Dispersion rotor for media-less type dispersion device

Abstract

To provide a dispersion rotor for a media-less type dispersion device that can efficiently shear and disperse a dispersion target drawn into a stator without using media.SOLUTION: A dispersion rotor 1 is housed within a cylindrical stator which has ring-shaped top plate and bottom plate and is suspended and held in a bottomed cylindrical tank in which a dispersion target is stored, is fixed to a rotating shaft that penetrates an opening formed on each center of the top plate and the bottom plate, and discharges the dispersion target from a through hole or slit formed in a cylindrical wall part of the stator by drawing the dispersion target in the tank into the stator following the rotation of the rotating shaft. Namely, the dispersion rotor 1 has a disc shape and has multiple grooves 5 that are radially formed toward the outer periphery from the rotating shaft side on each surface opposed to the top plate and the bottom plate. The cross sections of the grooves 5 become smaller as they head toward the outer periphery from the rotating shaft side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a dispersion rotor for a media-less type dispersion device used in a batch-type media-less type dispersion device for storing, dispersing and shearing dispersion objects in a tank of the dispersion device in the process of producing dispersion objects such as paints, inks, resist inks, sealing materials (adhesives used for LEDs, semiconductors, etc.), solder pastes, active material pastes for lithium ion batteries, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. [Background technology]

[0002] A turbine-stator type agitator for manufacturing emulsion products and suspension products such as cosmetics and pharmaceuticals is known. The agitator is composed of a turbine that rotates at high speed in a container and a stator that surrounds the turbine. The turbine is composed of an annular impeller section having a plurality of radial grooves, and an inducer section that is connected to the inner wall of the impeller section at the central opening of the impeller section and has four blades located at the lower end of the rotating shaft. The stator is cylindrical, and a plurality of through holes are formed on its outer periphery. With this configuration, the agitator causes the material to be treated to flow into the impeller section from the lower end opening of the stator by the suction force of the inducer section accompanying the rotation of the turbine, and shears the material to be treated in the clearance between the outer periphery of the impeller section rotating inside the stator and the inner wall of the main body of the stator (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-189749 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In recent years, dispersion objects with a wide range of properties, from low-viscosity dispersion objects to high-viscosity active material pastes for lithium-ion batteries, have been manufactured. However, for certain dispersion objects, it is necessary to gradually reduce the particle size of the dispersion object using different devices. For example, a premixing process in which the dispersion object is roughly stirred by a batch-type agitator, a pre-dispersion process using a media-type dispersion device, and a main dispersion process using a continuous media-type dispersion device that supplies and discharges the dispersion object are performed. In such cases, the following inconveniences arise. When using different types of media-type dispersion devices, such as batch and continuous types, it is necessary to transfer the dispersion object to the tank or container of each device for each process. In addition, the tanks used in each process must be washed after use. When washing, it is necessary to wash carefully so that no media remains. Therefore, it is desired to reduce the processing using the media-type dispersion device.

[0005] However, the media-less type dispersing device has a problem that it cannot be used to treat all types of dispersion objects because it has a lower shearing ability and dispersion ability than the media type dispersing device. That is, the mixing device of the cited document 1 can only shear the object that flows into the impeller part by the suction force of the inducer part during rotation in the clearance part between the outer periphery of the impeller part and the inner wall of the stator, so there is a problem that the object to be dispersed cannot be reduced in size to a predetermined particle size.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and aims to provide a dispersion rotor for a media-less type dispersion device that enables the material to be dispersed to be reduced in size to a predetermined particle size without using media. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention provides a dispersing rotor for a media-less type dispersing device as described below.

[0008] A dispersion rotor for a media-less type dispersion device, the dispersion rotor being housed in a stator made of a cylindrical body having ring-shaped top and bottom plates suspended in a bottomed cylindrical tank in which a dispersion object is stored, the rotor being fixed to a rotating shaft penetrating openings formed in the centers of the top and bottom plates, the rotor drawing the dispersion object in the tank into the stator as the rotating shaft rotates and discharging the dispersion object outside the stator through a through hole or slit formed in the cylindrical body of the stator, The dispersion rotor is disk-shaped and has a plurality of grooves formed radially from the rotary shaft side to the outer periphery on each surface facing the top plate and the bottom plate, The groove has a cross section that becomes smaller from the rotating shaft side toward the outer periphery. A dispersion rotor for a media-less type dispersion device.

[0009] In the dispersion rotor of the present invention, the plurality of radially formed grooves are not limited to a plurality of linear grooves extending straight from the center of the dispersion rotor in a radial direction in a plan view, but may be curved. The curved shape may be, for example, a shape having one bend, such as an arch shape described later, or a shape having multiple bends. However, a groove whose plan view shape is bent or bent to such an extent that the flow of the dispersion object is hindered or slowed down in the process in which the dispersion object flows from the inlet to the outlet of the groove, or a groove whose cross section is deformed along the flow direction, does not fall under the radially formed groove referred to here. The bend is a bent portion. For example, if a groove has a "L" shape in a plan view and the flow of the dispersion object is hindered or slowed down at the bent portion, the "L" shaped groove does not fall under the radially formed groove. The bend is a portion that is bent without bending. The bend is less likely to hinder or slow down the flow of the dispersion object than the refraction, but depending on the degree of the bend, it may hinder or slow down the flow of the dispersion object. A groove having such a bent portion does not correspond to a radially formed groove. The deformation is, for example, a change in cross section due to a convex portion formed in the middle of the groove. A radially formed groove may have a shape such that, for example, the object to be dispersed enters the inlet of the groove while the dispersion rotor is rotating, and is sent out from the outlet of the outer edge of the dispersion rotor without colliding with a collision part or the like and decelerating in the process of flowing from upstream to downstream. Therefore, there is no structure that impedes or decelerates the flow of the object to be dispersed that entered the inlet of the groove before being sent out from the outlet.

