A food preparation appliance has a base, a blade member rotatable in a direction of rotation, and a container with a closed bottom, an open top and a tubular sidewall together defining an interior space of the container. The top of the container is configured for releasable connection with the base, with the blade member disposed within the interior space of the container. The sidewall has a rib projecting inward of the interior space of the container and extending lengthwise along at least a portion of the sidewall from the top of the container toward the bottom of the container. The rib has, in the direction of rotation of the blade member, a peak defined as the shortest transverse dimension measured from the center of the container to the sidewall at a respective height along the portion of the sidewall having the rib, the rib being asymmetric in transverse cross-section.

An automated analyzer includes a rod-like member 12a, a driving portion 12c, and a control mechanism 30. The driving portion 12c lifts and lowers the rod-like member 12a a direction of being inserted into and removed from the container 24. The control mechanism 30 controls the driving portion 12c so that the rod-like member 12a is lifted after being lowered so that a tip portion of the rod-like member 12a reaches a first position in the liquid L, and at a time when the rod-like member 12a reaches a second position where the tip portion is not separated from the liquid, an upward motion of the rod-like member 12a is stopped for a given period of time to reduce liquid film adhering to the rod-like member.

The present invention is a method for producing a water absorbent resin which method is a method for producing surface cross-linked water absorbent resin particles, the method including the successive steps of: (a) adding a surface cross-linking agent and water to a particulate water absorbent resin in a mixer; and (b) reacting the resulting water absorbent resin mixture taken out from the mixer with the surface cross-linking agent in a reactor by heating or active energy ray irradiation, water vapor being used as part or all of the water added in the mixer. This makes it possible to provide a method for producing a water absorbent resin in which method a surface cross-linked water absorbent resin that has excellent properties can be obtained efficiently at low cost with high productivity.

A mixing blade for a mixer for concrete, mortar, powders, dry or semi-dry granulates, mixtures with a cement base or similar or comparable mixtures or mixes comprises a shank which develops along a longitudinal axis and a mixing wall connected inclined to one end of said shank, transverse to the longitudinal axis. The mixing wall comprises, on one side of the longitudinal axis, a first front mixing plate, and on an opposite side, a second front mixing plate angled backward toward the longitudinal axis with respect to the first front mixing plate, by an angle of inclination of the plate.

Attrition mills and propeller shaft assemblies therefor are described having features for enhanced installation and maintenance. Some embodiments include propellers having enhanced material processing characteristics.

A blender system includes a blender base that is selectively and operably engaged with a container. The blender base may include a housing that houses a motor operatively driving a mixing blade, and a fan. The fan may operate independent of the motor. The fan may force air through the blender base to cool the motor and other operative components of the blender base.

A portable cooler includes a cooler body formed of an insulating shell defining an interior storage section, an insulated cooler lid coupled to the cooler body, and a storage structure formed within the insulated cooler lid for storing one or more plates. The plates can be stored in a recessed portion of the insulated lid, which may include a groove or removable lip to retain the plates. A utensil storage structure is provided to store one or more utensils. Sharp utensils may include safety mechanisms to inhibit unwanted removal.

A mixing tank is disclosed for reducing ingestion across an interface. The tank may include a first zone including most of the volume of the tank; a second zone including the interface; a source of mixing energy configured to provide a first bulk energy dissipation rate in the first zone; a divider located between said first zone and said second zone inhibiting transfer of said mixing energy from said first zone to said second zone to preserve in said second zone a bulk power dissipation level less than a said first bulk power dissipation level; and a mass transport passageway between said first zone and said second zone for preserving a uniformity between the first and second zones. A method is disclosed for manufacturing a mixing tank and for retrofitting and existing mixing tank and for managing mixing to prevent air ingestion.

A device mixes bone cement and stores parent components of the bone cement. The device has a cartridge comprising an interior, that is closed on one side by a movable delivery plunger, a receptacle comprising side walls for receiving a monomer liquid container that are closed at least in some regions. The receptacle has at least one deformable closed side wall, a screen and/or a filter arranged below the receptacle so that the contents of the opened monomer liquid container flow through the screen and/or the filter. The device further has a connecting line through which the monomer liquid is to be routed into the interior of the cartridge, a hollow cylinder which is connected to the connecting line and which is connected to the receptacle by way of a fluid connection so that the hollow cylinder is arranged in a fluid line between the receptacle and the interior of the cartridge. A pump plunger is arranged in the hollow cylinder, which is axially displaceable in the hollow cylinder, and an opening device, which is movably mounted against the deformable side wall of the receptacle. The opening device extends into the hollow cylinder, wherein, by pressing the pump plunger into the hollow cylinder, the opening device is to be pressed against the deformable side wall of the receptacle so that the deformable side wall deforms such that a monomer liquid container located in the receptacle is to be opened by the pressure of the opening device.

An apparatus for mixing comprising a vessel 302 for holding a product comprising a liquid base and an ingredient, a rotor 304 for providing a first flow 306 of said product inside said vessel and a double agitator for providing a second flow 312 of said product inside said vessel. The double agitator comprises a first agitator 308 arranged to rotate in an outer section of said vessel, and a second agitator 310 arranged to rotate in an inner section of said vessel.