Abstract: A toothbrush dryer includes a substantially hollow housing having a pair of side walls, a rear wall and an open front in communication with an interior chamber. A door hingedly engages one of the side walls and is pivotable to selectively enclose the interior chamber. The door is retained in a closed position with a magnetic latch assembly. Removably mounted within the interior chamber are a plurality of toothbrush retaining clips. A blower/heater mechanism is mounted within the interior chamber for circulating warm air therethrough. A thermostat deactivates the heater upon the temperature within the interior chamber exceeding a predetermined level.

Abstract: A lumber drying kiln employs outside air pressure uses a flexible collapsing bag or cover alone or in combination with walls. The collapsing bag seals against a base to maintain the vacuum. The air pressure against the flexible top keeps the lumber layers from warping or cupping during drying. The lumber stack has alternating layers of hot plates or stickers separating layers of lumber. A bag having an open bottom and made of nylon-reinforced rubber or other strong flexible material is placed over the wood and sealed to the stainless steel platform. A vacuum pump is connected with the bag by means of a manifold and operated to remove air from the enclosed lumber stack, the vacuum strengthening the seal between the base and the bottom of the bag. This chamber design is easily scaled up or down to provide a desired drying capacity.

Abstract: A drying mold 1 for a pulp molded article has a first mold member 10, a second mold member 20, and a third mold member 30. The first mold member 10 has a drying portion 12 and first passageways 13a and 13b connecting the drying portion 12 to an exterior surface of the first mold member 10. The second mold member 20 has a prescribed heating means and is disposed in contact with the exterior surface of the third mold member 30. The third mold member 30 is disposed in contact with the exterior surface of the first mold member 10. The drying mold 1 is designed to form second passageways 2a and 2b between the first and the third mold members when the first and the third mold members are disposed in contact with each other. The passageways 2a and 2b connect the first passageways 13a and 13b to the outside of the drying mold 1.

Abstract: An apparatus for spin drying a semiconductor wafer includes a hollow core spindle and a chuck assembly having grippers for supporting a wafer at an edge thereof. A sleeve is disposed in the central opening of the spindle and a manifold is disposed in the upper end of the sleeve. A capacitance sensor is affixed to the manifold. In another apparatus, an arm having a capacitance sensor mounted thereon is positioned such that the capacitance sensor is disposed above a space to be occupied by a wafer that is supported by the grippers. An additional apparatus includes an arm having a light source and a detector mounted thereon. The light source directs light toward a surface of a wafer such that light that reflects off of the surface is substantially perpendicular to that surface. The detector is positioned to measure the intensity of the reflected light.

Abstract: Method of drying a medium for producing a porous matrix from a solution, a paste, an extract, a granulated material or such, where a liquid inert agent is fed into a vessel (5) at controlled pressure and amount through a valve (7), transferring the pressurized liquid inert agent to a mixing vessel (4), said mixing vessel (4) also receiving the solution, such as paste, extract or granulated material, through an inlet valve (10), adjusting the pressure and temperature inside the mixing vessel (4) to desired levels by a release valve (6), upon complete mixing of the inert agent with the solution, the mixture is expanded into a porous matrix and injected into a drying circuit through a drying chamber (3), the matrix thereby being kept suspended in the drying chamber by the flowing drying medium, supplied by the blower (2), the matrix moisture being removed from the mixture through a heat exchanger coil comprising a first heat exchanger (11) where the water vapour is condensed and removed from the circuit and fina

Abstract: A system for high-pressure drying of semiconductor wafers includes the insertion of a wafer into an open vessel, the immersion of the wafer in a liquid, pressure-sealing of the vessel, pressurization of the vessel with an inert gas, and then the controlled draining of the liquid using a moveable drain that extracts water from a depth maintained just below the gas-liquid interface. Thereafter, the pressure may be reduced in the vessel and the dry and clean wafer may be removed. The high pressure suppresses the boiling point of liquids, thus allowing higher temperatures to be used to optimize reactivity. Megasonic waves are used with pressurized fluid to enhance cleaning performance. Supercritical substances are provided in a sealed vessel containing a wafer to promote cleaning and other treatment.

Abstract: A dryer tumble drying articles includes a drum including a cavity configured to hold articles to be dried, a first motor drivingly coupled to the drum to rotate the drum, a heat source in flow communication with the cavity, and a variable speed motor drivingly coupled to a blower positioned to deliver heated air from the heat source to the cavity.

Abstract: A plastic suit drying system comprises a drying chamber with an air warmer, and a mobile dryer rack. The mobile rack has a wheeled air plenum base, a number of drying positions (each comprising three perforated air pipes protruding up from the base), and a flanged air inlet in the back of the base that mates with a connection flange in the drying chamber. Through this flanged connection hot air is forced into the base/plenum and then into the perforated pipes. For use, wet plastic suits are placed upside down on the drying positions. Then, the mobile rack is rolled into the drying chamber so that the rack's flange mates with the drying cabinet's connection flange. Next, the drying chamber doors are closed, and the drying cycle started, during which heated air is blown into the mobile rack plenum and up into the air pipes extending into the suits.

