selected gray-scale voltages in synchronism with the data signal. Full Article
av Refrigerator, monitoring system having refrigerator and control method thereof By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 23 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST A refrigerator for monitoring the status of another space by means of a display device mounted to the refrigerator, a monitoring system having the refrigerator and a control method thereof. The refrigerator includes a body which is formed with a storage chamber, a door for opening and closing the storage chamber, and a display device which is mounted to a front side of the door, the display device having a receiving part for receiving a monitoring image signal from a predetermined outside signal supply source, an image signal processing part for processing the received monitoring image signal, a display part for displaying the monitoring image signal and a control part for controlling the image signal processing part so that the received monitoring image signal is displayed on the display part. Full Article
av Puffed oat based breakfast cereal of enhanced salty flavor perception and method of preparation By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Methods of preparation and improved oat based puffed R-T-E or breakfast cereal products resulting there from with reduced sodium levels that provide good cooked grain flavor relative to other low or no sodium cooked cereal products and that approach the quality of higher sodium level products are provided. The methods include formulating cooked cereal doughs with minimal levels of sodium chloride and including a blend of potassium chloride and choline chloride. The cooked cereal dough is formed into pellets and gun puffed to form puff products having a total pyrazine content of at least 200 ppm. The puffed products are topically coated with saline solution and dried to provide the present improved low sodium high flavor finished breakfast cereal products. Full Article
av Protein hydrolysate compositions having improved sensory characteristics and physical properties By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present invention provides protein hydrolysate compositions, processes for making protein hydrolysate compositions, and food products comprising protein hydrolysate compositions. The protein hydrolysate compositions generally comprise polypeptide fragments having primarily either an arginine residue or a lysine residue at each carboxyl terminus. Full Article
av Preserving seasoning flavour profiles during the manufacturing of food-seasoning sheets By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method and an installation are provided for preserving desired seasoning flavour profiles during the manufacturing of food-seasoning sheets. The method includes the steps of; laying a thin layer of adhesive on a base sheet; removing air from the adhesive prior to the step of laying; reducing free moisture from the adhesive during the step of laying, and depositing food-seasoning ingredients onto the thin layer of adhesive. The installation for manufacturing food-seasoning sheets includes an adhesive dispenser having a reservoir and a delivery slot communicating with the reservoir for dispensing adhesive. The dispenser has a heating element mounted thereto for heating the adhesive. The adhesive is made under a partial vacuum and it is conveyed to the dispenser in a partial vacuum. Full Article
av Flavoring substance-included cellulose By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present invention concerns a flavoring substance-included cellulose, comprising or consisting of cellulose and flavoring substances included in the cellulose, methods for producing such flavoring substance-included celluloses, and mixtures comprising flavoring substance according to the invention. Full Article
av Air pump having an auto-stop control device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An air pump includes a casing, a blower connected with a motor, an air flow direction switching device, an air valve, and an auto-stop control device. The air flow direction switching device includes a pressure sensor and a pressure switch. The air flow direction switching device includes a movable box and a driving device which drives the movable box. The movable box has an arm and an activation portion. An inflation switch and a deflation switch are electrically connected in parallel to a circuit and are controlled to activate by the activation portion. The pressure switch includes a dynamic contact point connected to the motor, and two static contact points respectively electrically connected to the inflation switch and the deflation switch. The dynamic contact point has a terminal which alternatively contacts the two static contact points. Full Article
av Portable support having extendable rod By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A portable support for supporting equipment above a surface having an opening to a subsurface space. The support includes a head, an elevator on the head, and legs connected to the head for supporting the head above the surface. Each of the legs has a foot for engaging the surface when supporting the head above the surface. The support also includes an elongate rod vertically mounted on the elevator for movement between a raised position, in which an upper end of the rod extends above the head, and a lowered position, in which a lower end of the rod extends below the feet of the legs to extend into the subsurface space. The support includes an instrument platform positionable on the lower end of the rod when in the lowered position to support the equipment in the subsurface space when the rod is in the lowered position. Full Article
