Abstract: A method of controlled heating of a micro channel reactor structure (46, 48, 50) comprises providing a structure (b1, b2, B1, B2) defining a desired temperature profile. A preferred embodiment of a heating element structure comprises a pattern of areas of a material capable of providing heat when energized, disposed over said micro channel reactor structure.

Abstract: A preheat chamber for conditioning an imaging material having a conditioning threshold temperature and a developing threshold temperature. The preheat chamber includes a chamber housing and a heating system. The heating system is configured to heat imaging material to a desired conditioning temperature above the conditioning threshold temperature and below the developing threshold temperature as the imaging material is moved through the chamber housing.

Abstract: A method involves increasing a temperature of a workpiece over a first time period to an intermediate temperature, and heating a surface of the workpiece to a desired temperature greater than the intermediate temperature, the heating commencing within less time following the first time period than the first time period. Another method involves pre-heating the workpiece from an initial temperature to an intermediate temperature, and heating a surface of the workpiece to a desired temperature greater than the intermediate temperature by an amount less than or equal to about one-fifth of a difference between the intermediate and initial temperatures. Another method involves irradiating a first side of the workpiece to pre-heat the workpiece to an intermediate temperature, and irradiating a second side of the workpiece to heat the second side to a desired temperature greater than the intermediate temperature.

Abstract: A production/injection line including a production/injection tube and heating apparatus for heating of the production/injection tube. The line also includes insulation and heat conductive material to control the heat transfer from the heating apparatus towards the production/injection tube. A method is also described for supplying heat to a production/injection line in which cooling fluid from a process on an installation is supplied to transport channels extending along a production/injection tube. Methods are also described for manufacturing a production/injection line.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of flash lamps forming a light source is a bar lamp having an elongated cylindrical shape. The ratio of the distance between the flash lamps and a semiconductor wafer to the distance between the flash lamps and a reflector is set to not more than 1.8 or at least 2.2. Consequently, illuminance is weakened on portions of the main surface of the semiconductor wafer located immediately under the flash lamps along the vertical direction and strengthened in portions located immediately under the clearances between adjacent ones of the flash lamps along the vertical direction, thereby reducing illuminance irregularity on the overall main surface of the semiconductor wafer and improving in-plane uniformity of temperature distribution on the semiconductor wafer. Thus, a thermal processing apparatus capable of improving in-plane uniformity of temperature distribution on a substrate is provided.

Abstract: A solder reflow oven with horizontal cyclonic convection air flow for enhancing equalized heating of printed circuit boards conveyed therethrough. Air circulation apparatus can include a first air movement fan for urging air to move horizontally laterally from the first side wall of the oven toward the second side wall of the oven across and above printed circuit boards being conveyed therethrough. A second air fan is positioned below and laterally displaced from the conveying means for directing a second air stream below the first air stream and oppositely oriented in order to urge movement of heated air across the undersurface of the conveyor for enhancing equalization of heating of the printed circuits boards thereupon. Preferably, both blowers are oriented to move air approximately perpendicularly with respect to the direction of movement of the conveyed printed circuit boards in opposite respective directions thereabove and therebelow.

Abstract: Automatic toaster apparatus as described including a displacing mechanism for displacing at least one of the heater plates, preferably both heater plates, towards and away from the food article in the toaster in order to accelerate the toasting thereof. According to another feature, particularly useful in apparatus for toasting bagels or other types of rolls having relatively hard crust layers on their outer surfaces, the toaster includes cutter blades for cutting through the roll before the roll is fed into the toasting unit. In the described embodiment, the cutter includes a pair of spaced cutter blades for cutting away the crust layer on the opposite faces of the roll before the roll is fed into the toaster unit.

Abstract: An air impingement oven having a conveyor belt assembly for moving food through a heat treatment passage. The air impingement oven has a fan, a supply duct, a plenum and a number of jet fingers being disposed above the conveyor belt assembly. The jet fingers have a base portion having a number of orifices for directing the impingement air onto the food. The orifices have an improved configuration. The improved configuration intensifies the airflow on the food to penetrate heat into the food surface thereby improving heat transfer. The improved configuration reduces a cooking time of the food in the air impingement oven.

