Abstract: An electrical switch may comprise a base having three electrical conductors thereon and an electrically conductive flexible dome adjacent the base. The flexible dome has plural longer legs extending from its dome and in electrical contact with a first conductor, has a shorter leg extending from its dome and overlying a second conductor, and has its dome overlying a third conductor. A pushbutton must be moved over a distance substantially greater than an actuation distance of the flexible dome to apply sufficient force to cause the shorter leg to contact the second conductor and the dome to contact the third conductor. A spring between the pushbutton and the flexible dome couples force to the flexible dome.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 18, 2007
Date of Patent:
January 26, 2010
Assignee:
Streamlight, Inc.
Inventors:
Raymond L. Sharrah, Peter J. Ziegenfuss, Mark W. Snyder
Abstract: A process for making a metal tool having controlled porosity is disclosed. The process includes the step of preparing metal powder by gas atomization. The metal powder is filled into a metal container. The powder-filled container is placed in a metal vessel and surrounded with glass frit. The metal vessel is then heated to a temperature sufficient to melt the glass frit. The metal vessel is then compacted under sufficient pressure to partially consolidate the metal powder so as to retain porosity therein in an amount sufficient to permit air to vent through the metal tool.
Abstract: A truck includes a chassis 1 supporting a cab 3 and a deck 9 which is supported at least by a rearmost axle 15 and wheels 17. The deck 9 is tiltable relative to the chassis 1 about a pivot axis 27 located in front of the rearmost axle 15 of the truck and arranged such that as the deck 9 tilts rearwardly, the chassis 1 tilts forwardly and the deck 9 lowers towards the rearmost axle. A forward part of a rear suspension arrangement may be operatively connected to the chassis 1 so that the forward part moves upwardly towards the deck 9 as the deck 9 is tilted.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 22, 2003
Date of Patent:
January 26, 2010
Assignees:
HGW Trustee's Limited
Inventors:
Barry Douglas Armour, Richard Zane Wilson
Abstract: The present invention discloses the autoinducer compounds, such as acyl homoserine lactones, acyl homocysteine lactone, acyl thiolactones, furanones or signal peptides, and their use in animal feed additives and animal feeds to improve animal performance.
Abstract: A disc brake pad (1) comprising a base plate (2), on which elongated elements for supporting friction elements (3) are fixed. The friction elements (3) are mounted, alone or in groups, on the ends of elastic support elements (4), the support elements (4) being cantilevered on the base plate (2) to provide projecting and freely movable ends which support the friction elements (3). The support elements (4) are placed on the base plate (2) with their main longitudinal axis oriented substantially perpendicular with respect to a ray passing through the centre of the brake disc. The disc brake pad centre coincides with rotary axis of the wheel or other rotating element to be braked. The circular portion or band of the element on which each friction element acts is as narrow as possible, thereby minimizing the peripheral speed difference between inner circumference and outer circumference of the annular bands engaged by the friction elements.
Abstract: Isolated PGE synthase, provided from encoding nucleic acid. Methods of production and use. Assays for modulators, especially inhibitors, of PGE synthase activity.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 27, 2007
Date of Patent:
January 12, 2010
Assignee:
Karolinska Innovations AB
Inventors:
Per-Johan Jakobsson, Bengt Samuelsson, Ralf Morgenstern, Anthony Ford-Hutchinson
Abstract: A top plate conveyor device, in which vibrations and noises are reduced, and the structure is simple and the production assembly and handling are easy. Top plates 110 are removably provided on a rubber toothed belt 120 by engagement members 111 provided on the back surfaces of the top plates 110, and engagement members 111 include sandwiching portions 112 which sandwich the toothed belt 120 from both outer sides in the width direction and terminate in pawl portions 113, which snap-connect the top plates to the toothed belt 120.
Abstract: There is disclosed a method apparatus for image processing of e.g. MRI images. A method and apparatus is disclosed enabling one to determine if an image contrast/intensity change of a chosen point within an imaged subject volume (e.g. a lesion) is an artefact of motion in the imaged subject. An apparatus and method for fast visual assessment of the imaged subject volume's alignment quality (within a time-sequence of images) is provided, and an interactive display tool enabling effective use of this method is provided.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 6, 2004
Date of Patent:
January 5, 2010
Assignees:
The Institute of Cancer Research, The Royal Marsden NHS Trust
Abstract: A conveyor chain for a travel way on which an operator and/or a work carriage are reliably moved in a nonskid manner. The conveyor chain has a series of modules, each with a nonskid material loaded upper surface with front and rear hinge portions for connecting the modules to each other by connecting pins. The nonskid material loaded upper surface has hollows with the hollow surfaces recessed below the upper surface. The upper surface includes a number of supporting ribs project upwardly from the hollow surfaces and terminate flush with the upper surface, so that the transfer of the work carriage is easy and a back bend radius is decreased. Miniaturization and simplification of the conveyor are attained.
