Disclosed is a process photometer arrangement (10) with a photometric cuvette unit (20) comprising a cuvette body (24) defining a cuvette cavity (25) and a combined sample inlet/outlet opening (34), a photometer light inlet window (60) and a photometer light outlet window (62). The cuvette body (24) is movably supported by a cuvette body support element (88) and the cuvette unit (20) is provided with a cuvette vibration device (80) for vibrating the cuvette body (24) to thereby quickly and homogenously mix a liquid sample volume (31) within the cuvette cavity (25) without any separate mixing element within the cuvette cavity. This allows a short mixing action within a microfluidic cuvette.

Disclosed is a process photometer arrangement (10) with a photometric cuvette unit (20) comprising a cuvette body (24) defining a cuvette cavity (25) and a combined sample inlet/outlet opening (34), a photometer light inlet window (60) and a photometer light outlet window (62). The cuvette body (24) is movably supported by a cuvette body support element (88) and the cuvette unit (20) is provided with a cuvette vibration device (80) for vibrating the cuvette body (24) to thereby quickly and homogenously mix a liquid sample volume (31) within the cuvette cavity (25) without any separate mixing element within the cuvette cavity. This allows a short mixing action within a microfluidic cuvette.

A system for agitating products in a retort includes a clamping assembly configured to selectively impose a first clamping force on a first end of at least one product carrier and a second opposing clamping force on a second end of the at least one product carrier, and a reciprocating assembly configured to apply linear forces on the product carriers for reciprocal movement of the product carriers along the retort.

A method of processing products in a retort includes arranging products in at least one product carrier for movement along a retort and reciprocating the at least one product carrier along the retort in a non-sinusoidal pattern of movement.

An automated pan shaker has a central longitudinal axis and a central lateral axis. The automated pan shaker includes a shaker assembly that has a carriage assembly, a clamping assembly supported by the carriage assembly and an actuation assembly. The actuation assembly further includes an actuator post connected to the carriage assembly, a first actuator assembly that includes a first actuator linkage connected to the actuator post, and a second actuator assembly that includes a second actuator linkage connected to the actuator post. Also disclosed is a method for inducing orbital movement in a bakery pan using a plurality of offset actuation assemblies.

A liquid container is configured to be fitted to the carriage of a liquid consumption device including the carriage where a head is provided and that jets, while making the carriage reciprocate, a liquid from the head so as to consume and stores the liquid to be supplied to the head. The liquid container includes: a liquid storage portion configured to store the liquid inside; an undulation reduction portion provided in the liquid storage portion and including a wall surface configured to reduce the undulation of the liquid and be directed in the direction of gravity in a fitting posture where the liquid container is fitted to the carriage; and a support portion configured to support the undulation reduction portion such that the undulation reduction portion is allowed to swing with the liquid and that the movement of the wall surface along the direction of gravity is restricted.

A vibrating device (14) ensures the ordered rearrangement of folding boxes (3) in a receptacle (2) for an evacuation conveyor (8), provided with driving elements (12) whose vertices define a horizontal transport plane (S2). The device comprises: a movable support (15) able to support a receptacle (2) loaded with folding boxes (3), the support (15) having a contact surface (51) designed to be in contact with the receptacle (2), and at least one controllable actuator (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) comprising a displaceable end connected to the support (15) and able to displace the support (15) between: a retracted position in which the contact surface (S1) is positioned beneath the horizontal transport plane (S2), allowing a contact between the receptacle (2) and the driving elements (12), and a deployed position in which the contact surface (S1) is positioned above the horizontal transport plane (S2), preventing the contact between the receptacle (2) and the driving elements (12),
the actuator (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) being likewise designed to cause the support (15) to vibrate about the deployed position in order to reorder the disposition of the folding boxes (3) contained in the receptacle (2).

An inner core assembly for a vibration mixer, comprising a motor assembly and a compression assembly located above the motor assembly, wherein the motor assembly comprises a vibration motor, a rotor shaft of the vibration motor is connected to the compression assembly by using an eccentric structure, the compression assembly comprises a stage, the stage is connected to a pressure plate mounting bracket by using a guiding shaft, the pressure plate mounting bracket is capable of sliding along the guiding shaft, the rotor shaft of the vibration motor rotates and drives, by using the eccentric structure, the compression assembly to perform reciprocating motion. Compared with the prior art, curved reciprocating motion of the stage is achieved through eccentric motion, which has lower structural costs, a lower failure rate, and a longer service life than a motor in the prior art.

A microtiter plate mixing control system is disclosed. The system includes a frame, a suspension attached to the frame, and a magnetically responsive horizontal platform supported on the frame by the suspension. A solenoid is adjacent the platform for moving the platform on the suspension. A proximity sensor is adjacent the platform for determining the position of the platform with respect to the frame. A controller is in communication with the proximity sensor and the solenoid for driving the solenoid and moving the platform in response to the proximity sensor.

An automatic fluid mixing and dispensing apparatus using a minimum of two powered actuating mechanisms to retrieve fluids from a plurality of fluid containers, mix said fluids, and dispense said fluids into a plurality of dispensed fluid containers. Fluids are stored until requested and mixed in accordance with operator input.

A blending appliance in accordance with the principals of the present invention includes a linear motor drive comprising a magnet structure secured to a reaction mass and a coil structure secured to a shaker platen, the shaker platen adapted to secure a blending cup. A third mass is secured to the reaction mass via at least one biasing member. A ground is secured to the third mass via at least one biasing member. The shaker platen is secured to the reaction mass via at least one biasing member. The magnet structure and coil structure impart a force to the reaction mass and the shaker platen, which force is driven by the biasing members and the masses of the shaker platen, the reaction mass, and the third mass into resonance, thereby maximizing payload amplitude, minimizing forces transmitted to ground, and minimizing driver amplitude. The smoothie blending cup comprising structure to generate at least two forces applied upon the smoothie ingredients, the forces selected from the group consisting of pulverizing force, shear force, rotational-kinetic energy force, radial-kinetic energy force, and combinations thereof. The smoothie blending cup and cap can be sealed with the beverage ingredients contained therein at the point of manufacture.