Abstract: A system, device or method uses surface energy to assist in fluid transport or separation. One example includes removing mucus from a subject's lungs during mechanical ventilation of the subject using a tracheal tube. At least one wicking fluid pickup port is located more distal or more proximal than a sealing device between the tracheal tube and the trachea. Surface energy assists in introducing mucus into the port. A peristalsis or other pump is used to remove from the subject the wicked-in liquid. Ventilation is not impaired by the mucus removal.

Abstract: A carbon-dioxide sampling tube operatively couples a capnograph and an exhaust-gas sampling tube of a mask. The mask has an ambient-to-inside-the mask inflow flapper valve located on a wall of the mask, a fresh-gas inflow tube, an exhaust-gas outflow tube, and a gas sampling tube. A fresh gas inflow tube operatively couples a fresh gas source and the face mask. An exhaust-gas hose operatively couples a scavenging system and the exhaust gas outflow tube.

Abstract: A therapeutic device for applying graded compression to the hand to remedy the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. The device is a passive therapy device which receives the palm of the hand and applies graduated pressure to the top of the hand to relieve carpal tunnel region of the hand by spreading the area of the carpal tunnel. There are also disclosed a centralizing means which allows for accurate placement of the means for apply pressure to the top of the hand and also a means for further spreading and fixing the spread in the carpal tunnel region.

Abstract: A shoulder orthosis is utilized to effect relative movement between bones in a body of a patient. The orthosis includes a base section which is connected with a trunk of a patient's body, an upper arm section which is connected with an upper portion of an arm of the patient, and a lower arm section which is connected with a lower portion of the arm of a patient. An interconnection between the base section and upper arm section of the orthosis is disposed beneath an axilla between the trunk and arm of the patient. A main drive assembly is operable to rotate the lower arm section of the orthosis relative to the upper arm section of the orthosis to pivot a humerus bone in the upper arm of the patient relative to a scapula bone in a shoulder of the patient. A secondary drive assembly is operable to move the lower arm section and upper arm section relative to the base section of the orthosis to move the upper arm of the patient into alignment with the shoulder of the patient.

Abstract: Apparatus for determining a dorsiflexion angle of a surgical patient's foot relative to the corresponding leg during tendon surgery. The apparatus includes a leg member having a first support adapted for engaging at least one of a lateral malleolus and a medial malleolus of the patient, and a second support opposing the first support adapted for engaging another of the lateral malleolus and the medial malleolus of the patient. The apparatus further includes a foot member rotatably connected to the leg member for selectively rotating the foot member relative to the leg member about an axis defined by the first support and the second support of the leg member. The foot member has a metatarsal support adapted for engaging a predetermined point on at least one preselected metatarsal bone of the patient.

Abstract: In a drying section of a paper making machine, the paper web is conducted through a plurality of single tier dryer sections and then transferred to at least one final double tier dryer section for completing the drying process. The paper web is threaded through the open draw between the single tier dryer sections and the double tier dryer section and through the open draws between the lower cylinders and the upper cylinders in the double tier dryer section by use of air jets which blow at the paper web from opposite sides thereof. The air jets include at least one jet which blows in a direction generally opposite to that of the paper web.

Abstract: A method and device for contact drying a paper web, wherein the paper web is dried initially in a number of successive groups with single-wire draw by pressing the paper web via drying wires of each groups against the heated faces of the drying cylinders and by guiding the paper web on support of the same drying wire from one drying cylinder onto the next drying cylinder over the reversing suction cylinders or rolls in each group with single-wire draw. In the groups with single-wire draw, the paper web is dried to a first dry solids content, after which the paper web is dried directly further by a single group with twin-wire draw to a second dry solids content, after which the paper web is dried further to its final dry solids content by a single normal group with single-wire draw. The limits of the first and second dry solids contents are selected so that, in the middle or in the beginning of the range, the tear strength index and the breaking strength index of the web are at their maximum.

Abstract: In a drying section of a paper making machine, the paper web is conducted through a plurality of single tier dryer sections and then transferred to at least one final double tier dryer section for completing the drying process. The paper web is threaded through the open draw between the single tier dryer sections and the double tier dryer section and through the open draws between the lower cylinders and the upper cylinders in the double tier dryer section by use of air jets which blow at the paper web from opposite sides thereof. The air jets include at least one jet which blows in a direction generally opposite to that of the paper web.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a hand-held hair dryer including a housing (10) which is comprised of a handle (12) and an air-moving outer tube (14); the outer tube (14) possesses an inlet port (16) and an outlet port (18) for an air stream, and the housing accommodates a heater and a fan generating and heating the air stream. Arranged in the outer tube (14) is an inner tube (42) receiving at least the heater. In this arrangement, the inner tube (42) is manufactured from a material having a higher thermal stability than the outer tube, and the inner tube (42) terminates flush with at least the outlet port of the outer tube (14) or projects beyond the outlet port of the outer tube (14) in the direction of flow (64). A hair styling implement as, for example, a nozzle (44), a diffuser or the like, is attachable to the inner tube (42).

Abstract: In a process for drying a substance, particularly wood shavings, wood chips or wood flakes, a partial stream of the vapor-gas mixture is separated after passing through the drying drum before the vapor-gas mixture is led to a first heat exchanger. This separated partial stream is led through a supplementary heat exchanger before it is conducted into the combustion chamber of the furnace in which combustion takes place of the gases arising during the drying. The flue gases are led through the aforementioned supplementary heat exchanger before they reach the first heat exchanger whereby they are brought down to a lower temperature. In this way the thermal stress on the material of the heat exchanger elements of the first heat exchanger is reduced, thereby increasing the life of these heat exchanger elements.

