Abstract: A fountain for heating and distributing fluidic material is manufactured using various processes and materials. In one embodiment, the fountain includes a heating element encased in an enclosure. A basin containing a medium, such as chocolate, is removably mounted to the enclosure so that the basin is heated by contact with the enclosure. Additionally, an auger having a spiral flight rotates and lifts the melted chocolate upward to a top end of a cylinder that houses the auger. One or more tiers may be mounted, using various locking mechanisms, onto the cylinder to divert flow of the medium. A smaller chocolate fountain that may advantageously be more suitable for home use is also described herein.

Abstract: Disclosed is a straw for giving a new sucking feeling to users by squirting fluid liquid-phase beverages, such as milk, juice, coffee, carbon beverage, and so on, to the whole inside of the user's mouth when the user sucks up the liquid-phase beverages. The straw comprising: a tubular body having the intake passage formed therein; at least two or more squirt holes formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular body in such a manner as to be adjacent to one side end of the tubular body, and adapted to squirt the fluid liquid-phase beverages sucked up through the intake passage in all directions, the squirt holes communicating with the intake passage; and blocking shields bent downwardly from the upper portions of the squirt holes toward the inside center of the intake passage, when the squirt holes are formed, for blocking a part of the intake passage.

Abstract: A process for annealing copper or copper-containing components, such as copper tubing, and/or for selecting copper with an appropriate grain size, such that potable water in contact with the properly treated and/or selected copper, has substantially decreased copper emissions, and may comply with ANSI/NSF 61. In one preferred embodiment, an ANSI/NSF 61 -compliant water cooler may be constructed using a storage tank with wrapped copper water tubing treated and/or selected in this manner. The storage tank is preferably designed from non-copper components.