Device for controlling picking depth for a stringed instrument
Patent 8,383,922
An accessory for attachment to a stringed musical instrument that mechanically limits depth of picking action by providing interference to the finger, fingernail, or pick. A plate or “anvil” either flexible or rigid, is adjustably positioned beneath the strings to intercept and arrest a picking element. In a first embodiment, picking depth is roughly controlled my manually forcing the anvil up and down on a flanged support post. In a second embodiment, picking depth may be finely controlled by a knurled thumbwheel or similar mechanism on the anvil support posts. The flexibility of the plate provides a shock absorber, thereby creating a realistic feel to the player. The flexible plate assures both limitation of depth of picking action, and also renders picking action consistent as to depth.
Inventors: George Pittaway (Midlothian)
Feb. 26, 2013
Systems and methods of beveling bowling ball holes
Patent 8,375,557
Disclosed are systems and methods of beveling gripping holes of bowling balls. A method includes creating a bevel at an edge of a hole of the bowling ball by removing material from the bowling ball using a rotary tool equipped with a shaping bit that extends into the hole.
Inventors: Clifton E. Adair (Richmond); Jody R. Bullis (Richmond)
Assignee: Qubicaamf Worldwide LLC (Mechanicsville)
Feb. 19, 2013
Cork grip for golf putters
Patent D676,910
Claims the ornamental design for a cork grip for golf putters.
Inventors: Mark Button (Richmond); Whitfield Flowers (Tampa, Fla.)
Assignee: MW Outfitters, LLC (Richmond)
Feb. 26, 2013
Extended drain diesel lubricant formulations
Patent 8,377,856
A method for maintaining a total base number (TBN) above about 3 mg KOH/g for a lubricant for a diesel engine for greater than about 184 days. The method includes supplying as the lubricant, a lubricant composition comprising a sulfonate detergent having a TBN ranging from about 20 to about 100 and a phenate detergent having a TBN ranging from about 200 to about 350 and an antioxidant selected from the group consisting essentially of hindered phenolic derivatives of C.sub.3 to C.sub.6 acids and C.sub.7 to C.sub.9 esters of hindered phenolic derivatives of C.sub.3 to C.sub.6 acids. The phenate detergent is present in an amount that is greater than 15 percent by weight of the total weight of detergents in the lubricant composition and the lubricant composition is substantially devoid of zinc dialkydithiophosphate compounds and has a sulfated ash content of less than 1.0 wt. %.
Inventors: Cathy C. Devlin (Richmond); David A. Hutchison (Powhatan)
Assignee: Afton Chemical Corporation (Richmond)
Feb. 19, 2013
Berm and method of construction thereof
Patent 8,376,657
A berm to increase capacity of an existing landfill comprises a reinforced portion and backfill material. The landfill comprises a waste-receiving recess having a surface and an outer perimeter, an edge surface peripherally adjacent at least a portion of the outer perimeter, and an existing accumulation of waste within the recess having a collective top surface. The reinforced portion has opposing inner and outer surfaces and comprises structural fill material and a plurality of reinforcing members disposed therein. The backfill material has an inner surface adjacent the inner surface of the reinforced portion. The backfill material comprises contaminated fill material and is at least partially encapsulated by an impermeable membrane. At least a portion of the berm sits on at least a portion of the edge surface of the landfill. Portions of the berm are substantially parallel to corresponding portions of the outer perimeter.
Inventors: Carlton Dudding (Glen Allen)
Assignee: AWT IP, LLC (Glen Allen)
Feb. 19, 2013
Transfer layer for absorbent article
Patent 8,383,227
A composite particularly suited for use as a transfer layer in an absorbent article has a first layer comprising a formed film having a plurality of capillary-sized apertured protuberances and a plurality of two-dimensional drains, and a second layer in intimate contact with an apertured end of said capillary-sized protuberances and spaced from the first layer in a z-direction, the second layer is either a three-dimensional apertured formed film or a nonwoven web. In embodiments where the second layer is a three-dimensional formed film, the film contains a plurality of capillary sized protuberances that are of smaller diameter compared to the protuberances in the first layer and optionally also contains a plurality of drains, which can be either two-dimensional or three-dimensional, or combinations thereof.
