Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Buchanan Ingersoll
  • Patent number: 8337664
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of manufacturing a web which is striped with add-on material, comprising: a first slurry supply which forms a sheet of base web and moves the sheet along a first path; a second slurry supply; and a moving orifice applicator operative so as to repetitively discharge the second slurry upon the moving sheet of base web. The moving orifice applicator includes a chamber box arranged to establish a reservoir of the second slurry across the first path, an endless belt having orifice groups, the endless belt received through the chamber box, and a drive arrangement operative upon the endless belt to continuously move the orifices along an endless-path and repetitively through the chamber box. The orifices communicate with the reservoir to discharge the second slurry as bands of add-on material to the base web. Orifices within the orifice groups can be spaced relative to one another to define bands of add-on material having a relative minimum in thickness or to define spaced apart bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Cunningham, Marc W. Rose, Thomas A. Fletcher
  • Patent number: 8340559
    Abstract: A fixing device comprises: a heating rotary member and a pressurizing rotary member, which form a nip, and guiding members for guiding a recording sheet that has passed through the nip. In a cross-section perpendicular to a rotation axis of the heating rotary member, La connects axial centers of two rotary members, Lb is perpendicular to La, P is on a guiding surface of one of the guiding members and horizontally closer to the pressurizing rotary member than any other points thereon, said one of the guiding members being closer to the heating rotary member than the other, Lc passes through P and is tangent to an outer circumference of the heating rotary member near the nip, and D is a P-La distance. Here, heating rotary member diameter×1.6?D<heating rotary member diameter×2.4. Above the nip, Lc leans further toward the heating rotary member than Lb, and 2.2°?angle between Lc and Lb<6.5°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Kuroda, Tatsuyuki Sasaki, Takuya Wada, Haruki Iwatsuki
  • Patent number: 8336805
    Abstract: The invention relates to a propulsion device comprising a body arranged for receiving a passenger and engaging with a thrust unit supplied with a pressurized fluid from a compression station. The arrangement of such a device offers great freedom of movement through the air or under the surface of a fluid. The invention also relates to a propulsion system in which the compression station can be remote in the form of a motorized marine vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Person Water Craft Product
    Inventor: Frankie Zapata
  • Patent number: 8337859
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vector for expressing at least a first and a second nucleic acid molecules which exhibit a percentage of homology of approximately 80% or greater than 80% over a portion of 40 or more continuous nucleotides and wherein said first nucleic acid molecule and/or said second nucleic acid molecule is modified so as to reduce said percentage of homology to less than 75%. The present invention also relates to substantially isolated nucleic acid molecules comprising a nucleotide sequence as defined in any of SEQ ID NO: 9-15 and 66-69. It also provides a host cell and a pharmaceutical composition comprising such a nucleic acid molecule or vector as well as their use for therapeutic or preventive purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Transgene S.A.
    Inventors: Nathalie Silvestre, Doris Schmitt
  • Patent number: 8336510
    Abstract: A valve timing control apparatus includes an inner rotor, a vane, an outer rotor, a first fluid passage to an advanced angle chamber, a second fluid passage to a retarded angle chamber, a lock mechanism restricting the relative rotation between the inner and outer rotors, a third fluid passage establishing an unlocked state by supplying the fluid to the lock mechanism and a locked state by discharging the fluid from the lock mechanism, a first switching valve supplying the fluid to each of the first and second fluid passages and discharging from each of the first and second fluid passages and a second switching valve controlling a fluid flow to be supplied to or discharged from the third fluid passage, wherein the first switching valve is operated independently from the second switching valve, and the fluid is supplied to the first switching valve via the second switching valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeo Asahi, Shigemitsu Suzuki, Masaki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8339673
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing an image are provided that can suppress blur edges at an edge portion of a character so that sharpness and quality of the image can be improved. The apparatus comprises an inside and outside edge discrimination portion for discriminating whether a target pixel to be processed belongs to an inside edge or to an outside edge, a threshold value generating portion for selecting a threshold value from plural threshold values for error diffusion process in accordance with an area discriminated by the inside and outside edge discrimination portion to output the selected threshold value and an error diffusion process portion for performing the error diffusion process for multilevel input data concerning the target pixel by utilizing the threshold value generated by the threshold value generating portion so as to produce output data whose gradation steps are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Taisuke Akahori
