Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Nixon Peabody LLP
  • Patent number: 8339772
    Abstract: A thermally efficient electrical enclosure includes a busbar, a metallic heat sink, and an electrical insulator. The busbar is positioned entirely within the enclosure and electrically insulated from the enclosure. The metallic heat sink is attached to a wall of the enclosure. The electrical insulator physically contacts the busbar and is at least partially wrapped around at least two non-parallel surfaces of a portion of the metallic heat sink such that the metallic heat sink is electrically insulated from the busbar. The metallic heat sink is configured to transfer thermal energy or heat from the busbar to the enclosure such that the thermal energy is lost or transferred to the surrounding environment, which reduces the temperature of the busbar and the amount of copper needed for the busbar without reducing the rating of the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Hildegard Peralta, Ezequiel Salas, Mauricio Diaz
  • Patent number: 8336488
    Abstract: A plasma chamber is constructed to have a chamber body defining therein a plurality of process stations. A plurality of rotating substrate holders are each situated in one of the process stations and a plurality of in-situ plasma generation regions are each provided above one of the substrate holders. A plurality of quasi-remote plasma generation regions are each provided above a corresponding in-situ plasma generation region and being in gaseous communication with the corresponding in-situ plasma generation region. An RF energy source is coupled to each of the quasi-remote plasma generation regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment, Inc. Asia
    Inventors: Aihua Chen, Yijun Liu, Jinyuan Chen, Lee Luo, Tuqiang Ni, Gerald Yin, Henry Ho
  • Patent number: 8338240
    Abstract: To provide a method for manufacturing a transistor which has little variation in characteristics and favorable electric characteristics. A gate insulating film is formed over a gate electrode; a semiconductor layer including a microcrystalline semiconductor is formed over the gate insulating film; an impurity semiconductor layer is formed over the semiconductor layer; a mask is formed over the impurity semiconductor layer, and then the semiconductor layer and the impurity semiconductor layer are etched with use of the mask to form a semiconductor stacked body; the mask is removed and then the semiconductor stacked body is exposed to plasma generated in an atmosphere containing a rare gas to form a barrier region on a side surface of the semiconductor stacked body; and a wiring over the impurity semiconductor layer of the semiconductor stacked body is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Toriumi, Shinobu Furukawa
  • Patent number: 8338058
    Abstract: There is provided a separator for a fuel cell having a very good anticorrosiveness and electrical conductivity. A separator for a fuel cell according to the present invention includes: a base 1 formed of a steel which contains 10.5 mass % or more of Cr; a metal film 3 formed on the surface of the base 1; and an intermediate layer 2 formed between the base 1 and the metal film 3, the intermediate layer 2 containing oxygen. The metal film 3 is composed of at least one metallic element selected from the group consisting of Ta, Nb, and Ti, and the intermediate layer 2 contains Fe and Cr which are contained in the steel and at least one metallic element selected from the group consisting of Ta, Nb, and Ti composing the metal film 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Neomax Materials Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fumiaki Kikui
  • Patent number: 8339589
    Abstract: A check and U.S. bank note processing device configured to process both checks and U.S. bank notes. The device comprises an input receptacle configured to receive checks and U.S. bank notes and an output receptacle. The device further comprises a transport mechanism configured to transport the checks and U.S. bank notes from the input receptacle past an image scanner. The image scanner is configured to obtain an image of each check and U.S. bank note transported past the image scanner. The device is configured to determine the serial numbers of U.S. bank notes transported past the image scanner. The device further comprises a memory configured to store the determined serial numbers of U.S. bank notes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: John E. Jones, Paul A. Jones, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie
  • Patent number: 8338216
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to solve problems of treatment time when using an SLS method or continuous-oscillation laser. An indispensable portion is scanned with a laser beam in order to crystallize a semiconductor film by driving a laser and so on in accordance with the positions of islands instead of scanning and irradiating the whole semiconductor film. The present invention makes it possible to omit the time for irradiating a portion to be removed through patterning after crystallizing the semiconductor film with a laser beam and greatly shorten the treatment time for one substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akiharu Miyanaga, Kyouichi Mukao
  • Patent number: 8333655
    Abstract: A gaming system for conducting a multi-player wagering game includes a multi-touch table surface that is touched by a handheld electronic wager input device (EWID) carried by a player for placing wagers on a wagering game displayed on the multi-touch table surface. Each EWID carried by a player has an associated unique identification code, linked to the respective player's account. Players indicate an amount to be wagered by touching the EWID to designated wager amount areas, then place the wager by touching the EWID to a designated wagering area. Because each EWID is uniquely associable with distinct player accounts, the gaming system can support any number of players placing wagers. The funds remain safe in the player account and no funds are stored on the EWID. Only the identification code is detected, which is compared with the associated player account before allowing that player to place wagers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Mark B. Gagner, Timothy T. Gronkowski, Paul M. Lesley, Timothy C. Loose, Jim Motyl, James M. Rasmussen, Victor T. Shi, Alfred Thomas, Jesse Smith
  • Patent number: 8333650