[0010] In addition, the dispersion rotor of the present invention preferably has an outlet facing backward so as to suppress the intrusion of the dispersion object from the outlet, which causes deceleration in addition to the deceleration caused by the collision of the dispersion object. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, when focusing on one groove 5 of the dispersion rotor 1 rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow R, the groove 5 extends straight along the radius, so the outlet faces directly to the side. Therefore, the intrusion of the dispersion object from the outlet is suppressed when the dispersion rotor 1 rotates, so the dispersion object flowing through the groove 5 is not decelerated. Therefore, the position where the dispersion object does not intrude from the outlet is set based on this groove 5 as follows.

[0011] First, the dispersion rotor 1 is divided into upper and lower halves based on the groove 5, and the upper side is defined as the front and the lower side as the rear. Then, if the position of the inlet of the groove 5 is fixed and the outlet is located on the arc of the lower half of the dispersion rotor 1, the outlet faces backward. For example, the grooves 5a to 5d are set so that each outlet is set in the direction of the arrow L along the arc, and each outlet always faces backward, and the intrusion of the dispersion target from the outlet is suppressed when the dispersion rotor 1 rotates. Therefore, the grooves 5a to 5d connecting the fixed inlet and each outlet are not limited to only linear shapes, but also include an arch shape (groove 5d) that curves forward. From the above, the radial grooves of the present invention are not limited to a shape that extends straight from the rotating shaft side to the outer periphery, and include an arch shape and the like.

[0012] According to this configuration, the dispersion rotor forms two flows on each side of the dispersion target as it rotates. The first flow flows from the rotating shaft side (hereinafter referred to as "upstream") to the outer periphery side (hereinafter referred to as "downstream") while rotating between the top plate and the bottom plate of the stator with the dispersion rotor in between. The second flow flows downstream along the grooves formed on both sides of the dispersion rotor.

[0013] The material to be dispersed in the first flow is sheared by frictional resistance generated on the surfaces facing the top plate and the bottom plate as the dispersion rotor rotates.

[0014] The pressure of the second flow of dispersion objects toward the downstream side increases due to the grooves that narrow from the upstream to the downstream. Here, a small cross section of the groove means a cross section that is narrow in width, narrow (shallow) in depth, or a combination of these. The objects to be dispersed flowing through the grooves are subjected to centrifugal force accompanying the rotation of the dispersion rotor. In other words, the pressure inside the grooves increases as the centrifugal force is applied to the objects to be dispersed flowing through the grooves, and the objects to be dispersed are forcefully sent out from the outlet. At this time, a part of the objects to be dispersed collides with the inner wall of the stator with force, and the objects to be dispersed are dispersed by the impact. The objects to be dispersed are also sheared by the outer peripheral edge of the rotating dispersion rotor.

[0015] Therefore, the dispersion rotor exerts a synergistic effect of three actions: shearing using frictional resistance on its front and back surfaces, dispersion caused by accelerating the dispersion object from upstream to downstream by the grooves and colliding it with the inner wall of the stator, and shearing by the outer peripheral edge of the dispersion rotor, so that the dispersion object can be dispersed to a predetermined particle size without using media. In addition, unlike conventional manufacturing lines, it is not necessary to perform stepwise pre-dispersion and main dispersion processes using different media-type dispersion devices after the premixing process. In other words, the premixing process and pre-dispersion process can be replaced with a media-less type dispersion device, and then the main dispersion process can be performed. Therefore, the management of the media and careful cleaning process so that no media remains can be performed only with the media-type dispersion device for the main dispersion process, and the number of devices used can be reduced, which in turn reduces the number of processing steps in the manufacturing line and significantly improves work efficiency.

[0016] Furthermore, a portion of the accelerated dispersion object flows directly into the through holes or slits of the stator, i.e., the dispersion rotor can forcefully eject the dispersion object out of the stator.

[0017] In the above configuration, it is preferable that the plurality of grooves are configured to satisfy the following requirement: In other words, when the periphery of the outlet of the groove is divided into two regions based on a straight line connecting the outlet of the groove and the center of the dispersion rotor in a plan view from the axial center side of the rotating shaft, the region located on the traveling direction side is defined as a front region and the remaining region is defined as a rear region, it is preferable that the plurality of grooves send out the dispersion target entering from the inlet from the outlet of the groove toward the rear region.

[0018] According to this configuration, each groove always sends the dispersion object toward the rear region while the dispersion rotor is rotating, so that the intrusion of the dispersion object from the outlet is suppressed while the dispersion rotor is rotating. Therefore, the dispersion object in each groove is pressure-fed while being influenced by centrifugal force when the dispersion rotor is rotating, so that the dispersion object can be forcefully sent out from the outlet, and the dispersion object can be forcefully collided with the inner wall of the stator to be dispersed, and the dispersion object can be forcefully sent into the through-hole or slit of the stator.

[0019] In the above configuration, it is preferable that the dispersion rotor has a fan-shaped convex portion between adjacent grooves, and when the dispersion rotor is viewed in a plane from the axial center side of the rotating shaft, the surface area of ​​the fan-shaped convex portion is larger than the opening area of ​​the groove.

[0020] According to this configuration, the dispersion rotor efficiently generates frictional resistance against the material to be dispersed in the first flow flowing between the inner wall surfaces of the top plate and the bottom plate due to the fan-shaped convex portion having a surface area larger than the opening area of ​​the groove, thereby efficiently shearing the material to be dispersed.

[0021] In the above configuration, the dispersion rotor has a ring-shaped groove formed around the rotation shaft for receiving the dispersion object drawn along the rotation shaft as the dispersion rotor rotates, It is preferable that the outer edge of the ring-shaped groove communicates with the plurality of grooves.

