Radiant Heater Patents (Class 392/407)
  • Patent number: 7595464
    Abstract: The present invention provides an infrared ray lamp being small in size and high in efficiency and having high versatility so at to be easily adaptable to various applications, and also provides a heating apparatus that uses the infrared ray lamp; in the infrared ray lamp according to the present invention, plural heating elements made of a carbonaceous substance having high emissivity and large radiation energy are disposed accurately at desired positions and desired angles, and sealed inside a glass tube; a heating apparatus is configured by using this infrared ray lamp as a heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Masanori Konishi
  • Patent number: 7576306
    Abstract: An electric heating element with radiant tube comprising a radiation pipe (1) and an electric heating element (2, 3) contained in said pipe, wherein the heating element has legs that run to and fro in the pipe, and wherein the heating element is connected at one end of the pipe close to a furnace wall with electric power outlets through which electric current is fed to the element, wherein the element is supported in the pipe by ceramic discs (9) that are provided with through-penetrating holes through which the legs of the elements extend, and wherein two elements (2, 3) are disposed sequentially in said radiation pipe along its long axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Sandvik Intellectual Property AB
    Inventor: Thomas Lewin
  • Publication number: 20090197427
    Abstract: A thermal cycle includes: increasing a temperature from an initial temperature to a temperature T1 at an arbitrary rate R1 (° C./sec); holding the temperature at the temperature T1 for an arbitrary period t1 (sec); increasing the temperature from the temperature T1 to a temperature T2 at a rate R2 (° C./sec) of 1.0×107 (° C./sec) or less; and holding the temperature at the temperature T2 for a period t2 (sec) of 50 msec or less. The thermal cycle thereafter includes: decreasing the temperature from the temperature T2 to the temperature T1 at a rate R1? (° C./sec) of 1.0×107 (° C./sec) or less; holding the temperature T1 for an arbitrary period t3 (sec); and decreasing the temperature from the temperature T1 to a final temperature at an arbitrary rate R2? (° C./sec). Such a thermal cycle is successively repeated in a plurality of iterations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Inventors: Kenji YONEDA, Kazuma TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20090179080
    Abstract: An HVAC system to be installed in a vehicle may comprise at least one power source; a plurality of heating devices; and a component controller. The component controller may be configured to operate a selected portion of the plurality of heating devices based on user preferences stored in the component controller, available power from the at least one power source, and a desired set point temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Inventor: Gerald Allen Alston
  • Patent number: 7539401
    Abstract: A heating unit includes a plurality of radiant heaters, a plurality of brackets on which the radiant heaters are mounted in a row, and a frame on which the brackets are mounted in a parallel arrangement and thereby the radiant heaters are mounted in a grid configuration, wherein each of the radiant heaters includes: a support plate substantially having a rectangular shape; a pair of connection terminals substantially perpendicularly extending, while having a space therebetween, from one surface of the support plate; and a strip-shaped heater element arranged between the pair of connection terminals and covering the one surface of the support plate, and wherein the connection terminals have connection portions projecting from the other surface of the support plated, and each of the brackets has a terminal hole into which the connection portion is inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Asano Laboratories Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Takai, Yasuyoshi Ohashi, Kazushi Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20090126098
    Abstract: An infrared sauna is provided. The infrared sauna comprises a chamber formed of a floor, a plurality of side walls a door and a ceiling, a far infrared-heater embedded in the chamber and a control and display device mounted in the chamber. The side wall and door are three-ply conformation of a wood board, an outer protecting layer and a heat preservation material layer therebetween. The sauna has a metal board as a outer protecting layer, it keeps old classic style inner chamber and brings consumer much more wider choice margin of sauna house modeling. The arrangement of the infrared reflecting glass helps promote infrared radiation absorption by the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventor: Gary Gong
  • Publication number: 20090103906
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer preheated to a preheating temperature is irradiated with light from flash lamps. With the light emission from the flash lamps, a surface temperature of the semiconductor wafer is maintained at a recovery temperature during a period of 10 to 100 milliseconds to induce recovery of defects created in silicon crystals. Then, with subsequent flashing light emission from the flash lamps, the surface temperature of the semiconductor wafer will reach a processing temperature to induce activation of impurities. Increasing the surface temperature of the semiconductor wafer once to the recovery temperature and then, with the flashing light emission, to the processing temperature will also prevent cracking of the semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Inventor: Tatsufumi Kusuda
  • Publication number: 20090093071
    Abstract: A thermal treatment apparatus having a first light source emitting a first light having light diffusion property, a reflectance measuring unit irradiating a treatment target with the light from plural directions by the first light source and determining a light reflectance of the treatment target, a light irradiation controller adjusting an intensity of a second light of a second light source on the basis of the light reflectance, the second light has diffusion property, and a thermal treatment unit irradiating the treatment target with the second light having adjusted the intensity of the second light by the light irradiation controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Applicant: FUJITSU MICROELECTRONICS LIMITED
