Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Oliff & Berridge
  • Patent number: 8352136
    Abstract: A vehicle control system for an engine-powered vehicle equipped with an engine and an automatic transmission with a clutch. When a given engine stop requirement is met during running of the engine, the system stops the engine automatically. When a given engine restart requirement is met after stop of the engine, the system restarts the engine and enters a clutch control mode to bring the clutch in the automatic transmission into a slippable state in which the clutch is permitted to slip based on the speed of the vehicle, thereby absorbing the acceleration shock which usually occurs upon engagement of the clutch to transmit engine torque to wheels of the vehicle when the engine is restarted, and the speed of the vehicle is relatively low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuya Saito
  • Patent number: 8349159
    Abstract: A device for selective preconcentration/detection of charged analytes contained in an electrolyte having at least two reservoirs separated by at least one rectilinear microchannel with no lengthwise axis X intersection and having at least one controllable voltage source configured to generate a potential difference between the ends of the rectilinear microchannel. The device has means for generating a controllable pressure that is associated with at least one of the reservoirs and is able to generate a pressure gradient between the two ends of the microchannel. The microchannel has, in its median part, means that are configured to generate at least one change in the surface area to volume ratio charge, the device configured to selectively concentrate the charged analytes in the median part of the microchannel upstream and/or downstream of the means configured to generate at least one change in the surface area to volume ration charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Etat Francais Represente par le Delegue General pour l'Armement
    Inventor: Adrien Plecis
  • Patent number: 8352860
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing device and an image processing method, which prevent printing mishaps from occurring in printed matter when a user performs a printing process without knowing a compressed image is included on a page layout. When a compressed image is detected, a warning is generated to request selection of the next process. For this reason, when interruption of printing is designated, the printing process may be interrupted. The use of a warning color or application of an outline may be designated, and a drawing setting may also be performed according to the designation. An output of a warning page is designated, and a setting may also be performed such that a print output is obtained by either extracting the compressed image or by deleting the compressed image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Ishizuka, Mari Kodama, Yasushi Nishide
  • Patent number: 8349074
    Abstract: A method for detecting a diameter of a single crystal at the time of pulling the single crystal from a silicon melt contained in a crucible according to the Czochralski method, the method including at least: using two cameras placed equidistant from each other as a target diameter upon forming a straight-body portion of the single crystal and face both ends of the diameter of the single crystal in a growth point of the single crystal respectively, to separately capture both of the ends of the growth point of the single crystal from an outside of a furnace, the growth point being a contact point between the single crystal and a melt surface; and detecting the diameter of the single crystal on the basis of the captured images. As a result, diameter detection precision is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ohtsuna, Atsushi Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 8347593
    Abstract: A push mower having a height adjustment lever, which can be manipulated easily, is provided. The provided push mower includes: a main body configured to move along a ground; a blade attached to the main body; a height adjustment lever attached to the main body; and a height adjustment mechanism configured to change a height of the blade from the ground based on a position of the height adjustment lever. The height adjustment lever includes: a pillar protruding from the main body; a grip fixed to the pillar; and a lock member attached to the grip and configured to move with respect to the grip between a lock position and an unlock position. A movement of the height adjustment lever is inhibited when the lock member is at the lock position, and the movement of the height adjustment lever is allowed when the lock member is at the unlock position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Makita Corporation
    Inventors: Ryosuke Ito, Yasuo Ifuku
  • Patent number: 8350151
    Abstract: A stud bolt assembly can couple two electrical conductive members to each other with stability and reliability in connection while avoiding breakage and deformation of the members upon coupling them to each other and an electrical junction box equipped with the stud bolt assembly. Electrical conductive member 24a and a connecting terminal 90 are mounted on a shaft portion 44 of a stud bolt 36. The electrical conductive member 24a is secured to the connecting terminal 90 by fastening a nut 96 on the shaft portion 44. The stud bolt 36 is displaced in a bolt cover 38 in an axial direction. The electrical conductive member 24a and connecting terminal 90 mounted on the shaft portion 44 are firmly and directly fastened between the nut 96 and a distal end surface 50 of a proximal end side projection 48 of the stud bolt 36.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahiro Asao
