Abstract: A heating apparatus, in particular for recreational vehicles like campers or caravans, comprises a heating unit and at least one heat exchanging unit coupled to the heating unit. The heating unit comprises at least one burner and at least one combustion air fan unit. The combustion air fan unit is configured to supply the burner with combustion air. The burneris configured to burn fuel gas or liquid further supplied to the burnertogether with the combustion air received from the combustion air fan unitto get hot exhaust gasses. The heat exchanging unitis configured to receive the exhaust gasses from the burnerand to transfer heat from the exhaust gasses to a fluid to be heated, provided within the heat exchanging unit. The burnercomprises at least two nozzles configured to supply fuel gas or liquid to a combustion area in which the fuel gas or liquid is to be burned with the combustion air.

Abstract: A heating apparatus, in particular for recreational vehicles like campers or caravans, comprises a heating unit and two separate heat exchanging units, which are coupled to the heating unit in parallel with each other. The heating unit comprises one burner for each heat exchanging unit, and at least one combustion air fan unit configured to supply the burners with combustion air. The burners are configured to burn fuel gas or liquid further supplied to each of the burners together with the combustion air received from the combustion air fan unit to get hot exhaust gasses. The heat exchanging units and are configured to receive the exhaust gasses from the burners, and to transfer heat from the exhaust gasses to fluids to be heated, provided within the heat exchanging units. The heat exchanging units are positioned in parallel with each other side by side on one side of the heating unit. Furthermore, the present invention refers to a recreational vehicle with such a heating apparatus.

Abstract: A heating apparatus, in particular for recreational vehicles like campers or caravans, comprises a heating unit and two separate heat exchanging units, which are coupled to the heating unit in parallel with each other. The heating unit comprises one burner for each heat exchanging unit and one common single combustion air fan unit. The single combustion air fan unit is configured to supply both burners with combustion air, and the burners are configured to burn fuel gas or liquid further supplied to each of the burners together with the combustion air received from the single combustion air fan unit to get hot exhaust gasses. The heat exchanging units are configured to receive the exhaust gasses from the burners, and to transfer heat from the exhaust gasses to fluids to be heated, provided within the heat exchanging units. Furthermore, the present invention refers to a recreational vehicle with such a heating apparatus and methods for heating two distinct fluids with the above heating apparatus.

Abstract: A rotating magnetron sputtering cathode apparatus comprising a radio frequency power supply, a power delivery assembly, a cylindrical rotating cathode, a shaft and a drive motor, wherein the power delivery assembly comprises a magnetic field source positioned within the cathode and an electrode extending within said cathode to transmit radio frequency energy to target material on the outer surface of the cathode. The electrode is electrically isolated from the shaft, and is formed from non-ferrous materials, and the shaft is mechanically connected to the cathode such that they remain electrically isolated while the cathode rotates about the magnetic field source and a portion of the electrode. The power supply is adapted to supply radio frequency energy at frequencies of 1 MHz or higher and is electrically connected to the electrode.

Abstract: A smart material actuator having more than two actuating arms, more than two mechanical webs, and being driven by a piezo or other smart material device within an enclosed compensator, and which may be adapted for use as an actuator, an energy capture device, or a sensor. In certain embodiments, the smart material actuator can also operate as the driver for an audio speaker.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the evaporation and deposition of materials onto a substrate. A material hopper assembly may receive source material. An agitator mechanism may be controlled for urging or advancing forward the source material. A grinding mechanism may be controlled for grinding source material. A heating pot vessel may be heated to evaporate the source material. The evaporated source material may be deposited on a proximate substrate. The rate of the deposition may be controlled in part by the agitator mechanism and/or the grinding mechanism. Temperature zones in a heating pot vessel may be independently controlled to evaporate the source material. A reactor chamber may be heated to allow the evaporated source materials to interact. A heated mesh may be charged to accelerate particles of the evaporated source materials onto the substrate.

Abstract: An actuator driven by a smart material device and suitable for use as an actuator, energy capture device, or sensor, having an enclosed compensator, potting material, at least one actuating arm, and two mechanical webs and a movable supporting member adapted such that application of a suitable electric potential causes a change in shape of the smart material device, thereby flexing the mechanical webs and causing movement of the actuating arm. As an energy capture device or sensor, external motion causes the actuating arm to move, thereby causing the smart material device to generate recoverable electrical energy or an electric signal indicating motion.

Abstract: A smart material actuator having a fixed supporting member, mechanical web, actuating arm, and piezoelectric or smart material stack is disclosed, together with a sensor adapted to indicate the degree of motion of the actuating arms and controller adapted to allow safe operation of the actuator in resonant conditions. Methods of maintaining resonant operation, avoiding resonant operation, and adjusting resonant frequencies are also disclosed.