    Inventor: Tomohiro KUBO
  • Publication number: 20090050615
    Abstract: Heater covers and methods of using the same are disclosed. The covers can be used on stand-type movable or fixed patio heaters or table top heaters. The covers can be removably attached to the heaters. The covers can have body covers separate or attached to head covers. The covers can be resilient or rigid. The rigid covers can have hinges and can clamshell or telescope around the heaters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: FIS DESIGN, LLC
    Inventor: Arturo A. FIS-MENACHE
  • Publication number: 20090034947
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pipe heater encircled conduit device (1), in which a heating element (111) wrapped with a filament (112) having high resistance is provided and a hollow quartz inner tube (113) is inserted at the outside of said heating element (113) to form a pipe heater (11), both ends of the heating element (111) being connected with an electrode pin (114) respectively. A hollow quartz outer tube (123) is inserted at the outside of the pipe heater (11), which has an inlet (121) and an outlet (122) on the tube wall. A heat transfer space (A) is thus formed between the inner quartz tube (113) and the outer quartz tube (123), and insulation members (124) are combined with the respective opening end of both tubes. By the arrangement of the inner and outer quartz tubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventor: Hua-Hsin Tsai
  • Patent number: 7479618
    Abstract: Device (1) for the heat treatment of scalp hair (2) of a person (3), consisting of one first and one second heat radiator (11, 12), which are formed and arranged facing each other as a left side radiator (4) and as a right side radiator (5) to provide heat (6) to the side scalp hair (7), wherein the left side radiator (4) has one first ring-shaped infrared radiator (21) with one first shell ring reflector (22) and the right side radiator (5) has one second ring-shaped infrared radiator (21.1) with one second shell ring reflector (22.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Martin Liebeck, Stefan Uhl
  • Publication number: 20090008432
    Abstract: A solder bump is formed on a substrate by using a heating device where a lid structure blocks hot air from directly blowing against a solder composition. The heating device can reduce high-temperature oxygen molecules that come into contact with the solder composition, oxidation of the solder composition is suppressed. As a result, although the hot air is used for heating, a solder bump can be formed by the liquid-like solder composition. Further, because the lid structure is uniformly heated by the hot air, radiation heat from the lid structure is also uniform, and a container is more uniformly heated. In addition, because the hot air is suppressed from directly blowing against a liquid surface, the liquid-like solder composition is not scattered by the hot air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: TAMURA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichi Onozaki, Masahiko Furuno, Hiroshi Saito, Isao Sakamoto, Masaru Shirai
  • Publication number: 20090003808
    Abstract: The ECOWAVE 1.2 is an infrared heater that can produce heat in a more efficient manner than other infrared heaters on the market today. We have utilized specific short wave infrared bulbs and specifically manufactured and oriented heat dissipation material, and housing, to capture the maximum amount of infrared waves emitted from the heat source thus providing an optimum ambient temperature rise for a minimal amount of electricity consumed. We have also designed a heater core, in two separate configurations, that can be used in a multitude of capacities depending on the size of the heating case desired, heat required and space available.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventors: Scott A. Brooke, Jeff C. Reed, Donovan Douglas
  • Patent number: 7471885
    Abstract: A filament lamp in which the article to be treated can be uniformly heated, and in which the disadvantage of poor sealing or the like does not arise even in the case of inserting a host of metal foils into a hermetically sealed portion is achieved in a filament lamp in the bulb of which there are several filament bodies, in which filaments and leads for supply of power to the filaments are connected to one another, and in which, on an end of the bulb, there is a hermetically sealed portion in which there is a rod-shaped sealing insulator on the periphery of which several electrically conductive components that are connected to the filaments are arranged spaced from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Ushiodenki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoichi Mizukawa, Norihiro Inaoka, Tetsuya Kitagawa
  • Publication number: 20080283440
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system, apparatus, and method for a modular food tray system having a plurality of food trays that can be used for heating, cooling, or a combination thereof. The system can include a first food tray for heating and a second food tray for cooling, generally mounted at a different elevation from the first food tray. Alternatively, one or both of the food trays can be designed for cooling through temperature elements coupled thereto and the tray can be heated by overhead radiant heating elements for dual temperature capabilities. The first food tray can be mounted above the second food tray. The first food tray can include a thermal shield between a heating element in the first food tray and the second food tray. In other embodiments, the second food tray can be mounted above the first food tray with a thermal shield therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT FABRICATING COMPANY
    Inventors: Alvis Lloyd Hartsfield, JR., Charles Horace Camp, JR.
