A vacuum powder mixer

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of vacuum powder mixer.The vacuum powder mixer includes powder mixing cavity assembly, vacuum valve cover assembly, drive and transmission assembly.Powder mixing cavity assembly includes shell and shunt fan blade evenly distributed along inner periphery, shell includes cylindrical sidewall and integrally formed outwardly convex cambered surface structure bottom.Vacuum valve cover assembly is detachably sealed cover and is located on the upper end of shell, and is provided with valve structure for connecting external air source or vacuum pump.The rotating shaft of drive and transmission assembly crosses the center of gravity of powder mixing cavity assembly and is fixed with shell, and drive motor drives rotating shaft and powder mixing cavity assembly to perform overturning motion around axis by speed reducer.The application solves the problems of uneven powder mixing and oxidation by cavity overturning and internal fan blade shunting, and the bottom cambered surface design enhances the pressure resistance of the cavity in vacuum environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of powder processing equipment technology, specifically to a vacuum powder mixer. Background Technology

[0002] In industries such as chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and metallurgy, powder mixing is a crucial process. To improve mixing quality, vacuum powder mixers have emerged as a technological advancement. By removing air from the mixing chamber, they offer benefits such as preventing dust escape, improving the working environment, reducing material oxidation or deterioration, and eliminating air resistance, thus facilitating the mixing of fine or ultralight powders.

[0003] However, most existing powder mixers lack integrated vacuum functionality or are poorly designed. During the mixing process, materials are prone to oxidation. Furthermore, if the mixer operates for too long, the machine body can overheat, altering powder properties. While vacuuming alone can solve the oxidation problem, a purely vacuum environment leads to a lack of gas lubrication between powder particles, resulting in poor flowability and reduced mixing efficiency.

[0004] Therefore, a device is needed that can prevent oxidation and overheating while ensuring efficient mixing. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to overcome the above-mentioned technical deficiencies and propose a vacuum powder mixer to solve the technical problems of uneven powder mixing and oxidation in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned technical objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution: This application provides a vacuum powder mixer, comprising: A powder mixing chamber assembly includes a housing and a split fan blade. The housing includes a cylindrical sidewall and an integrally formed bottom connected to the lower end of the sidewall. The bottom is an outwardly convex rotary curved surface structure. A plurality of split fan blades are evenly distributed along the inner circumference of the housing. A vacuum valve cover assembly is detachably sealed at the upper opening of the housing. The vacuum valve cover assembly is provided with a valve structure for connecting to an external gas source or vacuum pump. The drive and transmission assembly includes a drive motor, a reducer, and a rotating shaft. The rotating shaft passes through the center of gravity of the powder mixing chamber assembly and is fixedly connected to the housing. The drive motor drives the rotating shaft and the powder mixing chamber assembly to rotate around the axis of the rotating shaft through the reducer.

[0007] In some embodiments of this application, the vacuum valve cover assembly includes a cover body and an annular clamp. The cover body is a circular flat plate or an outwardly convex arc-shaped cover, and is adapted to the upper opening of the housing. The cover body is detachably connected to the upper end of the housing by the annular clamp surrounding the opening.

[0008] In some embodiments of this application, the valve structure is a three-way valve, with its valve body fixedly disposed at the center of the cover. The three-way valve has a cavity interface leading to the powder mixing chamber, a suction interface for connecting to a vacuum pump, and a vent interface for connecting to a protective gas source.

[0009] In some embodiments of this application, the valve core of the three-way valve is a rotary valve core, which controls the selective connection between the cavity interface and the suction interface or the ventilation interface.

[0010] In some embodiments of this application, the drive and transmission assembly further includes multiple stiffening plates, which are distributed circumferentially along the rotating shaft, and each stiffening plate is fixedly connected to the side wall of the housing.

[0011] In some embodiments of this application, the drive and transmission assembly further includes a belt drive mechanism, wherein the driving pulley of the belt drive mechanism is connected to the output shaft of the drive motor, and the driven pulley of the belt drive mechanism is connected to the input shaft of the reducer.

[0012] In some embodiments of this application, the diversion fan blades are multiple rectangular plate structures, each diversion fan blade is located at the same height on the inner wall of the housing, and the plate surface of each diversion fan blade forms a fixed angle of 45° to 70° with the horizontal plane.

