Abstract: A method for producing a drink, for example milk, from mixing a powder formula with a liquid, such as water, in an automated baby-milk machine. The method included preparing a drink concentrate by mixing the amount of formula necessary for the total amount of drink in a certain amount of hot liquid, and adding the right amount of liquid of a certain low temperature to the concentrate in order to reach the end volume of the drink at a safe drinking temperature.

Abstract: A method for producing a drink, for example milk, from mixing a powder formula with a liquid, such as water, in an automated baby-milk machine. The method included preparing a drink concentrate by mixing the amount of formula necessary for the total amount of drink in a certain amount of hot liquid, and adding the right amount of liquid of a certain low temperature to the concentrate in order to reach the end volume of the drink at a safe drinking temperature.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrical surface treatment device which is provided with an acoustic surface type detector with which a type of a surface to be treated can be detected during operation. According to the invention, the surface type detector delivers an output signal (u.sub.FT) during operation which is characteristic of the type of surface to be treated and which is determined by a value of a physical quantity of air vibrations reflected by the surface to be treated, which value is measured by a vibration detector of the surface type detector. In a special embodiment, the physical quantity is an amplitude, and the surface type detector is a vibration generator for generating air vibrations having a predetermined amplitude. The generated air vibrations preferably have a frequency of at least 15,000 Hz which varies within a predetermined range.

Abstract: Electric toaster with a first heating element arranged at one side of a toasting compartment and a second heating element arranged at an opposed side of the toasting compartment. The first heating element is divided into two sub-elements. Two diodes and a switch provide the possibility to switch over from a normal two-sided toasting mode to an asymmetric single-sided toasting mode. In the normal mode the switch is closed and the sub-elements receive power only during different half-waves of the mains supply voltage, so that the effective radiant power of the sub-divided first element is equal to the radiant power of the second heating element. In the asymmetric mode the switch is opened and the resistance of the first heating element is greater than the resistance of the second element, as a consequence of which relatively more radiant power is emitted by the first heating element than by the second heating element.

Abstract: A power-supply and communication circuit is based on a flyback converter with a transformer (6) whose primary winding (10) is periodically connected to a supply voltage by means of a switching element (8) in the rhythm of control pulses from an oscillator (24). Data communication to the secondary electronic circuitry (4) is effected by interrupting the control pulses in response to a first data signal (SDTA1) to be transmitted. The absence of the alternating voltage across the secondary winding (18) is detected by means of a peak detector (28) and converted into a received first data signal (RDTA1). Data communication to the primary electronic circuitry (2) is effected by actively modulating the rectified voltage at the secondary side by means of a modulator (30) in response to a second data signal (SDTA2) to be transmitted. The resulting fluctuations in the flyback voltage across the primary winding are detected by means of a second peak detector (32) and converted into a received second data signal (RDTA2).

Abstract: A device for generating a control signal voltage which is dependent on a resistance value of a variable resistor (8) includes a transformer (24) having a first winding (22) which is in series with the variable resistor and a rectifier diode (20). A current generator (32) coupled to a power source is coupled to a second winding (26) of the transformer and supplies it with a periodically interrupted current (I.sub.2). Upon each such interruption an exponentially decreasing current will flow through the first winding and also through the variable resistor (8). The peak value of the voltage drop produced by such current across that resistor is proportional to the resistance value thereof. It is also produced across the first winding (22) and is detected by the peak detector (62). That constitutes the control voltage (U.sub.c). Since the variable resistor is fully electrically isolated from the power source, it can be safely touched without shock hazard.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner is provided which has a motor housing (2) and a hose (8), which can be coupled via two mains-voltage wires (38, 42), one communication wire (48) and contacts (32, 34, 30). The motor housing (2) and the handle (10) of the hose (8) include microprocessors (6, 12) which communicate with one another via the communication wire (48). The first reference signal (26) of the one microprocessor (6) is connected to the one mains voltage terminal (18) and the second reference signal (44) of the other microprocessor (12) is connected to the other mains voltage terminal (40).