Abstract: A device for heating flowing media in a handpiece, particularly air or water for use in dentistry procedures, includes a structural unit for controllably heating a flowing medium disposed in a housing in a sealed manner such that an annular flow passage is formed between an interior wall of the housing and the structural unit. The structural unit includes a PTC resistor having end faces disposed between and in thermal and electrical contact with a pair of porous sintered metal heat exchanger elements at a non-zero angle to the direction of medium flow. Connectors on the opposing ends of the unit contact the sintered heat exchanger elements to flow connect the structural unit in a medium flow line and to electrically connect the PTC resistor to a heating control circuit.

Abstract: A hair treatment apparatus includes a rotary arm having an air flow passage, an electric fan for blowing air through the passage to an outlet for impingement onto the hair being treated and an electric heater installed in the passage for heating the air. The rotary arm is rotatably attached at a tiltable angle to an obliquely downwardly facing body cover supported on a support rod and housing an electric motor driven drive mechanism for reciprocally rotating the arm in a path defining a conical surface about the body cover. The tilted angle of the arm is adjustable to change the apex angle of the conical surface described by the arm during rotation. The rotary drive mechanism can slip should the arm be blocked by an external force. A photo sensor position detecting arrangement controls the limits of the reciprocal rotation of the rotary arm.

Abstract: A method for forming an in-line heater for heating water supplied to a hot water carpet cleaning extractor includes the formation of a spiral flange upon the exterior surface of an elongated cylindrical body having a bore therein to define a heat exchanger. The flanged heat exchanger is inserted into a cylindrical housing having an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the spirally flanged heat exchanger by heating the housing to increase the inner diameter thereof sufficiently to allow the spirally flanged heat exchanger to be be received therein. Upon cooling, the housing shrinks into watertight engagement with the spiral flange to define a spiral water floe conduit between the ends of the in-line heater. The first and second ends of the heat exchanger are then welded to the housing. Quick disconnect fittings are threaded into the in-line heater to establish communication with the end of the spiral water conduit.

Abstract: A heating device for heating flowing media includes a heat exchanger to be heated by PTC resistors. The heat exchanger is formed of thermally conductive metal having a slit-like pocket formed therein defining a given shape and defining pocket surfaces facing one another. A cuboid substrate body has a shape adapted to the given shape and an introduction side to be introduced into the pocket. The substrate body has opposed surfaces with recesses formed therein for receiving the PTC resistors and an internal conduit formed therein for receiving a contact spring. At least the surfaces of the substrate body having the recesses and the pocket surfaces facing the surfaces of the substrate body are beveled for decreasing the cross section of the substrate body and of the pocket from the introduction side inward, and for pressing the PTC resistors against the pocket surfaces upon introduction of the substrate body into the pocket with the PTC resistors located in the recesses.

Abstract: A heater for liquid includes a vessel having an inlet for cold liquid and an outlet for hot liquid, an electrically operated valve means to control the flow of liquid into the vessel through the inlet, and an electric heating means to heat the liquid in the vessel. A first control means operative for controlling the liquid level in the vessel responds to a level sensor by maintaining the electrically operated valve means continuously open until the level of liquid in the vessel reaches an upper limit. The heater has a second control means operable independently from the first control means and which responds to a temperature sensor by rendering the heating means operative in response to a liquid temperature below a first threshold temperature being sensed, and inoperative in response to a liquid temperature above a second threshold temperature being sensed.

Abstract: A heater particularly adapted for use in automotive applications as a passenger compartment heater or the like has a housing with an opening and has a plurality of heat-exchanging fin members and self-regulating electrical resistance heater discs of positive temperature coefficient resistivity (PTC) disposed in the housing to heat air or other fluid which is passed through the housing opening in heat-transfer relation to the fin members. A thermally conductive grease is positioned between the PTC heater discs and fin members to enhance heat transfer. Springs resiliently position the fin members, grease and heater discs in thermally and electrically conductive relation to each other between terminals accessible from the housing exterior to retain the fin members, grease and heater discs engaged during thermal expansion and vibration for reliably energizing the heater discs to heat the fin members over a long service life.

