Appliance to which one of plurality of magnetic accessories can be attached

Abstract

An appliance includes: a main unit to which one of a plurality of magnetic attachments is attachable at any one of a plurality of rotational positions relative to the main unit about an axis; a magnetometer; and a control module. The control module is operable to determine which of the plurality of accessories is attached to the main unit based on the data output by the magnetometer. The appliance includes one or more of the following features: (i) the magnetometer is located on an axis; (ii) the appliance comprises a plurality of magnetic appendages, each magnetic appendage comprising a plurality of magnetic regions distributed about the axis in a rotationally symmetrical arrangement, and the magnetometer is located radially inward of the plurality of magnetic regions when the appendages are attached to the main unit; and (iii) the appliance comprises a plurality of magnetic accessories, and each magnetic accessory comprises a magnetic area located on the axis when the accessory is attached to the main unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an appliance to which one of a plurality of magnetic accessories is attachable. Background Art

[0002] An appliance may have a main unit to which one of a plurality of accessories may be attached. For example, a hair appliance may include different accessories to achieve different styling effects. In some cases, it may be desirable for the appliance to determine which accessory is attached to the main unit. Summary of the invention

[0003] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus comprising: a main unit, one of a plurality of magnetic accessories being attachable to the main unit at any one of a plurality of rotational positions about an axis relative to the main unit; a magnetometer; and a control module operable to determine which of the plurality of accessories is attached to the main unit based on data output by the magnetometer; wherein the apparatus comprises one or more of the following features: (i) the magnetometer is located on the axis; (ii) the apparatus comprises a plurality of magnetic accessories, each magnetic accessory comprising a plurality of magnetic regions distributed about the axis in a rotationally symmetrical arrangement, and when the accessory is attached to the main unit, the magnetometer is located radially inward of the plurality of magnetic regions; and / or (iii) the apparatus comprises a plurality of magnetic accessories, and wherein each magnetic accessory comprises a magnetic region located on the axis when the accessory is attached to the main unit.

[0004] Any one (or indeed a combination) of features (i) to (iii) allows the control module to determine which accessory is attached to the main unit regardless of the rotational position of the accessory. This in turn may provide robust identification of the accessory and / or flexible use of the accessory. For example, different magnetic accessories may be configured to generate different magnetic fields. However, in each (or a combination) of features (i) to (iii), at least one component of the magnetic field generated by each magnetic accessory in a direction parallel to the axis will be constant (or nearly constant) with respect to the rotational position of the accessory about the axis. Regardless of the rotational position of the accessory, this rotationally invariant component can be measured and different accessories distinguished accordingly. This allows reliable identification of the accessory while allowing benefits associated with an accessory that can be attached to the main unit in any of a plurality of rotational positions (including an infinite number), such as flexibility of use.

[0005] As an alternative or in addition to the above benefits, the use of a magnetometer according to any one or more of features (i) to (iii) can allow remote and / or automatic determination of which accessory is attached to the main unit. For example, the use of a magnetometer according to any one or more of features (i) to (iii) can allow determination of which accessory is attached to the main unit away from the accessory interface. For example, the magnetic field (or at least a portion of that magnetic field) generated by each accessory can be measured remotely from the magnetic accessory itself, such as at a magnetometer. Otherwise, the accessory interface may be an undesirable location for sensor positioning due to, for example, packaging limitations and / or harsh conditions such as high temperatures. Therefore, being able to remotely determine which accessory is attached to the accessory interface from the accessory interface can allow such packaging limitations and / or harsh conditions to be mitigated. In addition, the use of a magnetometer can allow automatic determination of which accessory is attached to the main unit, which can improve the user experience, for example compared to information entered by a user on a user interface.

[0006] Optionally, the appliance includes an electrical component and the control module is operable to control the electrical component in response to the determination. This may allow the control module to control the electrical component differently for different accessories. This has the advantage that the operation of the appliance may be automatically controlled depending on the accessory being used.

[0007] Optionally, the electrical component includes an electric motor or a heater, and the control module is operable to control the speed of the electric motor or the temperature of the heater in response to the determination. Based on the attachment in use, the performance of the appliance can be improved by operating the electric motor at different speeds and / or by operating the heater at different temperatures. For example, the appliance can be a hair appliance, the electric motor can be used to generate the airflow, and the heater can be used to heat the airflow. Different attachments can provide better drying or styling results at different flow rates and / or different heat settings. In another example, the appliance can be a vacuum cleaner, and the electric motor can be used to generate suction. Different attachments will perform better at different suction forces.

[0008] Optionally, the electrical component includes a sensor, and the control module is operable to control a setting of the sensor in response to the determination. The sensor of the appliance may operate more effectively if calibrated according to the attachment used with the main unit. For example, different attachments for hair appliances, such as diffusers and concentrators, may have different lengths. Therefore, a ranging sensor, such as a time-of-flight sensor, included in the main unit and used to determine the distance from the appliance to the user's head may be calibrated differently depending on the attachment used. For example, when a diffuser attachment is used, the distance at which the hair is detected by the ranging sensor may be set or calibrated to be different from when a concentrator is used.

[0009] Optionally, the appliance includes an airflow generator for inhaling an airflow through the appliance, and the control module is operable to control the characteristics of the airflow in response to the determination. Different attachments may provide better results for different airflows. For example, the appliance may be a hair appliance, and the attachment may include a diffuser and a concentrator. A diffuser may provide better results when the airflow has a lower flow rate. This is because the airflow moves the hair less, thus better defining the curls. In contrast, a concentrator may provide better results when the airflow has a higher flow rate. For example, by adopting a higher flow rate, drying and / or styling of hair may be achieved more quickly. In another example, the appliance may be a vacuum cleaner, and the attachment may include a first suction nozzle for floors and a second suction nozzle for upholstery. When used for floors, a higher suction force may be conducive to inhaling more dust. However, when used for upholstery, a higher suction force may cause upholstery to be sucked in and clog the suction nozzle. Therefore, better results may be obtained on upholstery with a lower suction force.

[0010] Optionally, the control module is operable to control one or more of the flow rate and temperature of the airflow.Similar to what is mentioned above, by controlling the flow rate and / or temperature of the airflow in response to the accessories in use, better overall styling and / or cleaning effects can be achieved.

[0011] Optionally, the appliance is a hair appliance comprising a plurality of flow and heat settings, and the control module is operable to select one of the settings based on the determination. As described above, different attachments may provide better results for different flow and / or heat settings. Thus, by selecting one of a plurality of settings based on the attachment in use, a better drying and / or styling effect may be achieved.

[0012] Optionally, the appliance includes multiple magnetic accessories, and the magnetic accessories differ in that the magnetic field generated by the accessories at the magnetometer when each magnetic accessory is attached to the main unit is different. This can provide a cost-effective means to determine which accessory is attached to the main unit. For example, the accessory may include a magnetic component anyway as a means of attaching the accessory to the main unit. In other words, the magnetic component of the accessory used to attach the accessory to the main unit can also be used by the main unit to determine which accessory it is. Therefore, customizing these magnetic components on each accessory so that they generate different magnetic fields (e.g., net strength and / or direction) at the magnetometer can allow the main unit to identify the accessory without adding components to the accessory or requiring adjustment of the form or function of the accessory.

[0013] Optionally, the magnetic field generated by each magnetic accessory at the magnetometer has a component parallel to the axis, and this component is different for different magnetic accessories. This can allow a relatively efficient and / or robust means by which to determine which accessories are attached to the main unit. For example, the magnetic field component parallel to (e.g., along) the axis can be independent of the rotational position of the accessory relative to the main unit, and the accessory can be identified based on a relatively simple measurement of the magnetic field in that direction, such as by a single-axis magnetometer, regardless of the rotational orientation of the accessory.

[0014] Optionally, the magnetic accessories each include a plurality of magnetic regions, each magnetic region having a positive polarity or a negative polarity in the direction of the magnetometer when the magnetic accessory is attached to the main unit, and the magnetic accessories differ in the arrangement of the magnetic regions having positive polarity and negative polarity. For example, the arrangement of the magnetic regions having positive polarity and negative polarity may correspond to the number of positive polarity magnetic regions and / or negative polarity magnetic regions, the ratio of positive polarity magnetic regions to negative polarity magnetic regions, the size of positive polarity magnetic regions and / or negative polarity magnetic regions, and / or the distribution or order of positive polarity magnetic regions and / or negative polarity magnetic regions. For example, the different arrangements of magnetic regions between accessories may include different ratios of magnetic regions having a positive polarity in the direction of the magnetometer when the magnetic attachment is attached to the main unit and magnetic regions having a negative polarity in the direction of the magnetometer when the magnetic attachment is attached to the main unit. Providing different magnetic fields by changing the arrangement of positive and negative polarity magnetic regions may allow different accessories to be identified without having to change the magnetic force of different accessories attached to the main unit. This may allow consistency in the attachment and detachment operations between different accessories, thereby improving the user experience.

