Abstract: Device for preparing a liquid beverage from a cartridge, comprising a supply unit (2) for supplying injection fluid to the cartridge (10), a cartridge holder (6) configured to accept and support a cartridge; the said cartridge holder being detachable from the device and complementary insertion means (7) are configured to allow the cartridge holder to be inserted from its detached position into the supply unit (2). The injection means (5) are provided and form part of the supply unit. The injection means are able to move into engagement. Sealing means (16) are also provided in association with the injection means in ‘order to provide sealing locally between the said injection means and the cartridge.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein is directed to a smart slow cooker, system, and related methods for heating food to at least 50 degrees centigrade within at most two hours, then adjusting the power to a lower setting for the remainder of the desired cooking time.

Abstract: A method for cleaning the cooking space of a cooking appliance with a pan including adding a cleaning agent to the cooking space and if necessary, after this agent has been allowed to work for a certain period of time, a liquid jet is introduced under high pressure from the a spray head of a cleaning device through the at least one spray nozzle, which rotates around an axis perpendicular to the rotational axis of the spray head rotating around this axis. The liquid jet consists exclusively of water and which swirls and splashes the cleaning agent, and if necessary, after this splashed agent has been allowed to work for a further certain period of time, removes the residues mechanically from the bottom, the walls, and the inside surface of the lid, and wherein said residues are then carried away together with the washing solution out of the cooking space via the drain.

Abstract: A cartridge for an air-cooled plasma arc torch is provided. The cartridge includes a swirl ring having a molded thermoplastic elongated body with a distal end, a proximal end, and a hollow portion configured to receive an electrode. The swirl ring also has a plurality of gas flow openings defined by the distal end of the elongated body and configured to impart a swirling motion to a plasma gas flow for the plasma arc torch. The swirl ring further includes a nozzle retention feature on a surface of the elongated body at the distal end for retaining a nozzle to the elongated body. The cartridge further includes a cap affixed to the proximal end of the elongated body of the swirl ring for substantially closing the proximal end of the elongated body.

Abstract: A light irradiation apparatus includes a light source, a dispersive element, a spatial light modulator, and a focusing element. The dispersive element disperses pulsed light output from the light source and outputs the light. The dispersive element includes, for example. The spatial light modulator modulates a phase spectrum or an intensity spectrum of the light output from the dispersive element and outputs the light. The focusing element receives the light output from the spatial light modulator in a dispersing state, and focuses the light on a common region (focusing region) in a surface or an inside of an object.

Abstract: A controller of a laser processing apparatus includes: a storage section that stores processing conditions for forming modified layers along division lines of a wafer; and a processing line calculation section that displays a position at which the modified layer is planned to be formed and which is stored as the processing condition, on a display panel as a processing line. The processing line calculation section displays the processing line on the display panel superimposed on a first division line, in a region in which a start point or end point of the first division line is connected to a second division line. A start point or end point of a first modified layer formed along the first division line is permitted to be re-set on the display panel so as not to interfere with a second modified layer formed along the second division line.

Abstract: Some food pathogens are not well controlled by lethality treatments followed by refrigeration. A food processing facility according to this invention reduces the likelihood that food pathogens will be able to enter the food processing facility, or spread should they be able to enter. The food processing facility is divided into a plurality of area, with different areas having different allowed actions that can be taken on the food product, different rules and/or procedures for persons who are allowed entry, and/or different levels of cleanliness. The food processing facility includes a plurality of separate rooms for processing the food product, each including separate food processing machines, air handling systems, drain systems and/or often-used supplies and tools. Different air pressures within different areas limit the possible movement of airborne food pathogens. Sanitizing stations are placed between various ones of the different areas.

Abstract: A system for additive manufacturing includes a laser configured to produce a laser beam having a laser spot area and configured to operate at a transverse speed. The system includes a power source configured to power the laser to selectively heat the powdered material at a configurable power level. The system includes a controller configured to determine an energy density for an ideal build for the object, the ideal build having ideal surface properties for the ideal build including a bead overlap and a build layer thickness, the energy density being based on a plurality of parameters, which include the power level, the laser spot area, the transverse speed, the bead overlap, and the build layer thickness. The controller is configured to calibrate one or both of the power source and the laser based, at least, on the energy density, and execute, after calibration, toolpath instructions to form the object.

Abstract: An additive layer manufacturing method is disclosed for producing a three-dimensional object and a corresponding object. Layers of powder material are applied to a carrier and each layer is irradiated with a laser beam or a particle beam only in areas of the layer corresponding to the three-dimensional object to be produced. Irradiation occurs so the powder material in the corresponding areas is locally melted or sintered. An elongate portion of the object is constructed so longitudinal channels extend at an angle of more than 45° to the direction of the force of gravity, and along its entire length the longitudinal channels are formed so that in cross section perpendicular to the direction of extension of the elongate portion the minimum distance to the outer surface of the elongate portion is not smaller than the minimum distance to the closest neighbouring longitudinal channel or the closest neighbouring longitudinal channels.

Abstract: A weld wire of the present invention comprises a steel sheath encapsulating a fluxed core having a combination of fluxing compounds and alloying elements. The fluxing compounds comprise up to 2% Wt of fluoride compounds and up to 49% Wt of oxide compounds. The alloying elements comprise Mn, Ni, Co, Ti and up to about 0.98% Wt of C. The amount of Co is sufficient to produce a ferrite-bainite weld metal morphology of a resulting weld. A yield strength of the resulting weld was measured from about 95 ksi to about 111 ksi.