Abstract: A compact, in-line electric water heater is provided for heating water to a temperature suitable for dental operations. The heater includes a cylindrical inner tube containing an electrical heater element and a cylindrical outer tube concentrically spaced therefrom, through which water to be heated is circulated. An inlet and outlet for the water is located at one end of a chamber formed between the tubes. A control thermostat is operatively mounted on an area of the outer tube which is flattened so as to contact the inner tube and is responsive to the temperature of the outer tube. A thermal limiter is also mounted to the outer tube to function as a safety device should the control thermostat malfunction.

Abstract: A carpet iron adapter plate of the type primarily intended for attachment to the sole plate of a carpet iron for extending the working surface of the iron so that wider carpet tape can be used. The adapter plate comprises a base having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface has a recessed portion formed therein that is configured to receive at least a portion of the sole plate of the carpet iron therein. The adapter plate has at least two arms attached to the top surface of the base, each arm having first and second ends. The first end of one of the arms is attached proximal to one edge of the base and the first end of another one of the arms is attached proximal to an opposing edge of the base.

Abstract: The external jacket structure of an electric water heater defines with the water storage tank portion thereof a hollow insulation space that horizontally circumscribes and extends across the top end of the tank. A fiberglass foam stop block member is pressed between the tank and jacket and has a cutout area through which an immersion heating element end connector is exposed to a first jacket sidewall opening normally covered by a removable access panel. A control panel mounted externally on the jacket above the first jacket sidewall opening has a bottom interior portion that downwardly overlaps a top portion of the cutout area and communicates therewith through a second jacket opening.

Abstract: A portable air blower is provided for use around the home for purposes of drying a freshly washed vehicle or the like. The blower is supported on top of the arm of the user and proximate the user's shoulder as the user's arm passes through a rigid loop support which stabilizes the blower on the user's arm. The blower can be so operated for extended periods without the user becoming exhausted. An electric motor powers a fan and electrical resistance coils heat the air which passes therethrough.

Abstract: A heating device for warming the contents of bottles and other containers. The device has a casing in which a radiant heater is mounted and a container-receiving cylindrical insert in the casing in heat transfer relationship to the radiant heater. The insert is removable from the casing through an opening in the casing top to facilitate cleaning. The insert has an imperforate lower portion capable of intercepting and trapping any product which may drip or run down the container side and openings in an upper portion allowing air to circulate into convective heat transfer with the container. The closed base of the insert has a raised seat which spaces the bottom of the container above the insert base to allow air to circulate across the bottom of the insert and to prevent any product collected in the insert from soiling the container.

Abstract: An apparatus for electrically heating an electrically conductive workpiece by passage of electric current therethrough includes a pair of hinged levers, each having a handle end and a jaw end. The jaw end of each lever is provided with a refractory metal ribbon heater selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, Nichrome, chromel, tungsten, and molydenum. The ribbon has an elongate cross-section and is bent to form a V-shaped contactor for achieving good thermal contact with a workpiece of relatively high conductivity, such as copper, aluminum or brass pipes and fittings. A copper conductor assures good electrical contact between the ends of the metal ribbon heater and the jaw and serves as a positioning block. A bolt and wing nut detachably secure the metal ribbon heater to the jaw.

Abstract: A humidifier including a base defining a liquid reservoir; a humidification mechanism for dispensing liquid contained in the reservoir; and a tank removably mounted on the base and having a bottom wall including a tube projecting into the reservoir and with a lower lip defining a fill opening, and a liquid discharge opening for providing a controlled discharge of liquid so as to maintain a given level of liquid in the reservoir. Also included is a cap engaged with the tube and having a cover portion closing the fill opening, and an annular gripping portion extending outwardly from the cover portion by the lip and upwardly adjacent to an outer wall of the tube so as to define therewith an annular cavity, and wherein the gripping portion defines control means providing liquid communication between a lower portion of the annular cavity and the reservoir.

Abstract: An electric space heater includes a hemispherical enclosure in which is positioned a blower arranged to draw air in through air inlets proximate the pole of the hemisphere for discharge through a plurality of air discharge outlets around the circumference of the enclosure. A filter between the inlets and blower filters the air and electric heating elements are provided for heating the air prior to discharge through the circumferential outlets. The enclosure is fastened to a base lying entirely within the periphery of the enclosure and supporting the blower and heating elements by a single fastener at the pole of the hemipshere with the filter captured between the enclosure and the internal parts of the heater supported on the base. The heater can be affixed to a surface by a mount attachable to the surface and having a threaded fastener engageable with a cooperating threaded member secured in a recess in the bottom of the base. The enclosure may be provided with wheels at its lower perimeter.