[0022] According to this configuration, the dispersion object is drawn in from around the rotation axis as the dispersion rotor rotates. The dispersion object is received in the ring-shaped groove, but is pressed by the dispersion object being drawn in succession. In other words, the dispersion rotor can efficiently pump the dispersion object pressed by the ring-shaped groove into a plurality of grooves that communicate with the outer edge of the ring-shaped groove.

[0023] In the above configuration, the dispersion rotor preferably has a tapered shape that is tapered from the rotating shaft side toward the outer periphery when viewed from the front from a side perpendicular to the rotating shaft.

[0024] According to this configuration, the dispersion rotor can smoothly flow the dispersion object drawn in as it rotates along the inclined surface of the dispersion rotor, thereby accelerating the object efficiently. Effect of the Invention

[0025] The present invention provides a dispersion rotor for a media-less type dispersion device that can efficiently shear and disperse a material to be dispersed that is drawn into the stator without using media. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating radial grooves according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a dispersion rotor according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a front view of the dispersion rotor and the stator. [Figure 4] 1A is a plan view showing the state in which the dispersion rotor is housed in the stator, and FIG. 1B is a partially enlarged view showing the relationship between the widths of the grooves and the openings and exits of the slits. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view illustrating the inclination angle of the grooves of the dispersion rotor. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a dispersion device incorporating a dispersion rotor according to a first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a dispersion rotor according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a front view of the dispersion rotor. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the dispersion rotor. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a dispersion rotor and a stator. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which the dispersion rotor is housed in the stator. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a modified dispersion rotor. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a front view showing a cylindrical main body of a modified example of a stator. [Figure 14]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a dispersion device equipped with an impeller. [Figure 15] FIG. [Figure 16] 2A and 2B are plan and front views of an impeller. [Figure 17] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a dispersing device equipped with an agitating blade. [Figure 18] FIG. [Figure 19] FIG. 2 is a plan view and a front view of the stirring blade. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] First Embodiment Hereinafter, an embodiment of the dispersion rotor used in the media-less dispersion device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The dispersion rotor is housed in a stator consisting of a cylindrical body having a ring-shaped top plate and a bottom plate suspended in a bottomed cylindrical tank in which the dispersion object is stored, and is fixed to a rotating shaft that penetrates an opening formed in the center of each of the top plate and the bottom plate. In each of the following embodiments, the bottom plate is integrated with the cylindrical body, but the bottom plate and the cylindrical body may be configured separately, or the top plate and the cylindrical body may be configured as an integrated unit. In the dispersion rotor of each of the following embodiments, the surface of the stator facing the top plate is appropriately referred to as the "front surface" and the surface facing the bottom plate is appropriately referred to as the "back surface". In addition, as described later, the dispersion rotor sends the dispersion object from the rotating shaft side to the outer periphery side as it rotates, and hereinafter, the rotating shaft side is appropriately referred to as the "upstream" or "inner side", and the outer periphery side is appropriately referred to as the "downstream" or "outer side".

[0028] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the dispersion rotor 1 is disk-shaped when viewed from the center of the through hole 2 through which the rotating shaft is inserted, and is tapered toward the outer periphery when viewed from the front. A ring-shaped groove 4 is formed around the mounting part 3 to the rotating shaft, sandwiching the mounting part 3. Furthermore, the dispersion rotor 1 has a plurality of grooves 5 formed radially from the rotating shaft side to the outer periphery on both the front and back surfaces. As shown in Figure 4, the dispersion rotor 1 rotates in the rotation direction R indicated by the arrow around the axis P.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 7, the ring-shaped groove 4 is formed by an inner wall portion 4A and a protrusion 6 on its outer side. The inner wall portion 4A forms a tapered inclined surface that tapers toward the bottom surface. The outside communicates with a plurality of grooves 5. In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the ring-shaped groove 4 is set to be approximately the same as the diameter of the openings in the top and bottom plates of the stator 50.

[0030] The grooves 5 extend straight from the rotating shaft side toward the outer periphery, and the same number of grooves 5 are formed at equal intervals on both the front and back surfaces of the dispersion rotor 1. In addition, the grooves 5 are formed at different positions on the front and back surfaces of the dispersion rotor 1. That is, the grooves 5 are formed at the back side positions of the intermediate positions of the adjacent grooves 5 on the front surface of the dispersion rotor 1. In other words, the grooves 5 on the front and back surfaces are formed alternately in the rotation direction. The cross section of each groove 5 becomes smaller from the upstream to the downstream. That is, the grooves 5 of this embodiment are set so that the upstream inlet width L1>the downstream outlet width L2, as shown in the partially enlarged view of FIG. 4. In addition, the depth of the grooves 5 is set to be constant. Therefore, the bottom surface of the groove 5 is inclined at the same angle as the surface of the convex portion 6 described later.

[0031] The tapered inclination angle of the dispersion rotor 1 is set by the relative positional relationship with the inner wall of the cylindrical body of the stator or the slits or through holes formed in the stator when the dispersion rotor 1 is assembled in a dispersion device described later. In this embodiment, the inclination angle is set as follows.

[0032] In this embodiment, the grooves 5 on the front and back surfaces of the dispersion rotor 1 overlap at the same position, and the dispersion target is not sent to the slits 54 of the stator 50 at the same time, but for ease of explanation, Figure 5 will be described assuming that the grooves 5 on the front and back surfaces are in the same position.

