Abstract: A docking station is provided for allowing decontaminating parts of a floor care device. The floor care device comprises at least one part that is susceptible to contamination when the floor care device is used in a floor care mode. The method may comprise detecting a transition of the floor care device to a park mode, and in response thereto, executing a decontamination program, the decontamination program including emitting light with a wavelength of 222 nm and thereby illuminating the at least one part for the decontamination thereof.

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 air outlet has a first aperture located on a first side of the haircare appliance, and a second aperture located on a second side of the haircare appliance opposite to the first side of the haircare appliance. The haircare appliance is configured such that engagement of the first side of the haircare appliance with hair increases airflow through the first aperture and decreases airflow through the second aperture, and engagement of the second side of the haircare appliance with hair increases airflow through the second aperture and decreases airflow through the first aperture.

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 AC-to-AC converter includes input terminals, pairs of output terminals, a plurality of bridge arms, and a control unit. The bridge arms are connected in parallel to the input terminals and comprise a respective bridge arm for each pair of output terminals and a common bridge arm. Each bridge arm comprises a pair of switches and a node between the switches. Each pair of output terminals comprises a first output terminal connected to the node of the respective bridge arm, and a second output terminal connected to the node of the common bridge arm. The switches have a plurality of configurations for selectively connecting the output terminals to the input terminals in one of a plurality of arrangements. The control unit is operable to control the switches to apply an alternating output voltage to the output terminals. Over each half-cycle of the input voltage, the switches transition between different configurations.

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: Disclosed is a hair care applianceincluding: a housing having a first end and a second end and a fluid inlet which extends around the housing and is proximate the first end of the housing, a fluid outlet, a fluid flow path extending within the housing between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The fluid inlet is provided with a filtering system including a removable portion and a fixed portion. The removable portion includes a first part and a second part which are separable and wherein the first part can only be secured to the housing when the second part is attached to the first part. The first part may be a sleeve capable of sliding over the second part. The second part may include a tubular portion and base portion extending radially out from the tubular portion at one end of the tubular portion.

Abstract: There is provided a photocatalytic reactor including a reaction chamber. The reaction chamber includes a first set of fins, a second set of fins, a photo-catalyst disposed upon at least one face of each fin, and a light source arranged to illuminate at least a portion of the photo-catalyst disposed on each fin. Each of the first set of fins is arranged such that a line extending from a base of the fin through a tip of the fin is directed to a first convergence point, and each of the second set of fins is arranged such that a line extending from a base of the fin through a tip of the fin is directed to a second convergence point. The first convergence point is different to the second convergence point, and both the first convergence point and the second convergence point are offset relative to a position of the light source.

Abstract: A brushless motor has a stator assembly, and a frame within which the stator assembly is housed. The stator assembly has a plurality of stator core sub-assemblies, each having a stator core, a bobbin attached to the stator core, and a winding wound about the bobbin. Each bobbin has a connection portion for connecting to an adjacent bobbin in the stator assembly, and the frame is overmoulded to the stator assembly.

Abstract: A haircare appliance having an air inlet, an air outlet, and an airflow generator for generating an airflow from the air inlet to the air outlet and an attachment for a haircare appliance, the attachment including an air inlet, an air outlet. A curved surface adjacent to and downstream of the air outlet. The haircare appliance or the attachment has a curved surface adjacent to and downstream of the air outlet. The haircare appliance or the attachment is configured such that airflow exiting the air outlet generates a first force to attract hair toward the curved surface, and a second force to push hair away from the curved surface.

Abstract: There is provided a photocatalytic reactor including reaction chamber arranged to receive an airflow including one or more airborne contaminants. The reaction chamber includes a first inner surface, a second inner surface, a photo-catalyst for photocatalytic degradation of one or more of the contaminants disposed upon both the first inner surface and the second inner surface, and a light source arranged to illuminate at least a portion of the photo-catalyst disposed on the first inner surface and the second inner surface. The first inner surface and the second inner surface have distinct parabolic arc-shaped profiles and the profile of the first inner surface is a mirror image of the profile of the second inner surface. The first inner surface and the second inner surface may be consecutive.