1. A heating device, comprising a shaped body, which contains a ceramic material with a positive temperature coefficient of electrical resistance and comprises at least one first region and one second region, wherein the first region comprises a ceramic material of a first composition and the second region comprises a ceramic material of a second composition, which is different from the first composition.
2. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second compositions of the ceramic material comprise material andor stoichiometric compositions.
3. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the first region and the second region of the shaped body have mutually different thermal andor electrical properties.
4. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic material comprises the structure Ba1-x-yMxDyTi1-a-bNaMnbO3, where x=0 to 0.5, y=0 to 0.01, a=0 to 0.01, b=0 to 0.01, M comprises a divalent cation, D comprises a trivalent or tetravalent donor, and N comprises a pentavalent or hexavalent cation.
5. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the first region and the second region of the shaped body have a Curie temperature which comprises a range of \u221230\xb0 C. to 340\xb0 C.
6. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the first region and the second region of the shaped body have a resistivity at 25\xb0 C. which lies in a range of 3 \u03a9cm to 100 000 \u03a9cm.
7. The heating device according to claim 5, wherein the first region and the second region a the shaped body have identical Curie temperatures and mutually different resistivities at 25\xb0 C., or identical resistivities at 25\xb0 C. and mutually different Curie temperatures, or mutually different Curie temperatures and mutually different resistivities at 25\xb0 C.
8. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the shaped body has electrical contact-connections for generating a current flow through the shaped body.
9. The heating device according to the claim 8, wherein the contact-connections are arranged at the shaped body in such a way that current flows through each region of the shaped body.
10. The heating device according to claim 8, wherein each contact-connection makes contact with each of the at least two regions of the shaped body.
11. The heating device according to claim 8, wherein the regions of the shaped body are arranged between the contact-connections in such a way that each contact-connection makes contact with a different region.
12. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the shaped body is shaped as a nozzle.
13. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein a passivation layer is arranged on the shaped body.
14. A method for manufacturing a heating device, comprising the following steps:
A) injection-molding a green body,
B) sintering the green body in order to produce a shaped body, and
C) arranging electrical contact-connections on the shaped body,
wherein at least two mutually different ceramic materials having a positive temperature coefficient of electrical resistance are injection-molded successively in the step A).
15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, in the step B), an interface region is formed between the at least two different materials, in which interface region the ceramic materials are sintered together.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A system comprising:
a set of ultraviolet radiation sources;
a set of wave guiding structures configured to support the set of ultraviolet radiation sources and to direct ultraviolet radiation having a set of target attributes to a desired location, wherein the set of wave guiding structures includes at least one reflective surface and at least one transparent surface;
a set of ultraviolet sensors configured to measure the ultraviolet radiation; and
a computer system for operating the ultraviolet radiation sources to deliver a target dose of ultraviolet radiation to the at least one target surface of the object and adjusting at least one aspect of the operating based on data acquired by the set of ultraviolet sensors.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of wave guiding structures includes a flexible hollow tube.
3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a spine element configured to preserve a shape of the flexible hollow tube.
4. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one transparent surface includes a set of diffusive elements configured to diffuse the ultraviolet radiation.
5. The system of claim 2, wherein the set of wave guiding structures includes a plurality of flexible hollow tubes, and each flexible hollow tube is supported by a spine element configured to preserve a shape of the flexible hollow tube.
6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a set of connecting units located at each end of the spine element, the set of connecting units configured to connect each of the wave guiding structures.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of wave guiding structures forms a tree-like configuration.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of wave guiding structures forms a three-dimensional mesh configuration.
9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a set of proximity sensors for measuring a distance to the at least one target surface of the object.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one the set of ultraviolet radiation sources includes a parabolic surface for generating a collimated beam of ultraviolet radiation from ultraviolet radiation generated by the at least one of the set of ultraviolet radiation sources, wherein the parabolic surface has an ultraviolet reflection coefficient of at least eighty percent, and wherein the operating includes adjusting a direction of the collimated beam of ultraviolet radiation.
11. A system comprising:
a set of ultraviolet radiation sources; and
a set of wave guiding structures configured to support the set of ultraviolet radiation sources and to direct ultraviolet radiation having a set of target attributes to a desired location, wherein the set of wave guiding structures includes at least one transparent surface, and wherein the set of ultraviolet radiation sources is directly coupled to the set of wave guiding structures, such that at least fifty percent of the ultraviolet radiation enters the set of wave guiding structures.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the set of ultraviolet radiation sources are embedded within the set of wave guiding structures.
13. The system of claim 11, further comprising a spine element configured to preserve a shape of the set of wave guiding structures, wherein the spine element includes a flexible member coupled to the set of wave guiding structures.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein a material of the spine element includes at least one of: aluminum, copper, steel or plastic.
15. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one transparent surface includes a set of diffusive elements configured to diffuse the ultraviolet radiation.
16. The system of claim 13, wherein the spine element includes wiring to supply power to the set of ultraviolet radiation sources.
17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a set of connecting units located at each end of the spine element, the set of connecting units configured to connect each of the wave guiding structures.
18. The system of claim 12, further comprising a set of proximity sensors for measuring a distance to the at least one target surface of the object.
19. A system comprising:
a set of ultraviolet radiation sources;
a set of wave guiding structures configured to support the set of ultraviolet radiation sources and to direct ultraviolet radiation having a set of target attributes to a desired location, wherein the set of wave guiding structures includes a flexible hollow tube, the flexible hollow tube including at least one reflective surface and at least one transparent surface;
a spine element located adjacent to the set of wave guiding structures, the spine element configured to preserve a shape of the flexible hollow tube; and
a computer system for operating the ultraviolet radiation sources to deliver a target dose of ultraviolet radiation to at least one target surface of the object.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one transparent surface includes a set of diffusive elements configured to diffuse the ultraviolet radiation.