Abstract: A high-pressure processing apparatus for supplying a pressure medium into a high-pressure processing chamber 4, which is formed in a pressure vessel 1 to treat a workpiece at a high pressure, is provided. The pressure vessel 1 includes a first vessel section 2 and a second vessel section 3, which can be separated from each other in the axial direction, wherein the high-pressure processing chamber 4 is formed between the first and second vessel sections 2 and 3. Furthermore, a face seal section 5 for tightly sealing the high-pressure processing chamber 4 is formed in the abutment of the first and second vessel sections 2 and 3. A press apparatus 7 for providing an axial force to the face seal section 5 is disposed and the press apparatus 7 has a space 15 for storing a supplementary apparatus, such as a stirrer or the like at a position corresponding to the axial center of the pressure vessel 1.

Abstract: A sintering furnace for sintering an object to be sintered formed of ceramics, fine ceramic materials, etc. to produce a sintered object and a method therefor. An insulating wall (28) and an inner shell (25) define a sintering chamber (16) for sintering an object to be sintered (10). Thermal equilibrium is maintained between the inner shell (25) and the object to be sintered (10), and the object to be sintered (10) is completely pseudo-adiabatically isolated to achieve more uniform and small energy consuming sintering. The thickness of the insulating wall (28) increases gradually from an inlet (20) toward an outlet (21). The object to be sintered (10) is fed by a carriage provided in a sintering furnace from the inlet (20) to the outlet (21) in the sintering chamber (16). Thereby, a temperature distribution corresponding to a plurality of processes can be easily formed in one furnace to sinter continuously the object to be sintered (10) in the furnace.

Abstract: A plasma processing method of processing a substrate by controlling the application of a bias to the substrate independently of generation of plasma. The method includes modulating periodically an output value of a high-frequency voltage applied to a substrate base and changing a duty ratio of the periodic modulation for one of each processed substrate and for each of a plurality of processed substrates. The duty ratio is defined as a ratio of a sub-period of a period of the period modulation, during which a large voltage of the output value of the high-frequency voltage is applied, to the period of the periodic modulation.

Abstract: Electrode and nozzle that seat within a retaining member and in two different seating locations relative to retaining member. The electrode and nozzle each include an interwoven-double-start thread having two thread cuts, which start 180 degrees from one another as measured around the circumference of the electrode or nozzle. Further, the electrode, nozzle, and retaining member include mating frustum surfaces, which are configured and dimensioned so that the electrode and nozzle seat within the retaining member with less than one turn of the electrode and nozzle relative to the retaining member. Therefore, the electrode and nozzle may be quickly inserted in, and removed from, the retaining member.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method implement automatic cooking, which may automatically cook compote, thus conveniently providing the uniform and optimal cooking quality of compote to a user. The cooking apparatus includes a cooking cavity that contains food to be cooked and water therein, and a heating unit that heats the food and the water. The cooking apparatus further includes a control unit operated to heat the food and the water at a preset initial output of the heating unit, to reduce the output of the heating unit to a first reduced output, allow a heated high temperature water to be absorbed into the food after the water is boiled, and to increase and reduce the output of the heating unit in stages to reduce an amount of the water.

Abstract: An arrangement at installation of electrical resistance elements having high operating temperatures, in which arrangement comprises at least one element having a glow zone (3) and support and distance plates (1, 2) to carry the glow zone. The element is corrugated in its lengthwise direction, that the upper corrugations are supported at the tipper edges of vertical supporting plates (1) and that the lower corrugations are supported at distance plates (2) that are arranged between each two adjacent supporting plates (1). The supporting plates (1) and the distance plates (2) are held together by a resilient mounted pull bar (5). The element or the elements are mainly made from molybdenum disilicide.

Abstract: A multiple head induction sealing system includes at least two ferrite cores mounted which are channel-shaped and arranged so that the open ends of the channels are aligned either perpendicular or parallel to a workflow direction established as the objects to be heated pass beneath the unit. A litz wire coil is disposed proximate to each ferrite core which produces an electromagnetic field within the ferrite core. The ferrite cores and litz wire coil are adapted to direct the electromagnetic field toward an object to heat it.

Abstract: Low-noise, crossed-field devices such as a microwave magnetron, a microwave oven utilizing same, crossed-field amplifier and a method of converting a noisy magnetron to a low-noise magnetron utilize an azimuthally varying, axial magnetic field. The magnetic configuration reduces and eliminates microwave and radio frequency noise. This microwave noise is present near the carrier frequency and as sidebands, far separated from the carrier. The device utilizes azimuthally varying, axial, magnetic field perturbations. In one embodiment, at least one permanent magnet is placed against the azimuthally-symmetric, axial magnetic field magnetron magnets (four magnets work especially well). This additional permanent magnet(s) causes the axial magnetic field to vary azimuthally in the magnetron and completely eliminates the microwave noise and unwanted frequencies.

Abstract: A electrode and method for periodic elongation of the electrode of an electric arc furnace, includes screwing to the electrode column, a new electrode and a nipple with a longitudinal hole and a metal rod therein. The rod melts at working temperatures of the furnace and fills cavities in the joint between the electrodes and nipple, as well as partially filling an additional cavity in the body of the electrode. A gas mixture from the additional cavity is free of liquid metal being drawn to the working area of the furnace through the holes in the body of the electrode. The electrode is made with additional cavities, placed along the central axis in the bottom of the threaded sockets, the cavities having different diameters and depths and one of them being connected to the external surface of the electrode by holes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to devices and methods of modifying the neuronal activity of a neural system comprising neurons, comprising, one or more of the following steps, measuring the neuronal activity of a neural system; and applying an oriented electric field to said neural system effective to modify the neuronal activity of the neural system, wherein the magnitude and polarity of said applied electric field is changed in response to the measured neuronal activity. The present invention also relates to devices and methods for treating brain disorders, such as epilepsy and Parkinson's disease, comprising, one or more of the following steps, applying a sub-threshold and oriented electric field in situ to the brain of a patient having such a disorder in an amount effective to reduce the abnormal activity of the brain, wherein the electric field is applied through field electrodes in contact with the brain.

