权利要求：
What is Claimed:
1. An insulating module, comprising: a nonconducting first shell; a conducting first component, the first shell being disposed about the first component,
(a) the first shell comprising a sealed evacuated insulating space, (b) the first shell and first component having a first sealed evacuated insulating space
therebetween, the first component comprising a sealed evacuaated insulating space, or any one or more of (a), (b), and (c); and a current carrier configured to give rise to inductive heating.
2. An insulating module, comprising: a conducting first shell; a non-conducting first component, the first shell being disposed about the first component,
(a) the first shell comprising a sealed evacuated insulating space, (b) the first shell and first component having a first sealed evacuated insulating space
therebetween, the first component comprising a sealed evacuated insulating space, or any one or more of (a), (b), and (c); and a current carrier configured to give rise to inductive heating.
3. An insulating module, comprising: a non-conducting first shell; a non-conducting first component, the first shell being disposed about the first component,
(a) the first shell comprising a sealed evacuated insulating space, (b) the first shell and first component having a first sealed evacuated insulating space therebetween, the first component comprising a sealed evacuated insulating space, or any one or more of (a), (b), and (c); and a current carrier configured to give rise to inductive heating.
4. The insulating module of any of claims 1-3, further comprising a second sealed
evacuated space disposed about the first shell, the second sealed evacuated space optionally being configured to contain heat evolved by the current carrier.
5. The insulating module of any of claims 1-4, wherein the insulating module is
configured to communicate a fluid within the first sealed evacuated insulating space.
6. The insulating module of any of claims 1-5, wherein the current carrier is disposed about the first shell, the current collector optionally contacting the first shell or optionally being integrated into the first shell.
7. The insulating module of any of claims 1-5, wherein the current carrier is disposed within the first sealed evacuated insulating space, the current collector optionally contacting one or both of the first shell and the first component or optionally being integrated into one or both of the first shell and the first component.
8. The insulating module within any of claims 1-5, wherein the current carrier is
disposed within the first component, the current collector optionally contacting the first component or optionally being integrated into the first component.
9. The insulating module of any of claims 1-5, wherein the current carrier is configured to effect inductive heating of a working material disposed within the first component.
10. The insulating module of any of claims 1-5, wherein the current carrier is configured to effect inductive heating of a working material disposed exterior to the first shell.
11. The insulating module of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the first shell comprises a ceramic.
12. The insulating module of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the first component comprises a ceramic.
13. The insulating module of any of claims 1-12, wherein one or both of the first shell and the first component comprises a shield that is at least partially opaque to a magnetic field.
14. The insulating module of any of claims 1-13, wherein the first component defines a lumen therein.
15. The insulating module of claim 14, wherein the lumen of the inner shell defines a proximal end and a distal end.
16. The insulating module of claim 15, wherein (a) the proximal end defines a cross- section, (b) the distal end defines a cross-section, and (c) the cross-section of the proximal end differs from the cross-section of the distal end.
17. The insulating module of any of claims 14-16, wherein the lumen of the first
component is in fluid communication with a source of fluid.
18. The insulating module of any of claims 1-17, wherein at least one of the first shell and the first component is essentially resistant to evolving inductive heat.
19. The insulating module of any of claims 1-18, wherein the current carrier is
characterized as helical.
20. The insulating module of any of claims 1-19, wherein the current carrier is in
communication with a device configured to modulate a current communicated through the current carrier.
21. The insulating module of any of claims 1-20, further comprising an amount of heat- sensitive working material disposed within the first component.
22. The insulating module of any of claims 1-21, further comprising an amount of heat- sensitive working material disposed exterior to the first shell.
23. The insulating module of any of claims 21-22, wherein the heat sensitive working material comprises a metal.
24. The insulating module of claim 23, wherein the heat-sensitive working material is characterized as a wire.
25. The insulating module of any of claims 22-24, wherein the heat-sensitive working material comprises a polymeric material.
26. The insulating module of any of claims 22-25, wherein the heat-sensitive working material comprises a flux material.
27. The insulating module of any of claims 1-26, further comprising an element
configured to be inductively heated by the current carrier.
28. The insulating module of claim 27, wherein the element is disposed within the first component.
29. The insulating module of claim 27, wherein the element is disposed within the first sealed evacuated insulating space.
30. The insulating module of claim 27, wherein the element is disposed exterior to the first shell.
31. The insulating module of claim 1, wherein the first component is characterized as a can or a tube in configuration, the first component having an interior surface that defines an interior volume of the first component.
32. The insulating module of claim 31, wherein the first shell is characterized as being tubular or a can in configuration.
33. The insulating module of claim 32, wherein the first component and the first shell are arranged coaxially with one another, about a first axis.
34. The insulating module of any one of claims 32-33, wherein the first component comprises a depression formed therein, the depression extending into the interior volume of the first component
35. The insulating module of claim 34, further comprising a coil container disposed about the current carrier, the coil container being disposed within the depression, and the current carrier being at least partially disposed within the coil container.
36. The insulating module of claim 35, wherein the coil container comprises an inner wall, an outer wall, and a sealed evacuated space formed therebetween.
37. The insulating module of claim 36, wherein a line extending radially outwardly and orthogonally from the first axis of the insulating module extends through the coil container, the depression, the first component, and the first shell.
