This is the generic class for making a determination of either
(1) a characteristic or condition of an object or system utilizing
heating or cooling as a significant part of the test and not provided
for in other classes, or (2) a thermal quantity or condition.
This class also includes circuitry and devices with structure
unique to a thermal measurement or test and not elsewhere provided
for.
(1)
Note. Processes and apparatus are classified together.
SECTION II - LINES WITH OTHER CLASSES AND WITHIN THIS CLASS
A thermal measurement or test made as part of a measurement
elsewhere classifiable, e.g. liquid level or flow, will be classified
with the other measurement. However, a thermal measurement combined
with a separate measurement, so as to provide separate determinations
are classifiable herein. (See Subclass References to the Current
Class, below.)
Substantially all apparatus classes include automatic control
of the apparatus. Such automatic control usually involves some
means to measure or test a condition or change of condition, the
measuring or testing means then operating to control or regulate
the apparatus in accordance with the results of the measurement
or test. For such subject matter, the class appropriate to the
type of apparatus controlled should be investigated.
ORGANIZATION OF THIS CLASS
For the organization of this class, see Subclass References
to the Current Class, below.
SECTION III - SUBCLASS REFERENCES TO THE CURRENT CLASS
through 28 and 43 through 57, Thermal Testing subclasses
provide for determination of either a thermal characteristic of,
or the thermal dependence of a nonthermal characteristic of, a test
specimen. Also included herein is the thermal determination of a
nonthermal property not elsewhere provided for.
through 42, Heat and Heat Flux Measurement subclasses
provide for determination of heat energy, rate of heat transfer,
and other miscellaneous thermodynamic potentials (e.g., enthalpy).
and 209, Specialized Subcombinations subclasses
provide for devices having structure peculiar to thermal measuring
and testing which perfects, but does not perform the determination.
Measuring and Testing, appropriate subclasses for measuring a nonthermal variable
by a thermal measurement, particularly
subclasses 25.01+ for thermal gas analysis; subclasses 61.75 and
61.77 for a heat determination of the content or effect of a constituent
of a liquid mixture; subclass 154 for thermal logging of a formation
in a borehole; subclasses 204.11+ for thermal volume or
rate of flow determination; and subclass 295 for thermal liquid
level determination.
Surgery,
subclass 736 for a diagnostic temperature measuring arrangement
particularly limited by structure to shape of, or placement in or on,
a living body.
Automatic Temperature and Humidity Regulation,
subclasses 2+ for incubator control, and subclass 94 for thermostatic
temperature control with an indicator.
Electrophotography,
subclasses 67+ for controls of fixing, particularly subclass 70
for temperature control of a warm-up or standby mode and subclass
94 for internal machine environment temperature.
This subclass is indented under the class definition. Subject matter for determining the accuracy, operability,
or operating characteristics of a device responsive to a thermal
condition.
(1)
Note. The calibration may involve either a single value or
plural values including a continuous variation.
(2)
Note. The thermal condition responsive device need not be
a measuring or testing device, e.g. calibration of a thermostat
is classifiable in this subclass.
(3)
Note. A measuring or testing device having a reference or
calibrating element or subsystem is classified with the measuring
or testing device.
Electrophotography,
subclasses 67+ for controls of fixing, particularly subclass 70
for temperature control of a warm-up or standby mode and subclass
94 for internal machine environment temperature.
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Subject matter wherein a reference thermal condition is
thermal radiation given off from a radiating element.
(1)
Note. Such an element would include a blackened element adjacent
a radiation transmitting element.
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Subject matter wherein the reference thermal condition is
a thermal parameter of a controlled temperature liquid bath.
This subclass is indented under the class definition. Subject matter for testing a solid material for a defect
or undesired passage of fluent material therethrough.
This subclass is indented under subclass 4. Subject matter wherein heat is applied to or extracted from
the solid material to permit detection of a thermal anomaly.
This subclass is indented under the class definition. Subject matter for determining an angle or distance by measuring
a thermal property which varies therewith.
This subclass is indented under the class definition. Subject matter for determining the ability of an object
to radiate energy in accordance with its temperature.