  • Patent number: 8337662
    Abstract: Plasma confinement rings are adapted to reach sufficiently high temperatures on plasma-exposed surfaces of the rings to substantially reduce polymer deposition on those surfaces. The plasma confinement rings include an RF lossy material effective to enhance heating at portions of the rings. A low-emissivity material can be provided on a portion of the plasma confinement ring assembly to enhance heating effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventor: James H. Rogers
  • Patent number: 8339416
    Abstract: An image construction apparatus has functions of, based on an instruction from a user, creating a binary-coded program, creating a database, and associating the database with an image part. The use of those functions allows the user to easily construct an image including an image part associated with both the program and the database. Some embodiments enable easy association of information on an apparatus to be operated with image parts constructing an image displayed by a remote control apparatus. Some embodiments are suitable for constructing the screen of the remote control apparatus having a graphical user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Katsukura, Masanori Nakata
  • Patent number: 8339228
    Abstract: An edgewise coil achieves positioning of both end portions and accurate and reliable conduction with respect to a circuit board in a simple configuration, and can be downsized. The edgewise coil is usable in a conductor. The edgewise coil includes a base material and a coil member fixed at both end portions to the base material and including an external wound-wire portion placed on the base material and an internal wound-wire portion extending in the base material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: TDK-Lambda Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuki Ishizawa
  • Patent number: 8340555
    Abstract: A toner supply container has a container body and a conveyance member rotatably arranged inside the container body and which conveys toner toward a discharge opening of the container body when driven to rotate by external force. The conveyance member includes a cylindrical rotary body and a screw blade member wound around the cylindrical rotary body so that the screw blade member stands on an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical rotary body. The inner surface of a bottom wall of the container body includes a cylindrically curved surface identical to a part of a circumferential surface of an imaginary cylinder whose axis is substantially the same as a rotation axis of the conveyance member. A curvature radius of the cylindrically curved surface is set so the conveyance member rotates in a state where an outer circumferential edge of the screw blade member substantially slides on the cylindrically curved surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Shinya Naoi, Hiroshi Tanimoto, Yasuaki Tomoda
  • Patent number: 8340920
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for measuring a flow rate, in particular in an inductive flowmeter, in which an electrical signal is applied to a measuring medium flowing in a measuring tube at electrodes, and the response function at measuring electrodes is determined as a measure of the flow rate, and to a corresponding flowmeter device. So that the flow effects of gas bubbles and/or particles in the measuring medium can be distinguished from other faults and the determination of the flow rate is thus more reliable, the disclosure proposes that, in order to detect gas bubbles and/or particles in the measuring medium, a magnetic and/or electric field is applied to the latter and the potential and/or current is/are read out at one or more electrodes, the signal profile A(t), together with its signal-to-noise component, is measured electronically as a function of the time, and a statistical evaluation is used to infer the existence of gas bubbles and/or particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: ABB AG
    Inventors: Daniel Schrag, Harald Grothey, Kai Hencken, Jakob Fritsche
  • Patent number: 8339655
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including: a display section for executing display based on image data including a plurality of images; a first image processing section for generating first images respectively corresponding to the images included in the image data, to which an image process based on information of a job is not executed; a second image processing section for generating a second image obtained by executing the image process based on the information of the job to the image data of the first image currently displayed in the display section; and a control section for causing the display section to display the first image corresponding to the image data to which the job is set and to switch the currently displayed first image to the corresponding second image after completing a generation of the second image by the second image processing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Masaru Ohtsuka
  • Patent number: 8339111
    Abstract: A capacitor bank unit includes three capacitor banks that have respective capacitances that are multiples of a basic capacitance in accordance with a number sequence of the n-th power of 2. One of the capacitor banks has the basic capacitance, remaining two of the capacitor banks includes two subbanks each. The capacitance of a subbank is set to a capacitance that is a multiple of the basic capacitance in accordance with a number sequence of the m-th power of 2. When any one of the capacitor banks fails, each of capacitor banks following the failed capacitor bank substitutes for a capacitor bank located immediately before itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masatoshi Takeda, Shinichi Ogusa
