Abstract: The invention relates to a thermal skin treatment device comprising a skin contact component with a skin contact surface; a thermal energy component in thermal contact with the skin contact component; a temperature control circuit electrically connected to the thermal energy component and comprising a user interface; and an energy source electrically connected to said thermal energy component for energy supply. Said temperature control circuit is adapted to control an amount of energy supplied from said energy source to said thermal energy component such that a first predetermined temperature is maintained at the skin contact surface for a first duration, or a second predetermined temperature is maintained at the skin contact surface for a second duration, wherein said first predetermined temperature is in a range of 40° C.+/?2° C., and wherein said second predetermined temperature is in a range of 19° C.+/?2° C.

Abstract: A personal care device drive unit comprises a main body housing a motor and enabling releasable connection to any selected one of a set of different functional units. A controller of the personal care device drive unit generates an output signal associated with the selected one of the functional units connected to the main body in dependence on a sensed motor current and a sensed vibration occurring in the main body. The use of both vibration sensing and current sensing (which detects the electrical motor load resulting from driving the selected one of the functional units connected to the main body) enables multiple different functional units to be identified more reliably.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thermal skin treatment device comprising a skin contact component with a skin contact surface; a thermal energy component in thermal contact with the skin contact component; a temperature control circuit electrically connected to the thermal energy component and comprising a user interface; and an energy source electrically connected to said thermal energy component for energy supply. Said temperature control circuit is adapted to control an amount of energy supplied from said energy source to said thermal energy component such that a first predetermined temperature is maintained at the skin contact surface for a first duration, or a second predetermined temperature is maintained at the skin contact surface for a second duration, wherein said first predetermined temperature is in a range of 40° C.+/?2° C., and wherein said second predetermined temperature is in a range of 19° C.+/?2° C.

Abstract: The invention provides a heater arrangement and method for heating a liquid, wherein the heater comprises a heating element, wherein the method comprises (i) heating the liquid in the heater wherein the heating element is in contact with the liquid, and (ii) applying a potential difference between the heating element and a counter electrode, wherein the potential difference has an AC component whereby the potential difference varies with an AC frequency in the range of 0.01-100 Hz and wherein the potential difference is applied with a cycle time, wherein the potential difference has a sign during a first part of the cycle time that is opposite of the sign of the potential difference during a second part of the cycle time, and wherein during one or more of the first part of the cycle time and the second part of the cycle time, the potential difference temporarily changes sign.

Abstract: A method for heating a liquid in a heater having a heating element and a counter electrode includes the acts of (i) heating the liquid in the heater by heating the heating element to a temperature in the range of 120-250° C., and (ii) applying an AC potential difference between the heating element and the counter electrode. The AC potential difference varies with an AC frequency in the range of 200-2500 Hz and has an amplitude in the range of 1-5 V, and the liquid flows in the heater between the heating element and the counter electrode.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a breath pacing device (10) for pacing the respiratory activity of a subject, comprising an output unit (12) for outputting a sequence of output signals, a control unit (16) provided to control the output unit, and an input unit (14) connected to or integrated into the output unit for generating an input signal related to a respiration characteristic of a subject. The control unit is provided to control the length of the sequence at least based on characteristics of the input signal. The invention is further related to a corresponding method for pacing the respiratory activity of a subject.

Abstract: In a device (1) for making a beverage on the basis of interaction between a beverage extract and an extracting fluid, which comprises an openable and closeable chamber (50) for receiving and accommodating a quantity of the beverage extract, and heating/cooling means (30) for setting the temperature of the extracting fluid, arranged upstream of the chamber (50), a beverage making process can be performed with extracting fluid that is exactly at a desired temperature. During heat-up or cool-down phases of the heating/cooling means (30), the extracting fluid is transported to another position than the chamber (50) where the beverage making process is supposed to take place. For the purpose of determining an appropriate path of the extracting fluid in every possible situation, valve means (60) are applied, which are switchable under the influence of a change of the flow rate of the extracting fluid.

