Abstract: A feeding screw machine for feeding a processing screw machine comprises a housing with at least two housing bores formed therein and screw shafts rotatably arranged in the at least two housing bores. The at least two housing bores and the at least two screw shafts define a free volume in a respective cross-sectional plane, which decreases monotonically at least in some regions for continuous compression of a material in a conveying direction. This enables an improved supply of material with a low bulk density.

Abstract: A heating device for a domestic appliance includes a planar carrier having a carrier surface. Thermally sprayed onto the carrier surface is a layer structure, and a first solder volume is applied to the layer structure. The solder volume is an ultrasonically soldered-on solder volume. The layer structure can hereby be a heating conductor layer.

Abstract: A control unit controls a food printer configured to extrude printing compound from a container onto a tray in order to print a food. The control unit is configured to determine spectral data relating to the printing compound in the container. The spectral data is dependent on a transmission degree and/or on a reflection degree of the printing compound for electromagnetic radiation of at least one wavelength. The control unit is furthermore configured to control the food printer in dependence on the spectral data. A food printer having the control unit and a method for controlling the printer are also provided.

Abstract: An insulation device for a door of domestic cooking device includes a first pane, a second pane and a frame arranged between the first pane and the second pane and connected thereto. The frame is made of a foam material, e.g. a foamed inorganic material. The foam material can be closed-pore and configured so as to be impermeable to steam.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a cooking chamber having a loading opening which is closable by a door. A light pattern projector is arranged in a fixed manner relative to the cooking chamber and configured to generate and radiate a light pattern into the cooking chamber. A camera captures images from a region being irradiated by the light pattern projector when the cooking chamber is closed, and is arranged in a fixed manner relative to the cooking chamber, Coupled to the camera is an analysis facility which repeatedly calculates a three-dimensional shape by light pattern analysis of an object located in the region being irradiated by the light pattern projector during operation of the cooking appliance.

Abstract: A heating device for a domestic appliance includes a planar carrier having an electrically-insulating carrier surface. Thermally sprayed onto the carrier surface is an electrically-conductive layer structure, and an electrically-conductive contact volume is applied onto the layer structure. The contact volume is made of conductive glue. In a method for electrically connecting the thermally sprayed layer structure, a volume of a pasty conductive glue is applied to the layer structure, and the conductive glue is allowed to solidify.

Abstract: A heating device for a domestic appliance includes a planar carrier having a carrier surface. Thermally sprayed onto the carrier surface is a layer structure, and a first solder volume is applied to the layer structure. The solder volume is an ultrasonically soldered-on solder volume. The layer structure can hereby be a heating conductor layer.

Abstract: An insulation device for a door of domestic cooking device includes a first pane, a second pane and a frame arranged between the first pane and the second pane and connected thereto. The frame is made of a foam material, e.g. a foamed inorganic material. The foam material can be closed-pore and configured so as to be impermeable to steam.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a cooking chamber having a loading opening which is closable by a door. A light pattern projector is arranged in a fixed manner relative to the cooking chamber and configured to generate and radiate a light pattern into the cooking chamber. A camera captures images from a region being irradiated by the light pattern projector when the cooking chamber is closed, and is arranged in a fixed manner relative to the cooking chamber, Coupled to the camera is an analysis facility which repeatedly calculates a three-dimensional shape by light pattern analysis of an object located in the region being irradiated by the light pattern projector during operation of the cooking appliance.

Abstract: A retainer with an axial passage for receiving a format part is disclosed. The retainer includes several clamping tongues facing in the direction of the format part, the clamping tongues being angularly aligned against an outer lateral surface of the format part and being elastically deformable. The format part is held stationary in a first movement direction by the clamping tongues when its outer lateral surface is contacting the clamping tongues and whereby the format part is movable and/or guidable in a second movement direction, the second movement direction being opposite to the first movement direction. Furthermore the retainer includes at least one adjuster, wherein the surface contact between the respective clamping tongues and the format part is released upon actuation and/or upon a defined alignment of the at least one adjuster.

