Abstract: A sharpening apparatus with substantially rigid sharpening wheels disposed substantially fixedly on a rotatable drive shaft. An edge of a blade inserted in a slot in the apparatus comes into contact with a sharpening surface on a sharpening wheel. A sliding block associated with that sharpening surface slidably yields to accommodate the inserted blade and applies a force on the blade towards the sharpening surface. The user may selectively adjust force on the blade to achieve more or less sharpening of the edge of the blade. The plurality of sharpening surfaces can offer different levels or degrees of sharpening.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an indicator on a household appliance to alert a user to clean the appliance. For example, the indicator alerts the user when to clean a crumb tray in a toaster.

Abstract: A system for determining the status of a food item using time-temperature data. The system includes a method comprising, sensing a number of temperatures associated with a food item, comparing data related to the sensed temperatures with predetermined temperature data, determining the status of the food item based on the comparison, and causing a predetermined action based on the status of the food item. The method may further involve inputting user information corresponding to the food item, which may include type of food, or the desired level of doneness. The system also includes an apparatus for determining the status of a food item. This apparatus may include a sensor for sensing a plurality of temperatures, a means for determining the status of the food item based on the plurality of temperatures, and an indicator for indicating the status of the food item. The determining means may include a microprocessor. The apparatus may further, include a control sensor.

Abstract: A device that heats food quickly by using more than one power level during a heating cycle, and a method of toasting including the step of heating a food item at more than one power level during a toasting cycle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a storage container for an attachment to a personal grooming tool. The container includes a housing and a cover. The housing includes a chamber configured to store the attachments. The cover is configured to fit over the housing to enclose the chamber. The cover also includes a cavity designed to support the tool.

Abstract: A combination toaster and breadbox includes an enclosure, a toaster having a heating area disposed within the enclosure, and a breadbox having a storage area also disposed within the enclosure. The combination may include a fan installed within a gap disposed between the toaster and breadbox within the enclosure that draws in cool air so as to prevent the transfer of heat from the toaster to the breadbox. The toaster may comprise a toaster oven.

Abstract: A mixer/sifter combination includes an electric, hand mixer together with a sifter attachment that is designed to be coupled to the mixer via the mixer's aperture that rotates a typical beater so that the mixer can be used to perform sifting functions. The sifter attachment includes a coupler rod that connects to the mixer, various gears that reduce the rate of rotation of a sifter beater attached to the gears and disposed within a sifter cup of the sifter attachment.

Abstract: A massaging system includes a pad comprising with multiple zones sand vibratory transducers in the pad for vibrating the zones. Each transducer includes a motor and a mass element eccentrically coupled to the motor. The massaging system also includes a microcontroller having an input interface and an output interface, a program memory coupled to the microcontroller, and input elements coupled to the input interface for signaling the microcontroller in response to operator input. A motor driver coupled to the output interface and the vibratory transducers drives the vibratory transducers in response to the operator input, while firmware stored in the memory and executed by the microcontroller selectively operates the vibratory transducers in a tapping mode and a wave mode in response to the operator input.