Abstract: The invention provides a heater arrangement and method for heating a liquid, wherein the heater comprises a heating element, wherein the method comprises (i) heating the liquid in the heater wherein the heating element is in contact with the liquid, and (ii) applying a potential difference between the heating element and a counter electrode, wherein the potential difference has an AC component whereby the potential difference varies with an AC frequency in the range of 0.01-100 Hz and wherein the potential difference is applied with a cycle time, wherein the potential difference has a sign during a first part of the cycle time that is opposite of the sign of the potential difference during a second part of the cycle time, and wherein during one or more of the first part of the cycle time and the second part of the cycle time, the potential difference temporarily changes sign.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for heating a liquid (20) in a heater (100), wherein the heater (100) comprises a heating element (110) and a counter electrode (120), wherein the method comprises (i) heating the liquid (20) in the heater (100) by heating the heating element (110) to a temperature in the range of 120-250° C., and (ii) applying an AC potential difference between the heating element (110) and the counter electrode (120), wherein the AC potential difference varies with an AC frequency (f) in the range of 200-2500 Hz and has an amplitude in the range of 1-5 V, and wherein the liquid flows in the heater (100) between the heating element (110) and the counter electrode (120).

Abstract: An appliance (1) which can be used for making a beverage in at least two different ways comprises at least two different types of removable accessories, a housing (43) having an internal space for receiving and accommodating one of the accessories at a time, and a liquid supplying system for supplying a liquid to the internal space. In a practical embodiment of both types of accessories, a substantial portion of the accessory is generally shaped like a dish, wherein the dish-shaped portion of a first type of accessory comprises at least one hole for allowing liquid to pass that portion and flow from one side of that portion to the other, and wherein the dish-shaped portion of a second type of accessory is free from holes. The second type of accessory can therefore be used for guiding liquid received from the supplying system directly to outside of the appliance (1).

Abstract: A breast pump apparatus, including a vacuum pump and a variable-volume buffer volume coupled together in fluid communication, also includes a breast-receiving portion coupled to the vacuum pump and the buffer volume such that the vacuum pump is operable to generate negative pressure at the breast-receiving portion to stimulate milk expression, and the negative pressure generated at the breast-receiving portion can be controlled by controlling the buffer volume.

Abstract: In a breast pump, milk expressed from a user's nipple may be drawn into the pumping mechanism used to create a vacuum. This can lead to unhygienic situations because pumping mechanisms are difficult or impossible to clean by a user. The present invention relates to a breast pump comprising first and second pressure chambers (22, 23) and an actuator (20) disposed to fluidly divide the two chambers (22, 23). The actuator (20) is movable to generate an inverse pressure differential in the second chamber (23) when a pressure differential is generated in the first pressure chamber (22), or a pressure differential is released from the first pressure chamber (22). Furthermore, the actuator (20) comprises a first piston element (30) and a second piston element (32), and wherein the first pressure chamber (22) is disposed between the first piston element (30) and the second piston element (32).

Abstract: The present invention is related to a breath pacing device (10) for pacing the respiratory activity of a subject, comprising an output unit (12) for outputting a sequence of output signals, a control unit (16) provided to control the output unit, and an input unit (14) connected to or integrated into the output unit for generating an input signal related to a respiration characteristic of a subject. The control unit is provided to control the length of the sequence at least based on characteristics of the input signal. The invention is further related to a corresponding method for pacing the respiratory activity of a subject.

Abstract: In a device (1) for making a beverage on the basis of interaction between a beverage extract and an extracting fluid, which comprises an openable and closeable chamber (50) for receiving and accommodating a quantity of the beverage extract, and heating/cooling means (30) for setting the temperature of the extracting fluid, arranged upstream of the chamber (50), a beverage making process can be performed with extracting fluid that is exactly at a desired temperature. During heat-up or cool-down phases of the heating/cooling means (30), the extracting fluid is transported to another position than the chamber (50) where the beverage making process is supposed to take place. For the purpose of determining an appropriate path of the extracting fluid in every possible situation, valve means (60) are applied, which are switchable under the influence of a change of the flow rate of the extracting fluid.

