Abstract: A heat diffuser for use with an electrically-operated aerosol-generating device is configured to be removably coupled to the aerosol-generating device. The heat diffuser includes a non-combustible porous body configured to absorb heat from an electric heating element. The porous body is formed from a heat storage material such that, in use, air drawn through the porous body is heated by the heat absorbed by and stored in the porous body. Example embodiments also provide heated aerosol-generating article and an aerosol-generating system, both comprising the heat diffuser.

Abstract: The application relates to food preparation apparatus with an electrical heating device comprising at least two electrical PTC thermistors for heating a food in a food preparation space, wherein the electrical PTC thermistors are electrically connected in parallel. The parallel-connected PTC thermistors are electrically connected to each other by one or more electrical bridges. Using designs in accordance with the present application, local heating during the preparation of a food may be avoided.

Abstract: A cooking appliance assembly includes a cooking appliance having a heat source for heating at least one food item, a temperature sensing device, an imaging device for collecting data relating to the temperature sensing device, and a controller communicatively coupled with the cooking appliance assembly, the temperature sensing device, and the imaging device. The controller includes at least one processor for performing one or more operations, including but not limited to determining a type of the temperature sensing device based, at least in part, on the collected data relating to the temperature sensing device from the imaging device.

Abstract: A method for operating an automated food making apparatus having a motor, actuator arm, and an apparatus. The apparatus may be a paddle with flexible fins. The method rotates the paddle with a pin-shaft mechanism to dispense an ingredient placed in a canister, controls the motor automatically based on weight sensor readings, and locates a position of the actuator arm with position sensors. The same motor dispenses ingredients from a plurality of canisters. The method may have a plurality of paddle rotation and weight measurement steps until a target weight is reached. The plurality of paddle rotation steps may be unidirectional or bidirectional paddle rotation. The paddle may be rotated according to one or more paddle rotation algorithms, an error recovery algorithm, or different algorithms based on the amounts of ingredients remaining in the canister. The paddle may be rocked until the target weight is achieved.

Abstract: An oven includes a housing that defines a cooking space and that includes an upper frame defining an upper wall that faces the cooking space, a heating unit that is disposed adjacent to the upper frame and configured to transfer heat to the cooking space and that extends along a predetermined pattern to define a closed area, a support member in contact with a plurality of points of the heating unit, and a plurality of antennas disposed at the upper frame and configured to emit, toward the cooking space, radio waves transmitted from a radio wave generator that is electrically connected to an external power source.

Abstract: A cooking system positionable on a support surface includes a housing having a hollow chamber including an internal cooking chamber for receiving a food item, at least one radiative heating element arranged within the hollow interior and operable to heat said cooking chamber and a convection heater disposed within the hollow chamber and operable to heat the cooking chamber. The cooking system is operable in a convection cooking mode and during the convection cooking mode, the at least one radiative heating element is selectively energized.

Abstract: A moving mechanism relatively moves a machining head emitting a laser beam, with respect to a sheet metal along a surface of the sheet metal. A beam vibrating mechanism vibrates the laser beam for irradiation on the sheet metal, while the machining head is relatively moved by the moving mechanism. A machining condition setting section sets pattern selection information to select a vibration pattern of the laser beam by the beam vibrating mechanism, and a parameter to determine a vibrating way in the vibration pattern, in accordance with machining conditions specified for each machining command to machine the sheet metal in a machining program generated to machine the sheet metal, and including a machining velocity of the sheet metal associated with relative movement of the machining head by the moving mechanism.

Abstract: An electronic smoking article includes an outer tube extending in a longitudinal direction, an inner tube within the outer tube and including a pair of opposing slots, a liquid supply comprising a liquid material, a coil heater, a wick and a mouth end insert. The coil heater is located in the inner tube. The coil heater is formed of an iron-free, nickel-chromium alloy and has substantially uniformly spaced windings. The wick is surrounded by the coil heater such that the wick delivers liquid material to the coil heater and the coil heater heats the liquid material to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the liquid material and form an aerosol in the inner tube.

Abstract: The method includes defining a duct within a capillary medium, forming an air impingement surface that defines a first opening, the air impingement surface including electrically conductive filaments, and connecting the air impingement surface to a first surface of the capillary medium to form an assembly, at least one first portion of the air impingement surface extending into the first surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for laser welding the end faces of the joints (5, 6) of two connecting flanges (3, 4), which are held in an adjoining manner, of two connecting partners (1, 2) made of a steel material. According to the method, in addition to being moved in the advancement direction, which follows the longitudinal extension of the joints (5, 6), the welding laser beam (8) is moved back and forth in an oscillating manner transversely to the advancement direction. At least one of the two connecting partners (1, 2) to be welded at the connecting flange (3, 4) joints (5, 6) is equipped with a metal coating at least in the region of the respective connecting flange (3, 4).

