Mixing and degassing equipment

Abstract

To provide a stirring and degassing device that can automatically set and remove containers with an extremely simple device configuration. [Solution] The filling device 1 of the present invention comprises a plurality of container holders 15, a revolving member 12 that supports the container holders 15 rotatably around a rotation axis R and revolves them around a revolution axis S, a fixing mechanism that temporarily fixes the container holders 15 so that they are positioned at a predetermined position, and a moving mechanism 20 that performs operations of storing and removing containers 2 from the positioned container holders 15, and the moving mechanism 20 has a holding section 30 that holds the containers 2, a rotating section 40 that rotates the holding section 20 by a predetermined angle, and a tilting section 50 that tilts the holding section 30 to match the inclination angle θ of the central axis R of the positioned container holder 15.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an agitation / defoaming device, and more particularly to an agitation / defoaming device that includes a means for rotating a container on its axis and a means for revolving the container, and that rotates the container to agitate and / or degas a material contained in the container. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, mixing / defoaming devices have been put to practical use, which are equipped with a means for rotating and revolving the container and perform mixing or degassing on a single material or a mixed material contained in the container. Examples of such materials include single or mixed liquid (including fluid) materials, or mixed materials of liquid and powder materials (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "materials") in the fields of pharmaceuticals, chemical materials, foodstuffs, paints, semiconductor device materials, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4903916 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The applicant of this application has developed a stirring / defoaming device that performs at least one of stirring and degassing of materials contained in a container by rotation and revolution (see Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 4903916). Research to date has verified that the stirring and degassing effects can be enhanced by adopting a configuration in which the rotation axis is not parallel to the revolution axis but forms a predetermined angle with it.

[0005] In the conventional agitation and degassing device exemplified in Patent Document 1, the larger the capacity of the container and the heavier the weight of the material stored, the harder the work of setting (hereinafter, the terms "insertion" and "alignment for engagement") the container in the device (container holder) and removing it became. Furthermore, there was a problem that the work efficiency was low because it was all done manually.

[0006] This problem can be solved by automating (mechanizing) the task of setting the container in the device rather than manually. However, in a configuration in which the rotation axis is not parallel to the revolution axis but forms a predetermined angle, mechanizing the task of setting the container in the device (container holder) is not simple. For this reason, a configuration has been proposed in which a multi-joint robot or the like is used to set and remove the container from the device. However, adopting such a configuration can result in another problem: the cost of the device becomes extremely high. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a stirring and degassing apparatus which can suppress the cost of the apparatus by using an extremely simple configuration without employing an expensive configuration such as an articulated robot, and which can automatically set and remove containers without manual labor, thereby eliminating heavy labor and improving work efficiency.

[0008] The present invention solves the above problems by the means described below.

[0009] The agitation and degassing apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a means for rotating a container on its axis and a means for revolving the container, and performs at least one of the steps of agitating and degassing a material contained in the container by rotating the container. The agitation and degassing apparatus comprises a plurality of container holders for holding the containers, respectively; a revolving member for supporting the container holders rotatably around a rotation axis and rotatably provided around a revolution axis, causing the container holders to revolve around the revolution axis; a fixing mechanism for temporarily fixing the container holders so that they are positioned at a predetermined position while both the rotation and the revolution are restricted; and a device for transporting the containers. and a moving mechanism that performs the operations of moving the container before the work process is performed from the conveying unit and storing it in the container holder positioned at the predetermined position, and removing the container after the work process has been performed from the container holder positioned at the predetermined position and moving it to the conveying unit, wherein the moving mechanism is required to have a holding unit that holds the container, a rotating unit that rotates the holding unit by a predetermined angle between above the conveying unit and above the revolving member, and a tilting unit that tilts the holding unit to match the tilt angle of the central axis of the container holder positioned at the predetermined position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, even in the case of a configuration in which the rotation axis is not parallel to the revolution axis but forms a predetermined angle with it, it is possible to realize a mixing and degassing device that can suppress device costs by using an extremely simple configuration without employing an expensive configuration such as an articulated robot, and can automatically set and remove containers without manual labor, thereby eliminating heavy labor and improving work efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an example of an agitation and degassing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the stirring / defoaming apparatus of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the agitation / defoaming apparatus of FIG. 1 taken along line III-III. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a vessel holder of the stirring / deaeration apparatus of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a container that contains a material to be agitated and degassed by the agitation and degassing device of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a holding part of a movement mechanism of the agitation / deaeration apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the stirring / defoaming device of FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the stirring / defoaming device of FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the stirring / defoaming device of FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the stirring / defoaming device of FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the stirring / defoaming device of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views (schematic views) showing an example of an agitation and degassing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention (FIG. 1 shows the state in which the lid 14 is closed, and FIG. 2 shows the state in which it is open). FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view (schematic view) taken along line III-III in FIG. 1. In all the drawings used to explain each embodiment, members having the same function are given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations thereof may be omitted. In addition, to simplify the drawings, some bolts and nuts are not shown.