  • Publication number: 20080240691
    Abstract: A radiant device (1) comprises a supporting frame (2) and at least a radiant element (4) having two mutually opposed ends (4a), each being provided with electrical connection terminals (7). The radiant element (4) engages hooking groups (3) of the supporting frame (2) by means of suitable electrical connection elements (9) placed between the ends (4a) and the hooking assemblies (3). The elastic connection elements (9) dampen collisions and/or vibrations, if present, and insulate at the same time the electrical parts of the device (1) both from fluid seepages and from overheating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2004
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Andrea Trevisan, Stefano Nasi
  • Patent number: 7420143
    Abstract: An article comprising a graphite part coated with a pyrolytic graphite (pG) for increased mechanical strength of at least 25% over an uncoated graphite part. In connector applications for use in a semiconductor processing assembly such as a heater, the pG coated component is overcoated with at least a protective layer of an electrically insulating material, and wherein part of the pG coated graphite part is exposed (uncoated with the protective layer) for providing electrical connections to the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Momentive Performance Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Alan Longworth, Timothy J. Heil
  • Publication number: 20080199162
    Abstract: A lamp assembly adapted for use in a substrate thermal processing chamber to heat the substrate to temperatures up to at least about 1100° C. is disclosed. In one embodiment, the lamp assembly comprises a bulb enclosing at least one radiation generating filament attached to a pair of leads, a lamp base configured to receive the pair of leads, a sleeve having a wall thickness of at least about 0.013 inches and a potting compound having a thermal conductivity greater than about 100 W/(K-m).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventors: Joseph M. Ranish, Khurshed Sorabji
  • Publication number: 20080199163
    Abstract: A lamp assembly for the lamp assembly adapted for use in a substrate thermal processing chamber to heat the substrate to temperatures up to at least about 1100° C. is disclosed. In one embodiment, the lamp assembly comprises a bulb enclosing at least one radiation generating filament attached to a pair of leads, the bulb having an inner surface and an outer surface, a lamp base configured to receive the pair of leads and at least a portion of the bulb having a surface treatment adapted to reflect light away from the lamp base. In another embodiment, a sleeve covers the lamp base, which has a cross-sectional area less than about 1.2 times the cross-sectional area of the bulb.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventors: Joseph M. Ranish, Khurshed Sorabji
  • Patent number: 7415198
    Abstract: A quartz heater tube consists of a tube body whose two ends being respectively sealed with a plug, and each plug is provided with a built-in electrode. The inner cavity of the tube body is filled with an inertia gas after being evacuated, and the inner surface thereof is coated with a layer of electrical film which being electrically in connection with the two electrodes. By this construction, when the quartz heater tube is in operation, the electrical film is able to avoid oxidation owing to protection of the inertia gas which serves to isolate the electrical film from the outside air thereby prolonging the lifespan of the quartz heater tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Inventor: Cheng Ping Lin
  • Patent number: 7403703
    Abstract: A radiant electric heater (2) comprises a base (8) of insulation material having a surface supporting at least one electric heating ribbon element (10) supported on edge. A rod-like temperature-responsive device (16) extends lengthwise partly across the heater (2) from an edge and over the at least one electric heating element (10). The surface of the base (8) is provided with an elongate recess (22) with sloping sides (24, 26) extending beneath and along the length of the temperature-responsive device (16). The ribbon (10) is supported in and traversing the elongate recess (22) such that an upper edge (28) of the ribbon (10) substantially follows a contour of the surface of the recess. The upper edge (28) of the ribbon (10) at a region (30) underlying the temperature-responsive device (16) is provided at a predetermined distance from the temperature-responsive device (16) and is at a lower level relative to the upper edge (28) of the ribbon (10) at regions at either side of the elongate recess (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Ceramaspeed Limited
    Inventor: Stuart Lamb
  • Publication number: 20080152329
    Abstract: A portable, collapsible radiant heater includes a base and a support mounted to the base. The support has a collapsed position wherein the base is configured to at least partially receive the support, and an extended position wherein the support extends upwardly from the base. A heater-head for generating radiant heat is connected to the support. A reflector is mounted to one of the heater-head and the support. The reflector at least partially surrounds the heater-head for downwardly reflecting radiant heat generated by the heater-head. The reflector and heater-head are reciprocally movable between the collapsed position wherein the reflector and heater-head are in close proximity to the base and the extended position wherein the reflector and heater-head are distant from the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Craig M. Saunders, Lindsey Tufts
