Methods and systems for conveniently producing fresh smoothies, which can be tailored to the particular nutritional requirements and desires of the individual customer. The system is typically a semi-automatic or fully automatic system and may be in the form of a vending machine for smoothies. It allows a consumer to select ingredients and other options, and provides a freshly-made smoothie in a short amount of time. The system generally includes a user input apparatus for receiving orders and customer preferences, and then makes a smoothie to order, delivers the smoothie to the customer, and cleans the blending, device.

An apparatus includes a blender lid configured to cover an opening in a blender receptacle and a lid arm coupled to the blender lid and coupled rotationally about a first horizontal axis. The lid arm is configured to rotate about the first horizontal axis to selectively position the blender lid to cover and uncover the opening in the blender receptacle. The blender arm may rotate the blender lid about the first horizontal axis to cover the opening in the blender receptacle and apply a downward force on the blender lid to seal the opening of the blender receptacle with the blender lid. The blender arm may include a horizontal rod having a longitudinal axis that corresponds to the first horizontal axis and having a first end attached to the blender lid.

An apparatus and method of cleaning a food processor including providing a food processor base that includes a rotary power driver having a rotatable shaft. A bowl is mounted on the base. A food processing blade attached to the shaft within the bowl. A cleaning accessory is placed in the bowl above the food processing blade. A cleaning fluid is introduced into the bowl, and the food processing blade with the rotatable shaft agitate the cleaning fluid in conjunction with the cleaning accessory.

An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the as collected condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (i.e. mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The sample preparation and chemical analysis sub-systems can be used to analyze soil, vegetation, and/or manure samples.

A delivery system of a colored product having a target color including an application device of the colored product, at least two reservoirs each containing a respective base product, a calculation module configured to receive the information concerning the target color and to determine a composition of the colored product from the base products contained in the reservoirs, at least one metering device in fluid communication with the reservoirs, configured to deposit on the application device a dose of each of the base products corresponding to the determined composition, a mixing device configured to mix the doses of base products deposited on the application device. Also, a method for delivering a colored product having a target color via the delivery system. Finally, the use of the system for applications requiring the delivery of a colored product having a target color.

A full-electric drive cementing control system is disclosed. The system includes: a water supply system for supplying clear water; an ash supply system for supplying dry ash; a slurry mixing system for performing a slurry mixing operation to form slurry; a plunger pump for pumping the slurry to a cementing operation object; and a control assembly for controlling, in response to a received cementing operation instruction, connection of a pipeline between an outlet of the water supply system and an inlet of the slurry mixing system and a pipeline between an outlet of the ash supply system and the inlet of the slurry mixing system, controlling, according to a preset slurry mixing parameter, the slurry mixing system to mix the clear water and the dry ash to form the slurry required for a cementing operation, and controlling, according to a preset perfusion parameter, a driving motor to drive the plunger pump to work, the cementing operation instruction carrying the preset slurry mixing parameter and the preset perfusion parameter.

An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the as collected condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (i.e. mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The sample preparation and chemical analysis sub-systems can be used to analyze soil, vegetation, and/or manure samples.

Parallel reactor systems for synthesizing materials are disclosed. The reactor systems may be suitable for synthesizing materials produced from corrosive reagents. Methods for preparing materials by use of such parallel reactor systems are also disclosed.

The invention concerns a device 51 for mixing at least two components, characterised by the fact that the mixing device 51 comprises two containers 52 and 53 each provided with: a. at least one opening 110 connected by a conduit 55 and provided with a device allowing the available volume of the containers 52 and 53 to be varied alternately, pistons 50 that are able to be moved in opposing directions, so as to transfer the content from one of the containers 52 or 53 into the other container 52 or 53 through the openings 110 and the conduit 55; and b. at least one inlet opening X allowing the at least two components to enter; said mixing device not comprising an additional outlet opening, one of the inlet openings X allowing both at least one component to enter, and the mixture of the at least two components obtained to leave. The invention also concerns a method for mixing cosmetic components using this mixing device and a device for manufacturing and dispensing a customised cosmetic composition comprising said mixing device.

A fluid handling apparatus for ejecting fluid into a tank and draining fluid from the tank comprises: a fluid duct for draining/supplying fluid from/to the tank, the fluid duct configured for fluid communication with a tank opening at a tank bottom; a fluid inlet pipe for supplying fluid to the tank, the fluid inlet pipe extending at least partly through the fluid duct and configured to extend through the tank opening into the tank; a rotary fluid ejection device in fluid communication with the fluid inlet pipe; and a rotary drive shaft extending at least partly inside the fluid inlet pipe, the rotary drive shaft being rotatably connected to the rotary fluid ejection device. Also disclosed is a fluid tank system comprising a tank and a fluid handling apparatus, and a method for mixing beer or wort with solid hops material in a tank by a fluid handling apparatus.