1. A brake controller for controlling one or more brakes and another one or more brakes of a vehicle, comprising:
a first control channel for providing brake control signals to the one or more brakes;
a second control channel for providing brake control signals to the another one or more brakes, wherein at least one of the first control channel and the second control channel is configured to act as an executive in monitoring braking efforts applied by the one or more brakes as compared to braking efforts applied by the another one or more brakes, and to modify the first andor second brake control signals so as to cause the braking efforts of the one or more brakes and the another one or more brakes to equalize.
2. A method for controlling one or more brakes and another one or more brakes of a vehicle, comprising:
providing brake control signals for the one or more brakes;
providing brake control signals for the another one or more brakes;
comparing braking efforts applied by the one or more brakes and the another one or more brakes;
and modifying the respective brake control signals so as to cause the braking efforts of the one or more brakes and the another one or more brakes to equalize.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the brake control signals are modified so as to equalize an applied braking force between the one or more brakes and the another one or more brakes.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the control channel configured to act as the executive is operative to increase the brake control signal provided to one of the one or more brakes and the another one or more brakes, and to decrease the brake control signal provided to the other of the one or more brakes and the another one or more brakes.
5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the brake control signals are modified so as to equalize a braking phase between the one or more brakes and the another one or more brakes.
6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the control channel configured to act as the executive is operative to increase or decrease a brake timing signal provided to one of the one or more brakes and the another one or more brakes relative to a brake timing signal provided to the other of the one or more brakes and the another one or more brakes.
7. The method according to claim 2, further comprising a first communication interface configured to exchange information between the first control channel and the second control channel.
8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising a second communication interface configured to exchange information between devices external to the controller and at least one of the first or second control channel.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A personal grooming apparatus, the apparatus having a substrate and a coating disposed on the substrate, the coating comprising calcium carbonate, the calcium carbonate being derived from the shell of a mollusk or from a mollusk pearl, the coating having a surface for contacting skin or hair during use of the apparatus.
2. The personal grooming apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the coating comprises conchiolin protein.
3. The personal grooming apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the conchiolin forms a matrix in which calcium carbonate is embedded.
4. The personal grooming apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the coating comprises at least about 0.001 wt % conchiolin.
5. The personal grooming apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the coating comprises nacre.
6. The personal grooming apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the coating comprises at least about 0.01 wt % calcium carbonate derived from the shell of a mollusk or from a mollusk pearl.
7. The personal grooming apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the coating comprises a component selected from one or more metal oxides, tourmaline and mixtures thereof.
8. The personal grooming apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises a base coating, the base coating being disposed between the substrate and the calcium carbonate containing coating.
9. The personal grooming apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein the base coating does not comprise calcium carbonate.
10. The personal grooming apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein the thickness of the base coating is from about 10 \u03bcm to about 30 \u03bcm and the thickness of the calcium carbonate coating is from about 5 \u03bcm to about 25 \u03bcm.
11. The personal grooming apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the average particle size of the calcium carbonate is less than about 50 \u03bcm.
12. The personal grooming apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the calcium carbonate contains both nano-scale and micro-scale particles.
13. The personal grooming apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein at least about 99% of the total nano-scale particles have a particle size of at least about 5 nm and at least about 75% of the nano-scale particles have a particle size of from about 40 nm to about 80 nm.
14. The personal grooming apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the mollusk is an oyster.
15. The personal grooming apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the apparatus is selected from the group consisting of a hair straightener, hair curler, curling iron, hot roller, a device for securing hair, shaver, clipper, friction-reducing strips or pads, brush, comb, wipe, cloth and exfoliating pads.
16. The personal grooming apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the thickness of the calcium containing coating is from about 5 \u03bcm to about 100 \u03bcm.
17. A method for manufacturing a personal care apparatus for grooming the hair or skin of an individual, the method comprising:
applying a coating composition to a substrate of the apparatus, the coating composition comprising calcium carbonate and a solvent, the calcium carbonate being derived from the shell of a mollusk or from a mollusk pearl; and
heating the coated substrate to vaporize the solvent and form a coating.
18. The method as set forth in claim 17 wherein the coating composition is applied by spraying, immersion, brushing or by a powder coating technique.
19. The method as set forth in claim 17 wherein the substrate is heated to at least about 140\xb0 C. to vaporize the solvent.
20. The method as set forth in claim 17 wherein the coating composition comprises one or more metal oxides.
21. The method as set forth in claim 17 wherein the coating composition is applied to a surface of a base coating that is disposed on the substrate.
22. The method as set forth in claim 21 wherein the base coating is applied by:
applying a base coating composition to a surface of the apparatus substrate;
heating the base-coated substrate to a temperature of at least about 140\xb0 C. to vaporize the solvent and from the base coating.
23. The method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the base coating composition does not comprise calcium carbonate.
24. The method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the base coating composition comprises a component selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, barium sulfate, chromic oxide and mixtures thereof.
25. A method for grooming the hair or skin of an individual, the method comprising contacting the hair or skin with a personal grooming apparatus, the apparatus having a substrate and a coating disposed on the substrate, the coating comprising calcium carbonate, the calcium carbonate being derived from the shell of a mollusk or from a mollusk pearl, the coating having a surface for contacting skin or hair during use of the apparatus.
26. The method as set forth in claim 25 wherein the coating comprises conchiolin protein.
27. The method as set forth in claim 25 wherein the coating comprises at least about 0.001 wt % conchiolin.
28. The method as set forth in claim 25 wherein the coating comprises at least about 0.01 wt % calcium carbonate derived from the shell of a mollusk or from a mollusk pearl.
29. The method as set forth in claim 25 wherein the apparatus comprises a base coating, the base coating being disposed between the substrate and the calcium carbonate containing coating.