Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for machining holes, especially to machine holes in a surface of a coated gas turbine airfoil, which apparatus comprises a laser device for laser drilling and an electrode for electrical discharge machining. Further the invention relates to a method to machine a hole into a coated surface with an apparatus of the incipiently mentioned type. Known methods make use of a machine with separate machine heads for laser drilling and electrical discharge machining. By combining these two devices in one machine head the invention gives the possibility to save time and obtain very accurate results.

Abstract: There are a multiplicity of methods of making through-holes. In particular in the production of a multiplicity of film-cooling holes, as in gas turbine blades or combustion chamber elements, small time advantages are also important when making a hole. The method according to the invention, to make the hole close to the final contour in each case in sections in a top and a bottom region in order to then produce the final contour with other laser parameters, achieves time advantages.

Abstract: A method for welding to a superalloy material without causing cracking of the material. The method includes the steps of depositing a weld strip (18) of a weldable material onto a superalloy substrate material (12) using a spray deposition process (20) and then forming a weldment (26) to the weld strip. None or a controlled amount of the substrate material (12) is melted during the weld in order to maintain the concentration of strengthening elements in the local melt within a zone of weldability. The spray deposition process may be a thermal process such as HVOF or a cold spray process. A groove (16) may be formed in a surface (10) of the superalloy substrate material to receive the weld strip. A diffusion heat treatment step may be used to improve adhesion between the weld strip and the superalloy material.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for automatically recalibrating an output current range of a user output current control encoder of an auto-reconnect welding/cutting device. When an input power type connected to an auto-reconnect device is changed, the calibrated range of the user output current control encoder (e.g., output control knob) is automatically transformed in response to the auto-reconnect device sensing at least one characteristic of the input power type. As a result, when a user adjusts the encoder to its maximum full-scale setting, too much current will not be drawn by the auto-reconnect device which would cause a circuit protection component (e.g., a circuit breaker or a fuse) associated with the input power type to trip. Instead, the current that is drawn when the encoder is set to the maximum full-scale setting is no more than about a rated current of the circuit protection component.

Abstract: A nozzle housing assembly, which is used in a convection heating furnace for a heat treatable glass sheet. The nozzle housing assembly comprises an elongated enclosure, at least one elongated heating resistance in the enclosure for heating convection air, and orifices in a bottom surface of the enclosure for blasting heated convection air against the glass sheet. The enclosure is divided with a flow-throttling partition into a top supply duct and a bottom nozzle box, the heating resistances being housed in the latter. Flow-throttling openings present in the partition are positioned to comply with the location and shape of the heating resistances.

Abstract: A conventional vehicle lighting device has entailed a problem on swaging and fixing a power-feeding portion and a connector to each other insofar. In the present invention, a connector is made up of: a male terminal set at a power-feeding electrically conductive paste on one face of a power-feeding film of a power-feeding portion; a grommeted terminal board (primary swaging tool) on which the terminal and the power-feeding portion have been swaged; and a resin board (secondary swaging tool) on which the male terminal, the power-feeding portion, and the grommeted terminal board have been swaged. As a result, in the present invention, a swaging fixing strength between the power-feeding portion and the connector can be improved by means of the primary swaging fixing of the grommeted terminal board and the secondary swaging fixing of the resin board.

Abstract: A revolving door deicer/dryer system including a floor grate having a bottom side and a heating system associated with the bottom side of the floor grate. The heating system includes at least one shaped plate and at least one heating element serpentinely routed on the at least one shaped plate.

