Abstract: Thermal treatment method for a micromechanical horological component derived from the LIGA method and exhibiting very low thermal inertia, said method including the step which consists in locally heating one area of the micromechanical horological component to increase hardness by local phase modification, the component being heated for a sufficiently short time that only the locally heated area is affected by the thermal treatment, the phase of the untreated portions of the component remaining unchanged.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for adjusting a laser beam applied to a workpiece in a processing operation. A laser processing system receives the laser beam that is associated with a beam quality property. The laser processing system adjusts the laser beam to change the beam quality property based on a characteristic of the workpiece, a characteristic of the processing operation, or a combination thereof. The adjusted laser beam can also be delivered to the workpiece.

Abstract: A temperature-controlled display case is convertible between a full-service mode and a self-service mode and defines a temperature-controlled space therein. A base has a back side and a front side and supports temperature-controlled food products within the temperature-controlled space. A back frame is coupled adjacent to the back side of the base and provides one or more openings for back-side access to the food products during the full-service mode. A top frame is supported by the back frame and a linkage has one end pivotally coupled to the top frame. A front panel has a top portion pivotally coupled to the linkage and is movable between a deployed position for the full-service mode with the front panel adjacent to the front of the base, and a stowed position for the self-service mode with the front panel disposed atop the top frame to provide front-side access to the food products.

Abstract: A technique is provided to model a heat penetration profile for various targets which are non-planar or three-dimensionally shaped targets for use in a heating system. The relative volume of material that is irradiated at various depths may have an impact on the absorbed heat profile through the target. For example, a hollow cylindrical product has substantially more material per micro-meter near the outside diameter than it does near the inside diameter. Accordingly, the thickness of the wall or the diameter of the hollow inside the cylinder, as well as the outer diameter of the cylinder, have a substantial impact on the ultimate heat profile through the wall.

Abstract: A device (10-10?), (11-11?) for the localized heating of parts of metal pipes (12) connected to each other and of parts of primary plastic coating (16?-18?) of the same pipes, all to be coated with protective material, comprises a spiral-wise development winding consisting of one or more coils (20) and of annular means that are arranged within and coaxially to said coil (20), at the parts of primary plastic coating (16?-18?), and that surround each one of said pipes (12) for heating by induction a zone (14) without primary plastic coating and for indirectly heating, by irradiation, end portions of the same provided with plastic coating (16?-18?) contiguous to said zone (14).

Abstract: A connection device connects a refrigerated compartment, where milk or other perishable liquid is contained, to a device for supplying hot or emulsified milk, which can be associated to a coffee machine or the like. The connection device has at least a portion which can be refrigerated by an effect of a coupling to the refrigerated compartment where a milk container is contained.

Abstract: Provided herein are a cooking apparatus and an operating method thereof. The cooking apparatus includes a cavity, a microwave generator to generate and output microwaves of a plurality of frequencies to heat an object within the cavity, and a controller to calculate interpolated microwave frequencies for a heating session, based on microwave frequencies calculated during a scanning session, and to calculate heating times of the interpolated microwave frequencies. Thereby, operating efficiency of the cooking apparatus is improved.

Abstract: A welding device includes a power supply circuit for applying a voltage across a torch and a base metal, and a power supply control device. The power supply control device controls the power supply circuit such that a high level current is output during a first arc period Ta1 that is the initial period of an arc period, and an arc current corresponding to a regulated welding voltage is output during a second arc period Ta2 that is the latter period of the arc period. The power supply control device controls the power supply circuit such that a high level current is generated having a waveform increasing and decreasing at a constant frequency and constant amplitude superimposed on the high level current. By superimposing the waveform, the elevation of a droplet caused by an repelled force by the arc can be prevented, allowing a droplet to be formed in stabilization.

Abstract: An induction heating cooker includes a boiling over detecting portion that reduces the heating output of an inverter to a predetermined value when a change amount of an electrostatic capacitance detected by a capacitance detecting portion with respect to a reference value is equal to or greater than a threshold value. The boiling over detecting portion stops a heating action or reduces the heating output to a third set value lower than a second set value when a change rate of the capacitance is equal to or greater than a predetermined change rate, and maintains the heating output at the second set value when the change rate of the capacitance is less than the predetermined change rate, during a boiling over determining period started from the time that the change amount of the capacitance with respect to the reference value is equal to or greater than the output reducing threshold value.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus for irradiating a printed wiring board 9 with a laser beam L so as to form holes 22 at a plurality of predetermined positions on the printed wiring board 9. The device includes, from upstream on an optical path of the laser beam: a second fly eye lens 6 that achieves the uniform intensity distribution of the laser beam L; a second condenser lens 7 that collimates the laser beam L emitted from the second fly eye lens 6; and a micro lens array 8 positioned in a manner facing the printed wiring board 9 and having a plurality of micro lenses 19 formed in a manner corresponding to the plurality of positions on the printed wiring board 9.

Abstract: Mash seam welding is performed to weld metal plates with thicknesses of 2 mm or more to stabilize the strength of a joint portion, reduce uneven parts of the joint portion, and ensure high strength and reliability of the joint portion. First, two metal plates, clamped with first and second clamping devices, are placed to overlap each other at their end portions. The overlapping portions (L) of the metal plates are pressed together with a pair of upper and lower electrode wheels while welding currents flow to continuously weld the overlapping portions (L) and join the metal plates. The pressing forces applied to the electrode wheels are controlled so that upper and lower welding forces acting upon the overlapping portions are equal to each other during the time when the overlapping portions are continuously welded.