  • Patent number: 8337767
    Abstract: An ozone generating apparatus having high reliability in which a glass tube can prevent from being damaged by melting a power feeding brush even if a large amount of short-circuit current flows. In an ozone generating apparatus using silent discharge, an alternating high voltage power is supplied from a power supply to a metal film formed in an inner wall of a glass tube by a power feeding brush comprising a brush shaft made of metal and a large number of metal thin wires fixed to the periphery of the brush shaft, the following equation satisfies. (D2/D1)?1/{1+(1/20?)}, wherein ‘D1’ indicates an outer diameter of a bundle of metal thin wires, ‘D2’ indicates an outer diameter of the brush shaft and ‘?’ indicates the line density of metal thin wires on a surface of the brush shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hajime Nakatani, Daisuke Takauchi, Tomoaki Takeda, Koichi Tokimori
  • Patent number: 8338549
    Abstract: The invention relates to a polymer obtained by polymerizing olefins having 6 to 9 carbon atoms and partially derived from renewable resources. In particular, the polymer according to the invention can be derived from vegetable oil or animal fat. The invention also relates to the method for producing the polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Arkema France
    Inventors: Guillaume Le, Jean-Laurent Pradel, Samuel Devisme, Thomas Roussel, Jean-Luc Dubois
  • Patent number: 8340558
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus is provided with: an intermediate transfer belt that has a hard layer formed on a surface thereof and supports a toner image that has been primarily transferred on the hard layer from a latent-image supporting member; and a secondary transfer roller that is pressed onto the intermediate transfer belt supporting the toner image with an image-recording medium being interposed therebetween, wherein a toner is supplied to a non-image area 17 in the contact area 16 of the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 3 with the image-recording medium at a rate of 0.01 to 0.20 g/m2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Tomohide Mori
  • Patent number: 8336703
    Abstract: A unit (1) for separating opening devices (2) supplied in the form of a row (7) and to be applied singly to respective sealed packages (3) of pourable food products, the unit having a separating assembly (10), in turn having a first and a second jaw (40, 41) movable along a path (P) and defining a seat (42), which is movable between an open configuration, in which it receives an opening device (2) from the row (7) at a first station (I) along the path (P), and a closed configuration, in which it moves the opening device (2) singly along the path (P) to detach it from the rest of the row (7); the unit (1) also has elastic means (43) for loading at least the first jaw (40) towards the second jaw (41); a conveyor (13) for conveying the opening devices (2), and which is separate from the separating assembly (10); and at least a first cam (61) activated by the conveyor (13) and cooperating cyclically with a cam follower (38), integral with the first jaw (40), to move the first jaw (40), in opposition to the elasti
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
    Inventors: Alessandro Pedrazzi, Marco Poppi, Jonas Dickner
  • Patent number: 8341679
    Abstract: A plurality of intelligent device systems for use with a wideband signal distribution network, and methods for transmitting digital information and receiving digital and non-digital information onto and off of an RF carrier through a wideband signal distribution network, are disclosed. The intelligent device systems provide networks of intelligent devices that modulate and demodulate digital video, IP video/data/voice and digital wireless onto, and off of, a wideband signal distribution system, such as an analog carrier system, using existing EIA/TIA 568 standard wiring infrastructure. The methods modulate and demodulate digital video, IP video/data/voice and digital wireless onto, and off of, a wideband distribution system, such as an analog carrier system, and separate IP portions from non-IP portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: CBV, Inc.
    Inventors: Earl Hennenhoefer, Richard Snyder, Robert Stine
  • Patent number: 8337479
    Abstract: A pant-type absorbent article including a first body panel having a body facing side and a garment facing side and a second body panel having a body facing side and a garment facing side, the body facing sides of first and second body panels are held together in a face-to-face relationship along lateral edges to form side connections. The article further including a first fastening member hingedly attached to or near a lateral edge of the body facing side of the first body panel and having a portion which is unattached to said first body panel, said portion is refastenably attached to a complementary second fastening member provided on the body facing side of the second body panel. A recess forming a finger grip may be provided in the lateral edge of the first body panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Lennart Nilsson, Ingemar Fernfors, Christian Järpenberg
  • Patent number: D673038
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
    Inventor: Per Lauritzen