Abstract: Disclosed is an improved extruder head for a fused filament fabrication 3D printer. It would be beneficial with a thinner nozzle diameter and higher extrusion speed without slippage in the feeding mechanism. The proposed improved extruder head enables extrusion of thinner extruded material at a higher extrusion speed without any slippage in filament feeding mechanism, thereby allowing higher overall building speed of the 3D printer with high quality build. Higher feed-rate of the filament material is achieved by increased usable friction between pinch wheel and filament by increasing the grippable area of the filament. This is done by feeding the filament into the feeding mechanism at an angle different to the outlet angle and routing it around the pinch wheel, back supported by a plurality of support rollers, so that the filament is in frictional contact with the pinch wheel along a greater part of its circumference, thereby increasing the surface contact area between the pinch wheel and the filament.

Abstract: A filter status module for use with a container based filtration device includes a dispensing sensor and a user interface communicatively coupled to a processing unit. The processing unit counts a number of dispensing events, duration and/or angle of tilt signaled by the dispensing sensor and outputs a filter status on the user interface as a function of the number of dispensing events, duration and/or angle of tilt. The processing unit may further track an elapsed period of time from insertion of a new filter and output the filter status as a further function of the elapsed period of time.

Abstract: A filter status module for use with a container based filtration device includes a dispensing sensor and a user interface communicatively coupled to a processing unit. The processing unit counts a number of dispensing events, duration and/or angle of tilt signaled by the dispensing sensor and outputs a filter status on the user interface as a function of the number of dispensing events, duration and/or angle of tilt. The processing unit may further track an elapsed period of time from insertion of a new filter and output the filter status as a further function of the elapsed period of time.

Abstract: A vibratory appliance includes a tool driven to oscillate by a rotary electric motor. A mechanism for converting rotary movement to oscillatory movement includes magnetic couplers moveable relative to one another. A displacement mechanism moves one of the magnetic couplers relative to the other magnetic coupler and varies the amplitude of oscillation of the tool.

Abstract: A vibratory appliance includes a tool driven to oscillate by a rotary electric motor. A shaft supported, at an intermediate portion by a pivot, is driven by an orbital drive mechanism. The orbital drive mechanism includes a rotor rotated about a rotor axis by the motor, an elongate part, and a coupler. The elongate part and the coupler are each fixed to a respective one of the inner end and the rotor. The elongate part and the coupler are mutually connected for sliding movement relative to one another, between first and second relative positions in which the inner end orbits about the rotor axis at first and second orbital radii, respectively, to vary the amplitude of oscillation of the tool.

Abstract: The invention relates to a shaving apparatus comprising a housing (1) and at least one hair-cutting member (6). In order to prevent a user from irritating and injuring the skin during shaving, as far as possible, the shaving apparatus comprises means for warning the user when a given preset force is exceeded. The means can be, for example, one or more sensors which measure the force between the hair-cutting member and the housing during shaving. The sensor can be, for example, a Hall sensor (21), which is secured to the housing and which cooperates with an annular magnet (19), which is secured to a coupling pin (11) for driving the rotary hair-cutting member (6). The invention can also be used in wet-shavers.

Abstract: A shaving system with two main components: an electric shaver and a remote device which has a display unit for presenting specific data to the user. The remote device may further comprise a mirror. The mirror and the display unit may be combined to form a single unit. The display unit may be incorporated in the mirror, which for this purpose may be implemented as a partly transparent mirror with the display unit mounted on the backside of the mirror. Additionally, the remote device may perform the function of charging stand for a rechargeable battery of the shaver. In that case the remote device has a docking bay for receiving the shaver. The shaver's battery is charged via electrical contacts between the remote device and the electric shaver, or by means of coils in the remote device and the shaver. The display unit displays status information of the shaver and provides feedback to the user during shaving.

Abstract: An electric shaver comprises a housing (1) formed as a grip, a shaving head (2) comprising at least one cutting unit (11) having an outer cutting member (16) and an inner cutting member which is rotatable relative to the outer cutting member, and drive element for driving the inner cutting member, the shaving head being pivotably connected to the housing. In known shavers the motor is accommodated in the shaving head, resulting in a poor balance and poor contact between the shaving head and the skin. According to the invention the shaver is characterized in that a motor (5) belonging to the drive element is accommodated inside the housing (1), the drive element being adapted to follow the pivotal movements of the shaving head (2) relative to the housing. Preferably, the drive element comprises flexible coupling element, for example a pulley-belt transmission (9, 12, 15) but alternatively the drive element may comprise a universal joint.

Abstract: The discharge capacity of a secondary battery, e.g. a Ni-Cd battery, has a maximum value at room temperature and gradually decreases both with an increase and decrease of ambient temperature. The battery discharge capacity also varies inversely with the number of battery charge/discharge cycles of the battery. A circuit for measuring the remaining discharge capacity of the secondary battery comprises a capacitor (23) whose temperature and age-variation characteristics are very similar to those of the discharge capacity of the secondary battery. The current flowing through the battery and motor (13) is detected by a series resistor (17). A voltage follower (20) responds to the detected voltage and drives a resistor (24), so that capacitor (23) is discharged at a rate determined by the resistor (24) current. The capacitor voltage is compared with a predetermined value by a hysteresis comparator (29) which controls the ON/OFF state of a transistor (21) in accordance with the comparison.

Abstract: A device for determining the charge status of a battery (4) when it is discharged by a load (R.sub.L) and/or when it is charged by a power-supply circuit (1) in which a value representing the nominal charging time and discharging time respectively is stored in first (10) and second adjusting means (11) respectively and is applied to computing means (12). In response to clock pulses applied to the computing means by a clock means (13), the computing means calculate the charge status of the battery by expressing the elapsed discharging or charging time as a fraction of the adjusted discharging time and charging time respectively. The computed charge status is indicated by indicator means (14). During discharging and charging an actual charge status is detected by first (7) and second (16) detection means.