Agitator

Abstract

To provide a mixer for preparing putty and other materials that achieves greater energy savings than conventional methods. [Solution] In a stirrer 1, a stirring blade 4 for stirring and mixing materials to be mixed inside a container 3 which is detachably held on a rotary table 5 that rotates in a horizontal plane on a main body 2 by a drive device is held at the tip of a holding shaft 24 whose lower end is detachably attached to and supported by a support shaft 22 erected on the main body. The support shaft 22 is provided independently of the drive device 10 and does not transmit power to it. The holding shaft 24 has a holding part 25 at its tip for detachably and rotatably attaching the stirring blade 4. The drive device comprises a motor M and transmission means (11, 12, 15) for transmitting the rotational motion of the motor M to the rotary table 5.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a stirrer for stirring and mixing materials in order to prepare, for example, putties for putty application for base adjustment in interior construction, painting work, etc., starch-based adhesives used for attaching wall materials, etc., and relates to a stirrer capable of achieving more energy savings than conventional ones.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, starch-based adhesives used for applying putties for putty application for base adjustment in interior construction, painting factories, etc., and for attaching wall materials are prepared by stirring and mixing materials. In this case, stirrers and mixing devices for efficiently working on-site are used.

[0003] As such a mixing device, on a rotating table that is rotated in a horizontal plane by a drive source on the main body, the outer bottom of a container containing the materials to be mixed is detachably held, and it is detachably attached to a swinging shaft that swings within a certain angle range on the main body side by the drive source. There is a device that stirs and mixes by the relative movement between the swinging of the stirring blades and the rotation of the container by the rotating table (see, for example, Cited Documents 1 and 2).

[0004] Furthermore, in the above mixing device, by providing table rotation speed changing means for changing the rotation speed of the rotating table and swinging speed changing means for changing the swinging speed of the swinging shaft, the rotation speed of the table and the swinging speed of the swinging shaft can be changed so as to perform stirring under desirable conditions according to the materials to be mixed and the situation. Improved ones have also been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

[0006] However, conventional agitators and mixing devices employ a complex gear system combining multiple gears and crank mechanisms to transmit the rotational motion of a motor, which serves as a single drive source, to both the rotary table and the oscillating shaft with an appropriate reduction ratio, and to create a predetermined relative motion between the rotation of the rotary table and the oscillation of the stirring blades attached to the oscillating shaft. This also places a heavy load on the motor. In recent years, there has been a growing demand for further energy-saving designs in various types of machinery, and this is also true for agitators and mixing devices.

[0007] In view of the above problems, the object of the present invention is to provide a stirrer that achieves efficient power transmission with a simpler gear configuration than conventional models, reduces the power load on the motor, and exhibits further energy-saving effects. Furthermore, the object is to provide a stirrer that further reduces the load on the motor and contributes to energy saving by providing a latching mechanism that allows the container to be attached to and detached from the rotary table with a simpler and lighter configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, the agitator according to claim 1 comprises a main body with a drive device mounted inside, a rotary table that rotates in a horizontal plane on the main body at a predetermined speed by the drive device, a container that is detachably held on the rotary table and contains materials to be mixed, a stirring blade that stirs and mixes the materials to be mixed inside the container, a support shaft erected on the main body, and a holding shaft whose lower end is detachably attached to and supported on the support shaft and whose tip holds the stirring blade, The support shaft is provided in a state where it penetrates the main body vertically and is independent of the drive device in terms of power transmission. The holding shaft has a curved shape in its upper region that positions its tip at a predetermined position on the opening surface of the container on the rotating table, and has a holding portion at its tip for attaching the stirring blade detachably and rotatably. The drive device is characterized by comprising a motor and a transmission means for transmitting the rotational motion of the motor to the rotary table.

[0009] In the agitator of the present invention having the above configuration, the support shaft that supports the holding shaft that holds the stirring blade at its tip is independent of the drive unit and does not transmit power to it. Therefore, the motor's power is used exclusively for the rotation of the rotary table and is not used to oscillate the stirring blade as in conventional systems. As a result, the load on the motor is significantly reduced, and power consumption is also reduced. Moreover, since a crank gear mechanism for transmitting motor power to the stirring blade is not required, the space occupied by the transmission means is reduced compared to conventional systems. This makes it easier to design the main body to be smaller and cheaper, including in terms of weight, resulting in energy savings.