[0015] Optionally, when the magnetic accessory is attached to the main unit, the magnetic areas are distributed around the circumference of a circle centered on the axis. This can allow the accessory to be rotatable around the axis while still allowing the accessory to be identified when the accessory is attached to the main unit. This can increase the flexibility of accessory use and / or ease of use of the appliance.

[0016] Optionally, the magnetic regions are provided by polarized portions of a bonded magnet. The bonded magnet may, for example, be formed by magnetic particles bonded in a bonding material. Providing the magnetic regions by polarized portions of a bonded magnet may allow the magnetic regions to be provided without increasing the number of magnet components. For example, the same isotropic bonded magnet component may be used for each accessory, but the isotropic bonded magnets of different accessories may be magnetized according to different polarization patterns. This may allow the magnetic regions to be provided in a cost-effective manner.

[0017] Optionally, in the case where the magnetometer is located on the axis according to feature (i), the polarity distribution of the magnetic region may be rotationally asymmetric about the axis. This may allow, for example, the rotational position of the magnetic accessory relative to the main unit to be determined by a control module. For example, a magnetic region polarity distribution with rotational asymmetry may provide a magnetic field component perpendicular to the axis at the magnetometer. This may be measured, for example, by a magnetometer, and the control module may determine the rotational position of the accessory based on the angle of the perpendicular component around the axis. Making the polarity distribution of the magnetic region rotationally asymmetric about the axis may allow the rotational position to be accurately determined without having to change the magnetic force with which different accessories are attached to the main unit. This may allow consistency in attachment and detachment operations between different accessories, which may improve the user experience.

[0018] Optionally, where the magnetometer is located on the axis according to feature (i), and when one of the plurality of magnetic accessories is attached to the main unit, the control module is operable to additionally determine the rotational position of the magnetic accessory relative to the main unit based on data output by the magnetometer. Use of an on-axis magnetometer may, for example, allow the rotational position of the accessory to be determined remotely from the accessory interface, which may otherwise be an undesirable location for the sensor due to, for example, packaging limitations and / or harsh conditions. This may also allow the rotational position to be determined automatically, which may improve the user experience, for example compared to user input on a user interface. Thus, this may allow the rotational position of the accessory relative to the main unit to be automatically and remotely determined.

[0019] Alternatively, in the case where the magnetometer is located on the axis according to feature (i), when the magnetic accessory is attached to the main unit, the magnetic field generated by the magnetic accessory at the magnetometer may have a component perpendicular to the axis, and the control module may be operable to determine the rotational position of the magnetic accessory relative to the main unit based on the angle of the perpendicular component with respect to the axis. This can provide a cost-effective means for determining the rotational position of the accessory. For example, the accessory may include magnetic elements anyway as a means of attaching the accessory to the main unit. Therefore, customizing these magnetic elements so that they produce a net magnetic field with a component perpendicular to the axis at the magnetometer can allow the main unit to determine the rotational position of the accessory without adding components to the accessory or otherwise requiring adaptation to the form or function of the accessory. In addition, since the perpendicular component is orthogonal to the component parallel to (e.g., along) the axis, the magnetic field generated by the magnetic accessory can be used for the dual purpose of allowing identification of the accessory and allowing determination of the rotational position of the accessory. For example, this may be cost-effective compared to providing separate devices for these separate functions.

[0020] Optionally, the appliance includes an electrical component, and the control module is operable to control the electrical component according to the determined rotational position. For example, this can be the same electrical component as described above, such as a heater or an airflow generator. This can allow the control module to control the electrical component differently for the rotational position of the accessory. The advantage of this is that the operation of the appliance can be automatically controlled based on the rotational position of the accessory relative to the main unit. For example, a user can manually change the rotational position of the accessory relative to the unit, thereby providing a means by which the user can control the appliance to operate in a specific mode. As another example, accessories oriented in different rotational positions relative to the main unit (and therefore relative to, for example, the handle of the main unit) can provide optimal styling when the appliance is operated differently. Therefore, this can provide improved styling.

[0021] Optionally, the main unit includes a barrel having a central hole, one of a plurality of accessories can be attached to one end of the barrel, and the magnetometer is located within the hole. Positioning the magnetometer in the hole can allow the magnetometer to be relatively isolated from the heating components of the appliance and / or other components that may interfere with the magnetometer. Therefore, a robust determination of the accessory and / or accessory rotational position can be provided. In addition, for appliances that already have existing holes, the magnetometer can be incorporated without increasing the overall size of the appliance or having to significantly change the existing packaging of the components in the main unit.

[0022] Optionally, at least one of the plurality of accessories may be rotatable relative to the main unit about an axis while attached to the main unit. This may allow a user to change the rotational position of the accessory relative to the main unit, which may allow for more flexible use, and further do so without having to remove the accessory from the main unit, which may improve ease of use and overall user experience. In such an appliance, allowing for accessory identification independent of the rotational placement of the accessory and / or remote determination of the rotational placement of the accessory may be particularly useful.

[0023] Optionally, the appliance is a hair appliance. However, it will be appreciated that in other examples, the appliance may be another type of appliance, such as a vacuum cleaner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Further features and advantages will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a perspective view of an apparatus according to an example;

[0026] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a rear view of the main unit of the appliance;

[0027] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing a side cross-sectional view of the apparatus;

[0028] Figure 4is a schematic diagram showing a side cross-sectional view of a portion of the appliance with an accessory attached to the main unit;

[0029] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing a perspective view of an attachment according to an example;

[0030] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing various distributions of polarities of magnetic regions of a magnetic attachment according to an example;

[0031] Figure 7 It is shown by Figure 6 Schematic diagram of magnetic field diagrams along the axis at the magnetometer resulting from various distributions of

[0032] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing various distributions of polarities of a magnetic region of a magnetic attachment according to another example;

[0033] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram showing various distributions of polarities of a magnetic region of a magnetic attachment according to yet another example;

[0034] Fig.10 is a schematic diagram showing various distributions of polarities of a magnetic region of a magnetic attachment according to yet another example;

[0035] Fig.11 is a schematic diagram showing a perspective view of a magnetic attachment according to another example;

[0036] Fig.12 is a schematic diagram showing a perspective view of a magnetic attachment according to yet another example;

[0037] Fig.13 is a schematic diagram showing a perspective view of a magnetic attachment according to yet another example;

[0038] Fig.14 is a schematic diagram showing a graph of sensed magnetic field strength versus magnet orientation;

[0039] Fig.15 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a magnetometer and a magnetic attachment according to an example;

[0040] Fig.16 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a magnetometer and a magnetic attachment according to another example; and

[0041] Fig.17 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a magnetometer and a magnetic attachment according to still another example.

[0042] Like reference numerals refer to like features. The x, y, z axes shown in the figures correspond to the respective figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] refer to Figures 1 to 5 , shows an appliance 102 according to an example. In summary, the appliance 102 includes a main unit 104, and one of a plurality of magnetic accessories 114, 116 can be attached to the main unit 104. Each magnetic accessory 114, 116 can be attached to the main unit 104 at any one of a plurality of rotational positions 115 about an axis A relative to the main unit 104. The appliance 102 includes a magnetometer 220 located on the axis A. The appliance 102 includes a control module 315, which is operable to determine which of the plurality of magnetic accessories 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104 based on data output by the magnetometer 220. For example, as described in more detail below, the magnetic accessories 114, 116 may differ in that each magnetic accessory 114, 116 generates a different magnetic field at the magnetometer 220 when the accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104. The magnetometer 220 may measure or sense the magnetic field and output data indicating the sensed magnetic field. The control module 315 can map the output data indicative of the sensed magnetic field to an identifier of one of the plurality of accessories 113 , 116 , thereby determining which one of the plurality of accessories 114 , 116 is attached to the main unit 104 .

[0044] Positioning the magnetometer 220 on the axis A allows the control module 315 to determine which accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104, regardless of the rotational position 115 of the accessory 114, 116, which can have any of a plurality of rotational positions 115 (including an infinite number) relative to the main unit 104 around the axis A. This in turn can provide robust identification of accessories 114, 116 and / or flexible use of accessories 114, 116. For example, different magnetic accessories 114, 116 can be configured to generate different magnetic fields. However, at least one component of the magnetic field generated by each magnetic accessory 114, 116 along the axis A will be constant relative to the rotational position 115 of the accessory 114, 116 around the axis A. Positioning the magnetometer 220 on the axis A can allow the rotationally invariant component to be measured, and different accessories 114, 116 can be distinguished accordingly, regardless of the rotational position of the accessory 114, 116. This can allow for robust identification of the accessory 114 , 116 while allowing for benefits associated with the accessory 114 , 116 , such as flexibility of use, as the accessory 114 , 116 can be attached to the main unit 104 in any of a plurality of rotational positions 115 .