[0013] This stirring / defoaming apparatus 1 is equipped with a means for rotating and revolving a container 2, and is an apparatus for performing at least one of the processes (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "work process") of stirring and degassing (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "stirring / defoaming") of a single material or a mixed material contained in the container 2 by rotating and revolving the container 2. Note that the materials used to form each mechanism of this apparatus are general structural materials such as metal materials and resin materials, and are not particularly limited (the same applies to other components).

[0014] 1 to 3, the stirring / deaeration apparatus 1 according to this embodiment includes a main body 10, a chamber 11 provided in the main body 10 and having an opening 10a through which the container 2 is inserted and removed, and a lid 14 for opening and closing the opening 10a. As an example, the lid 14 has a sliding opening and closing structure, but is not limited to this. Furthermore, the main body 10 is provided inside with a driving means (e.g., an electric motor) for rotationally driving the revolving member 12, a control unit for controlling the drive of the driving means, etc., a transmission means (e.g., a pulley, a timing belt) for transmitting the driving force, etc. (none of which are shown).

[0015] A plurality of container holders 15 that each hold a container 2 are provided inside the chamber 11. Also provided is a revolving member 12 that rotatably supports each container holder 15 and is configured to be rotatable about a rotation axis 12a, causing each container holder 15 to revolve around the rotation axis 12a. Furthermore, an annular outer ring 13 is provided in an arrangement that surrounds all of the container holders 15 and is parallel to the orbital plane of the revolving member 12, so that abutment surfaces 13a on the inner periphery abut against abutment portions 15a (described below) on the outer peripheries of all of the container holders 15.

[0016] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a vacuum pump (not shown) is provided to evacuate the chamber 11. The degree of vacuum provided by the vacuum pump can be set appropriately, and as an example, the chamber 11 can be set to a vacuum state (reduced pressure state) of approximately atmospheric pressure to 10 Pa. This allows stirring and degassing to be performed in the vacuum state within the chamber 11, thereby further enhancing the degassing effect. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and as a modified example, a configuration (not shown) in which stirring and degassing are performed under atmospheric pressure without providing a chamber may also be used.

[0017] Next, as shown in Fig. 3, the revolving member 12 has a rotation axis 12a that penetrates the chamber 11, and the rotation axis 12a is rotatably supported and fixed via a bearing (for example, a magnetic fluid bearing) that enables a vacuum to be maintained inside the chamber 11. Here, the shape of the revolving member 12 can be a disk shape, an arm shape, or a combination thereof. In this embodiment, the revolving member 12 has a bent portion midway in the radial direction to rotatably support the rotation axis (i.e., the central axis) R of the container holder 15 at a predetermined inclination angle θ (details will be described later) with respect to the revolution plane (the plane perpendicular to the revolution axis, i.e., the central axis S of the rotation axis 12a).