[0010] Furthermore, although the transmission means in the present invention is solely for transmitting the power of the motor to the rotary table, by utilizing an internal gear mechanism, the transmission mechanism can be made simpler and contribute to energy saving. Specifically, the transmission means comprises a drive gear provided around the rotation axis of the motor, a driven gear provided around the rotation axis of the rotary table, and an intermediate gear that reduces the speed of the driven gear and interlocks it with the drive gear, and it is preferable that the intermediate gear is a single component integrally equipped with a two-stage internal gear consisting of a first internal gear that meshes with the drive gear and a second internal gear formed concentrically inside the first internal gear and meshes with the driven gear.

[0011] This gear mechanism can be easily constructed by specifically structuring the intermediate gear with a disc-shaped member having a roughly flat end plate shape. That is, a first internal gear that meshes with the motor's drive gear is provided on the inner surface of the annular edge of the outer circumference of the disc shape, and a second internal gear that meshes with the driven gear is provided on the center of the upper surface of the disc shape, concentrically formed with the first internal gear. In this gear configuration, when the motor drives its rotation shaft, the drive gear rotates around the rotation shaft, causing the first internal gear that meshes with the drive gear to rotate, and thus the disc-shaped intermediate gear rotates around its central axis. Consequently, the second internal gear in the center of its upper surface also rotates around its central axis, causing the driven gear that meshes with the second internal gear to rotate, and as a result the rotary table rotates.

[0012] In the transmission system with the above configuration, the intermediate gear consists of two internal gears, namely a first internal gear and a second internal gear that mesh with the drive gear, which is an external gear mounted around the motor's rotation axis, and the driven gear, which is an external gear mounted around the rotation axis of the rotary table, respectively. By integrating these two internal gears into a single component, the reduction gear mechanism is essentially completed in a single stage, minimizing the number of components in the transmission system and contributing to further cost reduction.

[0013] Normally, while the motor's casing is fixed to the motor body, the intermediate gear is not fixed to the casing. Therefore, without any restrictions, there is a risk of the intermediate gear floating relative to the motor's rotating shaft, which is only meshed with the first internal gear and the drive gear, or of misalignment in the meshing. For this reason, it is desirable to provide a holding mechanism in the transmission system to suppress such floating of the intermediate gear relative to the drive gear and to maintain a constant meshing position of the first internal gear.

[0014] The holding mechanism is designed to maintain the position of the intermediate gear without affecting the rotation of the intermediate gear and the drive gear itself. Specifically, it is preferable to have a configuration comprising: a retaining member fixed to the casing of the main body at its rear end and having a retaining rotating shaft at its tip that rotatably contacts the upper surface of the edge of the intermediate gear to restrict the upward movement of the intermediate gear; a wheel-shaped bearing member rotatably provided below the drive gear around the rotation axis of the motor; and a pair of rails circumferentially provided below the first internal gear, which engage with the wheel-shaped bearing member between them and allow the wheel-shaped bearing member to rotatably travel in conjunction with the rotation of the intermediate gear.

[0015] This holding mechanism ensures that the intermediate gear is rotatably held between the upper and lower retaining members and the wheel-shaped bearing member, while maintaining a constant distance between the rotational centers of the gears. As a result, the intermediate gear does not float relative to the drive gear, and a good meshing state with a constant backlash is maintained. Therefore, although each gear component is made of injection-molded plastic to reduce weight, the good meshing state between the gears is maintained even if gear distortion or deformation of the outer shape occurs due to injection molding.

[0016] In this invention, since the stirring blade does not receive power from the motor via the holding shaft and support shaft, it does not move relative to the container due to power transmission. Therefore, the stirring blade of this invention comprises, for example, a blade body and a mounting shaft that extends on the central axis of the blade body and is rotatably mounted on the holding portion of the holding shaft, and the blade body has a contour shape that contacts the inner surface and bottom surface of the container, with the maximum width corresponding to the inner circumference radius of the container at the height of its maximum width.

[0017] Due to this shape, the stirring blade of the present invention rotates around its central axis in response to external forces acting on the blade body. That is, during stirring and mixing, the blade body is given rotational force by frictional force generated by contact with its inner surface and bottom surface within the container rotating on the turntable, and by the impact force of the contents circulating as the container rotates, causing it to rotate on one side of the container. At this time, since the maximum width of the blade body extends to the inner circumference radius of the container, the blade body rotates substantially in conjunction with the rotation of the container, allowing the contents to be thoroughly stirred and mixed within the container.

[0018] Furthermore, since the stirring blade can be removed from the holding shaft, after stirring and mixing is complete, it can be used as an individual spatula to scrape out the contents of the container, such as the prepared putty material. In this case, the operator will be gripping the mounting shaft, so it is desirable to provide a gripping member that can be detachably covered around the mounting shaft.

