Abstract: The present invention relates to a cleaning tool configured for cleaning a heating element (22) of an aerosol-generating device (20). The cleaning tool comprises a handle (10) and a main body (12). The main body comprises one or more cleaning elements (14). The handle is rotatably attached to the main body. The present invention further relates to an aerosol-generating device and a cleaning tool and a method for cleaning a heating element of an aerosol-generating device.

Abstract: A wafer-processing apparatus includes: multiple discrete units of reactors disposed on the same plane; a wafer-handling chamber having a polygonal shape having multiple sides corresponding to and being attached to the multiple discrete units, respectively, and one additional side for a load lock chamber; a load lock chamber attached to the one additional side of the wafer-handling chamber; multiple discrete gas boxes for controlling gases corresponding to and being connected to the multiple discrete units, respectively; and multiple discrete electric boxes for controlling electric systems corresponding to and being detachably connected to the multiple discrete units, respectively, wherein the gas boxes and the electric boxes are arranged alternately as viewed from above under the multiple discrete units, and the electric boxes can be pulled out outwardly without being disconnected from the corresponding units so that sides of the gas boxes are accessible.

Abstract: An exemplary system for removing soil from seed comprises an auger portion, a centrifuge portion and/or a dryer portion. The auger portion comprises an inclined enclosure and an auger positioned within the enclosure and is configured to mix seed with a liquid, remove soil from the seed, and separate washed seed from the liquid and the removed soil. The centrifuge portion comprises at least one centrifuge having an outer drum and a rotatable inner basket positioned within the outer drum. The inner basket comprises a side wall having a plurality of apertures. The inner basket is configured to receive washed seed from the auger portion within the inner basket and to centrifugally separate additional liquid from the washed seed, the separated liquid passing through the plurality of apertures into the outer drum. The dryer portion further reduces moisture content of the seed using heat.

Abstract: An exemplary system for removing soil from seed comprises an auger portion, a centrifuge portion and/or a dryer portion. The auger portion comprises an inclined enclosure and an auger positioned within the enclosure and is configured to mix seed with a liquid, remove soil from the seed, and separate washed seed from the liquid and the removed soil. The centrifuge portion comprises at least one centrifuge having an outer drum and a rotatable inner basket positioned within the outer drum. The inner basket comprises a side wall having a plurality of apertures. The inner basket is configured to receive washed seed from the auger portion within the inner basket and to centrifugally separate additional liquid from the washed seed, the separated liquid passing through the plurality of apertures into the outer drum. The dryer portion further reduces moisture content of the seed using heat.

Abstract: A centrifugal bowl separator, including a bowl, a source of pressurized gas in selective flow communication with the bowl and operable to selectively supply pressurized gas to an interior portion of the bowl, and first and second pressure seals selectively established to provide a zone within a portion of the bowl such that when the pressurized gas is introduced, pressure within the portion of the bowl increases for enhanced removal of moisture and drying of solids within the portion of the bowl.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device (01) for dewatering and drying a mixture made of plastic granulate and water, having at least one mixture intake (02), through which the mixture is supplied to the device (01), having at least one water outlet (08), through which the precipitated water is removed from the device (01), having at least one granulate outlet (13), through which the dried granulate is removed from the device (01), the device (01) having a dewatering line (06), along which the mixture is dewatered, and the device (01) having a drying line (12), along which the dewatered granulate is dried.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method and apparatus for dehumidifying, drying or the like of different materials. The invention is developed primarily for dehumidification of sewage sludge (7), but it may be utilized for many different materials including foodstuffs as crispbread and pasta. The sludge (7) or other material is dehumidified or dried in a chamber (1) by means of thermal radiation. The thermal radiation is given by means of one or more elements (2) for thermal radiation. The thermal radiation is concentrated to one or more distinct wavelength ranges at which water has peaks for absorption of radiation energy. Air is circulated in the chamber (1), to take up moisture evaporated from the material.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating water from a wet material is provided according to the present invention. The apparatus includes an air lock feeder, a venturi, a plurality of centrifugal accelerators, at least one blower, at least one vapor vent, and at least one product outlet. The air lock feeder is constructed to receive air from a feed blower and move the wet material as entrained material. The venturi is operatively connected to the air lock feeder and is constructed to receive the entrained material and to accelerate the entrained material. The plurality of centrifugal accelerators are operatively connected to the venturi to receive the entrained material and accelerate the flow of the entrained material. The at least one accelerator blower is provided for accelerating the flow of the wet material within the plurality of centrifugal accelerators. The at least one vapor vent is operatively connected to the plurality of centrifugal accelerators for removing water vapor.