Abstract: A heated aerosol-generating article for use with an electrically-operated aerosol-generating device includes an outlet end and a distal end. The article may include a heat diffuser at the distal end of the article. The article may include an aerosol-forming substrate between the heat diffuser and the outlet end. The heat diffuser may include a non-combustible porous body configured to absorb heat from an electric heating element such that the heat diffuser is configured to heat air drawn through the aerosol-generating article from the distal end to the outlet end based on the heat absorbed in the porous body. The heated aerosol-generating article may be included in a heated aerosol-generating system that includes an electric heating element configured to generate heat. The heat diffuser may heat air drawn through the aerosol-generating system, based on absorbing heat generated by the electric heating element.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses to optimize all stages of sparkling wine production using the ‘Champagne’ method. For instance, there is a specially configured apparatus utilized for a method for producing sparkling wine within the wine bottle through a secondary fermentation. The apparatus is attached to the wine bottle to seal in pressure. Specifically, a neck collar of the apparatus is positioned upon a neck section and a sealing cap is pressed onto a mouth opening wine bottle above the neck collar and coupled to the neck collar of the apparatus. A tensioner of the apparatus induces a clamping force between the neck collar and the sealing cap to seal the pressure generated from fermentation. A pressure indicator measures and displays pressure which is retained and limited to a maximum pressure within the bottle via a Pressure Reduction Valve (PRV) of the apparatus.

Abstract: A heated aerosol-generating article for use with an electrically-operated aerosol-generating device includes an outlet end and a distal end. The article may include a heat diffuser at the distal end of the article. The article may include an aerosol-forming substrate between the heat diffuser and the outlet end. The heat diffuser may include a non-combustible porous body configured to absorb heat from an electric heating element such that the heat diffuser is configured to heat air drawn through the aerosol-generating article from the distal end to the outlet end based on the heat absorbed in the porous body. The heated aerosol-generating article may be included in a heated aerosol-generating system that includes an electric heating element configured to generate heat. The heat diffuser may heat air drawn through the aerosol-generating system, based on absorbing heat generated by the electric heating element.

Abstract: A rotary drum blancher/cooler for processing food includes a skinsheet comprised of a plurality of sections, clamps, and structural channels. Each clamp has clamping and release positions, and includes a base, a bail connected to the base, a draw connected to the bail, and at least a portion of a skinsheet clamp bar connected to the draw. The sections are disposed between structural channels, such that the drum is defined by the skinsheet sections alternating with the structural channels. The base is attached to a structural channel, and the draw extends from within to outside the structural channel. The skinsheet clamp bar is outside the structural channel. When the clamp is in the clamping position the clamp bar holds a skinsheet section to the structural channel in an operating position. When the clamp is in the release position configuration the clamp bar allows skinsheet section to move away from the structural channel in cleaning position.

Abstract: Some embodiments herein are directed to devices and methods for automatically starting a plasma utilizing a wand. In some embodiments, the wand may be used to start a plasma in a plasma torch such as, for example, a microwave plasma torch or an induction plasma torch, as discussed below. The wand may comprise an elongate, hollow wand member comprising a closed distal end, a proximal end, and one or more apertures extending from a hollow interior of the wand member to an exterior surface of the wand member; and an elongate wire member positioned within the hollow interior of the wand member and extending along at least a portion of a length of the wand member, wherein the wire member is configured to be placed in operable communication through the aperture with a power source, such that the power source can be activated to in turn start the plasma within the plasma torch.

Abstract: Proposed is a method of processing a superfine blade edge using a femtosecond laser, the method including primarily grinding a blade edge portion by using a grinding wheel, the blade edge being primarily ground in a direction vertical to a rotational direction of the grinding wheel; and secondarily grinding at least a part of the blade edge portion by emitting a femtosecond laser to the ground blade edge portion in a lengthwise direction, wherein the secondarily grinding includes: oscillating the femtosecond laser; modifying the energy distribution of the femtosecond laser; aligning a central portion of the energy distribution of the femtosecond laser to an end portion of the blade edge portion; changing an advancing direction of the femtosecond laser; and emitting the femtosecond laser to the blade edge portion while moving, in the lengthwise direction of the blade, a stage on which the blade is placed.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for dicing a bonded structure are provided. A method for dicing a bonded structure includes thinning a top surface and a bottom surface of a bonded structure. The bonded structure may have a first wafer and a second wafer bonded with a bonding interface. The method may also include forming a series of ablation structures in the first wafer and the second wafer. The series of ablation structures may be between a first part and a second part of the bonded structure. The method may also include separating the first part and the second part of the bonded structure along the series of ablation structures.

Abstract: A cocktail smoking chimney for infusing smoke into a beverage includes a sealing base having a center and an outer perimeter. A chimney stack is aligned with the center of the sealing base and projects from a top major surface of the sealing base. A combustion chamber is disposed within the chimney stack. A smoke directing lip is aligned with the center of the sealing base and projects from a bottom major surface of the sealing base. The combustion chamber is aligned with the smoke directing lip. One or more smoke transfer openings are formed in the sealing base, each having an upper end in fluid communication with the combustion chamber and a lower end that is surrounded by the smoke directing lip. The sealing base, the chimney stack, and the smoke directing lip are made of wood. A combustible material may be packed into the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A laser reflow apparatus reflows solder bumps disposed on a side of a semiconductor chip in a workpiece and included in an irradiation range on the workpiece by applying a laser beam to an opposite side of the semiconductor chip. The laser reflow apparatus includes a spatial beam modulation unit including a laser power density setting function to locally set the laser power density in the irradiation range of a laser beam emitted from a laser beam source, and an image focusing unit including an image focusing function to focus the laser beam emitted from the laser beam source and apply the focused laser beam to the irradiation range on the workpiece.

Abstract: A cathode emitter assembly includes a cathode tube having a gas feed portion and a plasma outflow portion; an outer annular cathode insert in the plasma outflow portion of the cathode tube; an inner cathode insert in the plasma outflow section of the cathode tube; and an annular plasma emission portion defined between an inner surface of the outer annular cathode insert and an outer surface of the inner cathode insert.