[0019] This grip component creates a handle of appropriate thickness, making it easier to grasp and allowing the stirring blade to be used as a spatula more easily than gripping the mounting shaft directly. Furthermore, if the grip component has a textured surface, it becomes less slippery, improving usability even further.

[0020] Since such a gripping member may be attached to the agitator as a product, it is desirable to further provide a storage compartment for the gripping member formed on the lower side surface of the main body. The gripping member is not needed while the agitator blades are attached to the holding shaft during agitation and mixing, but if it is stored in this compartment, there is no risk of misplacing or losing it as a separate component, and it can be taken out of the storage compartment and used whenever needed.

[0021] Furthermore, since the motor in this invention serves solely as a drive source for rotating the rotary table, a relatively small motor can be used. Therefore, it is preferable to employ a small, low-heat-generating brushless DC motor.

[0022] Furthermore, in the present invention, a configuration for variably controlling the rotational speed of the motor is desirable. Usually, paté preparation is carried out by adding water to a powdery paté material and stirring and mixing it. However, in the initial stage of mixing, since the powdery material and water remain separated from each other and the content has almost no viscosity, if the relative rotation speed of the container and the stirring blade is high, there is a risk that these materials will fly out of the container. Therefore, in the initial stage, it is desirable to set the rotational speed of the rotary table, that is, the rotational speed of the motor, to a low speed, and when the stirring and mixing has progressed to a certain extent, change the rotational speed of the motor to the highest speed suitable for the target as an efficient stirring operation.

[0023] On the other hand, a brushless motor can change the rotational speed of the brushless motor by changing the voltage to be applied or the current to be passed based on an input signal. As a mechanism that can easily variably control the rotational speed of such a motor, for example, a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) type control configuration is suitable.

[0024] The PWM method makes the voltage applied to the motor variable by a high-speed ON / OFF signal via a transistor element. This is applied to the motor with the ratio of the ON time in one cycle of ON / OFF as the ratio of the voltage to the total voltage, and by changing the ratio of the ON time to the OFF time (: Duty ratio) between 0 and 100%, the voltage applied to the motor or the current passed can be equivalently changed between 0 and the maximum value.

[0025] In addition, the above-described PWM type control circuit can be easily configured at a low cost on a microcomputer board. Thus, when variably controlling the rotational speed of the motor by microcomputer control, a control circuit for controlling the rotational speed of the brushless motor in accordance with an input signal from a switch on the operation panel may be provided on the operation panel provided on the main body.

[0026] In this case, if the materials to be stirred and mixed are determined to some extent, the initial low speed and its duration, as well as the optimal maximum speed thereafter, which are suitable for the materials, can be predetermined as the rotational speed to be controlled. Therefore, it is preferable to set up multiple stirring modes suitable for each material and allow them to be selected and executed from the control panel.

[0027] Accordingly, in the present invention, the motor is a brushless motor, the main body includes an operating panel on which switches for executing a plurality of stirring modes are arranged, and the operating panel includes a control circuit that starts driving the brushless motor based on the input signal generated when each of the switches is turned on, and changes the voltage applied to the brushless motor or the current flowing through it according to a predetermined stirring mode, thereby changing the rotational speed of the brushless motor to a predetermined maximum speed after a predetermined period of time at a predetermined initial low speed.

[0028] More specifically, according to the stirring mode selected and commanded to be executed by, for example, turning on a key switch on the control panel, a predetermined initial low-speed rotation is continued for a predetermined period, after which the rotation speed is changed to a predetermined maximum speed, and stirring and mixing is performed at that maximum speed for a predetermined period, after which it is stopped and the stirring and mixing is completed. In the control circuit, a signal corresponding to the predetermined rotation speed is input and taken up by the CPU, and a voltage that results in the desired rotation speed is applied to the motor based on the duty cycle of PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) based on this input signal.

[0029] Each mixing mode can be set separately, for example, depending on the type of putty material. In putty application for surface preparation, a base coat of putty is first applied to cover the joints of the boards, and then a top coat of putty is applied to cover both ends of the base coat. Therefore, the top coat of putty is usually prepared to be softer than the base coat of putty.

[0030] Due to these differences in softness, the optimal maximum rotation speed also differs between the two. Therefore, it is convenient for the control circuit to have at least an upper putty stirring mode suitable for stirring the upper putty and a lower putty stirring mode suitable for stirring the lower putty. Of course, other stirring modes may also be included, such as a manual timer mode.