  • Publication number: 20080131104
    Abstract: A radiant heating for heating the building material in a laser sintering device and a laser sintering device having such a radiant heating are described. The radiant heating has a sheet-like heat radiating element (113, 213, 313), which is characterized in that it is made of a material, that has a low thermal inertia with a thermal diffusivity of preferably more than 1.5·10?4 m2/s and preferably has a thickness of 2 mm or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventor: Jochen Philippi
  • Patent number: 7372054
    Abstract: Radiation module for thermal or UV irradiation processing procedures with a large number of radiation sources essentially adjacent and parallel to one another for electromagnetic radiation whose main effective range is in the UV spectrum, visible spectrum, and/or near infrared (NIR) part of the spectrum, particularly at wavelengths between 250 nm and 1.5 ?m, whereby each of the radiation sources possesses an elongated central section, two bent ends, and two bent sections connecting the ends with the central section, and a reflector and cooler body bearing the radiation sources, whereby the reflector and cooler body possesses two end reflector sections assigned to the bent sections of the radiation source from the straight elongated main section to the ends formed as one piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Advanced Photonics Technologies AG
    Inventors: Gunther Gesell, Torsten Berge, Rolf Wirth
  • Publication number: 20080050103
    Abstract: A humidification apparatus, comprising a container and a set of heating tube; wherein water (liquid) can be introduced from a container to one end of said heating tube, and an steam outlet is provided in another end so that the steams generated by heating liquid (water) flowed out or spurted; said heating tube is an electric film where the external surface of the quartz tube is electrified for heating. Steams will be generated when liquid (water) introduced and reserved in the tube is electrified and heated by the electric film and then boiled. Therefore, it is necessary to heat partial liquid depending on the amount of steamed needed, and thus power saving can be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Inventor: Cheng Ping Lin
  • Patent number: 7327947
    Abstract: A heat treating apparatus for heat treating a substrate by irradiating the substrate with light includes a heat treating chamber for receiving the substrate, a heating plate for preheating the substrate through a thermal diffuser plate, xenon flashlamps for heating the substrate preheated by the heating plate, to a treating temperature by irradiating the substrate with flashes of light, and a decompression mechanism for decompressing the heat treating chamber when the xenon flashlamps heat the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsufumi Kusuda
  • Patent number: 7317870
    Abstract: Pulsed processing methods and systems for heating objects such as semiconductor substrates feature process control for multi-pulse processing of a single substrate, or single or multi-pulse processing of different substrates having different physical properties. Heat is applied a controllable way to the object during a background heating mode, thereby selectively heating the object to at least generally produce a temperature rise throughout the object during background heating. A first surface of the object is heated in a pulsed heating mode by subjecting it to at least a first pulse of energy. Background heating is controlled in timed relation to the first pulse. A first temperature response of the object to the first energy pulse may be sensed and used to establish at least a second set of pulse parameters for at least a second energy pulse to at least partially produce a target condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Timans, Narasimha Acharya
  • Patent number: 7280749
    Abstract: A radiation source including a base, a curved reflector attached to the base, pins passing through the base and within the reflector, and a filament of high emissivity material helically wound about the pins and having opposing ends electrically connected to the pins so that upon passage of electrical energy through the filament, the filament becomes electrically heated and emits infrared radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Ion Optics, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter G. Loges, James T. Daly, V. Mark Villafuerte, Christopher J. von Benken
  • Patent number: 7254319
    Abstract: A heating system includes a reflector having a concave section symmetrical with respect to an axis of symmetry. In addition, a first radiation system having at least a first radiation member is capable of emitting a first type of radiation and a second radiation system having at least a second radiation member is capable of emitting a second type of radiation. The second radiation system is positioned in a direction parallel to the axis of symmetry with respect to the first radiation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics, N.V.