Abstract: A rotating magnetron sputtering cathode apparatus comprising a radio frequency power supply, a power delivery assembly, a cylindrical rotating cathode, a shaft and a drive motor, wherein the power delivery assembly comprises a magnetic field source positioned within the cathode and an electrode extending within said cathode to transmit radio frequency energy to target material on the outer surface of the cathode. The electrode is electrically isolated from the shaft, and is formed from non-ferrous materials, and the shaft is mechanically connected to the cathode such that they remain electrically isolated while the cathode rotates about the magnetic field source and a portion of the electrode. The power supply is adapted to supply radio frequency energy at frequencies of 1 MHz or higher and is electrically connected to the electrode.

Abstract: A smart material actuator having more than two actuating arms, more than two mechanical webs, and being driven by a piezo or other smart material device within an enclosed compensator, and which may be adapted for use as an actuator, an energy capture device, or a sensor. In certain embodiments, the smart material actuator can also operate as the driver for an audio speaker.

Abstract: An actuator driven by a smart material device and suitable for use as an actuator, energy capture device, or sensor, having an enclosed compensator, potting material, at least one actuating arm, and two mechanical webs and a movable supporting member adapted such that application of a suitable electric potential causes a change in shape of the smart material device, thereby flexing the mechanical webs and causing movement of the actuating arm. As an energy capture device or sensor, external motion causes the actuating arm to move, thereby causing the smart material device to generate recoverable electrical energy or an electric signal indicating motion.

Abstract: A smart material actuator having a fixed supporting member, mechanical web, actuating arm, and piezoelectric or smart material stack is disclosed, together with a sensor adapted to indicate the degree of motion of the actuating arms and controller adapted to allow safe operation of the actuator in resonant conditions. Methods of maintaining resonant operation, avoiding resonant operation, and adjusting resonant frequencies are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system for reducing energy consumption in an unoccupied room is disclosed in which a battery-powered card reader placed inside a room has a keycard switch adapted to be activated upon insertion of a keycard and to be deactivated substantially upon its removal. The card reader also has a controller and a transceiver and is adapted to transmit an insertion signal substantially upon activation of the keycard switch, a removal signal after the deactivation of the keycard switch, and a periodic status signal indicating the activation state of the keycard switch. At least one secondary unit comprising a means to connect to a power source, a means to connect to a room appliance, a transceiver, and a controller, is adapted to cause a room appliance to enter a powered mode substantially upon receipt of the insertion signal or receipt of a periodic status signal indicating the keycard switch is activated, and to cause that room appliance to enter an energy-saving mode after receiving the removal signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for managing energy consumption in an unoccupied room having a keycard actuated card and a plurality of appliance control units interposed between electrical appliances and their power sources such that the card reader wirelessly transmits signals to the appliance control units upon insertion and removal of the keycard and the appliance control units energize the appliances only when the keycard is present in the card reader.

Abstract: An apparatus for managing energy consumption in an unoccupied room having a keycard actuated card and a plurality of appliance control units interposed between electrical appliances and their power sources such that the card reader wirelessly transmits signals to the appliance control units upon insertion and removal of the keycard and the appliance control units energize the appliances only when the keycard is present in the card reader.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of compensating for differences in the rate of thermal expansion in one or more elements of an electro-mechanical actuator. The electro-mechanical actuator can include one or more elements such as a piezoelectric ceramic multilayer actuator (CMA) and a mechanism to amplify the motion of the CMA. A difference in the rate of thermal expansion or coefficient of thermal expansion, CTE, between the materials in the CMA and the amplifying mechanism can cause the two components to vary in size at differing rates as the ambient temperature varies. Since the amplifying mechanism provides substantial amplification of the motion of the CMA, the relative variation in size of the components due to temperature can be translated by the amplifying mechanism as motion of the CMA. This can result in substantial motion of the amplifying mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of compensating for differences in the rate of thermal expansion in one or more elements of an electromechanical actuator. The electromechanical actuator can include one or more elements such as a piezoelectric ceramic multilayer actuator (CMA) and a mechanism to amplify the motion of the CMA. A difference in the rate of thermal expansion or coefficient of thermal expansion, CTE, between the materials in the CMA and the amplifying mechanism can cause the two components to vary in size at differing rates as the ambient temperature varies. Since the amplifying mechanism provides substantial amplification of the motion of the CMA, the relative variation in size of the components due to temperature can be translated by the amplifying mechanism as motion of the CMA. This can result in substantial motion of the amplifying mechanism.