Abstract: There is provided a fan assembly including an air flow generator that is arranged to generate an air flow through the fan assembly, and a nozzle arranged to emit the air flow from the fan assembly. The nozzle includes a nozzle body and a plurality of steerable air outlets that are each arranged to emit a portion of the air flow, wherein the plurality of steerable air outlets are arranged to be independently rotated relative to the nozzle body.

Abstract: A fan assembly including a base arranged to support the fan assembly on a surface, an air flow generator that is arranged to generate an air flow, and an air outlet that is arranged to emit at least a portion of the air flow from the fan assembly is provided. The air outlet is arranged to be oscillated relative to the base. The fan assembly further includes a controller that is arranged to control the oscillation of the air outlet relative to the base. The controller is arranged to vary an oscillation speed of the air outlet for each oscillation.

Abstract: A method for removing one or more aldehydes from a carrier fluid, using a catalyst including manganese oxide. The method is particularly effective at removing longer chain aldehydes from a carrier fluid. Also provided is a method of regenerating a catalyst including manganese oxide.

Abstract: A dock for a floor cleaner. For example, a dock for receiving a floor cleaner, the dock including a receiving unit for receiving the floor cleaner, and a reservoir for containing a disinfecting liquid. The dock further includes an applicator arranged to apply the disinfecting liquid to at least part of a floor cleaner received in the receiving unit. The application of disinfecting liquid to at least part of the floor cleaner may improve the hygiene of the floor cleaner and maintain the floor cleaner in a useable state.

Abstract: An attachment including a casing having an air inlet for receiving an airflow from a hair styling apparatus, a hair engaging member, supported by the casing, and adapted to move relative to the casing between a first position and a second position under the action of an over-centre mechanism. First and second airflow outlets are formed between the casing and the hair engaging member when the hair engaging member is in the first and second position, respectively.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fan including a nozzle having an air outlet through which an airflow is expelled in an axial direction. The fan includes an axial perturbation device for applying a velocity perturbation at a first frequency to the airflow in the axial direction.

Abstract: A hairstyling device is provided. The hairstyling device includes a heatable hair contact member having a hair-contactable surface, the hair contact member being operable to apply heat to a tress of hair via the hair-contactable surface by movement of the hair contact member along the tress of hair between a first end of the tress and a second end of the tress. The hairstyling device includes sensor equipment configured to generate sensor output indicative of current use of the hairstyling device. The hairstyling device includes a controller configured to receive the sensor output from the sensor equipment, determine, based on the sensor output, that the hair contact member is at the first end of the tress or the second end of the tress, and control the hairstyling device to perform an action based on the determining.

Abstract: An attachment is described for a haircare appliance. The attachment includes an inlet for receiving an airflow, and a plurality of outlets through which the airflow is discharged. The attachment further includes one or more members moveable between a first position and a second position. The airflow is discharged from the outlets in a clockwise direction when the members are in the first position, and the airflow is discharged from the outlets in a counterclockwise direction when the members are in the second position.

Abstract: A heater assembly for a haircare appliance includes an air duct defining an air flow path extending from an upstream end to a downstream end; a first heater element positioned in the flow path, the first heater element having a first electrical path defined between cut-outs in a first sheet, the air flow path extending through said cut-outs; and a second heater element positioned in the flow path downstream of the first heater element, the second heater element having a second electrical path defined between cut-outs in a second sheet, the air flow path extending through said cut-outs. The thickness of the first sheet is different to the thickness of the second sheet.

Abstract: A buck-boost converter is described that includes input terminals, output terminals, a first group of devices, a second group of devices, an inductor, a capacitor, and a controller. Each group of devices includes a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch or diode connected in series. Each group of devices further includes a first node located between the first switch and the second switch, and a second node located between the second switch and the third switch or diode. A first of the input terminals is connected to the first node of the first group of devices, and a second of the input terminals is connected to the first node of the second group of devices. The inductor is connected between the second node of the first group of devices and the second node of the second group of devices.