[0013] In some embodiments of this application, the diverter blades include an upper blade group and a lower blade group spaced apart along the axial direction of the housing, and both the upper blade group and the lower blade group contain a plurality of rectangular plate-shaped blades evenly distributed circumferentially.

[0014] In some embodiments of this application, the tilt direction of each blade in the upper blade group is opposite to the tilt direction of each blade in the lower blade group, and the blades in the upper blade group and the blades in the lower blade group are arranged alternately in the circumferential direction.

[0015] In some embodiments of this application, the two ends of the rotating shaft are rotatably supported on an external frame by bearings, and the powder mixing chamber assembly is suspended on the rotating shaft and rotates about the axis of the rotating shaft.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial technical effects of the technical solution provided in this application include: By employing a sealed cavity structure capable of being evacuated and filled with protective gas, combined with a motion that drives the entire cavity to rotate at a low speed around its center of gravity, the risks of oxidation and localized overheating during the mixing process are eliminated. The circumferentially distributed splitter blades within the cavity continuously cut and guide the powder under gravity flow, generating multidimensional shearing and turbulence, significantly improving mixing efficiency and uniformity. Simultaneously, the bottom of the cavity features an outwardly convex curved surface integrally formed with the sidewalls, leveraging the mechanical advantages of the curved structure to significantly enhance its resistance to deformation under vacuum and the overall structural reliability. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly described below: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vacuum powder mixer according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a front view of a vacuum powder mixer according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of a flow divider fan blade in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another flow divider fan blade arrangement in an embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure label: 100 - Mixing chamber assembly; 111 - Side wall; 112 - Bottom; 120 - Diverter fan blade; 121 - Upper fan blade assembly; 122 - Lower fan blade assembly; 200 - Vacuum valve cover assembly; 210 - Cover body; 220 - Annular clamp; 230 - Valve structure; 231 - Cavity interface; 232 - Vacuum port; 233 - Vent port; 300 - Drive and transmission components; 310 - Drive motor; 320 - Reducer; 330 - Rotating shaft; 340 - Rib plate; 350 - Belt drive mechanism; 400-Rack. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0020] Those skilled in the art will understand that, in this specification, the term "comprising" is an open-ended expression, meaning that the stated feature is present but other features are excluded. Directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" refer to exemplary directions based on the accompanying drawings. Features specified as "first" or "second" implicitly include one or more of that feature. Singular expressions can also be used in plural forms. "Multiple" means two or more. The terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection via an intermediate medium, and it can be a connection within two components. Furthermore, "linked" can include wireless connections.

[0021] The purpose of this application is to overcome the above-mentioned technical deficiencies and propose a vacuum powder mixer to solve the technical problems of uneven powder mixing and oxidation in the prior art.

[0022] To achieve the above-mentioned technical objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution: like Figures 1-4 As shown, this embodiment provides a vacuum powder mixer, which mainly includes a powder mixing chamber assembly 100, a vacuum valve cover assembly 200, and a drive and transmission assembly 300.

[0023] The mixing chamber assembly 100 is the main site for material mixing, and it includes a shell and internally disposed flow divider blades 120. The shape design of the shell primarily considers mixing efficiency and vacuum pressure resistance. The shell includes a cylindrical sidewall 111 and a bottom 112 connected to the lower end of the sidewall 111. The bottom 112 is integrally formed with the sidewall 111, and the bottom 112 is not flat, but rather an outwardly convex curved surface structure, such as an elliptical sphere. This curved surface design not only helps to reduce dead corners and prevent powder jamming, but more importantly, under vacuum conditions, the elliptical or spherical bottom can withstand greater external atmospheric pressure than a flat bottom, preventing deformation. Multiple flow divider blades 120 are evenly distributed on the inner peripheral wall of the shell for cutting and guiding the powder during rotation.

[0024] The vacuum valve cover assembly 200 is detachably mounted at the upper opening of the housing, serving a sealing function. The vacuum valve cover assembly 200 is equipped with a valve structure 230, which is the hub for gas exchange between the powder mixer and the outside environment, used to connect to an external gas source (such as a nitrogen tank or argon tank) or a vacuum pump.

[0025] The drive and transmission assembly 300 provides power. It includes a drive motor 310, a reducer 320, and a rotating shaft 330. The rotating shaft 330 passes through the center of gravity of the powder mixing chamber assembly 100 and is firmly welded to the housing or connected via a flange. The power from the drive motor 310 is reduced and amplified by the reducer 320 before being transmitted to the rotating shaft 330, causing the entire powder mixing chamber assembly 100 to rotate 360 ​​degrees around the axis of the rotating shaft 330.