  • Patent number: 8348403
    Abstract: At a predetermined position during the lateral movement of a carriage 10, a gap switching mechanism 30 for switching a gap between a recording head 15 and a recording medium is provided. The recording head 15 is mounted facing downward on the carriage 10. A part close to one side on a lower end of the carriage is slidably and pivotably supported by a guide shaft 11 of a round shaft shape. A switching block member 13 provided with several abutment portions 52 and 53 with different heights, which are positioned so as to be opposed to a slide portion 12a at an upper end of a frame 12 extending in a vertical direction along a back of the carriage. The A switching block member 13 is pivotably supported by the carriage. A first pushing portion 56 is located at a left end of the frame so as to abut against the switching block member 13.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Ueda, Yukio Shiohara, Hiroaki Yazawa, Kenji Samoto, Shunji Murai, Masatoshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 8350656
    Abstract: A rotary transformer includes a primary core having a primary coil wound thereon, and a secondary core having a secondary coil wound thereon, the cores being mounted for relative rotation about an axis of rotation. The transformer is characterized in that one of the cores includes a plurality of core segments arranged in spaced-apart relation relative to one another in a substantially circular array about the axis, and the other core has a substantially annular configuration. In a particular embodiment, the primary core is fixed and hence remains static during operation, and includes a plurality of spaced apart core segments arranged in a circular array around the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: John J A Cullen, Ellis F H Chong, Felix L Langley
  • Patent number: 8348008
    Abstract: In an electric power steering system, a motor drive controller that has an inverter circuit board and a control circuit board housed in a control case is provided so as to overlap a control case fixation surface formed at an end portion of a gear housing in the axial direction of a steering shaft, so that it is possible to reduce the projection in the axial direction of a motor as compared to the conventional one. In addition, a metallic board is used for the inverter circuit board and the inverter circuit board is fixed to the control case fixation surface so as to be in surface contact therewith, so that it is possible to efficiently dissipate the heat generated on the inverter circuit board into the gear housing and a fixation support plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Shigetoshi Yamaguchi, Tomohiro Niwa
  • Patent number: 8349273
    Abstract: A microreactor device comprises: a microchannel that sends one or more fluids; and a section that isolates vibrations to a first portion of the microchannel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Tabata, Yoshihisa Yamazaki, Masaki Hirota, Takayuki Yamada, Daisuke Nagao
  • Patent number: 8347981
    Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a power tool with a rational placement of a dynamic vibration reducer within a tool body. A representative hammer drill embodied as a power tool according to this invention has a dynamic vibration reducer 151 which is placed within an internal space 110 located to a motion converting section 113 side of a driving motor 111 within a body 103. An inner edge of the internal space is defined by an outer edge of the motion converting section 113, and an outer edge of the internal space is defined by an outer periphery of the driving motor 111.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Makita Corporation
    Inventor: Yonosuke Aoki
  • Patent number: 8348204
    Abstract: A waterproof cable guide device for a railway vehicle comprises an elastic member having a plurality of through-holes penetrating in a forward and backward direction and screw insertion holes penetrating in the forward and backward direction, the plurality of electric cables being inserted into the plurality of holes, respectively, the elastic member being divided in positions of the through-holes or having slits extending from an outer peripheral surface of the elastic member to the through-holes, respectively; a press casing surrounding a front surface and an outer peripheral surface of the elastic member so as not to cover the through-holes and provided with screw insertion holes communicating with the screw insertion holes of the elastic member; and screws inserted into the screw insertion holes, in a direction from forward, and tightened with respect to the cable guide; the screws being inserted into the screw insertion holes in the direction from forward and tightened with respect to the cable guide in
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shin Kataoka, Kunihiko Takagi, Yutaka Kitagawa, Kazuya Morita
  • Patent number: 8349551
    Abstract: An organ perfusion apparatus and method monitor, sustain and/or restore viability of organs and preserve organs for storage and/or transport. Other apparatus include an organ transporter, an organ cassette and an organ diagnostic device. Organ viability is restored by restoring high energy nucleotide (e.g., ATP) levels by perfusing the organ with a medical fluid, such as an oxygenated cross-linked hemoglobin-based bicarbonate medical fluid, at normothermic temperatures. In the hypothermic mode, the organ is perfused with a medical fluid, preferably a simple crystalloid solution containing antioxidants, intermittently or in slow continuous flow. Viability of the organ may be automatically monitored, preferably by monitoring characteristics of the medical fluid perfusate. The perfusion process can be automatically controlled using a control program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Lifeline Scientific, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald R. Owen, David C. Kravitz, John Brassil, Kelvin G. M. Brockbank, Andrew Burroughs, Dickon Isaacs, Dennis J. Steibel, Richard Fraser, Stanley Harris, Douglas Schein
