Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Pearne & Gordon
  • Patent number: 8165550
    Abstract: A broad oscillation frequency range and good phase noise characteristic are achievable simultaneously by an oscillation circuit and a resonance circuit connected to the oscillation circuit. The resonance circuit includes an inductor element connected to the oscillation circuit, a first variable capacitance section connected to the inductor element, and a second variable capacitance section connected in parallel to the first variable capacitance section. The first variable capacitance section includes a first variable capacitive element connected to the inductor element, and a second variable capacitive element connected in parallel to the first variable capacitive element. The first variable capacitive element changes its capacity value based on a control voltage and a first reference voltage. The second variable capacitive element changes its capacity value based on the control voltage and a second reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Fujii, Yasuo Ooba, Mineyuki Iwaida, Hiroaki Ozeki
  • Patent number: 8163302
    Abstract: Comblike, surfactant polymers for changing the surface properties of biomaterials are provided. Such surfactant polymers comprise a polymeric backbone of repeating monomeric units having functional groups for coupling with side chains, a plurality of hydrophobic side chains linked to the backbone via the functional groups, and a plurality of hydrophilic side chains linked to said backbone via the functional groups. Medical devices coated with the surfactant polymers are also provided. The surfactant polymers may be used to decrease the thrombogenic properties, encapsulation, and bacterial colonization of medical devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: NanoMimetics, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger E. Marchant, Tianhong Zhang, Yongxing Qiu, Mark A. Ruegsegger
  • Patent number: 8162419
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a wash cabinet having a bottom, two opposite side walls, an upper and a rear wall and an opening that normally is covered by a front door. The dishwasher is provided with at least one lower basket for the dish being cleaned, said basket being movable between a first position inside the cabinet and a second position mainly outside the cabinet. The dishwasher is at each side of the opening provided with a support arranged to move mainly vertically in or close to the side walls for raising the lower basket from a lower to an upper position and vice versa. The supports are articulated by a lifting mechanism arranged to move the supports from an inactive position out of engagement with the lower basket to an active position in which they are in engagement with the lower basket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V.
    Inventors: Fredrik Dellby, Fredrik Bergling, Gregory Peake
  • Patent number: 8162186
    Abstract: A refillable bottom dispensing package forming a closed space in which fluid material can be stored and from which such material can be dispensed, the package having a rigid wall adjacent a bottom thereof, the wall having a hole, a resilient valve regulating dispensing of the fluid material contained in the package through the hole, the valve being closed to the passage of fluid material through the hole when the contents of the package are substantially at atmospheric pressure and being opened by pressure on the contents when the pressure is above atmospheric pressure, the valve forming a flap seal against a surface of the wall, the sealing action of the flap seal against the wall surface being free of influence from structural elements of the package while being directly responsive in its sealing force against the wall surface to the pressure level of the contents in the package space, the inter-relationship of the flap seal and the wall within the package being arranged to avoid impeding removal of the val
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Tablecraft Products Company
    Inventor: Charles P. Maxwell
  • Patent number: 8160438
    Abstract: An imaging device disclosed herein is a device for acquiring image data about a subject, comprising an image acquisition section, a housing, a flash device, and a flash controller. The image acquisition section is configured to continuously acquire a plurality of image data from an optical image of a subject. The housing holds the image acquisition section. The flash device is configured to emit a flash of light, with which the emission angle of the flash light with respect to the housing can be varied. The flash controller is configured to control the flash device so that the emission angle of the flash light when the plurality of image data are being continuously acquired will differ for at least two image data out of the plurality of image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Dai Shintani, Kenichi Honjo, Yoshihiro Kanda
  • Patent number: 8157882
