A hand-held blender includes a housing and a body. The body is disposed in the housing, and the body comprises a microprocessor, a pressure sensor, a pressure button, a driving device, a coupling, a stirring rod, a power switch and a safety protection device; the coupling is connected with the stirring rod and driving device, respectively; the microprocessor is connected with the driving device. The safety protection device includes a safety switch and a security processing chip; the security processing chip is connected with the safety switch and the microprocessor, respectively; the microprocessor unlocks or locks the whole circuit of the hand-held blender only after receiving the signal of unlocking or locking from the security processing chip; the pressure sensor is connected with the pressure button and the microprocessor, respectively; the microprocessor controls the voltage provided to the driving device in accordance with the pressure applied on the pressure button.

An interlocking method and blending apparatus is provided which includes a base, container, and lid. The apparatus comprises light emitters, light sensors, and light reflectors. Light is emitted by the light emitters from the base, through the container, and toward the lid. Light reflectors in the lid reflect the light back through the container and toward the base. The light sensors detect the reflected light and can be used to control operation of the blender and illumination of the container. Light may be in the visible spectrum, or sub-visible spectrum. The light emitters and light sensors may be at the base and/or the bottom of the container.

A nitrous oxide gas mixer includes at least one mixing chamber having at least one nitrous oxide gas connection and at least one oxygen gas connection for introduction of oxygen gas and nitrous oxide gas and at least one flow rate controller, by which a volume flow of the two gases can be respectively adjusted separately and/or together.

At least one O.sub.2 emergency button is mounted to the mixing chamber for emergency flooding the mixing chamber with oxygen gas and/or with ambient air.

An electrically operated kitchen appliance includes a mixing container, an electric-motor operated mixer in the mixing container, and a lid for the mixing container, wherein the lid preferably can be locked by an electric motor. A combination of at least the following features is proposed: the electric motor (19) producing the locking has an output power of 1 to 10 watts; the electric motor acts on a locking part via a reduction gear train having a reduction greater than 50:1; the electric motor is a direct-current motor. A kitchen appliance of the type in question may furthermore have a first electric motor for locking the lid and a second electric motor for driving the mixer. The kitchen appliance may be designed in such a way that, when a rotational speed of the mixer is preselected, the first electric motor first performs the lid locking independently and the second electric motor is released to drive the mixer thereafter.

A vacuum blender having the ability to reduce oxidation of ingredients for a more nutrient-rich product. The blender includes a container for holding ingredients to be blended, the container being open at a top end and having blender blades at a lower end, a lid for covering the open end of the container, and a base having a motor contained therein for driving the blender blades, an interface for coupling with the blender blades of the container, a vacuum system for effecting a vacuum to the container and electronic controls for operating the motor and vacuum system. The vacuum system is configured to couple with the lid to draw a vacuum from the top of the container when activated.

A food preparation apparatus is presented that has fast-stop capability. It includes a base unit, a mixing container attached to the base unit, a mixing tool configured to extend into and move within the mixing container, and a motor within the base unit. The motor is configured to provide a torque to the mixing tool. A control unit within the base unit is connected to the motor. A contact sensor is connected to the control unit, and the control unit is configured to stop rotation of the motor when the contact sensor detects a touch of a human hand. In some cases, contact with the mixing tool stops the motor, and in other cases, contact with an outer surface or user interface of the base unit stops the motor.

A stirring device for wastewater includes a drive device having a drive shaft extending vertically in the assembled state, a stirring body mounted on the drive shaft, a safety bearing in which a free end of the drive shaft is rotatably held, a slide sleeve is mounted on the free end of the drive shaft, and a device for detecting a state of wear of the slide sleeve. The device for detecting the state of wear includes a sensor mounted on the safety bearing and an evaluation device for evaluating the signals delivered by the sensor.

The present invention utilizes a high-speed intensive mixer in fluidizing type solid phase neutralization reactor to blend solid state alkali hydroxide with any humic acid sources. The final product is a dry humic acid salt. The purpose of this innovative method is to eliminate a series of complicated unit operations commonly employed by the traditional process. These removed steps may include dissolving caustic soda, mixing in a paste like formation, extrusion, granulation, drying, and grinding, etc. The new invention contributes to a simplified flowsheet, resulting in sharply reduced equipment investment, the required plant space, and labor and energy costs. All these factors coupled with increased productivity will drastically lower the overall production cost. Also the reduction of dust pollution will greatly minimize the impact in environmental protection and safety issues.

Some variations provide a system for producing a functionalized powder, comprising: an agitated pressure vessel; first particles and second particles contained within the agitated pressure vessel; a fluid contained within the agitated pressure vessel; an exhaust line for releasing the fluid from the agitated pressure vessel; and a means for recovering a functionalized powder containing the second particles disposed onto surfaces of the first particles. A preferred fluid is carbon dioxide in liquefied or supercritical form. The carbon dioxide may be initially loaded into the pressure vessel as solid carbon dioxide. The pressure vessel may be batch or continuous and is operated under reaction conditions to functionalize the first particles with the second particles, thereby producing a functionalized powder, such as nanofunctionalized metal particles in which nanoparticles act as grain refiners for a component ultimately produced from the nanofunctionalized metal particles. Methods for making the functionalized powder are also disclosed.

A flexible package for storing and transporting bulk goods. Such flexible package can have material-impermeable connections for spreading out sections of the flexible package wall so as to correspond to a predefined shape. One or more docking connections for filling and discharging can be included. The flexible package can have a square bottom and adjacent to the sides thereof triangular stubs as lateral walls. Together, such lateral walls can form an upwardly open pyramid shape. Opposite the bottom, a coupling element can be connected in such a manner that it presents the flexible package so as to be sealable in a standardized manner on open-sided ends of the lateral walls.