[0045] As an alternative or supplement to the above benefits, the use of a magnetometer 220 located on axis A can allow remote and / or automatic determination of which accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104. For example, the use of a magnetometer 220 located on axis A can allow remote determination of which accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit from the accessory interface 339. For example, the magnetic field (or at least a portion of the magnetic field) generated by each accessory 114, 116 can be remotely measured from the magnetic accessory 114, 116 itself, such as at a magnetometer 220 located on axis A. Due to, for example, packaging restrictions and / or harsh conditions such as high temperatures, the accessory interface 339 may be a location where the sensor is not expected to be located. Therefore, being able to remotely determine which accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104 from the accessory interface 339 can allow such packaging restrictions and / or harsh conditions to be alleviated. In addition, the use of a magnetometer 220 can allow automatic determination of which accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104, for example, compared to information entered by a user on a user interface (not shown), which can improve the user experience.

[0046] In this example, the appliance 102 is a hair care appliance and the accessories 114, 116 include a concentrator 114 and a diffuser 116 (see, for example, Figure 1 ).

[0047] In some examples, the appliance may include electrical components 332, 330, 361, and the control module 315 may be operable to control the electrical components 332, 330, 361 in response to determining which accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104. This may allow the control module 315 to control the electrical components 332, 330, 361 differently for different accessories 114, 116. The benefit of doing so is that the operation of the appliance 102 may be automatically controlled based on the accessory 114, 116 in use.

[0048] As an example, the electrical component 332, 330, 361 may include an electric motor 332 (e.g., for generating an airflow) or a heater 330 (e.g., for heating the airflow), and the control module 315 may be operable to control the speed of the electric motor 332 or the temperature of the heater 330 in response to determining which attachment 114, 116 is attached. For example, different attachments 114, 116 may provide better drying or styling effects at different flow rates and / or different heat settings. For example, the appliance 102 may include an airflow generator 332 for inhaling an airflow through the appliance 102, and the control module 315 may be operable to control the characteristics of the airflow in response to the determination. Different attachments may provide better results for different airflows. For example, the diffuser 116 may provide better results when the airflow has a lower flow rate. This is because the airflow moves the hair less, so the curls are better defined. In contrast, the concentrator 114 may provide better results when the airflow has a higher flow rate. In some examples, the control module 315 may be operable to control one or more of the flow rate and temperature of the airflow. For example, the hair appliance 102 may include multiple flow and heat settings, and the control module 315 may be operable to select one of the settings based on determining which accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104. For example, the control module 315 may store default flow and temperature settings for each accessory 114, 116. Additionally or alternatively, the control module 315 may store the flow and temperature settings selected by the user the last time a particular accessory 114, 116 was used. As described above, different accessories may provide better results for different flow and / or heat settings. Therefore, by selecting one of the multiple settings based on the accessory in use, better drying and / or styling results may be achieved. As another example, the control module 315 may be operable to map different user-selectable settings to different operations of the hair appliance 102 based on determining which accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104. For example, in a default mode, a user's selection of certain settings for flow and / or temperature (e.g., "low," "medium," and "high") may correspond to the operation of the hair appliance 102 at certain flow and / or airflow temperatures. However, the control module 315 can be configured to change the flow rate and / or airflow temperature corresponding to the selectable settings based on the accessories 114, 116 attached to the main unit 104. For example, the change can be implemented as applying an offset to the flow rate and / or temperature to the default mode. For example, if the control module 315 determines that a given accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104 (which accessory is, for example, associated with use close to the user's skin, such that use at the default mode temperature may be uncomfortable for the user), the control module 315 can be configured to reduce the temperature at which the heater 330 is controlled to operate (e.g., by reducing the heater duty cycle and / or reducing the target value of the PID control).More generally, in some examples, the control module 315 may determine a user-selectable (i.e., user-selectable) range of temperatures and / or flows (or other operations of the hair appliance 102) based on the accessory 114, 116 that the control module 315 determines to be attached to the main unit 104. For example, the range of selectable operations may be made optimal for the identified accessory 114, 116.

[0049] As another example, the electrical component may be or include a sensor 361, and the control module 315 may be operable to control a setting of the sensor in response to the determination. The sensor 361 of the appliance 102 may operate more efficiently if calibrated according to the accessories 114, 116 used with the main unit 104. For example, Figure 3 and 4 As shown, the appliance 102 may include a distance sensor 361, such as a time-of-flight sensor 361, which is included in the main unit 104 and is used to determine the distance from the appliance 102 to the user's head or hair. Different attachments 114, 116 of the hair appliance 102, such as the diffuser 116 and the concentrator 114, may have different lengths. Therefore, the time-of-flight sensor 361 may be calibrated differently, for example, depending on the attachment 114, 116 being used. For example, when the diffuser attachment 116 is used, the distance at which the distance sensor 361 will detect the hair may be set or calibrated to be different from the distance when the concentrator 114 is used.

[0050] In some examples, the control module 315 is operable to set the responsiveness of the heater 330 and / or the airflow generator 332 to be turned on or off (or its operating mode is adjusted) in response to determining which accessory 114, 116 is attached. For example, the responsiveness can be set by changing the algorithm smoothing applied to the output of the sensor 361, the low-pass filtering applied to the output of the sensor 361, and / or the delay applied to the change of the operating mode of the heater 330 and / or the airflow generator 332. For example, some accessories 114 may be generally used for rough drying, where the appliance 102 is moved around relatively vigorously during use. In this case (i.e., when it is determined that such an accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104), it may be desirable to increase the algorithm smoothing applied to the output of the sensor 361, reduce the low-pass filtering applied to the output of the sensor 361, and / or increase the delay applied to the change of the operating mode of the heater 330 and / or the airflow generator 332. This can reduce the chance that the violent motion (and therefore rapid changes in the output of sensor 361) will be erroneously interpreted by control module 315 as the appliance 102 being moved completely away from the user's hair.

[0051] In either case, the control module 315 is operable to control the electrical components 332, 330, 361 in response to determining which accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104, which may allow for automatic control of the operation of the appliance 102 based on the accessory 114, 116 in use.

[0052] exist Figures 1 to 5 In the example shown, the main unit 104 includes a handle portion 110 and a barrel portion 106. The handle portion 110 is generally cylindrical and includes a housing 337 that houses an airflow generator 332. The housing includes an inlet 112 through which airflow is drawn into the handle portion 110 by the airflow generator 332, and an outlet 350 through which airflow is discharged into the barrel portion 106. The airflow generator 332 may include, for example, a fan driven by an electric motor.

[0053] The barrel portion 106 is also generally cylindrical, but is shorter in length and wider in diameter than the handle portion 110. The barrel portion 106 is attached to one end of the handle portion 110 and is oriented so that the longitudinal axes of the handle portion 110 and the barrel portion 106 are orthogonal. As a result, the main unit 104 is shaped similar to a mallet or a wooden hammer.

[0054] The barrel 106 includes a housing 301 that accommodates a heater 330 and a control module 315. The housing 301 includes an outer wall 301a and an inner wall 301b, which are generally concentric and define a chamber in which the heater 330 and the control module 315 are accommodated. The housing 301 includes an inlet 351 and an outlet 108 at one end of the barrel 104, and the airflow from the handle portion 112 enters the chamber through the inlet 351 and the airflow is discharged through the outlet 108. The heater 330 is located between the inlet 351 and the outlet 108 and heats the airflow when powered. The inner wall 301b defines a hole 334 extending through the center of the barrel 106.

[0055] like Figure 2As best shown, the main unit 104 also includes user controls 222, 224, 226, 228. The user controls 222, 224, 226, 228 are disposed on the handle portion 110 and the barrel portion 106 and include: a first button 226 or slider to turn the appliance 102 on and off; a second button 228 to temporarily turn off the heater 330 so that the appliance 102 delivers a cool stream of air; a third button 222 to control the flow rate of the airflow; and a fourth button 224 to control the temperature of the airflow. As an alternative or in addition to the control provided by the control module 315 in response to determining which accessory 114, 116 is attached, the control module 315 can control the electrical components 332, 330, 361 in response to the user control. For example, in response to input from the user controls 222, 224, 226, 228, the control module 315 can turn the airflow generator 332 and / or the heater 330 on and off. In addition, the control module 315 can control the power or speed of the airflow generator 332 to change the flow rate of the airflow. For example, repeatedly pressing the third button 228 can cause the control module 315 to cycle through different flow rates (e.g., low, medium, and high). Similarly, the control module 315 can control the power of the heater 330 to change the temperature of the airflow. For example, repeatedly pressing the fourth button 224 can cause the control module 315 to cycle through different temperature settings (e.g., cold, warm, hot).

