Abstract: Apparatuses, methods and systems for retrofitting an indoor water dispenser of an existing refrigerator having a water outlet with one or more components to provide secondary water conditioning to dispense an enhanced beverage using water from the water outlet of the indoor water dispenser are provided.

Abstract: A device to mold and cook a food product (50) comprises at least a mold (12) and at least a molding member (16). The mold has a cavity (14) in which to place on each occasion at least the uncooked dough. The cavity (14) is delimited externally by an external perimeter edge (18). The molding member (16) is shaped with a closed profile, has a shape and size mating with those of the external perimeter edge (18), and has a position distanced from the mold (12) and a position coupled with the mold (12) in order to shape and mold the product (50) into the desired final shape.

Abstract: The constricting nozzle of the present invention includes (i) a cylindrical nozzle body disposed around the forward end of the tungsten electrode rod concentrically with the tungsten electrode rod and defines an annular high-speed gas passage between the nozzle body and the outer peripheral surface of the forward end of the tungsten electrode rod, (ii) a plurality of positioning projections that are protrudently formed on the inner peripheral surface of the nozzle body with predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction and that are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle body to hold the tungsten electrode rod in the center position of the nozzle body, and (iii) a plurality of gas-flow regulating grooves formed between the positioning projections and that extend in parallel in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle body and regulate the shielding gas (G) flowing through the high-speed gas passage.

Abstract: An infrared sensor for detecting infrared rays of light and a light emitting element are disposed below a light transmittable top plate, which has a hearing area for heating an article to be heated placed thereon, in juxtaposed fashion relative to each other, so that infrared rays of light radiated from the article to be heated may be guided towards the infrared sensor. A light guide portion is provided for guiding rays of flight, emitted from the light emitting element, towards a heating area of the top plate, and the rays of light emitted from the light emitting element and guided by the light guide portion are projected onto the top plate through an upper opening of the light guide portion so that such rays of light can be noticed with eyes within the heating area.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device (10) in a rack oven (1) for adjusting the mutual height between a support (2) including horizontal heat preserving plates (3) and a bread-carrying rack (4) of breads, which device includes a first connection point (13) for connection to the heat preserving support (2) inside the oven (1); a first driving arrangement (11) for regulating the height of the first connection point (13) and the heat preserving plates (3) of the support from a first, passive position to a second, active position. A second driving arrangement (12) including a second connection point (14) for connection to the bread-carrying rack is arranged to adjust the height of the second connection point (14) with respect to the first connection point (13) in order to adjust the distance between the horizontal heat preserving plates (3) of the support (2) and the bread-carrying rack (4).

Abstract: A bran removing wire-mesh tube includes: bran removing wire-mesh tube parts 28 divided in more than one in a circumferential direction in planar view; and a plurality of support pillars 33 erected at intervals in the circumferential direction to respectively fix both side edges of the divided bran removing wire-mesh tube parts 28. Each of the support pillars 33 is provided with an elongated resistor 34 that suppresses grains from moving in the circumferential direction along with rotation of grinding type grain cleaning rolls 26. The resistor 34 is urged by an elastic member 37 to a position at which the resistor 34 protrudes toward the inside of a grain cleaning chamber 30. Further, the resistor 34 is provided so as to be movable in a radial direction to a position farther from the grain cleaning chamber 30 due to resistance from the grains.

Abstract: A fry basket including a frame for supporting individual inserts for receiving food items and a locking bar for retaining the inserts within the frame.

Abstract: A water-cooled copper welding shoe adaptable to Electroslag or Electrogas welding applications reduces weld voltage, decreases the size of the weld nugget and, in turn, decreases the heat input from the welding application into the work pieces is disclosed. A water-cooled copper welding shoe embodiment adjusts in three dimensions to adequately contain the weld puddle and overcome miss-matched work piece surfaces.

Abstract: A storage-type water heater includes a tank for supporting water to be heated, a first heating bank including a first heating surface disposed within the tank, a first contactor connected to the first heating bank, a second heating bank including a second heating surface disposed within the tank, a second contactor connected to the second heating bank, and a controller for selectively operating the first contactor and the second contactor.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling the movement of liquids into and out of a container is described. The apparatus includes a main container for holding the food product, a liquid inlet for providing liquid into the main container with the food product, and a liquid outlet for removing liquid from the main container without removing the food product. The apparatus can include a valve attached to the liquid inlet and a valve attached to the liquid outlet for automated regulation of inflow and outflow of the liquid from the main container. The apparatus also includes a heater associated with the main container for automated heating of the main container including the food/liquid, and a controller for automatically regulating the inflow/outflow of the liquid from the main container. The apparatus can be designed as a cleanable, portable, fully automated appliance for sprouting, rinsing, soaking, cooking, etc. food products.

Abstract: A laser lap welding method by irradiating of a laser beam from one side of a plurality of overlapped workpieces (1, 2), the method includes the steps of: scanning (La) the laser beam in the forward direction along a predetermined section of the workpieces; reversing the scanning direction of the laser beam at a terminating end (t) of the predetermined section; scanning (Lb) the laser beam in the backward direction and terminating of the irradiating of the laser beam onto the predetermined section, wherein the scanning of the laser beam in the backward direction is offset from the scanning of the laser beam in the forward direction such that a part of weld bead (12) formed by the laser scanning in the backward direction overlaps the weld bead (11) formed by the laser scan in the forward direction.