(1)
Note. Such a determination often includes heating the sample.
for measuring total radiant energy emitted from
a source. 126 and 128, for emissivity compensation of temperature
measurement by thermally emitted radiant energy.
This subclass is indented under the class definition. Subject matter which compares simultaneous thermal effects
on a test specimen and a reference specimen of an applied variation
in temperature.
(1)
Note. The reference specimen is usually inert (i.e. undergoes
no thermodynamic phase changes) over the temperature range of interest.
(2)
Note. The comparison is usually a differential determination
of the specimen conditions being monitored (e.g. temperature difference).
(3)
Note. The specimens being compared are exposed to similar
environmental conditions.
This subclass is indented under subclass 10. Subject matter having a particular circuitry arrangement
for controlling heating of the test and reference specimens.
BY APPLYING KNOWN THERMAL GRADIENT (E.G., INDICATION OF RESPONSE
BY LOCATION):
This subclass is indented under the class definition. Subject matter having an element with a temperature which
increases in one direction according to the distance from a reference point
so as to determine the relationship between a thermally responsive
property and temperature by observation of the spatial distribution
of the property.
TRANSFORMATION POINT DETERMINATION (E.G., DEW POINT, BOILING POINT):
This subclass is indented under the class definition. Subject matter for determining the temperature at which
a change of state or phase of the test specimen occurs.
(1)
Note. The term "change of state" refers to
changes between the gaseous, liquids, and solid states.
This subclass is indented under subclass 16. Subject matter wherein the test is performed by determining
a change in a light modifying characteristic of the test specimen
or an element in contact therewith.
This subclass is indented under subclass 17. Subject matter wherein the light modifying characteristic
is reflection from the specimen or an element in contact therewith.
(1)
Note. Included herein are total internal reflection within
the specimen and mirrors contacting the specimen.
This subclass is indented under subclass 19. Subject matter including a temperature modifying element
for the specimen which modifying element is responsive to the light
responsive element.
This subclass is indented under subclass 16. Subject matter wherein the test is performed by determining
the value, or its change, of an electrical property of the test
specimen.
This subclass is indented under subclass 16. Subject matter wherein the test is performed by determining
the modification of movement of a test element which contact or
is located within the test specimen.
This subclass is indented under subclass 22. Subject matter including an arrangement for applying a motion
producing force to the movable test element.
This subclass is indented under subclass 16. Subject matter wherein the transition point is established
by determination of a variation in either the force per unit area
or the volume per unit time of a fluid specimen.
This subclass is indented under subclass 16. Subject matter wherein the transition point is established
by locating the temperature at which there is no temperature change
during heating or cooling of the specimen.
(1)
Note. The thermal arrest temperature is often located by
use of a graph of time vs. temperature during heating or cooling.
This subclass is indented under subclass 16. Subject matter where in the transformation point determination
is between a gaseous and a liquid state, and not provided for in
subclass
(1)
Note. Included herein are determination of a boiling or a
condensation point.
This subclass is indented under subclass 27. Subject matter wherein the change of state determined is
that of the temperature at which condensation of a vapor in a sample
begins, and not provided for in subclasses 17 - 26, above.
This subclass is indented under subclass 29. Subject matter wherein the heat flux is determined by measuring
the temperature difference across a thermal impedance without heating
or cooling.
This subclass is indented under the class definition. Subject matter for determining a quantity of heat energy
produced or absorbed at a given location.
(1)
Note. Calorimetric determination of the amount of constituent
in a compound or of the heat of chemical combination is classified
herein only when limited to a determination of heat produced by
combustion of the specimen.
Chemistry: Physical Processes,
subclass 230 and 232 for processes involving heat measurement
of a catalytic element, or with steps involving a chemical reaction
other than combustion.
Chemical Apparatus and Process Disinfecting, Deodorizing,
Preserving, or Sterilizing,
subclass 51 for apparatus for heat measurement of a catalytic element,
or with an arrangement involving a chemical reaction other than
combustion.
This subclass is indented under subclass 31. Total radiant energy or power measurement: Subject matter
for determining the total energy or power produced by a source of
radiation.
(1)
Note. Microwave, other radio wave, X-ray and gamma ray radiation
are excluded from this subclass.