Abstract: In a firing furnace of plasma display panel, gas distribution piping and gas exhaust piping each have a circular cross section and a uniform diameter along the longitudinal direction of those pipings. The gas distribution piping has a plurality of circular openings formed in a side face thereof and the openings are constructed such that the opening becomes larger in a stepwise fashion in a direction from both end portions to the central portion of the gas distribution piping. Furthermore, the gas exhaust piping has a plurality of elliptic openings formed in a side face thereof and the openings are constructed such that the opening becomes larger in a stepwise fashion in a direction from both end portions to the central portion of the gas exhaust piping.

Abstract: An automated food handling system for food servings comprising a transfer means for transporting food servings therealong; a plurality of treatment modules coupled in parallel to the transfer means; means for sensing and recognizing the type of food servings being transported on the transfer means; and means for automatically diverting the food serving from the transfer means into one of the treatment modules. The treatment modules may be machines that bring the food servings to the desired temperature. An inventory system is also provided.

Abstract: While blowing out cooling air to a preform which is biaxially stretched and blow molded into a bottle shape, heat sources are made operative by a high power and the first heating process as quick heating is performed to the preform. Subsequently, the heated preform is left as it is and a temperature adjusting process to reduce a temperature difference between an outer surface temperature and an inner surface temperature of the preform to a predetermined value or less is executed. The second heating process to heat the preform until the outer surface temperature is equal to a temperature which is slightly lower than a crystallization temperature of the PET is executed to the preform obtained after completion of the temperature adjusting process while blowing out the cooling air to the preform. Thus, the quick heating of the preform is safely accomplished without causing an overheating state.

Abstract: A housing is mounted to a slide that transports a series of preforms downward under the influence of gravity through a pre-heating apparatus toward a reheat blow molding machine. The housing is coupled to the slide so that a selected portion of each of the series of preforms is shielded from the general enviroment, and heating elements and directing elements are fixed within the housing so that heat from the heating elements is directed toward the selected portion of each series of preforms as the preforms desend down the slide to achieve a persistent thermal gradient in the preforms prior to the re-heating and blow-molding of the preform.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heating glass, in which glass (4) is heated upon rollers (3) in a tempering furnace (1) from above and below of the glass (4). At least the upper surface of the glass (4) is heated with hot air jets directed substantially perpendicularly relative to the surface of the glass (4). The air jets have been provided by sucking air mainly from the inside of the furnace and by pressurizing the air taken from the inside of the tempering furnace (1) to an overpressure of over 0.1 bar relative to the pressure in the tempering furnace (1).

Abstract: A continuous infrared oven and an infrared element therefor wherein the source and return terminals of the element are located on the same lateral side of the oven conveyor and are both accessible through the same oven side wall.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preheating the conductor elements of cables with extruded insulator essentially by forced thermal convection. Particularly for conductors with metal tape reinforcement, such as for example Milliken conductors, where it has been found that the traditional magnetic-induction heating is not satisfactory since the tape reinforcement shields the elements of conductors.

Abstract: An air impingement oven having a conveyor belt assembly for moving food through a heat treatment passage. The air impingement oven has a fan, a supply duct, a plenum and a number of jet fingers being disposed above the conveyor belt assembly. The jet fingers have a base portion having a number of orifices for directing the impingement air onto the food. The orifices have an improved configuration. The improved configuration intensifies the airflow on the food to penetrate heat into the food surface thereby improving heat transfer. The improved configuration reduces a cooking time of the food in the air impingement oven.

Abstract: The present invention provides an indicator system for an appliance to notify an appliance operator that an operable temperature is reached by an element of the appliance. The indicator system comprises a light source that provides light to a linear light enhancer. The linear light enhancer transmits light from the light source along the length of the linear light enhancer, to increase the ability of an appliance operator to observe the light from the light source. The light enhancer is an optical fiber or a light tube. The invention is also directed to the incorporation of such indicator systems in appliances that require a heating period, such as for example, laminators.