[0018] In addition, in this embodiment, four container holders 15 (shown as 15A, 15B, 15C, and 15D in Figure 2) are provided at equal intervals around the circumference (i.e., in a cross shape at 90° intervals around the rotation axis 12a), and the structure is capable of holding four containers 2, but this is not limited to this.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 4, the container holder 15 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom capable of holding the container 2 therein, and has an annular contact portion 15a at its outer periphery that contacts the outer ring 13. As an example, the contact portion 15a is provided at the tip of a flange-shaped portion 15b that extends radially from the outer periphery of the container holder 15, and an elastic ring 16 for contact is fitted into a fitting groove 15c at the tip. The elastic ring 16 is preferably an O-ring made of a rubber material (e.g., silicone rubber with a hardness of 50 is suitable), but is not limited to this. The container holder 15 also has an engagement groove 15e at its opening periphery 15d that engages with an engagement protrusion 3a (described below) of the container 2.

[0020] Next, as shown in Figure 5, the container 2 comprises a cylindrical main body 2a with a bottom and an opening at the top, and a lid 2b that fits over the opening. As an example of use, the material to be mixed and degassed is placed into the main body 2a through the opening with the lid 2b removed, and after the material is placed therein, the lid 2b is fitted and the material is mixed and degassed. The lid 2b has an air vent, and by creating a vacuum inside the chamber 11, the inside of the container 2 (main body 2a) can be placed in a vacuum state (reduced pressure state).

[0021] Here, the container 2 is held by the container holder 15 by inserting it into the opening of the container holder 15 from the bottom side and fitting it in. At this time, the engagement protrusions 3a (two at 180° intervals in this embodiment) provided on the outer periphery of the main body 2a of the container 2 engage with the engagement grooves 15e (two of four provided at 90° intervals in this embodiment) of the container holder 15. This prevents the container 2 from rotating (slipping) in the circumferential direction relative to the container holder 15 when the container holder 15 rotates (spins on its axis), and the rotational force of the container holder 15 is transmitted to the container 2, causing the container 2 to rotate (spin on its axis).

[0022] The engaging protrusions may be integrally formed with the main body 2a of the container 2, but adopting such an integral structure would complicate the structure of the container 2 and increase manufacturing costs. This problem is particularly pronounced when the container is large (approximately 20 liters or more). Therefore, in this embodiment, a detachable band 3 having engaging protrusions 3a is attached to the outer periphery of the container 2. This configuration solves the above problem by providing the minimum number of bands 3 required and allowing them to be attached and detached to containers 2 that are used repeatedly.

[0023] Furthermore, the band 3 according to this embodiment is provided with rollers 3b at the lower ends of the engaging projections 3a, which can roll on the opening periphery 15d of the container holder 15. This configuration facilitates the engagement of the engaging projections 3a with the engaging grooves 15e, and reduces the generation of wear debris during this process. This is particularly advantageous when using large containers (approximately 20 liters or more) that tend to be heavy.

[0024] According to the device configuration described above, when the driving means (not shown) is activated and its rotational driving force is transmitted to the rotating shaft 12a via the driving force transmission means (not shown), the rotating shaft 12a rotates, causing the revolving member 12 to rotate in the circumferential direction. Therefore, the container holder 15 fixed to the revolving member 12 and the container 2 held by the container holder 15 revolve (revolve) on a fixed path within the same plane, with the central axis S of the rotating shaft 12a as the center of rotation. Furthermore, as the revolving member 12 revolves, the container holder 15 rotates on its axis due to the frictional force generated by the contact portion 15a (here, the elastic ring 16) on the outer periphery of the container holder 15 and the contact surface 13a on the inner periphery of the outer ring 13. Therefore, the container holder 15 and the container 2 held by the container holder 15 revolve and rotate on their axes. This allows the material contained in the container 2 to be effectively agitated and degassed. The revolution speed and rotation speed at this time are set appropriately depending on the material.