This subclass is indented under subclass 31. Subject matter including an arrangement to maintain or vary
the heat energy of a receptacle containing a sample undergoing an
endothermic or exothermic reaction.
This subclass is indented under subclass 33. Subject matter including an element in thermally conductive
relation to the sample container and an arrangement to maintain
the temperature of the element equal to that of the test location
by heating or cooling the element so as to prevent heat flow between
the element and the container.
This subclass is indented under subclass 31. Subject matter for making a measurement of a thermal parameter
of a hot gas including transfer of heat energy from the hot gas
to a measuring element.
(1)
Note. The terms "hot" or "high
temperature" to describe the gas are each intended to specify
that the absolute temperature of the probe is very small compared
to that of the gas.
(2)
Note. Included herein are enthalpy probes and probes with
a fluid coolant therein.
This subclass is indented under subclass 31. Subject matter for determining the amount of heat produced
by burning a given amount of a tested combustible material.
This subclass is indented under subclass 36. Subject matter having a structural detail of an adjustment
of the amount of air or fuel admitted to the combustion location.
(1)
Note. The adjustment may be responsive to the temperature
of the combustion exhaust fluid.
This subclass is indented under subclass 36. Subject matter including a container resistant to high pressure
produced by rapid ignition of the tested material.
(1)
Note. The ignition chamber is often immersed in a liquid,
or includes and electrically operated igniting element.
This subclass is indented under subclass 31. Subject matter wherein the heat measured is that taken from
or added to a heat exchange fluid by a heat utilizing device through
which the fluid flows.
(1)
Note. The term "heat utilizing device" is generally
a heating or cooling device.
This subclass is indented under subclass 39. Subject matter including sensing of the flow rate and a
temperature of the heat exchange fluid and combining signals representative thereof
to produce a signal representing heat gain or loss.
(1)
Note. The temperature signal is often representative of the
differential temperature of the fluid prior to and following heat
exchange with the heat utilizing device.
This subclass is indented under subclass 40. Subject matter wherein the temperature and flow rate are
each sensed to produce an electrical signal and the signals are
electrically combined.
This subclass is indented under subclass 31. Subject matter for measuring a heat energy property of a
gas or vapor including flow of the gas or vapor through a restriction
as part of the measurement.
(1)
Note. Such devices are often used to determine "steam
quality" which is the fraction of moisture in the liquid
state carried by flowing steam.
DETERMINATION OF INHERENT THERMAL PROPERTY (E.G., HEAT FLOW
COEFFICIENT):
This subclass is indented under the class definition. Subject matter for ascertaining a specimen"s ability
to transmit, transfer, retard, or spread heat and which includes
heating or cooling of a portion of the specimen.
(1)
Note. Properties determined by such a measurement include
thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, or heat transfer coefficient.
(2)
Note. Measurement of specific heat is made by calorimetry.
This subclass is indented under subclass 43. Subject matter for determining the coefficient of heat flow
per unit area with respect to the temperature gradient.
This subclass is indented under the class definition. Subject matter for performing a measurement or test of other
than a thermal quantity either (1) with a specified thermal condition,
or (2) to ascertain the dependence of the quantity upon a thermal
condition.
(1)
Note. The thermal condition is usually temperature or heat.
(2)
Note. Nominal recitation of thermal recitation combined with
a test classified elsewhere is classified with the other test.
This subclass is indented under subclass 45. Subject matter wherein the nonthermal test includes direct
application of a mechanical force to a test specimen.
This subclass is indented under subclass 49. Subject matter having a structural detail of an element
of an arrangement for applying heat to, or extracting heat from,
the specimen.
This subclass is indented under subclass 45. Subject matter wherein the nonthermal quantity is either
the degree of polymerization of a polymerizable substance, or the
depth to which a hardening of an outer layer of metal extends.
(1)
Note. The hardening of a layer of metal is often produced
by quenching.
This subclass is indented under subclass 45. Subject matter wherein the nonthermal quantity is the amount
of a fluid or the rate of change of a flow property or evaporation.
This subclass is indented under subclass 45. Subject matter wherein the measurement is of a temperature
dependance of a dimensional change of a test specimen.
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