[0033] The outlets of both grooves 5 formed on the front and back sides of the dispersion rotor 1 face the inlet of the stator 50. In addition, the position X where both imaginary lines (chain lines in FIG. 5) extending outward from the longitudinal central axes of both grooves 5 intersect is set to be on the back side of the inlet of the slit 54 formed in the cylindrical body 51 of the stator 50. With this setting, the dispersion objects sent out from each groove 5 formed on both sides of the dispersion rotor 1 do not collide with each other before reaching the inner wall of the stator 50. That is, the dispersion rotor 1 does not cause the two flows of the dispersion objects accelerated by its rotation and sent out from the front and back sides to collide with each other and stall. Therefore, the dispersion objects collide with the inner wall of the stator 50 while maintaining their momentum, and are dispersed by this collision. In addition, the dispersion objects are sent with force to the slits 54 formed in the cylindrical body 51 of the stator 50, and are discharged into the tank outside the stator.

[0034] A roughly sector-shaped protrusion 6 is formed between adjacent grooves 5 on the front and back surfaces of the dispersion rotor 1. In this embodiment, the protrusion 6 is set so that the surface area of ​​the protrusion 6 is larger than the opening area of ​​the groove 5 when the dispersion rotor 1 is viewed in plan from the axial center side of the rotating shaft.

[0035] <Dispersion device> Next, a dispersing device incorporating the dispersing rotor 1 having the above-mentioned configuration and its operation will be described.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 6, the dispersing device 10 includes a tank 20 for storing the material to be dispersed, a rotating shaft 30 on which the dispersion rotor 1 is mounted, a power source 40 for rotating the rotating shaft 30, and a stator 50.

[0037] The tank 20 is cylindrical with a bottom and is provided with a jacket 21 on its outer periphery. The jacket 21 adjusts the internal temperature of the tank 20 by supplying and circulating a refrigerant or hot water through a flow path formed inside the jacket 21. The tank 20 also has a removable upper lid 22 at its top. The upper lid 22 seals the inside of the tank. The tank 20 also has a discharge part 23 at its bottom for discharging the stored dispersion target.

[0038] The rotating shaft 30 is inserted into the tank through a through hole formed in the center of the upper cover 22 via a seal such as a gland packing or a mechanical seal. The dispersion rotor 1 is attached to the tip side of the rotating shaft 30.

[0039] The power source 40 is, for example, a motor. A belt is stretched between a drive shaft of the motor and the rotating shaft 30, and the driving force is transmitted to the rotating shaft 30. The motor of the power source 40 may be directly connected to the rotating shaft 30.

[0040] The stator 50 is suspended in the tank by a plurality of stator rods 60 that are inserted into the tank through through holes formed in the top lid 22. That is, the stator 50 is composed of a cylindrical main body 51, a top plate 52 and a bottom plate 53 in which a through hole (opening) for inserting the rotating shaft 30 is formed, and houses the dispersion rotor 1 attached to the rotating shaft 30 (see Figures 5 and 6).

[0041] The cylindrical body 51 has a plurality of holes 55 (see FIG. 4) on the upper end surface into which the stator rod 60 is inserted and connected, and a plurality of slits 54 are formed at equal intervals around the outer wall. The slits 54 are set so as to become narrower from the inside to the outside. That is, in this embodiment, the width of the slit 54 is set such that the inside entrance width L3>the outside exit width L4. Also, the relationship between the exit width L2 of the groove 5 and the entrance width L3 of the slit 54 is set such that the exit width L2 of the groove 5≦the entrance width L3 of the slit 54. That is, the entrance of the slit 54 is set so as to easily receive the dispersion object that is accelerated and sent out from the exit of the groove 5 without decelerating. Also, the entrance depth of the slit 54 is deeper than the exit of the groove 5.

[0042] Moreover, the slits 54 are closed at the top by covering the top plate 52, thereby forming through holes. Note that in this embodiment, what is formed in the cylindrical main body 51 is not limited to the slits 54, and a through hole formed through the wall may be used.

[0043] The top plate 52 and the bottom plate 53 are increased in thickness from the rotating shaft side toward the inner wall of the cylindrical body 51, and form an inclined surface having a predetermined clearance parallel to the front and back surfaces of the dispersion rotor 1. Furthermore, each opening of the top plate 52 and the bottom plate 53 is set to have approximately the same outer diameter as the ring-shaped groove 4 of the dispersion rotor 1. In this embodiment, the clearance is appropriately set based on the natural frequency of the dispersion rotor 1 and the resonance phenomenon obtained from frequency analysis of the vibration acceleration during the rotation so that the dispersion rotor 1 does not come into contact with each inner wall when it rotates.

[0044] <Operation description> Next, the operation of the dispersion device 10 will be described. First, a predetermined amount of unprocessed dispersion objects is stored in the tank 20. At this time, the stator 50 and the dispersion rotor 1 are immersed in the dispersion objects. The motor, which is the power source 40, is operated to start the dispersion process. That is, the rotational force of the motor is transmitted to the rotating shaft 30 via the belt, and the rotating shaft 30 is rotated while generating a predetermined rotational speed and torque. As the rotating shaft 30 rotates, the dispersion rotor 1 rotates within the stator and draws the dispersion objects into the stator from the gap between the rotating shaft 30 and the top plate 52 and the bottom plate 53 of the stator 50. At this time, the dispersion rotor 1 forms two flows in the dispersion objects on both the front and back sides of the surface and back surfaces ...

[0045] The first flow travels from the upstream side of the rotating shaft to the downstream side of the outer periphery while rotating in the rotation direction of the dispersion rotor 1 in the clearances formed between the top plate 52 and the bottom plate 53, sandwiching the dispersion rotor 1. The second flow travels downstream through the grooves 5 formed on both sides of the dispersion rotor 1.

[0046] The material to be dispersed in the first flow is sheared by frictional resistance occurring on the front and back surfaces of the dispersion rotor 1 in the clearance as the dispersion rotor 1 rotates.