[0031] Furthermore, some conventional agitators have a configuration where the container is integrated with the rotating table and cannot be easily removed. However, after the mixing of the materials is complete, a system that allows the container to be moved along with the agitator is more efficient. When it is desirable to use the container separately from the main body, a means of holding the container so that it can be detachably attached to the rotating table and rotated together with the table is required. For example, one configuration involved forming a cage-like frame on the rotating table and holding the container within this frame.

[0032] However, such relatively large holding mechanisms require materials, time, and cost to manufacture, and their weight increases the load on the motor. Therefore, a simple and small holding mechanism that minimizes both cost and motor load is desirable.

[0033] Therefore, in a stirrer of another invention, the stirrer comprises a main body with a drive device mounted inside, a rotary table rotated in a horizontal plane on the main body at a predetermined speed by the drive device, a container detachably held on the rotary table to contain the material to be mixed, and stirring blades for stirring the material to be mixed inside the container, wherein the stirrer is provided with a latching means for detachably holding the container coaxially with respect to the rotary table, and the latching means comprises at least two latching protrusions integrally formed at equal angular intervals on the outer peripheral surface near the lower end of the container, and at least two latching pieces integrally projecting from the circumference of the mounting surface on the rotary table where the container is placed, and having latching holes into which the latching protrusions are detachably fitted and latched.

[0034] Typically, putty mixers are relatively small mixing devices, and their main components—the container, body, and rotary table—are made of plastic. Therefore, it is easy to integrally form small locking protrusions and locking pieces on each component through molding. Consequently, by making the locking holes of the locking protrusions and locking pieces of an appropriate size and shape, engagement and disengagement between them can be done simply by a so-called snap-fit ​​mechanism utilizing the elastic deformation and recovery properties of plastic. Moreover, since the locking mechanism is configured as a significantly lighter and smaller part compared to conventional basket-like holding means, the load on the motor is reduced, resulting in further energy savings.

[0035] In the present invention, which is equipped with the above-described locking mechanism, it is actually convenient to provide more than two locking protrusions, so that any of them can be locked onto two or more locking pieces. In this case, it is preferable to integrally form a marker protrusion on the periphery of the opening of the container at a position that overlaps with the lower locking protrusion when viewed from above, so that the positions of the multiple locking protrusions can be easily determined from above the container. Using this marker protrusion makes it easy to align the locking protrusions with the locking pieces, and the container can be mounted on the rotating table in a short time. [Effects of the Invention]

[0036] In the agitator according to the present invention, as described above, the power of the drive motor is used exclusively for rotating the rotary table that holds the container, and the agitator blades for agitating and mixing the contents in the container are held to rotate freely without being powered by the motor. As a result, the load on the motor is reduced compared to conventional agitators, and energy savings are achieved. Furthermore, by configuring the transmission means in the present invention so that power transmission from the motor to the rotary table is substantially handled by a single component via an internal gear, it contributes to further miniaturization and weight reduction of the main body. In addition, by configuring the fastening means for detachably attaching the container to the rotary table with a lighter and smaller component compared to conventional holding means, the load on the motor is further reduced, resulting in even greater energy savings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0037] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of an agitator according to one embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is an overall front view showing the assembled and usable state with the agitator blades attached, and (b) is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of (a) with the container and main body housing removed. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the transmission means, where (a) is a perspective view of the transmission means as seen from above in its assembled state, (b) is a perspective view of the transmission means in (a) as seen from below with the support plate omitted, and (c) is an exploded perspective view of the transmission means in (a) as seen from below, showing the components. [Figure 3] Figure 1(a) is a phase diagram showing the inside of the container, where (a) is a top view of Figure 1(a) and (b) is a perspective view from the top. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the procedure for removing the stirring blades from the agitator to create a separate spatula. (a) is a rear view showing the assembled state of the agitator immediately before the stirring blades are removed, (b) is a perspective view showing the state with the stirring blades removed from the rear, (c) is an exploded view showing the process of attaching the handle member to the stirring blades removed in (b), and (d) is a front view showing the state of the separate spatula after the handle member has been attached to the stirring blades. [Figure 5] Figure 4 shows a diagram illustrating the state of a stirrer when using a single spatula inside a container; (a) is a rear view, and (b) is a perspective view from above. [Figure 6] Figure 1 is a perspective view from the rear, showing the container in the agitator detached from the rotating table. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0038] An agitator according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the agitator 1 of this embodiment, where (a) is an overall front view showing the assembled and usable state with the stirring blades attached, and (b) is a perspective view showing the internal structure with the container and main body housing of (a) omitted. Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the transmission means of the agitator 1 according to this embodiment, where (a) is a perspective view of the transmission means seen from above in the assembled state, (b) is a perspective view of the transmission means of (a) seen from below with the support plate omitted, and (c) is an exploded perspective view seen from below showing the components of the transmission means of (a).

