Abstract: A snap post for use in conjunction with a snap lid to attach a trim ring to an opening of a headliner of an automotive vehicle is provided. The snap post includes an elongated leg extending outwardly from the trim ring. The elongated leg has a barb for engaging with the snap lid disposed on a distal end thereof. A support structure provides the elongated leg with sufficient reinforcement to withstand the stress imposed during the installation of the headliner, yet provides sufficient flexibility for the quick and easy attachment of the trim ring to the opening of the headliner.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 1, 2009
Date of Patent:
November 8, 2011
Assignees:
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Johnson Controls Technology Company
Inventors:
Jonathan Keith Moenter, Kevin Lyle Gilleo, Michael Harry Weiss
Abstract: Detection and diagnosis of injury and/or disease in a subject can be key to preventing irreversible damage and death. Methods of aiding detection and assessment of a disease or condition in a subject are which include assaying netrin-1 protein and/or nucleic acid in a test sample obtained from the subject. Methods of assessment of treatment of a disease or condition in a subject are provided which include assaying netrin-1 protein and/or nucleic acid in a test sample obtained from the subject. Disclosed methods allow for earlier detection of renal dysfunction compared to currently available technology.
Abstract: A vehicle drive apparatus includes a battery that is a direct current power source, a converter that increases the voltage of the battery, an inverter connected to a motor that drives the vehicle, an inverter connected to a motor generator that functions as a motor or generator, and a motor control device that controls the motor. The vehicle drive device is also provided with a voltmeter, non-energized state determination devices that determine a non-energized state of the inverters, and ammeters that detect currents applied to a motor from each phase arm of the inverters. Signals of these devices and a signal from the non-energized state determination device are sent to the motor control device.
Abstract: An oil separating device for separating micron and sub-micron particles of oil from crankcase gases is provided. The oil separating device includes a housing having a first chamber in communication with a second chamber, and a narrow wave-shaped passage disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber. The narrow wave-shaped passage is defined by a first inner wall having a first undulating surface opposite and spaced apart from a second inner wall having a second undulating surface mirroring the first undulating surface. The narrow wave-shaped passage is disposed downstream of the first chamber and above the oil drain so as to allow oil particles in crankcase gases passing from the inlet to the outlet to accumulate on the first and second inner walls and assist gravity in forcing the accumulated oil through the narrow wave-shaped passage into the oil drain.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 24, 2008
Date of Patent:
November 1, 2011
Assignee:
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
Abstract: When a vehicle is set to a travel control mode or external charging mode, a vehicle system is activated for executing the control mode to which the vehicle is set. A converter ECU selects one sub power storage unit to be used first after activation of the vehicle system, based on a power storage unit used after preceding activation as read from a memory unit contained in the converter ECU and based on respective states of charge of sub power storage units, and electrically connects the selected sub power storage unit and a converter via a switch circuit. When the vehicle system is activated for executing the travel control mode, the converter ECU updates information about the power storage unit used after preceding activation as stored in the memory unit, to information about the power storage unit used first after the present activation of the vehicle system.
Abstract: An improved illuminator with an adjustable beam pattern to be worn by medical and dental professionals includes a housing, a light-emitting diode (LED) disposed in the housing outputting light through a distal opening in the housing, an achromatic doublet lens mounted in the opening in the housing, and a singlet lens disposed between the LED and the achromatic lens. The distance between the singlet lens and the doublet lens may be adjustable, and/or distance between the LED and the singlet lens may be adjustable, through a threaded connections, for example.
Abstract: The mounting arrangement is applied to a refrigeration compressor having a shell (1) externally carrying energizing pins (2) and comprises: a connector (10) to be mounted to the shell (1) and having a non-electric conducting base body (11) which houses and retains electric terminals (4) attached to an electric supply cable (3) and which are designed to fit said energizing pins (2), one of the parts of shell (1) and base body (11) of the connector (10) carrying locking means (20) to be engaged to respective locking receiving means (30) provided in the other part, when the connector (11) is mounted to the shell (1); and an elastic sealing means (40) carried by one of the parts of shell (1) and connector (11) and to be pressed between said parts, around the energizing pins (2), when the connector (11) is mounted to the shell (1).
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 30, 2009
Date of Patent:
November 1, 2011
Assignee:
Whirlpool S.A.
Inventors:
Dietmar Erich Bernhard Lilie, Claudio Roberto Hille, Ilario Jose Scheuer, Marcos Giovani Bortoli, Manfred Krueger, Emilio Rodrigues Huelse
Abstract: A breastfeeding assist timepiece includes a housing containing a first live time display and a second resettable static time display. A left/right side indicator is defined at a further location of said housing. In use, the static time display is continuously reset to a time of a most recently completed feeding, with the left/right side indicator further designating a left or right breast employed first in the most recent feeding and in order to more accurately predict the timing of a present or future feeding, as well as which breast to be initially employed in that feeding.
Abstract: A carpet in the form of a substrate formed with a beveled leading edge and including means to form the beveled edge at the point of use and to securely lock adjacent pieces together along an adjacent side edge in a manner which permits the accommodation of different sized and configured areas and assembling and disassembling of the carpet pad to be readily accomplished.
Abstract: A method for determining heavy metal loading in a subject includes collecting a saliva sample from the subject containing a concentration of a heavy metal. The saliva sample is subjected to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to yield a heavy metal loading measurement for the subject. The saliva sample is readily collected on a substrate absorbing a preselected amount of saliva such as filter paper. As the amount of saliva necessary to saturate a given volume of substrate is known, the volume of saliva within a substrate is also known. The resulting heavy metal loading measurement is readily correlated with a blood level for the heavy metal in the subject.
