Patents Represented by Attorney Sidley Austin Brown & Wood
  • Patent number: 6820696
    Abstract: A method and system for the combined underground storage and production of petroleum. A wellbore is drilled such that the surface is in fluid communication with an oil bearing and a salt bearing formation. Salt is leached from the salt bearing formation to form a cavern. The oil bearing formation is placed in condition for production. The pressure in the salt bearing formation is maintained below the pressure in the oil bearing formation and oil is collected in the cavern that was formed in the salt bearing formation. Periodically, oil is displaced from the cavern to the surface. The system includes a wellbore connecting the surface, an oil bearing formation and a cavern in fluid communication, a check valve is placed within the wellbore to permit the one way flow of oil from the oil bearing formation to the cavern. A wellhead tree seals the wellbore through which passes a conduit to inject gas into the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Gary J. Bergman, William R. Landrum
  • Patent number: 6822429
    Abstract: An inductive sensor arrangement for detecting ferromagnetic or non-ferrous electrically conducting objects hidden in a surrounding medium comprising three field coils arranged in essentially the same geometric plane and adjacently positioned at angular distances of usually 120° from each other around a central axis orthogonal to the plane for generating an alternating magnetic flux by a sequential excitation with an AC-current ramp. The sensor arrangement further comprises three sense coils respectively mounted inside each associated field coil and in an orientation to the axes of each of the field coils such that essentially no voltage is induced in the sensor coils in an environment free of a metallic object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Roger Golder, Albert Binder
  • Patent number: 6820498
    Abstract: An apparatus for orienting tablets on a measuring station includes a horizontal transfer table, two rollers provided in the support plane of the transfer table and arranged parallel side by side, with the upper generators of the rollers being flush with the support surface or projecting slightly beyond it, and a drive device for driving the two rollers in opposite directions so that a test tablet transferred onto the two rollers is automatically oriented according to the axes of the two rollers; and a tablet tester including the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Sotax Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Gilles Kalbermatten
  • Patent number: 6822811
    Abstract: An oblique projection optical system is compact as compared with the size of the image it presents, offers high imaging performance, produces satisfactorily small distortion, and has a small f-number. The oblique projection optical system is composed of a plurality of powered reflection surfaces, of which the one closest to the projection surface is positively powered and the one second closest thereto is negatively powered. At least one of these two reflection surfaces is a free-form surface, and the one closest to the projection surface has a size larger than half the size of the projection surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun Ishihara
  • Patent number: 6822211
    Abstract: In a solid-state image-sensing device, first, the outputs of compensation pixels G10 to Gm0, provided one for each column of pixels, are fed to a line memory 10 so as to be stored therein as compensation data with which to achieve column-by-column compensation. Then, as the outputs of ordinary pixels G11 to Gmn are fed as image data to the non-inverting input terminal of a differential amplifier circuit 11, the compensation data obtained from the compensation pixel arranged in the same column as the ordinary pixels of which the output signals are currently handled is fed to the inverting input terminal of the differential amplifier circuit 11. In this way, the image data from the individual ordinary pixels is fed out after being compensated, by the differential amplifier circuit 11, with the compensation data stored in the line memory 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio Hagihara
  • Patent number: 6820700
    Abstract: A chuck for a rotary-percussion power tool (2) and including a working tool guide (3) for receiving a shank (5) of a working tool, at least one locking member (4) for limiting an axial displacement of the shank (5) within an axial displacement length (X) from opposite sides, and a displaceable, spring-biased stop member (7) cooperating, within the shank displacement length (X), with a power tool side, stop surface (8) of the shank (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Josef Fünfer, Michael Schamberger, Jens Frenzel
  • Patent number: 6819437
