Abstract: A cutting mechanism for a hair cutting apparatus, such as a shaving apparatus, includes an outer cutting member having hair-entry openings and an inner cutting member having cutting elements each having a first cutting edge. The inner cutting member is moveable with respect to the outer cutting member so as to perform a cutting operation within a cutting region of the cutting mechanism. Adjacent hair-entry openings are separated by a dividing element having a cutting section that lies within the cutting region and a non-cutting section that is outside the cutting region. The non-cutting section includes an inner wall facing the inner cutting member and a side wall which is substantially perpendicular to the inner wall. A single chamfer is provided between the inner wall of the non-cutting region and the side wall of the non-cutting region.

Abstract: A cutting mechanism for a hair cutting apparatus, such as a shaving apparatus, includes an outer cutting member having hair-entry openings and an inner cutting member having cutting elements each having a first cutting edge. The inner cutting member is moveable with respect to the outer cutting member so as to perform a cutting operation within a cutting region of the cutting mechanism. Adjacent hair-entry openings are separated by a dividing element having a cutting section that lies within the cutting region and a non-cutting section that is outside the cutting region. The non-cutting section includes an inner wall facing the inner cutting member and a side wall which is substantially perpendicular to the inner wall. A single chamfer is provided between the inner wall of the non-cutting region and the side wall of the non-cutting region.

Abstract: A rotary hair-cutting unit including an internal cutting member having cutting elements with cutting edges, and an external cutting member having hair-guiding elements with counter-cutting edges). The co-operating edges define a shearing angle, such that during rotation a cutting edge first meets a counter-cutting edge at a radial initial-passing position. In a cross-section at said radial initial-passing position one of the internal cutting member and the external cutting member is provided with a particular abutment geometry. The inclusion of an abutment geometry will be effective to push the depressed hair-guiding element and the rotating cutting element axially away from one another, such that the cutting element will pass the hair-guiding element without being blocked and without causing substantial collision damage.

Abstract: A hair-cutting unit with rotatable cutting elements for use in a shaving device has hair entry slits of which at least a side surface facing in a direction generally opposite to a direction of rotation of the cutting elements, has a relatively flat and oblique intermediate segment between an upper segment forming a curved transition to the outer surface of the annular wall and a lower segment which serves for catching hairs and urging these into an upright position for achieving a close shave. Within a relatively broad range of shaving pressures, the pleat of skin bulging into a hair-cutting slit contacts a portion or at most all of the intermediate segment. Because the intermediate segment is relatively flat, changes in the extent of skin penetration in response to changes in shaving pressure are significantly reduced.

Abstract: A rotary hair-cutting unit comprises an internal cutting member (7) having cutting elements (10) with cutting edges (11), and an external cutting member (6) having hair-guiding elements (16) with counter-cutting edges (17). The co-operating edges are enclosing a shearing angle, so that during rotation a cutting edge first meets a counter-cutting edge at a radial initial-passing position. In a cross-section at said radial initial-passing position and taken perpendicularly to the radial direction, only one of the internal cutting member and the external cutting member is provided with a particular abutment geometry. Even in cases where a hair-guiding element is deeply depressed towards a rotating cutting element, the abutment geometry will be effective to push the depressed hair-guiding element and the rotating cutting element axially away from one another, so that the cutting element will pass the hair-guiding element without being blocked and without causing substantial collision damage.

Abstract: There is disclosed a cutting mechanism (4) for a hair cutting apparatus (1), such as a shaving apparatus, comprising an outer cutting member (6) comprising a plurality of hair-entry openings (14) and an inner cutting member (8) comprising a plurality of cutting elements (18) each having a first cutting edge (20). The inner cutting member (8) is moveable with respect to the outer cutting member (6) so as to perform a cutting operation within a cutting region of the cutting mechanism. Adjacent hair-entry openings (14) are separated by a dividing element (16) comprising a cutting section (32) that lies within the cutting region and a non-cutting section (36) that is outside the cutting region. The non-cutting section comprises an inner wall (30) facing the inner cutting member (8) and a side wall (24) which is substantially perpendicular to the inner wall (30). A single chamfer (40) is provided between the inner wall (30) of the non-cutting region and the side wall (24) of the non-cutting region.

Abstract: A dust filter for filtering dust out of an air stream has a filter membrane pleated into a row of pleats. A pleat deflector is movably suspended for moving along the row of pleats for cleaning the filter membrane. The deflector has a free end extending between the pleats when the deflector and the pleats are in undeflected condition, such that when the deflector is moved along the row of pleats, the pleats are deflected and released in succession along the row. The deflector includes a flexible plate of which at least a portion between the suspension and the free end has a width transverse to the direction of movement of the deflector, where the width decreases with the distance to the suspension.

Abstract: A separation assembly for separating dirt and dust from air in a vacuum cleaner, through which assembly an air flow path extends from an inlet to an outlet. The air flow path extends through an upstream separator and a downstream separator. The downstream separator includes an air-permeable filter element bounding an inner space. The wall sections bounding the air flow path in the area of the downstream separator include at least a transparent section through which the filter element is visible. The inner space is located upstream of an area outside the filter element for filtering air flowing from inside the filter element to outside the filter element.

Abstract: A dust filter for filtering dust out of an air stream has a filter membrane (2) pleated into a row of pleats. A pleat deflector (3A, 3B) is movably suspended for movability along the row of pleats, for cleaning the filter membrane (2). The deflector (3A, 3B) has a free end (9A, 9B) extending between the pleats when the deflector (3A, 3B) and the pleats are in undeflected condition, such that when the deflector (3A, 3H) is moved along the row of pleats, the pleats are deflected and released in succession along the row. The deflector (3A, 3H) is or comprises a flexible plate (10A, 10B) of which at least a portion between the suspension (4) and the free end (9A, 9B) has a width transverse to the direction of movability of the deflector (3A, 3B), which decreases with the distance to the suspension (4). Thereby, a deflector of increased stiffness is obtained which is advantageous for effective dust removal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a separation assembly for separating dirt and dust from air in a vacuum cleaner (1), through which assembly an air flow path extends from an inlet (5) to an outlet (6). The air flow path extends through an upstream separator (18) and a downstream separator (19). The downstream separator (19) includes an air-permeable filter element (28) bounding an inner space (27). The wall sections bounding the air flow path in the area of the downstream separator include at least a transparent section (30) through which the filter element (28) is visible. The inner space (27) is located upstream of an area (31) outside the filter element (28) for filtering air flowing from inside the filter element (28) to outside the filter element (28).