[0025] In this embodiment, the total length of the contact surface 13a of the outer ring 13 (i.e., the circumferential length of the contact surface 13a) is longer than the total length of the elastic ring 16 of the contact portion 15a of the container holder 15 (i.e., the circumferential length of the contact portion 15a). This allows the rotation speed (rotation speed [rpm]) to be increased relative to the revolution speed (rotation speed [rpm]), thereby enhancing the stirring effect. As an example, the total length of the contact surface 13a of the outer ring 13 is set to twice the total length of the elastic ring 16 of the container holder 15. Therefore, when the revolution speed is set to 1000 [rpm], the rotation speed is set to 2000 [rpm] in accordance with the ratio (here, 2:1) of the total length of the contact surface 13a to the total length of the elastic ring 16. However, this setting is not limiting.

[0026] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the direction of revolution of the revolving member 12, i.e., the direction of revolution of the container holder 15 and the container 2 held by the container holder 15, can be made opposite to the direction of rotation of the container holder 15 and the container 2 held by the container holder 15. As a result, it is possible to significantly improve the stirring action of the material in the container 2 compared to when the direction of revolution and the direction of rotation of the container holder 15 (container 2) are the same. This effect was demonstrated as a result of a comparative experiment using a highly viscous stirring material such as grease.

[0027] Furthermore, the container holder 15 according to this embodiment is disposed so that its rotation axis R forms a predetermined inclination angle θ with respect to the surface on which the outer ring 13 is disposed, which is disposed parallel to the revolution plane of the revolution member 12. As an example, this angle is set to 30°≦θ≦60°. In this way, by rotating and revolving the container 2 while maintaining it in a state inclined at the predetermined inclination angle θ, the stirring and degassing action of the material in the container 2 can be further enhanced. This point has also been verified in the research of the present inventors.

[0028] Next, a description will be given of the moving mechanism 20 that moves the container 2 to and from the transport unit 4 that transports the container 2 in the agitation / deaeration apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. More specifically, the moving mechanism 20 is a mechanism that moves the container 2 before the work process from the transport unit 4 and stores it in the container holder 15 positioned at a predetermined position, and removes the container 2 after the work process from the container holder 15 positioned at a predetermined position and moves it to the transport unit 4. Here, the transport unit 4 is a mechanism that includes a transport means 4a such as a conveyor and transports (i.e., carries in and out) the container 2, and may be configured as an element within the agitation / deaeration apparatus 1 or as an element external to the apparatus.

[0029] The moving mechanism 20 according to this embodiment includes a holding unit 30 that holds a container 2. It also includes a pivoting unit 40 that pivots the holding unit 30 by a predetermined angle α (described in detail below) between above the transport unit 4 and above the revolving member 12. It also includes a tilting unit 50 that tilts the holding unit 30 so that it coincides with the tilt angle θ of the central axis R of the container holder 15 that has been positioned at a predetermined position (described in detail below). Each of the components will be described in detail below.

[0030] As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the holding unit 30 of this embodiment includes a base unit 31 fixed to a swivel arm 43 of the swivel unit 40 described below, a lifting unit 32 that is movable up and down relative to the base unit 31, a head unit 33 that is rotatable relative to the lifting unit 32, and a lifting device 34 that lifts and lowers the lifting unit 32 (and the head unit 33).

[0031] The head unit 33 has a container holding unit 33a at its lower end that holds the container 2. As an example, the container holding unit 33a is configured to include a suction pad that communicates with a vacuum pump to perform suction, but this is not limited to this and may be configured to include a chuck or the like (not shown). Furthermore, as an example, the lifting device 34 is configured to include an air cylinder, but this is not limited to this and may be configured to include a rack and pinion or the like (not shown).