[0039] As shown in Figure 1, the agitator 1 of this embodiment comprises a main body 2 with a drive device 10 driven by a brushless motor M as the driving source, a rotary table 5 that is rotated horizontally on the main body 2 at a predetermined speed by the drive device 10, a bucket-shaped container 3 that is detachably held on the rotary table 5 and contains the materials to be agitated and mixed, and a stirring blade 4 that agitates and mixes the materials to be mixed inside the container 3.

[0040] In this embodiment, the stirring blade 4 is rotatably held by a holding portion 25 at the tip of a holding shaft 24, the lower end of which is detachably attached to and supported by a support shaft 22 erected on the main body 2. The support shaft 22 is provided in a state where it penetrates the main body 2 vertically and independently of the drive device 10, without power transmission. This support shaft 22 is only supported and fixed by a through hole formed in a horizontal support plate 21 within the main body 2.

[0041] Furthermore, the upper surface of the main body 2 through which the support shaft 22 passes is covered by a cover 23, and the lower end of a tubular retaining shaft 24 is mounted on the support shaft 22 in the area above the cover 23, and this retaining shaft 24 is detachably locked to the support shaft 22 by a locking device 26 that is rotated by a fixed shaft in the center.

[0042] The locking device 26 has a locking hook 26h at its lower end, and the locking hook 26h engages with a locking groove G1 formed in the corresponding portion below the support shaft 22 via an engagement hole 27 in the holding shaft 24, thereby locking the holding shaft 24 to the support shaft 22. In its natural state, the locking state of the locking device 26 is maintained by spring biasing. By gripping the upper part of the locking device 26 and rotating it, the locking hook 26h separates from the locking groove G1, the locking state is released, and the holding shaft 24 becomes able to slide upward relative to the support shaft 22.

[0043] Furthermore, the support shaft 22 has another locking groove G2 formed above the locking groove G1. This is used to lock the holding shaft 24 to the support shaft 22 in the upper position required for attaching and detaching the stirring blade 4, by sliding the holding shaft 24 upward relative to the support shaft 22 in order to move the holding part 25 upward when attaching and detaching the stirring blade 4.

[0044] Furthermore, the stirring blade 4 is made of hard plastic and comprises a blade body 4a and a mounting shaft 4b that extends along the central axis of the blade body 4a and is attached to the holding part 25. The holding shaft 24 has an upper region that is bent to position its tip at a predetermined position on the opening surface of the container 3, and the stirring blade 4, which is held by the holding part 25 at its tip via the mounting shaft 4b, is positioned at a predetermined stirring position inside the container 3. The blade body 4a has a maximum width that corresponds to the inner circumference radius of the container 3 at the height of its maximum width, and has an outer contour shape that contacts the inner surface and bottom surface of the container 3.

[0045] The stirring blade 4 is mounted by inserting it into a detachable device 28, in which the upper end of the mounting shaft 4b is rotatably fixed within the upper opening of the cylindrical holding part 25, thereby holding it rotatably within the holding part 25. The detachable device 28 is not particularly limited as long as it is configured to allow the mounting shaft 4b to be attached and detached, but a configuration that is as simple as possible is preferred.

[0046] For example, a ball lock mechanism can be used in which an engaging ball is pushed inward by a biasing force such as a spring on the inner circumferential surface of a cylindrical part. In this case, if an engaging hole for receiving the ball is provided at a corresponding position on the upper end of the mounting shaft 4b, then by retracting the ball into its inner circumferential surface against the biasing force, the mounting shaft 4b can be slid inside the cylindrical part. When the engaging hole reaches the position of the ball, the ball is pushed out into the engaging hole, achieving an engaged state between the two, and the mounting of the stirring blade 4 is completed. To remove the stirring blade 4, all that is required is to pull the upper end of the mounting shaft 4b out of the cylindrical part while retracting the ball. Of course, other one-touch attachment and detachment mechanisms can also be widely adopted.

[0047] In actual installation, the retaining shaft 24 is slid upward relative to the support shaft 22 with the locking device 26 released, and the locking hook 26h of the locking device 26 is fitted into the upper locking groove G2, thereby positioning the retaining part 25 upward. Then, the mounting shaft 4b of the stirring blade 4 is inserted into the attachment / detachment device 28 of the retaining part 25 from below the retaining part 25, thereby mounting the stirring blade 4 to the retaining part 25 so that it can rotate freely.

