Multi-color mixing device and multi-color pipe forming equipment

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of plastic product production, in particular to a multi-color mixing device and multi-color pipe forming equipment. The multi-color mixing device comprises a main material supply mechanism, a plurality of stirring and mixing devices, a main material distribution mechanism, a feeding port of each stirring and mixing device being communicated with one end of the main material distribution mechanism and the other end being communicated with the main material supply mechanism, a plurality of color powder supply mechanisms, one color powder supply mechanism being connected with each stirring and mixing device, each color powder supply mechanism storing color powder of different colors, a mixed material output mechanism being communicated with the discharging ports of the stirring and mixing devices and being used for outputting mixed material. The application overcomes the problem that residual mixed material can cause mixed color spots of new raw materials during the production of colored pipes, reduces waste materials generated during production transition, reduces production cost, eliminates the problem of mixed color spots after switching, improves product qualification rate and product quality, and has very good application effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of plastic product manufacturing technology, and in particular to a multi-color mixing device and multi-color pipe forming equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the market size of PVC plastic pipes is continuously expanding, and the demand for their application fields is also increasing. The specific demand is mainly reflected in two dimensions: (1) Diversified color demand: The market has different color demands for PVC plastic pipes with the same performance, and the same color also needs to present a gradient difference from light to dark; taking PVC water supply pipes as an example, there are many color specifications such as white, gray, blue, and green. (2) Differentiated performance demand: Even PVC plastic pipes of the same specification need to meet the performance requirements of different scenarios; again, taking PVC water supply pipes as an example, they can be subdivided into different performance types such as civil water supply, agricultural water supply, and industrial water supply.

[0003] From a production perspective, PVC plastic pipe formulations involve a wide variety of raw materials. Current technology typically employs a combination of multiple raw material cylinders and multiple color powder cylinders when producing pipes of different colors. This means that, depending on production requirements, multiple raw material cylinders and multiple color powder cylinders output raw materials and color powder respectively, all connected to a single mixing cylinder. After mixing, the mixture is then supplied to the extruder or injection molding machine. However, this "single mixing cylinder" approach has significant drawbacks: the inner wall of the mixing cylinder and components such as the agitator absorb and retain some of the mixture. When switching to different colored raw materials, this residual mixture can cause color mixing issues with the new material. Furthermore, the structural design of the mixing cylinder makes it difficult to disassemble and clean, further exacerbating the risk of color mixing. This technical deficiency directly causes serious production problems: currently, most manufacturers can only start production directly when switching to different colored raw materials, resulting in initial production of mixed-color waste products. Even as the color of subsequent products gradually stabilizes, occasional mixed-color spots may still appear, ultimately leading to a significant increase in the overall scrap rate and production costs. Utility Model Content

[0004] Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to overcome the problem that residual mixed materials during the production of colored pipes can cause mixed-color spots on new raw materials, and to provide a multi-color mixing device and multi-color pipe forming equipment. This invention reduces waste generated during production transitions, reduces production costs, eliminates the problem of mixed-color spots after switching, improves product qualification rate and product quality, and has excellent application effects.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows: A multi-color mixing device, comprising: Main material supply mechanism: used to store and output main materials; Several mixing devices: including an inlet and an outlet, used to mix the main material and color powder into a mixed color material; Main material distribution mechanism: one end is connected to the main material supply mechanism and the other end is connected to the feed inlet of each of the mixing devices; Several color powder supply mechanisms: used to store and output color powder to the stirring and mixing device, each of the stirring and mixing devices is connected to one of the color powder supply mechanisms, and each color powder supply mechanism stores color powder of different colors; Colorant output mechanism: connected to the outlet of each of the mixing devices and used to output the colorant.

[0006] This application's main material supply mechanism stores uncolored main materials and outputs them to the main material distribution mechanism. In the main material distribution mechanism, according to different coloring requirements, the main materials are diverted to the mixing device connected to the corresponding color powder supply mechanism. This mixing device is only used to mix one color powder and the main material, thus preventing contamination from other color powders. After the main material and color powder are mixed into a mixed color in the mixing device, the mixed color is output to the next process through an independent pipeline via the mixed color output mechanism. This ensures that the produced mixed color is not contaminated by other color powders. When changing colors, the main material is introduced into a dedicated mixing device for different color powders through the main material distribution mechanism, enabling rapid switching of the colored mixed color. This also minimizes waste in the initial production and eliminates the problem of mixed color spots during color switching. This application significantly reduces waste during production transitions, reduces production costs, and greatly improves product qualification rate and quality due to the short switching process and the absence of mixed color spots after switching, demonstrating excellent application results.

[0007] Furthermore, the main material distribution mechanism includes a distribution bin, the side wall of which is connected to the main material supply mechanism, and the bottom of the distribution bin is provided with a plurality of main material distribution pipes arranged in a ring, each main material distribution pipe being connected to one of the mixing devices, and each main material distribution pipe is also provided with an electric valve for controlling the on / off state of the main material distribution pipe. Furthermore, the main material distribution mechanism also includes a distribution impeller disposed in the distribution bin and used to push the main material to each of the main material distribution pipe positions, and a first drive motor connected to the distribution impeller and driving it to rotate; Furthermore, the main material dispensing mechanism also includes a first pressurizing mechanism connected to the dispensing bin.