[0032] According to the above configuration, the lifting / lowering section 32 and head section 33 of the holder 30 are disposed above the conveying means (e.g., conveyor) 4a of the conveying unit 4, so as to transition from the state shown in FIG. 7 to the state shown in FIG. 8. The lifting / lowering section 32 and head section 33 are lowered by driving the lifting device 34, and the container 2 (before the work process is performed) on the conveying means (e.g., conveyor) 4a can be sucked and held by the container holding section 33a of the head section 33. Next, the lifting / lowering section 32 and head section 33 are raised by driving the lifting device 34, so that the container 2 is held by the container holding section 33a. Next, the container 2 can be transported (carried out) from the conveying unit 4 by driving the rotation device 44 of the swivel unit 40, which will be described later. Furthermore, by performing these operations in reverse, the container 2 (after the work process is performed) can be transported (carried in) to the conveying unit 4, and the container 2 can be placed on the conveying means (e.g., conveyor) 4a.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 3 , the swivel unit 40 according to this embodiment includes a frame 41 fixed to the main body 10, a pivot 42 rotatably mounted relative to the frame 41, a pivot arm 43 fixed to the pivot 42 (or its support member) and pivoting, and a rotation device 44 for rotating the pivot 42. In this embodiment, the frame 41 is fixed to the chamber 11 of the main body 10. This configuration allows the revolving member 12, which rotatably supports and revolves the container holder 15, and the moving mechanism 20 (i.e., the swivel unit 40, and the holding unit 30 and tilting unit 50 supported by the swivel unit 40) that moves the container 2 and places it in the container holder 15 to be positioned using the chamber 11 as a common reference. This prevents the container 2 from being unable to be placed in the container holder 15 due to misalignment.

[0034] The rotation device 44 includes, for example, an electric motor, a pulley, a timing belt, etc., but is not limited to these.

[0035] According to the above configuration, in a state where a container 2 (before the work process is performed) is held in the container holding portion 33a of the holder 30, the rotation shaft 42 is rotated by driving the rotation device 44, and the rotation arm 43 can be rotated within a range of a predetermined angle α (α=180° in this embodiment), so as to transition from the state in FIG. 8 to the state in FIG. 9. This makes it possible to transport the container 2 from above the transport unit 4 to above the revolving member 12. Furthermore, by performing these operations in reverse, the container 2 (after the work process is performed) can be transported from above the revolving member 12 to above the transport unit 4.

[0036] Next, as shown in Figure 3, the tilting section 50 of this embodiment includes a support section 51 fixed to the rotation axis 42 of the aforementioned swiveling section 40, and an extension / contraction device 52 connected to the support section 51 and the base section 31 of the aforementioned holding section 30 (in a state where it can rotate at each connection point 52a, 52b) and arranged to be extendable and contractible.

[0037] The extension device 52 is configured to include an air cylinder, for example, but is not limited to this.

[0038] According to the above configuration, while the container 2 (before the work process) is held in the container holding portion 33a of the holding unit 30, the extension operation (i.e., the operation of moving the connecting points 52a and 52b away from each other) is performed by driving the extension device 52, and the base portion 31 of the holding unit 30 can be tilted by a predetermined angle (in this embodiment, an angle that coincides with the tilt angle θ of the central axis R of the container holder 15). At this time, the arrangement and amount of operation of each component of the holding unit 30, the swivel unit 40, and the tilt unit 50 are set so that the central axis T of the container 2 coincides with the central axis R of the container holder 15 that is positioned at a predetermined position (in this embodiment, the position closest to the transport unit 4 on the orbit) and is to accommodate the container 2. Note that when transporting (carrying out) the container 2 after the work process has been performed, these operations are performed in reverse.

[0039] 10 to 11, while the container 2 (before the work process is performed) is held and tilted in the container holding portion 33a, the lifting device 34 is driven to lower it (diagonally lower at an inclination angle θ), and the container 2 is inserted inside the container holder 15 at the predetermined position, and the rollers 3b at the lower ends of the engaging projections 3a come into contact with the opening periphery 15d of the container holder 15. When transporting (carrying out) the container 2 after the work process is performed, these operations are performed in reverse.

