Anti-cavitation blender with vertical jar actuation

A food preparation appliance, comprising:

• a base unit comprising a housing including a floor portion for supporting the base unit on a surface for use and by which a drive motor is supported, the drive motor including a drive shaft that extends from the drive motor in a direction away from the floor portion;
• a jar assembly configured to releasably interface with the base unit, the jar assembly comprising a jar with a bottom portion and a driven shaft that is rotatably positioned to pass through a bearing of the bottom portion, the driven shaft having a rotatable blade at one end of the driven shaft within the jar of the jar assembly, and a drive connection at the other end of the driven shaft outside of the jar and that is complementary with an end of the drive shaft to rotationally connect and be driven by the drive shaft when the jar assembly is interfaced with the base unit;
• and
• at least one linear guide component that defines a stationary guide surface for guiding a movable component in the direction of extension of the drive shaft, the movable component operatively connected to the jar so that the driven shaft and thus the blade remain axially stationary relative to the stationary guide surface as the jar and the movable component move in the direction of the extension of the drive shaft, the bearing of the bottom portion permitting sliding movement of the driven shaft relative to the bottom portion.