[0008] The main material first enters the distribution bin from the supply mechanism. The distribution impeller, located inside the bin, is driven to rotate by a first drive motor. The distribution bin can temporarily store a certain amount of main material to balance the feed fluctuations at the supply end. Simultaneously, as the distribution impeller rotates at a constant speed, its blades actively push the main material in the distribution bin towards the inlets of various annularly distributed main material distribution pipes. Each main material distribution pipe is equipped with an individual electric valve, which can independently control the opening and closing of the corresponding main material distribution pipe via an electrical signal. Based on different coloring requirements, the main material is diverted to the corresponding color mixing device. The first pressurizing mechanism is connected to the distribution bin and can introduce gas into the bin to increase pressure, typically by introducing anhydrous air, pushing the main material towards the distribution pipe inlets to ensure continuous feeding. After the above steps, the main material flows out from the various main material distribution pipes at the bottom of the distribution bin into the corresponding mixing device, completing the precise distribution from a single supply end to different coloring mixing requirements.

[0009] It should also be noted that traditional material distribution relies heavily on gravity for natural material feeding, which can easily lead to large deviations in the material quantity of each distribution pipe due to differences in material density and dead corners in the silo. This application uses a distribution impeller to actively push the material and a layout of main material distribution pipes arranged in a ring. The uniform rotation of the distribution impeller ensures that the main material is evenly distributed to each distribution pipe. The first pressurization mechanism can actively break up material accumulation and bridging, reducing the frequency of equipment downtime for cleaning. The number of main material distribution pipes arranged in a ring in this application can be configured according to the amount of color powder commonly used in actual production, and can be flexibly adapted and adjusted to the number of downstream mixing devices.

[0010] Furthermore, the first pressurization mechanism includes a plurality of first air pipes disposed on the top of the material distribution bin, the number of the first air pipes corresponding to the number of the main material distribution pipes, and the air outlet direction of each first air pipe facing each of the main material distribution pipes; the plurality of first air pipes are respectively connected to an external air source.

[0011] The number of first air pipes in the first pressurization mechanism of this application corresponds to the number of main material branch pipes. It adopts a precise directional air blowing and one-way anti-backflow design, which is specifically designed to solve the problem of blockage at the inlet of the main material branch pipe. The air outlet direction of each air pipe is aligned with the inlet of a main material branch pipe, ensuring that the gas can accurately act on the inlet of the main material branch pipe that is most prone to blockage, pushing the main material smoothly into the branch pipe and avoiding blockage.

[0012] Furthermore, several of the first air pipes are one-way air inlets. The one-way air inlets only allow gas from an external air source to enter the distribution bin in one direction, preventing the main material in the distribution bin from flowing back into the air pipes and avoiding air pipe blockage and air source contamination.

[0013] Furthermore, the material distribution bin is a cylindrical material distribution bin; the material distribution impeller includes a wheel shaft coaxially arranged with the material distribution bin, and a plurality of blades radially and evenly distributed on the wheel shaft.

[0014] Furthermore, the main material supply mechanism includes a main material storage hopper and a first feeding mechanism disposed between the main material storage hopper and the distribution bin.

[0015] It should be noted that the main material storage hopper is an existing storage hopper, which can be modified by purchasing externally or by using existing hoppers in the production line to achieve the material storage function, which will not be elaborated here.

[0016] Furthermore, the first feeding mechanism includes a conveying pipe, a screw disposed in the conveying pipe, and a drive motor connected to the screw. The conveying pipe is distributed and connected to the main material storage hopper and the main material distribution mechanism. The drive motor drives the screw to rotate, and the rotational motion of the spiral blades realizes the directional conveying of materials.

[0017] Furthermore, the mixing device includes a housing, with the inlet and outlet located at the top and bottom of the housing, respectively; it also includes a first mixing chamber and a second mixing chamber distributed vertically and interconnected within the housing, and a first mixing wheel and a second mixing wheel respectively disposed in the first mixing chamber and the second mixing chamber; the inlet is connected to the first mixing chamber, the second mixing chamber is connected to the outlet, and the path of the mixed material from the first mixing chamber to the outlet of the second mixing chamber is S-shaped.

[0018] The mixing device of this application adopts a dual-compartment staged mixing. At the same time, the inlet and outlet positions of the two mixing compartments are designed to make the material mixing path S-shaped, extending the mixing path. Through structural design, the material is forced to undergo a multi-stage, long-path mixing process: the shell is divided into a first mixing compartment and a second mixing compartment that are connected to each other. The main material and color powder first enter the first mixing compartment from the top inlet. After being initially dispersed and mixed by the first mixing wheel, they flow into the second mixing compartment below, where they are further mixed by the second mixing wheel, and finally discharged from the bottom outlet. S-shaped flow path: The material travels in an S-shape from the first mixing chamber to the second mixing chamber. Specifically, the material outlet of the first mixing chamber is located at the end of the rotation path, simultaneously connecting to the inlet of the second mixing chamber. The material outlet of the second mixing chamber is also located at the end of the rotation path. For example, after counter-clockwise mixing in the first mixing chamber, the material turns downwards into the second mixing chamber, and then reverses to clockwise mixing in the second mixing chamber before flowing downwards to the outlet. This path design breaks the short-path "straight-down" pattern, forcing the material to flow in a turning direction between the upper and lower chambers, thus extending its residence time within the device. The mixing wheels of the two mixing chambers can work independently, generating multi-directional shear forces on the material, improving mixing uniformity. This avoids the problem of rapid material passage and insufficient mixing in traditional single-chamber mixing. Simultaneously, gravity assists the material flow from the first mixing chamber to the second mixing chamber. The vertical distribution balances thorough mixing and a compact structure, reducing the volume of the mixing device and facilitating the parallel installation of multiple independent mixing devices as described in this application.

