Abstract: A novel plate fin heat exchanger adapted for high and low velocity fluid flows for dissipating heat from a heat generating component. The heat exchanger comprises an array of fins being affixed to and in thermal communication with a thermally conductive base, wherein the fins are arranged in a fan tail configuration for minimizing flow bypass, and further providing reduced thermal resistance for fluid passing through the fin field. The fins are affixed to and in thermal communication with the base at an acute angle, such that the effective width of the array of fins exceeds the width of the base. The enlarged effective width of the fin array in comparison to conventional heat exchanger provides an increased volume for fluid flow, thereby allowing a greater volume of fluid to enter the fin field and a greater surface area of plate fins for cooling the fluid passing through the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A plurality of substantially similar fins is produced from the thermally conductive and formable sheet stock, for example aluminum or copper, preferably using a set of matched forming dies. Each die in the set produces a fin that is cupped in side elevation. Each fin has two flanges (in the preferred embodiment) extending from the base portion of the cup, and the fin is preferably rectangular in plan. The die cavities are substantially identical in geometry, but differ slightly in dimension so that the base portion of the cup-shaped fin-pair produced by each die in a set varies in width. Each die in the set includes a feature for producing a locating lug or dimple, or alternatively a hole, in each fin produced. The plurality of substantially geometrically identical, but dimensionally differing fin-pairs are then assembled in a nested stack in accordance with the invention.

Abstract: Temperature self-regulating food delivery systems are provided having a magnetic induction heater (32, 126) and an associated food container (76, 124) equipped with an essentially permanent ferromagnetic heating element (82, 100, 128). The heater (32, 126) and heating elements (82,100, 128) are designed so as to heat the element (82, 100, 128) to a user-selected regulation temperature when the elements (82, 100, 128) are coupled with the heater's magnetic field, and to maintain the temperature in the vicinity of the regulation temperature indefinitely temperature regulation is a heating achieved by periodically determining at least two parameters of the heaters resonant circuits related to the amplitude of the resonant current passing therethrough during heating and responsively altering the field strength of the magnetic field. Preferably, the value of the resonant circuit amplitude and the rate of change of the amplitude are determine.

Abstract: Temperature self-regulating food delivery systems are provided having a magnetic induction heater (32, 126) and an associated food container (76, 124) equipped with an essentially permanent ferromagnetic heating element (82, 100, 128). The heater (32, 126) and heating elements (82,100, 128) are designed so as to heat the element (82, 100, 128) to a user-selected regulation temperature when the elements (82, 100, 128) are coupled with the heater's magnetic field, and to maintain the temperature in the vicinity of the regulation temperature indefinitely temperature regulation is a heating achieved by periodically determining at least two parameters of the heaters resonant circuits related to the amplitude of the resonant current passing therethrough during heating and responsively altering the field strength of the magnetic field. Preferably, the value of the resonant circuit amplitude and the rate of change of the amplitude are determined.

Abstract: A heat exchanger is disclosed for dissipating heat from a heat generating component. The heat exchanger comprises a thermally conductive base in thermal communication with the component, a plurality of thermally conductive plate fins affixed to the base wherein the plate fins define a fin field and channels, and fluid control means for controlling the fluid flow within the fin field. In one embodiment, the fluid control means utilizes the low pressure created by flow bypass to vent relatively high pressure fluid within the fin field. Alternatively or in conjunction, the fluid control means substantially prevents premature egress of fluid from the top of the fin field caused by the high pressure region within the fin field.

Abstract: A heat retentive, temperature self-regulating, food retaining apparatus (10) includes a body (12), heat retentive core (14) and magnetic induction heating element (16). The body (12) includes a substantially rigid, heatable, food-contacting wall (18) defining a cavity (24). The core (14) is positioned in the cavity (24), and in thermal contact with the wall (18) for selective heating of the wall (18). The core (14) includes a solid state phase change material for storing latent heat during a solid-to-solid phase transformation at a phase transformation temperature. A resilient material is in contact with the phase change material to permit expansion of the phase change material during a phase transformation. The heating element (16) is in thermal contact with the core (14) for heating the core (14) to a temperature above the phase transformation temperature to effect a phase transformation in the phase change material.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for interfacing with a variety of transducer types to generate a measurement value of a certain property. The device has at least one sensor block that in turn has at least one sensor channel containing sensor circuitry. The sensor circuitry is configured to cooperate with a particular transducer to generate an electrical signal representing the property. Connected to the sensor block is a control block. The control block has configuration circuitry for enabling the sensor circuitry. Additionally, the control block contains conversion circuitry for converting the signal to the measurement value using a conversion equation. A user interface provides the means for inputting configuration information and outputting the measurement value. In one embodiment, the sensor block also contains a multiplicity of sensor channels and multiplexing circuitry for enabling the control block to address each sensor channel individually.