Inventors: Rickey J. Seyler (Chesterfield); William C. Ancarrow III (Ruther Glen)
Assignee: Tredegar Film Products Corp. (Richmond)
Feb. 26, 2013
Transgenic plants modified for reduced cadmium transport, derivative products, and related methods
Patent 8,383,889
Various embodiments are directed to transgenic plants, including transgenic tobacco plants and derivative seeds, genetically modified to impede the transport of Cadmium (Cd) from the root system to aerial portions of transgenic plants by reducing the expression levels of HMA-related transporters. Various embodiments are directed to transgenic tobacco plants genetically modified to stably express a RNAi construct encoding RNAi polynucleotides that enable the degradation of endogenous NtHMA RNA variants. Reduced expression of NtHMA transporters in transgenic plants results in substantially reduced content of Cadmium (Cd) in the leaf lamina. Various consumable products that are substantially free or substantially reduced in Cd content can be produced by incorporating leaves derived from transgenic tobacco plants modified to reduce the expression of NtHMA transporters.
Inventors: Alec J. Hayes (Chesterfield); Chengalrayan Kudithipudi (Midlothian); Rutger S. van der Hoeven (Midlothian)
Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc. (Richmond)
Feb. 26, 2013
Composite materials and their use in smoking articles
Patent 8,381,738
Smoking articles, filters, and methods for selectively removing selected components from tobacco smoke are disclosed. The smoking articles and filters include composites composed of a porous alumina and/or aluminosilicate matrix containing particles of activated carbon and zeolite molecular sieve adsorbents distributed throughout the matrix which can selectively remove selected components of tobacco smoke. The composites may be made by admixing the adsorbent mixture and a binder such as aluminum hydroxide or montmorillonite clay, adding an aqueous mineral acid to gel the mixture and drying and firing the gel paste. The proportions and adsorption capacities of the components can be selected to tailor the adsorption characteristics of the composites to selectively remove targeted constituents such as acrolein and 1,3-butadiene in tobacco smoke. Methods for making filters and smoking articles using the composites, as well as methods for smoking products comprising the composites, are also provided.
Inventors: Zhaohua Luan (Midlothian); Diane L. Gee (Richmond); Jose Nepomuceno (Beaverdam); Shuzhong Zhuang (Midlothian); Jay A. Fournier (Richmond)
Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc. (Richmond)
Feb. 26, 2013
Bead feeder
Patent 8,381,947
A bead feeder serially delivering beads to a downstream location comprises a bead supply wheel connected to rotate about a vertical axis. The bead supply wheel includes a bead supply bowl and a plurality of radially and outwardly extending bead passageway connected to rotate with the bowl and dimensioned to receive a single line of beads. A plurality of openings in the bead supply bowl is spaced around a lower portion thereof with the openings in alignment with the radially and outwardly extending passageways each of which has an outer exit end. A metering plate is connected to rotate about the same vertical axis as the bead supply wheel, and metering plate has a plurality of equally spaced apart openings directly below the outer ends of the passageways for receiving the lowermost beads in the passageways. The metering plate rotates at a slightly slower or slightly faster speed than the bead supply wheel so that vertical alignment of an outer exit end of a particular passageway and an opening in the metering plate only occurs once for each revolution of the bead supply wheel. A drop off is provided for the removal of beads away from the metering plate.
Inventors: Martin T. Garthaffner (Chesterfield); Dwight D.Williams (Powhatan)
Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc. (Richmond)
Feb. 26, 2013
Moist botanical pouch processing
Patent 8,377,215
An oral pouched product comprising a pouch containing moist botanical beads comprising compacted loose, fibrous moist botanical material and method of manufacture thereof. The loose, fibrous moist botanical material can comprise moist smokeless tobacco. The pouch comprises a porous outer web, and the beads comprise a majority amount of loose, fibrous moist botanical material having a moisture content of at least about 50% OV.
Inventors: Diane L. Gee (Richmond); David Golob (Richmond); Stephen G. Zimmermann (Midlothian)
Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc. (Richmond)
February 19, 2013
System and methods for purchase reward investment communities
Patent 8,386,307
Purchase rewards account holders accumulate rewards currency. A network-based investment management system allows account holders to purchase shares in investments using reward currency. When all the shares for a particular investment have been purchased, the underlying investment is acquired. Account holders owning shares in an investment may sell shares to other account holders through system. Account holders are thereby able to invest their rewards dollars in investments typically requiring cash or cash equivalents and to grow their rewards currency.
