Agitating – By movement of support for removable mixing chamber
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-21
2001-02-20
Cooley, Charles E. (Department: 1723)
Agitating
By movement of support for removable mixing chamber
Reexamination Certificate
active
06190032
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a shaking machine utilized for shaking culture, reaction, dissolution, mixing, etc.
BACKGROUND ART
Among shaking machines, those which have shaking tables to be are shaken in circular orbital movements are each provided with a drive shaft, having at the upper end an eccentric shaft portion formed to have a predetermined off-center value, supported by a pair of bearings disposed to the top and bottom of a frame, with the eccentric shaft portion being fitted in a bearing attached to the lower surface of the shaking table. However, according to this constitution only, although the shaking table is caused to start a circular orbital revolving movement by the rotation of the drive shaft, it begins to autorotate before long to rotate integrally with the drive shaft and ceases shaking.
Accordingly, the above-described shaking machine is provided, at three or more positions around the drive shaft, with driven shafts each having an eccentric shaft portion with the same off-center value as in the counterpart in the drive shaft, and the eccentric shaft portions of the driven shafts are fitted not to the bearing described above but to other bearings attached to the lower surface of the shaking table, respectively, so that the eccentric shaft portions of the driven shafts may rotate in the same phase with respect to the eccentric shaft portion of the drive shaft to regulate autorotation of the shaking table and allow the shaking table to be shaken in a circular orbital revolving movement.
However, since this shaking machine uses one drive shaft and three or more driven shafts, all having eccentric shaft portions with the same off-center value, machining accuracy is strictly required in each shaft. Further, in order to obtain smooth shaking of the shaking table, phase adjustment accuracy is strictly required in the drive shaft and driven shafts in the step of assembling them. Accordingly, assembling and adjustment of the parts take time. Further, insufficient measures have been taken against vibration of the shaking machine itself caused by the eccentric movement of the shaking table.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a shaking machine which can give smooth shaking of the shaking table using a simple structure and which can reduce the number of parts and the machining and assembling time, leading to reduction of its cost as a product and also vibration of the shaking machine itself.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The shaking machine according to the present invention is provided with a drive shaft having at an upper end thereof an eccentric shaft portion formed with a predetermined off-center value; a frame supporting the drive shaft via bearings; and a shaking table provided on a lower surface thereof with a bearing in which the eccentric shaft portion is fitted; and the shaking table being allowed to make a circular orbital revolving movement by the rotation of the drive shaft. The frame and the shaking table are connected to each other by an integral rotation regulating coupling for regulating the shaking table such that it does not rotate integrally with the drive shaft, and the drive shaft penetrates the integral rotation regulating coupling.
The integral rotation regulating coupling contains a frame bearing support member provided at a top of the frame, a table bearing support member provided on the lower surface of the shaking table and an integral rotation regulating plate interposed between these two bearing support members, and the integral rotation regulating plate has a drive shaft hole and an annular portion containing slots to be engaged with guide pins attached to the frame bearing support member and slots to be engaged with guide pins attached to the table bearing support member. The former slots are formed orthogonal to the latter slots.
Accordingly, the shaking table is regulated during shaking in the circular orbital revolving movement by the integral rotation regulating coupling so as not to autorotate, and thus the shaking table can make a smooth circular orbital movement. Thus, the present invention can abandon the use of three or more driven shafts to achieve simplification of the structure and contribute much to reduction in the number of parts and assembling time, and in turn, to the product cost.
As one embodiment of the present invention, the bearings supporting the drive shaft are disposed at an upper part and a lower part of the frame respectively; the drive shaft is provided at a lower part thereof with a lower eccentric shaft portion formed with the same phase and with the same off-center value as in the upper end eccentric shaft portion; the lower eccentric shaft portion is provided with a disc having a mass corresponding to the gross mass of the shaking table; the upper end eccentric shaft portion is located at a middle position between the center of gravity of the disc and that of the shaking table; and the upper end eccentric shaft portion is provided with a balance mass which offsets a centrifugal force brought about by the eccentric movements of the disc and shaking table.
According to this embodiment, the rotational system including the drive shaft, shaking table, disc and balance mass can be balanced on the vertical and horizontal planes, and vibrations can be reduced. Thus, this embodiment provides improved shaking machines which are frequently operated continuously for a long time in laboratories and the like where they are mainly used.
As an another embodiment, the bearing retaining the drive shaft is disposed at an upper part of the frame; a plurality of supporting legs dangle from the lower surface of the shaking table; lower ends of the supporting legs are extended downward beyond the lower end of the drive shaft; a balance weight with a mass corresponding to the gross mass of the shaking table is attached to lower ends of the supporting legs; the upper end eccentric shaft portion is located at a middle position between the center of gravity of the balance weight and that of the shaking table; and the upper eccentric shaft portion is provided with a balance mass which offsets a centrifugal force brought about by the eccentric movements of the balance weight and shaking table.
According to this constitution, since the balance weight is not rotated by the drive shaft, vibrations can further be reduced. Further, the rotational system including the drive shaft, bearings, pulleys and regulating coupling can be integrated into one unit. In addition, piping, wiring, etc. can be housed in the space below the balance weight, leading to downsizing of the shaking machine.
Furthermore, as the bearing at the top of the frame and the bearing on the lower surface of the shaking table, stacks of at least two single-row bearings are used respectively, and the axis of the drive shaft is prevented from tilting and maintains its perpendicularity.
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Armstrong, Westerman Hattori, McLeland & Naughton
Cooley Charles E.
Eyela-Chino Inc.
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