[0019] Furthermore, it also includes a mixing feed pipe connected to the feed inlet, and a second pressurizing mechanism disposed at the top of the mixing feed pipe; the color powder supply mechanism and the main material distribution mechanism are respectively connected to the side wall of the mixing feed pipe.

[0020] A mixing feed pipe is added above the inlet of the mixing device. This structure achieves the initial mixing of the main material and the color powder through the mixing feed pipe, and the material flow is driven by the air pressure of the second pressurizing mechanism. The main material conveyed by the main material distribution mechanism and the color powder conveyed by the color powder supply mechanism enter the pipe from the side wall of the mixing feed pipe, forming an initial contact and mixing inside the pipe. The second air pipe at the top of the mixing feed pipe introduces gas into the pipe, generating downward air pressure. This air pressure can push the mixture of main material and color powder in the pipe downward to enter the subsequent feed inlet, and can also break up the accumulation or blockage that may form in the pipe by fine color powder or viscous main material, ensuring continuous and stable material conveying. The mixing feed pipe improves the mixing efficiency and reduces the workload of the subsequent mixing device. The air pressure boost can effectively solve the problem of "local accumulation" that may occur when multiple materials are combined, such as the easy agglomeration of color powder and the flow obstruction caused by the increased viscosity after the main material and color powder are mixed, reducing the frequency of equipment downtime for cleaning.

[0021] Furthermore, the second pressurizing mechanism includes a second air pipe with one end connected to the top of the mixing feed pipe, and the other end connected to an external air source. The pressure of the external air source can be adjusted according to the material characteristics. The structure is simple and easy to integrate into an automated control system.

[0022] Furthermore, the second air pipe is a one-way air inlet nozzle. The one-way air inlet nozzle only allows gas from an external air source to enter the mixing feed pipe in one direction, preventing material in the mixing feed pipe from flowing back into the air pipe and avoiding air pipe blockage and air source contamination.

[0023] Furthermore, the first stirring wheel includes a rotating shaft, two limiting plates sleeved on the rotating shaft, a plurality of stirring blades fixed between the two limiting plates and inclined in the same direction, and a second drive motor with its output end connected to the rotating shaft; the structure of the second stirring wheel is the same as that of the first stirring wheel, and the rotation directions of the first stirring wheel and the second stirring wheel are opposite.

[0024] The first and second mixing wheels have the same structure, consisting of a rotating shaft, a limiting plate, inclined mixing blades, and a drive motor, but they rotate in opposite directions. When the material enters the first mixing wheel and the second mixing chamber, the opposing rotating mixing wheels will generate relative shear force on the material. For example, the first mixing wheel rotates clockwise and pushes the material to the left, while the second mixing wheel rotates counterclockwise and pushes the material to the right, forcing the material to form complex convection, tumbling, and collision within the chamber, breaking up material agglomeration and achieving deep mixing.

[0025] Furthermore, the width of the stirring blade is smaller than the radius of the limiting plate. The stirring blade is fixed along the outer periphery of the two limiting plates, and the range of the inclination angle α of the stirring blade is 10°≤α≤30°. The two limiting plates fix the stirring blade, which covers the edge area of ​​the mixing chamber along the outer periphery of the limiting plates. The width is smaller than the radius of the limiting plates, allowing sufficient material flow space inside the mixing chamber. The inclination angle α is limited to 10°-30°. This design balances thrust and dispersion force. The 10°-30° range can both propel the material to circulate within the chamber and generate sufficient shear force through the inclined surface of the blade, allowing the material to be fully dispersed and mixed.

[0026] Furthermore, the shell is provided with transparent observation windows located at the corresponding discharge positions of the first and second mixing chambers. The transparent observation windows allow for direct observation of the mixing state of the materials in the first and second mixing chambers, such as whether it is uniform or whether there is any blockage.

[0027] Furthermore, the shell is also provided with a detachable maintenance plate, which is a side plate that makes up the first and second mixing chambers. The detachable maintenance plate, serving as a side plate of the mixing chamber, facilitates opening the chamber for cleaning, repair, or replacement of the mixing components.

[0028] Furthermore, the color powder supply mechanism includes a color powder storage hopper and a second feeding mechanism disposed between the color powder storage hopper and the mixing feed pipe.

[0029] It should be noted that the color powder storage hopper is an existing storage hopper, which can be modified from purchased externally or existing hoppers used in the production line to achieve the material storage function, which will not be elaborated here. The second feeding mechanism includes a conveying pipe, a screw installed in the conveying pipe, and a drive motor connected to the screw. The conveying pipe is connected to the color powder storage hopper and the mixing device respectively. The drive motor drives the screw to rotate, and the rotation of the spiral blades realizes the directional conveying of materials.

[0030] Furthermore, the colorant output mechanism includes a discharge manifold, a third feeding mechanism disposed between the discharge port of each of the mixing devices and the discharge manifold, and a third pressurizing mechanism disposed on the discharge manifold.

