Agitating – Mixing chamber removable from stirrer and support
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-30
2001-12-18
Soohoo, Tony G. (Department: 1723)
Agitating
Mixing chamber removable from stirrer and support
C366S199000, C366S205000, C366S331000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06331070
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the machines and material handling methods for homogeneous particle mixing of batch quantities. More particularly, the invention relates to vertical fluidized batch mixers and related batch processes of material handling.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the production of powder coatings, toners, engineered polymers and color concentrates, ingredient size reduction and homogeneous blending are primary objectives. Also important are the prevention of ingredient resegregation, equipment cleanability and product transfer mobility. For high value products that require extreme constituent control, vertical shaft batch mixers are the tool of choice for most practitioners.
Many processes thrive on high intensity mixing which, definitively, requires a mixing blade tip speed of greater than 20 m/sec. The mixer blade tip velocity for medium intensity mixers is usually defined as within the range of 8-10 m/sec. Driving mixing blades through a large quantity of powdered solids at such blade tip velocities requires a significant magnitude of driving power and correspondingly large drive motors that are supported on the same structure as the mixing vessel. The principle behind high intensity mixing is to generate a large amount of energy in the product using an impeller, when, at the same time, the material is suspended and fluidized by the vortex created in the vessel. Sheared mixing and dispersed mixing take place while energy is exchanged between the mixing blades and the material, between the material and the vessel and between the material particles. Steam, oil and hot or cold water may be circulated through a vessel jacket to induce effective heating or cooling of the material during the mixing process.
Traditional designs for successfully serving these functions such as the Model VFM High Intensity Mixer by Reliance Industries of Stafford, Texas have been difficult to discharge the mixed product and extremely difficult to clean. In some cases, color contamination of less than 0.05% due to inadequate cleaning may waste an entire vessel batch. Consequently, each mixing unit may be unavailable for production for hours during a clean-up period although the actual mixing procedure requires only a few minutes.
Prior art machines designed for operating with simple, interchangeable vessels such as Model RC by Reliance Industries mounts the motor and drive assembly on a head plate that must be rotated to invert the vessel and deposit the mixture ingredients around the mixing blades. The entire pivoted mass, therefore includes not only the motor and drive assembly but also the mass of the vessel and material contents. While mixing is taking place, the consequential load and vibration is carried by bearings necessary to facilitate rotation of the assembly. The magnitude of applied power and mixing intensity is therefore limited.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is provision of a material batch mixing system having a rapid recycling time. Relative to a rapid recycle, the invention provides greatly accessible internal structure for reduced cleaning time. A multiplicity of relatively inexpensive mixing vessels and mixing blades facilitates an option to clean mixing vessels and blades off-line between batch mixtures.
Another object of the invention is a batch mixing system that will substantially eliminate cross batch contamination due to inadequate cleaning of common mixing elements and structure and greatly reduces possibilities for resegregation of constituent ingredients.
A further object of the present invention is a high intensity batch mixing system having not only a high recycling rate but also adaptable to an unlimited magnitude of power source and delivery
Also an object of the invention is an improved ratio of equipment capitalization versus product value enhancement. Corresponding with the improved equipment production value is reduce plant floor space devoted to material mixing.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a high intensity mixing machine of rugged construction and requires minimum repair and maintenance albeit is accessible for rapid and easy cleaning.
Another object of the invention is a mixing machine design having no limitation on the size of drive, magnitude of applied power number of transmission drive lines.
In service to these and other objects of the invention is a mixing apparatus in which batch quantities of material constituents to a mixture are combined in a portable vessel having a standardized form and size of top opening. Preferably, such a vessel is transportable to and from a connection position respective to a stationary power unit. The power unit comprises a closure structure that mates with the vessel top opening. Power actuated clamps secured to the closure structure are selectively operable to unitize the vessel with the closure structure.
Secured to the closure structure is a rotary mixing element having a substantially vertical mixing axis. Material agitation elements such as blades, paddles etc. are secured to the end of a driven spindle proximate of the closure structure inside face. The driven face of a rotary power coupling is secured to the outer end of the driven spindle.
Another characteristic of the closure is a power unit mounting structure that will selectively translate the closure vertically to and from a sealed engagement with a vessel top opening. The mounting structure is given sufficient capacity to lift the unitized vessel It and combined mixture ingredients from the vessel delivery support surface. Additionally, the closure mounting structure is rotatable about a laterally transverse axis. Such rotation of the mounting structure inverts the unitized vessel and axially aligns the rotary power coupling with a driving face. Reversed translation of the mounting structure brings the two faces of the rotary power coupling into operative engagement. Such inversion of the vessel deposits the mixture materials intimately upon and about the agitation elements.
The driving face of the rotary coupling is secured to the end of a driving spindle that is preferably driven by a sheave and belt transmission. A fixed position electric motor of substantially any size may be used to drive the belt transmission. The electric motor and belt transmission is secured within the same power unit as the closure mounting structure.
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Madan Mossman & Sriram P.C.
Reliance Industries, Inc.
Soohoo Tony G.
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