Abstract: A shoe drying device having two arms and an airflow channel extending therethrough. A spring exerts an outward force on the arms. Each arm includes a member for holding a shoe at an end thereof. During a drying cycle, convection air enters through an air inlet towards the center of the device, flows through the airflow channel, and exits through air outlets in the members for holding a shoe at the ends of the arms. This facilitates more even drying of shoes held in the members for holding shoes.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide a multistage semiconductor processing tool, wherein the processing tool includes a first transfer chamber having a first substrate transfer robot positioned therein and at least one load lock chamber in communication with the first transfer chamber. The at least one load lock is generally configured to communicate substrates into and out of the first transfer chamber. Further, the processing tool includes at least one substrate cleaning chamber positioned in communication with the first transfer chamber. The at least one substrate cleaning chamber generally includes a substrate support member, a broadband actuation device in communication with the substrate support member, and a particle removal device configured to sweep away dislodged particles from an area proximate the substrate surface.

Abstract: An ear canal dryer that removes excess fluid or moisture retained in the outer ear canal. The ear canal dryer comprises a bulb and a speculum, each having an air flow controller. By inserting the speculum into the ear canal and squeezing the bulb, an air stream is injected into the ear canal causing evaporation of fluid and carrying the moisture out of the canal. The ear canal dryer of the present invention is easy to carry and use. It can be manufactured at a low cost and may also be adapted for veterinary use.

Abstract: A clothes dryer is provided with a fire detection and suppression system which releases a fire suppressing substance into the dryer chamber upon detection of a fire condition. The fire detection and suppression system includes, a controller, at least one temperature detector which is in communication with the controller and sends a signal to the controller when a temperature set point has been reached and/or exceeded, a source of fire suppressing substance (preferably water) which is delivered to the chamber over a pathway; and a valve in the pathway controlled by the controller. The controller opens the valve when a fire condition is detected, and closes the valve after a time sufficient to introduce a predetermined volume of the fire suppressing substance has passed.

Abstract: A microfilm drying device and method are presented for salvaging and drying microfilm which has become wet due to excessive moisture resulting from high water, floods and the like. The device includes a needle assembly which is slidably affixed within a frame to direct air into the internal compartments of a flexible jacket containing microfilm strips. In another embodiment, a hand held drying device allows air to pass through a series of needles to dry the interior of the flexible jackets.

Abstract: A machine for producing a material web is provided having at least one smooth roll at least partially wrapped by the material web. The machine includes an air blowing device arranged for ventilating the material web with at least one discharge stream, wherein the at least one discharge stream is directed into a wedge-shaped opening formed between the at least one at least one roll and the material web leaving the roll.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus and method which can prevent accidents in advance so as to ensure safety against interruption of operations of the apparatus and leakage of processing substances. In a substrate processing method in which wafers W are processed are processed by feeding an ozone gas 5 to the wafers W loaded in a processing vessel 2 while an interior atmosphere in the processing vessel is being exhausted to be passed through an ozone killer 10, the ozone gas 5 is fed under the conditions that the processing vessel 2 is tightly closed, and the ozone killer in its normal state. When the processing is interrupted, an interior atmosphere in the processing vessel 2 is forcedly exhausted. When the gas leaks, the interior atmosphere and a peripheral atmosphere of the processing vessel 2 are forcedly exhausted while the feed of the ozone gas 5 is paused.

Abstract: A baby bottle dryer and organizer is herein described. The bottle dryer has hollow posts onto which baby bottles are placed and a blower/fan that blows drying air up into the posts, thus drying the interior of the baby bottles. The bottle dryer further has a removable tray for drying baby bottle nipples and rings/caps into which are from the blower/fan flows. The bottle dryer also has a lid and a front door to protect the baby bottles, nipples, rings/caps from dust and debris.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for subjecting a substrate on which a coating film is formed to heat processing, and the method comprises the steps of heating the substrate to a predetermined high temperature and decreasing the temperature of the substrate to a predetermined low temperature, wherein in the step of decreasing the temperature of the substrate to the low temperature, a first step of decreasing the temperature of the substrate from the predetermined high temperature to a predetermined intermediate temperature and a second step of decreasing the temperature of the substrate from the intermediate temperature to the predetermined low temperature are performed separately.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heating and cooling a substrate are provided. A chamber is provided that comprises a heating mechanism adapted to heat a substrate positioned proximate the heating mechanism, a cooling mechanism spaced from the heating mechanism and adapted to cool a substrate positioned proximate the cooling mechanism, and a transfer mechanism adapted to transfer a substrate between the position proximate the heating mechanism and the position proximate the cooling mechanism.

Abstract: Drying a coated substrate which includes magnetic particles includes a condensing surface spaced from the substrate. This creates a longitudinal gap between the substrate and the condensing surface. Liquid is evaporated from the substrate to create a vapor and the vapor is transported to the condensing surface without requiring applied convection. The vapor is condensed on the condensing surface to create a condensate which is removed from the condensing surface. Removal is performed, using more than gravity, without allowing non-uniformities of the condensate film to occur. The magnetic particles are oriented on the coated substrate by subjecting the coated substrate to a magnetic field created at a location outside of the dryer space.

Abstract: A collapsible drying apparatus and method for forming and collapsing such apparatus, said apparatus comprising a frame having an expanded state and a collapsed state, a web substantially stretched over the frame, at least one support member coupled to the frame, and a strap having its ends coupled to the web, including a releasable fastener located a predetermined distance from one of the ends of the strap, and having adjustable length to apply a corresponding tension to the frame and the web, biasing the apparatus into a convexly accurate condition.