A blender system includes a container having a rotatable blade assembly therein, a lid covering an open end of the container, and a base with a motorized unit. When the container is coupled with the base, the motorized unit is adapted to drive rotation of the rotatable blade assembly. The lid includes a hinged actuator lever adapted to actuate the motorized unit. A detent extends from the hinged actuator lever and passes through a series of apertures and presses against a slidable actuator shaft disposed in the container and maintained in its position by a spring force, thereby depressing a switch for the motorized unit. A rotatable blade system includes cutting blade(s) and crushing blade(s). The crushing blade extends longitudinally outwardly from a hub. When the hub rotates in a first direction or second direction opposite the first direction, a face of the crushing blade is leading or trailing, respectively.

A bench or stand mixer includes a bowl that contains ingredients, a motor that drives an accessory, for example a beater, to process the ingredients, and a sensor. The sensor provides a signal indicative of a change in the ingredients, with the sensor cooperating with a controller, for example a processor, to control the speed of the motor, in response to the change in condition of the ingredients.

A blender with a round touchscreen interface is provided to control different blending modes of operation. Exemplary implementations may: receive, by the round touchscreen that is included in a control interface of the blender, a first type of user input; make detections regarding the user input received by the control interface of the blender; effectuate a transition from a ready-to-blend mode to a first blending mode, responsive to a first detection of a first type of detections; control an electrical motor during the ready-to-blend mode such that the blender is not blending; and control an electrical motor during the first blending mode such that the blender is blending.

Example virtual tasting systems and methods are described. In one implementation, a virtual tasting system identifies multiple food products, multiple tasters, and multiple questions. The virtual tasting system then identifies a full set of quadruplets of the form: first food product, second food product, taster, question. A subset of quadruplets from the full set of quadruplets are then identified. The virtual tasting system then measures a value associated with each quadruplet from the subset of quadruplets. The virtual tasting system then outputs estimated values associated with every triplet in a full set of triplets of the form: food product, taster, question.

Example virtual tasting systems and methods are described. In one implementation, a virtual tasting system identifies multiple food products, multiple tasters, and multiple questions. The virtual tasting system then identifies a full set of quadruplets of the form: first food product, second food product, taster, question. A subset of quadruplets from the full set of quadruplets are then identified. The virtual tasting system then measures a value associated with each quadruplet from the subset of quadruplets. The virtual tasting system then outputs estimated values associated with every triplet in a full set of triplets of the form: food product, taster, question.

Knife assemblies for securing knives to slicing machines, slicing machines equipped therewith, and methods of operating knife assemblies for securing knives to and releasing knives from slicing machines. Such a knife assembly includes a knife holder having a knife support surface, a knife supported on the knife support surface, and a clamp having a base portion adjacent a trailing edge of the clamp and a knife-engaging portion adjacent a leading edge of the clamp. The knife assembly applies a clamping load to the clamp to secure the knife to the knife holder. The clamp is prevented from translating relative to the shaped knife in a leading direction of the knife assembly as the clamping load is applied and/or permits removal of the clamp by being translated in the leading direction.

Knife assemblies for securing knives to slicing machines, slicing machines equipped therewith, and methods of operating knife assemblies for securing knives to and releasing knives from slicing machines. Such a knife assembly includes a knife holder having a knife support surface, a knife supported on the knife support surface, and a clamp having a base portion adjacent a trailing edge of the clamp and a knife-engaging portion adjacent a leading edge of the clamp. The knife assembly applies a clamping load to the clamp to secure the knife to the knife holder. The clamp is prevented from translating relative to the shaped knife in a leading direction of the knife assembly as the clamping load is applied and/or permits removal of the clamp by being translated in the leading direction.

A lid (116) for a food processor, the food processor including a hollow body (102) providing an interior chamber (103) to receive product and within which the product is processed, the body (102) having a sidewall (112) with a rim portion (108) surrounding a body top opening (114), the rim portion (108) having a lip (109), the body (102) further including a spout (110) protruding from the side wall (112) adjacent the rim portion (108) and having a spout side opening (117), the lid (116) including: a main part (118) to cooperate with the lip (109) to close the body top opening (114); a top skirt (120) to extend into the interior (103) of the body (102) and sealingly interface with an inner surface of the sidewall (112) and the rim portion (108); and a cover (200) moveably attached to the main part (118) and to cooperate with the spout (110) to close the spout side opening (117); and the cover (200) having a side skirt to extend into the spout (110) and sealingly interface with an inner (240) and outer (241) surface of the spout side opening (117).

A blender system is provided that includes a first jar, and second jar, and a blender base. The blender system is operable in a first mode wherein the first jar is coupled to the blender base and the objects within the first jar are blended or processed. The blender system is also operable in a second mode wherein the first jar and the second jar are coupled to the blender base. In this configuration, the objects to be processed are contained within the second jar. Advantageously, in the second mode, the first jar acts as a sound shield by which the sound generated by the blending process is dampened, resulting in a quieter experience for the user.

An appliance includes a housing that has an operable portion. A power receptacle is in electrical communication with the operable portion and has a high-friction interface. A power source selectively engages with the power receptacle to define an installed position that selectively delivers an electrical current from the power source to a motor of the operable portion. At least one resilient member exerts a biasing force against the power source when the power source is in the installed position. The high-friction interface maintains the power source in the installed position during operation of the motor and resists vibration from the operable portion to maintain the power source in the installed position, and at least one of the power receptacle and the power source include the at least one resilient member.