An ice processing system may include a plurality of electrodes configured to create a time-varying electromagnetic field in a cavity, and a controller configured to oscillate a density of the electromagnetic field at a frequency which depends on the temperature of an object in the cavity. The frequency is selected based on a temperature of the object to establish and maintain a resonance condition of dipoles in ice crystals present in the object, such that the electromagnetic field tends to selectively heat ice substantially without heating liquid-phase water.

A refrigerator includes a cabinet in which a storage chamber is formed, a cooler configured to cool the storage chamber, a heater configured to heat the storage chamber, a temperature sensor configured to sense a storage chamber temperature, and a controller configured to control the cooler and the heater, in which the controller selectively performs a plurality of modes, the plurality of modes include a cooling mode in which the cooler is operated or stopped, a heating mode in which the heater is operated or stopped, and a standby mode in which the cooler and the heater are stopped, and the plurality of modes are performed in the order of the cooling mode, the standby mode, and heating mode, or are performed in the order of the heating mode, the standby mode, and the cooling mode.

A refrigerating device having a refrigerating chamber, which is defined by side walls, an upper wall and a lower wall and a front opening. The refrigerating device further comprises a door which is configured to allow sealing of the front opening and to allow accessing the refrigerating chamber via the front opening, an input panel comprising a display, an input knob and a processing unit. The display depicts a plurality of items which correspond to a plurality of executable input methods to be triggered by a user via actuation of the input knob.

Apparatus are provided for preventing the formation of ice crystals in a biological sample containing a non-Newtonian fluid as a cryopreservation medium. The apparatus may be used to prevent ice formation during cryopreservation of biological samples, or during warming of cryopreserved biological samples, by changing the viscosity of the non-Newtonian fluid. The apparatus (200) comprises a housing (202) for a container (212) containing the biological sample (214) and the non-Newtonian fluid, and a device (204) for inducing a change in viscosity of the cryopreservation medium. The change in viscosity may be increased by inducing shear thickening of the cryopreservation medium, or the change in viscosity may be decreased by inducing shear thinning of the cryopreservation medium. Possible viscosity-changing devices comprise a tapping device, a piston, a rotating device, a compression device, a sound generating device, a permanent magnet or a electromagnetic field generating device. The apparatus may further include a temperature control device.

Apparatus are provided for preventing the formation of ice crystals in a biological sample containing a non-Newtonian fluid as a cryopreservation medium. The apparatus may be used to prevent ice formation during cryopreservation of biological samples, or during warming of cryopreserved biological samples, by changing the viscosity of the non-Newtonian fluid. The apparatus (200) comprises a housing (202) for a container (212) containing the biological sample (214) and the non-Newtonian fluid, and a device (204) for inducing a change in viscosity of the cryopreservation medium. The change in viscosity may be increased by inducing shear thickening of the cryopreservation medium, or the change in viscosity may be decreased by inducing shear thinning of the cryopreservation medium. Possible viscosity-changing devices comprise a tapping device, a piston, a rotating device, a compression device, a sound generating device, a permanent magnet or a electromagnetic field generating device. The apparatus may further include a temperature control device.

An airtight device includes a container and an airtight cover on the container, and the airtight cover includes a fixing bracket, a door, and a pressuring handle. The fixing bracket has a through hole and a guiding slot, and the through hole communicates with internal space of the container. The guiding slot has adjacent first and second top surfaces, and the second top surface is higher than the first top surface. The door selectively covers the through hole. The pressuring handle pivoted on the door has a first section, a second section, and a rotating axis between the first and second sections, and the first section rotates relative to the second section. The second section receives a force to drive the first section to move from below the second top surface to below the first top surface such that the rotating axis pressures the door.

A heated and chilled water dispenser comprising: a housing; an input port fast with the housing for connection to a mains pressure water supply; at least one chilled water container arranged to receive water from the input port; a water chilling assembly arranged to cool said at least one chilled water container; at least one hot water tank including a heating element and a water receiving arrangement to receive water from the input port, the water receiving arrangement including an inlet valve responsive to water level; an inlet plenum associated with the inlet valve, the plenum being coupled with the input port to receive water, the plenum further comprising a fill pipe coupled to the hot water tank for supplying water to the hot water tank; a thermostat coupled to said at least one hot water tank for controlling the heating element and thus temperature of water within the hot water tank; a two way outlet tap configured for dispensing hot water from the hot water supply or chilled water from the chilled water container in accordance with a user's selection; a liquid delivery device coupled to said at least one hot water tank for supplying hot water from the hot water tank, said device being arranged to be actuated by the outlet tap.

A beverage dispenser for dispensing beverage from one or more beverage units. Each of the beverage units includes a respective beverage unit outlet, and a respective support structure supporting beverage and orienting the respective beverage unit outlet. The dispenser includes a refrigerator in which the beverage unit(s) are receivable; a respective inlet, within the refrigerator, for each of the beverage units; at least one a dispensing outlet for dispensing beverage into drinking vessels; one or more fluid paths from the inlet(s) to the dispensing outlet(s); a guide arrangement co-operable with the support structure(s) to guide the beverage unit(s) so that each respective beverage unit outlet co-operates with its respective inlet to form a respective dry break connection through which beverage is conveyable on route to the dispensing outlet(s) via the fluid path(s).

A flexible pouch is placed in a stack provided with two plates forming a protecting body to sandwich and constrain the flexible pouch. At opposite margin portions, the protecting body has slots cooperating with positioning members of an outer shell device belonging to the stack. Between the shell parts, the plates can move during filling of the pouch and the margin portions shrink inwardly in a protecting body plane. Some of the positioning members act as stoppers, in order to have lower clearance range for shrink strokes of the protecting body in a middle part thereof, as compared to a higher clearance range at respective longitudinal end parts of the two opposite margin portions. A higher constraining effect can be obtained in a center of the pouch, to limit maximum thickness of its content, which is of interest for managing freeze/thaw operations of biopharmaceutical materials contained in the pouch.

Beverage coolers for storing and cooling bottled beverages. A beverage cooler may include a cooling chamber cooled by a refrigeration system, and openings in the cooling chamber for receiving bottled beverages to be chilled. The openings may have doors and/or seals to minimize heat exchange between the cooling chamber and the environment with or without bottles disposed in the openings. Each of the openings may have a visual indicator, such as a plurality of LEDs, configured to indicate the temperature of the bottle disposed in the opening.