Abstract: A pizza oven having a baking chamber, having a loading port, and having a dispensing port; a conveyor extending longitudinally through the baking chamber from the loading port to the dispensing port; an air plenum having an air intake port and a plurality of air output ports; an air blower connected to the air plenum for moving heated air from the air intake port to the air output ports; and having upper and lower pluralities of ducts respectively overlying and underlying the conveyor, each duct having a proximal end attached to the plenum and a distal end, each duct further having proximal and distal air discharge ports respectively positioned proximally and distally from a vertical plane extending longitudinally along and substantially centrally through the conveyor, each duct's proximal air discharge port being larger than the duct's distal air discharge port.

Abstract: Methods and systems are configured to expose an object to an electrical discharge. The system includes a conveyor that conveys the object, a guide that guides the object, and an electrode that provides an electrical discharge. The guide is typically set to guide the object laterally with respect to the direction of the conveyor. The guide is generally used to place an object at a predetermined distance from the electrode. Also, the system may include multiple electrodes. The plural electrodes may be used to treat multiple sides of the object. Also, the electrodes may be positioned such that they are not coplanar with the conveyor. The system is suitably used to treat hollow objects which are in filling positions.

Abstract: A web conveyor is provided having a frame, a pair of conveyor rails, and at least one sag rail. The pair of conveyor rails is carried by the frame in laterally spaced-apart relation. The pair of conveyor rails is configured to support and convey respective edges of a thermoformable web of plastic material. The at least one sag rail includes a friction-reducing material provided along at least a portion of a top edge of the sag rail. The sag rail is provided between the conveyor rails and extends longitudinally along a web travel path. The sag rail is configured to support a web of material intermediate the conveyor rails. A web support apparatus having one or more of friction-reducing material, local, raised portions, and a temperature regulator is also provided.

Abstract: When a heat treatment device for heating synthetic fiber filament yarns by saturated steam is installed to a drawing and texturing device for synthetic fiber filament yarns, in order to lower the total height of the devices than a conventional one, cylindrical hot pins each having a heat-absorbing part and a heat-discharging part are formed integrally with the bottom surface of a laterally extended container for sealing saturated steam of heat medium liquid in such a fashion as to penetrate through the bottom surface from inside to outside of the container with axes of the hot pins extending in a vertical direction, and the level of surface of the heat medium liquid within the boiler connected with the container is disposed at a position lower than the inside bottom surface of the container.

Abstract: When a heat treatment device for simultaneously heat-treating synthetic fiber filament yarns with saturated steam of heat medium liquid stored in a plurality of closed containers is installed with other devices together, the total height of the installation is lowered than a conventional one in order to reduce the cost of a building for storing these devices. The closed container for saturated steam of heat medium liquid is formed longer in horizontal direction, the heating surface of an outer surface of the closed container is faced downwardly, and the heating surfaces of the closed containers are provided at positions higher than the heat medium liquid level in the boiler so that a boiler for heating the heat medium is not necessarily installed in each closed container, thereby manufacturing costs are also reduced.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a chamber and a method for continuous thermal processing of products being conveyed through the chamber. The thermal processing could be quick-freezing of fish or similar food items. The invention relates more specifically to a device and a method for processing the food items by means of thermal convection directly from a conveyor belt combined with thermal convection from an additional thermal source such as from the surrounding air. The combination of thermal induction provides a good performance e.g. for freezing products fast. The invention further relates to a conveyer belt for form stabilising the food items during the thermal process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heating glass, in which glass (4) is heated upon rollers (3) in a tempering furnace (1) from above and below of the glass (4). At least the upper surface of the glass (4) is heated with hot air jets directed substantially perpendicularly relative to the surface of the glass (4). The air jets have been provided by sucking air mainly from the inside of the furnace and by pressurizing the air taken from the inside of the tempering furnace (1) to an overpressure of over 0.1 bar relative to the pressure in the tempering furnace (1).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for heating semiconductor devices (DUTs) having a variety of package shapes. The apparatus has a plurality of trays on which DUTs are mounted. A heating chamber with a plurality of stages, house the tray. A tray moving mechanism moves the trays so as to be disposed within the heating chamber and outside of the heating chamber. The method has the steps of supplying the DUTs on a tray, heating the DUTs supplied on each tray, and relocating and measuring the DUTs.

