A powered surgical tool that includes a housing with a head and a handle that extends from the head. An electric motor is disposed in the head. A trigger extends from the handle. There is a void space in the handle. A plate separates the motor from the handle. Internal to the handle void space there is a rotor sensor and a control circuit. The rotor sensor is able to monitor the magnetic fields emitted by the motor rotor and that pass through the plate. The control circuit receives signals from the rotor sensor representative of the rotational orientation of the rotor and is further able to monitor the actuation of the trigger. Based on the rotor orientation signals and the actuation of the trigger, the control circuit generates signals that result in the selective generation of power signals to the motor rotor.

The invention relates to a dispersion tool (4) that can be cleaned more easily. For this purpose, the dispersion rotor (8) is arranged on the dispersion tool (4) axially moveable between the working position in the shaft tube (5) and the cleaning position outside the shaft tube (5), the dispersion rotor (8), in the cleaning position, being preferably completely arranged outside the shaft tube (5) and therefore being more easily cleanable.

Provided herein are methods and devices for identifying and/or distinguishing UCA formulations and specifically activating such formulations to produce UCA suitable for in vivo use.

An apparatus for preparing a liquid preparation uses a two-part system. A first part includes a first reagent and a second part includes a second reagent. The first reagent and the second reagent react when mixed to form an active ingredient of the liquid preparation. The liquid preparation is a diluent. The apparatus includes a primary chamber for receiving a quantity of the first part, a quantity of the second part and a quantity of the diluent, a reagent inlet for admitting the first part and the second part to the primary chamber, a diluent inlet connectable to a diluent supply for admitting the diluent to the primary chamber, an outlet for releasing the liquid preparation from the primary chamber, and a flow controller to admit a pre-determined volume of diluent to the primary chamber in a pre-determined time period when the diluent inlet is connected to a diluent supply.

A system for mixing a liquid with a powder into a solution batch includes a hopper (20) into which said powder is deposited, the hopper (20) having a powder outlet (22) therein. A mix tank (60) is also provided having a liquid supply inlet (62), a recirculation inlet (64), and a solution outlet (66). A mix pump (40) that is in fluid communication with the solution outlet (66), the powder outlet (22), and the recirculation inlet (64) operates to mix and transfer the solution.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for the creation and dispensing of a custom formulation within a package at a retail point of sale. In one aspect, the invention includes an automated dispensing apparatus including at least a two-axis robot arm. In another aspect, the invention includes an automated mixer adapted to mix the dispensed custom formulation within the package.

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.

A blending method is described for preparing a blended mixture. The blending method for preparing a blended mixture, the method includes: providing a control system having at least a processor, a computer-readable memory, and a display, wherein the memory contains software configured to receive a formula defining instructions for preparing a blended mixture using one or more blending materials and amounts for producing a batch size of the blended mixture on a scale; monitoring a weight on the scale as blending materials are added to a receptacle on the scale, both individually and in total; indicating on the display the amounts of the blending materials that have been added to the scale, both individually and in total, to prepare an amount of a custom blended mixture based upon the selected blending materials; determining an end weight of the custom blended mixture after a user has used the custom blended mixture; and recalculating a needed amount of the custom blended mixture by subtracting the end weight of the custom blended mixture from the prepared amount of the custom blended mixture.

A method for designing a new product includes automatically identifying a plurality of components of stored products, wherein the plurality of components is associated with an existing component included in a design of the new product, automatically selecting a new component from among the plurality of components, wherein a relationship between the existing component and the new component optimizes a design objective for the new product, automatically adding the new component to the design for the new product, and iteratively repeating the identifying, the selecting, and the adding until a stopping criterion is met, wherein the design for the new product is complete when the stopping criterion is met.

A method for designing a new product includes automatically identifying a plurality of components of stored products, wherein the plurality of components is associated with an existing component included in a design of the new product, automatically selecting a new component from among the plurality of components, wherein a relationship between the existing component and the new component optimizes a design objective for the new product, automatically adding the new component to the design for the new product, and iteratively repeating the identifying, the selecting, and the adding until a stopping criterion is met, wherein the design for the new product is complete when the stopping criterion is met.