av Camera lens front cover and the monitoring camera having the same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A camera lens front cover and the monitoring camera having the same are disclosed. The monitoring camera may comprise a main body, a lens module and a camera lens front cover. The lens module may be disposed on the main body and comprise a lens holder and a camera lens, wherein the camera lens may protrude from the lens holder. The camera lens front cover may comprise a cylindrical casing and a glass cap, wherein the cylindrical casing may be hollow, and there are two openings at both sides of the cylindrical casing, and the lens module may be disposed inside the cylindrical casing. The glass cap may be disposed on one of the openings of the cylindrical casing and one side of the glass cap may be disposed with a protrusion part for accommodating the camera lens protruding from the lens holder. Full Article
av Lens holder driving device capable of avoiding deleterious effect on hall elements By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An AF unit of a lens holder driving device includes a lens holder, a focusing coil, a permanent magnet having a plurality of permanent magnet pieces having first surfaces opposed to the focusing coil, a magnet holder holding the permanent magnet, and first and second leaf springs supporting the lens holder in a direction of an optical axis shiftably. An image stabilizer portion includes a fixed portion disposed near the second leaf spring, a supporting member swingably supporting the AF unit with respect to the fixed portion, an image stabilizer coil having a plurality of image stabilizer coil portions disposed so as to oppose to second surfaces of the plurality of permanent magnet pieces that are perpendicular to the first surfaces, and a plurality of Hall elements. Each Hall element is disposed at a position where the image stabilizer coil portion is separated into a plurality of coil parts. Full Article
av Image photographing apparatus having a slidable shutter assembly By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An image photographing apparatus capable of maintaining the size of a sensor plate even in a case when the size of a shutter assembly is increased, the image photographing apparatus including a shutter assembly configured to control an amount of light entered, an image sensor disposed at a rear of the shutter assembly to change the light to an electrical signal, a sensor plate configured to support the image sensor, and a main frame configured such that the shutter assembly and the sensor plate are be mounted thereon, wherein the main frame includes a frame base, and a shutter mounting portion protrudedly formed from the frame base such that the shutter assembly is mounted in a sliding manner on the shutter mounting portion. Full Article
av Component cover having variable light transmissivity By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT In a broad aspect, embodiments described herein are generally directed to an electronic device comprising: a housing; a component mounted within the housing; a component cover in fixed relation to the housing; wherein the component cover is configurable between at least a first state and a second state; and wherein light transmissivity through the component cover is greater when in the second state than when in the first state. In some implementations, in the first state the component cover is substantially opaque, or in the second state the component cover is substantially transparent. Full Article
av Gravity-slowing self propelling game device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT The game device for a user including a flexible closure for receiving impacts from the user, one or more filler placed inside the flexible closure for reducing recoiling of the flexible closure from the surface on receiving impacts, a mechanical unit attached to the inner walls of the flexible closure and a gravity slowing unit attached to the mechanical unit for reducing the gravitational pull acting on the flexible closure. The mechanical unit includes an electric motor for providing torque, an impact sensor for sensing the impacts received from the user, and a power source for energizing the electric motor and the impact sensor. The gravity slowing unit includes a spring-loaded hinge for stabilizing the flexible closure from impacts projected by the user, a spring-loaded shaft connected to the electric motor through the spring-loaded hinge for rotating to rotate on receiving torque from the electric motor and at least one set of propellers connected to the spring-loaded shaft for the receiving torque and providing thrust against gravitational pull acting on the flexible closure. Full Article
av Game calling device having varied pitch and intensity By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A game calling device including a mouthpiece having inlet and outlet portions and holes between the inlet and outlet portions, whereby sounds having varied pitch and intensity can be generated. The game calling device also includes an inner tubular member that at least partially houses a reed and configured to be selectively positioned on the axial direction of the reed so that the emitted sound can be varied based at least on the position of the inner tubular member along the reed and thereby allowing the game calling device to be used hands-free. Full Article