Abstract: An electric oven includes a housing having a door at a front, a chamber in an interior and a motor at a bottom; rotating devices installed in the housing and each consisting of an upper frame, a lower frame, roller seat assemblies, a gear wheel, a driven shaft and a driven gear; and, net racks capable of being rested on the gear wheels. In using, the motor is actuated to turn the driven shafts and gears to synchronously rotate the gear wheels to make the net racks rotated accordingly for roasting food articles evenly. The rotating devices designed to be located in multiple layers can be placed with various food articles, thus enabling one single electric oven to roast the various food articles at the same time. A pan can be rested on the rotating device that is positioned at a top layer for frying, roasting, boiling and deep-frying.

Abstract: A solder flow oven comprises a reflow zone for heating a workpiece using heated air to a temperature effective to reflow solder. The reflow zone comprises a nozzle having divergent vanes that direct shear layers into neighboring zones to extend the distance over which the workpiece is heated to effective solder reflow temperature.

Abstract: A process for preventing food-borne illness by pasteurizing the surface of a food product. The inventive process preferably comprises the step of heating the product surface in a manner effective to bring the temperature of the surface to at least 160° F. without causing any substantial change in color and without substantially changing the internal core temperature of the product. The heating step is also preferably conducted in a manner effective for achieving at least a 3 log reduction in live bacteria on the product surface. The inventive process is particularly well suited for treating precooked meat, poultry, and fish products.

Abstract: Reflow solder oven gas management system introduces an inert gas into and removes contaminated gas from a reflow oven tunnel (42) at predetermined points (6, 8) to influence the oven tunnel gas flow and to dilute and expel excess oxygen. The contaminated gas is ducted to a flux separation system (34) to be cleaned, for example remove flux vapors, and returned in part to the tunnel (42) for recirculation and with the remainder routed to end baffle boxes (54) for tunnel end pressurization and exhaust. The system has sufficient pressure to supply end baffle boxes (54) with clean gas to create a gas barrier to effectively seal off the tunnel ends from air infiltration or migration into the tunnel making the system insensitive to external pressure and/or temperature variations. The invention also includes alternative embodiments, low flow oxygen bleed valves (72) to maintain low oxygen content in the oven process tunnel.

Abstract: A drying apparatus includes a thermal roll for contacting and heating aluminum web in a continuous sheet form. The thermal roll includes a roll surface, having a static friction coefficient &mgr; defined by contact with the web.

Abstract: A reflow soldering apparatus and method are provided for reflow soldering electrical and electronic components to circuit boards. The reflow soldering apparatus and method use selective infrared (IR) heating alone or in combination with convection heating to achieve reflow soldering. Selective IR heating provided by the apparatus and method according to the invention helps to eliminate or helps to at least substantially reduce a risk overheating and thermal damage to non-targeted electrical and electronic components and areas of circuit boards during reflow.

Abstract: An oven for thermal treating a web includes: an over chamber; a web transport for transporting a web through the oven chamber; a heater for heating the web in the oven chamber; an exhaust system connected to the oven chamber; a model-based controller for controlling the web temperature profile; and an air delivery system. The model-based controller includes: (i) a plurality of sensor inputs; (ii) a plurality of control signal outputs; (iii) a multi-variable controller with first principles guidelines and oven and process boundaries for a first specific oven; (iv) a desire process profile; and (v) a translator module for permitting the desire process profile to be transferred to at least a second specific oven.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus achieves a uniform and rapid temperature rise of an object to be processed. A plurality of double-end lamps heat the object to be processed so as to apply a heat treatment process to the object. A plurality of reflectors reflect radiation heat of the double-end lamps toward the object to be processed. Each of the double-end lamps includes a rectilinear light-emitting part and at least two double-end lamps among the plurality of double-end lamps are arranged along a longitudinal direction of the light-emitting part, or each of the double-end lamps includes a rectilinear light-emitting part and the plurality of double-end lamps are arranged so that the light-emitting parts are parallel to each other and positioned in at least two stages.