    Abstract: An apparatus for handling liquids and including a lighting installation for lighting an approximately punctiform illumination point in the room, an approximately punctiform light-receiving device having a photodetector for providing a measuring signal dependent on the intensity of the light received, an imaging system for imaging the illumination point onto the approximately punctiform light-receiving device, and an evaluation device for detecting the approaching of an interface between two media of different refractive indices to the illumination point by evaluating the measuring signals provided by the photodetector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Eppendorf AG
    Inventor: Reiner Spolaczyk
  • Patent number: 6818221
    Abstract: Porphyromanas gingivalis LPS elicits a Th2 immune response. P. gingivalis LPS, detoxified P. gingivalis LPS, derivatives of P. gingivalis LPS, derivatives of detoxified P. gingivalis LPS, P. gingivalis Lipid A, detoxified P. gingivalis Lipid A, derivatives of P. gingivalis Lipid A, derivatives of detoxified P. gingivalis Lipid A, or mimetics thereof, can be used as adjuvants to elicit a Th2 immune response, increase the efficacy of vaccinations in infectious diseases, decrease the severity of autoimmune responses, boost the Th2 immune response when needed in combination with the Th1 immune response, facilitate the industrial production of antibodies when used in animals, and study the Th2 immune response in laboratory animal research.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Baylor Research Institute
    Inventors: Bali Pulendran, Jacques F. Banchereau, Christopher W. Cutler
  • Patent number: 6815517
    Abstract: An at least two-component mortar composition is described, which can be cured by thermal initiation and contains at least one polymerizable monomer and/or at least one curable resin, at least one polymerization initiator for the polymerizable monomer and/or the curable resin and optionally at least one filler, wherein, as polymerization initiator, at least one organically substituted ammonium salt is contained as constituent of a mortar component and at least one inorganic persulfate is contained as constituent of a further mortar component, and which, after the mortar components are mixed in situ, results in an organically substituted ammonium persulfate, the nature and amount of organically substituted ammonium salt and inorganic persulfate as well as of polymerizable monomer or curable resin being selected so that a mortar composition results, which can be polymerized by free radical polymerization due to the action of heat, as well as a method for fastening tie rods, reinforcing steel for concrete or the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Bürgel, Marianne Böck
  • Patent number: 6815576
    Abstract: A non-dehiscent sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) designated S25 has been found. Its degree of shatter resistance, or seed retention, makes S25 suitable for mechanized harvesting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Sesaco Corporation
    Inventor: Derald Ray Langham
  • Patent number: 6814657
    Abstract: A grinding wheel has a flat, circular carrier surface (1) on which a plurality of elongated grinding members (2) are arranged running least partially radially. A discharge opening (3) is disposed ahead of each of the grinding members (2) in the circumferential direction (U). Furthermore, the carrier surface (1) has a basically truncated conical central depression (4) facing away from the grinding members (2). The discharge openings (3) abut the L-shaped grinding members (2) in a direction of rotation (D) and extend approximately over the entire length of the grinding members (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Rolf Spangenberg, Oliver Ohlendorf
  • Patent number: 6814156
    Abstract: A hand guided electrical tool is formed of a housing (1) and a guide part (2) for mounting a drive shaft (3) in addition to a handle (6a) and further an auxiliary handle (5) that can be secured by a locking ring (4) for precise guidance. To assure simple adjustment by the user, the locking ring (4) runs in the axial direction of the drive shaft (3). Furthermore, the auxiliary handle (5) is designed spade-shaped and pivotable around an axis of rotation parallel to the drive shaft (3) and can be secured or locked in different positions. The inside diameter of the locking ring (4) can be changed by means of an actuator element (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andreas Dieterle, Stephan Niehaus, Ulrich Rössler
  • Patent number: 6816132
    Abstract: An image display apparatus is provided for providing a virtual image to an observer. The image display apparatus includes an image display unit, an eyepiece optical system, and a container. The image display unit is for providing modulated light corresponding to the virtual image. The eyepiece optical system is for directing the modulated light from the image display unit to one or both of the observer's eyes. The container is for supporting the image display unit on an edge portion of the eyepiece optical assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Tanijiri, Hiroaki Ueda, Kenji Ishibashi, Ichiro Kasai
  • Patent number: 6816314