[0031] Each mixing device's outlet is connected to the main discharge pipe via an independent third feeding mechanism, enabling the separate output of different colored mixed materials. The only converging output pipe is the main discharge pipe, which, in conjunction with a third pressurizing mechanism, generates thrust along the outlet direction of the main pipe, propelling the mixed materials rapidly and continuously towards the end of the main pipe, preventing material stagnation or blockage. Furthermore, when changing to a different color mixed material, the third pressurizing mechanism can be activated during the switching interval to flush the main discharge pipe with gas, reducing the amount of mixed material remaining in the main discharge pipe. This minimizes the risk of other colored mixed materials picking up discolored spots as they pass through, ensuring production quality.

[0032] Furthermore, the third pressurization mechanism includes a third air pipe with one end connected to the top of the discharge main pipe, and the other end of the second air pipe connected to an external air source.

[0033] Furthermore, it also includes a control system, which is connected to and controls the main material supply mechanism, several mixing devices, several color powder supply mechanisms, the main material distribution mechanism, and the color powder output mechanism. This application can achieve fully automated production by comprehensively controlling the activation and coordination of each major functional mechanism through the control system.

[0034] This utility model also provides a multi-color pipe forming equipment, including an extruder and a multi-color mixing device as described above, wherein the mixing material output mechanism is connected to the extruder and is used for feeding materials.

[0035] The extruder is existing technology and can be purchased externally or modified from an existing extruder in the production line. The color mixing output mechanism of the multi-color mixing device is connected to the extruder and used for feeding materials. The extruder is used to produce colored pipes. This will not be elaborated here.

[0036] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are: (1) The main material supply mechanism of this application stores the uncolored main material and outputs the main material to the main material distribution mechanism. In the main material distribution mechanism, the main material is diverted to the mixing device connected to the color powder supply mechanism of the corresponding color according to different coloring requirements. The mixing device is only used to mix the color powder and the main material of one color, so there will be no contamination by other color powders. After the main material and color powder are mixed into a mixed color material in the mixing device, the mixed color material is output to the next process through an independent pipeline via the mixed color material output mechanism. The mixed color material produced in this way will not be contaminated by other color powders.

[0037] (2) When changing colors, the main material is introduced into a mixing device for different color powders through the main material distribution mechanism, which can quickly switch the color mixing material. The products produced in the early stage will not have too much waste, eliminating the problem of mixed color spots that will occur when switching colors. This application greatly reduces the waste problem generated during the production transition and reduces production costs. At the same time, due to the short switching process and the absence of mixed color spots after switching, the product qualification rate and product quality are greatly improved, and it has a very good application effect. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a multi-color mixing device in one embodiment; Figure 2 This is a connection diagram of the main material supply mechanism and the main material distribution mechanism in one embodiment; Figure 3 This is a perspective view of the main material distribution mechanism in one embodiment; Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the stirring and mixing device in one embodiment; Figure 5 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the stirring and mixing device in one embodiment; Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the stirring and mixing device in one embodiment; Figure 7 This is a perspective view of the stirring and mixing apparatus in one embodiment; Figure 8 for Figure 1 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle; Figure 9 for Figure 1 A magnified view of a section at point B in the middle; Figure 10 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a multi-color pipe forming equipment in another embodiment.

[0039] 1-Main material supply mechanism, 11-Main material storage hopper, 12-First feeding mechanism, 2-Mixing device, 20-Shell, 201-Inspection plate, 21-Inlet, 22-Outlet, 23-First mixing chamber, 24-Second mixing chamber, 25-First mixing wheel, 251-Shaft, 252-Limiting plate, 253-Mixing blade, 254-Second drive motor, 26-Second mixing wheel, 27-Mixing feed pipe, 28- Second pressurizing mechanism, 29-transparent observation window, 3-main material distribution mechanism, 31-distribution bin, 32-main material distribution pipe, 33-distribution impeller, 34-first drive motor, 35-first pressurizing mechanism, 36-electric valve, 4-color powder supply mechanism, 41-color powder storage hopper, 42-second feeding mechanism, 5-mixed color material output mechanism, 51-discharge main pipe, 52-third feeding mechanism, 53-third pressurizing mechanism, 100-extruder. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only, representing schematic diagrams rather than actual physical objects, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. To better illustrate the embodiments of the present invention, some components in the drawings may be omitted, enlarged, or reduced, and do not represent the actual dimensions of the product. It is understandable to those skilled in the art that some well-known structures and their descriptions may be omitted in the drawings.

[0041] 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.

[0042] In the accompanying drawings of this utility model, the same or similar reference numerals correspond to the same or similar components. In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the terms used to describe positional relationships in the drawings are only for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting this application. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0043] Example 1 like Figure 1 The first embodiment of this utility model is shown, which provides a multi-color mixing device, comprising: Main material supply mechanism 1: Used to store and output main materials; Several mixing devices 2: including a feed inlet 21 and a discharge outlet 22, used to mix the main material and color powder into a mixed color material; Main material distribution mechanism 3: One end is connected to the main material supply mechanism 1 and the other end is connected to the inlet 21 of each mixing device 2; Several color powder supply mechanisms 4: used to store and output color powder to the mixing device 2. Each mixing device 2 is connected to a color powder supply mechanism 4, and each color powder supply mechanism 4 stores color powder of different colors. Colorant output mechanism 5: It is connected to the outlet 22 of each mixing device 2 and is used to output the colorant.