Abstract: A heating system which may include a bonding membrane having a water permeable lamina, an electrically conductive ink-based radiant heater, and a first adhesive adapted to adhere to both the conductive ink-based radiant heater and the bonding membrane. The heating system may be incorporated in a floor including a substrate, the heating system and a decorative floor surface. The heating system may also be in the form of a multilayer panel having a bonding membrane, an electrically conductive ink-based heater including a plurality of electrically resistive strips printed on a first polymer sheet connected by electrically conductive buses, and electrical conductors extending from the buses to at least an edge of the panel.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a substrate support includes a substrate support surface and a shaft; an RF electrode disposed in the substrate support proximate the substrate support surface to receive RF current from an RF source; a heater disposed proximate the substrate support surface to provide heat to a substrate when disposed on the substrate support surface, the heater having one or more conductive lines to provide power to the heater; a thermocouple to measure the temperature of a substrate when disposed on the substrate support surface; and a conductive element having an interior volume with the one or more conductive lines and the thermocouple disposed through the interior volume, the conductive element coupled to the RF electrode and having an electric field of about zero in the interior volume when RF current is flowed through the conductive element.

Abstract: The fryer (1) for cooking a food product, comprises a main body (2) for housing a tilted container (3) adapted to receive the cooking oil, a tilted basket for containing the food product, positioned in an extractable manner in the container, first (30, 31) and second heating means (49), a selector for selecting a first cooking mode in a first volume of oil with the first heating means or a second cooking mode in a second volume of oil greater than the first volume of oil with the second heating means, and rotation means (17) adapted to operate in rotation the basket (11) or at least a mixing paddle (13) present or positionable inside the basket.

Abstract: An actively heated mug or travel mug is provided. The mug or travel mug can include a body that receives a liquid therein and a heating system at least partially disposed in the body. The heating system can include one or more heating elements that heat a surface of the receiving portion of the body and one or more energy storage devices. The mug or travel mug can include a wireless power receiver that wirelessly receives power from a power source and control circuitry configured to charge one or more power storage elements and to control the delivery of electricity from the one or more power storage elements to the one or more heating elements. The mug or travel mug also can have one or more sensors that sense a parameter of the liquid or sense a parameter of the heating system and communicates the sensed information to the control circuitry.

Abstract: A method of controlling a phase of an alternating current (AC) power having an AC voltage waveform having a predetermined cycle includes counting a number of times a zero crossing signal has been generated, the zero crossing signal being generated whenever a level of the AC voltage waveform becomes “0”; calculating a half cycle of the AC voltage waveform based on times at which the counted number of times the zero crossing signal has been generated changes; detecting phases that divide an area surrounded by a waveform corresponding to the half cycle of the AC voltage waveform into a predetermined number of equal areas; and generating control pulse signals based on the detected phases.

Abstract: A domestic oven comprises heating means, a gas sensor connected to a central processing and control unit and a user interface connected to the central processing unit by means of which the user can set the type of food placed in the oven compartment. The user interface comprises means for setting the desired degree of cooking of the food and is capable of processing the signal of the gas sensor in such a way as to determine the optimal cooking end time of the food. The central processing unit interrupts the electrical supply to the heating means on the basis either of said cooking end time, modified if necessary on the basis of degree of cooking set by the user, or of the food type set by the user.

Abstract: A heater member for a chair, of which the dimension as measured in the width direction is not constant, includes a fabric of a weft knitting structure having a plurality of conductive threads woven into the fabric as a part of constituent yarn. Each of the conductive threads has substantially the same length.

Abstract: A microwave oven comprises a cooking cavity and a RF generation module configured to deliver microwave energy into the cooking cavity. A controller is operatively associated with the RF generation module. The controller receives and processes a signal indicative of current state of an associated energy supplying utility for determining whether to operate the microwave oven in one of a normal operating mode and an energy savings mode in response to the received signal. The controller is configured to at least temporarily block the signal when the RF generation module is activated if a frequency of the signal is at least partially degraded by a frequency of the RF generation module.

Abstract: A susceptor assembly includes electrically conductive vanes positioned with respect to each other and to an planar susceptor member having an electrically lossy layer thereon to prevent overheating of the susceptor in an unloaded microwave oven.