[0047] The second flow of dispersion objects is pressure-fed downstream by the groove 5, which narrows from upstream to downstream. That is, the dispersion objects flowing through the groove 5 are subjected to centrifugal force accompanying the rotation of the dispersion rotor 1. That is, the centrifugal force applied to the dispersion objects flowing through the groove 5 increases the pressure in the groove, and the dispersion objects are forcefully sent out from the outlet. At this time, a part of the dispersion objects collide with the inner wall of the cylindrical body 51 of the stator 50 with force, and are dispersed by the impact. In addition, another part of the dispersion objects flows with force into the slit 54 of the cylindrical body 51. That is, the dispersion rotor 1 efficiently discharges the dispersion objects into the tank outside the stator. In addition, since the grooves 5 on the front and back surfaces of the dispersion rotor 1 are alternately formed in the rotation direction, the dispersion objects can be continuously sent out toward the inner wall of the cylindrical body 51 and the slit 54, compared to the case where the grooves 5 are formed at the same position on the front and back surfaces. Furthermore, the material to be dispersed, which rotates in the rotational direction between the dispersion rotor 1 and the cylindrical body 51 as the dispersion rotor 1 rotates, is sheared by the outer peripheral edge of the dispersion rotor 1 .

[0048] The material to be dispersed discharged into the tank outside the stator becomes a circulating flow that is a combination of a flow that rotates in the same direction as the dispersion rotor 1 within the tank due to the influence of the rotation of the dispersion rotor 1, and a flow that divides the material into upper and lower parts due to the suction force of the dispersion rotor 1.

[0049] After performing a predetermined process for a predetermined time until the material to be dispersed has a predetermined particle size, the motor is stopped and the material to be dispersed is moved while still in the tank 20, or is discharged from the discharge section 23 and transferred to another container and carried out. This completes a series of operations and processes by the dispersion device 10.

[0050] The dispersion rotor 1 provided in the dispersion device 10 configured as described above can disperse the material to be dispersed to a predetermined particle size without using media, through a synergistic effect of three actions: shearing using frictional resistance on the front and back surfaces of the material to be dispersed when it is drawn into the stator, dispersion caused by accelerating the material from upstream to downstream through the grooves 5 and colliding it with the inner wall of the cylindrical body 51 of the stator 50, and shearing by the outer edge of the dispersion rotor 1.

[0051] In addition, in the conventional manufacturing line, the material to be dispersed is premixed by an agitator, then pre-dispersed by a media-type dispersing device, and then the main dispersion is performed by another media-type dispersing device using media with a smaller diameter than the media used in the pre-dispersing process. However, by using the media-less dispersing device having the above configuration, the pre-mixing process by the agitator and the pre-dispersing process by the media-type dispersing device can be omitted. Therefore, the media management and careful cleaning process so that no media remains can be performed only by the media-type dispersing device for the main dispersion process, and the number of devices used can be reduced, which in turn reduces the number of processing steps in the manufacturing line and significantly improves work efficiency.

[0052] Second Embodiment This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the grooves 5 in the dispersing rotor 1. Therefore, the different configuration will be described in detail, and the same configuration as the first embodiment will be described by simply assigning the same reference numerals.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the grooves 5A on the front and back sides are formed so as to send out the object to be dispersed from the inlet toward the rear from the outlet. That is, as shown in FIG. 9, the imaginary line T extended from the inner wall on the rotation direction side of the groove 5A forms a tangent line passing through the contact point M with the outer edge of the ring-shaped groove 4. Therefore, when the dispersion rotor 1A is viewed in plan, the grooves 5A are inclined toward the rear from the rotating shaft side. In other words, the grooves 5A are formed so as to face diagonally backward from the inlet to the outlet. In addition, the grooves 5A are formed at equal intervals on the front and back sides of the dispersion rotor 1A in the same number as in the first embodiment. In addition, the grooves 5A are formed at different positions on the front and back sides of the dispersion rotor 1A. That is, the grooves 5A are formed at the back side position of the intermediate position between the adjacent grooves 5A on the front side of the dispersion rotor 1A. In other words, the grooves 5A on the front and back sides are formed alternately in the rotation direction.

[0054] Between adjacent grooves 5A on the front and back surfaces of the dispersion rotor 1A, a roughly fan-shaped convex portion 6A is formed. In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, when the dispersion rotor 1A is viewed in plan from the axial center side of the rotating shaft, the convex portion 6A is set to have a surface area larger than the opening area of ​​the width of the groove 5A. Note that the width of each of these grooves 5A narrows from the ring-shaped groove 4 that communicates with the upstream side toward the downstream side of the outer periphery. In addition, the depth of the groove 5A is set to be constant. Therefore, the bottom surface of the groove 5 is inclined at the same angle as the surface of the convex portion 6A.

[0055] The tapered inclination angle of the dispersion rotor 1A is set by the relative positional relationship with the inner wall of the cylindrical body 51 of the stator 50 or the slits 54 formed in the cylindrical body 51 when the dispersion rotor 1A is installed in the dispersion device 10.

[0056] That is, the inclination angle of the groove 5A in this embodiment is set so that the position X where the two imaginary lines extending outward from the longitudinal central axes of both grooves 5A formed on the front and back surfaces of the dispersion rotor 1A intersect is located at the back side of the entrance of the slit 54 formed in the stator 50, as in the groove 5 in the first embodiment. In particular, in this embodiment, it is preferable to set the position X at the connection part between the receiving part 54A and the collision part 54B of the slit 54 described later. With this configuration, the flow of the dispersion object sent into the slit can be vigorously collided with the wall of the collision part 54B without stalling.

[0057] <Dispersion device> Next, a dispersing device incorporating the dispersing rotor 1A having the above-mentioned configuration and its operation will be described.