[0044] The main material supply mechanism 1 of this application stores uncolored main materials and outputs them to the main material distribution mechanism 3. In the main material distribution mechanism 3, according to different coloring requirements, the main materials are diverted to the mixing device 2 connected to the color powder supply mechanism 4 of the corresponding color. The mixing device 2 is only used to mix the color powder and main material of one color, so there will be no contamination from other color powders. After the main material and color powder are mixed into a mixed color material in the mixing device 2, the mixed color material is output to the next process through the mixed color material output mechanism 5 via an independent pipeline. The mixed color material produced in this way will not be contaminated by other color powders. When changing colors, the main material is introduced into the mixing device 2 dedicated to different color powders through the main material distribution mechanism 3, which can quickly switch the color mixed material. There will be no excessive waste in the early production products, and the problem of mixed color spots that will occur when switching colors is eliminated. This application greatly reduces the waste problem generated during production transition, reduces production costs, and greatly improves the product qualification rate and product quality due to the short switching process and the absence of mixed color spots after switching. It has a very good application effect.

[0045] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the main material distribution mechanism 3 includes a distribution bin 31. The side wall of the distribution bin 31 is connected to the main material supply mechanism 1. The bottom of the distribution bin 31 is provided with four main material distribution pipes 32 arranged in a ring. Each main material distribution pipe 32 is connected to a mixing device 2. Each main material distribution pipe 32 is also provided with an electric valve 36 for controlling the opening and closing of the main material distribution pipe 32. like Figure 3 As shown, the main material distribution mechanism 3 also includes a distribution impeller 33 disposed in the distribution bin 31 and used to push the main material to the positions of each main material distribution pipe 32, and a first drive motor 34 connected to the distribution impeller 33 and driving it to rotate. like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the main material distribution mechanism 3 also includes a first pressurization mechanism 35 that connects to the distribution bin 31.

[0046] The main material first enters the distribution bin 31 from the supply mechanism. The distribution impeller 33 is located inside the distribution bin 31 and is driven to rotate by the first drive motor 34. The distribution bin 31 can temporarily store a certain amount of main material to balance the feeding fluctuations at the supply end. At the same time, when the distribution impeller 33 rotates at a constant speed, the blades of the distribution impeller 33 will actively push the main material in the distribution bin 31 to the inlet of each annularly distributed main material distribution pipe 32. Each main material distribution pipe 32 is equipped with an electric valve 36. The electric valve 36 can independently control the opening and closing of the corresponding main material distribution pipe 32 through an electrical signal. According to different coloring requirements, the main material is diverted to the mixing device 2 of the corresponding color. The first pressurizing mechanism 35 is connected to the distribution bin 31. The first pressurizing mechanism 35 can input gas into the distribution bin 31 to increase the pressure. Generally, this is achieved by introducing anhydrous air, which pushes the main material to flow towards the inlet of the distribution pipe to ensure the continuity of feeding. After the above steps, the main materials flow out from the main material distribution pipes 32 at the bottom of the distribution bin 31 and enter the corresponding mixing device 2, completing the precise distribution from the single supply end to the different coloring and mixing demand ends.

[0047] It should also be noted that traditional material distribution relies heavily on gravity for natural material feeding, which can easily lead to large deviations in the material quantity of each branch pipe due to differences in material density and dead corners in the silo. This application uses a layout of actively pushing material distribution impeller 33 and main material branch pipes 32 arranged in a ring. The uniform rotation of the material distribution impeller 33 can ensure that the main material is evenly distributed to each branch pipe. The first pressurizing mechanism 35 can actively break up material accumulation and bridging, reducing the frequency of equipment downtime for cleaning. The number of main material branch pipes 32 arranged in a ring in this application can be configured according to the amount of color powder commonly used in actual production, and can be flexibly adapted and adjusted to the number of downstream mixing devices.

[0048] like Figure 3 As shown, the first pressurization mechanism 35 includes four first air pipes located at the top of the material distribution bin 31. The number of first air pipes corresponds to the number of main material distribution pipes 32, and the air outlet direction of each first air pipe is directly opposite to each main material distribution pipe 32. The first air pipes are respectively connected to an external air source.

[0049] The first pressurizing mechanism 35 of this application has four first air pipes, corresponding to the number of main material branch pipes 32. It adopts a precise directional air blowing and one-way anti-backflow design, which is specifically designed to solve the problem of blockage at the inlet of the main material branch pipe 32. The air outlet direction of each air pipe is directly aligned with the inlet of a main material branch pipe 32, ensuring that the gas can accurately act on the inlet of the main material branch pipe 32 that is most prone to blockage, and push the main material smoothly into the branch pipe to avoid blockage.

[0050] In this embodiment, the four first air pipes are unidirectional air inlets. The unidirectional air inlets only allow gas from an external air source to enter the distribution bin 31 in one direction, preventing the main material in the distribution bin 31 from flowing back into the air pipes and avoiding air pipe blockage and air source contamination.

[0051] like Figure 3As shown, the material distribution bin 31 is a cylindrical material distribution bin; the material distribution impeller 33 includes a wheel shaft coaxially arranged with the material distribution bin 31, and several blades that are radially and evenly distributed on the wheel shaft.