Abstract: There is provided a chamber open to the outside through openings through which a solder-adhered object is passed and the chamber having a heating/melting area, a carrying mechanism for carrying the solder-adhered object into the heating/melting area, a formic-acid supplying means for supplying a formic acid into the heating/melting area, an exhausting means for exhausting a gas from the heating/melting area and its neighboring area to create a lower pressure area in the heating/melting area as compared to the pressure of outside the chamber, heating means for heating directly or indirectly the solder-adhered object in the heating/melting area, and an air-stream suppressing means for disturbing a gas flow between the heating/melting area and the carrying areas.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for processing sample materials. The sample materials may be located in a plurality of process chambers in the device, which is rotated during heating of the sample materials.

Abstract: A continuous controlled atmosphere brazing system includes a dry-off oven for driving off moisture from materials to be brazed, a pre-heat section for pre-heating the material and a brazing furnace for brazing the materials. Heated gas produced in the pre-heat section and the brazing furnace is conveyed along a flowpath to the chamber of the dry-off oven to provide substantially the sole source of heat for the oven. The flowpath for the heated gas is defined by a series of tubes in communication with each component of the brazing system and intermediate manifolds disposed between components. The discharge mouths of the tubes open into the oven chamber at the suction side of recirculation fans operating within the oven. The overall temperature of the oven can be regulated by controllably mixing ambient air with the heated gas in relation to the oven temperature.

Abstract: A grilling component includes a pair of grilling structures supported at an oblique angle from the vertical. Each grilling structure includes a heater and a moveable conveyor belt positioned around the heater. As the food travels on the conveyor belts between the heaters, the food is cooked. Preferably, the conveyor belt is made of a non-stick coated Invar™. A lateral sensor positioned proximate to an edge of each of the conveyor belts detects and compensates for lateral movement of the conveyor belts. After the food exits the grilling structures, the food slides onto a heated holding area for serving.

Abstract: There is disclosed a heat-sealing method including: feeding a fusible fiber sheet (12) into the clearance between a pair of rolls (1, 5), at least one of which has sealing ridges (2, 6) of a predetermined pattern on its outer circumference; and heating and pressing the fiber sheet (12) with the sealing ridges (2, 6), to form fused portions corresponding to the pattern of the sealing ridges (2, 6), in the fiber sheet (12). An insulator (4) is disposed to cover the outer circumference of the rolls (1, 5), as lacking the sealing ridges. The insulator (4) is made of a material which has a lower thermal conductivity than that of the sealing ridges and which can be elastically contracted by the pressure of the rolls (1, 5). The fiber sheet (12) to be fed into the clearance between the rolls (1, 5) rotating is compressed by the insulator (4) to discharge its internal air and is then heated and pressed by the sealing ridges (2, 6) so that it is heat-sealed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for ceramising glass ceramics (so-called green glass). The process according to the present invention comprises the following procedural steps: green glass (3) is manufactured; the green glass is placed in a suspended state on a levitation substrate by supply of levitation gas; the green glass is heated in the suspended state by IR radiation until such time as the desired ceramising has set in.

Abstract: An oven which comprises a housing, a conveyor belt for guiding products through the interior space of the housing and heating elements for heating the products in the interior space of the housing using hot air and/or steam, which conveyor belt extends between an entrance and an exit of the housing and, between these two points, follows at least one path with turns which lie above one another. At least one air jet device is provided for generating a hot flow of air in jet form, which air jet device is positioned in such a manner with respect to at least one section of the conveyor belt that the hot flow of air in jet form impinges on the products situated on that section.

Abstract: With reference to a device for heating a meltable material, such as plastic, upstream from equipment for further processing, such as casting or extrusion equipment, which device includes a conveyor channel for the material and a heating means located outside the conveyor channel, the heating means being designed as a radiant heating means and the thermal radiation being directed onto the conveyor channel, the invention proposes that the conveyor channel consist of a material which completely or partially absorbs the thermal radiation.