Abstract: A consumable electrode arc welding method includes: setting an optimal voltage and an increasing slope of a short circuit current to correspond to a setting current; feeding a consumable electrode wire; and alternately generating a short circuit condition and an arc condition, thereby carrying out welding, wherein the short circuit current is controlled by changing the increasing slope of the short circuit current according to a difference between the setting voltage and the optimal voltage when the setting voltage is different from the optimal voltage. With this, the increasing slope of the short circuit current and the current value corresponding to the inflection point of the short circuit current are automatically changed.

Abstract: Some food pathogens are not well controlled by lethality treatments followed by refrigeration. A food processing facility according to this invention reduces the likelihood that food pathogens will be able to enter the food processing facility, or spread should they be able to enter. The food processing facility is divided into a plurality of area, with different areas having different allowed actions that can be taken on the food product, different rules and/or procedures for persons who are allowed entry, and/or different levels of cleanliness. The food processing facility includes a plurality of separate rooms for processing the food product, each including separate food processing machines, air handling systems, drain systems and/or often-used supplies and tools. Different air pressures within different areas limit the possible movement of airborne food pathogens. Sanitizing stations are placed between various ones of the different areas.

Abstract: A base structure is clad and coolant channels are formed through the cladding and into the base structure. A line of tangency relative to the outer clad surface is defined for each point thereon. Linear rows of a metal feedstock are directed towards and deposited on the outer clad surface as a beam of weld energy is directed to the metal feedstock so-deposited. The metal feedstock is the same material as the cladding or one that is weld compatible therewith. A first angle between the metal feedstock so-directed and the line of tangency is maintained in a range of 20-90°. The beam is directed towards a portion of the linear rows such that less than 30% of the cross-sectional area of the beam impinges on a currently-deposited one of the linear rows. A second angle between the beam and the line of tangency is maintained in a range of 5-65°.

Abstract: A microwave plasma torch providing two laminar flows is described. Two laminar flows are created using a set of at least three concentric, staggered dielectric tubes connected to a pressurized gas source. An inner laminar flow entrains injected particles entering the plasma. An outer laminar flow creates a sheath around the plasma and prevents it from attaching to the walls of the plasma torch. The entry point of the gas source is designed to ensure laminar flow for both the entrainment of the particles and for the shielding of the plasma plume. The uniform processing conditions results in uniform particles and a homogenous materials distribution. This enables a final product with improved thermal properties, improved corrosion and wear resistance and a higher tolerance to interface stresses. The microwave plasma torch can be used for producing nanomaterial powder and for spray coating materials onto various substrates.

Abstract: According to one implementation a radiant heater is provided that includes a cover, an insulating base arranged on the cover, at least one resistance element fixed to the insulating base, a temperature sensor suitable for measuring the temperature of a cooktop arranged on the radiant heater, and a flat resilient member suitable for keeping the temperature sensor in constant contact with the cooktop in a final assembly position.

Abstract: An automatic bread maker includes a housing; a baking pan disposed inside the housing to mix or heat bread ingredients and disposed with an upwardly facing entrance; and a hanging rack disposed inside the housing that accommodates a bread ingredient box and a stock bin disposed below the hanging rack and above the upwardly facing entrance. The hanging rack is disposed with a sawtooth blade that faces upwardly to pierce the bread ingredient box and the stock bin is disposed with a drop opening that faces the upwardly facing entrance and that has a size that is smaller than that of the entrance so that, when the bread ingredient box is pierced, the bread ingredients drop down into the stock bin, and wherein a driver is further disposed to control opening and closing of a cover of the stock bin to discharge at least a portion of the bread ingredients.

Abstract: A method of forming an additively manufactured aluminum part includes establishing an arc between a metal-cored aluminum wire and the additively manufactured aluminum part, wherein the metal-cored aluminum wire includes a metallic sheath and a granular core disposed within the metallic sheath. The method includes melting a portion of the metal-cored aluminum wire using the heat of the arc to form molten droplets. The method includes transferring the molten droplets to the additively manufactured aluminum part under an inert gas flow, and solidifying the molten droplets under the inert gas flow to form deposits of the additively manufactured aluminum part.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for delivering oxygen, oxygen enriched air, or air through a delivery system from one vessel containing a higher pressure concentration of the gas into another vessel containing a liquid at atmospheric pressure introduced through a diffuser or dispersion nozzle including one or more passages in a controlled, regulated manner. This process and apparatus provide the liquid with an oxygenation level for improved flavor in a short amount of time.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a stainless steel flux-cored wire in which the amount of hexavalent chromium in fume can be reduced while maintaining the weldability excellent. The stainless steel flux-cored wire contains, as percentage to the total mass of the wire: Cr: 11-30 mass %; metal Si, Si oxide and Si compound: 0.5-4.0 mass % in total in terms of Si [Si]; fluorine compound: 0.01-1.0 mass % in terms of F [F]; TiO2: 1.5 mass % or above; ZrO2+Al2O3: 3.2 mass % or below; Na compound, K compound and Li compound: 0.50 mass % or below in total of each of an amount in terms of Na [Na], an amount in terms of K [K] and an amount in terms of Li [Li]; and satisfies {([Na]+[K]+[Li])×[Cr]2}/([Si]+4.7×[F])?10, where [Cr] represents Cr content.

Abstract: A bimetal thermal element adapted to assembling into a support. The bimetal thermal element includes: a bimetal strip having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and a notch formed at the first end; a heater made of a resistant strip including a linear portion and a wound portion, wherein the linear portion is straight and extending from a first position near the second end of the bimetal strip in a direction parallel to the bimetal strip and the wound portion is wound around the bimetal strip and the linear portion; and an insulating device to insulate the bimetal strip from the heater. With this design, there is also no current within the bimetal strip and its support, so the deflection of the bimetal strip is generated only by the temperature-rise coming from the resistant strip, therefore, it can realize a long tripping time.