Abstract: The present invention is equipped with a series circuit that includes a DC power supply, switching elements and a diode for supplying DC or AC current pulses to a machining gap between a machining electrode and a workpiece, diodes that regulate a direction of the current flow to one direction, and a control unit that controls the switching elements. When the control unit generates a current pulse having a triangular waveform by an inductance that is present in the series circuit, the control unit controls the switching elements in order that a current-pulse time ratio that is a ratio between the non-current time and the current continuation time in the current pulse is equal to or lower than 1/5.

Abstract: An induction heating cooking apparatus and a control method thereof are provided. A vessel can be effectively heated by using a plurality of heating coils regardless of a position of the vessel. By connecting a plurality of heating coils to a smaller amount of inverters through relays, only a heating coil on which a vessel is placed, among the plurality of heating coils, can be heated. Also, by connecting the heating coils in series, a current flowing in the heating coil can be lowered, and thus, a rated current of the inverter can be lowered. Also, by connecting relays and heating coils such that a larger amount of heating coils are operated, while minimizing the amount of inverters, manufacturing cost can be reduced, operation efficiency can be increased, and stability of the cooking apparatus can be enhanced.

Abstract: Methods and devices are described for securely destroying used ribbon from a document personalization machine in order to render any information retained on the used ribbon as unreadable. In one embodiment, the method includes tapering the used ribbon into a used ribbon strand by feeding the used ribbon through a tapering mechanism. The method also includes heating the used ribbon strand to fuse the used ribbon strand into a used ribbon string thereby rendering any data retained on the used ribbon unreadable.

Abstract: A welding gun is provided that includes a handle having forward and rear end portions and having a first passageway formed therethrough. A cable support tube having forward and rear end portions and a second passageway formed therethrough is secured to the handle at the forward end portion. A welding cable having a forward end portion and a rear end portion connected to a rear connector assembly extends from the rear end portion through the first and second passageways of the handle and the cable support tube to the forward end portion disposed within the forward end portion of the cable support tube.

Abstract: A special-purpose plasma arc torch for gouging grooves in a metal workpiece includes an angled nozzle having a bore made up of a first bore portion and a second bore portion that makes an angle of about 15° to about 75° with the first bore portion. The nozzle includes a proximal portion and a distal portion, the proximal portion being adapted for surrounding an electrode assembly when the nozzle is installed in the torch, the distal portion being adapted such that a part of the distal portion extends beyond a front face of an electrode of the torch. The part of the distal portion extending beyond the front face of the electrode has an exterior shape other than cylindrical or conical, and preferably has a non-axisymmetric shape that makes it suitable for fitting within a deep groove in a workpiece.

Abstract: The invention relates to a kitchen utensil, comprising a base (4) including a bottom (14) and a peripheral wall (16) defining a space (18). The wall (16) has an edge (20) opposite said bottom (14) and two through-openings (22-24) in the vicinity of the edge (20), opposite one another. A container (10) is suitable for being housed in said space (18). Said container has two opposite peripheral lugs (44-46), received in one of the through-openings (22-24). At least one (24) of said through-openings (22-24) leads onto the edge (2) into a notch (28) for receiving one of said lugs (44). A grasping device (6) is provided with a bearing portion (8) at least partially covering the lug (44) that it receives. A fastening element (8) maintains the grasping device (6) in the position in which the lug (44) is at least partially covered.

Abstract: A self-adjusting power device for high efficiency electrical discharge machining and method thereof is disclosed. A high-voltage arc unit and a low-voltage discharge unit provide a high voltage arc pulse and a low voltage discharge pulse to an electrode respectively. The electrode machines a workpiece and feeds back a gap voltage to a discharge pulse generation unit. The discharge pulse generation unit determines whether the gap voltage is lower than a predetermined voltage or not. If yes, a discharge channel between the electrode and the workpiece is conducted, and the discharge pulse generation unit shuts down the high-voltage arc unit and the low-voltage discharge unit is still operating at ON time and shuts down at OFF time. If no, looping the determination of the discharge pulse generation unit. Therefore, discharge machining energy is accurately controlled and high efficient power saving is achieved.

Abstract: A welding jig and welding process for planar magnetic components are provided. The welding jig includes a fixed piece and an elastic piece. The fixed piece includes a base and a carrier. The base has an opening, bumps at the bottom of the opening and a pair of operation ends extending from the opening. The carrier is fixed on the base and located in the opening, and has multiple through holes. When the bumps are located respectively in the through holes, an accommodation interval is formed between adjacent pairs of the bumps for the placement of the planar magnetic components. The elastic piece is secured to the fixed piece, and when the planar magnetic components are placed in the accommodation intervals of the fixed piece, the elastic piece covers the planar magnetic components and the planar magnetic components abut against two side edges of the elastic piece.

Abstract: Provided herein are a door choke and a cooking apparatus including the same. The cooking apparatus includes a front plate forming the front surface of a cavity, a door to open and close the cavity, and a door choke including a first attachment member attached to the door and including at least two bent parts and a second attachment member attached to the door and including at least two bent parts so as to be separated from the first attachment member to form a space, and a bending direction of the first attachment member and a bending direction of the second attachment member are opposite to each other. Thereby, effective electromagnetic interference shielding is achieved.