Abstract: A method of uniformly or substantially uniformly heating at least one surface of a substrate, comprises the steps of supporting a substrate, generating a heated air flow, directing the heated air flow to heat a strip of a first surface of the substrate, and moving the flow path of the heated air in a direction transverse to the direction in which the heated air flow impinges on the substrate until the temperature of the whole or substantially the whole first surface of the substrate has been uniformly or substantially uniformly raised. Apparatus for performing this method is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention efficiently and safely combines directed air flow for drying and heat removal with panel infrared emitters that provide thermal energy for curing LPI solder mask and legend inks onto printed circuit boards being transported though an area with pneumatic and radiant processes occurring simultaneously. The internal geometric configuration of the apparatus and high velocity input air results in an airflow stream in relation to the panel infrared emitters that ensures any flammable vapors are kept separated from the infrared emitters.

Abstract: Pre-heating apparatus for pre-heating a selected portion of each of a series of preforms to achieve a persistent thermal gradient prior to re-heating and blow-molding the preform. The pre-heating apparatus is adjustably mounted to a gravitational slide that transports the series of preforms downward under the influence of gravity through the preheating apparatus toward a reheat blow molding machine. The pre-heating apparatus includes a housing coupled to the slide so that the selected portion of each of the series of preforms is shielded from the general environment, and heating elements fixed within the housing so that heat from the heating elements is directed toward the selected portion of each of the series of preforms as the preforms descend down the gravitational slide.

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 heating device for heating merchandise, especially printed boards, comprises a feeding device provided in front of a least one heating line in the transport direction of the merchandise and a discharge device provided behind the heating line in the transport direction, wherein a number of heating zones/devices and/or cooling zones/devices or the like are associated with the heating line. To improve a heating device of the aforementioned type by increasing the throughput of merchandise in a simple manner, at least two heating lines are disposed on top of each other, to which merchandise can be separately fed by the feeding device from a horizontal transport level, and the merchandise can be separately discharged from the heating lines by the discharge device from the heating lines back into a horizontal transport level.

Abstract: A system and method for reflowing solder to interconnect a plurality of electronic components to a substrate is disclosed. The system includes an oven for preheating the substrate and the plurality of electronic components disposed thereon, a supplemental heat source disposed in the oven for providing additional heat energy to reflow the solder, and a pallet for supporting the substrate, wherein the supplemental heat source creates a stream of hot gas that flows transversely across the substrate.

Abstract: A vertical toaster comprising a housing, heating elements, a food support and a drive. The heating elements are connected to the housing and comprise at least one calrod. The calrod comprises an electric wire surrounded by heat conductive electrical insulation and a metal cover. The food support is movably mounted to the housing for up and down motion. The drive is for moving the food support relative to the housing. The drive comprises a motor and a linkage between the motor and the food support for moving the food support both down and up such that food on the food support passes by the calrod. The calrod prevents an electrical shock to a user if the user accidentally contacts the calrod with an electrically conductive member.

Abstract: A grilling component includes a pair of grilling structures supported at an oblique angle from the vertical. Each grilling structure includes a heater and a moveable conveyor belt positioned around the heater. As the food travels on the conveyor belts between the heaters, the food is cooked. Preferably, the conveyor belt is made of a non-stick coated Invar™. A lateral sensor positioned proximate to an edge of each of the conveyor belts detects and compensates for lateral movement of the conveyor belts. After the food exits the grilling structures, the food slides onto a heated holding area for serving.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for merging the processes of hearth baking and conveyor baking to offer the benefits of the two processes while eliminating many of the shortcomings. In one aspect, the present invention is a horizontal food-grade product conveyor to transport and support food substances within or through a cooking chamber in a continuous motion. The product conveyor comprises a frame, a support structure, a drive mechanism, and rotating segments of ceramic, brick, firebrick, stone, baked clay, transite, quarry tile, or other non-metallic material which form an endless baking hearth. Each hearth segment interacts with the next adjacent hearth segment to facilitate turning around a radius while forming and maintaining a continuous, flat product support surface and preheated baking hearth.