[0056] Each accessory 114, 116 can be attached to one end of the barrel 106 of the main unit 104. When attached, each accessory 114, 116 can rotate freely relative to the main unit 104 around the central longitudinal axis A of the barrel 106. The free rotation of the accessories 114, 116 has the advantage that the user can obtain the desired airflow direction and angle without having to hold or manipulate the appliance 102 at an uncomfortable angle. In this example, each accessory 114, 116 includes an annular magnet 338, and the barrel includes an iron ring 336, and the magnet 338 is attracted to the iron ring 336 to fix the accessories 114, 116 in place. It should be understood that the ring 336 is not necessarily ferrous and can be made of another material to which the magnet 338 is attracted. In this example, when the accessories 114, 116 are attached to the main unit 104, a portion or plug 333 of the accessories 114, 116 is received in the hole 334. In this example, when the accessory 114 is attached to the main unit 104 , airflow exiting the outlet 108 of the barrel 106 flows through the accessory and is then exited from the outlet 340 of the accessory 114 .

[0057] In this example, the magnetometer 220 is located in the hole 334 of the barrel 106. Specifically, in this example, the magnetometer 220 is arranged in a capsule 338 that is generally located in the center of the hole 334. In this example, the capsule 338 is elongated and placed along the axis A. The capsule 338 is connected to the inner wall 301b of the barrel 106 by a member or fin 335. In this example, the capsule 338 also accommodates a distance sensor 361. Positioning the magnetometer 220 in the hole 334 and / or in the capsule 338 located in the hole 334 can allow the magnetometer 220 to be relatively isolated from the heating component 330 of the utensil 102 and / or other components that may interfere with the magnetometer 220. Therefore, the robust determination of the attachment 114, 116 can be provided. In addition, for the utensil that already has an existing hole 334, the magnetometer 220 can be incorporated without increasing the overall size of the utensil 102 or having to significantly change the existing packaging of the components in the main unit 104.

[0058] As described in more detail below, in some examples, the magnetometer 220 is configured to measure or otherwise sense the strength and / or direction of the magnetic field at the magnetometer 220. For example, the magnetometer 220 can be configured to output data indicating the size and / or direction of the magnetic field at the magnetometer. For example, the magnetometer 220 can be configured to output the amplitude of each of the one or more components of the magnetic field in one or more corresponding directions at the magnetometer 220, such as along the x, y and / or z axis shown in the figure. The magnetometer 220 can be provided, for example, by one or more Hall effect sensors, although other magnetometers can also be used. For example, the magnetometer 220 can be provided by a three-axis Hall effect sensor, such as provided on an integrated chip. The control module 315 can be configured to receive output data from the magnetometer 220, and determine which accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104 based on the data. In some examples, the magnetometer 220 and / or control module 315 can apply low pass filtering and / or averaging to the data output of the magnetometer 220 in order to remove high frequency noise, such as may be generated by components of the appliance 102 (e.g., the heater 330 or the airflow generator 332), or indeed by other electrical devices external to the appliance 102. This can improve the reliability of determining which magnetic accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104.

[0059] In this example, the magnetometer 220 is disposed relatively far back in the hole 334 of the barrel 106. In this example, the distance between the magnetometer and the end of the barrel 104 (i.e., the end to which the accessories 114, 116 are attached) is about 45 mm. The magnetometer 220 is disposed back along the axis A from the magnetic accessories 114, 116, and specifically back from the magnet 338 of the magnetic accessories 114, 116, which allows the magnet 338 to generate a magnetic field at the magnetometer 220, which has a non-zero component along the axis A, as described in more detail below, which allows the control module 315 to effectively identify different accessories 114, 116.

[0060] As described above, when the accessories 114, 116 are attached to the main unit 104, the magnetic accessories 114, 116 differ in that the magnetic field generated by the accessories 114, 116 at the magnetometer 220 when each magnetic accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104 is different. In this example, the magnetic field is generated by the magnet 338. That is, the magnet 338 of the accessory 114, 116 used to attach the accessory 114, 116 to the main unit 104 is also used to generate the magnetic field sensed by the magnetometer 220, and therefore based on the magnetic field, the control module 315 determines which accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104, and the main unit determines which accessory it is. Customizing the magnets 338 on each accessory 114, 116 so that they produce different magnetic fields (e.g., net strength and / or direction) at the magnetometer 220 when the accessories 114, 116 are attached to the main unit 104 can allow the main unit 104 to identify the accessories without having to add components to the accessories 114, 116 or otherwise requiring adaptation of the form or function of the accessories 114, 116. This can allow for a cost-effective means of determining which of the accessories 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104.

[0061] In some examples, the magnetic field generated by each magnetic accessory 114, 116 at the magnetometer 220 has a component parallel to (e.g., along) axis A, and the component is different for different magnetic accessories 114, 116. This can allow for a relatively efficient and / or robust means by which to determine the attachment to the main unit. For example, the magnetic field component parallel to (e.g., along) axis A will be independent of the rotational position of the accessory 114, 116 relative to the main unit 104, and the accessory can be identified from a relatively simple measurement of the magnetic field regardless of the rotational orientation of the accessory.

[0062] As an example, the magnets 338 of different accessories 114, 116 may have different strengths, which may correspondingly result in the magnetic field at the magnetometer 220 having components along the axis A of different magnitudes. Alternatively or in addition, the magnets 338 of different accessories 114, 116 may have different polarities, which may correspondingly result in the magnetic field at the magnetometer having components along the axis A in one direction or in the opposite direction and / or having different magnitudes in those directions. Alternatively or in addition, the magnets 338 of different accessories 114, 116 may differ in the direction or angle of polarization, which may correspondingly result in the magnetic field at the magnetometer having components along the axis A in one direction or in the opposite direction and / or having different magnitudes in those directions.

[0063] In some examples, the magnetic attachments 114, 116 may each include a plurality of magnetic regions 540. For example, the magnet 338 of each attachment 114, 116 may be comprised of a plurality of magnetic regions 540. Figure 5 In the example of , each magnetic region 540 is provided by a separate magnetic component 540, such as a dipole magnet. Figure 5 In the example of , there are 24 such magnetic regions 540 distributed on a circle centered on axis A. In this example, the 24 magnetic regions 540 are evenly distributed on a circle centered on axis A. When the accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104, the distribution of the magnetic regions 540 on the circle centered on axis A can allow the accessory 114 to rotate around axis A while still allowing the accessory 114, 116 to be identified. This can increase the flexibility of use of the accessories 114, 116 and / or the ease of use of the appliance 102.

[0064] In some examples, when the magnetic attachment 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104, each magnetic region 540 can have a positive polarity or a negative polarity (e.g., its north pole or south pole, respectively) in the direction of the magnetometer 220, and the magnetic attachments 114, 116 differ in the arrangement of the magnetic regions 540 with positive and negative polarities. For example, the arrangement of the magnetic regions 540 with positive and negative polarities can correspond to the number of positive polarity magnetic regions 540 and / or negative polarity magnetic regions 540, the ratio of positive polarity magnetic regions 540 to negative polarity magnetic regions 540, the size of the positive polarity magnetic regions 540 and / or negative polarity magnetic regions 540, and / or the distribution or order of the positive polarity magnetic regions 540 and / or negative polarity magnetic regions 540.

[0065] As described in more detail below, different arrangements of magnetic regions 540 between accessories 114, 116 can include different ratios of magnetic regions 540 having positive polarity in the direction of magnetometer 220 when magnetic accessories 114, 116 are attached to main unit 104 and magnetic regions 540 having negative polarity in the direction of magnetometer 220 when magnetic accessories are attached to main unit 104. For example, each magnetic region 540 can have the same individual magnetic field strength, but the arrangement or distribution of the polarity of these magnetic regions can be different between accessories 114, 116. Providing different magnetic fields by changing the arrangement of positive and negative polarity magnetic regions 540 can allow different accessories 114, 116 to be identified without having to change the magnetic force with which different accessories are attached to main unit 104. For example, the attachment force can be in the range of 10N to 100N, such as 50N. This can allow consistency in the attachment and detachment operations between different accessories 114, 116, which can improve the user experience.

[0066] refer to Figure 6 , according to an example, schematically shows different arrangements of magnetic regions. Figure 5 540 magnetic regions, in each arrangement, there are 24 magnetic regions distributed in a circle. Figure 6 In the example of , there are eight different magnetic area arrangements 602, 604, 608, 610, 612, 614, 616. For example, each different arrangement can be implemented on a different accessory 114, 116. Therefore, in this example, the control module 315 can determine which of the eight different accessories 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104. Figure 6 In FIG. 1 , each magnetic region is represented by a circle. A solid circle indicates that when the accessory (not shown) is attached to the main unit (not shown), the negative polarity (i.e., the south pole S) faces the magnetometer (not shown), while an open circle indicates that when the accessory (not shown) is attached to the main unit (not shown), the positive polarity (i.e., the north pole N) faces the magnetometer (not shown).

