Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring relative humidity of a mixture that provides a quick response time for thermal lag while affording protection to fragile sensors. In one aspect, the invention is a method for calculating the relative humidity of a mixture comprising measuring a chamber relative humidity (RHC) within a chamber enclosing an humidity sensor; measuring a first temperature (TC) within the chamber; measuring a second temperature (TA) separate from said chamber, said second temperature being the temperature of the mixture; and calculating the mixture relative humidity (RHA) based on the chamber relative humidity, a first value representing the first temperature and a second value representing the second temperature.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring relative humidity of a mixture that provides a quick response time for thermal lag while affording protection to fragile sensors. In one aspect, the invention is a method for calculating the relative humidity of a mixture comprising measuring a chamber relative humidity (RHC) within a chamber enclosing an humidity sensor; measuring a first temperature (TC) within the chamber; measuring a second temperature (TA) separate from said chamber, said second temperature being the temperature of the mixture; and calculating the mixture relative humidity (RHA) based on the chamber relative humidity, a first value representing the first temperature and a second value representing the second temperature.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring relative humidity of a mixture that provides a quick response time for thermal lag while affording protection to fragile sensors. In one aspect, the invention is an apparatus comprising: a chamber having a membrane covering an opening in the chamber, the membrane being permeable to water vapor while impermeable to liquid water; a humidity sensor for measuring relative humidity of the mixture within the chamber; a first temperature sensor for measuring a temperature relating to the mixture within the chamber; a second temperature sensor for measuring temperature of the mixture at a point exterior to the chamber; and a processor for receiving signals representing the measurements taken by the humidity sensor, the first temperature sensor, and the second temperature sensor and programmed to calculate relative humidity of the mixture at the point exterior to the chamber as a function thereof.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring relative humidity of a mixture that provides a quick response time for thermal lag while affording protection to fragile sensors. In one aspect, the invention is an apparatus comprising: a chamber having a membrane covering an opening in the chamber, the membrane being permeable to water vapor while impermeable to liquid water; a humidity sensor for measuring relative humidity of the mixture within the chamber; a first temperature sensor for measuring a temperature relating to the mixture within the chamber; a second temperature sensor for measuring temperature of the mixture at a point exterior to the chamber; and a processor for receiving signals representing the measurements taken by the humidity sensor, the first temperature sensor, and the second temperature sensor and programmed to calculate relative humidity of the mixture at the point exterior to the chamber as a function thereof.

Abstract: A portable hand-held vane anemometer is disclosed in which a modular vane assembly is removably mounted within the casing of the instrument. Within the modular vane assembly is a rotatably mounted impeller shaft. The impeller assembly preferably can be removed and inserted into a cavity of the anemometer. Consequently, if the impeller, bearings or other components of the impeller assembly should become damaged, the modular impeller assembly can be quickly and easily replaced. The vane anemometer of this invention may also measure temperature dependent environmental parameters and may also have the ability to measure these parameters relatively quickly and accurately when moving from one thermal mass to another thermal mass. These environmental parameters may include ambient temperature, wind chill, humidity and heat index. In order to determine these parameters, the vane anemometer may have a temperature probe and a humidity sensor that are disposed external to the casing.

Abstract: A vane anemometer is disclosed in which a modular vane assembly is removably mounted within the case of the instrument. Within the modular vane assembly is a rotatably mounted impeller shaft. The impeller assembly preferably can be removed and inserted into a cavity of the anemometer without the use of tools. Consequently, if the impeller, bearings or other components of the impeller assembly should become damaged, the modular impeller assembly can be quickly and easily replaced. The modular impeller assembly is preferably mechanically insulated from the anemometer casing. This minimizes the effect of dynamic forces on the bearings and other components of the impeller assembly. A method of and the structure for precisely and reproducibly adjusting the axial clearance between a shaft and a bearing assembly is also disclosed. The vane anemometer of this invention may also measure the temperature and the wind chill of the ambient air.

Abstract: A vane anemometer is disclosed in which a modular vane assembly is removably mounted within the case of the instrument. Within the modular vane assembly is a rotatably mounted impeller shaft. The impeller assembly preferably can be removed and inserted into a cavity of the anemometer without the use of tools. Consequently, if the impeller, bearings or other components of the impeller assembly should become damaged, the modular impeller assembly can be quickly and easily replaced. The modular impeller assembly is preferably mechanically insulated from the anemometer casing. This minimizes the effect of dynamic forces on the bearings and other components of the impeller assembly. A method of and the structure for precisely and reproducibly adjusting the axial clearance between a shaft and a bearing assembly is also disclosed.

Abstract: A thermal transfer printing device, including an ink donor supporting an ink meltable upon the application of a selected temperature, a printing head supporting a resistive heating element for generating the selected temperature at the ink donor, and means for bringing a final image support surface into contacting relationship with the ink donor in timed relationship to the application of the selected temperature to the ink donor including an electrically conductive heat sink layer, a heat resistant organic material having a very low thermal conductivity deposited on the heat sink layer and an array of resistors, supported on the heat resistant organic material, each resistor selectively controllable to apply a melting temperature to the meltable ink. The heat resistant organic material having a very low thermal conductivity is desirably a polyimide.

Abstract: A method for marking a recording surface includes providing a premagnetized magnetic donor layer having magnetically held on its surface magnetically attractable marking particles. The magnetic attraction between the marking particles and the donor layer is changed in selected areas of the donor layer so that the particles held in the selected areas are attracted to the recording surface by a magnetic field.