Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.

A powdery material mixing degree measurement device includes a discharger configured to discharge mixed powdery materials to a filler configured to fill, with the powdery materials, a vertically penetrating die bore of a compression-molding machine including a table including the die bore, a slidable lower punch including an upper end inserted to the die bore, and a slidable upper punch including a lower end inserted to the die bore, a plurality of movable portions configured to move the mixed powdery materials to the discharger, and a sensor configured to measure a mixing degree of the mixed powdery materials in the movable portions.

A food preparation appliance has a base, a blade member rotatable in a direction of rotation, and a container with a closed bottom, an open top and a tubular sidewall together defining an interior space of the container. The top of the container is configured for releasable connection with the base, with the blade member disposed within the interior space of the container. The sidewall has a rib projecting inward of the interior space of the container and extending lengthwise along at least a portion of the sidewall from the top of the container toward the bottom of the container. The rib has, in the direction of rotation of the blade member, a peak defined as the shortest transverse dimension measured from the center of the container to the sidewall at a respective height along the portion of the sidewall having the rib, the rib being asymmetric in transverse cross-section.

Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.

A hydrator includes a dry module with a vertically oriented tube having a central axis, an interior, an upper inlet aperture, a lower outlet, and an inlet section including a dry inlet. A mixing segment includes a vertically oriented tube having an interior wall, a mixing-segment inlet at an upper end, and a mixing-segment outlet at a lower end. The mixing segment is vertically aligned with and sealingly connected to the outlet of the dry module. A rotating hydrator shaft has a liquid channel and a longitudinal axis aligned with the central axis of the dry module. Dry blades are disposed on and rotate with the hydrator shaft in the mixing segment. A hydrator nozzle is disposed on and rotates with the hydrator shaft and has a plurality of outlets in fluid communication with the liquid channel and open to the mixing segment for discharging liquid from the liquid channel.

An apparatus (100) for mixing a liquid (160) containing particulates (106, 108) comprising: a vessel (102) for containing the liquid (160) that includes a sidewall (120) and a bottom (124); and an impeller (300) rotating about a substantially vertical axis (X-X), said impeller (104): adapted for submerging below the liquid surface (162) by a distance that is approximately one-tenth to one-half of the height of the liquid (129); and include at least two annually spaced apart blades (310) extending radially outwardly of the vertical axis (X-X), the blades (310) comprising back-swept blades that are pitched substantially parallel to the vertical axis (X-X), at least 50% of the length of each blade (310) comprising an angled section (312) extending through a chord angle of 20 to 60 degrees; to produce (a) an inner, upward flow region (164) located along said vertical axis (X-X), (b) a transition flow region (166) located around the impeller (300) in which liquid moves radially outwardly toward the vessel sidewall (120), and (c) an outer, downward flow region (168) located along the sidewall (120).

The present invention relates to a mixing device (1), especially for mixing solids in a mixing vessel (2), comprising a stirring element (4) having at least two helical stirrer blades (7, 8) connected to a motor-driven shaft (5), wherein the stirrer blades (7, 8) have a first portion (10), a second portion (11) and a third portion (12), every one of these portions (10, 11, 12) has a constant gradient (m1, m2, m3) of one steepness or a gradient (m1, m2, m3) which is different from the constant gradient and has a curvature, and at least one of the constant gradients (m1, m2, m3) has a steepness different from the at least one other constant gradient (m1, m2, m3), or one of the different gradients (m1, m2, m3) has a curvature that is different from the at least one other different gradient (m1, m2, m3).

The disclosure discloses a bevel planetary gear mechanism applied to a stand mixer, including a center bevel gear (2), a first bevel planetary gear (10), a second bevel planetary gear (3), a third bevel planetary gear (4), an internal bevel gear (5) and a bevel planetary gear bracket (11), wherein, the center bevel gear (2) is mounted on a spindle (1); the first bevel planetary gear (10), the second bevel planetary gear (3) and the third bevel planetary gear (4) are all engaged with the center bevel gear (2); the internal bevel gear (5) surrounds the first bevel planetary gear (10), the second bevel planetary gear (3) and the third bevel planetary gear (4) and are engaged with such three gears. By using the bevel planetary gear mechanism provided by the disclosure, the stand mixer has a pitched kneading hook, thereby improving the kneading effect of the stand mixer.

The invention relates to an agitating device (1) comprising a stirring shaft (2) that is vertically positionable in a use configuration, a stirring element comprising a circular ring portion (7) partially surrounding the agitating shaft (2), this ring portion, in the use configuration of the shaft (2), being disposed in a plane that is inclined with respect to the shaft (2) and develops around the shaft (2) from the lower end (8) thereof in the direction of the upper end (9) thereof, following an ascending slope, this ring portion (7) being hollow and provided with openings (11) for communicating with the outside and means (4) for connecting the stirring element and the shaft (2). These connecting means (4) comprise at least one arm (12) that is radial to the agitating shaft (2) and connects the lower end (5) of the agitating shaft (2) and the lower end (8) of the stirring element, and extends at least partially in a plane perpendicular to the agitating shaft (2).

Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.