Device for preparing a frozen food product from a liquid mixture

A device for preparing a frozen food product from a liquid mixture, the device comprising:

• a cup holder comprising a cavity configured for releasably receiving a cup in which the frozen food product is to be prepared from the liquid mixture;
• a cooling unit configured for cooling the cavity of the cup holder;
• and
• a stirring unit, comprising:
• a stirring element configured for stirring with a stirring motion the liquid mixture in the cup for preparing the frozen food product;
• and
• a drive system configured for driving the stirring motion of the stirring element in the cup, wherein the drive system comprises a motor and a coupling element configured for releasably coupling the stirring element to the motor,
• wherein the coupling element comprises:
• a fixed part;
• and
• a moveable part moveably arranged relative to the fixed part, wherein the moveable part comprises:
• a rotor part arranged during an operational phase to rotate with respect to the fixed part, and
• a translating part attached to the rotor part by a spring member such as to enable during an initialization phase the translation of the translating part with respect to the rotor part along a first translational axis and such as to follow during the operational phase the rotation of the rotor part, and wherein the translating part comprises coupling means to releasably couple with the stirring element,
• wherein the fixed part comprises a proximity sensor arranged to detect a distance of the translating part relative to the fixed part along the first translational axis and to generate an activation signal when the distance is below a predetermined proximity threshold.