Disclosed is an apparatus and method for providing asymmetric oscillations to a container. The container may include a fluid, a particle, and/or a gas. A vibration driver attached to the container provides asymmetric oscillations. A controller connected to the vibration driver controls an amplitude, frequency, and shape of the asymmetric oscillations. An amplifier amplifies the asymmetric oscillations in response to the controller. A sensor disposed on the vibration driver provides feedback to the controller.

A mixing machine includes a mixing head and at least one connection means for connecting a mixing container containing material to be mixed to said mixing head for forming a closed mixing container. The mixing head, as part of a pivotable assembly, is pivotably mounted with respect to a frame such that the closed mixing container formed from the mixing head and the mixing container can be pivoted relative to the frame for performing the mixing process. The mixing head carries at least one rotationally-driven mixing tool. The mixing head comprises a head plate having a connecting flange molded thereon which is configured as an annular disc and comprises a planar contact surface. The contact surface of said connecting flange has a radial extension such that mixing containers with different connection diameters on their mixing head connection side can be connected to said mixing head. The at least one connection means is configured for gripping mixing containers which differ in the diameter of their connection sides.

A pronged clamp apparatus for attaching a soda bottle to a home use carbonation machine, the apparatus includes a pronged clamp to receive the bottle, at a non-upright position prior to carbonation, the bottle having a neck ring, to attach the bottle to the carbonation machine when a user moves said bottle towards an upright position; a locking mechanism to lock the bottle to the carbonation machine via the neck ring in the upright position during carbonation; and an interlock operative within the locking mechanism utilizing the downward movement of the bottle under pressure to prevent the unlocking of the locking mechanism when there is excess pressure in the bottle.

A seal system (1) for use in mixing apparatus (2) comprising a rotating shaft (3) which passes through a fixed structure (4), the seal system (1) being adapted both to prevent egress of content from the apparatus, and to resist ingress of material into the seal system.

A system for allowing gas to flow into a liquid, the system comprising: a container having a bottom wherein the bottom comprises a gas inlet; a lid configured to cover the container; a gas providing mechanism configured to allow flow of the gas through the gas inlet into the liquid when contained in the container, and a locking mechanism configured to ensure flow of gas into the liquid only when the container is properly covered by the lid. Additional embodiments of the system are disclosed herein.

A blending machine, for homogenizing materials deposited within an intermediate bulk container (IBC), includes: a frame; a drive motor; a clamp disk rotatably supported by the frame and coupled to the drive motor to drive disk rotation; first and second jaw clamps movably mounted to the frame; and a drive mechanism to drive the jaw clamps to translate toward each other and rotatably secure the IBC's boom to the rotatable clamp disk. A clutch, a torque limiter, and a limit switch limit the pressure applied by the clamps, and the extent of their travel to optimize clamping and rotatabilty. The blending machine is moveably mounted to a pedestal and elevated by an actuator. A blending bar within the IBC is coupled through the boom to the clamp disk, and driven to rotate to blend the materials, in addition to mixing by rotation of the ICB.

A carbonation machine that includes a receiving device for receiving a bottle, the receiving device has a fastening device which has an iris device, which has an opening configured to have a variable size, the receiving device is transferable from a bottle-receiving state, which is configured for receiving the bottle, into an attachment state, in which the bottle is attached to the receiving device, and as the receiving device is transferred from the bottle-receiving state into the attachment state, a size of the opening of the iris device decreases, and in the bottle-receiving state, the bottle is arranged in a non-vertical receiving position on the receiving device; and in the attachment state, the bottle is arranged in a preparation position, and as the receiving device is transferred from the bottle-receiving state into the attachment state, the bottle is tilted from the non-vertical receiving position into the preparation position.

The techniques described herein provide, in one embodiment, a rapid-agitation mixer for food products that comprises a product holder configured to hold a sealed product cup containing a food product to be mixed, and a drive shaft along an agitation axis, the drive shaft configured to secure the product holder and product cup in place. The illustrative mixer also comprises a drive motor configured to reciprocate the drive shaft in opposing directions, where the product holder correspondingly reciprocates the product cup to churn the food product within the product cup.

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for providing asymmetric oscillations to a container. The container may include a fluid, a particle, and/or a gas. A vibration driver attached to the container provides asymmetric oscillations. A controller connected to the vibration driver controls an amplitude, frequency, and shape of the asymmetric oscillations. An amplifier amplifies the asymmetric oscillations in response to the controller. A sensor disposed on the vibration driver provides feedback to the controller.

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for providing asymmetric oscillations to a container. The container may include a fluid, a particle, and/or a gas. A vibration driver attached to the container provides asymmetric oscillations. A controller connected to the vibration driver controls an amplitude, frequency, and shape of the asymmetric oscillations. An amplifier amplifies the asymmetric oscillations in response to the controller. A sensor disposed on the vibration driver provides feedback to the controller.