38. A method, comprising: operating the current carrier of an insulating module according to any of claims 1-37 so as to increase, by inductive heating, the temperature of a working material disposed within the inner shell of the insulating module.
39. The method of claim 38, further comprising heating the working material so as to render the working material flowable.
40. The method of any of claims 38-39, wherein the working material is a polymeric material, a metallic material, or any combination thereof.
41. The method of any of claims 38-40, wherein the working material is inductively
heated by the current carrier.
42. The method of any of claims 38-41, wherein the working material is heated so as to achieve a phase change of the material.
43. The method of any of claims 38-42, further comprising communicating the working material within the module so as to effect additive manufacture of a workpiece.
44. The method of any of claims 38-43, further comprising communicating a cover fluid within the first sealed evacuated insulating space.
45. The method of claim 44, wherein the fluid is introduced as a liquid and evaporated to gas form.
46. An insulating module, comprising: a first shell that comprises a material sensitive to inductive heating, the first shell having a first sealed evacuated insulating space therein; and a current carrier configured to give rise to inductive heating of the material sensitive to inductive heating.
47. An insulating module, comprising: a first shell, the first shell comprising a sealed evacuated insulating space; a first component, the first component being disposed within the first shell and the first component comprising a material that is sensitive to inductive heating, the first component being disposed within the first shell, the first component being configured to receive a consumable; an induction heating coil, the induction heating coil being configured to give rise to inductive heating of the first component.
48. The insulating module of claim 47, wherein the first shell and the first component are cylindrical in configuration and are arranged coaxially with one another.
49. The insulating module of claim 48, wherein the first component comprises a flat bottom portion, and wherein the induction heating coil is disposed on the flat bottom portion.
50. A component, comprising: a first wall; a second wall, the second wall arranged at a distance from the first wall; a support material disposed between the first wall and second wall so as to maintain a spacing between the first wall and the second wall, the support material optionally being thermally degradable.
51. The component of claim 50, wherein (a) the first wall defines a portion that converges toward the second wall, (b) the second wall defines a portion that converges toward the first wall, or both (a) and (b).
52. The component of any one of claims 50-51, wherein (a) the first wall defines a groove that is concave away from the second wall, (b) the second wall defines a groove that is concave away from the first wall, or both (a) and (b).
53. The component of any one of claims 50-52, wherein at least one of the first wall and the second wall comprises a ceramic material.
54. The component of claim 53, wherein at least one of the first wall and the second wall is a green ceramic material that cures at a curing temperature.
55. The component of claim 54, wherein the support material degrades at a temperature higher than the curing temperature.
56. The component of any one of claims 50-55, wherein the thermally degradable support material is configured to occupy, upon degradation, at least a portion of an opening between the first wall and the second wall.
57. The component of any one of claims 50-56, wherein at least one of the first wall and the second wall comprises therein a material susceptible to inductive heating.
58. A method, comprising: with a workpiece comprising a first wall and a second wall, the second wall arranged at a distance from the first wall, the workpiece further comprising a support material disposed between the first wall and second wall so as to maintain a spacing between the first wall and the second wall, the support material optionally being thermally degradable; effecting by application of thermal energy a seal between the first wall and the second wall so as to define a sealed evacuated space between the first wall and the second wall.
59. The method of claim 58, wherein the first wall comprises a green ceramic or green glass-ceramic material and the method further comprising curing the first wall.
60. The method of any one of claims 58-59, further comprising effecting thermal
degradation of the support material.
61. The method of claim 60, further comprising effecting movement of degraded support material into an opening between the first wall and the second wall.
62. A component, comprising: at least one boundary segment defining a receiving zone configured to receive an article, the at least one boundary segment comprising a ceramic material or comprising a ceramic material disposed thereon; and
(a) at least one heating coil configured to effect inductive heating of the article,
(b) a heating body and at least one heating coil configured to effect inductive heating of the heating body so as to heat the article, or
(c) both (a) and (b).
63. The component of claim 62, further comprising a feature configured to engage with the article so as to maintain the article in position relative to the at least one boundary segment.
64. The component of any one of claims 62-63, further comprising a power source
operatively connected to the heating coil.
65. The component of any one of claims 62-64, wherein the boundary segment is
characterized as being cylindrical in configuration.
66. The component of any one of claims 62-65, wherein the boundary segment comprises a first wall and a second wall, the first wall and the second wall defining a sealed insulating space therebetween.
67. The component of claim 66, wherein the heating coil is at least partially disposed within the sealed insulating space.
68. The component of any one of claims 62-66, wherein the heating coil is at least
partially disposed within the receiving zone.
69. The component of any one of claims 62-68, wherein the component comprises a plurality of boundary segments, the plurality of boundary wells being configured to be attachably assembled about the article.
70. The component of any one of claims 62-69, wherein the heating coil is configured to at least partially encircle the article when the article is disposed within the at least one boundary segment.
71. The component of any one of claims 62-70, further comprising a heating body
disposed so as to be inductively heated by the heating coil.
72. The component of any one of claims 62-71, wherein the heating coil is configured to operate as a resistive heating coil.
73. The component of any one of claims 62-72, wherein the component comprises at least two boundary segments, the at least two boundary segments comprising one or more ceramic materials.
74. The component of any one of claims 62-73, wherein the at least one heating coil is at least partially in register with the receiving zone.