Abstract:
A V-spring member (18) for use in a driving system for a personal care appliance has regions (34, 36) at the ends of the spring which are large enough to support a contact with an end clamping assembly, the spring member including a cross-piece (40) extending between the longitudinal edges of the spring at the end regions, such that the ends of the spring member define a closed line. End clamping assemblies (16, 24) provided for such a V-spring member include a body portion (64) having a lower support portion (66) on which the V-spring is supported and a mating clamping member (88) positioned in registry with the support portion on top of the V-spring. The support portion and the clamping member include peripheral edges (74, 92) which have a curved cross-sectional configuration, and which are in registry, making contact with the spring member in the end regions in such a manner as to reduce stress concentrations in the end regions of the spring, thereby reducing fretting fatigue and fretting damage in the spring.
Abstract:
Provided is an airflow device, for example a respiratory support device, comprising a flow path along which air is displaceable, and an acoustic absorber arranged along at least part of the flow path. Cavities are defined in a material of the acoustic absorber for absorbing sound. The airflow device also comprises an acoustically transparent layer between the flow path and the acoustic absorber. The acoustically transparent layer is configured to transmit sound in the flow path to the acoustic absorber to enable the acoustic absorber to absorb the sound. The acoustically transparent layer has an exterior surface for exposing to the air in the flow path, and an interior surface facing away from the flow path and towards the acoustic absorber.
Abstract:
The invention provides a wearable air purification device which actively generates a propelled stream of purified air for direct delivery to a region proximal to a user's mouth or nose for their immediate inhalation. An air chamber comprises a flexible diaphragm adapted to fluctuate between two extreme positions, thereby altering the volume within the chamber and alternately sucking and blowing air into and out of the chamber. Filtration elements are arranged in said air chamber. The filtration elements are arranged so as to make fluid communication with air displaced into the air chamber and, to make fluid communication with air displaced out of said chamber so that air is cleaned as it passes both into, and out of, the air chamber. The filtration elements actively remove particulate or gaseous pollutants. Embodiments of the invention may comprise a plurality of such air chamber assemblies, arranged so as to collectively deliver a continuous flow of air to a breathing zone of the user.
Abstract:
An air purifier filter system comprises an air purifier filter unit and a machine readable identifier which provides information concerning the filter unit type and performance information specific to a target pollutant to be filtered by said air purifier filter unit from a plurality of different pollutants that can be filtered by that filter unit type. This information can be used to provide an end of life prediction for the filter unit or provide advice that the filter should be changed for other reasons. This enables the user to be given advance warning, and to be given instructions when it is time to change the filter unit. The instructions to change the filter unit may be more accurate than a simple timer as they can take account of the type of filter unit and the performance information. In some examples the use history of the filter unit may also be used to predict the time when it should be changed.