    Inventors: Michelle Bonnin, Sylvain Chehu, Jean-Jacques Frey, Jérôme Martinache, Philippe Lucien Georges Poirson
  • Patent number: 7220936
    Abstract: A method of thermally processing a material includes exposing the material to at least one pulse of infrared light emitted from a directed plasma arc to thermally process the material, the pulse having a duration of no more than 10 s.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventors: Ronald D. Ott, Craig A. Blue, Nancy J. Dudney, David C. Harper
  • Patent number: 7218847
    Abstract: A heating unit heats a work piece 6 by heat conduction from a heat conducting plate 4 on which light from a light source 1 is irradiated, wherein the heat conducting plate 4 comprises a holding member 2 having optical transparency, and a heat conducting layer 3 which is provided on a surface of the holding member 2, and absorbs light emitted from a light source 1 and is transmitted through the holding member 2, so as to generate heat. The heating unit has the heat conducting plate 4 in which deformation does not occur, and temperature thereof changes rapidly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Ushio Denki Kabushiki Kasiha
    Inventors: Yoichi Mizukawa, Koji Miyauchi
  • Patent number: 7215879
    Abstract: A defrost heater, in which the strength of an insertion force needed for inserting a second glass tube in a plug is specified to be smaller than that needed for inserting a first glass tube in a plug. Thereby, dispersion in the insertion force needed for attaching the plug with a double glass tube can be reduced, and the assembling efficiency is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Refrigeration Company
    Inventors: Yukio Morikawa, Ichiro Onishi, Toshiki Maeda
  • Patent number: 7212735
    Abstract: The present invention provides an infrared ray lamp and a heating apparatus using that infrared ray lamp, a method of manufacturing a heating element and a method of manufacturing an infrared ray lamp, in which radiation range in the longitudinal direction of an infrared ray lamp is either widened than the length of a heating element and carries out heating uniformly, or narrowed than the length of the heating element and increases the radiation intensity to carry out heating locally. Infrared ray lamp of the present invention has: a curved glass tube which has a form that extends in longitudinal direction, its crossing angle of the tangent lines of both ends along that longitudinal direction being 2 degrees or more; and a single or a plurality of heating elements which are sealed in the glass tube and has a flexibility to curve around the glass tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanori Konishi
  • Patent number: 7194198
    Abstract: The present invention provides a far infrared heat emitting article for a sauna. The article includes a heating element, for emitting far infrared heat in the far infrared wavelength range. It also includes a supporting-encapsulating element, for supporting the heating element thereon and for encapsulating the heating element therein, able to distribute the far infrared heat substantially evenly thereover. The article further includes a heat-dispersing coating, extending over and coating the supporting-encapsulating element, able to substantially evenly disperse the emitted far infrared heat therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: American Infrared Sauna Corp.
    Inventor: Chang Hwan Lee
  • Patent number: 7184656
    Abstract: An infrared ray lamp having a structure wherein a groove is formed in the vicinity of each of both end portions of a substantially plate heating element formed of a carbon-based substance, a carbon-based adhesive is applied to a region including the groove, and the end portion of the heating element is inserted into a slit formed at the end portion of a heat-emitting block having high conductivity so as to be sandwiched; by forming a reflection film on the glass tube of the infrared ray lamp, an infrared ray lamp having a desired emission intensity distribution is provided; a heating apparatus using this infrared ray lamp and method of producing the infrared ray lamp are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanori Konishi
  • Patent number: 7181132
    Abstract: Wafer supports are provided that have a diameter smaller than the diameter of the wafer that they are to support in a wafer boat. The perimeter of the wafer support is preferably continuous, extending completely around in a 360° span, and is sized to fit between the protrusions supporting a particular wafer in a wafer cassette. To load the wafer boat, an end effector removes the wafer support from a wafer boat and moves the wafer support into a wafer cassette, where the end effector moves upward to seat a wafer upon the wafer support. The wafer and wafer support are then transported to the wafer boat and the wafer support and the wafer are lowered onto a wafer slot surface in a wafer slot in the wafer boat, to transfer the wafer support and wafer from the end effector to the wafer boat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: ASM International N.V.