Abstract: A microwavable container for receiving food and to be put into a microwave oven for microwave heating. The microwave oven includes a support surface for supporting the microwavable container placed therein. The microwavable container is composed of a main body and a support member. The main body includes an internal bottom wall and an internal peripheral wall, both of which jointly define a chamber for receiving the food. The support member is provided with a predetermined height and located at a bottom side of the main body in such a way that a gap is formed between the internal bottom wall of the main body and the support surface of the microwave oven while the container is placed into the microwave oven. In this way, the microwave can pass through the gap to heat where the food is close to the internal bottom wall of the container.

Abstract: An adjustable range munition has at least one gas vent that is selectively variable to affect the amount of force that is directed onto the projectile upon actuation of the propellant section, thereby to control the range of the munition.

Abstract: Various methods and apparatus are described for a photovoltaic system. In an embodiment, pluralities of three-phase Alternating Current (AC) inverter circuits electrically connect into a common three phase AC output. Each of those inverters receives a bipolar DC voltage supplied from its own set of Concentrated PhotoVoltaic (CPV) modules.

Abstract: A method of measuring an anode current in an electron-multiplier device having an anode, a cathode, dynodes and a voltage divider network for applying voltages to the dynodes, which method includes applying an HV positive voltage to the anode and intermediate voltages to the dynodes, the cathode being at or near circuit ground potential, conducting dynode currents through or in parallel to the voltage divider to a point substantially at cathode potential, and deriving from those currents a current representative of the anode current.

Abstract: A back-illuminated image sensor includes a sensor layer disposed between an insulating layer and a circuit layer electrically connected to the sensor layer. An imaging area includes a plurality of photodetectors is formed in the sensor layer and a well that spans the imaging area. The well can be disposed between the backside of the sensor layer and the photodetectors, or the well can be a buried well formed adjacent to the backside of the sensor layer with a region including formed between the photodetectors and the buried well. One or more side wells can be formed laterally adjacent to each photodetector. The dopant in the well has a segregation coefficient that causes the dopant to accumulate on the sensor layer side of an interface between the sensor layer and the insulating layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a junction gate photo-diode (JGP) pixel that includes a JGP for accumulating charge in response to impinging photons. The JGP is positioned on a substrate and includes a top n layer, a middle p layer and a bottom n layer forming a n-p-n junction, and a control terminal coupled to the top n layer. Also included is a floating diffusion (FD) positioned on the substrate and coupled to a pixel output line through an amplifier. Also included is a pinned barrier (PB) positioned on the substrate between the JGP and the FD, the PB temporarily blocks charge transfer between the JGP and the FD. The accumulated charge is transferred from the JGP to FD by applying a control voltage to the JGP control terminal.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: pixels each including a hybrid photoelectric conversion portion and pixel transistors, wherein the hybrid photoelectric conversion portion includes a semiconductor layer having a p-n junction, a plurality of columnar or cylindrical hollow-shaped organic material layers disposed in the semiconductor layer, and a pair of electrodes disposed above and below the semiconductor layer and the organic material layers, wherein charges generated in the organic material layers through photoelectric conversion move inside the semiconductor layer so as to be guided to a charge accumulation region, and wherein the solid-state imaging device is configured as a back-illuminated type in which light is incident from a surface opposite to the surface on which the pixel transistors are formed.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of AD conversion units respectively provided in a plurality of columns and each configured to convert a pixel signal converted by unit pixels provided in an associated column into digital data of N bits, and a plurality of data storage units respectively provided in the columns. The data storage units each include N flip-flop circuits. The solid-state imaging device further includes data switching units each configured to switch between a first state in which the digital data converted by the AD conversion unit is stored in the data storage unit of the associated column, and a second state in which the N flip-flop circuits in each of the data storage units are serially connected.

Abstract: An object is to obtain a diode having a small voltage drop and to reduce the fabrication cost of a converter circuit. A photoelectric transducer device including: a photoelectric transducer element; and a converter circuit stepping up or stepping down an output of the photoelectric transducer element and including a switching element and a rectifier, in which the switching element is a first insulated gate bipolar transistor that is normally off and in which the rectifier is a second insulated gate bipolar transistor that is diode-connected and normally on.