    Abstract: An I image display apparatus has a display portion that displays an optical image, a combiner that reflects light from said display portion to thereby enlarge an optical image represented by the light, and transmits light from an ambient object; and a display unit including a transparent plate-form holding member that holds said combiner. The image display apparatus is used with the combiner situated in front of a user's eye, and provides an enlargement of the optical image displayed by the display portion, so as to be superimposed on an optical image of the ambient object. And the transparent plate-form diopter adjusting member is provided that has an optical power and is attached to the display unit so as to be situated between the eye and the holding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshie Shimizu, Yasushi Tanijiri
  • Patent number: 6811827
    Abstract: In a process of hot dip coating of metal strips, in particular, of a hot rolled steel strip, in which the metal strip is transformed into a continuous strip in an unwinding station with an adjoining welding machine, and then the continuous strip is subjected to a downstream modifying process including primary and secondary prickling and, in the final treatment step; in the hot dip coating section, guiding the continuous strip through a melt bath, a variable coating process with reduced costs becomes possible when the continuous strip, in a first treatment step, is directly transported into a pickling installation. In a suitable installation for effecting the process, the primary pickling installation is located in the entry section which is separated from the hot dip coating section by an entry accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: SMS Demag AG
    Inventors: Rolf Brisberger, Peter de Kock
  • Patent number: 6812977
    Abstract: A liquid crystal element of a layered type capable of high contrast is provided. For example, in the liquid crystal element of the layered type including liquid crystal layers b, g and r in this order, each of the liquid crystal layers b, g and r is held between electrode formation surfaces of a pair of substrates each provided with an electrode, an insulating film is disposed between the electrodes of the substrates, and at least two liquid crystal layers of the liquid crystal layers b, g and r have the insulating films opposed to the liquid crystal layers and being different in refractive index from each other, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masako Iwamatsu, Kenji Nishiguchi, Hideaki Ueda, Nobuyuki Kobayashi, Fumie Motoori, Masakazu Okada, Mitsuyo Matsumoto, Akihito Hisamitsu
  • Patent number: 6812393
    Abstract: A case for musical instruments including a shell, elements for carrying the case and attached to the shell, and an arrangement provided on the shell or on one of the carrying elements for receiving a communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Inventor: Hans-Peter Wilfer
  • Patent number: 6810942
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the continuous casting of metals, especially steel, for use in a solidified-bending method. Said device comprises, downstream of the continuous casting mold, a straight strand guide (1) and a bending device (3) that releases the cast strand path (2a) so that the cold strand (5) can be introduced. The object of the invention is to utilize the height of the device that has so far not been used for supporting the strand or to reduce the height of the entire installation. To this end, the bending device (3) comprises a folding segment (9) that is pivoted on the fixed side (1a) and that is provided with a row of rollers (10) that limit the bending path (3c) in the operational position. The bending device further comprises on the loose side (1b) a loose element (11) that can be swiveled into the operational position (3b) or that can be swiveled out from this position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: SMS Demag AG
    Inventors: Karl Rittner, Günter Kneppe, Jürgen Müller
  • Patent number: 6812967
    Abstract: A digital camera of the invention has an LCD and an EVF. In a third display mode, a whole image is displayed on the LCD, a frame is displayed in the central area, and an image in the central area (within the frame) is enlargedly displayed on the EVF. An enlarged display icon is displayed on the LCD to thereby notify the user of the enlarged display on the EVF. The image capturing range can be confirmed on the LCD, and automatic focusing is performed on the basis of the image in the central area, so that focus can be also confirmed on the EVF. Consequently, according to the invention, both the image capturing range and the focus can be confirmed in the digital camera and an image can be efficiently captured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahito Niikawa, Toshiyuki Tanaka
  • Patent number: D498787
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Discover Financial Services, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Nelms, Betty M. Schick, Kimberly S. Wilson