[0048] Subsequently, the locking mechanism 26 is released from its position relative to the support shaft 22, allowing the holding shaft 24 to slide downward relative to the support shaft 22. Once the lower end of the holding shaft 24 reaches the cover 23, the locking hook 26h is again fitted into the lower locking groove 221, locking the holding shaft 24 to the support shaft 22. This completes the placement of the stirring blade 4 in the stirring and mixing position where its lower end contacts the bottom surface of the container 3. Therefore, the stirring blade 4 is designed so that when the holding shaft 24 is locked downward relative to the support shaft 22, the mounting portion 4b is attached to the holding portion 25 and its lower end reaches the bottom surface of the container 3.

[0049] On the other hand, the drive unit 10 is configured to transmit the rotational motion of the motor M to the rotary table 5 by a gear mechanism as a transmission means. Therefore, in the agitator 1 of this embodiment, the power of the motor M inside the main body 2 is not transmitted to the agitator blades 4, but is used exclusively for the rotation of the rotary table 5. Consequently, compared to the conventional case where motor power is also transmitted to the rotating blades to cause them to oscillate, the load on the motor M is significantly reduced, and energy savings are achieved accordingly.

[0050] In this embodiment, the transmission means is configured such that a drive gear 11, which is an external gear provided around the rotation axis of the motor M, and a driven gear 12, which is an external gear provided around the rotation axis 13 of the rotary table 5, are arranged on the main body 2, and an intermediate gear 15 is provided between them to transmit the rotational force of the motor M to a predetermined rotational speed at a reduced rate. The intermediate gear 15 has a substantially flat end disc shape, and a first internal gear 16 that meshes with the drive gear 11 of the motor M is provided on the inner surface of the annular edge of the outer circumference, and a second internal gear 17 that is formed concentrically with the first internal gear 16 and meshes with the driven gear 12 of the rotation axis 13 of the rotary table 5 is provided on the center of the upper surface of the disc shape, forming a two-stage internal gear integrally.

[0051] The rotating shaft 13 of the rotary table 5 has a driven gear 12 formed on the lower outer circumference of a cylindrical portion 14 provided at its upper end. The upper part of the cylindrical portion 14 is fitted into a cylindrical portion (not shown) formed in the center of the back surface of the rotary table 5, thereby rotating the rotary table 5 as a whole. In the drive device 10 of this embodiment, which has the above transmission means configuration, when the rotating shaft is rotated by the drive of the motor M, the drive gear 11 around the rotating shaft rotates, and the first internal gear 16 that meshes with the drive gear 11 rotates, causing the disc-shaped intermediate gear 15 to rotate around its central axis. Consequently, the second internal gear 17 in the center of its upper surface also rotates around its central axis, causing the driven gear 12 that meshes with the second internal gear 17 to rotate, and as a result the rotary table 5 rotates.

[0052] The lower part of the rotating shaft 13 is rotatably inserted and supported in a through-hole of a support plate 21 fixed to the main body casing within the main body 2. Similarly, the rotating shaft of the motor M is also rotatably inserted and supported in the same through-hole of the support plate 21. Therefore, the rotating shaft 13 of the rotary table 5, the rotating shaft of the motor M, and the support shaft 22 are arranged in a predetermined positional relationship within the main body 2 via this support plate 21.

[0053] The transmission means of this embodiment, having the above configuration, transmits the rotational force of the motor M exclusively to the rotary table 5 via substantially a single internal gear member. As a result, its design has fewer parts than conventional designs, and the space occupied by the drive unit 10 is also smaller. Therefore, the main body 2 can be made lighter and more compact, and manufacturing costs can be reduced, contributing to further energy savings.

[0054] In this embodiment, the motor M is fixed to the casing of the main body 2, but the intermediate gear 15 is not fixed. Therefore, to prevent the intermediate gear 15 from floating relative to the rotation shaft of the motor M, which is only meshed with the drive gear 11 by the first internal gear 16, or from misalignment of the meshing, a holding mechanism is provided to suppress the floating of the intermediate gear 15 relative to the drive gear 11 and maintain a constant meshing position of the first internal gear 16.