[0052] like Figure 2 As shown, the main material supply mechanism 1 includes a main material storage hopper 11 and a first feeding mechanism 12 located between the main material storage hopper 11 and the distribution bin 31.

[0053] It should be noted that the main material storage hopper 11 is an existing storage hopper, which can be modified by purchasing externally or by using existing hoppers in the production line to achieve the material storage function, which will not be elaborated here.

[0054] In this embodiment, the first feeding mechanism 12 includes a conveying pipe, a screw disposed in the conveying pipe, and a drive motor connected to the screw. The conveying pipe is connected to the main material storage hopper 11 and the main material distribution mechanism 3 respectively. The drive motor drives the screw to rotate, and the rotational motion of the spiral blades realizes the directional conveying of materials.

[0055] like Figures 4 to 7 As shown, the mixing device 2 includes a housing 20, with an inlet 21 and an outlet 22 respectively located at the top and bottom of the housing 20; it also includes a first mixing chamber 23 and a second mixing chamber 24 distributed vertically and interconnected within the housing 20, and a first mixing wheel 25 and a second mixing wheel 26 respectively located in the first mixing chamber 23 and the second mixing chamber 24; the inlet 21 is connected to the first mixing chamber 23, and the second mixing chamber 24 is connected to the outlet 22, and the path of the mixed material from entering the first mixing chamber 23 to exiting the second mixing chamber 24 is S-shaped.

[0056] like Figure 6As shown, the mixing device 2 of this application adopts a dual-chamber staged mixing. At the same time, the inlet and outlet positions of the two mixing chambers are designed to make the material mixing path S-shaped, extending the mixing path. Through structural design, the material is forced to undergo a multi-stage, long-path mixing process: the shell 20 is divided into a first mixing chamber 23 and a second mixing chamber 24, which are connected to each other. The main material and color powder first enter the first mixing chamber 23 from the top inlet 21. After being initially dispersed and mixed by the first mixing wheel 25, they flow into the second mixing chamber 24 below, where they are further mixed by the second mixing wheel 26, and finally discharged from the bottom outlet 22. S-shaped flow path: The material travels in an S-shape from the first mixing chamber 23 to the second mixing chamber 24. Specifically, the material outlet of the first mixing chamber 23 is located at the end of the rotation path and connected to the inlet of the second mixing chamber 24. The material outlet of the second mixing chamber 24 is also located at the end of the rotation path. For example, after counter-clockwise mixing in the first mixing chamber 23, the material turns downwards into the second mixing chamber 24, and then reverses direction clockwise mixing in the second mixing chamber 24 before flowing downwards to the outlet 22. This path design breaks the short-path "straight-down" pattern, forcing the material to flow in a turning direction between the upper and lower chambers, thus extending its residence time within the device. The mixing wheels of the two mixing chambers can work independently, generating multi-directional shear forces on the material, improving mixing uniformity. This avoids the problem of rapid material passage and insufficient mixing in traditional single-chamber mixing. Simultaneously, gravity assists the material flow from the first mixing chamber 23 to the second mixing chamber 24. The vertical distribution balances thorough mixing and a compact structure, reducing the volume of the mixing device 2 and facilitating the parallel installation of multiple independent mixing devices 2 as described in this application.

[0057] like Figure 8 As shown, the mixing device 2 also includes a mixing feed pipe 27 connected to the feed inlet 21, and a second pressurizing mechanism 28 located at the top of the mixing feed pipe 27; the color powder supply mechanism 4 and the main material distribution mechanism 3 are respectively connected to the side wall of the mixing feed pipe 27.

[0058] A mixing feed pipe 27 is added above the feed inlet 21 of the mixing device 2. This structure achieves the initial mixing of the main material and the color powder through the mixing feed pipe 27, and promotes the flow of materials with the help of the air pressure of the second pressurizing mechanism 28. The main material conveyed by the main material distribution mechanism 3 and the color powder conveyed by the color powder supply mechanism 4 enter the pipe from the side wall of the mixing feed pipe 27 respectively, forming an initial contact and mixing in the pipe. The second air pipe at the top of the mixing feed pipe 27 introduces gas into the pipe, generating downward air pressure. This air pressure can, on the one hand, push the mixture of main material and color powder in the pipe downward to enter the subsequent feed inlet 21, and on the other hand, break up the accumulation or blockage that may form in the pipe by fine color powder or viscous main material, ensuring continuous and stable material conveying. The mixing feed pipe 27 improves the mixing efficiency and reduces the workload of the subsequent mixing device 2. The air pressure boost can effectively solve the problem of "local accumulation" that may occur when multiple materials are combined, such as the easy agglomeration of color powder and the flow obstruction caused by the increased viscosity after the main material and color powder are mixed, reducing the frequency of equipment shutdown for cleaning.

[0059] In this embodiment, the second pressurizing mechanism 28 includes a second air pipe with one end connected to the top of the mixing feed pipe 27, and the other end connected to an external air source. The pressure of the external air source can be adjusted according to the material characteristics. The structure is simple and easy to integrate into an automated control system.

[0060] In this embodiment, the second air pipe is a one-way air inlet nozzle. The one-way air inlet nozzle only allows gas from an external air source to enter the mixing feed pipe 27 in one direction, preventing material in the mixing feed pipe 27 from flowing back into the air pipe and avoiding air pipe blockage and air source contamination.