  • Patent number: 8349100
    Abstract: A method for press-molding an embossed steel plate is able to cool even an embossed steel plate under conditions adequate for quenching. After a plate body with convex portions formed thereon is placed between an upper pressing die and a lower pressing die and the dies are closed, first and second circulation pumps are run to circulate cooling water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Fukai Seisakusho Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Susumu Sunaga
  • Patent number: 8349112
    Abstract: Process for producing fabrics comprising at least one layer of unidirectionally arranged polymeric tapes with the tapes comprising at least a core component, the process comprises the steps of forming at least one layer of unidirectionally arranged polymeric tapes in a weaving machine with the polymeric tapes being used as warp yarn and a binding thread being used as weft yarn or with the polymeric tapes being used as weft yarn and a binding thread being used as warp yarn and subsequently consolidating the at least one monolayer using pressure and heat, characterized in that the melting temperature of the binding yarns lies below the consolidating temperature and the melting temperature of the core component of the polymeric tapes lies above the consolidating temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Novameer B.V.
    Inventors: Jan Adolph Dam Backer, Bart Clemens Kranz
  • Patent number: 8352137
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes a differential speed acquisition unit that acquires a differential speed representing a difference in speed between an input side drivingly connected to the input member of the fluid coupling and an output side drivingly connected to the transmission; a state determination unit that determines a shift speed in the transmission and an operating state of the direct connection clutch based on an accelerator opening and a vehicle speed of a vehicle; and a direct connection control unit that engages, if the differential speed is equal to or less than a predetermined engagement permitting threshold value when the state determination unit determines an upshift of the shift speed and a transition from a disengaged state to an engaged state of the direct connection clutch in a condition in which the accelerator opening is decreasing, the direct connection clutch regardless of an upshift operation of the shift speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuaki Inagaki, Hiroya Ueno, Kohei Tsuda, Eiji Moriyama, Hiroshi Tsutsui
  • Patent number: 8352123
    Abstract: When the steered wheels are driven, there is a problem of the torque steering that the steering is disturbed by the difference in the driving forces between a pair of left and right steered wheels. Before such a problem, there is a problem that, since the vehicle is apt to run straight ahead more strongly as the driving force increases even when a uniform driving torque is given to a pair of steered wheels, a larger force is required to steer the vehicle leftward or rightward by overcoming such a tendency of running straight ahead. In view of the above, the steering assist force is increased according to an increase of the driving torque of the steered wheels in a manner of harmonizing the steering assist force to the magnitude of the steering resistance due to the driving torque of the steered wheels, so as to improve the steering feeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 8352124
    Abstract: A steering control device for a vehicle includes a steering characteristic setting unit setting the range of a steering manipulation angle corresponding to a tire angle in a predetermined range (near an induction target tire angle for guiding to a target locus), which is determined on the basis of the target locus upon vehicle traveling, to be wider than the range of a steering manipulation angle corresponding to a tire angle outside of the predetermined range. A reduction gear ratio of a steering mechanism in the predetermined range increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Taguchi
  • Patent number: 8352147
    Abstract: To provide a vehicle control device that improves the accuracy of an automatic follow-up control in an inverted pendulum vehicle, a vehicle control device according to the present invention performs an automatic follow-up running control in an inverted pendulum vehicle so as to automatically follow a preceding vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Equos Research Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takafumi Miyake, Koki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8350886
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted video communication system is equipped with first to fourth image pickup devices, mounted on a vehicle, for transmitting video data obtained by picking up an image; first to fourth video processing devices for processing the video data; and a vehicle-mounted video relay device having connection sections connected to the first to fourth image pickup devices and the first to fourth video processing devices via communication cables and configured to transmit the video data transmitted from the first to fourth image pickup devices selectively or in a multiplexed state to the first to fourth video processing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignees: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Horihata, Akihiro Natsume, Makoto Miyashita, Takeshi Fujimoto