Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a cooking device and a cooking method which can quickly discharge a steam supplied into a heating chamber from the heating chamber and can cook an object to be heated through uniform steam heating by setting the steam in the heating chamber to have a suitable temperature for the cooking. A cooking device (100) for supplying a steam S to a heating chamber (11) accommodating an object M to be heated, thereby heating the object M to be heated includes steam supplying means for supplying the steam (S) to the heating chamber (11), and air discharging means for discharging the steam supplied to the heating chamber (11) from the heating chamber (11).

Abstract: The measurement is conducted by means of thermogravimetric scales (10) bearing at one end of the beam (20) a catalyst body (30) for catalysing a coking reaction of the tars present in the gas state. Precautions are taken in order to ensure homogeneity and regularity of the sampled gas flow and to guarantee predominant catalysis on the catalytic body (30), the weight increase of which gives the weight of the deposited coke and indirectly the content of tars present in the gas state in the gas to be measured. A calorimetric device (34) for analyzing gases from the coking of the tars provides a complementary and/or additional measurement. The solid tars are filtered beforehand, but their content may be measured by an auxiliary device. Possible application to analyzing gases from biomass.

Abstract: A vehicle including a controller with a steering input module and a brake input module is disclosed. The steering input module (11) has a mechanical interface to which the exchangeable operating elements (12) for steering the vehicle can be attached. The brake input module (21) has a mechanical interface with touchless sensors (211a, b), to which the exchangeable operating elements (22) for braking can be attached. Per the steering input module (11) and/or brake input module (21), at least one main controller board (131a, b, 231a, b, 321, 332) is provided. For the steering input module, the main controller board sets the individual parameters with respect to the steering angle and straight-ahead position of the exchangeable operating elements (12) for steering the vehicle. For the brake input module, the main controller board sets the individual parameters with respect to the brake distance of the exchangeable operating elements (22) for braking.

Abstract: A rack for an appliance that can stack upon another rack. The rack includes a support platform having a support frame and a plurality of elongated support wires that form a support surface. The rack also includes a plurality of downwardly depending leg sections that can include a shoulder portion and a foot portion located below the shoulder portion. The rack also includes at least one cross member that can cooperate with the support platform to form a reception area that can receive a foot portion of a superjacent rack. In addition or alternatively, at least one reception area can be located vertically above a foot portion. In addition or alternatively, each foot portion includes an upturned portion. In addition or alternatively, the shoulder portion can enable the rack to be supported by a subjacent rack located within an interior cavity of an appliance.

Abstract: There is provided a character training and development system for a virtual environment and related method. A character can be purchased by a user and then registered on a communication network via a unique code. Once registered, a set of attributes can be assigned to the character based on the type and class of the character. Attribute values can be assigned to the attributes by default or by user preferences. The characters can be manipulated within the virtual environment. In particular, the characters can be trained in order to improve their skills, to add new skills, and to increase their overall value and worth in the virtual environment. In addition, the characters can be traded among users for a price based on their skills. Fees can be charged for each trade. Traded characters are given a new code to transfer all control of the character to the new owner.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to suppress an increase in the power consumption for the relaying of signals. A relay station unit 150 is a relay station unit that has as a function the relaying of a signal, and includes: a wireless receiving unit 15; a relay determination unit 23, for determining that a signal received by the wireless receiving unit 15 does not satisfy a predetermined quality, and for permitting reception of a signal from a different relay station unit; a synthesizing unit 18, for generating a transmission signal based on a signal received from a base station unit and a signal received from the different relay station unit; and a wireless transmitting unit 13, for transmitting the signal that is generated.

Abstract: An awning assembly includes a canopy, a first and second arm assembly, and a canopy rod. The arm assemblies can each include an adjustable pitch arm assembly configured to adjust the pitch of the canopy. The canopy rod has a first end and a second end each supported by one of the arm assemblies. Manual adjustment of the adjustable pitch arm assemblies is configured to move the ends of the canopy rod. The canopy is movable from a first deployed position to a second deployed position when the adjustable pitch arm assemblies are both manually adjusted from an extended position to a collapsed position. The canopy can be movable from either deployed position to a retracted position without manually adjusting the adjustable pitch arm assemblies. The adjustable pitch arm assemblies can change positions in response to water being collected on the awning assembly to drain the collected water.

Abstract: With an external memory to be inserted and removed through an adapter, insertion and removal of the external memory are reliably detected and data destruction with insertion or removal is prevented. A detector includes a card detection section (32) for detecting that a memory card (10) has been inserted into a connector (31), acquiring the ID of the detected memory card (10), and acquiring card information of the memory card (10), an application section (36) for making an access request to a memory card, and a card access section (34) for acquiring the ID of a memory card (11) inserted into the connector (31) at the time of the access request, making a comparison between the ID of the memory card (10) and the ID of the memory card (11), determining whether or not the IDs are identical, and acquiring card information concerning the memory card (11) if the IDs are not identical.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to shorten a time required until phases of output signals being output from two output terminals are inverted respectively from a start time of an oscillation in a differential oscillation apparatus.