av Toy construction system having a rotatable connector/spinner device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A toy construction system is provided that includes, in a toy construction system having a multiplicity of interconnecting members adapted for constructing a variety of projects, a rotator head device including a device housing having a conical-shaped cavity formed therein. The housing includes a plurality of female twist-lock connectors formed on the outer surface thereof, and the female connectors are adapted for attaching a first member of the toy construction system to the rotator head device housing. A rotating member, which is conical in shape and slightly smaller in size than the cavity formed in the device housing is included. The rotating member is rotatably disposed within the cavity and has a male twist-lock connector stem extending from an end thereof for connecting a second member of the toy construction system to the rotating member, whereby the first member is rotatable with respect to the second member. Full Article
av Money saving system By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A system for facilitating the saving of money including a container having a slot disposed through a top surface of the container. The system includes a hinged door, a hook member, and a locking device. The system includes a slot sensor module configured to sense objects passing through the slot; and a hook sensor module configured to sense utilization of the hook member. The system includes an audio module configured to provide audio broadcasts. The system includes a control module configured to provide operational controls to the modules of the system. The control module includes a timing module and program module, the program module including an instruction set providing for an audio broadcast of the audio module triggered by a predetermined association of a sensor event and the passing of a predetermined period of time. The system includes a first bag and a second bag configured to store money. Full Article
av Resonator with intracavity transformation of a Gaussian into a top-hat beam By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The invention relates to an optical resonator, laser apparatus and a method of generating a laser beam inside an optical resonator. The optical resonator (100) includes an optical cavity (102) and an optical element (104.1, 104.2) at either end thereof, operable to sustain a light beam (108) therein, characterized in that each optical element (104.1, 104.2) is a phase-only optical element operable to alter a mode of the beam (108) as it propagates along the length of the optical resonator (100), such that in use the beam (108) at one end of the optical resonator (100) has a Gaussian profile while the beam (108) at the other end of the optical resonator (100) has a non-Gaussian profile. Full Article
av Slab amplification device, laser apparatus, and extreme ultraviolet light generation system By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An EUV light generation system includes a driver laser comprising a master oscillator such as a semiconductor laser, a spatial filter, gas slab amplification devices, relay optical systems, and high-speed axial-flow amplifiers. The slab amplification devices include beam adjusting optical units disposed, respectively, at input and output sides of the slab amplifiers SA to convert the beam profile and/or polarization direction and/or an elongated direction of the beam profile with the slab amplifiers is parallel to a free space axis AF of the slab waveguides, i.e. parallel to the discharge electrodes. Full Article
av Grating external-cavity semiconductor laser and quasi-synchronous tuning method thereof By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method for quasi-synchronous tuning of wavelength or frequency of grating external-cavity semiconductor laser and a corresponding semiconductor laser are provided. A grating or mirror is rotated around a quasi-synchronous tuning point (Pq) as rotation center, so as to achieve the frequency selections by grating and resonance cavity in quasi-synchronous tuning, wherein the angle of the line between the quasi-synchronous tuning point (Pq) and a conventional synchronous tuning point (P0) with respect to the direction of light incident on the grating is determined according to the angle difference between the incidence angle and diffraction angle of light on the grating. According to present invention, approximately synchronous tuning of laser is achieved with a simple and flexible design. Full Article
av Q-switched millimeter-wave SMASER By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A pulsed smaser includes at least one optical resonator and an optical pump. The at least one optical resonator includes opposing mirrors, a solid state gain medium having a masing frequency in a range of from about 50 GHz to about 1 THz, and a Q-switch, wherein the solid state gain medium and the Q-switch are optically arranged between the opposing mirrors. The optical pump is arranged to provide optical pump power to the solid state gain medium. The optical pump and the Q-switch are configured to generate pulsed masing in the solid state gain medium at the masing frequency at room temperature to provide output electromagnetic radiation at the masing frequency. Full Article
av Method to tune emission wavelength of semiconductor laser diode By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method to tune an emission wavelength of a laser diode (LD) finely is disclosed. The method first controls a temperature of the etalon filter in T1 or T2, where the transmittance of the etalon filter becomes 40 to 50%, assuming a height between the peak and the bottom of the periodic transmittance to be 100%, at the grid wavelength λ1 or λ2, respectively. Then, the temperature of the LD is adjusted such that the intensity of light emitted from the LD and transmitted through the etalon filter becomes 40 to 50%. Full Article