Abstract: A Built-In Test (BIT) for a photoconductive photodiode is performed using the health or characteristics of the photodiode's parasitic capacitance as a “proxy” for the health or characteristics of the photodiode itself. A failure or degradation of the photodiode manifests as a similar failure or degradation of the parasitic capacitance. Under normal operating conditions, the photoconductive photodiode responds to incident photons from a target by generating a photocurrent signal at its cathode. A processor processes the signals from one or more photodiodes to evaluate characteristics of the target. To perform the BIT, a time-varying voltage signal is applied at the photodiode's anode. This signal is coupled through the parasitic capacitance to produce a test current signal at the photodiode's anode. The processor processes the signal to evaluate the health or characteristics of the parasitic capacitance and thus the photodiode.

Abstract: A Built-In Test (BIT) for a photoconductive photodiode is performed using the health or characteristics of the photodiode's parasitic capacitance as a “proxy” for the health or characteristics of the photodiode itself. A failure or degradation of the photodiode manifests as a similar failure or degradation of the parasitic capacitance. Under normal operating conditions, the photoconductive photodiode responds to incident photons from a target by generating a photocurrent signal at its cathode. A processor processes the signals from one or more photodiodes to evaluate characteristics of the target. To perform the BIT, a time-varying voltage signal is applied at the photodiode's anode. This signal is coupled through the parasitic capacitance to produce a test current signal at the photodiode's anode. The processor processes the signal to evaluate the health or characteristics of the parasitic capacitance and thus the photodiode.

Abstract: A manually controlled lifting device is provided including a pneumatic lifting drive, a lifting member, a load carrying means, a pressure source, a pressure line, a flow control device, a pneumatic pressure switch and a vent drive. The lifting member is arranged on the pneumatic lifting drive and is a load transmitting component of at least two parts. The load carrying means is attached to the lifting member for carrying a load. The pressure line has a first end and a second end where the first end is in communication with the pressure source and the second end is in communication with the pneumatic lifting drive. The flow control device is in communication with the pressure line and integrated between the two parts of the load transfer component and the pressure source. The flow control device automatically varies a cross section of flow in the pressure line in relation to a load acting on the load carrying means.

Abstract: A force gage for measuring a tensile force in a pneumatically-operated device, includes a parallelogram linkage having a pair of longitudinal arms in spaced-apart parallel disposition, and a pair of transverse arms in spaced-apart parallel disposition and hingedly interconnecting the longitudinal arms, with a first one of the longitudinal arms being acted upon by a tensile force and movable by the tensile force in the direction of the tensile force, whereby the pair of longitudinal arms is oriented in a direction parallel to the tensile force. A probe is positioned between the transverse arms and securely fixed to a second one of the longitudinal arms for generating a pneumatic pressure signal commensurate with the tensile force. The probe has a casing and a sensing element which projects out of the casing and is acted upon in dependence on the tensile force by a force-applying structure which may be either the first longitudinal arm or one of the transverse arms.

Abstract: Laser range finder circuitry including an avalanche photodiode detector, a capacitor for storing a detector bias voltage, and a transimpedance amplifier for amplifying the detector signal. The capacitor is charged in response to a first control signal by a circuit employing first and second field effect transistors and is discharged in response to a second control signal by a circuit employing a third field effect transistor. An overload protection circuit including a single diode is provided to accommodate excessive charge created by backscatter upon initial laser firing. A temperature sensor is further provided to develop a temperature signal which may be monitored to adjust the detector bias voltage and other parameters so as to permit use of an associated laser range finder over a wide range of temperatures.

Abstract: A laser range finder receiver for detecting a return pulse and providing an output signal indicative thereof and a single-chip microcontroller for controlling receiver operation and, in particular, for automatically recalibrating the receiver. The receiver is responsive to up and down current control signals from the microcontroller to adjust the bias of an APD photodetector. An offset voltage and receiver false alarm rate are monitored with no light on the photodetector while a calibration voltage is adjusted to recalibrate the receiver. The microcontroller further monitors photodetector temperature via a temperature sensor, and can perform APD bias adjustment and receiver recalibration in response to temperature changes, providing operation over a wide temperature range.