Did You Know...
...that the Eveready Battery began as an invention called the "electric flowerpot," which was a tube with a battery and light bulb inside? The idea was to fasten this gizmo to the side of a flowerpot so it would illuminate the flowers from the bottom. The idea died on the vine and the businessman who licensed the flower pot, Conrad Huber, was left with a pile of useless tubes -- until he found a way to market them as batteries to light the world!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7360481 | Coffee roaster having an apparatus for increasing airflow in a roasting chamber A roaster for roasting coffee beans includes a roasting chamber having a top and a bottom. A cover is seated on the top of the roasting chamber and a bottom of the roasting chamber is seated on a base. A hot air supply is provided in the base for supplying hot airfl... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7307245 | Medical item thermal treatment systems and method of monitoring medical items for compliance with prescribed requirements Various present invention devices enable adherence to requirements for medical items. A medical item of the present invention includes a monitoring or data recording device to monitor and/or record medical solution conditions. The device may further include indicato... | 12/11/2007 |
| 7186954 | Apparatus for detecting abnormal temperature rise associated with a cooking arrangement Apparatus is provided for detecting and controlling an abnormal rise in temperature associated with a combination of a cooking utensil (10) and a cooking surface (4) overlying an electric heater (6). A temperature-responsive device (24) m... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7180036 | Semiconductor processing temperature control A temperature control system having a re-circulation loop that uses valves to selectively circulate a temperature control fluid through a cooling system, through a heating system, or through a through passage so as to controlling the temperature of the temperature c... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7147462 | Pocket readout apparatus A readout apparatus that can be carried in the shirt pocket of a technician. The readout apparatus is used to easily and quickly make a connection to a heating system via a data access port of the heating controls, especially in low light situations, without the nee... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7140367 | Conduit overheating detection system This invention relates to respiratory humidifiers and heated breathing conduits used to couple a patient to the humidifier. A conduit overheating detection system for a conduit having heating wire or element is disclosed. The overheating detection system may be util... | 11/28/2006 |
| 7061252 | Electrical arcing protection circuit A protection circuit, configured to detect and suppress electrical pre-arcing and arcing conditions in a resistive heater wire circuit, comprises a transient voltage suppressor, signal level sensing load coupled to the output of the voltage suppressor, detection and... | 06/13/2006 |
| 7002262 | Activation control apparatus and method of air bag system An activation control apparatus of an air bag system of a motor vehicle includes a first sensor disposed at a predetermined position within a vehicle body, for generating a signal indicative of an impact applied to the vehicle, and at least one second sensor dispose... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6869538 | Method and apparatus for controlling a medical fluid heater A method, system and apparatus for performing peritoneal dialysis are provided. To this end, in part, a method of controlling a medical fluid heater is provided. The method includes the steps of determining a first heater control output based on a number of measured... | 03/22/2005 |
| 6822202 | Semiconductor processing temperature control A temperature control system having a re-circulation loop that uses valves to selectively circulate a temperature control fluid through a cooling system, through a heating system, or through a through passage so as to controlling the temperature of the temperature c... | 11/23/2004 |
| 6794882 | Rupture detector for windshield assembly A rupture detector for a windshield assembly having one or multiple transparent members. The rupture detector includes a conductive member attached to a portion of the transparent member. An electrical power source in communication with the conductive member applies... | 09/21/2004 |
| 6777651 | Cook time control system for convection cooking appliance A cooking appliance employing rapid cook technology includes a controller which calculates rapid cook times from conventional cooking times input by a user. That is, for relatively long convection cooking cycles, such as a convection roasting mode, after a user ente... | 08/17/2004 |
