A frozen confection dispensing apparatus includes a refrigeration system. A variable frequency drive is connected to the refrigeration system. A beater motor is connected to the variable frequency drive. The variable frequency drive calculates the beater motor torque and regulates the refrigeration system activation. The variable frequency drive varies a speed and/or torque of the beater motor regulating a size of ice crystals and overrun of a frozen confection product.

A frozen confection dispensing apparatus includes a refrigeration system. A variable frequency drive is connected to the refrigeration system. A beater motor is connected to the variable frequency drive. The variable frequency drive calculates the beater motor torque and regulates the refrigeration system activation. The variable frequency drive varies a speed and/or torque of the beater motor regulating a size of ice crystals and overrun of a frozen confection product.

Provided are systems and methods for reduced-noise blending systems. For example, a blending system may capture and analyze sound and/or vibration of the blending system and adjust one or more aspects of the blending system to reduce the sound and/or vibration based on the captured information to provide feedback control.

Provided are systems and methods for reduced-noise blending systems. For example, a blending system may capture and analyze sound and/or vibration of the blending system and adjust one or more aspects of the blending system to reduce the sound and/or vibration based on the captured information to provide feedback control.

Various systems, devices, and methods of selectively releasing carbon dioxide from a gas source in a carbonation system are provided. A carbonation system is one example of a treatment system to which the systems, devices, and methods described herein apply. In some embodiments, a motor of a carbonation system is configured to drive a cam in a first drive motion that moves the cam to push on a pin of a gas source. The cam pushing on the gas source's pin causes the gas source to open and thereby release gas. The motor is configured to drive the cam in a second drive motion that moves the cam back to its initial position, which removes force on the pin so that the pin can return to its initial position. The gas source thus closes such that gas cannot be released from the gas source until the cam moves again.

Various systems, devices, and methods of selectively releasing carbon dioxide from a gas source in a carbonation system are provided. A carbonation system is one example of a treatment system to which the systems, devices, and methods described herein apply. In some embodiments, a motor of a carbonation system is configured to drive a cam in a first drive motion that moves the cam to push on a pin of a gas source. The cam pushing on the gas source's pin causes the gas source to open and thereby release gas. The motor is configured to drive the cam in a second drive motion that moves the cam back to its initial position, which removes force on the pin so that the pin can return to its initial position. The gas source thus closes such that gas cannot be released from the gas source until the cam moves again.

A device for mixing or blending the contents of the device into a liquid or semi-liquid. The device includes a bottle body, a bottle lid connected to a top end of the bottle body, and a mixer located within the bottle body. The mixer may be powered by a motor or by a manual crank turned by a user.

Provided are a method for evaluating a kneading state in which a change in physical properties of a kneading material can be grasped in an internal mixer including tangential rotors, a kneader, and a kneading adjustment method capable of obtaining desired kneading characteristics. The method for evaluating a kneading state is an evaluation method in an internal mixer 1 including a pair of tangential rotors connected by a pair of gears and rotated at different speeds by driving of an electric motor, in which the gears have the numbers of teeth of different integers that are not prime to each other, and spectrum analysis is performed on the basis of a kneading parameter detected at the time of kneading by sensors 10 and 11 included in the internal mixer 1 to evaluate a change in a predetermined frequency component.

Provided are a method for evaluating a kneading state in which a change in physical properties of a kneading material can be grasped in an internal mixer including tangential rotors, a kneader, and a kneading adjustment method capable of obtaining desired kneading characteristics. The method for evaluating a kneading state is an evaluation method in an internal mixer 1 including a pair of tangential rotors connected by a pair of gears and rotated at different speeds by driving of an electric motor, in which the gears have the numbers of teeth of different integers that are not prime to each other, and spectrum analysis is performed on the basis of a kneading parameter detected at the time of kneading by sensors 10 and 11 included in the internal mixer 1 to evaluate a change in a predetermined frequency component.

Image-based verification of progress and/or results, and or detection of fault conditions, for automated operations preparing pharmaceuticals, particularly in relation to the dissolving of pharmaceutical materials contained in vials. Imaging is and image processing is used, in some examples, to follow the progress of processing which converts solid and/or concentrated material (e.g., crystallized and/or lyophilized) into fluid solutions and/or suspensions. As conditions vary, time to dilute may change; detection of fault conditions may reduce risk and/or reduce waste. In some examples, a quantity of fluid used in dissolution/dilution is itself monitored at one or more stages. Methods of assessing fluid contents of vials, including vials distributed for use in manual operations which may include obstructions to viewing such as labels.