[0067] In this example, each arrangement 602, 604, 608, 610, 612, 614, 616 has a different number of magnetic regions with positive polarity N facing the magnetometer and a different number of magnetic regions with negative polarity S facing the magnetometer. More specifically, in this example, each arrangement 602, 604, 608, 610, 612, 614, 616 has a different ratio of magnetic regions with positive polarity N facing the magnetometer to magnetic regions with negative polarity S facing the magnetometer. Specifically, in the first arrangement 602 there are 8 N and 16 S (giving a ratio of 8:16), in the second arrangement 604 there are 6 N and 18 S (giving a ratio of 6:18), in the third arrangement 606 there are 3 N and 21 S (giving a ratio of 3:21), in the fourth arrangement 608 there are 0 N and 24 S (giving a ratio of 0:24), in the fifth arrangement 610 there are 16 N and 8 S (giving a ratio of 16:8), in the sixth arrangement 612 there are 18 N and 6 S (giving a ratio of 18:6), in the seventh arrangement 614 there are 21 N and 3 S (giving a ratio of 21:3), and in the eighth arrangement 616 there are 24 N and 0 S (giving a ratio of 24:0). Note that in this example, the distribution of the polarities N and S of the magnetic regions is rotationally symmetric about the axis A, i.e., the distribution of the polarities N and S of the magnetic regions of each arrangement 602, 604, 608, 610, 612, 614, 616 has a rotational symmetry greater than 1. Specifically, in this example, the rotational symmetries of the arrangements 602, 604, 608, 610, 612, 614, 616 are 8, 6, 3, 24, 8, 6, 3, and 24, respectively.

[0068] Each arrangement 602, 604, 608, 610, 612, 614, 616 generates a different magnetic field at the magnetometer. Figure 6 As shown, the relative magnetic field strengths of the eight arrangements 602, 604, 608, 610, 612, 614, 616 at the magnetometer will be respectively -25, -50, -75, -100, +25, +50, +75 and +100. In this example, references to "+" and "-" correspond to magnetic field strengths in one direction (e.g., along axis A in one direction) and in the opposite direction (e.g., along axis A in the opposite direction), respectively. Figure 7 A graph showing the magnetic field strength measured at the magnetometer 220 as a function of the accessories 114, 116 attached to the Figure 6The main unit 104 of different arrangements 602, 604, 608, 610, 612, 614, 616 shown. Specifically, the plateaus 702, 704, 706, 708, 710, 712, 714, 716 in the magnetic field measurement correspond to the accessories attached to the main unit having the arrangements 602, 604, 608, 610, 612, 614, 616, respectively. It is obvious that the eight accessories can be easily distinguished according to the magnetic field. For example, the control module 315 can store eight accessory identifiers, each of which is associated with a corresponding one of the eight magnetic field values. The control module 315 can be configured to determine which of the eight magnetic field values ​​the current magnetic field value output by the magnetometer 220 corresponds to, and retrieve the relevant accessory identifier accordingly, thereby determining which of the multiple accessories 114, 116 is attached to the main unit.

[0069] Although a particular arrangement of magnetic regions 540 has been described above, it should be understood that in some examples, other arrangements may be used. Figure 8 , shows an arrangement of magnetic regions 802, 804, 806, 810, 812, 814 according to another example. Figure 8 The arrangement in this example is similar to that in the example of reference 20 above, except that there are six arrangements instead of eight, and the difference between the magnetic fields generated at the magnetometer 220 is greater. Figure 7 Specifically, in this example, there are 8 N and 16 S in the first arrangement 802 (giving a ratio of 8:16 and a relative magnetic field strength of -33.3 at the magnetometer), 4 N and 20 S in the second arrangement 804 (giving a ratio of 4:20 and a relative magnetic field strength of -66.6 at the magnetometer), 0 N and 24 S in the third arrangement 806 (giving a ratio of 0:24 and a relative magnetic field strength of -100 at the magnetometer), 16 N and 8 S in the fourth arrangement 810 (giving a ratio of 16:8 and a relative magnetic field strength of +33.3 at the magnetometer), 20 N and 4 S in the fifth arrangement 812 (giving a ratio of 20:4 and a relative magnetic field strength of +66.6 at the magnetometer), and 24 N and 0 S in the sixth arrangement (giving a ratio of 24:0 and a relative magnetic field strength of +100 at the magnetometer). This arrangement may provide fewer accessories to distinguish, but provide a better signal-to-noise ratio, and therefore provide a more robust and / or reliable determination of which accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104. Of course, it should be understood that in some examples, other numbers or ratios of magnetic regions may be used.

[0070] Reference above Figure 7 and 8In the described example, the polarity distribution of the magnetic regions is rotationally symmetric about axis A. However, in some examples, the polarity distribution of the magnetic regions may be rotationally asymmetric about axis A. For example, the polarity distribution may have a rotational symmetry of 1. This may allow, for example, the control module 315 to determine the rotational position of the magnetic accessories 114, 116 relative to the main unit 104. For example, a magnetic region polarity distribution having a rotational asymmetry may provide a magnetic field at the magnetometer 220 having a rotational symmetry perpendicular to axis A (see, e.g. Figure 5 This can be measured, for example, by a magnetometer 220 (e.g., a vector magnetometer), and the control module 315 can be based on the angle of the vertical component about the axis A (see, for example, Figure 5 The rotational position of the accessories 114, 116 relative to the main unit 104 is determined by using an angle G (schematically shown in FIG. 1 ). Making the polarity distribution of the magnetic regions rotationally asymmetric about the axis A can allow the rotational position to be accurately determined without having to change the magnetic force with which different accessories 114, 116 are attached to the main unit 104. This can allow for consistency of accessories 114, 116 and detachment operations between different accessories, which can improve the user experience.

[0071] Fig. 9 and 10 An example of an arrangement in which the polarity distribution of the magnetic regions is rotationally asymmetric is shown in FIG.

[0072] refer to Fig. 9 , there are seven arrangements 902, 904, 906, 909, 910, 912, 914, with 9, 6, 3, 12, 15, 18 and 21 positive (N) polarity magnetic areas, 15, 18, 21, 12, 9, 6 and 3 negative (S) polarity magnetic areas, and the relative magnetic field strength at the magnetometer 220 is -25, -50, -75, 0, +25, +50 and +75 respectively. However, the polarity is not distributed symmetrically around the circle, but in each case, all positive N polarities are adjacent to each other and all negative S polarities are adjacent to each other. Therefore, when the relevant accessories 114, 116 are attached to the main unit 104, the magnetic field generated by each arrangement 902, 904, 906, 909, 910, 912, 914 at the magnetometer 220 has a component perpendicular to the axis A.

[0073] refer to Fig.10, there are five arrangements 1002, 1004, 1009, 1010, 1012, with 8, 4, 12, 16 and 20 positive (N) polarity magnetic regions, respectively, with 16, 20, 12, 8 and 4 negative (S) polarity magnetic regions, respectively, and the relative magnetic field strengths at the magnetometer 220 are -33.3, -66.6, 0, +33.3 and +66.6, respectively. Again, in this example, the polarities are not distributed symmetrically around a circle, but in each case, all positive N polarities are adjacent to each other and all negative S polarities are adjacent to each other. Therefore, when the relevant accessories 114, 116 are attached to the main unit 104, the magnetic field generated by each arrangement 1002, 1004, 1009, 1010, 1012 at the magnetometer 220 has a component perpendicular to the axis A. In this example, there are fewer different arrangements, but the differences between the relative magnetic field strengths between the accessories are larger, which can provide an improved signal-to-noise ratio and therefore provide a more robust and / or reliable determination of which accessory is attached and / or the rotational position of the accessory 114 relative to the main unit 104. It should be understood that in other examples, other arrangements of magnetic regions can be used.

[0074] For completeness, note that in Fig. 9 and 10 In the examples of FIG. 1 , one arrangement 909, 1009 has an equal number of positive polarities (N) and negative polarities (S). Therefore, in these cases, the component of the magnetic field generated by the accessory 909, 1009 at the magnetometer 220 in the direction along the axis A can be zero. However, in these examples, the accessory 909, 1009 can still be determined to be attached to the main unit 104 based on, for example, the magnetic field generated by the accessory 909, 1009 at the magnetometer 220 in the direction perpendicular to the axis A (which will be non-zero), and is distinguished from other accessories 902, 906, 910, 912, 914 or 1002, 1004, 1010, 1012 by the fact that the accessory 909, 1009 does not generate a net magnetic field at the magnetometer 220 in the direction of the axis A. It should be understood that in other examples, the magnetic field having a component perpendicular to the axis A at the magnetometer can be generated by other arrangements of one or more magnetic regions.

