Appliance Design articles from June 2005

Appliance Design archives from June 2005

Pushing patents.(EDITORIAL)
June 1, 2005... In 2001, an Australian named John Keogh made news after being issued a patent for a "circular transportation facilitation device," better known to most of us as the wheel. Presumably, he could have then launched patent infringement suits...

Shipments.(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... SHIPMENTS Product March '05 March '04 % Chg. MAJORS - TOTAL 6,495,200 6,801,700 -4.5% CLEANUP-TOTAL 1,438,100 1,361,800 5.6% Compactors 12,700 ...

Forecasts.(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... FORECASTS MAJOR HOME APPLIANCES -- Shipments (Thousands of Units) Qtr: 2004 2005 2006 1 19,917.0 18,255.5 19,450.3 2 21,415.2 20,641.1 20,832.2 3 18,272.9 18,403.1 18,704.4 4 ...

3D without glasses.(NEWS WATCH)(new display technology from Toshiba Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Toshiba recently produced a new display technology that allows 3-D images to be viewed on a flatbed display without any need for special glasses. Viewing the display from an angle allows the viewer to experience 3-D images that stand out...

Fagor acquires Brandt.(NEWS WATCH)(Fagor Electrodomesticos S.C.L.)(Elco-Brandt S.A.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... As part of a 162.5 million euro deal with Elco Holland BV, a subsidiary of Elco Holdings, Fagor Electrodomesticos recently acquired 90 percent of the Brandt Group, which until now was owned by the Israeli group. With the agreement, the Spanish...

Solar trash compacting.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The BigBelly, a compacting trash bin operated by solar energy has the potential to reduce both pollution and the number of pickups needed, according to its manufacturer Seahorse Power Co., Westborough, Mass. The large boxy receptacle collects...

Solid state lighting.(NEWS WATCH)(scattered photon extraction technique developed)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... A research group at the Lighting Research Center (LRC) of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has developed a method known as "scattered photon extraction" to get significantly more light from white light-emitting diodes without requiring more...

Bluelighting bacteria.(NEWS WATCH)(blue light used to suppress bacteria )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Scientists at the Forsyth Institute have found that blue light can be used to selectively suppress certain bacteria commonly associated with destructive gum disease. The research, published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Agents and...

World buys Chinese microwaves.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Attracting home appliance plants from Japan and other industrialized economies, China produced nearly 80 percent of the microwave ovens sold worldwide in 2003, according to a report released by the Japan Electrical Manufacturers' Association....

China regulates e-waste.(NEWS WATCH)(electronic waste)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... China will soon have its first regulations dealing with the mounting problem of electronic waste. The first regulation will be published before the end of the year, according to the Ministry of Information. The Management Regulation on the...

Lennox shuts plant.(NEWS WATCH)(Lennox Hearth Products)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Seventy employees at a factory in Burlington will soon be out of work when their jobs move to a manufacturing facility in Mexico. The factory closes this month. Company officials indicated that production volume at the Burlington plant was not...

Saving energy.(NEWS WATCH)(refrigeration equipment standards)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... In an agreement negotiated over the last 15 months by commercial refrigeration manufacturers and the nonprofit organization, American Council for Energy-Efficient Economy, signatories will recommend to Congress a minimum efficiency standard for...

Equator in China.(NEWS WATCH)(Equator Appliances' joint venture with Hefei Meiling Company Ltd.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Equator Appliances has set up operations in China in collaboration with Meiling Group, one of the top 10 state-owned industrial groups in China. The Meiling-Equator Home Appliance Company, located in Hefei, capital of Anhui Province, was formed...

Changing shape.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... An MIT engineer and his German colleagues have created the first plastics that can be deformed and temporarily fixed into shape by light. The programmed materials change shape when struck by light at certain wavelengths, and return to their...

Meetings.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
June 1, 2005... Sensors Expo, June 6-9, Rosemont, Ill. Contact: 800/331-5706 Email: jduval@advanstar.com Web site: www.sensorsexpo.com Smart Coatings IV, June 9-10, Berlin, Germany. Contact: 49 511 99 10 271 Email: Amanda.beyer@coatings.de Web site:...

Connecting families.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... In a study by the Internet Home Alliance, a cross-country network of leading companies advancing the connected home market; researchers led by Alliance members Whirlpool, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Peapod by Stop & Shop and Sears, debunked the...

Europe rules on energy.(NEWS WATCH)(law for designing household appliances with a focus on energy conservation)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The European Parliament recently endorsed rules to make household appliances more energy efficient as part of its fight against global warming. Under a voluntary agreement with industry, the parliament said computers, stereo systems, clothes...

Refrigeration creation.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... A Mitsubishi refrigerator that enhances vitamin C and chlorophyll in the food it stores is the latest Japanese invention in a range of vitamin home electronics developed to meet the demands of the country's health-conscious consumers. Others...

ARI combats mold.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... In its consumer brochure and white paper, "Facts About Humidifiers and Mold," the trade association, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute, heightens awareness on adherence to proper sizing standards, sound installation practices,...

Re: "Sound Power,"April, p. 42.(READERS RESPOND)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... I just read, the article on thermoacoustic refrigeration and want to congratulate you on writing what I think is the best article I have read by a journalist on this topic since our "debut" last Earth Day. I was very impressed by both the...

Re: "Converting Disbelievers," p. 38, April.(READERS RESPOND)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... We'd like to express our appreciation to you and BNP Media. We are most impressed. This morning I received an e-mail regarding people who requested more information after reading the article in your magazine. Wow! We can't describe how...