    Abstract: An air filter for filtering air in a refrigerating apparatus is provided, including a housing having a hollow body with at least a front wall, a pair of side walls, and a top and bottom wall. At least one wall includes at least one aperture for the passage of air. The air filter further includes at least one cantilever attaching means for removably securing the housing to the refrigerating apparatus, and a filter element for removable placement within the housing. Air enters the at least one aperture, makes contact with the filter element, and leaves the air filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Brent Aaron Curtis, Andrew Neil Robinson
  • Patent number: 8160292
    Abstract: In a loudspeaker, three magnets are disposed to provide magnetic gaps therebetween and a voice coil is fit therein. The magnets disposed at both sides are magnetized so that their opposing poles exhibit the same magnetic polarity. The magnet in the middle has its magnetic poles in the direction perpendicular to the line connecting the poles of the side magnets. The side magnets are fixed to a plate made of non-magnetic material. Those magnetic poles of the side magnets and the middle magnet not facing the magnetic gaps are magnetically coupled by a magnetic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Sano, Kazuki Honda, Masashi Kawabe, Mamiko Tsutsumi
  • Patent number: 8159245
    Abstract: Installed in a probe device is a holding member for inspection which can be mounted on a chuck. The holding member for inspection includes a support plate capable of mounting thereon a chip in which the power device is formed; pins for positioning the chip mounted on the support plate; and a metal film formed on a surface of the support plate in a range from a mounting area on which the chip is mounted to an exposed area on which the chip is not mounted. When inspecting the power device, the chip is fixed onto the mounting area in the holding member for inspection, one probe pin is brought into contact with a terminal on a top surface of the chip; and another probe pin is brought into contact with the metal film in the exposed area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shigekazu Komatsu, Mitsuyoshi Miyazono, Kazuya Asaoka
  • Patent number: 8157308
    Abstract: A gripping device arranged for gripping an article 44, such as a food article, in particular a piece of meat, said gripping device 1 comprising at least two gripping parts 5, 7 pivotally suspended with respect to each other. At least one of the gripping parts 5, 7 is pivotally suspended and comprises a gripping arm 4, 6 and a gripping clamp 12, 14, wherein the gripping arm 4, 6 is adapted for carrying the gripping clamp 12, 14. The gripping device 1 further comprises a flexible belt-shaped material 20, which extends at least between lower parts of the at least two gripping parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Scanvaegt International A/S
    Inventor: Bjørn Heide Pedersen
  • Patent number: 8158271
    Abstract: A panel is disclosed formed of sheet material, the panel having opposite edges and being profiled to include a plurality of formations spaced along the length of the panel and extending between the edges, each formation including a substantially convex section and a substantially concave section which meet at a peak, and wherein each formation meets an adjoining formation at a trough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Gram Engineering Pty Limited
    Inventor: Ronald Leslie Mann
  • Patent number: 8158895
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a system for batching of supplied objects in batches in such a manner that a batch fulfills predefined criteria as regards for example the total weight range and optionally the number of objects, weight, orientation and/or type(s) of objects. A selective transferal of the objects from means for object transport to batching means is performed by means of one or more handling means of the robot type in as a batch of objects is produced in consideration of said predefined criteria. The batches are produced on said batching means that are moved around said one or more handling means of the robot type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Scanvaegt International A/S
    Inventors: Henrik Grundtvig, Henrik F. Skyum, Bjorn Heide Pedersen
  • Patent number: 8160971
    Abstract: A computerized system and method for monitoring an order placed by a customer for a product produced by a supplier to be delivered to a retail location. The method includes presenting an order-entry interface to collect order information about the order to be transmitted to the supplier and store the order information in a computer-accessible order database. Warehouse information authorized by the supplier and transmitted to the warehouse is also stored. A carrier database stores a shipping rate of carriers for transporting the product ordered by the customer to the retail location, and a report generation subsystem collects at least a portion of the order information, the warehouse information and the shipping rate and generates a report displaying the collected information in a single display to be substantially simultaneously reviewed by a supervisor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Jared Knight
  • Patent number: 8159487