Abstract: Systems and methods for thermally modifying an ice-to-object interface. One system includes a power supply configured to generate a magnitude of power. The magnitude of the power is sufficient to melt an interfacial layer of ice at the interface; typically the interfacial layer has a thickness in a range one micron to one millimeter. A controller may be used to limit the duration in which power supply generates the magnitude of the power, to limit unneeded heat energy dissipation into the environment. Modulating the pulsed heating energy to the interface modifies a coefficient of friction between the object and the ice.

Abstract: A high-frequency heating apparatus includes an outer enclosure, a high voltage generator such as a high-voltage capacitor, and an air guide, wherein the air guide is provided with a plastic hinge formed by partially reducing a wall thickness thereof. The invented structure can bend the plastic hinge to locate an end flap of air guide in a space between a terminal of the high-voltage capacitor and the outer enclosure defining a dead metal part, to easily ensure electrical insulation between the terminal and the outer enclosure without dependent on variations in quality of workmanship in the manufacturing process. In addition, it can reduce a number of working processes as well as amount of waste since all it requires is to bend the plastic hinge to provide the electrical insulation.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for plasma-assisted joining of one or more parts together are provided. The joining process may include, for example, placing at least first and second joining areas in proximity to one another in a cavity, forming a plasma in the cavity by subjecting a gas to electromagnetic radiation in the presence of a plasma catalyst, and sustaining the plasma at least until the first and second joining areas are joined. Plasma catalysts, and methods and apparatus for igniting, modulating, and sustaining a joining plasma, are provided. Additional cavity shapes, and methods and apparatus for selective plasma-joining, are also provided.

Abstract: A slag retainer for protecting a water-cooled furnace element through the use of an elongate metal member which extends from inside the furnace, through the furnace wall and into the cooling water of the furnace element so that the insert can be continuously cooled and collected and retain a protective mass of slag.

Abstract: A heater control system is provided for controlling the temperature of a heater used to heat a solid electrolyte-made sensor element of a gas concentration sensor up to a given temperature at which the sensor element is activated to provide a correct gas concentration output for controlling a preselected variable used in, for example, an automotive air-fuel ratio control system. The heater control system measures a resistance value of the sensor element and controls an electric power supplied to the heater as a function of the resistance value. The heater control system is designed to determine a controlled variable properly used to control the heater, thereby resulting in improved controllability of a power supply to the heater and also works to minimize an error in determining the resistance of the heater.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method automatically cook food, for example, millet, thus conveniently providing the uniform and optimal cooking quality of food to a user. The cooking apparatus includes a cooking cavity that contains food to be cooked and water therein, and a heating unit that heats the food and the water. The cooking apparatus further includes a control unit operated to heat the food and the water at a preset initial output of the heating unit, to reduce the output of the heating unit to a first reduced output and cook a surface of the food by allowing a heated high temperature water to be absorbed into the food after the water has boiled, and to reduce the output of the heating unit to a second reduced output and cook an inside of the food using the high temperature water absorbed into the food.

Abstract: An apparatus for inductively heating a sleeve section, having a central holding opening for a shank of a rotary tool, of a tool holder that holds the shank in the holding opening in a press fit and releases it upon heating. The apparatus includes an induction coil arrangement with at least one induction coil, a generator that feeds the induction coil arrangement with electric current of periodically varying amplitude, and a yoke arrangement of magnetizable material, which concentrates the magnetic flux of the induction coil onto the sleeve section in a fashion distributed all around. The induction coil is axially offset from the tool holder axis of rotation, in particular substantially radially next to the axis of rotation, and does not wrap around the section. Furthermore, the induction coil includes a coil core, of magnetizable material, that is connected in a magnetically conducting fashion to the yoke arrangement.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining a volume of tumor mass destroyed. The present invention includes a temperature probe and a laser probe having a temperature sensor. The laser probe and temperature probe are inserted to measure a temperature of the tumor mass and a temperature of tissue mass surrounding the tumor mass. By determining the volume of tumor mass destroyed, a graphical representation of the volume of tumor mass destroyed is provided whereby real-time visual monitoring of the destruction of the tumor mass is achieved.

Abstract: A method and apparatus achieves making a surface-analysis determination precedent to allowing an electrofusion welding operation on pipe stock which is prescribed to be scraped, skinned or cleaned of surface contaminants prior to being graded ‘passable’ for such electrofusion welding. The method and apparatus utilizes non-contacting probes affixed to the welding power-supply leads such that inspection is automatic on the applicable pipe section(s) contemporaneously prior to enabling power-supply to the hot-wire welding coils. If the applicable pipe section fails the inspection, the welding equipment is disabled until the probes are disassembled, and then re-assembled for a succeeding inspection, such that during the interim an operator presumptively rectifies the situation as by re-scraping or skinning the applicable pipe section.

Abstract: A die liner for use in a die having a die body wherein the die body is configured to form a workpiece. The die liner is a discrete structure that is configured to be used in conjunction with the die body. The die liner defines a forming surface for forming the workpiece and is configured to have at least one characteristic that is different than a corresponding characteristic of the die body such that the die liner increases the durability of the die.