Inventors: Michael D. Armstrong (Glen Allen)
Assignee: Capital One Financial Corp. (McLean)
Feb. 26, 2013
System and method for point of sale cash rebates
Patent 8,381,971
According to certain embodiments of the present invention, systems and methods are provided for providing a consumer with a rebate on purchases, which are made, for example, at a merchant. The rebate may be in a variety of forms. According to one aspect the rebate may be a reduction in the purchase price associated with a transaction. According to another aspect the rebate may be in the form of cash or an item having value being delivered to the consumer. The rebate may be provided at the Point of Sale. The rebate may be determined by a number of different criteria including purchase price, transaction frequency, predetermined time intervals, consumer loyalty, Point of Sale location, or any combination of these and other criteria.
Inventors: Gregory W. Lambert (Richmond); Alice K. Wheeler (Glen Allen); Charles A. Rosenblatt (Richmond)
Assignee: Capital One Financial Corp. (McLean)
Feb. 26, 2013
Lid holder for cooking vessel
Patent 8,381,942
A cooking vessel for cooking foodstuff includes a base that has an outer sidewall, a generally hollow interior and a generally open top. A lid is removably mounted to the base and complementarily covers the open top of the base in a first position. The lid includes a handle that extends outwardly from the lid away from the base in the first position. A lid holder is rotatably mounted to the outer sidewall of the base. The lid holder engages with the handle to support the lid in a second position. The open top of the base at least partially exposes the hollow interior when the lid is in the second position. The lid holder is rotatable between a support position and a storage position. The lid holder extends partially above the open top of the base in the support position and is entirely below the open top in the storage position.
Inventors: Mark K. Romandy (Midlothian)
Assignee: Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc. (Glen Allen)
Feb. 26, 2013
Triple lead bone screw
Patent 8,382,811
A pedicle screw assembly, including: a bone screw having a head portion and a thread portion, wherein the thread portion includes an axial shaft and a triple lead thread disposed about the axial shaft; and a rod retention member selectively coupled to the head portion of the bone screw. Optionally, the triple lead thread includes leads that originate at different points along the axial shaft. Optionally, the triple lead thread includes leads that terminate at different points along the axial shaft. Optionally, the axial shaft includes a first tapering portion proximate a tip of the axial shaft. Optionally, the axial shaft includes a second tapering portion proximate the tip of the axial shaft. Preferably, the second tapering portion tapers more steeply than the first tapering portion. Optionally, the axial shaft includes a reduced diameter portion proximate the head portion. Optionally, the axial shaft includes one or more tapering portions proximate the head portion.
Inventors: David Crook (Mineola, Texas); Peter Harris (Boca Raton, Fla.); Chester Sharps (Manakin-Sabot)
Assignee: U.S. Spine, Inc. (Salt Lake City)
Feb. 26, 2013
Flat fee mortgage
Patent 8,380,596
Described herein are various apparatuses, methods, and computer program products for providing a mortgage environment that determines a flat fee for a mortgage that includes all lender and third-party fees associated with the mortgage. By providing a mortgage with a flat fee, the process of a borrower obtaining a mortgage from a lender can be easier because the borrower’s worries about multiple fees, charges, and other costs can be combined into a single, flat fee. Some embodiments of the invention determine the flat fee based at least partially on analysis of various loan characteristics.
Inventors: Charlotte F. Baker (Lexington, S.C.); Gregory Carl Ogden (Charlotte, N.C.); Michael J. Kelly (Minneapolis); Nicholas Koutouras (Studio City, Calif.); Courtnie R. Kingsley (Augusta, Kansas); Dwight Guerry Wimberly (Athens, Ga.); Andrew H. Burk (Penryn, Calif.); Loren B. Carpenter (Grapevine, Texas); Shanna L. Austin (Chester)
Assignee: Bank of America Corporation (Charlotte)
Feb. 19, 2013
Systems and methods for modifying a loan
Patent 8,386,395
Systems and methods are provided for providing an adjustment to a value estimate for a property that is considered distressed. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving the estimate of value for the property; determining, based on a model, the adjustment to the estimate of value, such that the model accounts for a characteristic of the property and a characteristic of the loan; and providing the adjustment.
Inventors: J. Douglas Gordon (Arlington, Va.); Pamela W. Sims (Arlington); Aohua Chen (Herndon, Va.); Michael G. Bradley (Chesterfield)
Assignee: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (McLean, Va.)