    Abstract: A plasma display device includes a scan electrode drive circuit including a sustain pulse generating circuit, which includes an electric power recovery capacitor, a first recovery switch and a first recovery inductor connected in series so as to form an electric current passage in which an electric current is allowed to flow from the electric power recovery capacitor to a scan electrode, a second recovery switch and a second recovery inductor connected in series so as to form an electric current passage in which an electric current is allowed to flow from the scan electrode to the electric power recovery capacitor, a first damper capacitor connected to a node between a diode of the first recovery switch and the first recovery inductor, and a second damper capacitor connected to a node between a diode of the second recovery switch and the second recovery inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Fumito Kusama, Masaaki Kuranuki, Hironori Konno
  • Patent number: 8159116
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device according to the present invention includes lead wires (12) each having one end electrically connected to a circuit pattern, and a piezoelectric oscillator (13) having terminals (13a) electrically connected to the other ends of the lead wires (12), wherein the piezoelectric oscillator (13) is retained in suspension by the other ends of the lead wires (12), and a support member (14) is provided on surfaces (12b) opposite to connecting surfaces (12a) of the lead wires (12) connected to the piezoelectric oscillator (13) at the other ends thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Nozoe, Hideo Ohkoshi
  • Patent number: 8160496
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a wireless communication unit capable of suppressing interference of signal resend of one controlled device with reception of a signal transmitted from another controlled device to conduct wireless authentication with two or more controlled devices. In the wireless communication unit of the invention, a short-range wireless control section 162 controls to perform wireless authentication processing with a controlled device 2 using a radio wave at a different frequency depending on whether wireless authentication in an authentication mode with the controlled device 2 results in success or failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiyasu Satou
  • Patent number: 8152524
    Abstract: Two nozzles 37 in pair are provided along an inner circumferential surface 21a of a concavity 21, air is blown out in a space from a blowout hole 37a provided at a tip end portion of the nozzle from a side where the nozzle 37 is provided aiming at an opposite side along an inner circumferential surface of the space and a powder contained in the concavity 21 is caused to rise up in the space, whereby the condition of the powder mixed with the air within the space is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Nakanishi Inc.
    Inventors: Shoichi Takamori, Yusuke Harikae
  • Patent number: 8155512
    Abstract: The camera system is constituted by the camera main body and the interchangeable lens which is removably attachable to the camera main body. The camera main body has an imaging unit, a main body shake detector, a main body image blur corrector, and a body microcomputer configured to control the imaging unit, the shake detector, and the image blur corrector. The interchangeable lens has a shake detector, an image blur corrector, and a lens microcomputer configured to control the shake detector and the image blur corrector. The body microcomputer selects either the main body or lens shake detector, activates the selected shake detector, and stops the other shake detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Honjo, Naoto Yumiki, Kazuhiko Ishimaru
  • Patent number: 8155085
    Abstract: A technology is disclosed in which, when a normal mobile node (that does not newly provide a dedicated function) is used, signaling for reconfiguring a tunnel during a mobile node movement is reduced and, furthermore, packet loss is reduced. In the technology, when an MN moves from under the control of an AR2 that is a movement origin to be under the control of an AR3 that is a movement destination, the AR3 receives an NS transmitted from the MN to the AR2. The AR3 that receives the NS destined to the AR2 transmits a “Location Update” to the AR2. The AR2 that receives the “Location Update” uses an MN management table of the relevant MN and creates “Prefix Information” and returns the “Prefix Information” to the AR3. A tunnel is established between access routers of the AR2 and AR3 through use of the “Prefix Information”, and a packet destined to the MN is transferred to the MN via the tunnel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kawakami, Genadi Velev, Jon Schuringa
  • Patent number: 8153503
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for protecting the interior of at least one cavity (4) having a portion of interest (5) and opening onto a face of a microstructured element (1), consisting of depositing, on said face, a nonconformal layer (6) of a protective material, in which said nonconformal layer closes off the cavity without covering the portion of interest. The invention also relates to a method for producing a device comprising such a microstructured element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Barbara Charlet, Hélène Le Poche, Yveline Gobil
  • Patent number: D657576
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Inventor: Bruce Pitot