A system includes a dispenser, first and second feed lines, and heating zones. The dispenser dispenses a first chemical precursor and a second chemical precursor. The first feed line permits flow of the first chemical precursor from a first source to the dispenser. The second feed line permits flow of the second chemical precursor from a second source to the dispenser. The heating zones are located along the first and second feed lines. The heating zones include a first heating zone located around a first portion of the first feed line and a second heating zone located around a first portion of the second feed line. The first heating zone and the second heating zone are independently controllable to independently control temperature around the first portion of the first feed line and temperature around the first portion of the second feed line.

A system includes a dip tube, a feed line, and a check valve. The dip tube is inserted through an opening in a source of chemical precursor and into the chemical precursor in the source. A portion of the feed line is located in the dip tube. The feed line passes out of the dip tube. The chemical precursor is capable of flowing out of the source through the feed line in a downstream direction. The check valve is located in the portion of the feed line in the dip tube. The check valve permits the chemical precursor to pass substantially only in the downstream direction. The feed line is coupled to a transfer pump that draws the chemical precursor out of the source through the portion of the feed line in the dip tube.

A cooker includes: a main body; a container inside the main body; a stirring body having a blade for stirring an object to be cooked in the container and a magnet at a position facing an inner bottom part of the container; a magnetic field generator inside the main body and configured to generate a rotating magnetic field so that a rotational force of the rotating magnetic field acts on the magnet; and a controller inside the main body and configured to control the magnetic field generator so that: (i) a direction of rotation of the rotating magnetic field is switched between a forward rotation direction and a reverse rotation direction that is reverse to the forward rotation direction; and (ii) a number M of rotations in the reverse rotation direction is less than a number N of rotations in the forward rotation direction.

A beverage mixing system/method allowing faster mixing/blending of frozen beverages is disclosed. The system/method in various embodiments utilizes inductive coupling to introduce heat into the frozen beverage during the mixing/blending process via a rotating driveshaft and attached mechanical agitator to speed the mixing/blending process. Exemplary embodiments may be configured to magnetically induce heat into the driveshaft and/or mechanical agitator mixing blade to affect this mixing/blending performance improvement. This heating effect may be augmented via the use of high power LED arrays aimed into the frozen slurry to provide additional heat input. The system/method may be applied with particular advantage to the mixing of ice cream type beverages and other viscous beverage products.

A beverage mixing system/method allowing faster mixing/blending of frozen beverages is disclosed. The system/method in various embodiments utilizes inductive coupling to introduce heat into the frozen beverage during the mixing/blending process via a rotating driveshaft and attached mechanical agitator to speed the mixing/blending process. Exemplary embodiments may be configured to magnetically induce heat into the driveshaft and/or mechanical agitator mixing blade to affect this mixing/blending performance improvement. This heating effect may be augmented via the use of high power LED arrays aimed at heatsinks configured on the mechanical mixing driveshaft and/or into the frozen slurry to provide additional heat input. The system/method may be applied with particular advantage to the mixing of ice cream type beverages and other viscous beverage products.

The invention of the present disclosure is that of functional packaging systems useful for reducing the separation of solid and liquid constituents of its contents. The invention is particularly useful for preventing the undesirable separation of solid and oil phases of food products such as natural peanut butter that is manufactured without the use of undesirable additives such as hydrogenated vegetable oils, lecithin, monoglycerides, diglycerides and other substances that slow separation of the solid and oil phases from one another. In one embodiment, the invention comprises a container with a rotating base which when rotated actuates the agitation of the product contained within, as a result of the concurrent rotation of one or more axes configured with an agitator or equivalent means of stirring or mixing the contents. The invention is further provided with hermetic sealing means and the like to ensure food safety.

In accordance with presently disclosed embodiments, systems and methods for handling bulk material in a manner that reduces dust, noise, and emissions are provided. The presently disclosed techniques use portable containers to transfer bulk material from a transportation unit to a blender inlet. The containers may be carried to the location on the transportation unit, where a hoisting mechanism is used to remove the container from the transportation unit and place it in a desired location. When bulk material is needed at the blender inlet, the hoisting mechanism may position the container of bulk material onto an elevated support structure. Once on the support structure, the container may be opened to release bulk material to a gravity feed outlet, which routes the bulk material from the container directly into the blender inlet. The disclosed containerized bulk material transfer system and method allows for reduced dust, noise, and emissions on location.

A container (100) within which a food product is to be processed. The container (100) includes: a hollow body (101) providing an interior chamber (110) to receive the product and within which the product is processed, the body (101) having a rim portion (104) surrounding a body top opening (106); a removable lid (107) sealingly associated with the rim portion (104) to close the top opening (106), the lid (107) having: a base (111) sealingly associated with the rim portion (104), the base (111) having a base opening (115) providing access to the chamber (110) and a sealing surface (157) surrounding the base opening (115), a removable valve assembly (112) located in the base opening (115) and sealingly associated with the base (111) to close the base opening (115), the valve assembly (112) including: a main part (122) associated with the base (111) to removably secure the valve assembly (112) in the base opening (115), a seal (123) mounted on the main part (122) and engaging the sealing surface (157), an air opening (131) in the main part (122) providing for air flow from the chamber (110) to exterior of the container (100), a valve (132) operatively associated with the air opening (131) to close the air opening (131) to at least inhibit air flow from exterior of the container (100) to said chamber (110) but permit air flow from the chamber (110) to the exterior, and wherein a cavity (156) is provided between the base (111) and main part (122), leading to said seal (123), with the cavity (156) including a first cavity portion (151) and a second cavity portion (153), with the first cavity portion (151) being configured relative to the second cavity portion (153) to at least partly dissipate kinetic energy of liquid being propelled from the interior (110) into the cavity (156).

The present invention is directed generally to the field carbonated beverage dispensing systems having a replaceable carbon dioxide storage cylinder. Such systems may be embodied in the form of a unitary apparatus including, but not exclusively, on-bench, under-bench or freestanding beverage cooling units. The invention may be embodied in the form of a beverage dispensing unit having a gas input connector configured to make gas tight connection to a gas container configured to hold a gas under pressure and a mass detection device. The gas input connector and mass detection device are arranged such that when a gas container is connected to the gas input connector, the mass detection device is capable of detecting a mass associated with the gas container. The unit may further have a gas container support extending from or about the mass detection device configured to maintain a gas container connected to the gas input connector in a position such that it bears on the mass detection device so as to allow the mass detection device to measure the mass of the gas container and any gas contained therein. Computer-implemented methods for monitoring the level of gas are also provided.

Cleaning device to clean fluid product delivery elements (53), comprising a washing receptacle (11) provided with walls (12, 13) that define a container configured to be receive a washing fluid (100), and movement means (22, 25) configured to move the washing receptacle (11) between a cleaning position (C), in which the washing receptacle (11) is disposed in proximity to the delivery elements (53) to be cleaned in a position such that the delivery elements (53) are at least partly immersed in the washing fluid (100), and an inactive position (R), in which the washing receptacle (11) is distanced from the delivery elements (53).