av Surface emitting laser, surface emitting laser array, and optical apparatus having surface emitting laser array By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT There is provided a surface emitting laser allowing a direction of a far-field pattern (FFP) centroid to be inclined from a normal direction of a substrate providing the surface emitting laser, comprising: a substrate; a lower reflecting mirror, an active layer, an upper reflecting mirror stacked on the substrate; and a surface relief structure located in an upper portion of a light emitting surface of the upper reflecting mirror, the surface relief structure being made of a material allowing at least some beams emitted from the surface emitting laser to be transmitted therethrough, a plurality of regions having a predetermined optical thickness in a normal direction of the substrate being formed in contact with other region in an in-plane direction of the substrate, and a distribution of the optical thickness in the in-plane direction of the substrate is asymmetric to a central axis of the light emitting regions. Full Article
av Sheet processing apparatus having a sheet insertion function, control method therefor, image forming apparatus, and program for implementing the control method By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 08 Oct 2013 08:00:00 EDT A sheet processing apparatus which is capable of improving operability while suppressing an increase in apparatus size. In a front cover insertion mode, an insertion sheet for a front cover is inserted into a bundle of sheets on which images have been formed, and in a rear cover insertion mode, an insertion sheet for a rear cover is inserted into the bundle of sheets. Insertion sheets for the front cover and insertion sheets for the rear cover are set with the same orientation in a manual feed tray 105. An insertion sheet for the front cover stored in the manual feed tray 105 is conveyed to a finisher 500 in one of a face-down state and a face-up state. An insertion sheet for the rear cover stored in the manual feed tray 105 is conveyed to the finisher 500 in the other of the face-down state and the face-up state. The insertion sheets for the front cover and for the rear cover conveyed from the manual feed tray 105 and the sheets on which images have been formed are stacked on the finisher 500. Full Article
av Image forming system having ring binding function By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 25 Feb 2014 08:00:00 EST An image forming system including a control section provides control in such a way that, the ring binder of the size determined for the first set of copies is adopted so that ring binding is performed for a second set of copies or copies thereafter in a case of executing a job for ring binding of a plurality of copies. When at least one of a status change in the sheet feed section, a main power source being turned off, or a change in a job ticket is occurred from a suspension to a resumption of the job, since the thickness of a bundle of sheets may change, the thickness measuring section is caused to measure the thickness of the bundle in a first set of copies subsequent to resumption. And the control section judges continuation or suspension of a job. Full Article
av Machine for attachment of cover to book block and book binding apparatus having the same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 10 Feb 2015 08:00:00 EST A machine for attachment of a cover to a book block comprises a press plate elevating mechanism for elevating a press plate 8, a nip plate drive mechanism for sliding nip plates 9 and 10, and a controller 30 controlling the press plate elevating mechanism and the nip plate drive mechanism. The press plate 8 elevates from the lower standby position to an upper press position. The press plate 8 presses the cover 12 to the book block 4 at the upper press position. The cover 12 is attached to the book block 4 by pressing the cover 12 to the lower end surface of the book block 4. The press plate 8 is elevated from the intermediate position to the upper press position, staying at the intermediate position during a waiting time for adjustment. The press plate 8 elevates from the intermediate position to the upper press position. Full Article
av Drill bit assembly having aligned features By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A drill bit assembly has a bit head and a pin body. The bit head comprises a cutting end, an opposite connecting end with an engagement section, and a feature facing the connecting end. The pin body comprises a tubular body with an axial bore therethrough, a connecting end with an engagement section and a feature facing the connecting end. The drill bit assembly is manufactured by positioning the pin body connecting end with the bit head connecting end such that the pin body and bit head engagement sections overlap with a gap therebetween, and the pin body and bit head features are aligned; injecting a thermoplastic or other connecting material in liquid form between the bit head and pin body engagement sections and into the gap; and solidifying the thermoplastic or other connecting material such that the bit head and pin body are mechanically coupled together at their connecting ends and their features are securely aligned. Full Article
av Pallet having reconfigurable tie-down system By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT A pallet system includes a pallet upon which cargo or other payloads may be carried. The pallet has a plurality of tie-down locations at which the pallet may be tied-down on a base, and at least one tie-down device for tying down the pallet on the base at any of the tie-down locations. The pallet further includes structure for mounting the tie-down device on the pallet at any of the tie-down locations. Full Article