Abstract: A wearable air purification system or air purifier including a wearable support configured to be supported on a head region of a user and having a first end connected to a first audio earpiece and a second end connected to a second audio earpiece; an air delivery mask in the form of an elongated bar that includes first and second ends connected to the wearable support and which is shaped to bound an air delivery region and to deliver a flow of air to the air delivery region. The wearable support and the air delivery mask include a respective flexible region which allows both the wearable support and the air delivery mask to fold into a compact configuration.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaning system including a robotic unit including a traction arrangement that defines a ground plane, and a docking interface for receiving a handheld vacuum cleaner. The docking interface defines a suction port, an electrical port, and a predefined interface geometry. The docking interface is reconfigurable from a first configuration for engaging with a first handheld vacuum cleaner, and a second configuration for engaging with a second handheld vacuum cleaner which is different to the first handheld vacuum cleaner. Conveniently, the system includes a robotic unit or module that is dockable or engageable with multiple handheld vacuum cleaners, thus allowing some flexibility with the type of machine that they are able to use with the robotic unit. This provides a cost effective solution for the user, because if the user upgrades their handheld vacuum cleaner that new handheld vacuum cleaner can still be used with the robotic unit.

Abstract: An electrode structure for use in a battery cell, the electrode structure including: a current collector layer having a current collector surface; a polymer gel electrode layer having an electrode surface that faces the current collector surface; and an interlayer arranged between the current collector surface and the electrode surface. The interlayer includes an electrically conducting material.

Abstract: A gate driver is described for driving switches. The gate driver includes an input for receiving a signal indicative of a polarity of a voltage or current, and outputs for outputting gate signals for driving the switches. In response to a fault condition, the gate driver generates gate signals at the outputs that depend on the polarity of the voltage or current.

Abstract: A lighting device includes a light permeable body which has an aperture through which light enters the body. A light source is moveable relative to the body to enable the lighting device to adopt selectively one of a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the light source is positioned over the aperture so that light emitted by the light source passes through the body before illuminating the room. In the second configuration, the light source is spaced laterally from the aperture so that the room is illuminated directly by light emitted from the light source.

Abstract: A drive circuit for a brushless motor is described. The drive circuit includes a converter for connection to a phase winding of the motor, and a controller. The converter includes a plurality of switches and the controller controls the states of the switches to configure the converter in one of a plurality of configurations. In a first configuration, current is permitted to flow through the phase winding in a first direction and in a second opposite direction. In a second configuration, current is permitted to flow through the phase winding in the first direction and is prevented from flowing through the phase winding in the second direction. The controller includes an input for receiving a signal indicative of current in the converter, and the controller configures the converter from the first configuration to the second configuration in response to a characteristic of the current.

Abstract: A haircare appliance is described having first and second arms that define a hair treatment chamber, an infrared emitter configured to emit infrared radiation into the hair treatment chamber, and an airflow generator configured to generate an airflow within the hair treatment chamber. The hair treatment chamber includes a minimal width of greater than 5 mm.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaning system including a robotic unit including a main body, a traction arrangement defining a ground plane and an articulated arm. The articulated arm includes an upper arm section and a lower arm section, wherein the upper arm section is attached to the main body at a shoulder joint, and wherein the lower arm section is attached to the upper arm section at an elbow joint, and an end effector is defined at a distal end of the lower arm section. The upper arm section includes a pair of generally parallel arm members which are connected between the shoulder joint and the elbow joint and which are configured to define a yoke at the elbow joint at which the lower arm section is connected. The vacuum cleaning system equipped with a robotic arm that is able to bend and flex due to the pivotable upper and lower arm portions and has flexibility in how the robotic arm is driven and how suction is routed through the machine.

Abstract: A haircare appliance has an air inlet, an air outlet, and an airflow generator for generating an airflow from the air inlet to the air outlet. The haircare appliance has a signal generator configured to generate a signal indicative of hair contacting the haircare appliance. The airflow generator includes a first operating mode in which the airflow generator generates airflow at a first flow rate, and a second operating mode in which the airflow generator generates airflow at a second flow rate greater than the first flow rate. The airflow generator is configured to operate in the first operating mode in the absence of the signal and in the second operating mode in the presence of the signal.

Abstract: A cleaner head for a vacuum cleaner has a housing, an agitator mounted within the housing, and a drive mechanism for driving the agitator about a first axis A. The drive mechanism is mounted to the housing for rotation about a second axis R. The second axis R is offset from the first axis A. When the agitator is brought into contact with a surface to be cleaned, the surface exerts a reaction torque on the agitator that causes the drive mechanism to rotate about the second axis R.