    Abstract: A method for conducting a wagering game on a gaming system comprises receiving a wager to play the wagering game, displaying a first outcome of the wagering game on at least one display, evaluating the first outcome for winning combinations of symbols and awarding awards associated with any such winning combinations. The method further comprises, upon the occurrence of a triggering event and if the first outcome is a winning outcome, promoting each occurrence of at least one symbol in the first outcome to a next higher symbol in accordance with a pay table of the wagering game to display a revised first outcome, and evaluating the revised first outcome for winning combinations of symbols and awarding awards associated with any such winning combinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventor: Jamie W. Vann
  • Patent number: 8334078
    Abstract: A separator for a fuel cell according to the present invention includes: a base 1 containing 70 mass % or more of Al; an underlying layer 2 being formed on the base and containing Ti; an intermediate layer 3 being formed on the underlying layer and containing TiNx or TiOy; and a conductive metal layer 4 being formed on the intermediate layer and containing Au or Pt. The separator for a fuel cell according to the present invention has an excellent anticorrosiveness although a base containing aluminum as a main component is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Neomax Materials Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Yokota, Fumiaki Kikui, Ken Asada
  • Patent number: 8333953
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for delivering exogenous proteins to the cytosol, by binding a target antigen (such as a protein) to a transport factor that contains a fragment of a bipartite protein exotoxin, but not the corresponding protective antigen. Preferably, the target antigen is fused to the transport factor. Preferred transport factors include the protective antigen binding domain of lethal factor (LFn) from B. anthracis, consisting of amino acids 1-255, preferably a fragment of at least 80 amino acids that shows at least 80% homology to LFn, and a fragment of about 105 amino acids from the carboxy portion that does not bind PA. The target antigen can include any molecule for which it would be desirable to elicit a CMI response, including viral antigens and tumor antigens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignees: The General Hospital Corporation, President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Yichen Lu, Huyen Cao
  • Patent number: 8333782
    Abstract: A lancing device comprises a main housing, a movable housing, and a damping ring. The main housing forming an inner aperture that encloses a portion of a lancet assembly. The lancet assembly has a lancet body, a lancet-plunger housing, and a lance. The lancet assembly is adapted to move between a resting position, a cocking position, and a puncture position. The movable housing is adjacent to the main housing. The moveable housing is adapted to move from a resting position to a cocking position. The moveable housing is adapted to connect to the lancet assembly. The damping ring is adapted to engage the lancet assembly as the lancet assembly moves from the puncture position back towards the resting position to reduce movement of the lancet assembly back towards the puncture position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Bayer HealthCare LLC
    Inventor: John P. Creaven
  • Patent number: 8334495
    Abstract: A photometric device with a wide dynamic range. The photometric device includes a constant current generation circuit, a fixed clock signal generation circuit which generates a fixed clock signal having a fixed frequency, a photoelectric conversion element, a variable clock signal generation circuit, and a digital signal generation circuit. The fixed clock signal generation circuit generates a fixed clock signal that oscillates at a fixed frequency, from constant current. The variable clock signal generation circuit generates a variable clock signal that oscillates at a frequency proportional to the amount of photocurrent, from photocurrent generated in the photoelectric conversion element. The digital signal generation circuit sets a measurement period using the fixed clock signal, counts the number of pulses of the variable clock signal that oscillates for the measurement period, and outputs a digital signal including the count value as data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Koyama, Seiko Amano
  • Patent number: 8334223
    Abstract: A protective drainage wrap includes a mesh and a coating applied to the mesh. The coating is applied to the mesh to form a plurality of interstices, the interstices being configured to facilitate transfer of water vapor therethrough. The mesh includes material extending in a first direction and in a second direction. The material in the first direction includes a polyolefin, polyester, nylon or combinations thereof and has a first thickness. The material in the second direction includes a polyolefin, polyester, nylon or combinations thereof and has a second thickness. The second thickness is at least about twice the first thickness so as to assist in providing drainage for moisture build-up. The material in the second direction can be yarn. The coating includes a polyolefin, polyester, nylon or combinations thereof. A process for the preparation of the protective drainage wrap is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Pactiv Corporation
    Inventor: John W. Lubker, II
  • Patent number: 8334863
    Abstract: A display system and a device having the display system are provided. The display system includes: a pixel area on which a pixel is formed; a substrate having a top side and a back side opposite to the top side, and a plurality of edges between the top side and the back side, the substrate being a main substrate on which the pixel area being formed or a sealing substrate; and a solar cell area having at least one solar cell integrated on a peripheral of the pixel area, the edge of the substrate or a combination thereof. The display system includes: a pixel area on a display substrate, including: a transparent electrode; and an emissive device for emitting a light, the transparent electrode and the emissive device being aligned in series on the display substrate, a solar cell placed behind the transparent electrode, for making the transparent electrode non-reflective to the emissive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Ignis Innovation Inc.