Feb. 26, 2013
Contextual data center management utilizing a virtual environment
Patent 8,386,930
Contextual data center management utilizing a virtual environment is described. In one embodiment, there is a data center management tool for managing a physical data center from a representation of the physical data center operating in a virtual universe. The data center management tool includes a data center contextual object component configured to obtain a data center contextual object that describes operational information of the physical data center in the virtual universe. An operational change component is configured to implement at least one operational change to the representation of the physical data center in the virtual universe. The at least one operational change is implemented as a function of the data center contextual object. A management component is configured to manage the physical data center pursuant to a result obtained from implementing the at least one operational change.
Inventors: Donna N. Dillenberger (Hawthorne, N.Y.); Rick A. Hamilton II (Richmond); Neal M. Keller (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.); Brian M. O’Connell (Research Triangle Park, N.C.); Clifford A. Pickover (Yorktown Heights); Keith R. Walker (Austin, Texas); Alexander Zlatsin (Yorktown Heights)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, N.Y.)
Feb. 26, 2013
Use of chemical reaction to separate ethylene from ethane in ethane-based processes to produce acetic acid
Patent 8,383,854
Described herein is a process in which acetic acid is produced by ethane oxidation. One byproduct of the ethane oxidation is ethylene. High ethylene content in the recycle gas stream will lead to poor efficiencies and higher losses to the COx byproduct in the acetic acid reactor. In fact, ethylene in the recycle feed competes with the ethane for the limited amount of oxygen feed, resulting in higher inefficiencies to carbon oxides than straight ethane oxidation. Ethylene is removed in this process by a further oxidation reaction at a temperature low enough such that ethane is not reactive, but the ethylene is converted to acetic acid. Either the ethane oxidation reactor effluent or a portion or all of the recycle stream to the ethane oxidation reactor, or any combination of the same, can be processed in this manner to reduce the ethylene content of those streams.
Inventors: Debra Ann Ryan (Keller, Texas); James A. Foster (Richmond)
Assignee: Celanese International Corp. (Irving, Texas)
Feb. 26, 2013
Device for controlling picking depth for a stringed instrument
Patent 8,383,922
An accessory for attachment to a stringed musical instrument that mechanically limits depth of picking action by providing interference to the finger, fingernail, or pick. A plate or “anvil” either flexible or rigid, is adjustably positioned beneath the strings to intercept and arrest a picking element. In a first embodiment, picking depth is roughly controlled my manually forcing the anvil up and down on a flanged support post. In a second embodiment, picking depth may be finely controlled by a knurled thumbwheel or similar mechanism on the anvil support posts. The flexibility of the plate provides a shock absorber, thereby creating a realistic feel to the player. The flexible plate assures both limitation of depth of picking action, and also renders picking action consistent as to depth.
Inventors: George Pittaway (Midlothian)
Feb. 26, 2013
Systems and methods of beveling bowling ball holes
Patent 8,375,557
Disclosed are systems and methods of beveling gripping holes of bowling balls. A method includes creating a bevel at an edge of a hole of the bowling ball by removing material from the bowling ball using a rotary tool equipped with a shaping bit that extends into the hole.
Inventors: Clifton E. Adair (Richmond); Jody R. Bullis (Richmond)
Assignee: Qubicaamf Worldwide LLC (Mechanicsville)
Feb. 19, 2013
Cork grip for golf putters
Patent D676,910
Claims the ornamental design for a cork grip for golf putters.
Inventors: Mark Button (Richmond); Whitfield Flowers (Tampa, Fla.)
Assignee: MW Outfitters, LLC (Richmond)
Feb. 26, 2013
Extended drain diesel lubricant formulations
Patent 8,377,856
A method for maintaining a total base number (TBN) above about 3 mg KOH/g for a lubricant for a diesel engine for greater than about 184 days. The method includes supplying as the lubricant, a lubricant composition comprising a sulfonate detergent having a TBN ranging from about 20 to about 100 and a phenate detergent having a TBN ranging from about 200 to about 350 and an antioxidant selected from the group consisting essentially of hindered phenolic derivatives of C.sub.3 to C.sub.6 acids and C.sub.7 to C.sub.9 esters of hindered phenolic derivatives of C.sub.3 to C.sub.6 acids. The phenate detergent is present in an amount that is greater than 15 percent by weight of the total weight of detergents in the lubricant composition and the lubricant composition is substantially devoid of zinc dialkydithiophosphate compounds and has a sulfated ash content of less than 1.0 wt. %.