| 6501050 | Fuel heating control method and system A fuel heating control method and apparatus includes an operation of a heater heating a fuel for an engine started by being driven by a starting motor. The heater is not operated until after an operation of the starting motor is substantially terminated a... | 12/31/2002 |
| 6452501 | Automatic shut-off and indication device for an electric heating appliance and electric pressing iron comprising such a device An automatic shut-off and indication device for an electric heating appliance is provided which includes: a sensor (2) for sensing usage of the appliance and for providing a usage-signal (US) indicating a non-usage of the appliance; a switch (10) for off-switc... | 09/17/2002 |
| 6225610 | Use of PTC devices to protect insulated wires in electrical harnesses Use of PTC circuit protection devices in motor vehicle wiring systems. The devices can replace some or all of the fuses conventionally used. Preferred devices contain PTC conductive polymers. Because the PTC devices can be reset without physical access to... | 05/01/2001 |
| 6107611 | Method and apparatus for detecting ground faults in a shielded heater wire by sensing electrical arcing A reflector assembly in a satellite system includes a reflector having a reflecting surface. At least one sensor is configured for sensing a temperature of the reflecting surface or moisture associated with the reflecting surface. Each sensor is configure... | 08/22/2000 |
| 6080971 | Fluid heater with improved heating elements controller An electrically powered water heater includes a plurality of heating elements for substantially instantaneous heating of fluid passing through the heater. A controller for powering the plurality of heating elements is responsive to a temperature sensor in... | 06/27/2000 |
| 6034359 | Electrical resistance cooking apparatus with electronic control This is an apparatus for producing prepared food by electrical conduction automatically as disclosed. A control circuit senses the rate of change of current conducted through food as a function of its cooked condition, stops the current to the electrodes ... | 03/07/2000 |
| 5951897 | Temperature measuring device for a regulating circuit of an electrical radiant heating appliance Proposed is a temperature measuring device for a regulating circuit (10) in particular of an electrical radiant heating appliance with a heating conductor (2) arranged beneath a glass ceramic cooking surface (1), in which the heating conductor (2) itself ... | 09/14/1999 |
| 5940579 | Capacitive leakage current cancellation for heating panel A heating panel has a resistive heating layer formed on a substrate. Insulating layers can be formed on the substrate. The heating layer has electrodes on opposite edges connected to different phases of a multiphase power source. Capacitive currents cause... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5920366 | Dynamic multi-contact display heater system A multi-contact LCD heater system which include several contacts disposed around the periphery of a resistive film deposited on a substrate in which each contact is dynamically controlled in response to input from various temperature sensors. The control ... | 07/06/1999 |
| 5844204 | Device for detection of electric current by micro-leakage A detection device associated with an electrical apparatus for detecting by contact the presence of a user, composed of an electronic circuit for detecting a presence of a user by detecting a leakage current traversing, at least partially, a portion of th... | 12/01/1998 |
| 5844214 | Power supply cut-off apparatus in a microwave oven A microwave oven includes an electric power supply shut-off mechanism for cutting off the supply of electric power when the housing is disassembled for repair while an electric power cord remains plugged into an electric outlet. A sensor in the form of a ... | 12/01/1998 |
| 5828039 | Method and apparatus for heating chemical used in microelectronic device fabrication A method and apparatus for heating a chemical used in microelectronic device fabrication processes. The apparatus includes a chemical supply and chemical bath for containing a chemical. A temperature sensor senses the temperature of the chemical contained... | 10/27/1998 |
| 5821503 | Conveyor speed control ciruit for a conveyor oven A method and apparatus for controlling the speed at which an AC electric motor drives a conveyor to move food products through a conveyor oven are disclosed herein. The oven includes a housing, electric heating elements mounted within the housing, and a c... | 10/13/1998 |
| 5784531 | Instantaneous fluid heating device and process Instantaneous fluid heating device and process including an instantaneous fluid heating device which features forced fluid recirculation past/through heating elements/vessel featuring immersible electrical heating elements in a plurality of heating vessel... | 07/21/1998 |
