Steel sheets for hot stamping accommodated in a far-infrared radiation multi-stage type heating furnace are stably supported over a long period of time using steel sheet support members having a small projected area and inhibited from thermally deforming. The far-infrared radiation multi-stage type heating furnace includes: heating units and a ceiling unit arranged in a vertical direction with multiple stages to accommodate aluminum-coated steel sheets or zinc- coated steel sheets for hot stamping; and far-infrared radiation heaters disposed within the heating units and the ceiling unit to heat the steel sheets for hot stamping to a temperature ranging from the Ac.sub.3 transformation temperature to 950° C. Steel sheet support members are mounted to the heating units to support the steel sheets for hot stamping by point contact or line contact with the steel sheets for hot stamping.

Systems and methods are provided for controlling infrared radiation (IR) sources of a sauna including tuning IR wavelength-ranges and radiated power-levels of IR sources, and directing IR to locations on a user's body. In one illustrative embodiment, a sauna may be provided having adjustable IR emitters to emit IR at any wavelength resulting in a desirable radiation treatment for the sauna user. In another illustrative embodiment, a method is provided for tuning IR emitters in a sauna.

A thermal radiation element includes a substrate; and a plasmonic perfect absorber in which a first conductor layer covering one main surface of the substrate, an insulator layer, and a second conductor layer are laminated in this order, in which the first conductor layer is provided with electrodes through which a current flows in an in-plane direction of a main surface of the first conductor layer.

The present disclosure relates to apparatus and methods for heating a lens for a light source. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a heating unit for use in a vehicle light, methods of installation and control systems for the heating unit. For example, a heating unit according to the present disclosure includes a connector configured to maintain an electronic connection between a heating element and a control circuit by a bias force, such as a spring force. Instead of forming a fixed attachment with the heating element, the connector is pushed against the heating element to maintain connection therebetween. The non-fixed contact to the heater provides reliability, flexibility and simplicity to the heating unit.

The described technology provides an electric heating apparatus with multiple heating lamps that can increase the heat emitted by a single heating apparatus, thereby allowing a minimal number of heating apparatus installations in the space where heating is needed, and can prevent fires by turning the power off immediately in the event of the heating apparatus falling off. According to the described technology, multiple heating lamps may be positioned within the reflector dish, and the heating lamps may have particular inclinations to allow a broader range of irradiation and increase efficiency in terms of installing, maintaining, and operating the electric heating apparatus; the heat of the reflector dish and the heating lamps themselves may be discharged by way of conduction at the upper portion of the reflector dish.

A method of fabricating a multi-mode heat transfer device includes forming a thermal metamaterial composite structure that includes an inner core to radiate heat and an outer core that at least partially surrounds the inner core. The outer core includes a high thermally conductive material inlay and a low thermally conductive material matrix that form a composite material pattern to thermally concentrate and direct heat radiated by the inner core to an area outside of the multi-mode heat transfer device, while also thermally cloaking heat radiated by the inner core. A plurality of thermal metamaterial composite structures are then stacked in a stacked formation to form a thermal metamaterial composite assembly. The method includes manipulating the emissivity of the thermal metamaterial composite assembly by selectively applying a coating or a plating to one or more outer surface regions of the outer core to enhance the transfer of heat by the composite material pattern.

Systems and methods are provided for controlling infrared radiation (IR) sources of a sauna including tuning IR wavelength-ranges and radiated power-levels of IR sources, and directing IR to locations on a user's body. In one illustrative embodiment, a sauna may be provided having adjustable heat sources to emit IR at any wavelength resulting in a desirable radiation treatment for the sauna user. In another illustrative embodiment, a method is provided for tuning IR sources in a sauna.

A heater according to an embodiment includes: a tubular portion; a sealing portion provided in each of both end portions of the tubular portion; a conductive portion provided inside each sealing portion; a heating portion provided inside the tubular portion, extending along a tube axis of the tubular portion, and including carbons; an inner lead provided in each sealing portion so that one end portion side is connected to the conductive portion and the other end portion side is exposed into the tubular portion; and a connection portion connected to each of both end portions of the heating portion inside the tubular portion. A bent portion is provided in an end portion opposite to the conductive portion in each inner lead. The bent portion is bent in a direction in which the sealing portions face each other and is provided inside a hole of the connection portion.

In some examples, an infrared emitter is provided with a heating layer sandwiched by top and bottom optical layers that allow only narrow-band infrared light to pass through. A reflective layer may be further provided below the bottom optical layers. This configuration greatly reduces the energy loss and can be manufactured with simple method and low cost.

A thermal radiation element includes a substrate, made of a semiconductor, having a first principal plane and a second principal plane, a first conductor layer and a second conductor layer provided on the first principal plane and the second principal plane, respectively, and an electrode pair provided in an outer edge region of the first conductor layer.