Abstract: A rotor that may be used by itself or in a processing machine for processing semiconductor wafers includes two pairs of combs. A lock down mechanism has a lock bar, temporarily engaged and moved by a loading/unloading robot, drives a retainer against the edges of the wafers, to better hold them in place during processing. Contamination via generation of particles is reduced. Combs on the rotor have a resilient strip. The lower edges of the wafers compress slightly into or deflect the resilient strip, when urged into place by the lock down mechanism.

Abstract: A wafer chuck is configured to hold a wafer efficiently for spin process cleaning of wafer edges and back sides. A first group of retractable tips extend to hold the wafer during a first portion of the cleaning period. A second group of retractable tips extend to hold the wafer during a second portion of the cleaning period. Residues left between the tips and the wafer edge areas during the first portion of the cleaning period are removed during the second portion. The change from the first group of tips to the second group of tips occurs while the wafer is rotating.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for drying long fiber hay. A first step involves providing round bales of long fiber hay. A second step involves separating the bales to form a loose mass of long fiber hay. A third step involves feeding the loose mass of long fiber hay into a rotary dehydration drum. A fourth step involves separating the loose mass of long fiber hay from air containing entrained moisture by passing the long fiber hay through a cyclone separator with a first stream of air passing to an exhaust and a second stream of the loose mass of long fiber hay passing into an air lock. A fifth step involves cooling the loose mass of long fiber hay. A sixth step involves passing the loose mass of long fiber hay through a hay baler, whereby the loose mass of long fiber hay is formed back into bales.

Abstract: Spin drying of a stack of flats such as egg trays is performed within a housing by movement of a rotatable lifting head into engagement with the undersurface of the stack. A stack lifting device lifts the lifting head and the stack of flats positioned thereon vertically upwardly into engagement with a drive engagement device thereabove which is rotatably powered by a drive with an optional braking device. Operation of the drive will cause rotation of the lifting head, the stack of flats and the drive engagement device simultaneously. The stack of flats will be held between the lifting head engaging the lower surface thereof and the drive engagement device engaging the upper surface thereof for fixedly securing these three elements together during powered rotation thereof. The rotation will spin off any liquids remaining on the flats such as would be present after being washed.

Abstract: In a method for centrifugally dehydrating a pallet or the like, the pallet or the like is held on a diagonal line thereof, and is rotated in a state where the diagonal line is substantially aligned with an axis of rotation, thereby removing a liquid adhered thereto.

Abstract: An apparatus for agitating a workpiece in a high pressure environment comprises a workpiece holder, a bearing, a pressure chamber housing, and a nozzle. The workpiece holder couples to the pressure chamber housing via the bearing. The nozzle couples to the pressure chamber housing. The workpiece holder comprises protrusions and a region for holding the workpiece. In operation a fluid exits the nozzle and impinges the protrusions of the workpiece holder causing the workpiece holder to rotate, which agitates the workpiece.

Abstract: A process for de-watering foodstuffs, such as leafy vegetables, includes moving the foodstuffs along a path, creating an upwardly moving air vortex which intersects the path, thereby raising the foodstuffs upwardly from the path while swirling them in a vortical manner. The foodstuffs raised above the path are received in one end of a duct, the other end of which deposits them on a conveying means. Preferably, the foodstuffs are moved by an air-permeable transport means such as an endless belt. The upwardly moving vortex is created by an air blower which forces air through a tubular portion that contains helically oriented vanes having a tighter and tighter helix in the downstream direction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for drying protein crystals starting from an aqueous protein crystal suspension, which comprises drying the protein crystal suspension in a centrifugal dryer, where the protein crystals, after they have been filtered off from the protein crystal suspension, are brought into contact with a drying medium which consists of a mixture of water and a nonaqueous solvent which is miscible with water in any ratio and which has a lower vapor pressure than water. In the process, a drying gas which has been moistened with water is advantageously used. The protein crystal suspension is advantageously converted into a fluidized bed for the purpose of drying.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in drying articles defining internal cavities within a conventional clothes dryer includes a manifold and a plurality of tubes extending therefrom. Each of the tubes is provided with various, circumferentially spaced and longitudinally extending ribs. The apparatus is adapted to be mounted within the clothes dryer, with the manifold being seated about an exhaust outlet of the dryer and a shoe, glove or the like to be dried being placed over a respective tube. Air flow into the dryer is caused to flow along the tubes, between adjacent ribs, into an internal cavity of the article, then into the manifold through the tube, and finally out of the dryer through the exhaust outlet.

Abstract: A paint applicator cleaning apparatus for allowing a user to easily clean painting tools such as slim jim sleeves, brushes and roller skins. The paint applicator cleaning apparatus includes a housing, which includes an outer shaft and an inner shaft. The inner shaft is rotatably coupled to the outer shaft, the outer shaft is designed for being gripped by a user. A drive assembly is slidably inserted through the inner shaft of the housing such that longitudinal movement of the drive assembly rotates the inner shaft. The drive assembly includes a handle that extends from the housing. The handle is designed for facilitating gripping of the drive assembly by a hand of the user. A first adapter assembly is slidably coupled to the inner shaft of the housing, the first adapter is designed for removably receiving a elongated roller cover.