[0058] As in the first embodiment, the dispersion device 10 includes a tank 20 for storing the material to be dispersed, a rotating shaft 30 on which the dispersion rotor 1 is mounted, a power source 40 for rotating the rotating shaft 30, and a stator 50 (see FIG. 6). The dispersion device 10 may have the same configuration as in the first embodiment except for the dispersion rotor 1A, but the shape and structure of the slits 54 formed in the cylindrical body 51 of the stator 50 are changed. Therefore, the configuration of the stator 50 will be described in detail, and the same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0059] The slit 54 formed in the cylindrical body 51 of the stator 50 is bent like the character "K" in the hiragana or the letter "L" as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. That is, the slit 54 has a receiving portion 54A that receives the dispersion object sent backward from the dispersion rotor 1A from the inside to the outside of the stator 50 in the same direction, and a collision portion 54B that causes the dispersion object received in the receiving portion 54A to collide with the inner wall when the flow of the dispersion object is reversed to the forward direction. Furthermore, the width of the slit 54 narrows from the upstream to the downstream. The slit 54 is formed as a through hole with the top closed by covering it with the top plate 52, but is not limited to the slit 54 and may be a through hole penetrating the wall.

[0060] As shown in Fig. 11, the receiving portion 54A faces diagonally backward like the groove 5A of the dispersion rotor 1A. Specifically, when the outer outlet of the groove 5A and the inner inlet of the receiving portion 54A are positioned opposite to each other, the central axes G of the groove 5A and the receiving portion 54A are set to overlap. Also, the inlet of the receiving portion 54A is set to be wider than the outlet of the groove 5A. That is, the receiving portion 54A is set to easily receive the dispersion object sent out from the groove 5A.

[0061] <Operation description> Next, the operation of the dispersion device 10 will be described. When dispersion processing is started, the dispersion rotor 1A rotates within the stator and draws the dispersion target into the stator through the gap between the rotor 1A and the rotating shaft 30 at the openings of the top plate 52 and bottom plate 53 of the stator 50. At this time, the dispersion rotor 1A forms two flows of the dispersion target on both the front and back surfaces, similar to the first embodiment.

[0062] The first flow travels from the upstream side of the rotating shaft to the downstream side of the outer periphery while rotating in the rotation direction of the dispersion rotor 1A in the clearances formed between the top plate 52 and the bottom plate 53, sandwiching the dispersion rotor 1A in between. The second flow travels downstream through the grooves 5A formed on both sides of the dispersion rotor 1A.

[0063] The material to be dispersed in the first flow is sheared by frictional resistance occurring on the front and back surfaces of the dispersion rotor 1 in the clearance as the dispersion rotor 1 rotates.

[0064] The second flow of dispersion objects is pressure-fed downstream by the groove 5A, which narrows from upstream to downstream. That is, the dispersion objects flowing through the groove 5A are subjected to centrifugal force. That is, the centrifugal force applied to the dispersion objects flowing through the groove increases the pressure in the groove, and the dispersion objects are forcefully sent out backward from the outlet. At this time, the dispersion rotor 1A causes the dispersion objects sent out from the groove 5A to collide with the inner wall of the stator 50 with force without stalling, and disperses the dispersion objects, and sends the dispersion objects into the slits 54 of the stator 50 with force. The grooves 5A on the front and back surfaces of the dispersion rotor 1A are alternately formed in the rotation direction, so that the dispersion objects are continuously sent out toward the inner wall of the cylindrical body 51 and the slits 54.

[0065] Here, the material to be dispersed is sent into slit 54 when the outlet of groove 5A passes in front of the inlet of slit 54. In the process of passing through, the inlet of receiving portion 54A of slit 54 is set wider than the outlet of groove 5A, so that the material to be dispersed from groove 5A is more reliably received inside without losing speed. The material to be dispersed received by receiving portion 54A maintains its momentum by pressure from further upstream as it passes through slit 54, which gradually becomes narrower.

[0066] In the process of passing through, when the object to be dispersed reaches the collision section 54B, the flow is reversed while colliding with the inner wall, and the object to be dispersed is discharged outside the stator. That is, as in the explanation based on FIG. 5 in the first embodiment, the position X where the imaginary lines T extending from both the grooves 5A on the front and back sides of the dispersion rotor 1A intersect is set at the bending section which is the connecting section of the receiving section 54A and the collision section 54B, so that the object to be dispersed maintains its momentum until it collides with the inner wall of the bending section. Therefore, the object to be dispersed is further dispersed by the impact of the collision at the bending section.

[0067] Furthermore, the material to be dispersed is sheared by the outer peripheral edge of the dispersion rotor 1A rotating between the dispersion rotor 1A and the cylindrical body 51.

[0068] The material to be dispersed discharged into the tank outside the stator becomes a circulating flow that is a combination of a flow that rotates in the same direction as the dispersion rotor 1A within the tank and a flow that divides the material into upper and lower parts due to the suction force of the dispersion rotor 1A.

[0069] After performing a predetermined process for a predetermined time until the material to be dispersed has a predetermined particle size, the motor is stopped and the material to be dispersed is moved while still in the tank 20, or is discharged from the discharge section 23 and transferred to another container and carried out. This completes a series of operations and processes by the dispersion device 10.

[0070] The dispersion rotor 1A provided in the dispersion device 10 having the above-mentioned configuration can disperse the material to be dispersed to a predetermined particle size by a synergistic effect of three actions: shearing using frictional resistance on the front and back surfaces of the material to be dispersed that has been drawn into the stator, pumping the material to be dispersed while applying centrifugal force in the groove and sending the pumped material out of the outlet with force, dispersion caused by colliding the material to be dispersed with the inner wall of the cylindrical body 51 of the stator 50, and shearing by the outer peripheral edge of the dispersion rotor 1A. In addition, the material to be dispersed is further dispersed by a fourth action caused by collision with the inner wall of the bending part that is the joint between the receiving part 54A and the collision part 54B in the process of passing through the stator, which further improves the dispersion process.