[0040] As mentioned above, when mixing and degassing, in order to transmit the rotational force (especially the rotational force) of the container holder 15 to the container 2, the two must be in a predetermined engaged state, i.e., the engaging protrusion 3a of the container 2 must be engaged with the engaging groove 15e of the container holder 15. In conventional mixing and degassing devices, a technology has been developed that uses an articulated robot equipped with a position confirmation camera (image processing system) to align and engage the engaging protrusion with the engaging groove. However, this has the drawback of making the mechanism complex and increasing the cost of the device. Therefore, when reducing the cost of the device is important, a configuration has been adopted in which the operator manually aligns and engages the engaging protrusion.

[0041] In contrast, the holding unit 30 according to this embodiment is provided with a rotation mechanism 35 so that the head unit 33 can rotate relative to the lifting unit 32, and is also provided with a biasing member 36 so that it can be biased in a direction that protrudes from the lifting unit 32. Note that, as an example, the rotation mechanism 35 is configured to include a rotary actuator that is operated by compressed air, but is not limited to this and may be configured to include an electric motor or the like. Also, as an example, the biasing member 36 is configured to include a coil spring, but is not limited to this and may be configured to include an air cylinder or the like (not shown).

[0042] According to the above configuration, with the engagement protrusion 3a of the container 2 (in this embodiment, the roller 3b provided at the lower end) abutting against the opening periphery 15d of the container holder 15 and applying a biasing force, the container 2 can be rotated relative to the stationary container holder 15 by the rotation mechanism 35. When this rotation causes the engagement protrusion 3a and the engagement groove 15e to align, the container 2 is pushed by the biasing force, completing the engagement, and the container 2 can be accommodated in the container holder 15 in a predetermined state (a state in which the engagement has been properly performed). Note that when the container 2 is to be transported (carried out) after the work process has been performed, the above process of rotating the container 2 by the rotation mechanism 35 does not need to be performed.

[0043] In this way, it is possible to automatically align and engage the engaging protrusion 3a with the engaging groove 15e without using a complex and expensive configuration such as an articulated robot equipped with a camera, etc. This eliminates the need for manual work by an operator, allowing for the realization of a simple device and reduction in device costs.

[0044] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the conveying means 4a of the conveying unit 4 is configured to convey the container 2 with its central axis T vertical. The moving mechanism 20 is configured to hold the container 2 on the conveying means 4a with the central axis T vertical using the holding unit 30 and rotate it using the rotating unit 40. These configurations reduce the risk of the container 2 falling off when the moving mechanism 20 holds, raises, lowers, and rotates the container 2. Therefore, it is possible to move large containers (approximately 20 liters or more) with a simple mechanism, which previously required complex moving mechanisms (e.g., robotic hands).

[0045] In this embodiment, the predetermined angle α within which the swivel arm 43 swivels is set to α = 180° (i.e., between 0° and 180° relative to a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the container 2 is transported in the transport unit 4). The predetermined position for positioning the container holder 15 that will house the container 2 (before the work process is performed) is set to the position on the orbit where the container holder 15 is closest to the transport unit 4 (this corresponds to the position where the container holder 15A is stopped in FIG. 2). These configurations enable the overall dimensions of the movement mechanism 20 to be minimized while ensuring the strength of the mechanism. Furthermore, the area of ​​the mechanism that protrudes outside the device in a plan view can be minimized. Furthermore, the travel distance (stroke distance) of the extension device 52 (e.g., an air cylinder) of the tilting unit 50 of the mechanism can be minimized.

[0046] In this embodiment, in order to position the container holder 15 at the predetermined position, a fixing mechanism is provided that temporarily fixes (restricts movement of) the container holder 15 in a state in which both rotation and revolution are restricted. The fixing mechanism is configured to stop the revolving member 12 at a predetermined circumferential position, thereby positioning the container holder 15 in a predetermined state in which both rotation and revolution are restricted. For example, the fixing mechanism includes an inverter, a stop sensor, and the like (all not shown). A specific control example is as follows: First, the drive means (in this embodiment, an electric motor) is driven to revolve (rotate) the revolving member 12 at a predetermined rotation speed (e.g., 1000 rpm) (mixing and degassing process). Next, the inverter changes the speed of the drive means (electric motor), and the rotation speed of the revolving member 12 is reduced to a very low speed (e.g., 5 rpm) (the inverter detects the state in which the rotation speed has been reduced to the predetermined rotation speed). Next, the stop sensor is detected while the revolving member 12 is revolved at this slow speed, and when the stop sensor is detected, the driving means (electric motor) is stopped, thereby stopping the revolving member 12 so that the container holder 15 is in the specified position (i.e., positioning is performed).