[0055] Specifically, this holding mechanism includes a retaining member 20 that is fixed to the casing of the main body 2 at its rear end via a support plate 21, and has a retaining rotating shaft 20R at its tip that rotatably contacts the upper surface of the step 15S formed on the edge of the intermediate gear 15, thereby restricting the upward movement of the intermediate gear 15. Furthermore, a wheel-shaped bearing member 19 is rotatably provided below the drive gear 11 around the rotation axis of the motor M, and on the back side of the intermediate gear 15, a pair of rails 18, an outer rail 18a and an inner rail 18b, are provided circumferentially below the first internal gear 16, and engage with the wheel-shaped bearing member 19 between them, allowing the wheel-shaped bearing member 19 to rotatably travel as the intermediate gear 15 rotates.

[0056] As a result of the above-described holding mechanism, the intermediate gear 15 is rotatably held between the upper and lower pressing members 20 and the wheel-shaped bearing member 19, and the distance between the rotational centers of the gears is kept constant. Therefore, the intermediate gear 15 does not float relative to the drive gear 11, and a good meshing state with a constant backlash is maintained. Consequently, although each gear member is made of plastic by injection molding to reduce weight, even if gear distortion or deformation of the outer shape occurs due to injection molding, the good meshing state between the gears is maintained.

[0057] In the drive device 10 having the above configuration, the motor M is driven to rotate the rotary table 5 and the container 3 held on the rotary table 5. The blade body 4a of the rotating blade 4, which is rotatably positioned inside the container 3, is substantially inverted trapezoidal in shape. The maximum width corresponding to the lower base of the trapezoid corresponds to the inner circumference radius of the container 3 at the height of that maximum width, and the contour extending from the legs to the upper base of the trapezoid has a shape that contacts the inner surface and bottom surface of the container 3. Therefore, the rigid blade body 4a rotates without bending due to the frictional force generated as the container 3 rotates at the contour portion that contacts the inner surface and bottom surface of the container 3, and the impact force of the contents circulating as the container 3 rotates, which it receives across its entire surface, thus enabling good stirring and mixing of the contents.

[0058] In other words, as the rotation of the rotating table 5 and the container 3 continues, the stirring blades 4 also continue to rotate, and the contents are stirred and mixed. Therefore, by continuing to drive the motor M at an appropriate rotation speed for the required time, the contents can be stirred and mixed until they reach the desired state. After such stirring and mixing is complete, the motor M can be stopped.

[0059] As described above, after stirring and mixing is complete, the prepared putty is transferred from container 3 to another container, but since the rotating blade 4 is removable from the holding part 25, the stirring blade 4 can be used as a separate spatula 40. In this case, the upper part of the locking device 26 can be gripped against the spring bias to release the locking hook 26h from the locking groove G1, and the holding shaft 24 can be slid upward relative to the support shaft 22 to move the holding part 25 upward.

[0060] By fitting the locking hook 26h into the upper locking groove G2 in this upper position, the holding shaft 24 is locked to the support shaft 22, and the holding part 25 can be fixed in the position for attaching and detaching the stirring blade 4. Then, as shown in Figure 4(b), the stirring blade 4 can be removed from the holding part 25 by pulling the upper end of the mounting shaft 4b downward from the attachment / detachment tool 28.

[0061] On the other hand, as shown in Figures 4(a) and 5(a), a cylindrical gripping member 41, which is fitted over the mounting shaft 4b of the stirring blade 4, is housed in a storage section 29 located below the main body 2. Therefore, by removing this gripping member 41 and inserting the mounting shaft 4b of the stirring blade 4, which has been removed from the holding section 25, into the attachment device 42 which is fixed so as not to rotate within its upper end opening, a spatula 40 with a gripping part, as shown in Figure 4(d), can be created. The mechanism of this attachment device 42 is not particularly limited, but it can be the same as the attachment device 28 of the holding section 25. However, in order to prevent rotation relative to the gripping member 41, for example, a snap-fit ​​mechanism may be used where the inner circumferential surface of the gripping member 41 and the outer circumferential surface of the mounting shaft 4b are locked together.

[0062] This spatula 40 is composed of a roughly inverted trapezoidal, rigid plastic blade body 4a, and as shown in Figure 5, it can be conveniently used on its own as a spatula 40 for removing or scraping out contents. In addition, the surface of the grip member 41 has a non-slip textured finish, providing a more stable grip.

[0063] Normally, putty prepared by stirring and mixing with a stirrer 1 is made by adding water to powdered putty material and stirring and mixing it. In the initial stages of mixing, the powdered material and water remain separated, resulting in a mixture with almost no viscosity. If the rotation of the container 3 and the stirring blade 4 is fast, there is a risk that these materials will spill out of the container 3. In this embodiment, since a brushless motor is used as the motor M, the rotation speed of the brushless motor can be changed by changing the applied voltage or the current flowing through it. By changing the rotation speed of the rotary table 5 and the container 3 to the desired speed, the problem of materials spilling out is resolved.