Abstract: A method for processing ballots having page numbers comprises imaging the ballot; determining the page numbers from the images and whether the page numbers are in a sequence. If the page numbers are in a page number sequence, then decoding the voting selections marked on the ballot.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 28, 2005
Date of Patent:
December 22, 2009
Assignee:
Avante International Technology, Inc.
Inventors:
Kevin Kwong-Tai Chung, Victor Jun Dong, Xiaoming Shi
Abstract: A method and system for marking a ballot or sheet may comprise making selections in a session using an interface, e.g., including a keyboard, a touch screen, a button, a switch, voice recognition apparatus, a Braille keyboard, a pen with writing recognition interface, or a combination thereof, producing a paper ballot or sheet for the session by printing the selections on a sheet form or printing a sheet form including the selections, and optionally submitting the printed paper ballot or sheet for reading the selections printed thereon. The printed ballot or sheet may include an identifier for the selected template.
Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting and synchronizing packets of data with a repeated sequence as a pilot symbol received by a communications system are provided. The method and apparatus include receiving data, detecting a packet within the received data, producing an estimate of the time-varying frequency offset of the received data, estimating the start of the packet of the received data, estimating the time-varying phase offset of the received data and estimating the time-varying time offset of the received data. Methods for assessing each one of the time-varying frequency offset, the time-varying phase offset, the time-varying time offset and the start of packet are also provided.
Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing shear stiffness in board is disclosed. The board sample (6) is placed into stationary jaw (2) and jaw (3) which is rigidly connected to inertial mass (7). The mass (7) is twisted around the sample axis with an initial twist chosen to ensure the sample is within the elastic region, and then allowed to freely oscillate. The oscillation frequency is then measured to evaluate the torsional stiffness of the sample.
Abstract: A link belt for use as a conveyor belt or power transmission belt is provided. The belt is formed of a plurality of links forming a series in successive overlapping relation. The upper surface of each belt link includes an electrically conductive layer. Additionally, the lower surface of each belt link may have an electrically conductive layer. The conductive layer or layers provide an electrical path along the belt to impede the build-up of static electricity as the belt is run during use. Further a method for producing the conveyor is provided. A plurality of layers of reinforcing material is arranged in overlapping relation. A binding material such as a thermoset urethane is deposited on the composite material, forming a conductive layer. The combined conductive layer and composite material are cured so that the conductive layer permanently bonds to the composite material.
Abstract: A method for detecting the presence of bacterial spores in a sample comprises non-destructively to the spores carrying out the steps of assessing the fluorescence of the sample, subjecting the sample to UV radiation, and reassessing the fluorescence of the sample to determine the presence of spores. An increase in fluorescence indicates the presence of spores.
Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for propagating electromagnetic radiation of a selected vacuum wavelength beyond the diffraction limit. The apparatus comprises a waveguide core and a cladding disposed about the core. The waveguide core may include a material with an anisotropic dielectric permittivity, with the optical axis of the material primarily aligned with direction of light propagation. In addition, the waveguide core may have a cross-sectional dimension smaller than about ½ of the selected wavelength at least at one portion of the waveguide core. The cross-sectional dimension of the waveguide core may decrease along the length of the waveguide core creating a taper to provide a photonic funnel. The waveguide core may comprise a homogeneous anisotropic material, anisotropic metamaterial, or a photonic crystal.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 13, 2007
Date of Patent:
November 24, 2009
Assignee:
The State of Oregon Acting By and through the State Board at Higher Education
Inventors:
Viktor A. Podolskiy, Alexander A. Govyadinov
Abstract: A control system for routing data in an automatic identification system includes an event management system (EMS), a real-time in-memory data structure (RIED) and a task management system (TMS). The control system can be provided in a distributed hierarchical arrangement. The EMS of each control system can include filters which limit the amount of information provided to the next level in the hierarchy. In this manner the hierarchical control system network acts as a high volume data collector and processor. In some embodiments a level of the hierarchy can be removed spatially and/or temporally from an adjacent level in the hierarchy.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 30, 2004
Date of Patent:
November 24, 2009
Assignee:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Inventors:
Sanjay Sarma, Daniel W. Engels, Laxmiprasad Putta, Sridhar Ramachandran, James L. Waldrop
Abstract: A light comprises a light body for supporting an illumination light source and for receiving a battery, a first light source disposed in the light body for selectively providing illumination; a cover for receiving an optional second light source; a switch for selectively energizing the first light source, the optional second light source, or both; and a circuit structure for receiving electrical potential and providing electrical connections among the first light source, the optional second light source, the switch, and the terminals. The circuit structure may include portions in different planes, and may include a separable connector whereby the optional second light source may be removable.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 26, 2007
Date of Patent:
November 10, 2009
Assignee:
Streamlight, Inc.
Inventors:
Raymond L. Sharrah, John C. DiNenna, C. Bradford Penney