[0026] Working principle: After the powder is loaded into the housing, the vacuum valve cover assembly 200 is closed. A vacuum pump is connected through the valve structure 230 to extract air from the cavity and prevent powder oxidation. Subsequently, the drive motor 310 is started, causing the housing to rotate. The powder is continuously tumbled up and down under the action of gravity, and is cut and divided by the diverting fan blades 120 as it flows through the inner wall of the housing, thereby achieving efficient mixing.

[0027] This embodiment solves the problem of uneven mixing in traditional powder mixers by using an overall flipping mechanism combined with internal fan blades for flow diversion. The rotary curved surface design at the bottom 112 enhances the structural strength of the cavity and avoids deformation caused by vacuuming.

[0028] This embodiment provides a detailed design for the vacuum valve cover assembly 200. The vacuum valve cover assembly 200 mainly consists of a cover body 210 and an annular clamp 220. The cover body 210 can be designed as a circular flat plate or as an outwardly convex arc-shaped cover. In this embodiment, the cover body 210 is an elliptical arc surface, but its curvature is smaller than that of the bottom 112 of the housing. This smaller curvature facilitates the installation of a valve in the center of the cover body. The cover body 210 is adapted to the upper opening of the housing, and a sealing ring is provided between them. The cover body 210 is detachably connected to the upper end of the housing via the annular clamp 220 surrounding the opening.

[0029] When loading or unloading is required, the operator only needs to loosen the annular clamp 220 to remove the cover 210, making the operation simple. The connection method of the annular clamp 220 not only ensures excellent vacuum sealing performance, but also makes disassembly and maintenance very quick, improving work efficiency.

[0030] This embodiment describes in detail the specific form of valve structure 230. Valve structure 230 adopts a three-way valve (T-valve). The valve body is fixed at the center of the cover 210. The three-way valve has three interfaces: a cavity interface 231 that leads directly to the inside of the powder mixing chamber, a suction interface 232 (horizontal direction) for connecting to a vacuum pump, and a vent interface 233 (vertical direction) for connecting to a protective gas source. The three-way valve has a rotary valve core inside. By rotating the valve core, it is possible to control whether the cavity interface 231 is connected to the suction interface 232, the vent interface 233, or completely closed.

[0031] Initially, rotate the valve core to the evacuation position, and the vacuum pump operates through the evacuation port 232. Once a vacuum is reached, rotate the valve core 90 degrees to shut off the evacuation port 232 and connect the vent port 233, at which point inert gas can be introduced. After charging is complete, rotate the valve core again to close all channels and begin mixing. The integrated three-way valve structure avoids the need for multiple holes in the cover, reducing potential leakage points and simplifying the operation process.

[0032] This embodiment features an enhanced design for the connection between the drive and transmission assembly 300 and the housing. The drive and transmission assembly 300 also includes multiple stiffening plates 340. These stiffening plates 340 are distributed circumferentially along the rotating shaft 330 and located on both sides of the housing. Each side has four stiffening plates 340, with one end of each stiffening plate 340 welded to the rotating shaft 330 and the other end welded to the outer surface of the side wall 111 of the housing.

[0033] The stiffening rib 340 acts as a reinforcing rib, evenly transmitting the torque of the rotating shaft 330 to the housing. This increases the connection strength and prevents fatigue fracture or deformation at the connection between the rotating shaft 330 and the housing when rotating at high speed under full load, thus ensuring the long-term stability of the equipment.

[0034] This embodiment describes the specific structure of the transmission system in detail. The drive and transmission assembly 300 adopts a belt drive mechanism 350. The driving pulley of the belt drive mechanism 350 is mounted on the output shaft of the drive motor 310, and the driven pulley is mounted on the input shaft of the reducer 320. A belt connects the driving pulley and the driven pulley.

[0035] The motor power first passes through the belt drive, then enters the reducer, and finally drives the main shaft. The belt drive has an overload protection function; when the mixer jams or the load is too large, the belt will slip, thus protecting the motor from burning out. At the same time, the belt drive operates smoothly, reducing vibration.

