Abstract: An illuminating system having an electronic shield illuminating apparatus comprises a semiconductor light-emitting source, a reflector, an electronic shield, a shield driving control circuit, and a projection lens. The reflector is intended for reflecting a portion of the light reflected by the semiconductor light-emitting source, and has a reflecting surface facing the semiconductor light-emitting source. The electronic shield is intended for generating different shield patterns to mask the light emitted by the semiconductor light-emitting source, and the light reflected by the reflector, and has a main surface facing the semiconductor light-emitting source and the reflecting surface of the reflector. The shield driving control circuit drives the electronic shield to generate different shield patterns in response to a signal information. The projection lens projects the light passing through the electronic shield.

Abstract: A double-layer liquid crystal lens comprises a first transparent substrate, a second transparent substrate, a third transparent substrate, a first liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and the second transparent substrates, and a second liquid crystal layer interposed between the second and the third transparent substrates. The upper side of the first transparent substrate is provided with a transparent ITO electrode and an alignment film disposed on the transparent electrode. Each of the upper and the lower sides of the second transparent substrate is provided with a alignment film. The upper side of the third transparent substrate is provided with an apertured electrode while the lower side thereof is provided with an alignment film. The first and the third transparent substrates are made of glass while the second transparent substrate is made of plastic material.

Abstract: A double-layer liquid crystal lens comprises a first transparent substrate, a second transparent substrate, a third transparent substrate, a first liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and the second transparent substrates, and a second liquid crystal layer interposed between the second and the third transparent substrates. The upper side of the first transparent substrate is provided with a transparent ITO electrode and an alignment film disposed on the transparent electrode. Each of the upper and the lower sides of the second transparent substrate is provided with a alignment film. The upper side of the third transparent substrate is provided with an apertured electrode while the lower side thereof is provided with an alignment film. The first and the third transparent substrates are made of glass while the second transparent substrate is made of plastic material.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating and cooling an article is provided. The apparatus comprises an enclosure having top, bottom, and side walls and an entrance and an exit. A first belt system comprising one or more belts extends from a loading position through a portion of the enclosure. The first belt system has a loading end and an unloading end. A second belt system comprising one or more belts extends from the unloading end of the first belt system to an unloading position. The second belt system has a loading end and an unloading end. The enclosure includes one or more heating sources positioned adjacent the first belt system for heating the first belt system.

Abstract: A method of conveying moieties through an infrared conveyor furnace with controllable point source radiation elements incorporating a clean room internal environment. The method comprises the steps of transporting moieties in an indexed manner through multiple heating zones heated by arrays of lamps; and dividing the lamps of each array into a plurality of groups which are separately controlled to maintain a constant temperature across the surface of the moiety. The method further comprises controlling the lamp groups through the use of a controller utilizing data from FTIR sensors mounted in a fused quartz barrier which is permeable by infrared radiation but which seals the lamp arrays from the heating zones.

Abstract: An infrared conveyor furnace with controllable point source radiation elements incorporating a clean room internal environment. The conveyor transports moieties in an indexed manner through multiple heating zones heated by arrays of lamps. The lamps of each array are divided into a plurality of groups which are separately controlled to maintain a constant temperature across the surface of the moiety. The control of the lamp groups is accomplished through the use of a controller utilizing data from FTIR sensors mounted in a fused quartz barrier which is permeable by infrared radiation but which seals the lamp arrays from the heating zones.

Abstract: A furnace assembly for automatically transporting circuit board of varying sizes through a firing chamber and for maintaining heat within the firing chamber and preventing ambient air from entering into the firing chamber by having an adjustable twin-track rail assembly for housing and positioning conveyor belts which secure the circuit boards and by having baffle gate chambers in which a series of baffle gates maintain a constant atmosphere at the open ends of the firing chamber.

Abstract: An infrared furnace has a housing with insulated walls defining an elongated straight tunnel disposed on a longitudinal axis between an entrance and an exit. A conveyor continuously moves through the tunnel along the longitudinal axis between the entrance and the exit. A first plurality of elongated tubular infrared heating elements are disposed in the tunnel above the conveyor in spaced apart parallel relationship transverse to the longitudinal axis. A second plurality of tubular elongated infrared heating elements are disposed in the tunnel below the conveyor in spaced apart parallel relationship transverse to the longitudinal axis. The housing has insulated walls each comprising a porous insulative inner panel and a non-porous outer panel. At least one of the outer panels is spaced from its associated inner panel to form a plenum chamber therebetween. The insulated walls define an elongated tunnel in which a source of infrared radiation is disposed.

Abstract: An insulated firing chamber has oppositely disposed sidewalls with a plurality of aligned pairs of holes. A plurality of infrared lamps are disposed in the chamber. The end terminals of the lamps pass through the respective pairs of holes to the exterior of the chamber. The end terminals of the lamps are enclosed by sealed compartments so the only way for gas to escape from the compartments is through the holes in the sidewalls of the firing chamber. Nonreactive gas under pressure is introduced into the compartments to induce unidirectional gas flow through the holes into the firing chambers. The gas introduced into the compartments cools the end terminals of the lamps without danger of contaminating the environment inside the firing chamber. The compartments each have an access opening, a removable hatch that engages a gasket on the compartment around the opening to seal the opening when the hatch is in place.

Abstract: An infrared furnace has a firing chamber in which a source of infrared energy is disposed and an elongated envelope transparent to the infrared energy extending through the firing chamber. The envelope has first and second open ends outside the firing chamber. First and second baffle chambers surround the respective first and second ends of the envelope. A product conveyor travels through the furnace via the baffle chambers and the envelope. Gas flow is prevented from the exterior of the furnace into the baffle chambers and from the firing chamber into the baffle chambers. Non-atmospheric gas is supplied to the baffle chambers so as to create therein a superatmospheric pressure which prevents gas flow into the baffle chambers from the exterior of the furnace. The non-atmospheric gas is exhausted from one of the baffle chambers, thereby inducing flow of the non-atmospheric gas from the other baffle chamber through the envelope.

Abstract: A hazard prevention control circuit is provided for an electric heater having heating coils enclosed in a quartz tube immersed in a tank of solution. A circuit breaker is connected in series with a contactor coil controlling a set of contacts connecting the main lines of a power supply to the heating coils of the heater. Upon sensing a hazard condition, the control circuit causes excess current to flow through the circuit breaker to open the circuit and deenergize the contactor coil so as to open the contacts connecting the power to the heating coils. Transformers are provided for coupling power supplied by the main lines to the control circuit and the contactor coil and for coupling the pulse output of the control circuit to trigger a triac which conducts the excess current through the circuit breaker.

Abstract: A pyrex tank for heating corrosive solutions is formed with a main body portion having an open top and with a small annular cavity portion depending from the bottom of the main body portion. A heater unit comprising a heating element enclosed in a quartz tube is securely mounted in an upright position on a support. The tank is positioned on the support with the central opening of its annular cavity receiving the quartz tube of the heating element. The solution in the main body portion of the tank is heated in the annular cavity portion thereof by convection. A thermocouple supported in an upright position on the support is inserted through the open lower end of an upright tube fixed to the bottom wall of the tank and extending upwardly into the interior thereof.