    Inventor: Christianus Gerardus Maria De Ridder
  • Patent number: 7164850
    Abstract: A portable barbecue box includes a cooking chamber, a heating tube a plurality of sticks, a mechanical compartment and a motor. The heating tube is disposed inside the cooking chamber. A plurality of slots are provided on one side of the chamber so as to hold the sticks in place. The motor, disposed in the compartment, may be turned on so that the sticks with food on may be rotated around. The output axle of the motor is connected with a set of cogwheels, which includes a plurality of cogwheels. The cogwheels may mesh with each other or a transmission wheel may be provided between each pair of the cogwheels. A positioning piece is provided on each cogwheel, and a positioning hole is centrally provided on each positioning piece. Whence, the proximal end and distal end of each stick may be positioned in a slot and a positioning hole, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Inventor: Wei-Teh Ho
  • Patent number: 7151060
    Abstract: A device for thermally treating semiconductor wafers having at least one silicon layer to be oxidized and a metal layer, preferably a tungsten layer, which is not to be oxidized. The inventive device comprises the following: at least one radiation source; a treatment chamber receiving the substrate, with at least one wall part located adjacent to the radiation sources and which is substantially transparent for the radiation of said radiation source; and at least one cover plate between the substrate and the wall part of the treatment chamber located adjacent to the radiation sources, the dimensions of said cover plate being selected such that it fully covers the transparent wall part of the treatment chamber in relation to the substrate in order to prevent material, comprising a metal, metal oxide or metal hydroxide such as tungsten, tungsten oxide or tungsten hydroxide, from said substrate from becoming deposited on or evaporating onto the transparent wall part of the treatment chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Mattson Thermal Products GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Roters, Steffen Frigge, Sing Pin Tay, Yao Zhi Hu, Regina Hayn, Jens-Uwe Sachse, Erwin Schoer, Wilhelm Kegel
  • Patent number: 7133604
    Abstract: An air heater is provided for use in buildings or other structures. The air heater uses infrared lamps to generate a temperature rise in a forced air chamber that contains several infrared lamps, in which two ends of the chamber act as an inlet and an outlet, and in which the chamber has a highly reflective interior surface that reflects the light being emitted by the lamps to multiply the thermal effect of the infrared light sources. An alternative embodiment uses a closed chamber, in which the temperature rise causes the unit to act as a detonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Inventor: David M. Bergstein
  • Patent number: 7131752
    Abstract: A curing lamp apparatus mounts to a work surface with a suction cup. A base is mounted to the suction cup and defines a hinge point for a first bar. At a distal end of the first bar, a second bar is hingedly mounted to the first bar. A first lamp element is hingedly mounted to one end of the second bar. A second lamp element is hingedly mounted to a second end of the second bar. The first and second lamp elements are positionable in a variety of positions to follow the path of a crack in a surface to be repaired. The lamp elements are also foldable into a storage position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: TCG International Inc.
    Inventors: Keith A. Beveridge, Jonathan P. Thomas
  • Patent number: 7116900
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, systems, devices, and methods that increase radiant energy output, such as by using the waste airflow of combusted gas and/or ambient airflow resulting from convection, or by reducing or avoiding cooling effects of such airflows. In one example, the collected energy can be used to drive other secondary radiant sources or to preheat combustion air or ambient air. In another example, segmented secondary radiant sources are thermally isolated from each other to operate as a cross flow exchanger that exchanges thermal energy from a heated gas to a heated surface that provides radiant energy output. In a further example, a re-radiant membrane can separate the radiant source from the environment and/or reconfigure the effective shape of the primary radiant energy source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Radiant Optics, Inc.
    Inventor: Roger N. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7072578
    Abstract: A carbon wire heating element sealing heater is provided. Therein, a carbon wire heating element using carbon fibers is sealed in a quartz glass member, wherein absorption water quantity of the carbon wire heating element is 2×10?3 g/cm3 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignees: Toshiba Ceramics Co., Ltd., Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Norihiko Saito, Hiroyuki Honma, Hiroshi Mori, Eiichi Toya, Tomio Konn, Tomohiro Nagata, Sunao Seko, Akira Otsu, Takanori Saito, Ken Nakao, Kazutoshi Miura, Harunari Hasegawa, George Hoshi, Katsutoshi Ishi
  • Patent number: 7067773
    Abstract: A food warming is provided with a partially open housing having an open side extending along a longitudinal length of the housing. A heating element is also provided, extending along the longitudinal length of the housing. A support member is disposed to maintain a position of the heating element at the open side of the housing. Thermally insulative material disposed within the housing insulates a surface of the housing from heat generated by the heating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: BSI Properties, Inc.