Abstract: In a laser processing step S3, boundary sections among semiconductor elements 2 of a resist film 4 are exposed to a laser beam 13a, to thus form in the resist film 4 boundary grooves 5—which partition the semiconductor elements 2 from each other—and to uncover a surface 1b of a semiconductor wafer 1 in the boundary grooves 5. In a plasma etching step S6, the surface 1b of the semiconductor wafer 1 exposed in the boundary grooves 5 is etched by means of plasma Pf of a fluorine-based gas, to thus separate the semiconductor wafer 1 into individual semiconductor chips 1? along the boundary grooves 5. Between the laser processing step S3 and the plasma etching step S6, there is performed processing pertaining to a boundary-groove-surface smoothing step S5 for smoothing, by means of plasma Po of oxygen gas, surfaces of the boundary grooves 5 having assumed an irregular shape in the laser processing step S3.

Abstract: A current-interrupting chamber is filled with a dielectric fluid and includes a moving assembly. The moving assembly is mounted to move axially between a position at the start of a circuit-breaker opening operation and a position at the end of a circuit-breaker opening operation. The moving assembly has a first compression chamber whose volume decreases between the start position and a position in which the first chamber is open; a first arcing contact designed to co-operate with a second arcing contact; and a second compression chamber communicating with the first compression chamber. The volume of the second compression chamber decreases between the start position and the end position. The second compression chamber is designed to inject fluid into the first compression chamber, between the open position and the end position, when the pressure in the first chamber is lower than the pressure in the second chamber.

Abstract: An HVAC system for a motorized vehicle or vessel is provided that includes a variable-speed compressor, a variable-speed condenser fan and a variable-speed evaporator fan. The HVAC system further includes a DC-power system for supplying DC power to the variable-speed compressor, the variable-speed condenser fan and the variable-speed evaporator fan regardless if the mobile unit's engine is operating or not operating. A controller and an operator interface are also provided for controlling the operation of the HVAC system.

Abstract: A laundry stain and soil pretreatment sheet including a water soluble or water dispersible carrier layer, preferably polyvinyl alcohol, a removable separator layer, and a layer of cleaning agent composition therebetween. The separator layer is removed, the composition layer is adhered to a stain on clothing, and the clothing is laundered to treat the stain. The carrier layer dissolves or disperses during the laundering. A method of treating a stained or soiled area of a fabric using the sheet is also disclosed.

Abstract: For determining autofluorescence of a clinically normal skin issue (7) of a patient, the tissue (7) is irradiated with electromagnetic radiation. An amount of fluorescent radiation emitted by the tissue (7) in response to the irradiation is measured and, in response thereto, a signal is generated which represents a determined autofluorescence in agreement with the measured amount of electromagnetic radiation. Because the tissue (7) is skin tissue (7) in vivo and irradiation is performed noninvasively, a method which is very simple to apply for determining autofluorescence is obtained. An apparatus especially adapted for use in this method is also described.

Abstract: A circuit board structure and fabrication method thereof are disclosed, including: a circuit board with a circuit layer thereon; a reactant formed on the surface of the circuit layer, wherein the reactant is an organic metallic polymer having a polymer end and a metal ion end; and a dielectric layer formed above the reactant and the circuit board, thus forming a metallic bond between the metal ion end of the reactant and the circuit layer and forming a chemical bond between the polymer end of the reactant and the dielectric layer. Owing to enhanced bonding between the dielectric layer and the circuit board, electrical performance of the circuit board structure is improved, and the demand for fine circuits is met.

Abstract: The invention relates to a bicycle provided with a gearwheel consisting of a transmission element (3) rigidly connected to a drive shaft (1), a gear rim (4) which comprises an internal toothed gearing and in front of which all other components of a hypocycloidal gearwheel are fixed, a planetary gear (5) which is provided with several gearings and engaged with the gearing of the gear rim (4) by one of the gearings thereof, a sliding member (8) disposed between the plurality of gearwheels (6) and an output shaft (2) and displaceable in the direction thereof between a plurality of positions in each of which one of the gearwheels (6) and said output shaft (2) are rigidly interconnected.

Abstract: A detector array includes a plurality of neutron detectors. Each neutron detector includes an anode and a cathode including at least some B-10 boron. The array includes at least one gamma detector engaged against at least one neutron detector within the array. A detector array includes a plurality of detectors engaged against each other. The plurality of detectors includes at least one neutron detector and at least one gamma detector. In one specific example, the at least one neutron detector contains B-10. An associated method adjusts information concerning a value of neutron detection.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a memory cell array. In the memory cell array, first memory cells of floating gate type are mixed with second memory cells of floating gate type. The second memory cell is sandwiched between the first memory cells. The first memory cells of floating gate type are configured to store m-level data, where m is a natural number of 2 or more. The second memory cells of floating gate type is configured to store n-level data, where n is a natural number greater than m.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of obtaining a three-dimensional (3D) image of the outer ear canal. This will be achieved by scanning at least the outer ear canal by use of a video camera, transmitting the image data of the video camera through a connection to a service provider, analyzing the image data by the service provider with respect of acceptance and integrity, transmitting status information back to the video camera and further processing/converting accepted image data into 3D geometric data. Thus, video image data will be retrieved from the part of interest of the ear and the quality and integrity of this information will be checked by the service provider prior to storing and process/converting this data into 3D imaging data that can be used for an automated manufacturing process for the outer shape of hearing devices, hearing protection devices or hearing aid shells.