[0071] In addition, in the conventional manufacturing line, the material to be dispersed is premixed by an agitator, then pre-dispersed by a media-type dispersing device, and then the main dispersion is performed by another media-type dispersing device using media with a smaller diameter than the media used in the pre-dispersing process. However, by using the media-less dispersing device having the above configuration, the pre-mixing process by the agitator and the pre-dispersing process by the media-type dispersing device can be omitted. Therefore, the media management and careful cleaning process so that no media remains can be performed only by the media-type dispersing device for the main dispersion process, and the number of devices used can be reduced, which in turn reduces the number of processing steps in the manufacturing line and significantly improves work efficiency.

[0072] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and various design modifications are possible within the scope of the claims.

[0073] (1) In each of the above embodiments, the depth of the grooves 5 and 5A is set to be constant, but it may be set to be shallower toward the downstream. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the dispersion rotor 1B sets the bottom surface of the groove 5B on the same plane (horizontal plane) as the bottom surface of the ring-shaped groove 4, so that the depth of the groove 5B becomes shallower from the upstream to the downstream. Alternatively, the depth of the groove 5B may be appropriately adjusted by setting the inclination angle of the groove 5B to be gentler than the inclination angle of the convex portion 6. With this configuration, the pressure of the dispersion object flowing through the groove 5B can be further increased.

[0074] When the grooves 5B are set horizontally as in the dispersion rotor 1B, the dispersion objects sent out from the grooves 5B on both sides do not cross. Therefore, in this embodiment, the dispersion objects from the grooves 5B on each side are set to be sent into the slits or through holes that are individually determined. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 13, the cylindrical body 51 of the stator 50 has slits 54 and through holes 56 formed alternately up and down along the circumference. That is, the dispersion objects sent out from the grooves 5B on the front side of the dispersion rotor 1B are set to be sent into the upper slits 54, and the dispersion objects sent out from the grooves 5B on the back side are set to be sent into the lower through holes 56. According to this configuration, the flows of the dispersion objects sent out alternately from the front and back sides of the dispersion rotor 1B are less likely to interfere with each other, and the discharge efficiency of the dispersion objects to the outside of the stator is improved. In this embodiment, the slits 54 and the through holes 56 may be provided at the same position above and below, or the slits 54 and the through holes 56 may be integrated into a vertically long slit 54.

[0075] In the above-described embodiment, the stator 50 may further have the slits 54 inclined slightly upward and the through holes 56 inclined slightly downward. With this configuration, the object to be dispersed passing through the slits 54 can be made to contribute to an upward circulating flow in the tank, and the object to be dispersed passing through the through holes 56 can be made to contribute to a downward circulating flow in the tank. Furthermore, since the slits 54 and the through holes 56 are bent in the rotation direction and inclined upward or downward, a twist can be applied to the object to be dispersed passing through them, thereby improving the dispersion efficiency and shear efficiency.

[0076] When the dispersing rotor 1B of this embodiment is incorporated into the dispersing device 10, the stator 50 may be the same as that of the first and second embodiments.

[0077] (2) In each of the above-described embodiments, the positions of the grooves 5A, 5B on the front and back surfaces may be overlapped at the same positions rather than alternated depending on the thickness of the dispersion rotors 1, 1A, 1B.

[0078] (3) In the dispersion rotors 1A, 1B of the above-mentioned second embodiment and modified example, the grooves 5A, 5B have a shape that extends straight and diagonally backward, forming a tangent to the outer edge of the ring-shaped groove 4, when viewed in a plane from the axial center side of the rotating shaft 30, but they may also have a curved arch shape that protrudes forward in the direction of rotation and extends backward.

[0079] (4) In each of the above embodiments, the protrusions 6 preferably have a rough surface. In this embodiment, the rough surface may be any surface that expands the area, and may be, for example, a rough and textured surface, or may have a number of slits or irregularities. This configuration increases the contact area between the dispersion target and the protrusions 6, which in turn increases the frictional resistance, thereby further improving the shearing ability.

[0080] (5) In each of the above embodiments, the dispersion rotors 1, 1A, 1B may have a configuration in which the grooves 5, 5A and the protrusions 6, 6A are formed on the mounting portion 3 without having the ring-shaped groove 4.

[0081] (6) In each of the above embodiments, the dispersion device 10 may have a pair of impellers 70 on the rotating shaft 30 with the dispersion rotor sandwiched therebetween, as shown in FIG. 14. The impeller 70 has a plurality of helical blades 72 on the outer periphery of each of the ring-shaped mounting parts 71, as shown in FIG. 15. As shown in the plan view and front view of FIG. 16, the helical blades 72 are set so that the rear part of the front helical blade 72A and the front part of the rear helical blade 72B of the adjacent front and rear helical blades 72 have overlapping parts when viewed from the axial direction. The number of threads of the helical blade 72 is appropriately set and changed depending on the size of the impeller 70 and the size of the helical blade 72, but is preferably 6 threads or more, and more preferably 8 threads or more.

[0082] According to this configuration, a pair of impellers 70 mounted on the rotating shaft 30 sandwiching the dispersion rotor 1 rotate at each of the openings of the top plate 52 and the bottom plate 53, promoting the drawing of the dispersion object into the stator. That is, as the drawing of the dispersion object into the stator is promoted, the internal pressure of the stator 50 increases, accelerating the flow of the dispersion object. In addition, as the internal pressure increases, the dispersion object tries to return to the outside of the stator from each opening of the top plate 52 and the bottom plate 53. However, since the rear part of the front spiral wing 72 of the adjacent spiral wing 72 covers the front part of the rear spiral wing 72 when viewed in a plane, each opening is in a state where it is almost blocked, and the dispersion object is suppressed from returning to the outside of the stator from the opening against the suction force. Therefore, the dispersion device 10 can continue to maintain the pressure in the stator at a substantially constant level, and the dispersion object can be efficiently accelerated and sent out by the groove 5 of the dispersion rotor 1.