Abstract: An optical filter includes first and second substrates, first and second mirrors, and first and second electrodes. The second substrate faces the first substrate. The second substrate includes a first surface and a second surface. The second surface surrounds the first surface in a plan view and a second height of the second surface is lower than a first height of the first surface. The first mirror is formed on the first surface of the second substrate. The second mirror is formed on the first substrate, the second mirror facing the first mirror. The first electrode is formed on the first substrate. The second electrode is formed on the second surface of the second substrate. The second electrode faces the first electrode.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for detecting broken glass in a continuous furnace provided for sterilizing or depyrogenating glass containers, comprising a transport device for the glass containers, wherein the detection device comprises at least one transmission and receiving unit. The receiving unit is designed to detect electromagnetic radiation that can be emitted by the transmission unit. The transport device and the transmission unit and receiving unit are positioned and aligned in relation to each other such that the glass particles or pieces of broken glass resulting from glass breakage cross the radiation path between transmission and receiving unit during or after leaving a substantially horizontal transport plane predetermined by the transport device.

Abstract: A seed sensor system determines the position of the seed relative to the seed tube as the seed passes the sensor. The position of the seed as well as the speed of the planter and the position of the seed tube above the planting furrow are used to calculate trajectory of the seed into the furrow from which the seed spacing is predicated. By sensing the seed in both X and Y directions in the seed tube, the sensor is better able to determine multiple seeds as well providing more precision to the seed population.

Abstract: A position-measuring device for measuring linear and/or angular positions includes a first measuring standard that has a first code track, with the aid of which consecutive position regions are cyclically measurable, and at least two multiturn code disks having second code tracks, via whose angular positions the currently measured position region of the first code track may be determined. The first measuring standard and the multiturn code disks are positioned such that the first code track and the second code tracks are scannable by a common scanning unit, through a first scanning window and second scanning windows, respectively.

Abstract: An absolute encoder (100) includes a scale portion (41) movable along with the object and including first and second track (42, 43) having first and second slits (44, 45), a light source (1) that illuminates a light onto the first and second slits, a first detector (9) that detects a first signal obtained from a light from the first slit, a second detector (10) that detects a second signal obtained from a light from the second slit, and a calculator (25, 27) that calculates an absolute position of an object based on the first and second signals. The second slit is formed so that a reflected light intensity or a transmitted light intensity is different in accordance with a position in a moving direction of the scale portion. The calculator obtains an upper-level signal, a middle-level signal, and a lower-level signal to calculate the absolute position.

Abstract: An imaging module for imaging, and a reader for and a method of electro-optically reading, a target, include a support, an imaging assembly including a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors on the support for capturing return light over a field of view at a range of working distances from the target along a folded imaging path, and an illuminating assembly on the support for directing illumination light along a folded illuminating path having a length longer than the folded imaging path to uniformly illuminate the target with the illumination light. The longer length of the folded illuminating path enables the illuminating assembly to illuminate the target with more of the illumination light, and also enables the imaging assembly to capture more of the return light for increased imaging/reading performance.

Abstract: A system for forming an optical trap comprising two or more photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) and at least one source of radiation for inputting radiation to the photonic crystal fibers, the fibers being operable to provide counter-propagating outputs for forming the optical trap.

Abstract: Enantiomers are characterized, identified, synthesized and/or modified with a shaped laser pulse. In another aspect of the present invention, binary shaping and circular polarization are employed with a laser pulse. A further aspect of the present invention provides a quarter-wave plate in combination with one or more pulse shapers.

