Abstract: A portable electric heater producing a vertically oriented, heated exhaust air stream at an elevation above a support surface is provided. A base contacting the support surface and supporting an elongate housing in a substantially vertical position from the support surface. An inlet opening allows air to enter the interior of the housing and a vertically oriented outlet opening allows a heated exhaust air stream to exit the housing. An air blower assembly and elongate electric heating element are disposed within the housing. The air blower assembly has a substantially vertically oriented axis of rotation and the electric heating element is substantially vertically oriented proximate the outlet opening. The flow of the exhaust air stream from the air impeller assembly toward the vertically oriented elongate electric heating element is a substantially direct and straight vector and substantially all of the exhaust air stream passes through the electric heating element.

Abstract: Featured are surgical devices that provide enhanced perceptual feedback to a medical practitioner in the form of e.g. tactile sensations or auditory feedback, and methods of use of the devices. The devices and methods of the present invention are particularly suitable for microsurgery applications including ophthalmic or neurosurgical procedures. Use of the present devices and methods will enhance user feedback, allowing for improved perception, thereby increasing performance, speed, and accuracy of surgical procedures.

Abstract: Personal warming systems and apparatuses for use in hospitals and other settings are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a heating pad for warming a patient during a hospital procedure can include a heating element and a patient support portion. The heating element can include one or more radiolucent, or at least generally radiolucent, features. The radiolucent features can include conductive paths supported by a flexible substrate. The conductive paths can include conductive yarns oriented in linear and/or non-linear patterns on the flexible substrate. In one aspect of this embodiment, the conductive yarns can include conductive strands having a metallic plating, such as silver plating.

Abstract: A method for enhancing temporary solder ball connection comprises the application of thermal energy to the solder balls, heating them to a submelting “softening” temperature, whereby the compression force required to connect all balls in a BGA is achieved at much reduced force, avoiding damage to the package, insert, substrate and support apparatus. Several forms of heating apparatus, and temperature measuring apparatus are disclosed.

Abstract: An electric fire assembly with a flame effect arrangement. The arrangement includes a bulb located in a hollow cylindrical member of opaque material with a plurality of flame shape cutouts. Light passes through the cutouts onto the rear surface of a screen to provide a flame effect as the member rotates.

Abstract: A control device for an infrared ray sauna facility is provided. The sauna facility has a chamber and the chamber has a door and infrared ray generating units, and the control device includes a control circuit, an inside control panel that is connected to the control circuit and is installed inside the chamber, and an outside control panel that is connected to the control circuit and is installed outside the chamber. The control circuit controls the infrared ray generating units to adjust the temperature of the sauna facility. Each of the inside control panel and outside control panel includes a display device and an input device. The control circuit includes a clock so that a user of the sauna facility can reserve time to use the sauna facility. The control device also includes a temperature sensor so that the control circuit performs feedback control of the temperature.

Abstract: Providing a hot air heater and an expansion in the air blowing passage of the hot air heater and suppressing increases in air trunk resistance even if electric heaters are arranged in this expansion in a plurality of stages prevents increases in the rotation speed of the air blowing fan in order to obtain a target air flow which in turn causes the operating noise to grow louder. Therefore, an expansion 35 was formed along the air blowing passage 32. This expansion 35 has an entrance opening 351 and an exit opening 352 and functions as a storage portion that contains the electric heaters 34. The electric heaters are arranged in a plurality of stages in such a manner as to face said entrance opening and a distance between the entrance opening in the expansion and one of the electric heaters that has a highest wind speed at the entrance opening in the expansion of distances between the entrance opening in the expansion and the respective electric heaters is set farther.

Abstract: An apparatus melts snow off a person's footwear without the need for the wearer to take off the footwear. In particular, the apparatus is for melting ice and snow off the footwear, for example shoes, boots or sneakers, of the wearer by a directed and accurately disseminated heat flow. The heat flow is directed in a manner which facilitates the removal, deposition and collection of melting snow and ice from shoes of a wearer at a desired location, e.g., in a threshold or landing, adjacent an entry/exit door of a residence or commercial building before such snow and ice and any contaminant therein can be tracked into the building.

Abstract: Soleplate of domestic steam iron, basically constituted by a an ironing element (1), which is that which comes into contact with the item to be ironed, and a heating element (2) which heats said ironing element (1) by means of a thermostatic element (3) which regulates the ironing temperature, which independently of the assembly of ironing element (1), heating element (2) and thermostatic element (3), the soleplate of domestic steam iron (1-2) according to the invention incorporates an autonomous steam assembly (4) which is composed of a steam chamber (5) which has a water supply conduit (6) connected to the reservoir of the domestic iron, and whose steam chamber (5) has a separate heating element (7) which has its own thermostat (8) which regulates the temperature in that steam chamber (5); the steam assembly (4) has a steam outlet (9) connected to a complementary steam intake (10) which exists in the ironing element (1) for the correct passage of steam to the outlet holes.

Abstract: A plurality of individually corresponding heaters and temperature sensors are provided along with a plurality of a PID control means. An average temperature/gradient temperature calculating means calculates the average temperatures of the temperatures measured by the temperature sensors and the gradient temperatures based on the measured temperatures. Each of the PID control means outputs an operation signal so that the average temperatures or gradient temperatures may be made equal to the desired values. A distributing means distributes the operation signal from each of the PID control means to each heater so that control by the PID control means may produce no effect on the control of the other PID control means.