Abstract: A portable container for maintaining a liquid in a heated state by means of electrical energy supplied to a heating element secured to the bottom of the container by a support bar having its ends frictionally inserted into support slots on the container bottom and enclosed by a base cap separable from container itself so that access may be had to the heating means. Within the separable base cap is the power connection for the container and an indicating light to show a power-on condition. The bottom of the container has an indented annular lip which cooperates with the base cap to form a continuous watertight outside wall for the complete container. The bottom cap of the container is provided with a non-skid material to assist in maintaining the container in a stationary position within a moving vehicle.

Abstract: A hair dryer includes a plurality of elongated positive-temperature-coefficient (PTC) semiconductor heating units disposed in transverse side-by-side spaced relation in a linear array in a central air flow passage of an elongated tubular duct connected to a discharge port of a casing having an air fan rotatably mounted in the casing for blowing air through the air flow passage of the duct, each PTC heating unit defining a longitudinal axis disposed perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the air flow passage of the duct and a plurality of elongated spaced fins longitudinally juxtapositionally mounted on the PTC semiconductor heating unit transversely of the longitudinal axis of the PTC heating unit, whereby upon a powering of the PTC heating unit and the fan to heat air as blown by the fan, the heated air will be guided in the tubular duct by the plurality of elongaed spaced fins to produce laminar air streamflow helpful for smoothly setting and drying hair or the like.

Abstract: A component installation/removal tweezer-type handpiece having two arms and a tinnable or nontinnable tip including a pair of legs respectively removably mounted with respect to the arms and a plurality of serially connected bands attached to the first and second legs such that an opening is formed within the serially connected bands so that the bands are adapted, upon closure of the tweezer-type handpiece, to clamp the terminals of an electronic component or the like and transmit heat to the terminals. In another embodiment a tweezer-type or probe-type handpiece includes a tinnable or nontinnable tip having first and second legs and one or more bands extending between the legs whereby the band(s) is adapted to transfer heat to terminals associated with an electronic component. In all embodiments of the invention the tips may be provided with a variety of sheathing or overlayer combinations to achieve a variety of application requirements.

Abstract: An electric heating assembly adapted to be mounted onto and plugged into a wall-mounted electrical outlet includes a heating unit having a plug member an a back wall, thereof which is directly mateable with a power receptacle of the electrical outlet. The heating assembly also includes a mounting clip for securely coupling the heating unit to the electrical outlet so that the heating unit will not become inadvertently disengaged therefrom. The mounting clip includes a generally rectangular base portion securable to the outlet plate of the electrical outlet with the screw used to mount the outlet plate. The mounting clip also includes a pair of legs which extend away from the base portion and which mate with a pair of holes formed in the back wall of the heating unit above the plug member.

Abstract: An electric heater for air supplied to the passenger compartment of an automobile has a plurality of extruded tubular metal members in side-by-side spaced parallel relationship within an open electrically insulative frame. Each tubular member has a pair of spaced heat sinks with a plurality of spaced lamenallae extending therebetween to form air flow passages. A plurality of PTC heating tablets are positioned in the space between the opposed outer surfaces of the heat sinks of adjacent tubular members, with one face of each PTC tablet fixed to one heat sink by a rigid electrically conductive adhesive and the other face thereof is fixed to the adjacent heat sink by a flexible electrically conductive adhesive. The heat sinks have integral platforms on which the PTC tablets are positioned with the edges of the tablets projecting beyond the edges of the respective platforms.

Abstract: A portable electric cigarette pocket cigarette lighter has a pair of mating housing halves of plastic defining a hollow parallelpiped housing in which is disposed a pair of AA penlight batteries in side-by-side relation and electrically connected through a normally open switch to a spiral electric heating element of Nichrome positioned in the housing in axial alignment with an opening in the housing front wall of size sufficient just to admit the leading end of a cigarette therethrough into contact with the heating element. A plurality of peg members disposed on the housing halves position a plurality of sheet metal conductors which electrically connect the battery, heating element and switch in a series circuit completed by manual closure of the switch to energize the heating element to light the inserted cigarette.