Abstract: A heating device has a plurality of strip heating portions separated by a plurality of slits. The strip heating portions are connected to one another by connecting portions, thereby forming a heating surface in which a zigzag current path extends. The connecting portions in which uneven-temperature regions exist are bent so as not to be positioned in the same plane as the heating surface, thereby making the heating surface, to be opposed to an object to be heated, to have a uniform temperature.

Abstract: A cylindrical tube is provided of a mechanically strong and flexible electrical conductor such as a metal and has a plurality of separated regions. An electrically insulating layer such as a ceramic is applied on the outer surface except for one exposed portion. Electrically resistive heaters are then applied to the insulated regions and are electrically connected at one end to the underlying electrical conducting region. The electrical conductor is connected to the negative terminal of a power source. The other end of all the heaters are adapted to be connected to the positive terminal of the source. Accordingly, an electrically resistive heating circuit is formed wherein the tube serves as a common for all of the heating elements. The tubular heater can comprise an exposed end hub with a plurality of blades extending therefrom. Each blade can have an individual heater deposited thereon. Alternatively, every other blade can have a heater deposited thereon.

Abstract: A ceramic electrostatic chuck with a built-in heater having electrodes of an electroconductive ceramic bonded to a surface of a supporting substrate of an electrically conducting ceramic. A heat generating layer of an electroconductive ceramic is bonded to the other surface of the supporting substrate and a covering layer of an electrically insulating ceramic is provided thereon. Each of the supporting substrate, electrode for the electrostatic chuck and heat generating layer has a surface roughness Rmax of 5 .mu.m or larger.

Abstract: A resistance heating element comprises a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material having 1-60% by weight of glass fibers and having 1-20, preferably 5-15% by weight of steel fibers. The heating element can be prepared from thermoplastic granules which are filled with glass fibers and steel fibers and which have been obtained by melt pultrusion of continuous fiber strands and cutting to granule length.

Abstract: An electric heating attachment adds heating elements to the interior of the windshield to prevent the buildup of ice under the rest zone of the windshield wipers. The accessory plugs into the vehicle cigarette lighter socket. A heat imparting strip is positioned in the vicinity of the vehicle's windshield wipers to prevent ice accumulation. The heating elements concentrate a predetermined limited amount of electric heating on the rest area of the windshield wipers, to prevent the accumulation of ice thereto.

Abstract: A heater for a chemical vapor deposition equipment includes a meandering heating wire made of either molybdenum or tungsten and having a diameter of about 1 mm. The heating wire is laid on a heater disc that is made of either molybdenum, tungsten or ceramic. The heater disc is holed at its center for receiving a susceptor rotating shaft. A plurality of heating wire fixtures support the heating wire on the heater disc while spacing the heating wire from the heater disc at an interval, thus to prevent the heating wire from directly contacting the heater disc. Each of the heating wire fixtures is provided with a pair of lateral through holes, that is, a heating wire hole formed in an upper section of each fixture and a fixing wire hole formed in a lower section of each fixture.

Abstract: A vapor dispensing device having an outer shell (10); a one piece electric plug heater block (40) having attached electric plug pins (48), the block being attached to the outer shell such that the block can rotate a predetermined amount around an axis parallel to the plug pins; and a wick (36) in fluid communication with a material to be dispensed and extending into an opening (52) through the block; wherein the opening has a shape defined by the rotation through an internal angle at least equal to the predetermined amount of rotation of a solid geometric shape transverse to the axis and wherein the block has an electric heating element (60) in close proximity to the opening.

Abstract: A volatile substance dispenser is provided which provides an indication of the dissipation of a quantity of volatile substance by changing an electrical signal level after a time duration corresponding to an expected period time for the quantity of volatile substance to disseminate. A heat source causes the volatile substance to disseminate into the atmosphere. Dissipation of the volatile substance is indicated. For example, dissipation may be indicated by a light bulb burning out where the light bulb is a limited duration bulb with a lifetime that corresponds to the quantity of volatile substance. The dispenser may be disposable and may also serve as a night light.

Abstract: A smoke generator apparatus (10) is disclosed which is suitable for use in conducting air flow studies in wind tunnels. The smoke generator apparatus (10) includes a tube assembly (12) which may either be wire-packed or crimped and has fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics which permit the substantially uninterrupted flow of smoke-appearing vapor (82) from the tube outlet (52).

Abstract: An electric heating device (34) in which is included an electric energy source (45) which is designed as a thin film battery (45). The heating device also includes a resistor heating unit (40) comprising a first material stratum (40) consisting of an electrically conductive polymer material with PTC properties. The resistor heating unit (40) and the electric energy source (45) are disposed adjacent to one another and form a composite unit in which the major surfaces of the first material stratum (40) and thin film battery (45), respectively, face towards one another. Electrodes (42, 43) are connected, by the intermediary of a switch (48), to the poles of the battery (45) and to the resistor heating unit (40).

Abstract: A double burner bowl assembly for a cooking appliance having a cooktop surface with burners disposed in burner holes therein, said assembly having a lower bowl with a support shelf and a trim ring. The trim ring is disposed in the burner hole so as to support the double burner bowl assembly. The assembly further has an upper bowl with a lip about its peripheral edge supported by the support shelf of the lower bowl.