Abstract: The invention is directed at an apparatus (10), an imaging device and a method for detecting X-ray photons, in particular photons (32,34) in a computer tomograph. Photons (32,34) are converted into an electrical pulse and compared against a threshold using a discriminator (20). The electrical network (12) performing these functions comprises a switching element (28), that can modify the electrical path (22) along which the process signals travel. The trigger signal (VT) for actuating the switching element (28) is derived from an electrical state of the electrical path (22). If a pulse associated to a photon (32,34) is detected, the switching element (28) is actuated in order to avoid that the processing of the charge pulse stemming from a first photon (32) is affected by a subsequent second photon (34).

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to emit radiation into an earth formation from a source positioned below a surface of the earth, collect resulting radiation that is a result of the radiation emitted and interacting with the formation, and to determine the total carbon yield from the resulting radiation. Further activities may include determining the amount of inorganic carbon content from carbonate minerals in the formation based on a carbon-calcium ratio derived from the resulting radiation, as well as from iron-carbon based minerals in the formation based on a carbon-iron ratio derived from the resulting radiation. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer has a manifold and at least one ion optical assembly that is composed of a support and electrodes attached to the support. The support is aligned to at least one reference surface machined integrally with the manifold such that the number of interfaces between the reference surface of the manifold and the electrodes is minimized. With such a design the positional and/or alignment precision of ion optical assemblies in a mass spectrometer can be improved.

Abstract: Systems and methods for analyzing compounds in a sample. In one embodiment, the present technology is directed towards a method of analyzing a sample, comprising: emitting ions from the sample; selectively filtering the emitted ions for at least one designated trigger ion; fragmenting the designated trigger ions; scanning for a designated trigger ion fragment; and upon detecting the designated trigger ion fragment, scanning for at least one confirmatory ion fragment.

Abstract: An ion mobility spectrometer comprises a drift tube defining a drift tube inlet configured to receive ions and a drift tube outlet. The drift tube is configured to separate ions in time as a function of ion mobility. The drift tube defines a first ion activation region between the drift tube inlet and the drift tube outlet. The first ion activation region is configured to selectively induce structural changes in at least some of the ions.

Abstract: The present invention describes separating components in a sample in an ion mobility based spectrometer using at least one matching property of the components other than the molecular properties in conventional ion mobility measurements in noble drift gases to enhance separation and resolution of the sample. Separation based on the matching property is realized by altering the drift media of the IMS. Besides altering drift media, energy level of ions and/or drift media are also controlled during the separation process. This invention describes an ion mobility apparatus wherein an energy source is added to the IMS that provides additional energy to the ions and/or drift media and tuning methods that involve selecting drift media and optimizing the energy level in order to achieve optimal performance.

Abstract: The present invention involves a series of shifting reagents that selectively interact with a targeted functional group of biological molecules, pharmaceutical drugs, small molecules, chemicals, chemical agents, or explosives resulting in a structure selective based drift time shift in the IMS. Additional energy is used to enhance the mobility based separation; in particular, the energy level can be tuned.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing drift in a charged particle beam system. The method includes providing a charged particle beam column including a charged particle beam, a lens system, and a sample chamber; disposing a temperature-controlled device between the lens system and the sample chamber to control heat transfer between the lens system and the sample chamber; and controlling the temperature of the temperature-controlled device to reduce or eliminate the thermal drift of the position of a sample within the sample chamber relative to the position of the charged particle beam.

Abstract: Observation fields of an electron microscope image and an optical magnifying observation image are smoothly switched. A magnifying observation apparatus includes: a pair of end-face plates closes end faces of a body portion; an electron beam imaging device mounted on a first position of a cylindrical shaped outer surface of the body portion; an optical imaging device mounted on a second position being different from the first position in the outer surface; a rotating device that rotates the both imaging devices along the outer surface such that a distance from each of the both imaging devices to a common rotation axis of the both imaging devices is kept constant and optical axes of the both imaging devices are oriented toward the rotation axis; a specimen stage that is disposed in the chamber, and arranged to a position that is substantially the same to a height of the rotation axis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a charged particle beam apparatus which employs LVSEM to inspect sample surface with a throughput much higher than the prior art. The high throughput is realized by providing a probe current and a FOV both several times of those of the prior art. Accordingly several means are proposed to avoid obvious degradation of image resolution due to the increases in Coulomb effect and geometric aberrations, and increase efficiency and uniformity of secondary charged particle collection.

