1. A thermal treatment system comprising at least one apparatus for thermally treating an object, the apparatus comprising:
at least one of a pair of substantially opposite platforms, where
at least one of the platforms having at least one thermal means for heating or cooling of the object; and
at least one of the platforms has fluid-mechanical means for supporting the object without contact, the platform having an active surface comprising at least one of a plurality of basic cells, each basic cell having at least one of a plurality of pressure outlets and at least one of a plurality of fluid-evacuation channels, at least one of the pressure outlets of each basic cell being fluidically connected through a flow restrictor to a high-pressure fluid supply, the pressure outlets providing pressurized fluid for maintaining a fluid-cushion between the object and the active-surface of the platform, the flow restrictor characteristically exhibiting fluidic return spring behavior; each of said at least one of a plurality of fluid-evacuation channels having an inlet and outlet, for locally balancing mass flow for said at least one of a plurality of basic cells.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises two platforms for supporting and thermally treating the object in between.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the two platforms are horizontally oriented, substantially one above the other.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the said platforms includes both thermal means and an active-surface for supporting without contact the object.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one thermal means is integrated in said at least one platform.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one thermal means comprises a heat exchanger.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one thermal means comprises an electric heater integrated in said at least one platform.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one thermal means comprises a radiation heater.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one thermal means comprises an active cooling unit integrated in said at least one platform.
10. The system of claim 1, further provided with an external heater for heating the fluid.
11. The system of claim 1, further provided with an external cooler for cooling the fluid.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises two platforms for supporting and thermally treating the object in between and wherein one platform is provided with a heater and the other platform is provided with a cooler.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one of a pair of substantially opposite platforms is circular.
14. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one of a pair of substantially opposite platforms is rectangular.
15. The system of claim 1, wherein the active surface is flat for supporting a flat object.
16. The system of claim 1, wherein the active surface is curved for conformally supporting a non-flat object.
17. The system of claim 1, further provided with a control unit for controlling supply parameters of the fluid-cushion for determining a gap between the object and the active surface of said at least one of two platforms.
18. The system of claim 1, further provided with a control unit for controlling the thermal means.
19. The system of claim 1, further provided with a control unit for mechanically controlling the distance between the platforms.
20. The system of claim 1, further provided with a control unit for controlling the thermal means, for mechanically controlling the distance between the platforms and for controlling supply parameters of the fluid-cushion.
21. The system of claim 1, further provided with at least one sensor for sensing a controllable parameter.
22. The system of claim 21, wherein said at least one sensor comprises a temperature sensor.
23. The system of claim 1, wherein the pressurized fluid is air provided by an air-supply device.
24. The system of claim 1, wherein the pressurized fluid is a gas provided by a gas-supply device.
25. The system of claim 1, wherein the pressurized fluid is a liquid provided by a liquid-supply device.
26. The system of claim 1, wherein the evacuation channels are fluidically connected to a sub-atmospheric pressure reservoir.
27. The system of claim 1, wherein the evacuation channels are connected to a sub-atmospheric source to establish a vacuum pre-load aircushion for supporting without contact the object.
28. The system of claim 1, wherein the evacuation channels are each equipped with a flow restrictor.
29. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one platform is divided into two or more individually controlled zones where parameters of the fluid-cushion or parameters relating directly to the thermal treatment are controllable locally.
30. The system of claim 29, wherein at least one of the individually controlled zones is located at an edge of said at least one platform.
31. The system of claim 1, further provided with Injecting means of pre-heated fluid at the edge.
32. The system of claim 1, wherein dynamic insulation is provided on at least one edge of said at least one platform.
33. The system of claim 32, wherein the dynamic insulation comprises Injecting or suction means.
34. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one platform is provided with a peripherally insulating-ring.
35. The system of claim 34, wherein heating means is provide inside the ring.
36. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one platform is provided with a rotating mechanism.
37. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one platform is provided with a linear drive unit.
38. The system of claim 1, comprising at least two adjacent apparatuses for serial thermal treatment process of the object.