Abstract: A cooking rack for bacon, or other food products, includes several articulated planar members defining a series of connected V-shaped structures. Each planar member, which may be defined by a plurality of generally parallel wires or other members, is generally porous. Bacon strips are placed on the planar members, and the rack is placed in a cooking vessel. The porosity of the planar members allows air to flow around the bacon during cooking, and allows liquids to fall from the bacon into a vessel below. The V-shaped structures may include spacers which prevent adjacent strips of bacon from touching each other.

Abstract: A laser beam applying apparatus includes a laser beam oscillating unit, a focusing lens, and a diffractive optic element provided between the laser beam oscillating unit and the focusing lens for defining the spot shape of the laser beam oscillated by the laser beam oscillating unit. A zeroth-order light removing unit removes zeroth-order light emerging from the diffractive optic element and leaves first-order light whose spot shape has been defined by the diffractive optic element and the focusing lens. A first prism has an incident surface and an emergent surface inclined with respect to the incident surface. A second prism has a zeroth-order light reflecting surface for reflecting the zeroth-order light and a first-order light emerging surface from which the first-order light emerges. A damper absorbs the zeroth-order light reflected on the zeroth-order light reflecting surface of the second prism.

Abstract: A coffee beverage system is described including a coffee bean packaging cartridge and a coffee brewing apparatus. The packaging cartridge includes a container holding coffee beans and transportation component for transporting coffee beans towards an exit opening of the cartridge. The coffee apparatus comprises a grinder for grinding the coffee beans from the cartridge and a brewing device for brewing coffee from ground coffee obtained by the grinder. A metering chamber holds a predetermined amount of coffee beans and comprises a bottom portion which forms a part of the grinder, said bottom portion rotates around an axis extending in a vertical direction. A second coffee bean packaging cartridge includes a second dosing device separate from the first dosing device for preparing and/or supplying a dose of coffee beans to the entrance opening of the coffee brewing apparatus independent of the coffee brewing apparatus.

Abstract: Welding systems including a hydraulically driven welding power supply adapted to utilize hydraulic primary power to generate a first welding output for a first welding operation and a second welding output for a second welding operation are provided. Such welding systems may include control circuitry coupled to the hydraulically driven welding power supply and adapted to enable the hydraulically driven welding power supply to provide the first welding output and the second welding output at the same time to enable a first welding operator and a second welding operator to perform the first welding operation and the second welding operation, respectively, at the same time.

Abstract: An electric grill pan device includes a heating pan detachably mounted above a base. A socket is mounted in the base and includes a seat and an upper cover. A compartment is defined between the upper cover and the seat. The upper cover includes a plurality of insertion holes aligned with terminals on the seat. The upper cover further includes a notch aligned with an abutment peg on the heating pan. A shield is pivotably mounted in the compartment and includes a guiding portion aligned with the abutment peg. The shield is biased to a position covering the insertion holes. When the heating pan is mounted to the base, the abutment peg presses against the guiding portion and pivots the shield to another position not covering the insertion holes, and conductive ends of a heating element on the heating pan is in electrical contact with the terminals.

Abstract: A flange (101) for holding a quantity of fluid within a tank, such flange being equipped with a heating element comprising at least one resistive wire (102) for conducting an electrical current and dissipating heat as an effect of said current, wherein the heating element further comprises guiding means (103), and wherein the at least one resistive wire (102) is guided at a plurality of separate locations along its length by the guiding means (103) to form a heating surface, wherein a first part of the heating surface is present inside the flange (101) and a second part of the heating surface is present outside the flange (101).

Abstract: A hot beverage brewing apparatus including a pressurized hot water delivery system to provide liquid under pressure within a range of acceptable infusion temperatures without a water pump. A fresh water tank is situated above a water heater in liquid communication to maintain the water heater filled. Water in the water heater is kept at a pre-infusion temperature. When infusion process is to commence the user selects volume of water to be dispensed into infusion material, water is rapidly heated to infusion temperature and displaced from water heater by pressurised air from air pump. At the end of the brew cycle the air pump is stopped and a valve connects the water heater to atmospheric pressure to facilitate water flow from the fresh water tank into the water heater. After the infusion process an air valve may direct air from the air pump to the infusible material to dry it for ease of disposal.

Abstract: A method for heat treating a gear having gear teeth includes removably mounting the gear on a work-piece holder, moving one of either a magnet assembly or the work-piece holder to bring the gear and the magnet assembly into heating proximity, rotating the magnet assembly for a desired amount of time while said magnet assembly and gear are in heating proximity to each other to heat treat surfaces of the gear teeth, moving one of either the magnet assembly or the work-piece holder relative to the other to bring different surfaces of the gear into heating proximity with said magnet assembly, and repeating for each opposed pair of gear teeth surfaces until all said gear teeth surfaces are heat treated.

Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle cabin heating system includes setting a target temperature for a vehicle cabin interior space. The method also includes measuring current temperature within the vehicle cabin interior space at a location spaced apart from a first infrared heater and spaced apart from a target surface within the vehicle cabin interior space, the first infrared heater being aimed to heat the target surface. A surface temperature of the target surface is estimated based the current temperature. The first infrared heater is controlled such that the heater is turned on in response to the estimated surface temperature of the target surface falling below the target temperature by a predetermined amount, and the heater is turned off in response to the estimated surface temperature rising above the target temperature by the predetermined amount.