Inventors: Cathy C. Devlin (Richmond); David A. Hutchison (Powhatan)
Assignee: Afton Chemical Corporation (Richmond)
Feb. 19, 2013
Berm and method of construction thereof
Patent 8,376,657
A berm to increase capacity of an existing landfill comprises a reinforced portion and backfill material. The landfill comprises a waste-receiving recess having a surface and an outer perimeter, an edge surface peripherally adjacent at least a portion of the outer perimeter, and an existing accumulation of waste within the recess having a collective top surface. The reinforced portion has opposing inner and outer surfaces and comprises structural fill material and a plurality of reinforcing members disposed therein. The backfill material has an inner surface adjacent the inner surface of the reinforced portion. The backfill material comprises contaminated fill material and is at least partially encapsulated by an impermeable membrane. At least a portion of the berm sits on at least a portion of the edge surface of the landfill. Portions of the berm are substantially parallel to corresponding portions of the outer perimeter.
Inventors: Carlton Dudding (Glen Allen)
Assignee: AWT IP, LLC (Glen Allen)
Feb. 19, 2013
Transfer layer for absorbent article
Patent 8,383,227
A composite particularly suited for use as a transfer layer in an absorbent article has a first layer comprising a formed film having a plurality of capillary-sized apertured protuberances and a plurality of two-dimensional drains, and a second layer in intimate contact with an apertured end of said capillary-sized protuberances and spaced from the first layer in a z-direction, the second layer is either a three-dimensional apertured formed film or a nonwoven web. In embodiments where the second layer is a three-dimensional formed film, the film contains a plurality of capillary sized protuberances that are of smaller diameter compared to the protuberances in the first layer and optionally also contains a plurality of drains, which can be either two-dimensional or three-dimensional, or combinations thereof.
Inventors: Rickey J. Seyler (Chesterfield); William C. Ancarrow III (Ruther Glen)
Assignee: Tredegar Film Products Corp. (Richmond)
Feb. 26, 2013
Transgenic plants modified for reduced cadmium transport, derivative products, and related methods
Patent 8,383,889
Various embodiments are directed to transgenic plants, including transgenic tobacco plants and derivative seeds, genetically modified to impede the transport of Cadmium (Cd) from the root system to aerial portions of transgenic plants by reducing the expression levels of HMA-related transporters. Various embodiments are directed to transgenic tobacco plants genetically modified to stably express a RNAi construct encoding RNAi polynucleotides that enable the degradation of endogenous NtHMA RNA variants. Reduced expression of NtHMA transporters in transgenic plants results in substantially reduced content of Cadmium (Cd) in the leaf lamina. Various consumable products that are substantially free or substantially reduced in Cd content can be produced by incorporating leaves derived from transgenic tobacco plants modified to reduce the expression of NtHMA transporters.
Inventors: Alec J. Hayes (Chesterfield); Chengalrayan Kudithipudi (Midlothian); Rutger S. van der Hoeven (Midlothian)
Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc. (Richmond)
Feb. 26, 2013
Composite materials and their use in smoking articles
Patent 8,381,738
Smoking articles, filters, and methods for selectively removing selected components from tobacco smoke are disclosed. The smoking articles and filters include composites composed of a porous alumina and/or aluminosilicate matrix containing particles of activated carbon and zeolite molecular sieve adsorbents distributed throughout the matrix which can selectively remove selected components of tobacco smoke. The composites may be made by admixing the adsorbent mixture and a binder such as aluminum hydroxide or montmorillonite clay, adding an aqueous mineral acid to gel the mixture and drying and firing the gel paste. The proportions and adsorption capacities of the components can be selected to tailor the adsorption characteristics of the composites to selectively remove targeted constituents such as acrolein and 1,3-butadiene in tobacco smoke. Methods for making filters and smoking articles using the composites, as well as methods for smoking products comprising the composites, are also provided.