Abstract: In order to provide means for measuring vital signs such as heart rate, breathing rate, pulse forms, that allow accurate and unobtrusive signal acquisition and that are automatically adjusted to varying positions of an area of interest within a pre-determined area, a device, a system and a method for measuring vital signs are provided, wherein electromagnetic signals such as microwave or radar are emitted and reflected electromagnetic signals are sensed with directional sensitivity by a transceiving unit and wherein a direction of interest is determined based on the sensed reflected signals and a primary direction of sensitivity (300) of the transceiving unit is adjusted to the direction of interest by a control unit. Thus, vital signs can be monitored in an unobtrusive and simple way.

Abstract: In a breast pump, milk expressed from a user's nipple may be drawn into the pumping mechanism used to create a vacuum. This can lead to unhygienic situations because pumping mechanisms are difficult or impossible to clean by a user. The present invention relates to a breast pump comprising first and second pressure chambers (22,23) and an actuator (20) disposed to fluidly divide the two chambers (22,23). The actuator (20) is movable to generate an inverse pressure differential in the second chamber (23) when a pressure differential is generated in the first pressure chamber (22), or a pressure differential is released from the first pressure chamber (22). Furthermore, the actuator (20) comprises a first piston element (30) and a second piston element (32), and wherein the first pressure chamber (22) is disposed between the first piston element (30) and the second piston element (32).

Abstract: The invention comprises a breast pump apparatus comprising a vacuum pump and a variable-volume buffer volume coupled together in fluid communication. The apparatus also includes a breast-receiving portion coupled to the vacuum pump and the buffer volume such that the vacuum pump is operable to generate negative pressure at the breast-receiving portion to stimulate milk expression, and the negative pressure generated at the breast-receiving portion can be controlled by controlling the buffer volume.

Abstract: A flow-through heating system (1) is described, comprising: a flow tube (11); a plurality of at least two heating elements (12A, 12B, 12C), each heating element being connected in series with a corresponding controllable switch (23 A, 23B, 23C); a control unit (30) having control outputs (33A, 33B, 33C) coupled to said controllable switches; the control unit (30) being designed to generate control signals (Sa, Sb, Sc) for opening and closing the controllable switches such that said heating system is operated at a required power (Pr) less than the power capacity (Ptot) of said heating system by operating precisely one of said heating elements at reduced power while the remaining heating elements are either operated at full power or at zero power.

Abstract: When feedback loop control is used for controlling a temperature of liquid at an outlet (5) of a flow through heater, a volume of an ineffective portion (4) of the flow through heater at the outlet (5) constitutes a dead volume which causes a delay in the feedback process. In order to minimize the delay, an insert (6) is applied, which serves for reducing the dead volume by occupying most of this volume. In a practical case, the insert (6) comprises a duct system (12) for conveying liquid from a liquid conveying conduit (2) of the flow through heater to an outlet (10) of the insert (6). Preferably, a volume of such a liquid conveying duct system (12) is relatively small, so that the presence of the duct system (12) in the insert (6) does not spoil the dead volume reducing effect of the application of the insert (6).

Abstract: A liquid flow through heater for heating a liquid (10) comprises a channel (4) and an electric heater element (50) for heating at least a portion of the channel (4). A temperature sense unit (6, 60) senses a temperature (ST1; ST1, ST2) indicative of the temperature of the liquid. A flow control means (3) controls a flow of the liquid (10) through the channel (4). A controller (7) controls in a first phase (PH1), (i) the electric heater element (50) to pre-heat at least the portion of the channel (4), and (ii) the flow control means (3) to obtain a rate of flow of the liquid (10) through the channel (4) which is zero or relatively small with respect to a rate of flow during a second and/or third phase.