[0047] In this device, the revolving member 12 revolves while the container holder 15 and outer ring 13 are in contact with each other, causing the container holder 15, i.e., the container 2, to revolve and rotate on its axis. Therefore, the container holder 15 easily rotates (especially revolves), easily becoming misaligned. To set the container 2 in the container holder 15, the container holder 15 must be positioned in a predetermined position without rotating or revolving. The above configuration makes it possible to position (temporarily fix) the container holder 15 in such a state with great accuracy. Therefore, the container 2 can be inserted into and removed from the container holder 15 by the moving mechanism 20.

[0048] As explained above, according to the stirring / deaeration apparatus of the present invention, even in a configuration in which the rotation axis is not parallel to the revolution axis but forms a predetermined angle with the rotation axis, it is possible to realize a stirring / deaeration apparatus that can suppress the cost of the apparatus by using an extremely simple configuration without employing an expensive configuration such as an articulated robot, etc., and can automatically set and remove containers without manual labor, thereby eliminating heavy labor and improving work efficiency. In particular, the effect becomes more significant as the container becomes larger.

[0049] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 1. Mixing and degassing equipment 2 containers 3 bands 4. Conveyor 10 Main body 11 Chambers 20 Moving mechanism 30 Holding part 40 Swivel section 50 Tilt part

Claims

1. 1. A mixing and degassing apparatus comprising a means for rotating a container on its axis and a means for revolving the container, the apparatus rotating the container to perform at least one of mixing and degassing of a material contained in the container, a plurality of container holders each holding the container; a revolving member that supports the container holder rotatably around a rotation axis and is rotatable around a revolution axis, causing the container holder to revolve around the revolution axis; a fixing mechanism that temporarily fixes the container holder so that it is positioned at a predetermined position while both rotation and revolution are restricted; a moving mechanism that performs an operation of moving the container before the work process is performed from a conveying unit that conveys the container and storing it in the container holder positioned at the predetermined position, and an operation of removing the container after the work process is performed from the container holder positioned at the predetermined position and moving it to the conveying unit, The moving mechanism includes: a holder for holding the container; a rotating unit that rotates the holding unit by a predetermined angle between above the transport unit and above the revolving member; a tilting section that tilts the holding section so that the tilt angle of the central axis of the container holder positioned at the predetermined position coincides with the tilt angle of the central axis of the container holder. A mixing and degassing device characterized by the above.

2. The predetermined angle is set to 180 degrees, The predetermined position is set to a position where the container holder is closest to the conveying unit.

2. The stirring and deaerating device according to claim 1,

3. the conveying unit has a conveying means and is configured to convey the container with its central axis vertical; The moving mechanism is configured to hold the container on the conveying means with the holding part in a state where the central axis is vertical, and to rotate the container with the rotating part.

3. The stirring and deaerating device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

4. The container holder has an engagement groove on the periphery of the opening, The container is configured such that a detachable band having an engaging protrusion that can be engaged with the engaging groove is attached to the outer periphery thereof.

3. The stirring and deaerating device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

5. The band has a roller at the lower end of the engagement projection that can roll on the periphery of the opening of the container holder.

5. The stirring and deaerating device according to claim 4,

6. a chamber in which the container holder is disposed to reduce pressure inside the container accommodated in the container holder; The moving mechanism is configured to be fixed to and supported by the chamber.

3. The stirring and deaerating device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

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