    Inventors: Arokia Nathan, G. Reza Chaji
  • Patent number: 8329889
    Abstract: Described are methods and compositions for the detection of target genes. The inventors have developed a synthetic nucleic acid sensor-effector gene circuit. In cells without a target gene, the circuit suppresses e.g., effector production, but in the presence of the target gene the suppression is subject to competition, such that the synthetic sensor is de-repressed and permits expression of the effector gene. The methods and compositions described further permit the selective expression of an effector gene in those cells expressing the target gene. In this manner, cells expressing a target gene can be selectively targeted for treatment or elimination. In certain aspects, the methods and compositions described permit the selective expression of an agent such as a therapeutic gene product, in a specifically targeted population of cells in an organism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Trustees of Boston University
    Inventors: James J. Collins, Timothy Kuan-Ta Lu
  • Patent number: 8327853
    Abstract: A bistable magnetic holding device, which includes: a nonmagnetic support casing in the form of a channel with a rectangular cross-section; a magnetic core including a base and three legs set perpendicularly to the base, the two outer legs and the base forming a “U”; a permanent magnet in the form of a bar inserted between the base and the middle leg; a coil surrounding the middle leg; a flat movable part; and a return motion and guidance means built into the inside walls of the support so as to allow return motion, toward the upper part of the support casing, of the magnetic core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Dominique Ponsort, Alain Riwan, Julie Bonnemason
  • Patent number: 8327780
    Abstract: An agricultural implement is directed to delivering a fluid to the soil of an agricultural field and includes a main frame attached to an opener device, a closing device, a pivoting assembly, and an injection tine. The opener device forms a furrow in the soil, the closing device trails the opener device for closing the furrow, and the injection tine delivers the fluid towards the furrow. The injection tine has a pivoting end attached to the pivoting assembly and a bottom end extending downwardly into the furrow between the opener device and the closing device. The pivoting end is pivotably connected at the pivoting end such that the injection tine is freely pivotable in at least two independent pivotable directions relative to furrow. A diffuser is attached to the bottom end of the injection tine for expelling the fluid into the furrow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Dawn Equipment Company
    Inventor: Joseph D. Bassett
  • Patent number: 8329311
    Abstract: The invention concerns a nanoprinted device comprising point shaped metallic patterns, in which each metallic pattern has a bilayer structure controlled in hardness and in chemical properties comprising a lower layer (30) constituting the base of the point and an upper layer (31) constituting the point itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: François Marion, Cécile Davoine
  • Patent number: 8328110
    Abstract: Electrical load spreading arrangements reduce peak power demand. An enclosure houses an electronic circuit board, which receives at a first input terminal a first thermostat control signal from a thermostat intended to control a first air conditioning unit and at a second input terminal a second thermostat control signal from a thermostat intended to control a second AC unit. A controller on the circuit board is programmed with instructions stored in a memory coupled to the controller causing the controller to monitor the first and second input terminals to determine the timing and duration of the thermostat control signals passed to the output terminals for activating or deactivating the AC units such that overlapping operation of the AC units is reduced particularly during peak demand periods. A similar arrangement may be applied to a broader class of HVAC equipment, including water heaters, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey O. Sharp
  • Patent number: 8331643
    Abstract: A currency processing device for receiving a stack of U.S. currency bills and rapidly processing all the bills in the stack, the device comprising: an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of U.S.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Araz Yacoubian, Tomasz M. Jagielinski