39. The system of claim 38, wherein an active surface is provided between the apparatuses for transferring the object from one apparatus to the other.
40. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of apparatuses in a stacked arrangement for multiple thermal treatment of a plurality of objects.
41. The system of claim 40, further provided with a non-contact feeder.
42. The system of claim 1, further provided with a displacement device for physically changing the distance between active surfaces of opposing platforms.
43. The system of claim 1, further provided with landing pins loading or unloading of the object.
44. The system of claim 1, wherein the area of said at least one platform is roughly the same area as of the object.
45. The system of claim 1, wherein the area said at least one platform is substantially larger than the area of the object.
46. The system of claim 1, wherein the area said at least one platform is substantially smaller than the area of the object.
47. The system of claim 46, further provided with a displacement device for displacing said at least one platform relative to the object.
48. The system of claim 1, further provided with a removable insulating plate for insertion and removal between opposite platforms.
49. The system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises two platforms for supporting and thermally treating the object in between, and wherein the thermal means of the platforms are controllable so as to facilitate a temperature difference between the active surfaces of the platforms.
50. A method for thermally treating an object, the method comprising:
providing at least one apparatus for thermally treating an object, the apparatus comprising:
at least one of a pair of substantially opposite platforms, where at least one of the platforms having at least one thermal means for heating or cooling of the object; and
at least one of the platforms has fluid-mechanical means for supporting the object without contact, the platform having an active surface comprising at least one of a plurality of basic cells, each basic cell having at least one of a plurality of pressure outlets and at least one of a plurality of fluid-evacuation channels at least one of the pressure outlets of each basic cell being fluidically connected through a flow restrictor to a high-pressure fluid supply, the pressure outlets providing pressurized fluid for maintaining a fluid-cushion between the object and the active-surface of the platform, the flow restrictor characteristically exhibiting fluidic return spring behavior; each of said at least one of a plurality of fluid-evacuation channels having an inlet and outlet, for locally balancing mass flow for said at least one of a plurality of basic cells:
placing the object adjacent to an active surface and administering it a thermal treatment.
51. The method of claim 50, wherein the apparatus comprises two substantially opposite platforms, and wherein the object is supported or treated by one platform kept at a first temperature during a predetermined period of time and then transferred by non-contact mechanical or aero-mechanical means to be supported or treated by the other platform, kept at a second temperature.
52. The method of claim 51, wherein the opposite platforms are positioned substantially one above the other.
53. The method of claim 50, wherein the fluid cushion maintains a gap between the active surface and the object that is less than 0.5 mm.
54. The method of claim 50, wherein the fluid cushion maintains a gap between the active surface and the object that is less than 0.1 mm.
55. The method of claim 50, wherein the fluid cushion maintains a gap between the active surface and the object that is less than 0.02 mm.
56. The method of claim 50, wherein the fluid cushion maintains a gap between the active surface and the object that is controllable by controlling pressure of the fluid supply and pressure in the evacuation channels.
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 stackable stein, comprising:
a body, said body comprising:
an outer cylindrical wall wider at a first base end than at an opposite first upper end;
an inner cylindrical wall having a second base end and an opposite second upper end; wherein:
the second base end comprises a closed base region,
the first upper end and the second upper end form a common upper region, and
the first base end and the second base end extend to substantially a same orthogonal distance from the common upper region;
a frustoconical annular region formed between an outer surface of the inner cylindrical wall and an inner surface of the outer cylindrical wall; and
a detachable bottom configured to releasably attach to the first base end.
2. The stackable stein of claim 1, comprising:
a detachable handle configured to releasably attach to at least an outer surface of the outer cylindrical wall.
3. The stackable stein of claim 1, wherein at any particular orthogonal distance from a top of the common upper region towards the first base end:
an outer diameter of the outer cylindrical wall is less than or substantially equal to an outer diameter of the frustoconical annular region at approximately that same particular orthogonal distance from a bottom of the common upper region.
4. The stackable stein of claim 3, wherein the outer diameter of the outer cylindrical wall at that particular orthogonal distance is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the frustoconical annular region at approximately that same particular orthogonal distance.