    Inventor: Chuck DeWitt
  • Patent number: 7020388
    Abstract: Disclosed is a heat transfer system, the heat emanating from a regular light bulb wherein the heat generated by the filament within the glass of the light bulb is generally wasted by exposure to the environment. The regular light bulb is surrounded by a metallic heat shield in close proximity to the light bulb. The heat shield itself is surrounded by a coiled tubing having a medium that will heat because of the influence of the heat from the light bulb. The heated medium will be transferred to another location to heat another medium such as water, for example. The light will also be transferred to another light emitting source to light a predetermined area. The light transfer may be accomplished by a glass fiber optic cable which will transfer the light energy from the initial light source, the light bulb, to a new source of a light receiving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Inventor: Marcus A Mills
  • Patent number: 7015437
    Abstract: This present invention for an in-line fluid heater suitable for heating ultrapure fluids utilizes a radiant energy source that generates infrared radiation to heat a fluid. The fluid to be heated is passed through a vessel such as a tube. The vessel, formed of PFA or polytetraflouroethylene, is coiled around the lamp or lamps. A chamber surrounds the lamp or lamps and the vessel. A temperature sensor at the outlet end of the vessel sends a signal to a controller that adjusts either the flow of fluid through the vessel or the intensity of the lamp or lamps, thereby controlling the fluid temperature at the outlet. The system is useful in any application requiring an ultraclean, non-contact method of raising the temperature of various liquids and gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: TriFact Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Johnston, Timothy Vaughn
  • Patent number: 6993253
    Abstract: A heating apparatus has a spectral selective type heat radiating material having a high emissivity in a specific wavelength region. A film of the spectral selective type heat radiating material is formed on a surface of a heat radiant while leaving at least one region of the surface of the heat radiant with nothing formed thereon. The film is applied so it is possible to identify whether or not the heating apparatus is operating and to prevent the temperature of a surface of the heat radiant from rising excessively. The spectral selectivity of spectral emissivity is controlled by adjusting the thickness of the film of the spectral selective type heat radiating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventor: Masato Tazawa
  • Patent number: 6985672
    Abstract: A method of controlled heating of a micro channel reactor structure (46, 48, 50) comprises providing a structure (b1, b2, B1, B2) defining a desired temperature profile. A preferred embodiment of a heating element structure comprises a pattern of areas of a material capable of providing heat when energized, disposed over said micro channel reactor structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Gyros AB
    Inventors: Gunnar Kylberg, Owe Salven, Per Andersson
  • Patent number: 6980734
    Abstract: An improved support is provided for locating a lamp filament axially within a lamp sleeve. The illustrated support is a spiral coil that includes a small diameter center portion that makes contact with the filament. On either side of the filament-contacting portion, the coil opens up to larger diameters for contacting the inner wall of the quartz sleeve within which the filament is housed. The support thus appears H-shaped when viewed from the side. A lamp filament is also provided with expansion compensation sections at either end of a central section. The filament wire in the compensation sections is wound into coils having a greater diameter and also a greater spacing between windings, as compared to coil in the central section. The expansion compensation sections are preferably capable of compressing and thereby absorbing thermal expansion of the filament during operation, without shorting the filament across adjacent windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael W. Halpin
  • Patent number: 6943362
    Abstract: An infrared radiation source has a radiation-transparent, gas-tight tube made of electrically insulating material, in which a heat conductor made of carbon strip is arranged. The heat conductor has two ends, which are respectively electrically and mechanically connected to bushings made of molybdenum and/or tungsten and/or tantalum, and the bushings are respectively connected via current feed-through leads with electrical connections projecting from the tube. The two ends of the heat conductor are respectively connected to one of the bushings by a metallic solder, which contains at least one of the metals titanium, zirconium or hafnium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Heraeus Noblelight GmbH
    Inventor: Sven Linow
  • Patent number: RE40181
    Abstract: The invention relates to an infrared radiator with a heating element containing carbon fibers disposed in a quartz glass tube, with its ends connected to contact elements running through the wall of the quartz glass tube. The known radiators are improved by the fact that the heating element is spaced away from the wall of the quartz glass tube and it is centered on the axis of the quartz glass tube by means of spacers. The invention furthermore relates to a method by which the infrared radiator is operated at heating element temperatures greater than 1000° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Heraeus Noblelight GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Scherzer, Siegfried Grob