Solid material comminution or disintegration – Apparatus – Including means applying fluid to material
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-19
2001-02-13
Rosenbaum, Mark (Department: 3725)
Solid material comminution or disintegration
Apparatus
Including means applying fluid to material
C241S101800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186427
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention is related to a mixing apparatus, which mixes a material to be mixed having fluidity, such as fine particles and a granular material, by stirring with a stirring member provided on a rotating shaft, which is driven in a rotating manner inside a vessel.
BACKGROUND ART
Japanese Examined Patent Publication SHO No. 59-13249 discloses a mixing apparatus comprising a vessel for a material to be mixed; a rotating shaft provided to be drivable in a rotating manner around an axis inside the vessel; and a plurality of stirring members provided so as to rotate together with the rotating shaft. With this prior art, the plurality of stirring members are arranged along the radial direction of rotation of the rotating shaft so as to enhance mixability by accelerating the flow of the material being mixed in the axial direction.
However, with this prior art, no pulverizing member is provided on the inner circumference of the vessel. Consequently, the aggregated mixture cannot be pulverized.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,979 discloses a mixing apparatus comprising a vessel for a material to be mixed; a rotating shaft provided to be drivable in a rotating manner around an axis inside the vessel; a first stirring member provided so as to rotate together with the rotating shaft; and a second stirring member provided so as to rotate together with the rotating shaft. The second stirring member has smaller radial direction dimensions than the first stirring member, and is arranged forwardly of the direction of rotation of the first stirring member, so that the load at mixing is reduced.
However, with this prior art, no pulverizing member is provided on the inner circumference of the vessel. Consequently, the aggregated mixture cannot be pulverized.
Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication HEI No. 5-36493 discloses a vessel for a material to be mixed; a rotating shaft provided to be drivable in a rotating manner around an axis inside the vessel; a stirring member provided so as to rotate together with the rotating shaft; and a pulverizing member provided on the inner circumference of the vessel to be drivable in a rotating manner. The stirring member is arranged by leaving a space relative to the outer circumference of the rotating shaft, and furthermore, has a stirring surface, which causes a material being mixed to flow toward the outer circumference of the rotating shaft. Further, it comprises an air jet nozzle for preventing a material being mixed from adhering to the inner circumference of the vessel. According to this prior art, the aggregated mixture can be pulverized with the pulverizing member.
However, with this prior art, whereas the pulverizing member is provided on the inner circumference of the vessel, the material being mixed flows toward the outer circumference of the rotating shaft. That is, because the material being mixed flowed in a direction away from the pulverizing member, mixture pulverizing efficiency was low.
Japanese Examined Patent Publication HEI No. 8-15538 discloses a vessel for a material to be mixed; a rotating shaft provided to be drivable in a rotating manner around an axis inside the vessel; a stirring member provided so as to rotate together with the rotating shaft; and a pulverizing member provided on the inner circumference of the vessel to be drivable in a rotating manner. The stirring member is arranged by leaving a space relative to the outer circumference of the rotating shaft, and has a stirring portion, which causes a material being mixed to flow toward the outer circumference of the rotating shaft. The pulverizing member is constituted of shearing rings, which rotate concentrically relative to each other. According to this prior art, the aggregated mixture can be pulverized with the pulverizing member.
However, with this prior art, the structure of the pulverizing member is complex. Further, whereas the pulverizing member is provided on the inner circumference of the vessel, the material being mixed flows toward the outer circumference of the rotating shaft. That is, because the material being mixed flowed in a direction away from the pulverizing member, mixture pulverizing efficiency was low.
Further, since the dimensions of the pulverizing member are restricted so as not to interfere with the stirring member, it was difficult to increase opportunities for contact between a material being mixed and the pulverizing member by using a conventional constitution.
The object of the present invention is to provide a mixing apparatus, which is capable of solving for the above problems.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The mixing apparatus of the present invention comprises a vessel for containing a material to be mixed; a rotating shaft provided to be drivable in a rotating manner around an axis inside the vessel; a stirring member provided so as to rotate together with the rotating shaft; a pulverizing member provided on the inner circumference of the vessel facing the outer circumference of the rotating shaft to be drivable in a rotating manner; and a flow direction-changing member provided so as to rotate together with the rotating shaft. The stirring member is arranged by leaving a space relative to the outer circumference of the rotating shaft in the radial direction of rotation, and has a stirring surface, which causes the material being mixed to flow toward the outer circumference of the rotating shaft. The flow direction-changing member is arranged by leaving a space relative to the inner circumference of the vessel in the radial direction of rotation, and has a changing surface which changes the direction of flow of the material being mixed from a direction toward the outer circumference of the rotating shaft to a direction toward the inner circumference of the vessel.
According to the mixing apparatus of the present invention, a material being mixed is stirred in accordance with the rotation of the stirring member, and the aggregated mixture is pulverized in accordance with the rotation of the pulverizing member. The material being mixed is made to flow toward the outer circumference of the rotating shaft by the stirring surface of the stirring member. The direction of flow of the material being mixed is made to change from a direction toward the outer circumference of the rotating shaft to a direction toward the inner circumference of the vessel by the changing surface of the flow direction-changing member. In accordance therewith, since the material being mixed is prevented from flowing in a direction away from the pulverizing member provided on the inner circumference of the vessel, and is concentrated toward the pulverizing member, it is possible to increase opportunities for contact between the material being mixed and the pulverizing member, and to enhance mixture pulverizing efficiency.
It is preferable that the rotating shaft is driven in a rotating manner around a horizontal axis, that the distance between at least a portion of the stirring surface and the outer circumference of the rotating shaft gradually increase forwardly of the direction of rotation, and also gradually increase on the way toward one end of the rotating shaft, and that the axis of rotation of the pulverizing member is arranged closer to one end of the rotating shaft than to at least a portion of the stirring surface.
According to this constitution, a material being mixed is made to flow toward one end of the rotating shaft as it flows toward the outer circumference of the rotating shaft by at least a portion of the stirring surface. Consequently, the direction of flow of a material being mixed is changed to a direction toward the inner circumference of the vessel, and to a direction toward one end of the rotating shaft by the changing surface. In accordance therewith, it is possible to increase opportunities for contact between the pulverizing member and the material being mixed at a location closer to one end of the rotating shaft than to at least one portion of the stirring surface, and to enhance mixture pulverizing efficiency of the pulverizin
Nitta Hideichi
Tanaka Kenji
Toyoda Kouji
Yamashita Hiroyuki
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Kao Corporation
Rosenbaum Mark
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