[0083] (7) In each of the above embodiments, the collision portion 54B of the stator 50 is flexed or bent once diagonally forward in the direction of rotation, but is not limited to this configuration and may be configured in any manner as long as the dispersion target material sent into the slit 54 is unlikely to flow back upstream. Therefore, the collision portion 54B may be flexed or bent once or more. Also, the direction of bending, etc. of the collision portion 54B may be changed in a stepwise manner.

[0084] (8) In each of the above embodiments, the dispersing device may further include an auxiliary blade for assisting the circulation flow and stirring of the material to be dispersed in the tank. For example, as shown in Fig. 17, the dispersing device 10 of this embodiment further includes an auxiliary blade 81, a rotating shaft 82 to which the auxiliary blade 81 is attached, and a power source 83 (e.g., a motor) for rotating the rotating shaft 82.

[0085] As shown in Figures 18 and 19, the aileron 81 is composed of a number of protrusions 81A formed on the outer periphery of a disk shape and vertical wings 81B formed by bending the outer edge side of the protrusions 81A alternately up and down along the circumferential direction. The protrusions 81A are saw-tooth shaped, and the vertical wings 81B are rectangular. The vertical wings 81B are bent vertically from the protrusions 81A.

[0086] The rotating shaft 82 is inserted into the tank through a through hole formed in the top cover 22 via a seal such as a gland packing or a mechanical seal. An aileron 81 is attached to the tip side of the rotating shaft 82.

[0087] The motor of the power source 83 is, for example, a motor. A belt is hung between the drive shaft of the motor and the rotating shaft 82, and the driving force is transmitted to the rotating shaft 82. The motor may be directly connected to the rotating shaft 82. Therefore, the power source 83 of this embodiment can adjust the rotation speed independently of the power source 40 for the distributed unit. The aileron 81 of this embodiment may be rotated by the power source 40 for the distributed unit. In this configuration, the aileron 81 may be rotated at the same rotation speed as the rotation speed of the distributed rotor 1, or the aileron 81 may be rotated at a different rotation speed by adjusting the gear ratio by a gear box or the like.

[0088] According to this configuration, the ailerons 81 assist the circulating flow of the dispersion object generated by the dispersion unit consisting of the dispersion rotor 1 and the stator 50 as they rotate, and increase the flow. In addition, the ailerons 81 shear the dispersion object with the saw-toothed protrusions 81A and the vertical blades 81B as they rotate. Therefore, the dispersion device of this embodiment simultaneously performs the dispersion process by the dispersion unit and the dispersion process associated with the rotation of the ailerons 81, further improving the processing efficiency.

[0089] (9) In each of the above embodiments, the dispersion device is configured to include the jacket 21 in the tank 20, but may be configured not to include the jacket 21. Also, each of the above embodiments may be configured to include the top cover 22 of the tank 20, a seal, and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 1, 1A, 1B Dispersion Rotor 2 Through holes 3 Mounting part 4 Ring-shaped groove 5, 5A, 5B groove 6 Convex 10 Dispersion device 20 tanks 21 Jacket 22 Top lid 23 Discharge section 30 Rotational Axis 40 Power source 50 Stator 51 Cylindrical body 52 Tabletop 53 Bottom plate 54 Slit 54A Receiving part 54B Collision part 60 Stator rod 70 Impeller 81 Aileron

Claims

1. A dispersion rotor for a media-less type dispersion device, the dispersion rotor being housed in a stator made of a cylindrical body having ring-shaped top and bottom plates suspended in a bottomed cylindrical tank in which a dispersion object is stored, the rotor being fixed to a rotating shaft penetrating openings formed in the centers of the top and bottom plates, the rotor drawing the dispersion object in the tank into the stator as the rotating shaft rotates and discharging the dispersion object outside the stator through a through hole or slit formed in the cylindrical body of the stator, The dispersion rotor is disk-shaped and has a plurality of grooves formed radially from the rotary shaft side to the outer periphery on each surface facing the top plate and the bottom plate, The groove has a cross section that becomes smaller from the rotating shaft side toward the outer periphery. A dispersion rotor for a media-less type dispersion device.

2. When the periphery of the outlet of the groove is divided into two regions based on a straight line connecting the outlet of the groove and the center of the dispersion rotor in a plan view from the axial center side of the rotating shaft, the region located on the traveling direction side is defined as a front region and the remaining region is defined as a rear region, the plurality of grooves send the dispersion target entering from the inlet from the outlet of the groove toward the rear region.

2. The dispersion rotor for a media-less type dispersion device according to claim 1.

3. The dispersion rotor has a fan-shaped convex portion between adjacent grooves, and when the dispersion rotor is viewed in plan from the axial center side of the rotating shaft, the surface area of ​​the fan-shaped convex portion is larger than the opening area of ​​the groove.

3. A dispersing rotor for a media-less type dispersing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The dispersion rotor has a ring-shaped groove formed around the rotation shaft for receiving the dispersion object drawn along the rotation shaft as the dispersion rotor rotates, The ring-shaped groove has an outer edge that communicates with the plurality of grooves.

2. The dispersion rotor for a media-less type dispersion device according to claim 1.

5. The dispersion rotor has a tapered shape that is tapered from the rotating shaft side toward the outer periphery when viewed from the front from a side perpendicular to the rotating shaft.

2. The dispersion rotor for a media-less type dispersion device according to claim 1.

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