The present invention pertains in general to an apparatus and method for the drying and activating of infusing material, and the infusing, agitation and dispensation of oils in a controlled manner to produce a desired potency of an infusion while remaining below an identified maximum temperature threshold.

A beverage mixing system/method allowing faster mixing/blending of frozen beverages is disclosed. The system/method in various embodiments utilizes inductive coupling to introduce heat into the frozen beverage during the mixing/blending process via a rotating driveshaft and attached mechanical agitator to speed the mixing/blending process. Exemplary embodiments may be configured to magnetically induce heat into the driveshaft and/or mechanical agitator mixing blade to affect this mixing/blending performance improvement. This heating effect may be augmented via the use of high power LED arrays aimed into the frozen slurry to provide additional heat input. The system/method may be applied with particular advantage to the mixing of ice cream type beverages and other viscous beverage products.

The present invention describes methods, systems, and appliances that allow a user to prepare a wide array of different types of customizable beverages using various combinations of base liquids and ingredients. These methods, systems and appliances allow users to design and prepare various types of beverages, both carbonated and non-carbonated, that incorporate various ingredients. These methods, systems, and appliances allow for such beverages to be prepared at varying pressures and temperatures, allowing users to custom-design individual servings of beverages such as beers, wines, ciders, and spirits.

A screw machine includes an inductive heating device for the processing of material to be processed. The inductive heating device is used to heat the material in a heating zone. In the heating zone, at least one housing portion is made of an electromagnetically transparent material at least partly, the material being non-magnetic and electrically non-conductive, whereas at least one treatment element shaft is made of an electrically conductive material at least partly. During the processing of the material, the inductive heating device generates an alternating magnetic field that produces eddy current losses in the at least one treatment element shaft, the eddy current losses leading to a temperature increase of the at least one treatment element shaft. The material is heated on the at least one heated treatment element shaft, in particular until it melts. The screw machine allows a simple and efficient melting of the material, with the result that a mechanical energy input and a resulting wear of the screw machine can be reduced significantly.

Some variations provide a system for producing a functionalized powder, comprising: an agitated pressure vessel; first particles and second particles contained within the agitated pressure vessel; a fluid contained within the agitated pressure vessel; an exhaust line for releasing the fluid from the agitated pressure vessel; and a means for recovering a functionalized powder containing the second particles disposed onto surfaces of the first particles. A preferred fluid is carbon dioxide in liquefied or supercritical form. The carbon dioxide may be initially loaded into the pressure vessel as solid carbon dioxide. The pressure vessel may be batch or continuous and is operated under reaction conditions to functionalize the first particles with the second particles, thereby producing a functionalized powder, such as nanofunctionalized metal particles in which nanoparticles act as grain refiners for a component ultimately produced from the nanofunctionalized metal particles. Methods for making the functionalized powder are also disclosed.

Provided are an ultra fine bubble production apparatus and production method capable of collecting ultra fine bubbles efficiently. To this end, a cooler unit is controlled so that a temperature of a liquid in a collector unit can be lower than a temperature of a liquid containing ultra fine bubbles generated in an ultra fine bubble generation unit.

A helical mixer for a blood analyzer is disclosed. The blood analyzer comprises an inlet configured to receive a blood sample and a reagent. The blood analyzer comprises an outlet configured to output a mixture of the blood sample and the reagent. The blood analyzer comprises a helical flow path extending between the inlet and the outlet. The helical mixer is configured to mix the blood sample with the reagent.

A blood analyzer for analyzing multiple blood parameters is disclosed. The blood analyzer comprises an inlet module configured to receive an initial blood sample, a blood gas sensor device in fluid communication with the inlet module, the blood gas sensor device configured to receive a first blood sample of the initial blood sample and conduct a blood gas analysis on the first blood sample to determine a blood gas analysis parameter, a blood count sensor device in fluid communication with the inlet module, the blood count sensor device configured to receive a second blood sample of the initial blood sample and determine a blood count parameter, and an output configured to provide the blood gas analysis parameter and the blood count parameter.

A longitudinal sealer includes a housing, an arm, and a heating element. The housing is configured to be installed in a foam-in-bag system. The arm is movably coupled to the housing. The heating element has a leading edge exposed through an exterior surface of the arm. A position of the arm with respect to the housing is controllable so that the arm is movable between a first location where the leading edge of the heating element is not in contact with a film in a film path of the foam-in-bag system and a second location where the leading edge of the heating element is in contact with the film in the film path of the foam-in-bag system.

A method for extracting cannabis essential oils. A housing is provided for containing trichome bearing material from a cannabis plant, the housing having a sealable opening. A rotatable impeller is disposed in the housing. A container is connected to the housing for collecting essential oils. The process for extracting cannabis essential oils includes the steps of introducing trichome bearing material from the cannabis plant into the housing, introducing water into the housing via an opening therein, and agitating the water and the trichome bearing material to separate and extract essential oils therefrom.