[0075] Note also that in some examples, the above references can be used in combination Figure 6 , 8 , 9 and 10. For example, the above reference Figure 6 One or more of the arrangements 602-616 described above may be used in conjunction with Fig. 9 One or more of the arrangements 902-914 described above may be used in combination. For example, note that Figure 6 The arrangement of 612 and Fig. 9The arrangements 912 all have the same ratio of positive polarity magnetic elements to negative polarity magnetic elements (i.e., 6 S and 18 N). However, Figure 6 The arrangement 612 is rotationally symmetric (in particular, has a rotational symmetry of order 6), so the magnetic field it generates at the magnetometer will have a component perpendicular to the axis A, while Fig. 9 The arrangement 912 of is rotationally asymmetric (in particular, has a 1st order rotational symmetry, i.e., has no rotational symmetry), so the magnetic field it generates at the magnetometer will have a component perpendicular to the axis A. Therefore, in this example, when the accessories 114, 116 are attached to the main body 104, the control module 315 can distinguish between the accessories 114, 116 with the arrangement 912 and the accessories 114, 116 with the arrangement 612 based on the presence (or absence) and / or magnitude of the magnetic field at the magnetometer 220 in the direction perpendicular to the axis A. Therefore, in some examples, alternatively or additionally, the control module 315 can determine which accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit based on the presence and / or magnitude of the magnetic field component generated by the magnetic accessories 114, 116 at the magnetometer 220 in the direction perpendicular to the axis A. For example, this can allow a larger set of accessories to be distinguished, such as the same set for different ratios of positive polarity to negative polarity.

[0076] As described above, in some examples, when one of the plurality of magnetic accessories 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104, the control module 315 may be operable to additionally determine the rotational position 115 of the magnetic accessory 114, 116 relative to the main unit 104 based on data output by the magnetometer 220. For example, when attached to the main unit 104, the magnetic field generated by the magnetic accessory 114, 116 at the magnetometer 220 may have a component 513 perpendicular to the axis A (e.g., as described above with reference to Fig. 9 and 10 ), and the control module 315 is operable to determine the rotational position 115 of the magnetic accessory 114 based on the angle G of the vertical component 513 about the axis A. For example, in the sense of the accompanying drawings, the magnetometer 220 can be configured to determine the magnitude of the magnetic field at the magnetometer 220 along each of the x-axis and the y-axis (axis A is perpendicular to the x-axis and the y-axis). The control module 315 can be configured to determine the angle G of the vertical component 513 of the magnetic field about the axis A relative to the main unit 104 (e.g., relative to a reference angle) based on the output data, and thereby determine the rotational position 115 of the accessory. For example, the control module 315 may have pre-stored a plurality of rotational positions, each rotational position being associated with a corresponding angle G, and when the control module 315 determines that the angle G is or is close to a given one of these pre-stored angles, the control module may map the pre-stored angle to the associated pre-stored rotational position, thereby determining the rotational position 115 of the accessory 114, 116 relative to the main unit 104.

[0077] It should be understood that in some examples, the control module 315 can be configured to determine which accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104, and determine the rotational position 115 of the magnetic accessory 114, 116 relative to the main unit 104 based on the data output by the magnetometer 220. For example, the identity of the accessory 114, 116 can be determined based on the magnetic field generated by the accessory at the magnetometer 220 in the direction of the axis A (e.g., along the z-axis in the sense of the drawings), such as described above, and the rotational position 115 can be determined based on the magnetic field generated by the accessory at the magnetometer 220 in a direction perpendicular to the axis A (e.g., along one or both of the x-axis and the y-axis in the sense of the drawings), such as described above. For example, the magnetometer 220 can be a vector magnetometer configured to determine the magnitude of the magnetic field component at the magnetometer along each of the x, y, and z-axes in the sense of the drawings.

[0078] Other examples of determining the rotational position may be used. Nevertheless, the use of a magnetometer 220 located on axis A may, for example, allow the rotational position 115 of an accessory 114, 116 to be determined away from the accessory interface 339, which may otherwise be a location where the sensor is not expected to be located due to, for example, packaging limitations and / or harsh conditions. This may also allow the rotational position 115 to be determined automatically, which may improve the user experience, for example, compared to user input on a user interface. Therefore, this may allow the rotational position 115 of the accessory 114, 116 relative to the main unit 104 to be automatically and remotely determined. Determining the rotational position of the magnetic accessory 114, 116 relative to the main unit 104 based on the angle G of the vertical component 513 about axis A may allow a cost-effective means to determine the rotational position of the accessory. For example, the accessory 114, 116 may include a magnetic region 540 anyway as a means for the accessory 114, 116 to be attached to the main unit 104. Customizing these magnetic regions 540 so that they produce a net magnetic field having a component perpendicular to axis A at the magnetometer 220 can thus allow the main unit 104 to determine the rotational position of the accessory 114, 116 without adding components to the accessory 114, 116 or otherwise needing to adapt the form or function of the accessory 114, 116. In addition, because the perpendicular component 513 of the magnetic field is orthogonal to the component parallel to (e.g., along) axis A, the magnetic field produced by the magnetic accessory 114, 116 can be used for the dual purpose of allowing identification of the accessory 114, 116 and allowing the rotational position 115 of the accessory 114, 116 to be determined. This can be cost effective, for example, compared to providing separate means for these separate functions.

[0079] As described above, in some examples, the appliance 102 includes electrical components 330, 332, 361, such as a heater 330, an airflow generator 332, or a sensor 361. In some examples, the control module 315 is operable to control the electrical components 330, 332, 361 according to the determined rotational position. This can allow the control module 315 to control the electrical components differently for different rotational positions of the accessories 114, 116. The benefit of this is that the operation of the appliance can be automatically controlled based on the rotational position of the accessories 114, 116 relative to the main unit 104. For example, the rotational position of the accessories 114, 116 relative to the main unit 104 can be manually changed by the user, thereby providing a means by which the user can control the appliance to operate in a specific mode. As another example, accessories 114, 116 oriented in different rotational positions relative to the main units 104, 106 (and therefore relative to, for example, the handle portion 110 of the appliance 102) can provide optimal styling when the appliance is operated differently. Therefore, this can provide improved styling.

[0080] Reference above Figure 5 In the example described, the magnetic region 540 is provided by a separate magnetic component 540, such as a separate dipole magnet 540. However, it will be appreciated that this is not necessarily the case, and in other examples, magnetic regions having other forms may be used. For example, Fig.11 and 12 Accessories according to other examples are shown.

[0081] refer to Fig.11 , showing a magnetic attachment 1114 according to an example. Fig.11 The magnetic attachment 1114 is the same as the one referenced above. Figure 5 The magnetic attachment 114 described above is the same as (and in some examples may be used in place of) the magnetic attachment 114 described above. Figure 5 Magnetic attachment 114) as described, except in Fig.11 In the example of FIG. 1 , the magnetic region 1140 is provided by a polarized portion 1140 of a bonded magnet 1138. The bonded magnet 1138 may be formed, for example, by magnetic particles bonded in a bonding material. The bonded magnet 1138 is annular and is formed from one component. The portion of the bonded magnet 1138 may be formed according to the above reference. Figures 1 to 10 Any of the examples described are polarized, thereby providing, for example, a magnetic region 1140. Providing a magnetic region 1140 by a polarized portion of a bonded magnet 1138 can allow the magnetic region 1140 to be provided without increasing the number of magnet components. For example, the same isotropic bonded magnet component 1138 can be used for each accessory 114, 116, but the isotropic bonded magnets 1138 of different accessories 114, 116 can be magnetized according to different polarization patterns. This can allow a cost-effective manner to provide the magnetic region 1140.

[0082] refer to Fig.12 , shows a magnetic attachment 1214 according to another example. Fig.12 In the example of the magnetic region 1240, the magnetic region 1240 is disposed outside the plug 1233 of the magnetic attachment 114. Fig.12 The magnetic attachment 1214 is similar to the above reference Figure 5 The magnetic attachment 114 described above is the same as (and in some examples may be used in place of) the magnetic attachment 114 described above. Figure 5 Magnetic attachment 114 as described above. Figures 1 to 5 The stopper 333 of the example described, Fig.12 The plug 1233 of the accessory 1214 extends from the accessory interface 1239 of the accessory 1214 so that when the accessory 1214 is attached to the main unit 104, the plug 1233 of the accessory 114 is received in the hole of the main unit (see Figure 4 334 in the hole). Note that for clarity, the plug cover (see Fig.11 The plug cover 1135 of the plug 1133 has been removed to show the magnetic region 1240 housed therein. Fig.12 In the example of , there are three magnetic regions 1240 provided by three magnetic components, such as bipolar magnets 1240 (although in other examples, similar to the above, the magnetic regions 1240 can be provided by polarized portions of, for example, bonded magnets (not shown)). Different attachments ( Fig.12 The polarity of the magnetic region 1240 of only one attachment 1214 is shown in FIG. 1240 may have different arrangements, similar to the above reference Figures 1 to 10 In this example, in addition to the magnet having the function of attaching the accessory 1214 to the main unit 104 (such magnet is not in Fig.12 , but see e.g. Figure 3 In addition to the magnet 338 of the accessory 114 in the plug 1233, a magnetic region 1240 may also be provided. Providing the magnetic region 1240 as part of the plug 1233 may allow the magnetic region 1240 to be at a relatively small distance from the magnetometer 220 when the accessory 1214 is attached to the main unit 104. This may be, for example, because they are at a relatively small distance from the magnetometer 220 along the axis A and / or because they are located at a relatively small radial distance from the axis A. This may provide a relatively large magnetic field at the magnetometer 220, which may provide an improved signal-to-noise ratio (or, similarly, this may provide that the magnetic region 1240 may have a relatively low magnetic strength while not affecting the signal-to-noise ratio).