5. The stackable stein of claim 2,
wherein the outer cylindrical wall comprises an indentation on an outer surface of the outer cylindrical wall; and
wherein the detachable handle comprises a protruding region complementary in shape to the indentation, wherein the protruding region engages the indentation to releasably attach the detachable handle to the outer surface of the outer cylindrical wall.
6. The stackable stein of claim 2,
wherein the outer cylindrical wall comprises a plurality of holes between an outer surface and the inner surface of the outer cylindrical wall; and
wherein the detachable handle comprises a respective complimentary protruding region complementary in shape to one of the plurality of holes, wherein each protruding region engages one of the plurality of holes to releasably attach the detachable handle to the outer surface of the outer cylindrical wall.
7. The stackable stein of claim 1, wherein the detachable bottom screws into the first base end.
8. The stackable stein of claim 1, wherein the detachable bottom snaps into the first based end.
9. The stackable stein of claim 1, wherein the detachable bottom comprises a central opening configured to fit around the closed base region.
10. The stackable stein of claim 1, wherein a seal between the detachable bottom and the first base end is water-tight.
11. The stackable stein of claim 1, wherein:
the inner cylindrical wall and the closed base region form a container for holding liquid;
the annular region is shaped to accept a mass of frozen coolant, wherein the mass of frozen coolant is kept separate from any contents of the container for holding liquid.
12. The stackable stein of claim 11, wherein the detachable bottom forms a reservoir for collecting portion of the frozen coolant that melt.
13. The stackable stein of claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the outer cylindrical wall includes a region for affixing a logo to the stackable stein.
14. The stackable stein of claim 1, wherein a first diameter of the second base end of the inner cylindrical wall is substantially equal to a second diameter of the second upper end.
15. The stackable stein of claim 1, wherein a first diameter of the second base end of the inner cylindrical wall is less than a second diameter of the second upper end.
16. The stackable stein of claim 2, wherein the detachable handle is attached using at least an adhesive.
17. The stackable stein of claim 1, comprising:
a grip-enhancing surface around at least a portion of an outer surface of the outer cylindrical wall.
18. A plurality of stackable steins, comprising:
a plurality steins, each stein comprising:
a body, said body comprising:
an outer cylindrical wall wider at a first base end than at an opposite first upper end;
an inner cylindrical wall having a second base end and an opposite second upper end; wherein the first upper end and the second upper end form a common upper region and the first base end and the second base end extend to substantially a same orthogonal distance from the common upper region;
a frustoconical annular region formed between an outer surface of the inner cylindrical wall and an inner surface of the outer cylindrical wall;
wherein the plurality of steins are nested together in an arrangement from a bottom stein to a top stein whereby the common upper region of a lower stein in the arrangement is fitted within the frustoconical annular region of an adjacent, next-higher stein in the arrangement.
19. A kit of disposable steins comprising:
a plurality stackable steins, each stein comprising:
a body, said body comprising:
an outer cylindrical wall wider at a first base end than at an opposite first upper end;
an inner cylindrical wall having a second base end and an opposite second upper end; wherein the first upper end and the second upper end form a common upper region and the first base end and the second base end extend to substantially a same orthogonal distance from the common upper region;
a frustoconical annular region formed between an outer surface of the inner cylindrical wall and an inner surface of the outer cylindrical wall;
wherein the plurality of steins are nested together in an arrangement from a bottom stein to a top stein whereby the common upper region of a lower stein in the arrangement is fitted within the frustoconical annular region of an adjacent, next-higher stein in the arrangement.
a plurality of detachable bottoms, each bottom configured to releasably attach to the first base end of one of the plurality of stackable steins; and
a plurality of detachable handles; each handle configured to releasably attach to at least an outer surface of the outer cylindrical wall of one of the plurality of stackable steins.
20. The kit of claim 19, comprising:
a freezing tray with a structure for holding liquid coolant to be frozen, wherein the structure is complementary in shape to the frustoconical annular region whereby coolant frozen in the structure fits within the frustoconical annular region.