Abstract: An induction brazing and quenching apparatus and related method of coupling components together.

Abstract: A piezoelectrically actuated fluid pump including a pump housing, a pump chamber, inlet and outlet ports for communicating the pump chamber with the exterior of the pump housing, valves for opening and closing the ports, a pre-stressed piezoelectric diaphragm member which is self-actuated, a piston member, and a power source is provided. The diaphragm member includes a prestressed piezoelectric element which is durable, inexpensive and lightweight as compared with diaphragm members of prior diaphragm pumps of comparable discharge capacity, and is actuated via electrical signals from an outside power source. The diaphragm member drives the piston member. No exterior mechanisms are necessary for driving the diaphragm member.

Abstract: An improved automatic thawing apparatus for a microwave oven capable of advantageously thawing food which includes a heating chamber for a food placement therein; a microwave generator for providing microwave energy into the heating chamber in order to heat the food therein; at least one amplifier for amplifying signals detected by a thawing state detection circuit to a predetermined level; a bias voltage control circuit for generating bias signals for initializing an output signal of the amplifier to a predetermined level in beginning of the thawing operation; and a control circuit for controlling the initialization of the output signal of the amplifier to the predetermined level by controlling the bias voltage control circuit, for judging the thawing state of the food in the heating chamber in response to the signal outputted from the amplifier, and for outputting control signals to the microwave generator in accordance with such judgement.

Abstract: A method for removing one or more contaminations from a bulk material, the bulk material being fed into a treating chamber (1), exposed therein to a temperature treatment and then discharged. According to the invention, the bulk material is exposed to a vacuum treatment during temperature treatment. An apparatus according to the invention for the implementation of the method comprises a treating chamber (1) for treating contaminated bulk material therein, feeding means (2) for feeding the bulk material to the treating chamber (1), discharging means (9) for discharging the bulk material from the treating chamber and heating means (19) for heating the bulk material in the treating chamber. The apparatus also includes a vacuum forming means (16) for forming a vacuum in the treating chamber.

Abstract: An induction heating device includes an induction heating gun which includes a housing, a U-shaped pole piece having two spaced apart opposite ends defining a gap therebetween, the U-shaped pole piece being mounted in one end of the housing, and a tank circuit including an induction coil wrapped around the pole piece and a capacitor connected to the induction coil. A power source is connected to the tank circuit. A pull test machine is provided having a stationary chuck and a movable chuck, the two chucks holding two test pieces bonded together at a bond region. The heating gun is mounted on the pull test machine in close proximity to the bond region of the two test pieces, whereby when the tank circuit is energized, the two test pieces are heated by induction heating while a tension load is applied to the two test pieces by the pull test machine to determine separation strength of the bond region.

Abstract: A cooking utensil comprises a reading member responsive to a recording medium containing a cooking program which is carried out in the cooking utensil, and a control circuit responsive to the cooking program read by the reading member, thereby conducting the cooking program through properly energizing an energization circuit for the cooking utensil. The cooking program may be desirably recorded on the recording medium through input keys of the cooking utensil. The recorded cooking program can be checked whether or not it is recorded with accuracy. Cooking information of the cooking program is indicated by an indicator for representing conditions of the cooking utensil. The cooking program may be modified according to total weight of a foodstuff to be cooked.

Abstract: A power supply for a magnetron includes a rectifying circuit, a switching circuit, and a transformer. The rectifying circuit converts an ac-power source signal into a dc-power source signal. The switching circuit converts the dc-power source signal output from the rectifying circuit into a high-frequency signal in accordance with a driving circuit. A transformer connected to the switching circuit converts the high-frequency signal into a high-voltage high-frequency signal for driving the magnetron. The transformer includes a primary winding connected to the switching circuit, a secondary winding connected to the magnetron, a tertiary winding connected to a cathode heater of said magnetron, and a fourth winding connected to the driving circuit. The coupling coefficient between the fourth winding and the second winding is larger than the coupling coefficient between the fourth winding and the primary winding.

Abstract: A fault tolerant/failsafe current limit system for shutting down a power supply if an overcurrent condition exists at one or more selected load circuits in a set of load circuits. A current limit circuit couples each selected load circuit to the power supply and includes at least two monitoring circuits for detecting whether the current delivered to the selected load circuit exceeds a preselected limit. The power supply will be shut down unless both monitor circuits agree that the delivered current does not exceed the preselected limit.

Abstract: A microwave oven with a removably attachable heater for convective heating has on its wall a compact socket member containing plate spring-like grounding pieces through which the outer cover of the heater can be reliably grounded through the oven wall. The heater may be provided with a position indicating insulator piece by means of which the user can visually ascertain that the heater is properly attached to the oven.

Abstract: A system for feeding electromagnetic energy into a cavity for heating material contained therein includes a radiator of the electromagnetic energy and a motorized support for carrying the radiator within the cavity by the material. The radiator is constructed of a material such as alumina providing a much shorter wavelength than that existing in the environment surrounding the material to permit the radiator to have a sufficiently small size to be inserted within the cavity. Heat may also be provided by directly heating the walls of the cavity in which case the radiator is provided with a taper for directing the electromagnetic energy into the thicker portions of the material so that all portions of the material are heated at a uniform rate. The feed system includes a support for a bladder which is useful in urging uncured rubber of a tire casing against the interior surface of the cavity for forming a rubber tire.

Abstract: A tray driving apparatus for a microwave oven and a microwave oven having the same including a speed changing unit for enhancing the cooking quality by periodically changing the rotational speed of the tray to more evenly radiate a microwave to food. The speed changing means includes a driving gear unit having a plurality of driving gears and mounted to the driving shaft; and a driven gear unit having a plurality of driven gears corresponding to respective driving gears of the driving gear unit, and mounted to the driven shaft. The gears of any one of the driving gear unit and the driven gear unit are portion gears which are gears having gear teeth on respective portions of outer peripheries thereof, the gear teeth of the portion gears are alternately disposed to each other one on another.