Inventors: Zhaohua Luan (Midlothian); Diane L. Gee (Richmond); Jose Nepomuceno (Beaverdam); Shuzhong Zhuang (Midlothian); Jay A. Fournier (Richmond)
Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc. (Richmond)
Feb. 26, 2013
Bead feeder
Patent 8,381,947
A bead feeder serially delivering beads to a downstream location comprises a bead supply wheel connected to rotate about a vertical axis. The bead supply wheel includes a bead supply bowl and a plurality of radially and outwardly extending bead passageway connected to rotate with the bowl and dimensioned to receive a single line of beads. A plurality of openings in the bead supply bowl is spaced around a lower portion thereof with the openings in alignment with the radially and outwardly extending passageways each of which has an outer exit end. A metering plate is connected to rotate about the same vertical axis as the bead supply wheel, and metering plate has a plurality of equally spaced apart openings directly below the outer ends of the passageways for receiving the lowermost beads in the passageways. The metering plate rotates at a slightly slower or slightly faster speed than the bead supply wheel so that vertical alignment of an outer exit end of a particular passageway and an opening in the metering plate only occurs once for each revolution of the bead supply wheel. A drop off is provided for the removal of beads away from the metering plate.
Inventors: Martin T. Garthaffner (Chesterfield); Dwight D.Williams (Powhatan)
Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc. (Richmond)
Feb. 26, 2013
Moist botanical pouch processing
Patent 8,377,215
An oral pouched product comprising a pouch containing moist botanical beads comprising compacted loose, fibrous moist botanical material and method of manufacture thereof. The loose, fibrous moist botanical material can comprise moist smokeless tobacco. The pouch comprises a porous outer web, and the beads comprise a majority amount of loose, fibrous moist botanical material having a moisture content of at least about 50% OV.
Inventors: Diane L. Gee (Richmond); David Golob (Richmond); Stephen G. Zimmermann (Midlothian)
Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc. (Richmond)
February 19, 2013
System and methods for purchase reward investment communities
Patent 8,386,307
Purchase rewards account holders accumulate rewards currency. A network-based investment management system allows account holders to purchase shares in investments using reward currency. When all the shares for a particular investment have been purchased, the underlying investment is acquired. Account holders owning shares in an investment may sell shares to other account holders through system. Account holders are thereby able to invest their rewards dollars in investments typically requiring cash or cash equivalents and to grow their rewards currency.
Inventors: Michael D. Armstrong (Glen Allen)
Assignee: Capital One Financial Corp. (McLean)
Feb. 26, 2013
System and method for point of sale cash rebates
Patent 8,381,971
According to certain embodiments of the present invention, systems and methods are provided for providing a consumer with a rebate on purchases, which are made, for example, at a merchant. The rebate may be in a variety of forms. According to one aspect the rebate may be a reduction in the purchase price associated with a transaction. According to another aspect the rebate may be in the form of cash or an item having value being delivered to the consumer. The rebate may be provided at the Point of Sale. The rebate may be determined by a number of different criteria including purchase price, transaction frequency, predetermined time intervals, consumer loyalty, Point of Sale location, or any combination of these and other criteria.
Inventors: Gregory W. Lambert (Richmond); Alice K. Wheeler (Glen Allen); Charles A. Rosenblatt (Richmond)
Assignee: Capital One Financial Corp. (McLean)
Feb. 26, 2013
Lid holder for cooking vessel
Patent 8,381,942
A cooking vessel for cooking foodstuff includes a base that has an outer sidewall, a generally hollow interior and a generally open top. A lid is removably mounted to the base and complementarily covers the open top of the base in a first position. The lid includes a handle that extends outwardly from the lid away from the base in the first position. A lid holder is rotatably mounted to the outer sidewall of the base. The lid holder engages with the handle to support the lid in a second position. The open top of the base at least partially exposes the hollow interior when the lid is in the second position. The lid holder is rotatable between a support position and a storage position. The lid holder extends partially above the open top of the base in the support position and is entirely below the open top in the storage position.
Inventors: Mark K. Romandy (Midlothian)
Assignee: Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc. (Glen Allen)
Feb. 26, 2013
Triple lead bone screw
Patent 8,382,811
A pedicle screw assembly, including: a bone screw having a head portion and a thread portion, wherein the thread portion includes an axial shaft and a triple lead thread disposed about the axial shaft; and a rod retention member selectively coupled to the head portion of the bone screw. Optionally, the triple lead thread includes leads that originate at different points along the axial shaft. Optionally, the triple lead thread includes leads that terminate at different points along the axial shaft. Optionally, the axial shaft includes a first tapering portion proximate a tip of the axial shaft. Optionally, the axial shaft includes a second tapering portion proximate the tip of the axial shaft. Preferably, the second tapering portion tapers more steeply than the first tapering portion. Optionally, the axial shaft includes a reduced diameter portion proximate the head portion. Optionally, the axial shaft includes one or more tapering portions proximate the head portion.