Abstract: A system and method for collecting and transmitting medical and health-related data over a network are disclosed. A measuring device measures a user's physiological attribute and produces a first signal related thereto, which an integration system coupled to the measuring device receives and converts into a second signal for transmitting over the Internet. In accordance with one aspect of a preferred embodiment, the integration system is adapted to read the first signal as it is sent from the measuring device to its display. A communications system transmits the second signal over the Internet to a remote system using any of a variety of techniques known in the art. The remote system extracts the measured physiological attribute and other associated data from the second signal and populates a database. Preferably, a web-based portal provides access to the data for one or more users.

Abstract: A fuse mechanism for a heating device according to the invention functions as a thermal fuse. A heater is located on a support. In spatial proximity and with heat conduction to the heater are provided solder contacts with electrical leads to the support. A metallic connection bridge is firmly soldered to the solder contacts and the position thereof with respect to said contacts is such that in the use state on softening the solder connection at the solder contacts the connection bridge is separated by gravity and drops off. In this way the electrical connection from the heater to a electrical supply is separated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for joining the ends of two profile sections (5, 6) such as two sealing, trimming or finishing strips for use in motor vehicle body construction, is shown. The two profile sections (5, 6) are clamped in respective retaining devices (18, 20) and a length of heat-responsive foil-like material (24) is unwound from a roll (22) into a position between the facing ends of the profile sections. Heaters (26-32) carried by a heater unit (34) are then moved into position between the ends of the profile sections (5, 6) and the foil (24). The outermost heaters (26, 30) heat the ends of the profile sections, and the innermost heaters (28, 32) heat the foil. The heaters (26 to 32) are then withdrawn, and the two retaining devices (18, 20) are then moved towards each other so as to move the ends of the two profile sections into contact with opposite sides of the heated foil (24) which thus heat-bonds the ends of the profile sections together.

Abstract: Robust ceramic igniters are provided that include an improved sealing system which can significantly enhance operational life of the igniter. Preferred igniters comprise a conductive cold zone and hot zone with higher resisitivity. A hermetic sealant material covers one or more electrical connections on the of each cold zone, thus shielding the electrical connections from environmental exposure, and thereby avoiding igniter failure resulting from electrical shorts and/or undesired oxidation.

Abstract: A forced air dryer designed to dry an infant's bottom during the diaper changing process comprises a housing having an end piece designed to reduce skin abrasion, skin heating, and air flow blockage. In one embodiment, the device is powered by a rechargeable electric battery. In another embodiment, the invention is associated with a diaper changing table.

Abstract: The invention is a sealing system and a method of operation thereof. A sealing system which forms spaced apart thermal seals along a moving at least one web (60) by contact of the moving the at least one web with heated portions (74) of sealing elements (56) mounted on a sealing wheel (50) during rotation in accordance with the invention includes seal forming elements (56) which peripherally contact the at least one web to form the thermal seals by heat transfer to the at least one web; and wherein each seal forming element has an outer section (62) on which is located at least one electrical heater (78), an inner section (64) which contacts the sealing wheel and an intermediate section (70) which includes thermal insulation (68) which insulates the outer section from the inner section.

Abstract: A method of fracturing or breaking rock includes the step of directing high intensity white light (radiation) at the rock to induce thermal stress sufficient to fracture the rock. The intensity of the energy source may be varied to control the manner in which the rock fractures. An approach for generating high intensity white light includes an elongate arc chamber and an elongate concave reflector. The arc chamber and reflector may be shielded from airborne particulate matter by an air shield or a rotating or reciprocating translucent shield.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for attaching a flip chip configured semiconductor die to a substrate as well as removing the die and replacing it on the substrate with another flip chip-configured semiconductor die by way of an electrically resistive thermal supply circuit that provides heat to soften or melt an electrical connection material of discrete conductive elements connecting the two components, as well as providing heat to release a dielectric underfill material, if present. Methods for designing a thermal supply circuit and are also disclosed. Semiconductor die and substrate configurations incorporating thermal supply circuits as well as thermal supply circuit configurations and design approaches are also disclosed.

Abstract: An infrared emitter element includes: at last one emitter tube made of silica glass, which has two ends; at least one electrical conductor arranged in the emitter tube as a radiation source; a cooling tube made of silica glass, which surrounds the at least one emitter tube spaced therefrom and which is connected to the at least one emitter tube directly at its ends, such that in the region of the electrical conductor at least one flow-supporting channel is formed between the at least one emitter tube and the cooling tube; and a metallic reflector. The cooling tube is completely covered with the reflector on its side facing away from the emitter tube. The infrared emitter element may be used as a flow-through heater, such as a heat exchanger, especially for high-purity fluids.

Abstract: A process and device for controlling the heating of the glow plugs of a diesel engine. To be able to take into consideration the thermal behavior of the glow plugs while controlling the current supply of the glow plugs (3) of a diesel engine, the thermal behavior of the glow plugs (3) is emulated via a physical model. Formed on the corresponding output signal of the model (4), which is proportional to the glow plug temperature, is a reference signal, which as a control value, lies on the electronic control (12) controlling the heating flow of the glow plugs (3), which accordingly controls the heating of the glow plugs (3) using the actual glow plug temperature determined from emulation.