Abstract: A device and method for planarizing a film layer device on a silicon wafer. The device has a circular track whose surface faces the track center, a carrier capable of moving along the track and carrying wafers around with their front surfaces facing the center, and a set of heating elements for heating the film layers on the wafers to make them fluid. Utilizing the centrifugal force on the film layer generated by the circular movement and the fluidity of the film layer provided by heating, planarization of the film layer is achieved.

Abstract: A leafed vegetable dryer includes an entrance for products, an exit for the products and one or more transporters for transporting the products between the entrance and the exit. The transporters have the form of a centrifuge. A transport driver is utilized to drive the transporters and a centrifuge driver is utilized to drive the centrifuge.

Abstract: In the method for unloading items of laundry from a spin-dryer or washer-dryer (20) which has a perforated operating drum (21) and a drum housing (22) with an end-side unloading opening (26) which can be closed by means of a door (27), after the spin-drying process is finished, the operating drum (21) is set to a speed at which the centrifugal force acting on the items of laundry is still somewhat greater than the force of gravity. The door (27) of the drum housing (22) is opened. The pipe of a suction conveying system is connected to the unloading opening (26) of the drum housing (22). The suction conveying system is activated, and on the drum housing (22) the closure member (29) of an air inlet opening, which is arranged on the peripheral wall, is opened. The method can also be used analogously in tumble-dryers. The device for carrying out the method has the device parts mentioned.

Abstract: An improved drive rod and clutch disk for a paint brush and roller cleaning tool providing the unique combination of a hardened steel clutch disk and chrome plated drive rod. Hardening virtually eliminates enlargement of the bow tie hole in the clutch disk due to wear, preventing the cross member on the end portion of the drive rod from escaping through the clutch disk bow-tie hole during the lifetime of the cleaning tool. The chrome plated spiral drive rod minimizes galling, greatly extending the useful life of the cleaning tool in the instant invention, compared to the prior art.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wafer cleaning machine having an input station, a water track, a cleaning station, a rinsing station, a spin-dry station, and a load station. The input station includes two or more wafer supply areas for a continuous supply of wafers to the water track. After the wafers enter the water track from the input station, the wafers are transported down the track into the wafer cleaning station. The wafer cleaning station comprises a plurality of pairs of rollers which pull the wafers through the cleaning station and thereby clean the top and bottom flat surfaces of the wafers. A cleaning fluid manifold formed within the upper panel of the cleaning station facilitates effective distribution of the cleaning fluid to the rollers. From the cleaning station, the wafers are transported to a rinse station. From the rinsing station, the workpieces are transferred to a dual spin-dry station.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing system for wafers or other semiconductor articles. The system uses an interface section at an end of the machine accessible from the clean room. A plurality of processing stations are arranged away from the clean room interface. A transfer subsystem removes wafers from supporting carriers, and positions both the wafers and carriers onto a carrousel which is used as an inventory storage. Wafers are shuttled between the inventory and processing stations by a robotic conveyor which is oriented to move toward and away from the interface end. The system processes the wafers without wafer carriers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for drying particulate matter such as vegetables and the like is disclosed. The apparatus has a centrifugal dryer that includes a drum adapted to be rotated about its longitudinal axis which is canted with respect to the vertical. The drum is open at its upper end to receive the particulate matter, the lower end of the drum includes a lower opening to facilitate dispensing of the particulate matter after it has been dried. The drum includes a perforate wall and a radially inwardly extending annular member which preferably extends from the lower end of the perforate wall. In use, the drum is rotated at a low speed whilst the particulate matter is introduced, the drum then being accelerated through the drying cycle and decelerated again for dispensing through the lower opening. In the preferred form the dryers are used in coupled pairs which allows for effectively continuous processing, despite the batch type operation of the individual dryers.

Abstract: A system used to recycle remnant fiberglass that has been removed from bobbins by water jets. The fiberglass recycling system includes a conveyor system for transporting the fiberglass to a centrifuge which dewaters wetted fiberglass. A detector having photoelectric devices is positioned at a discharge end of the conveyor system to detect dimensions of clusters of fiberglass conveyed past the discharge section of the conveyor. The detector is connected to a control unit which calculates the approximate amount of fiberglass conveyed past the detector and deposited into the centrifuge. In response to the amount of fiberglass detected, the control unit directs the operation and timing of the recycle system by selectively controlling the speed of the centrifuge and by placing the conveyor system between a discharge mode and an accumulation mode.