[0083] In some examples, such as Fig.12As shown, the magnetic region 1240 can be provided by one or more dipole magnets 1240, each dipole magnet 1240 arranged so that their positive polarity or negative polarity faces in a direction parallel to the axis A. By providing different arrangements of the one or more magnetic regions 1240, the magnetic field generated at the magnetometer by different accessories can be different, such as different numbers, strengths, polarizations and / or polarizabilities of the one or more magnetic regions 1240, such as those described above with reference to Figures 1 to 10 However, in some examples, by providing one or more magnetic regions having different polarization orientations relative to axis A, the magnetic fields generated at the magnetometer by different accessories may be different. Fig.13 One such example is described.

[0084] refer to Fig.13 , showing a magnetic attachment 1314 according to an example. Fig.13 The magnetic attachment 1314 is similar to the above reference Fig.12 The magnetic attachment 1214 described above is the same as (and in some examples may be used in place of) the magnetic attachment 1214 described above. Fig.12 Magnetic attachment 1214) as described, except in Fig.13 In the example of , there is a magnetic region 1340 provided by a dipole magnet 1340 in a plug 1333 of a magnetic attachment 1314, and the dipole magnet 1340 is angled relative to axis A. Specifically, in this example, the positive and negative polarity axes C (i.e., north-south axis C) of the dipole magnet 1340 are at an angle θ to an axis B passing through the magnet 1340 and parallel to axis A. In some examples, different magnetic attachments 1314 may have different angles θ between the positive and negative polarity axes C of the dipole magnet 1340 and the axis B parallel to axis A. Specifically, the magnetic field component parallel to axis A (i.e., in the z direction in the sense of the figure) at the magnetometer 220 may vary according to the angle θ between the positive and negative polarity axes C of the dipole magnet 1340 and the axis B parallel to axis A. Therefore, the control module 315 can determine which magnetic attachment is attached to the body 104 by mapping the sensed component of the magnetic field parallel to axis A to a given attachment 1314.

[0085] refer to Fig.14 , shows a graph of the magnetic field strength of the magnetometer 220 according to the example in the direction along the axis A (i.e., in the z direction in the sense of the drawing) relative to the angle θ between the positive and negative polarity axes C of the dipole magnet 1340 and the axis B parallel to the axis A. Fig.14, data points for angles of 0, 45, 90, 135, and 180 degrees are plotted. The magnetic field strengths generated at the magnetometer 220 at these angles along the direction of axis A are approximately -1.9, -1.2, 0, +1.2, and +1.9 Gauss, respectively. In this example, the positive value of the magnetic field is associated with the orientation of the positive pole or north pole of the magnet 1340 facing the magnetometer. Thus, for example, there may be four different magnetic attachments, in which the magnet 1340 is fixed at four different angles θ of 45, 90, 135, and 180 degrees, respectively. The control module 315 can distinguish these attachments based on the corresponding different magnetic field strengths sensed by the magnetometer 220 in the direction along axis A (approximately -1.9, -1.2, +1.2, and +1.9 Gauss, respectively).

[0086] Refer to above Fig.13 and 14 In the depicted example, the magnetic attachment has one magnet 1340. However, in other examples (not shown), each attachment may have multiple magnets 1340 oriented at a given angle θ. In other examples (not shown), different arrangements of magnets 1340 having different orientations or different combinations or orientations may be used to generate respective different magnetic fields at the magnetometer 220 in the direction of the axis A.

[0087] Reference above Fig.13 and 14 In the described example, the magnetic region 1340 is provided by a bipolar magnet 1340 that is angled relative to the axis A. However, as described above, in other examples, the magnetic region 1340 may be provided by a polarized portion of a bonded magnet (not shown). For example, the magnetic region 1340 may be provided by one or more regions of a bonded or sintered magnet to which a high voltage magnetizer pulse is applied so as to polarize its magnetic material with a positive and negative polarity axis C having a given angle θ. For example, this may provide that each accessory may be manufactured with the same bonded magnet portion (e.g. embedded in the same plastic support in the same manner), but the bonded magnet portions of different accessories may then be magnetized so as to have positive and negative polarity axes C at different angles θ to the axis A (e.g. by applying a high voltage magnetizer pulse at different orientations relative to the bonded magnet portion). For example, this may reduce the cost and complexity of manufacturing a magnetic accessory compared to different accessories comprising bipolar magnets embedded in plastic supports in different manners, so as to have positive and negative polarity axes C at different angles θ to the axis A.

[0088] Refer to above Figures 1 to 14In the described examples, the appliance 102 is a hair appliance 102. However, it will be appreciated that this need not be the case, and in other examples the appliance may be another type of appliance, such as a vacuum cleaner. Furthermore, in the above examples, a particular number of accessories 114, 116 are mentioned, but it will be appreciated that in some examples, any number of accessories 114, 116 may be used. Furthermore, in the above examples, certain forms of accessories 114, 116 and / or certain arrangements of magnets 338 or magnetic regions 540, 1140, 1240 are mentioned, but it will be appreciated that this need not necessarily be the case, and in some examples, any magnetic accessory 114, 116 attachable in any one of a plurality of rotational positions about axis A relative to the main unit 104 may be used. Furthermore, while certain configurations, locations, and functions of the magnetometer 220 and control module 315 are described in the above examples, it will be appreciated that these need not be the case, and in some examples, the appliance may include any magnetometer located on axis A and any control module 315 operable to determine which of the plurality of accessories 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104 based on data output by the magnetometer 220. Thus, it will be appreciated that in some examples, an appliance 102 may be provided that includes: a main unit 104, one of a plurality of magnetic accessories 114, 116 being attachable to the main unit 104 at any of a plurality of rotational positions 115 relative to the main unit 104 about axis A; a magnetometer 220 located on axis A; and a control module 315 operable to determine which of the plurality of accessories 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104 based on data output by the magnetometer 220.

[0089] Reference above Figures 1 to 14 In the described example, the magnetometer 220 is located on the axis A, so the control module 315 can determine which of the multiple accessories 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104, regardless of the rotational position of the accessories 114, 116 relative to the main unit 104. However, there are other examples in which the control module 315 can determine which accessory 114, 116 is attached to the main unit 104, regardless of the rotational position of the accessories 114, 116 relative to the main unit 104, but the magnetometer 220 is not necessarily located on the axis A. Fig.16 and 17 Two such examples are described.

[0090] First reference Fig.15 , which shows in schematic overview the above reference Figures 1 to 14Specifically, as described above, the magnetic attachment 114, 1114, 1214, 1314 (having magnetic regions 540, 1140, 1240, 1340 in this example) can be attached to the main unit of the appliance in any of a plurality of rotational positions about the axis A relative to the main unit ( Fig.15 1 ), and the magnetometer 220 is located on the axis A. As described above, the magnetic field component generated by the magnetic accessory 114, 1114, 1214, 1314 at the magnetometer 220 does not change along the axis A with the rotational position of the accessory 114, 1114, 1214, 1314 around the axis A. Therefore, positioning the magnetometer 220 on the axis A ensures that the magnetic accessory 114, 1114, 1214, 1314 can be identified regardless of the rotational position of the accessory around the axis A.

[0091] Reference now Fig.16 , which shows configurations according to other examples. In these other examples, similar to the above examples, the magnetic attachment 1614 (having the magnetic region 1640) can be attached to the main unit of the appliance at any one of a plurality of rotational positions about the axis A relative to the main unit ( Fig.16 In fact, in these examples, the accessory 1614, the magnetic region 1640, the magnetometer 220', the main unit, and / or any other features of the device ( Fig.16 Not shown) can be compared with the above reference Figures 1 to 15 The examples described are the same or similar to those in the examples described. Fig.16 In these other examples described, the magnetic region 1640 of the magnetic attachment 1614 is located on the axis A. In these other examples, the magnetometer 220' need not necessarily be located on the axis A (although it may be), and in fact Fig.16 In the example of FIG. 1 , the magnetometer 220′ is radially offset from the axis A. However, despite this, positioning the magnetic region 1640 on the axis A can ensure that when the accessory 1614 is attached to the main unit (not shown), the position of the magnetic region 1640 relative to the magnetometer 220′ does not change with the rotational position of the accessory 1614 about the axis A, and thus the magnetic field generated by the magnetic region 1640 at the magnetometer 220′ does not change with the rotational position of the accessory 1614 about the axis A. Therefore, positioning the magnetic region 1640 on the axis A ensures that the magnetic accessory 1614 can be identified regardless of the rotational position of the accessory about the axis A (and the magnetometer 220′ does not have to be located on the axis A, although it may be).