Abstract: A heating floor or plate for heating an object such as a substrate placed on its surface. A plate is provided whose surface temperature can be accurately adjusted so that the heat quantity supplied by two surface zones of the plate can be different even if the zones are small and contiguous. The plate has n zones, each having placed therein an electrically conducting heating element. n+1 sensors are used to measure the temperature of the plate, where n is an integer greater than 1. Data output from the sensors is processed and compared with at least one reference value and the result used to regulate the intensity of the current flowing in the elements based on the comparison.

Abstract: Portable and personal-sized warm air humidifiers for delivering a steam air mixture having a uniform moisture at a temperature that does not cause a sensation of pain. A steam ejector is used to mix the steam from an evaporation chamber with the air entering the humidifier. A difference in the water level between a water supply compartment and the evaporation chamber provides a constant pressure in the evaporation chamber which drives generated steam through a steam nozzle communicating with the steam ejector. The dimensions of the steam nozzle are determined in relation with the rate of steam generation in accordance with steam velocity to effectively eliminate or minimize the noise normally associated with the passage of steam through a nozzle. The invention is also well utilizable in a humidifier having a filter medium to filter particulates from the air notwithstanding the drop in pressure of the air across the filter medium from the outside to the interior of the humidifier.

Abstract: A postexposure baking apparatus which is capable of controlling the dimension of a resist pattern forms the resist pattern without carrying out PEB immediately after exposure. A chemical amplification resist is formed on a wafer. The chemical amplification resist is selectively exposed to form a latent image of a resist pattern. In order to obtain a resist pattern with a prescribed line width or at a desired space, the chemical amplification resist is postexposure-baked by a hot plate under conditions which are decided on the basis of the relation between an elapsed time from the exposure to PEB and change of the line width or the space of the resist pattern as finished as to the chemical amplification resist. The chemical amplification resist is developed to obtain a fine resist pattern.

Abstract: Assembly and method of installing an electrode of a predetermined size and configuration in an electric heater envelope having an electrode opening at a preselected position. The assembly and associated method consist of affixing a hollow compression fitting about or within the electrode opening and providing a sleeve of a refractory deformable dielectric material within the fitting through which the electrode passes into the envelope. Dielectric spacing means are positioned between the electrode and electrically conductive portions of the fitting or envelope to prevent electrical conduction therebetween. Compression fastening means are then provided, securable to the fitting, to impart sufficient compressive force to the assembly to deform the sleeve about the electrode, thereby effectively sealing and securing the electrode within the fitting without the electrode grounding against the fitting or the envelope.

Abstract: A method for decontaminating of concrete and more specifically to methods used for in-situ thermal desorption of contaminants from concrete, such as PCBs is disclosed. The methods employed heat the concrete at reduced pressure and at a temperature sufficient to volatilize and draw off the contaminant vapors so that the concrete is decontaminated to greater depth than previously obtained, that no concrete waste is created which requires disposal, that the methods produce no secondary liquid waste, that no chemical agents are required, that the decontaminated concrete material can be reused, that the methods are safer for workers because there is no contaminated dust formed during the process and specifically that the process produce a low energy cost per unit area decontamination for the concrete.

Abstract: A heating element having at least one tail is provided for connection to an electrical source. The tail includes an electrically conductive wire with a sleeving around at least a portion thereof. The wire and sleeving are connected to a tubing and crimped for receipt within a connector. The connector is provided to receive the tubing and to connect to the voltage source allowing electric heat to pass through the length of electrically conductive wire and to thereby heat the heating element. The heating section is particularly suitable for pre-heating and post-stress weld stress relieving piping welds.

Abstract: A steam generator includes an orifice for feeding water to a porous material, a heater element passing through said porous material, and an outlet orifice for the steam created by heating said water, wherein the porous material and its heater element are contained in a case disposed in a removable sealed cassette that is connected in operation to a fixed portion of the generator containing water feed means, means for controlling the heater elements, and means for taking off the steam. The sealed cassette is connected to the fixed portion of the generator by means of snap-fastenings in order to enable rapid connection and deconnection, and it includes a water admission orifice connected to an internal case containing a heater element for the water and around which a porous material is compressed, said case including orifices over its entire surface for evacuating the steam produced by the heater element, with the steam being extracted from the cassette via a steam outlet orifice.

Abstract: A single phase and three phase heater element circuit for a ceramic fiber heater wherein a plurality of blocks each of which is formed by a plurality of heater elements arranged side by side on a base of insulation material and connected to one another to form a series circuit, said series circuit being connected across an electric power source, and adjacent ends of the series circuits in adjacent blocks being connected to the same terminal of said electric power source. By connecting adjacent ends of adjacent blocks of ceramic fiber heater element circuits together, the ends of the series circuit connected to separate terminals of the power source are spaced sufficiently far apart from each other such that current flow through the insulation material between ends adjacent the blocks is minimized and preferably substantially prevented for preventing short circuiting and failure of the heater.

Abstract: There is disclosed a crucible assembly comprising: (a) an electrically conductive tube having a first end portion and a second end portion and defining an opening in the surface of the tube, wherein the tube defines an imaginary horizontal line which bisects the cross-sectional dimension of the tube and an imaginary vertical line which bisects the cross-sectional dimension of the tube; and (b) at least one power connection area, operatively associated with the first end portion of the tube, wherein for the crucible assembly having only one power connection area associated with the first end portion, the one power connection area is positioned above the imaginary horizontal line on the same side of the horizontal line as the opening in the tube surface, wherein for the crucible assembly having at least two power connection areas associated with the first end portion, the at least two power connection areas permit coupling of at least two power cables.