Electrolux.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ELECTROLUX'S reporting structure has been changed to comprise Indoor and Outdoor Products, instead of its previous Consumer Durables and Professional Products. Indoor Products has operations in appliances and floor care products as well as...

Sears, Roebuck Co.(NEWS WATCH)(opened appliance departments in its stores)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... SEARS, ROEBUCK CO. recently opened appliance departments in 27 of its hardware stores in seven states. The company now sells six top appliances brands--Amana, Frigidaire, G.E., Maytag and Whirlpool as well as the Kenmore and Kenmore Elite...

Innovative vision.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Levar Burton Vision Enhancement Technology Center, a venture in Morgantown, W.Va., is pairing the resources of West Virginia University and Georgia Tech with private-sector partners like Motorola to create technological solutions for the blind....

ASHRAE.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ASHRAE is developing ways to keep produce fresh longer. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers is funding research to study the impact of household refrigerator storage conditions on the shelf life of...

Lowe joins Appliance Design.(NEWS WATCH)(Mary Lowe)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Mary Lowe has joined the staff of Appliance Design magazine as Associate Editor. Lowe enters the world of business-to-business journalism with more than seven years of experience reporting and writing for Michigan area newspapers where she...

Elastomer invention.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... A new addition has recently been made to the elastomer family--swellable variants of plastics that react to leaking water and stop leaks. Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental Safety and Energy Technology have succeeded in...

Designing for flow: upfront CFD speeds product development.(FANS & BLOWERS)(Cover Story)
June 1, 2005... Just about every appliance contains components and subsystems where fluid flow and thermal challenges must be addressed. Pumps, valves, condensers, fans, blowers, heating elements, condensers, flow control devices, and electronics packaging,...

Little wings: winglet design on blades leads to quieter small fans.(FANS & BLOWERS)
June 1, 2005... Modern fans operate reliably and usually behind the scenes. They are required to fulfil their job of cooling electronic components as unobtrusively and quietly as possible. At the same time, the mass production of small fans must be...

Moving air, without moving: electrostatic air pumps to challenge traditional fans and blowers.(FANS & BLOWERS)
June 1, 2005... The most innovative fan designs on the market today still share something in common with the large palm leaf fans waved around by the ancients--they all rely on moving a broad surface to beat the air into motion. Making a radical departure from...

Displaying efficiency: prototype design demonstrates how to optimize energy efficiency in open vertical display cases.
June 1, 2005... Supermarkets represent one of the largest energy-intensive building groups in the commercial sector, consuming 2 million to 3 million kWh/yr per store. Over half of this energy use is for the refrigeration of food display cases and storage...

Secure and simple: top-loading stud fastens from one side with no welding.(FASTENERS, ADHESIVES, JOINING)
June 1, 2005... A bolted assembly is often required in an application that requires a strong joint or one that experiences a lot of vibration. But such a joint frequently requires assembly from both sides, which is labor intensive, or the use of a welded stud,...

Foiling noise; peel-and-stick damping foils can help silence appliances.(FASTENERS, ADHESIVES, JOINING)
June 1, 2005... In the highly competitive appliance market, consumers are making increasingly sound decisions before selecting one appliance over another. And "sound" refers to more than the logical conclusion of a careful decision-making process. Literally,...

Shining through; infrared welding provides clean joining of plastic parts.(FASTENERS, ADHESIVES, JOINING)
June 1, 2005... An innovative infrared welding technology developed at Edison Welding Institute, Columbus, Ohio, (a non-profit organization that researches and develops materials joining technology) provides a virtually flashless, non-contact process for...

Softening sound: strategic use of elastomers can control noise and vibration in appliance design.(ELASTOMERS, GASKETS & SEALS)
June 1, 2005... Today more than ever before, product designers must meet consumer expectations that high-quality appliances will be quiet. Careful selection of elastomers for structural damping and/or vibration isolation can help deliver the market advantages...

Scratching the surface: soft-touch TPEs take hard duty.(ELASTOMERS, GASKETS & SEALS)
June 1, 2005... Appliance product designers and developers may consider product ergonomics and durability as they strive to develop and implement designs that meet market needs, provide consumer value, and differentiate their products from the competition. The...

Hot combination: reactive, hot-melt silicone sealant cuts time and costs.(ELASTOMERS, GASKETS & SEALS)
June 1, 2005... Choosing the wrong type of sealants can be a costly mistake for appliance manufacturers, that need to make seals that are flexible, long lasting, able to retain liquids and solids, prevent beat loss, and provide noise insulation. Aesthetically,...

Ozone overtures: oxidant makes a comeback in commercial laundry systems.(LAUNDRY TECHNOLOGY)
June 1, 2005... Manufacturers have known for a decade that ozone is a superior cleaning product that is well-suited to commercial laundry applications. Nevertheless, the production of faulty systems during the ozone commercial laundry industry's inception in...

Wonder water: de-gassed water shows potential for detergent-free washing.(LAUNDRY TECHNOLOGY)
June 1, 2005... Detergent-free removal of grease and oil stains has been shown with a cleansing process developed by an Australian research group, which explored the efficacy of de-gassed water as a cleaning agent. In a paper titled, "De-Gassed Water Is a...

Serving a global industry: annual meeting highlights achievements and challenges ahead.
June 1, 2005... Much has been done, yet much more needs to done. That sentiment was a dominant theme at the annual meeting of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, held April 17-18 at the historic Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington D.C....

Cooling achievements continue.(ASSOCIATION REPORT: ARI)
June 1, 2005... Attending ARI's Cool Connections Policy Symposium this past April, ARI members had the opportunity to travel through the halls of Congress and learn about the legislative process by members of the House and Senate. It was truly a unique...