Abstract: Winding rods, built into the stator of an electrical machine, are no longer safe to operate after leakages in a water chamber. After this waterchamber has been removed, as is necessary anyway, a flexible, gas-proof hose is pulled upon the rod end, and the machine-side end of the hose is attached to the rod in a gas-proof manner. The other hose end is connected to a vacuum pump and, by evacuating the hose, the water that has penetrated into the rod insulation is removed by the same route as it penetrated into the insulation.The quality of this drying process is monitored by dielectric measurements.

Abstract: In a spin extractor according to the present invention, a basket drum for containing fabric articles is provided with a balance weight in a portion of its inner peripheral wall, giving the drum its own eccentric load. The magnitude and position of the resultant eccentric load constituted by both the drum's own eccentric load and the fabric articles unevenly distributed therein is detected based on the fluctuations in the motor current. If the magnitude of the eccentric load is out of a predetermined range or if the position of the eccentric load is not in the proximity to the position opposite at an angle of 180.degree. to the balance weight, the drum is rotated at such a speed that the centrifugal force acting on the fabric articles in the drum is smaller than the gravity force. Thus, the fabric articles are loosened, scattered and redistributed, and the magnitude and position of the eccentric load satisfy the required condition.

Abstract: The present invention provides a shelf for a freeze dryer which includes a pair of first and second flat plates spaced apart from one another, and a plurality of ribs located between the first and second plates and spaced from one another so as to define flow channels for circulating a diathermic fluid. The ribs are preferably formed of hollow tubes that are brazed to the first and second plates and the hollow tubes and plates are stress relieved so that the first plate presents a flat surface at which heat is transferred from articles to be freeze dried and the diathermic fluid. A freeze dryer shelf constructed in such manner has less thermal mass than prior art design which have solid ribs and plates welded to the ribs with a thickness sufficient to prevent the formation of surface deformations that would interrupt the flat surface of the first plate.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a pulsator for a hair dryer wherein the air current (2) generated by the hair dryer can be deflected as a function of time. To this end, the hair dryer has a housing accommodating a blower mechanism to generate the air current (2) and possessing an opening to discharge the air current (2). The pulsator is configured as an attachment (1) and includes an inlet opening (3) adapted to be coupled to the opening of the housing, as well as an outlet opening (4). Between the inlet opening (3) and the outlet opening (4) of the attachment (1), wall portions (7, 8, 9, 10) are provided for bounding an inner compartment (6). Captured within the inner compartment (6) is an otherwise freely movable body (13) of approximately spherical shape which can be set in orbital motion approximately transversely to the direction of the air current (2) by the air current (2).

Abstract: A cooling system for annealing material (4) in the form of plates, strips or bulk material moving on a transport means (5) consists of a plurality of zones (1, 2, 3), in which the annealing material (4) is treated on its lower and/or upper surface with an oblique blast of cooling medium in the form of air or gas emerging from nozzles of nozzle bars (10, 10a, 10b) fed by a compressor-type blower (7, 8, 8a, 11). In order to reduce the required amount of cooling medium, and to reduce the technical effort involved, only the last zone (3) disposed on the outlet end for the annealing material (4) is connected to the supply (7) of pressurized fresh cooling medium. In this zone (3) a collecting fan (8, 11) is provided, which upon formation of the oblique blast urges the cooling medium into a distribution box (9). To the distribution box (9, 12) the nozzle bars (10) of the penultimate zone (2) are connected.

Abstract: A method for drying wood by placing the wood in a dehydration chamber in which the temperature, humidity and pressure are controlled. Air and or gasses are circulated in the chamber to wick away moisture while the wood remains frozen. Both the internal temperature and the circulating air are kept below freezing during the drying process. Atmospheric pressure is manipulated to enhance drying and may be either increased or reduced. Exposure to the volume of dry air (air with zero percent humidity) varies with the drying process and depends on the species, the quantity of wood to be dried and the initial moisture content of the material.

Abstract: Household washer-dryers include a laundry drum having an incoming air inlet and a waste air outlet, a blower in an air conduit, a heating device upstream of the air inlet, temperature and moisture sensors, a memory for measured values and process sequence variants and an electronic program control unit. A method for controlling drying processes in such devices includes measuring a waste air temperature at the air outlet at a starting point of a drying process. At least part of the heating device is periodically turned on and off during at least one time segment at a beginning of the drying process.

Abstract: A process for the subcritical drying of a lyogel to give an aerogel comprises treating the lyogel with a heat transfer liquid which has a temperature above the boiling point of the pore liquid of the lyogel under the pressure of the system and subsequently separating the dried aerogel from the heat transfer liquid.

Abstract: An end wall of a multi-conveyor wood veneer dryer includes a plurality of sight glasses that are vertically aligned with each other. Each sight glass is elevated just above a respective roller conveyor, with the conveyors being located in the dryer. A laser generator portion of a laser apparatus is positioned adjacent each sight glass outside the dryer, such that a laser beam is directed through each sight glass. Each laser apparatus includes a light detector for detecting reflected laser light. The preferred laser apparatus generates a distance signal representative of the distance between the generator and an object in the path of the laser beam, based on the period from when the beam was generated to when the reflected beam was received.

Abstract: A dryer system has a combustion chamber, a dryer and a separator. The combustion chamber supplies heated gas to the dryer. Wet material is mixed with the heated gas in the dryer. The dried material is then separated from the gas in the separator. A method is used to increase the safety of the system. The method includes sensing the temperature of the dryer system. Further, if the temperature reaches a predetermined value, the combustion chamber is extinguished. Additionally, upon the temperature reaching the predetermined value, steam is introduced into the dryer system.