[0036] This embodiment provides a specific arrangement of the diverter fan blades 120. The diverter fan blades 120 are designed as multiple rectangular plate-like structures (e.g., 10 blades). All diverter fan blades 120 are located at the same height on the inner wall of the housing and are evenly distributed in a ring. The plate surface of each diverter fan blade 120 is not perpendicular to the horizontal plane, but forms a fixed angle with the horizontal plane, which ranges from 45° to 70°, preferably 60°.

[0037] As the casing rotates, the powder slides over the inclined blades, where its flow direction is altered, creating a shearing effect. The single-stage blade structure is simple, easy to manufacture and clean, and suitable for materials with typical mixing requirements.

[0038] This embodiment provides another type of splitter blade arrangement. The splitter blades 120 are divided into upper and lower stages, namely, upper blade group 121 and lower blade group 122. These two groups of blades are distributed at intervals along the axial direction of the housing. Both the upper blade group 121 and the lower blade group 122 contain multiple (e.g., 8 blades each) rectangular plate-shaped blades evenly distributed circumferentially.

[0039] Furthermore, the tilt direction of each blade in the upper blade group 121 is opposite to the tilt direction of each blade in the lower blade group 122. For example, the upper blade tilts 30° to the left, and the lower blade tilts 30° to the right. At the same time, in the circumferential direction, the upper and lower blades are arranged in an alternating (interleaved) manner.

[0040] During the tumbling process, the powder is first guided in one direction by one layer of fan blades, and then guided in the opposite direction by another layer of fan blades. This staggered arrangement makes the powder flow path more complex. This two-stage reverse-intercalation design greatly increases the probability of collision and shear frequency between powder particles, significantly improving mixing uniformity and mixing speed, making it particularly suitable for difficult-to-mix materials.

[0041] This embodiment describes the support method of the equipment. The two ends of the rotating shaft 330 are rotatably supported on the external frame 400 via bearing seats. The powder mixing chamber assembly 100 is completely suspended on the rotating shaft 330 and does not contact the ground or other components.

[0042] The suspended structure allows the cavity to rotate 360 ​​degrees without obstruction. Gravity is used to achieve the overall flipping of materials, combined with the local shearing of the internal fan blades, to achieve a combination of macroscopic and microscopic mixing.

[0043] This embodiment provides a powder mixing method.

[0044] The method includes the following steps: Step S1: Load the various powders to be mixed into the housing of the powder mixing chamber assembly 100 in proportion, then cover it with the cover 210 and lock it with the ring clamp 220 to ensure a seal.

[0045] Step S2: Operate the three-way valve, rotate the valve core to the position connecting to the evacuation port 232, start the vacuum pump, and extract the gas in the chamber. Once the preset vacuum level is reached, close the valve or switch the valve position.

[0046] Step S3: Operate the three-way valve, turn the rotary valve core to the position connecting to the vent port 233, connect the inert gas source (such as nitrogen), and fill the cavity with protective gas. The filling volume can be controlled at a slightly positive pressure or normal pressure, or a certain negative pressure can be maintained, depending on the process. Close the valve after filling is complete.

[0047] Step S4: Start the drive motor 310 and set a suitable speed. The powder mixing chamber assembly 100 rotates around the rotating shaft 330. The powder falls repeatedly under the action of gravity and flows through the diversion fan blades 120.

[0048] First, a vacuum is drawn to remove oxygen, then an inert gas is introduced to provide a protective atmosphere and restore powder flowability, and finally, the mixture is stirred by mechanical rotation. This method not only prevents material oxidation and deterioration, but also solves the problem of poor powder flowability in a pure vacuum environment by backfilling with gas, thus achieving high-quality mixing.

[0049] In this embodiment, a jacket is further provided on the outside of the side wall 111 of the housing. The rotating shaft 330 is designed as a hollow shaft and is connected to the external cooling water circulation system through a rotary joint. Cooling water circulates in the jacket on the housing wall through the hollow shaft.

[0050] During the mixing process, cooling water continuously removes the heat generated by friction. Actively controlling the mixing temperature completely solves the problem of powder properties changing due to overheating of the machine body during prolonged operation, making it particularly suitable for mixing heat-sensitive materials.

[0051] A microporous sintered metal filter with a pore size smaller than the minimum particle size of the powder to be mixed is added at the cavity interface 231 of the three-way valve. During vacuuming in step S2, gas can pass through the filter, but powder particles are intercepted within the cavity. This prevents ultrafine powder from being carried out by the airflow into the vacuum pump during vacuuming, protecting the vacuum pump, reducing the loss of expensive materials, and ensuring the accuracy of the mixing ratio.