[0061] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the first stirring wheel 25 includes a rotating shaft 251, two limiting plates 252 sleeved on the rotating shaft 251, a plurality of stirring blades 253 fixed between the two limiting plates 252 and inclined in the same direction, and a second drive motor 254 whose output end is connected to the rotating shaft 251; the structure of the second stirring wheel 26 is the same as that of the first stirring wheel 25, but the rotation directions of the first stirring wheel 25 and the second stirring wheel 26 are opposite.

[0062] The first stirring wheel 25 and the second stirring wheel 26 have the same structure, both consisting of a rotating shaft 251, a limiting plate 252, an inclined stirring blade 253, and a drive motor, but they rotate in opposite directions. When the material enters the first stirring wheel 25 and the second stirring chamber 24, the stirring wheels rotating in opposite directions will generate relative shear force on the material. For example, the first stirring wheel 25 rotates clockwise to push the material to the left, and the second stirring wheel 26 rotates counterclockwise to push the material to the right, forcing the material to form complex convection, tumbling and collision in the chamber, breaking up the material agglomeration and achieving deep mixing.

[0063] like Figure 6As shown, the width of the stirring blade 253 is smaller than the radius of the limiting plate 252. The stirring blade 253 is fixed along the outer periphery of the two limiting plates 252, and the range of the tilt angle α of the stirring blade 253 is 10°≤α≤30°. The two limiting plates 252 fix the stirring blade 253, and the stirring blade 253 is fixed along the outer periphery of the limiting plates 252, covering the edge area of ​​the mixing chamber. The width is smaller than the radius of the limiting plates 252, allowing sufficient material flow space inside the mixing chamber. The tilt angle α is limited to 10°-30°. This design balances the thrust and dispersion force. The range of 10°-30° can both promote the material to circulate within the chamber and generate sufficient shear force through the inclined surface of the blades, allowing the material to be fully dispersed and mixed.

[0064] like Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, in order to achieve a rotatable connection between the second drive motor 254 and the housing 20 of the stirring and mixing device 2, essential connecting parts such as a motor mounting plate, bearings, and sealing rings are also provided.

[0065] like Figure 1 As shown, the color powder supply mechanism 4 includes a color powder storage hopper 41 and a second feeding mechanism 42 disposed between the color powder storage hopper 41 and the mixing feed pipe 27.

[0066] It should be noted that the color powder storage hopper 41 is an existing storage hopper, which can be modified by purchasing externally or modifying existing hoppers used in the production line to achieve the material storage function, which will not be elaborated here. The second feeding mechanism 42 includes a conveying pipe, a screw installed in the conveying pipe, and a drive motor connected to the screw. The conveying pipe is connected to the color powder storage hopper 41 and the mixing device 2 respectively. The drive motor drives the screw to rotate, and the rotation of the spiral blades realizes the directional conveying of materials.

[0067] like Figure 1 and Figure 9 As shown, the colorant output mechanism 5 includes a discharge main pipe 51, a third feeding mechanism 52 located between the discharge port 22 of each mixing device 2 and the discharge main pipe 51, and a third pressurizing mechanism 53 located on the discharge main pipe 51.

[0068] Each mixing device 2's outlet 22 is connected to the main discharge pipe 51 via an independent third feeding mechanism 52, enabling the separate output of mixed materials of different colors. The only converging output pipe is the main discharge pipe 51. The main discharge pipe 51, in conjunction with the third pressurizing mechanism 53 located on it, can generate a thrust along the outlet direction of the main pipe, propelling the mixed materials to flow quickly and continuously towards the end of the main pipe, preventing material stagnation or blockage. On the other hand, when it is necessary to change to a different color of mixed material, the third pressurizing mechanism 53 can be opened during the switching interval to flush the main discharge pipe 51 with gas, reducing the amount of mixed material remaining in the main discharge pipe 51, thereby reducing the amount of discolored spots that other colors of mixed materials will pick up when passing through, ensuring production quality.

[0069] like Figure 9 As shown, the third pressurizing mechanism 53 includes a third air pipe with one end connected to the top of the discharge main pipe 51, and the other end of the second air pipe connected to an external air source.

[0070] Example 2 This embodiment is similar to Embodiment 1, except that in this embodiment: like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, transparent observation windows 29 are respectively provided on the shell 20 at the corresponding discharge positions of the first mixing chamber 23 and the second mixing chamber 24. The transparent observation windows 29 allow for direct observation of the mixing state of the materials in the first mixing chamber 23 and the second mixing chamber 24, such as whether it is uniform or whether it is blocked.

[0071] like Figure 5 As shown, the housing 20 is also provided with a detachable maintenance plate 201, which is a side plate that makes up the first mixing chamber 23 and the second mixing chamber 24. The detachable maintenance plate 201 serves as a side plate of the mixing chamber, making it convenient to open the chamber for cleaning, maintenance or replacement of the mixing components.

[0072] The other structures and principles of this embodiment are the same as those of Embodiment 1.

[0073] Example 3 This embodiment is similar to Embodiment 1, except that: In this embodiment, a multi-color mixing device further includes a control system, which is connected to and controls the main material supply mechanism 1, several mixing devices 2, several color powder supply mechanisms 4, the main material dispensing mechanism 3, and the mixed color material output mechanism 5. This application can achieve fully automated production by comprehensively controlling the activation and coordination of each major functional mechanism through the control system.

