An article including either a frame having an interior cavity, and a flexible liner situated within the interior cavity; or a deformable frame having an interior cavity. Either frame can receive a sample, such as liquid having suspended live cells, and cooling freezes the sample to a solid sample. The solid sample can be readily ejected from the article having either a frame with the flexible liner, or the deformable frame, without extensive thawing. The solid sample can be rapidly displaced from the article.

A dosing dispenser for a flowable composition includes a housing, a traveler, a plunger, and a driver. The housing defines a chamber, and the plunger is movable within the chamber. The traveler is at least partially within the chamber and configured to selectively position the plunger. The driver is at least partially within the chamber and configured to movably position the traveler relative to the driver. The driver is engaged with the traveler within the chamber.

A refillable repetitively reusable dispensing apparatus including a dispenser housing having a sidewall, a base and an open top end. A removable cap is placed on the open top end. The cap has a plurality of apertures located therein. The side wall has an aperture located therethrough. There is a movable dispenser base located within the housing, wherein the movable dispenser base creates a seal with the sidewall. A screw rod having a knob attached, wherein when the knob is turned the screw rod is rotated. The screw rod and the knob are rotatably attached within the dispenser housing such that the knob protrudes through the aperture. A scissor lift is attached to the screw rod at one pair of ends. The scissor lift is attached to the movable dispenser base at the second pair of ends.

Methods and apparatus for automatically preparing food for consumption in which preparation comprises dispensing, manipulation, heating, and other operations using a wide variety of ingredients. The methods and apparatus described use ingredients efficiently and maintain their quality, while avoiding contact between ingredients and apparatus to minimize the risk of system contamination.

A portioning machine for providing a custom cosmetic includes a mixer having a mixing chamber and also accommodates a plurality of dispensers having outlets that are directly coupled to the mixing chamber. In one embodiment, the portioning machine includes a plurality of slots, where each slot is configured to receive an assembly having at least one dispenser. In another embodiment, the portioning machine includes a slot configured to receive an assembly having a plurality of dispensers. Each dispenser is associated with an actuator, and the portioning machine includes a portioning processor configured to control the actuators to dispense additives from selected dispensers into the mixing chamber in accordance with a target set of additive ratios to produce the custom cosmetic.

A food storage and dispensing device includes a food holder configured to contain a sliceable item of food on the support surface and between the side walls. The food holder has a dispensing opening located at the first end. The device further includes a lid moveably mounted over the food holder so as to have an open position and a closed position and an end cap, having an upper edge coupled to the lid at a location proximate to the first end. The end cap is oriented to cover the dispensing opening when the lid is in the closed position and has a lower edge opposite the upper edge, the lower edge configured to slice the sliceable item of food when the lid is moved from the open position to the closed position.

A dosing dispenser for a flowable composition includes a housing, a traveler, a plunger, and a driver. The housing defines a chamber, and the plunger is movable within the chamber. The traveler is at least partially within the chamber and configured to selectively position the plunger. The driver is at least partially within the chamber and configured to movably position the traveler relative to the driver. The driver is engaged with the traveler within the chamber.

A tool, container and method for extracting a liquid; the tool for extracting a liquid comprises: a pressure-changing means, a liquid-reservoir space, a liquid-drawing channel and an outflow channel; the pressure-changing means comprises a cylinder and a piston capable of moving back and forth in the cylinder; the back-and-forth movement of the piston causes positive and negative pressure changes in the cylinder; a start end of the liquid-reservoir space is in communication with the inside of the cylinder; a temporary liquid-storage groove or an opening is provided on a wall of the cylinder at a horizontal position below a port of the start end of the liquid-reservoir space; the volume of the maximum sealing portion of the cylinder is greater than the volume of the liquid-reservoir space; the liquid-drawing channel communicates with the liquid-reservoir space; the outflow channel communicates with a tail end of the liquid-reservoir space.

A dosing dispenser for a flowable composition includes a housing, a traveler, a plunger, and a driver. The housing defines a chamber, and the plunger is movable within the chamber. The traveler is at least partially within the chamber and configured to selectively position the plunger. The driver is at least partially within the chamber and configured to movably position the traveler relative to the driver. The driver is engaged with the traveler within the chamber.

Systems and methods for a container for decreasing the thawing time for a liquid, gel or other fluid material is described herein. The systems can include a container with a body. The body can include a cavity with a dispensing nozzle and a plunger disposed within the cavity. The body can further include one or more channels separate from the cavity. The channel(s) increases the rate of heat transfer associated with the container and, thus, increases the cooling or heating rate of the material within the container.