[0052] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial technical effects of the technical solution provided in this application include: The vacuum powder mixer of this application creates a controlled atmosphere mixing environment by designing the mixing chamber as a rotatable cylindrical-elliptical bottom structure and combining it with a vacuum / gas filling system. During operation, a vacuum pump removes air to prevent oxidation, and inert gas is used for backfilling to improve flowability and prevent overheating. The motor drives the chamber to rotate, causing the material to flow macroscopically under gravity. The internal diversion fan blades (especially the double-stage counter-current fan blades) cut and guide the material flow, generating microscopic shearing.

[0053] The fully controllable atmosphere solves the mixing problem of easily oxidized and moisture-absorbing materials; the unique fan blade layout combined with the cavity rotation greatly improves mixing efficiency and uniformity; the elliptical bottom design cleverly solves the problem of container deformation under vacuum negative pressure, improving the safety and durability of the equipment.

[0054] Those skilled in the art will understand that the steps, measures, and schemes in the various operations, methods, processes, and procedures discussed in this application can be alternated, modified, rearranged, decomposed, combined, or deleted.

[0055] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this application. Any other corresponding changes and modifications made based on the technical concept of this application should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A vacuum powder mixer, characterized in that, include: A powder mixing chamber assembly includes a housing and a split fan blade. The housing includes a cylindrical sidewall and an integrally formed bottom connected to the lower end of the sidewall. The bottom is an outwardly convex rotary curved surface structure. A plurality of split fan blades are evenly distributed along the inner circumference of the housing. A vacuum valve cover assembly is detachably sealed at the upper opening of the housing. The vacuum valve cover assembly is provided with a valve structure for connecting to an external gas source or vacuum pump. The drive and transmission assembly includes a drive motor, a reducer, and a rotating shaft. The rotating shaft passes through the center of gravity of the powder mixing chamber assembly and is fixedly connected to the housing. The drive motor drives the rotating shaft and the powder mixing chamber assembly to rotate around the axis of the rotating shaft through the reducer.

2. The vacuum powder mixer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vacuum valve cover assembly includes a cover body and an annular clamp. The cover body is a circular flat plate or an outwardly convex arc-shaped cover, and is adapted to the upper opening of the housing. The cover body is detachably connected to the upper end of the housing by the annular clamp surrounding the opening.

3. The vacuum powder mixer according to claim 2, characterized in that, The valve structure is a three-way valve, with its valve body fixedly installed at the center of the cover. The three-way valve has a cavity interface leading to the powder mixing chamber, a suction interface for connecting to a vacuum pump, and a vent interface for connecting to a protective gas source.

4. The vacuum powder mixer according to claim 3, characterized in that, The valve core of the three-way valve is a rotary valve core, which controls the selective connection between the cavity interface and the suction interface or the ventilation interface.

5. The vacuum powder mixer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive and transmission assembly also includes multiple stiffening plates, which are distributed circumferentially along the rotating shaft and are fixedly connected to the side wall of the housing.

6. The vacuum powder mixer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive and transmission assembly also includes a belt drive mechanism, wherein the driving pulley of the belt drive mechanism is connected to the output shaft of the drive motor, and the driven pulley of the belt drive mechanism is connected to the input shaft of the reducer.

7. The vacuum powder mixer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diversion fan blades are multiple rectangular plate-shaped structures, each diversion fan blade is located at the same height on the inner wall of the housing, and the plate surface of each diversion fan blade forms a fixed angle of 45° to 70° with the horizontal plane.

8. The vacuum powder mixer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diverter blades include an upper blade group and a lower blade group that are spaced apart along the axial direction of the housing. Both the upper blade group and the lower blade group contain multiple rectangular plate-shaped blades that are evenly distributed circumferentially.

9. The vacuum powder mixer according to claim 8, characterized in that, The tilt direction of each blade in the upper fan blade group is opposite to that of each blade in the lower fan blade group, and the blades in the upper fan blade group and the lower fan blade group are arranged alternately in the circumferential direction.

10. The vacuum powder mixer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The two ends of the rotating shaft are rotatably supported on the external frame by bearings, and the powder mixing chamber assembly is suspended on the rotating shaft and rotates about the axis of the rotating shaft.

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