[0074] The other structures and principles of this embodiment are the same as those of Embodiment 1.

[0075] Example 4 This embodiment also provides a multi-color pipe forming equipment, such as Figure 10 As shown, it includes an extruder 100 and a multi-color mixing device as described in Embodiment 2 above. The color mixing output mechanism 5 is connected to the extruder 100 and is used for feeding materials.

[0076] In this embodiment, the extruder 100 is existing technology and can be modified by purchasing externally or by using an existing extruder 100 in the production line. The color mixing output mechanism 5 of the multi-color mixing device is connected to the extruder 100 and used for feeding materials. The extruder 100 is used to produce colored pipes. This will not be elaborated here.

[0077] Obviously, the above embodiments of this utility model are merely examples for clearly illustrating this utility model, and are not intended to limit the implementation of this utility model. Those skilled in the art can make other variations or modifications based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A multi-color mixing device, characterized in that, include: Main material supply mechanism (1): used to store and output main materials; Several mixing devices (2): including a feed inlet (21) and a discharge outlet (22) and used to mix the main material and color powder into a mixed color material; Main material distribution mechanism (3): One end is connected to the main material supply mechanism (1) and the other end is connected to the feed inlet (21) of each of the mixing devices (2). Several color powder supply mechanisms (4): for storing and outputting color powder to the stirring and mixing device (2), each of the stirring and mixing devices (2) is connected to one of the color powder supply mechanisms (4), and each of the color powder supply mechanisms (4) stores color powder of different colors; Colorant output mechanism (5): connected to the outlet (22) of each of the mixing devices (2) and used to output the colorant.

2. The multi-color mixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main material distribution mechanism (3) includes a distribution bin (31), the side wall of the distribution bin (31) is connected to the main material supply mechanism (1), the bottom of the distribution bin (31) is provided with a number of main material distribution pipes (32) arranged in a ring, each main material distribution pipe (32) is connected to a mixing device (2), and each main material distribution pipe (32) is also provided with an electric valve (36) for controlling the opening and closing of the main material distribution pipe (32); The main material distribution mechanism (3) further includes a distribution impeller (33) disposed in the distribution bin (31) and used to push the main material to each of the main material distribution pipes (32), and a first drive motor (34) connected to the distribution impeller (33) and driving it to rotate. The main material distribution mechanism (3) also includes a first pressurizing mechanism (35) connected to the distribution bin (31).

3. The multi-color mixing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first pressurization mechanism (35) includes a plurality of first air pipes located on the top of the material distribution bin (31). The number of the first air pipes corresponds to the number of the main material distribution pipes (32). The air outlet direction of each first air pipe is directly opposite to each main material distribution pipe (32). The plurality of first air pipes are respectively connected to an external air source.

4. The multi-color mixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mixing device (2) includes a housing (20), with the inlet (21) and outlet (22) located at the top and bottom of the housing (20), respectively; it also includes a first mixing chamber (23) and a second mixing chamber (24) distributed vertically and interconnected within the housing (20), and a first mixing wheel (25) and a second mixing wheel (26) located in the first mixing chamber (23) and the second mixing chamber (24), respectively; the inlet (21) is connected to the first mixing chamber (23), and the second mixing chamber (24) is connected to the outlet (22); the path of the mixed material from entering the first mixing chamber (23) to exiting the second mixing chamber (24) is S-shaped.

5. A multi-color mixing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes a mixing feed pipe (27) connected to the feed inlet (21), and a second pressurizing mechanism (28) located at the top of the mixing feed pipe (27); the color powder supply mechanism (4) and the main material distribution mechanism (3) are respectively connected to the side wall of the mixing feed pipe (27).

6. A multi-color mixing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first stirring wheel (25) includes a rotating shaft (251), two limiting plates (252) sleeved on the rotating shaft (251), a plurality of stirring blades (253) fixed between the two limiting plates (252) and inclined in the same direction, and a second drive motor (254) whose output end is connected to the rotating shaft (251); the structure of the second stirring wheel (26) is the same as that of the first stirring wheel (25), and the rotation directions of the first stirring wheel (25) and the second stirring wheel (26) are opposite.

7. A multi-color mixing device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The width of the stirring blade (253) is smaller than the radius of the limiting plate (252). The stirring blade (253) is fixed along the outer periphery of the two limiting plates (252). The range of the tilt angle α of the stirring blade (253) is 10°≤α≤30°.

8. The multi-color mixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main material supply mechanism (1) includes a main material storage hopper (11) and a first feeding mechanism (12) disposed between the main material storage hopper (11) and the main material distribution mechanism (3); the color powder supply mechanism (4) includes a color powder storage hopper (41) and a second feeding mechanism (42) disposed between the color powder storage hopper (41) and the mixing device (2).

9. A multi-color mixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The colorant output mechanism (5) includes a discharge manifold (51), a third feeding mechanism (52) located between the discharge port (22) of each of the mixing devices (2) and the discharge manifold (51), and a third pressurizing mechanism (53) located on the discharge manifold (51).

10. A multi-color pipe forming equipment, comprising an extruder (100), characterized in that, It also includes a multicolor mixing device as described in any one of claims 1-9, wherein the color mixing output mechanism (5) is connected to the extruder (100) and is used for feeding materials.

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