| 5712451 | Device for sensing food weight in a microwave oven A device for sensing food weight in a microwave oven includes a bracket formed into one body and mounted with a motor assembly having a motor axis, a movable electrode plate fixed to an extending piece separated from the bottom of the bracket and a printe... | 01/27/1998 |
| 5684759 | Electronic timer for a coffee maker An electronic timer activates a switch circuit so as to connect electrically a heating device and a power supplying unit of a coffee maker for a predetermined brewing period in order to heat water that is supplied to a filter basket and that comes from a ... | 11/04/1997 |
| 5653904 | Defogging system for the front and rear windshields of a vehicle A system for automatically defogging both the windshield and rear window of an automobile. The system includes moisture and dew detection sensors positioned on the interior surfaces of the windshield and the rear window of the automobile. The sensors tran... | 08/05/1997 |
| 5595672 | Automatic power interrupting apparatus for an electric appliance An automatic switching apparatus for a hand held electrically operated appliance, such as a pressing iron, is provided within a circuit board located within the housing of the iron. The automatic switching apparatus includes a first timing circuit and a t... | 01/21/1997 |
| 5577158 | Capacitive leakage current cancellation for heating panel A heating panel has a metal substrate, ceramic inner and outer insulating layers on the substrate. A film of resistive material forms a heating layer on one of the insulating layers. The heating layer has electrodes on opposite edges connected to differen... | 11/19/1996 |
| 5554838 | Hand-held heating tool with improved heat control A hand-held groover for forming grooves, bevels, etc. in architectural insulation board comprises a resistive cutting blade, a 25 KHz. oscillator, operated by full-wave rectified line current and connected to the cutting blade through a light-weight trans... | 09/10/1996 |
| 5479558 | Flow-through tankless water heater with flow switch and heater control system A very compact tankless water heater delivers heat in proportion to demand. A flow responsive valve energizing an electrical control system is purely flow responsive, even to minute flow, and consumes no power when dormant. An uncomplicated electronic con... | 12/26/1995 |
| 5451746 | Temperature control system for a cooking oven A temperature regulating control unit and method of making the same are provided, the unit comprising a RTD temperature sensor, a unit for applying electrical signals to the sensor, and a microcomputer for receiving digital signals from the sensor in rela... | 09/19/1995 |
| 5440667 | OHMIC heater including electrodes arranged along a flow axis to reduce leakage current An ohmic heater comprises at least two electrodes contained within a vessel such that the electrodes lie along the length of the vessel. The vessel has inlet and outlet ports in the top and bottom through which a fluid to be heated flows, passing through ... | 08/08/1995 |
| 5349160 | Iron comprising a humidity detector for controlling the heating element and also providing a motion indication An iron comprises a heating element (97) and heating-control means (96) for the heating element. It has a humidity detector (60) which measures the degree of humidity of the fabric and which influences the electric power dissipated in the heating element.... | 09/20/1994 |
| 5321231 | System for supplying power to an electrically heated catalyst An electrical system for supplying power to an electrical resistive heater that heats the catalyst of a catalytic converter. The electrical system includes an alternating current generator that has an output winding and a field winding that is carried by ... | 06/14/1994 |
| 5304781 | Two terminal line voltage thermostat A two terminal line voltage thermostat includes a switch which connects one side of the line voltage to a heater load (that it drives) such as a baseboard heater with the other side of the heater being connected to the other side of the line. Common full ... | 04/19/1994 |
| 5064998 | Relay control apparatus A relay control for a cooking appliance having a heating element includes a sensor for detecting the occurrence of an arc upon a change of state of a relay coupled between the heating element and a power supply. Upon detecting an arc, the sensor provides ... | 11/12/1991 |
| 5039842 | Mold heater moisture detection and dry out apparatus Plastic mold heater moisture detection and dry out apparatus for detecting the presence of moisture in the plastic molding heaters and for drying out the heaters. The plastic mold heater moisture detection and dry out apparatus includes a heater leakage c... | 08/13/1991 |