[0092] Reference now Fig.17, which shows a configuration according to yet another example. In these other examples, similar to the above examples, the magnetic attachment 1714 (having the magnetic region 1714) can be attached to the main unit of the appliance at any one of a plurality of rotational positions about the axis A relative to the main unit ( Fig.17 In fact, in these examples, the accessory 1714, the magnetic region 1740, the magnetometer 220", the main unit, and / or any other features of the hair care appliance ( Fig.17 Not shown) can be compared with the above reference Figures 1 to 15 The examples described are the same or similar to those in the examples described. Fig.17 In these other examples described, the magnetic accessory 1714 includes a plurality of magnetic regions 1740 distributed around the axis A in a rotationally symmetrical arrangement, and when the accessory is attached to the main unit, the magnetometer 220" is located radially inward of the plurality of magnetic regions 1740. In these other examples, the magnetometer 220" does not necessarily need to be located on the axis A (although it may be), and in fact is located on the axis A. Fig.17 In the example of , the magnetometer 220" is radially offset from the axis A. However, despite this, the magnetometer 220" is located radially inside the multiple magnetic regions 1714 distributed around the axis A in a rotationally symmetrical arrangement, which can ensure that the magnetic field component generated by the magnetic regions 1714 parallel to the axis A at the magnetometer 220" does not change (or only changes to a limited extent) with the rotational position of the accessory 1714. Specifically, with this arrangement, in different rotational positions of the accessory 1714, the different offsets of different magnetic regions 1740 relative to the magnetometer 220" are offset in the magnetic field component at the magnetometer 220" along the direction parallel to the axis A (i.e., in the z direction in the sense of the accompanying drawings) - when the rotational position changes, the movement of a given magnetic region 1740 toward the magnetometer 220" is distributed and balanced with the movement of the magnetic region 1740 on the opposite side of the given magnetic region 17140 away from the magnetometer 220'. This is the case as long as the magnetometer 220 ″ is radially inside the magnetic region 1740 and the magnetic region 1740 is distributed around the axis A in a rotationally symmetric arrangement. This therefore ensures that the magnetic accessory 1714 can be identified regardless of the rotational position of the accessory around the axis A.

[0093] In reference Fig.17In the examples described, the magnetic regions 1740 may be arranged in a rotationally symmetrical arrangement, in the sense that the arrangement of the magnetic regions 1740 may have an order of rotational symmetry greater than 1. In other words, in these examples, each given magnetic region 1740 of the distribution may have a corresponding magnetic region 1740 that is identical to the given magnetic region 1740 (i.e., has the same properties, such as magnetic field strength, physical size, polarity) on the opposite side of the axis A. For example, examples of multiple magnetic regions arranged in a rotationally symmetrical arrangement around the axis A include, for example, the above reference Figure 6 The arrangements 602-616 described above, and the Figure 8 Arrangements 802 - 814 are described. Other rotationally symmetric arrangements may be used.

[0094] Note that in reference Fig.17 In the described example, depending on the precise configuration of the magnetic region 1740 and the magnetometer 220″ (within the constraint that the magnetometer 220″ is located radially inward of the rotationally symmetric distribution of the magnetic regions 1740), the component of the magnetic field in the direction parallel to the axis at the magnetometer 220″ may not change at all as the accessory 1714 rotates around the axis A, or may change only to a limited extent, such as within a certain amplitude range, as the accessory 1714 rotates around the axis A. However, in the latter case, the control module 315 can still determine which of a plurality of such magnetic accessories 1714 is attached to the main unit, regardless of the rotational position of the accessory 1714, for example by matching the measured component of the magnetic field generated by a given magnetic accessory 1714 in the direction parallel to the axis A at the magnetometer 220″ with a given one of a plurality of stored value ranges, each of which is associated with a different magnetic accessory 1714. Thus, in either case, the magnetic accessory 1714 can be identified, regardless of the rotational position of the accessory around the axis A.

[0095] Therefore, it should be understood that the above reference Figures 1 to 17 All of the examples described allow the control module to determine which of the plurality of magnetic accessories 114, 1114, 1214, 1314, 1614, 1714 is attached to the main unit of the appliance, regardless of the rotational position of the accessory relative to the main unit about the axis A. It will therefore be appreciated that an appliance may be provided comprising: a main unit to which one of the plurality of magnetic accessories may be attached at any one of a plurality of rotational positions relative to the main unit about the axis; a magnetometer; and a control module operable to determine which of the plurality of accessories is attached to the main unit based on data output by the magnetometer; and the appliance may include one or more of the following features: (i) the magnetometer is located on the axis (e.g., according to the above reference Figures 1 to 15(ii) the device comprises a plurality of magnetic attachments, wherein each magnetic attachment comprises a plurality of magnetic regions distributed around the axis in a rotationally symmetrical arrangement, and when the attachment is attached to the main unit, the magnetometer is located radially inwardly of the plurality of magnetic regions (e.g., according to the above reference Fig.17 and / or (iii) the appliance comprises a plurality of magnetic attachments, and each magnetic attachment comprises a magnetic region located on the axis when the attachment is attached to the main unit (e.g. according to the above reference Fig.16 Any one (or indeed a combination) of features (i) to (iii) allows the control module to determine which of the plurality of magnetic accessories is attached to the main unit regardless of the rotational position of the accessory about axis A relative to the main unit. This in turn may provide for robust identification of the accessory and / or flexible use of the accessory. In some examples, the appliance may include a control module that is configured to detect the magnetic attachment of the main unit according to the embodiment of the present invention. Figures 1 to 17 Features of any one or combination of the examples described.

[0096] While specific examples are described above, it should be understood that these are illustrative only and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: a main unit, one of the plurality of magnetic attachments being attachable to the main unit in any one of a plurality of rotational positions about an axis relative to the main unit; Magnetometer; and a control module operable to determine which of the plurality of accessories is attached to the main unit based on data output by the magnetometer; The device includes one or more of the following features: (i) The magnetometer is located on the axis; (ii) the apparatus comprises a plurality of magnetic attachments, each magnetic attachment comprising a plurality of magnetic regions distributed about the axis in a rotationally symmetrical arrangement, and the magnetometer is located radially inwardly of the plurality of magnetic regions when the attachment is attached to the main unit; and (iii) The appliance comprises a plurality of magnetic attachments, and each magnetic attachment comprises a magnetic region located on an axis when the attachment is attached to the main unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The appliance includes an electrical component, and the control module is operable to control the electrical component in response to the determination.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: The electrical component includes an electric motor or a heater, and the control module is operable to control a speed of the electric motor or a temperature of the heater in response to the determination.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The electrical component includes a sensor, and the control module is operable to control a setting of the sensor in response to the determination.

5. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The appliance comprises an airflow generator for inhaled airflow through the appliance, and the control module is operable to control a characteristic of the airflow in response to the determination.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein: The control module is operable to control one or more of a flow rate and a temperature of the airflow.

7. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The appliance is a hair appliance comprising a plurality of flow and heat settings, and the control module is operable to select one of the settings based on the determination.

8. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The appliance includes the plurality of magnetic accessories, and the magnetic accessories differ in that the magnetic field generated by the accessories at the magnetometer when each magnetic accessory is attached to the main unit is different.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein: The magnetic field generated by each magnetic attachment at the magnetometer has a component parallel to the axis, and this component is different for different magnetic attachments.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, wherein: The magnetic accessories each include a plurality of magnetic regions each having positive or negative polarity in the direction of the magnetometer when the magnetic accessories are attached to the main unit, and the magnetic accessories differ in arrangement of the magnetic regions having positive and negative polarities.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein: When the magnetic accessory is attached to the main unit, the different arrangements of magnetic regions include different ratios of magnetic regions having positive polarity in the direction of the magnetometer to magnetic regions having negative polarity in the direction of the magnetometer.

12. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: When the magnetic accessory is attached to the main unit, the magnetic areas are distributed around the circumference of a circle centered on the axis.

13. The apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein: The magnetic regions are provided by polarized portions of the bonded magnet.

14. The apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein The magnetometer is located on the axis, and the polarity distribution of the magnetic region is rotationally asymmetric about the axis.

15. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The magnetometer is located on the axis, and wherein, when one of a plurality of magnetic accessories is attached to the main unit, the control module is operable to additionally determine a rotational position of the magnetic accessory relative to the main unit based on data output by the magnetometer.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein The magnetic field generated by the magnetic accessory at the magnetometer when the magnetic accessory is attached to the main unit has a component perpendicular to the axis, and the control module is operable to determine the rotational position of the magnetic accessory relative to the main unit based on the angle of the perpendicular component about the axis.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15 or 16, wherein: The appliance includes an electrical component, and the control module is operable to control the electrical component based on the determined rotational position.

18. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The main unit includes a barrel having a central aperture, one of a plurality of accessories being attachable to an end of the barrel, and the magnetometer being located within the aperture.

19. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: At least one of the plurality of accessories may be rotatable relative to the main unit about the axis while being attached to the main unit.

20. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The appliance is a hair appliance.

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