A food preparation apparatus is presented that has fast-stop capability. It includes a base unit, a mixing container attached to the base unit, a mixing tool configured to extend into and move within the mixing container, and a motor within the base unit. The motor is configured to provide a torque to the mixing tool. A control unit within the base unit is connected to the motor. A contact sensor is connected to the control unit, and the control unit is configured to stop rotation of the motor when the contact sensor detects a touch of a human hand. In some cases, contact with the mixing tool stops the motor, and in other cases, contact with an outer surface or user interface of the base unit stops the motor.

A food mixing machine appliance is presented for mixing ingredients. The machine has a base unit that can rest on a horizontal surface, a motor positioned in the base unit, a bowl attached to the base unit, and a mixing tool positioned in the bowl. The bowl has a longitudinal axis that extends at an angle that is non-parallel relative to a gravitational direction while the base unit is resting on the horizontal surface, and the mixing tool is operably connected to the motor to receive a torque from the motor and to move within the bowl to mix contents of the bowl. The non-parallel longitudinal axis of the bowl may improve mixing quality and may allow the mixer to better mix small amounts of ingredients in the bowl.

A dough mixer includes a main unit with a motor arranged therein and a dough mixing assembly mounted thereon. The dough mixing assembly includes a dough mixing bowl, a top cover, a transmission shaft connected to the motor and is arranged in the dough mixing bowl, a dough mixing unit connected to the transmission shaft and including an upper end, and a scraper unit detachably connected to the upper end of the dough mixing unit. The scraper unit includes a first bowl wall scraper including a first blade fitted to an inner wall of the dough mixing bowl, a second bowl wall scraper including a second blade fitted to the inner wall of the dough mixing bowl, wherein the second bowl wall scraper is arranged opposite to the first bowl wall scraper, and a central scraper including a third blade matched with an outer wall of the transmission shaft.

A system for evolving and dissolving a gas with a liquid can include a vessel having at least one wall forming a cavity, where the at least one wall includes at least one first surface feature disposed on an inner surface of the at least one wall. The liquid and the gas can be disposed within the cavity. The at least one first surface feature can alter the rate at which the gas evolves from or dissolves into the liquid.

A system for evolving and dissolving a gas with a liquid can include a pressure vessel in which a liquid mixed with a gas is disposed, and a gas source coupled to the pressure vessel. The system can also include at least one regulating device that regulates a parameter within the pressure vessel. The system can further include at least one sensor that measures at least one parameter as a function of time, where the at least one parameter is associated with the gas within the pressure vessel. The system can also include a controller that controls the regulating device based on measurements of the at least one parameter taken by the at least one sensor, to evolve and dissolve the gas within the pressure vessel.

A food mixer is presented having mixing tool detection capability. The food mixer has a base unit with a tool attachment portion, a mixing bowl attached to the base unit, and a motor attached to the base unit. The motor has operational settings and is configured to apply a torque to the tool attachment portion. A mixing tool is removably attached to the tool attachment portion, and a controller unit of the mixer is configured to detect the mixing tool attached to the tool attachment portion and to automatically control the operational settings of the drive motor based on the mixing tool detected. A magnet carrier may be used to detect a magnetic portion of the mixing tool as it moves with respect to a magnetically-sensitive sensor in the base unit.

A food preparation device with a stirring mechanism is disclosed. The food preparation device includes a container having an attached handle, an aperture extending longitudinally through the handle and through a sidewall of the container, a crank shaft extending through the aperture, and having a hand crank on a first end of the crank shaft, the second end of the crank shaft extending into the container and removably connecting to a horizontal drive shaft, the horizontal drive shaft being engaged with a gear assembly that translates rotational movement from the horizontal crank shaft and drive shaft to rotational movement of a vertical agitation shaft engaged with the gear assembly. The crank shaft is removable from the horizontal drive shaft and the agitation assembly via a quick connect/disconnect mechanism. A rigid transparent lid separable from the container is also provided. An agitation assembly is also disclosed.

A counter-rotating dough making mechanism, including a drive shaft (9) that is provided with an upper dough hook assembly (1) and a lower dough hook assembly (2) is disclosed. The lower dough hook assembly (2) is preferably provided with a stir plate (3) which enhances the thorough mixing of flour during dough kneading. The upper dough hook assembly (1) and the lower dough hook assembly (2) are connected by gears (42a, 42b, 42c) so that they rotate synchronously but in the opposite direction. By the counter-rotating action of the upper dough hook assembly (1) and the lower dough hook assembly (2), the dough making process is more effective as compared to the usual single piece dough hook as used in many stand mixers. The design and construction of the disclosed counter-rotating dough making mechanism is simple, robust, and reliable, and can deliver superior performance in dough making.

A dough mixer includes a main unit with a motor arranged therein and a dough mixing assembly mounted thereon. The dough mixing assembly includes a dough mixing bowl, a top cover, a transmission shaft connected to the motor and is arranged in the dough mixing bowl, a dough mixing unit connected to the transmission shaft and including an upper end, and a scraper unit detachably connected to the upper end of the dough mixing unit. The scraper unit includes a first bowl wall scraper including a first blade fitted to an inner wall of the dough mixing bowl, a second bowl wall scraper including a second blade fitted to the inner wall of the dough mixing bowl, wherein the second bowl wall scraper is arranged opposite to the first bowl wall scraper, and a central scraper including a third blade matched with an outer wall of the transmission shaft.

The invention discloses a dough kneading machine, including a main body on which a dough kneading component is mounted; the dough kneading component comprises a dough kneading bowl with a cover, in which a dough kneading drive shaft is set passing through a mounting hole on the bottom of the bowl and connecting to the main body at the lower end; a bidirectional dough kneading hook with a center shaft is mounted on the upper end of the dough kneading drive shaft; a first dough kneading hook and a second dough kneading hook with asymmetric structure are oppositely set on the center shaft and a center scraper is connected to the bottom of the center shaft. The dough kneading machine effectively ensures the stationarity during rotation operation of food processing, and the efficiency is two times as fast as that of unidirectional dough kneading hook.