Abstract: This disclosure provides methods to integrate heat generating nanoparticles to microelectromechanical (MEMs) and photonic devices such as microbolometers and thermopiles for better photodetection and electrical energy generation. Nanoparticles include noble metal and semiconductor nanocrystals of different shapes, as light sensing and heat generating materials.

Abstract: A mobile device including a source for emitting electromagnetic radiation, an enclosure having a side wall, and a detector for detecting electromagnetic radiation emitted by the source is described. At least a portion of the sidewall is adapted to transmit electromagnetic radiation from the source. The source and detector are positioned inside the enclosure. The detector is spaced from the source, and is arranged to detect electromagnetic radiation from the source that is reflected from an object outside the enclosure and passes through the portion of the side wall.

Abstract: A bolometer type Terahertz wave detector comprises: a temperature detecting portion having a thin bolometer film formed on a substrate, a reflective film that reflects Terahertz waves formed on the substrate at a position facing the temperature detecting portion, and an absorption film formed on the top surface of part of an eave-like member that extends to the inside from the perimeter edge section of the temperature detecting portion and that absorbs Terahertz waves. The reflective film and the absorption film form an optical resonant structure. A thermal isolation structure is formed by a support portion that supports the temperature detecting portion such that it is separated from the substrate by a gap. The eave-like member is supported by the support portion so that it is separated from the substrate by a gap.

Abstract: An apparatus for radiometric measurement of thin fluid films includes a housing (1) enclosing means of radiation, a radiation guide, a reflector (4) and one or more detectors (5). The means of radiation is normally an IR radiator (2). The radiation guide is either a radiation tube (3) or a radiation cone (7). The reflector (4) is of the type non-imagining optics. If there is more than one detector (5) normally at least one detector is a reference detector.

Abstract: A method for detecting suspended discontinuity densities in a material is provided. The method includes transmitting terahertz electromagnetic radiation toward a surface of the material. This radiation is received at an expected location after interacting with the material. The power level of the received radiation is measured and deviation from the expected value is used to determine a suspended discontinuity density gradient in the material. The method can be used with either reflected radiation or transmitted radiation. Embodiments of the method can calculate the index of refraction in the material and correlate this with the suspended discontinuity density of the material.

Abstract: An apparatus visualizing internal information of an object includes a detection unit of terahertz wave, a generating unit of a time waveform of the terahertz wave, a modulation unit, an adjustment unit, and an addition unit. The modulation unit sequentially performs spatial modulation on a propagation distance for each pixel of a terahertz wave corresponding to a pixel in a horizontal direction by using a plurality of modulation patterns, and emits a plurality of terahertz waves. Based on a time amount converted from the change of the propagation distances corresponding to the modulation patterns, the adjustment unit adjusts a position on a time axis of the time waveforms of a plurality of terahertz waves and calculates a new plurality of time waveforms. The addition unit adds a new time waveform for each pixel. The apparatus can suppress reduction in signal intensity of a terahertz wave while maintaining detection sensitivity.

Abstract: A system for imaging a distribution of an absorbent material within an absorbent article. The system includes a radiation source and a detector positioned such that the absorbent article is situated between the radiation source and the detector. The absorbent article includes an absorbent material having a spatial distribution within the absorbent article. Infrared radiation within a particular wavelength range (e.g., 3 ?m to 3.2 ?m) is more likely to be absorbed by the absorbent material than by other materials within the absorbent article. The radiation source is configured to generate infrared radiation incident on the absorbent article. The detector is configured to detect a quantity of the infrared radiation within the particular wavelength range that was transmitted through the absorbent article. The radiation source is further configured to generate data indicative of the spatial distribution of the absorbent material based on the detected quantity of the infrared radiation.