Abstract: A transparent picture frame allows artwork to appear more prominent relative to surrounding wall surfaces. The assembly includes a transparent cover plate having dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of the artwork, a transparent inner mat portion having a cut-out dimensioned to receive the cover plate and artwork, and a transparent outer mat portion having a cut-out with dimensions less than those of the inner mat portion, resulting in a peripheral overlap. The assembly further includes a transparent back panel, wherein the inner mat portion, outer mat portion and back panel all have the same outer dimensions. One or more fasteners are provided for holding the assembly together in the following order from front-to back: the outer mat portion, the inner mat portion with the cover plate over the artwork, and the back panel. In the preferred embodiment, the inner mat portion, outer mat portion and back panel are made of plastic, whereas the cover plate is made of glass.
Abstract: A controller for a power inverter having a gate assembly with an alternating current power output. A gate driver controls the activation of the gate assembly while a processor controls the operation of the gate driver. A current sensor has an output signal representative of the current at the power output. A noise detector circuit provides an output signal to the processor of the frequency of electromagnetic noise in the power inverter and the processor is programmed to sample the current from the current sensor at the frequency of the noise.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 23, 2009
Date of Patent:
November 1, 2011
Assignee:
Hitachi, Ltd.
Inventors:
Hiroki Funato, Liang Shao, Kohji Maki, George Saikalis
Abstract: A muffler adapted for connection with an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine which has an outer housing constructed of a plastic material. The housing has an inlet and at least one inwardly protruding rib extends around the interior of the housing inlet. The rib is constructed of a plastic material and forms an opening complementary in shape, but smaller in cross-sectional area, than the outer periphery of the exhaust pipe. The exhaust pipe is inserted into the inlet and the exhaust pipe and housing are vibrated relative to each other for a time period sufficient to at least partially melt the rib and cause the rib to seal around the exhaust pipe upon cooling.
Abstract: The invention relates to an image sensor, in particular a CMOS image sensor, for electronic cameras, having a plurality of light sensitive pixels arranged in rows and columns and a number of output amplifiers. The image sensor is made such that the order in which the pixels are switched to the output amplifiers is varied with respect to the order in which the pixels are arranged along a row of the image sensor.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 12, 2008
Date of Patent:
October 25, 2011
Assignee:
Arnold & Richter Cine Technik GmbH & Co. Betriebs KG
Abstract: A thermoelectric material comprises core-shell particles having a core formed from a core material and a shell formed from a shell material. In representative examples, the shell material is a material showing an appreciable thermoelectric effect in bulk. The core material preferably has a lower thermal conductivity than the shell material. In representative examples, the core material is an inorganic oxide such as silica or alumina, and the shell material is a chalcogenide semiconductor such as a telluride, for example bismuth telluride. A thermoelectric material including such core-shell particles may have an improved thermoelectric figure of merit compared with a bulk sample of the shell material alone. Embodiments of the invention further include thermoelectric devices using such thermoelectric materials, and preparation techniques.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 13, 2006
Date of Patent:
October 25, 2011
Assignees:
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund
Abstract: Disclosed are compositions including primers and probes, which are capable of interacting with the disclosed nucleic acids, such as the nucleic acids encoding the reverse transcriptase or protease of HIV as disclosed herein. Thus, provided is an oligonucleotide comprising any one of the nucleotide sequences set for in SEQ ID NOS:1-89, and 96-104. Also provided are the oligonucleotides consisting of the nucleotides as set forth in SEQ ID NOS:1-89, and 96-104. Each of the disclosed oligonucleotides is a probe or a primer. Also provided are mixtures of primers and probes and for use in RT-PCR and primary PCR reactions disclosed herein. Provided are methods for the specific detection of several mutations in HIV. Mutations in both the reverse transcriptase and the protease of HIV can be detected using the methods described herein.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 7, 2005
Date of Patent:
October 25, 2011
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Abstract: A seal for a sliding glass window includes a sliding glass guide and an elastomeric channel member that is at least partially disposed within the sliding glass guide. Located between the elastomeric channel member and the sliding glass guide is an electroactive actuator that is operable to change its shape from a first shape to a second shape, or vice versa, when a voltage is applied thereto. The first shape of the electroactive actuator pushes the elastomeric channel member towards the sliding glass window and the second shape pulls the elastomeric channel member away from the sliding glass window.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 15, 2008
Date of Patent:
October 25, 2011
Assignee:
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
Abstract: A broadhead for an arrow has a ferrule and a pair of blade members. Each blade member has a first end that is pivotally interconnected with the ferrule body and an opposite second end. The blade members each have a retracted position and an extended position. A biasing member biases the blade members toward the extended positions and is the only element operable to hold the blade members in the extended position.
Abstract: An anode material made from nanoparticles, said anode material including a homogeneous mixture of lithium-alloying nanoparticles with active support matrix nanoparticles, is provided. The active support matrix nanoparticle is a compound that participates in the conversion reaction of the lithium battery. The compound is preferably a transition metal compound, with said compound including a nitride, carbide, oxide or combination thereof. An electrode manufactured from the anode material preferably has a porosity of between 5 and 80% and more preferably has a porosity between 10 and 50%. The anode material nanoparticles preferably have a mean linear dimension of between 2 and 500 nanometers, and more preferably have a mean linear dimension of between 2 and 50 nanometers.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 3, 2007
Date of Patent:
October 18, 2011
Assignees:
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., T/J Technologies, Inc.
Inventors:
Monique Richard, Kimber L. Stamm, Liya Wang, Shih-Chieh Yin, Pu Zhang, Suresh Mani, Junqing Ma, Brian Glomski