Inventors: David Crook (Mineola, Texas); Peter Harris (Boca Raton, Fla.); Chester Sharps (Manakin-Sabot)
Assignee: U.S. Spine, Inc. (Salt Lake City)
Feb. 26, 2013
Flat fee mortgage
Patent 8,380,596
Described herein are various apparatuses, methods, and computer program products for providing a mortgage environment that determines a flat fee for a mortgage that includes all lender and third-party fees associated with the mortgage. By providing a mortgage with a flat fee, the process of a borrower obtaining a mortgage from a lender can be easier because the borrower’s worries about multiple fees, charges, and other costs can be combined into a single, flat fee. Some embodiments of the invention determine the flat fee based at least partially on analysis of various loan characteristics.
Inventors: Charlotte F. Baker (Lexington, S.C.); Gregory Carl Ogden (Charlotte, N.C.); Michael J. Kelly (Minneapolis); Nicholas Koutouras (Studio City, Calif.); Courtnie R. Kingsley (Augusta, Kansas); Dwight Guerry Wimberly (Athens, Ga.); Andrew H. Burk (Penryn, Calif.); Loren B. Carpenter (Grapevine, Texas); Shanna L. Austin (Chester)
Assignee: Bank of America Corporation (Charlotte)
Feb. 19, 2013
Systems and methods for modifying a loan
Patent 8,386,395
Systems and methods are provided for providing an adjustment to a value estimate for a property that is considered distressed. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving the estimate of value for the property; determining, based on a model, the adjustment to the estimate of value, such that the model accounts for a characteristic of the property and a characteristic of the loan; and providing the adjustment.
Inventors: J. Douglas Gordon (Arlington, Va.); Pamela W. Sims (Arlington); Aohua Chen (Herndon, Va.); Michael G. Bradley (Chesterfield)
Assignee: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (McLean, Va.)
Feb. 26, 2013
Contextual data center management utilizing a virtual environment
Patent 8,386,930
Contextual data center management utilizing a virtual environment is described. In one embodiment, there is a data center management tool for managing a physical data center from a representation of the physical data center operating in a virtual universe. The data center management tool includes a data center contextual object component configured to obtain a data center contextual object that describes operational information of the physical data center in the virtual universe. An operational change component is configured to implement at least one operational change to the representation of the physical data center in the virtual universe. The at least one operational change is implemented as a function of the data center contextual object. A management component is configured to manage the physical data center pursuant to a result obtained from implementing the at least one operational change.
Inventors: Donna N. Dillenberger (Hawthorne, N.Y.); Rick A. Hamilton II (Richmond); Neal M. Keller (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.); Brian M. O’Connell (Research Triangle Park, N.C.); Clifford A. Pickover (Yorktown Heights); Keith R. Walker (Austin, Texas); Alexander Zlatsin (Yorktown Heights)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, N.Y.)
Feb. 26, 2013
Use of chemical reaction to separate ethylene from ethane in ethane-based processes to produce acetic acid
Patent 8,383,854
Described herein is a process in which acetic acid is produced by ethane oxidation. One byproduct of the ethane oxidation is ethylene. High ethylene content in the recycle gas stream will lead to poor efficiencies and higher losses to the COx byproduct in the acetic acid reactor. In fact, ethylene in the recycle feed competes with the ethane for the limited amount of oxygen feed, resulting in higher inefficiencies to carbon oxides than straight ethane oxidation. Ethylene is removed in this process by a further oxidation reaction at a temperature low enough such that ethane is not reactive, but the ethylene is converted to acetic acid. Either the ethane oxidation reactor effluent or a portion or all of the recycle stream to the ethane oxidation reactor, or any combination of the same, can be processed in this manner to reduce the ethylene content of those streams.
Inventors: Debra Ann Ryan (Keller, Texas); James A. Foster (Richmond)
Assignee: Celanese International Corp. (Irving, Texas)
Feb. 26, 2013