[0064] In other words, in the initial stages, the rotation speed of the motor M that determines the rotation speed of the rotary table 5 should be set to a low speed, and once stirring and mixing has progressed to a certain extent, the rotation speed of the motor M should be changed to the maximum speed suitable for the target. Specifically, a PWM control circuit, which controls the rotation speed of the brushless motor (motor M) in response to input signals from the control panel 60, is installed on the control panel 60 located on the main unit 2, and is configured on a microcontroller board.

[0065] Therefore, since the initial low speed and its duration, as well as the optimal maximum speed thereafter, which are suitable for the anticipated materials, can be predetermined, a configuration was established that allows multiple stirring modes suitable for each target material to be set and selected and executed using key switches on the control panel 60. For example, in the stirrer 1, which is mainly used for preparing putty, a lower putty stirring mode is set with an initial rotation speed, duration, and maximum rotation speed suitable for relatively hard lower putty, and an upper putty stirring mode is set with an initial rotation speed, duration, and maximum rotation speed suitable for relatively soft upper putty, and key switches for executing each mode are provided on the control panel 60.

[0066] As described above, by simply pressing the key switch on the control panel 60 corresponding to the stirring mode for the target material, the initial stirring and mixing is performed at the desired low rotation speed and for the desired time. After the initial stage is completed, stirring and mixing is performed at the appropriate maximum rotation speed for a predetermined time, after which the rotation drive is stopped. At this time, putty in the desired prepared state is obtained. The control panel 60 may also be equipped with other modes, such as a manual timer mode, for selection.

[0067] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, the bucket-shaped container 3 is detachable from the rotary table 5. Therefore, materials can be added to the container 3 at a location away from the main body 2 before being attached to the main body 2, or the prepared contents can be used directly from the container 3 at a predetermined location away from the main body 2. As for the mechanism for detachably holding the container 3 to the rotary table 5, a smaller configuration that reduces the weight load on the motor M is desirable.

[0068] Therefore, in this embodiment, a snap-fit ​​mechanism utilizing the elastic deformation and recovery properties of plastic is employed as a fastening means for detachably attaching the container 3 to the rotary table 5 coaxially. That is, since both the container 3 and the rotary table 5 are made of plastic to reduce the weight of the device, the components of the snap-fit ​​mechanism can also be integrally formed with the container 3 and the rotary table 5, respectively.

[0069] This latching mechanism consists of a plurality of latching protrusions 31 integrally formed at equal angular intervals on the outer circumferential surface near the lower end of the container 3, and a pair of latching pieces 51 integrally projecting from the outer circumferential surface of the container 3 mounting surface on the rotary table 5, which latch onto any two opposing latching protrusions 31 of the plurality of latching protrusions 31 of the container 3. The latching pieces 51 have latching holes 51H formed therein, into which the latching protrusions 31 are releasably latched. Therefore, in this latching mechanism, when the latching protrusions 31 are fitted into the latching holes 51H from the inside to the outside, the claws formed on the upper edge of the latching protrusions 31 are able to overcome the upper edge of the latching holes 51H and latch onto them, thus forming a snap-fit ​​mechanism between the latching protrusions 31 and the latching holes 51H of the latching pieces 51 in a simple manner.

[0070] Furthermore, the locking projections 31 and locking pieces 51 are positioned such that, when locked together, the container 3 is automatically mounted coaxially on the rotary table 5. Therefore, when the container 3 is placed on the rotary table 5 and its position is adjusted, the two opposing locking projections 31 are pushed from the inside into the pair of locking holes 51H. Through the snap-fit ​​mechanism described above, the locking projections 31 are locked onto the locking pieces 51, completing the mounting of the container 3 to the rotary table 5 and simultaneously securing the container 3 to the rotary table 5 in a coaxial position. To separate the container 3 from the rotary table 5, simply bending the locking pieces 51 outward releases the locking of the locking projections 31 to the locking holes 51H due to their elastic deformation, easily releasing the container 3 from the rotary table 5.

[0071] Furthermore, although the above example shows a case where two pairs of latching pieces 51 are provided, it is also possible to provide more latching pieces 51 if corresponding positions and numbers of latching protrusions 31 are formed on the container 3 side. For example, it is possible to provide three latching pieces at equal angular intervals, or two pairs of four latching pieces. The more latching pieces 51 there are and the more latching parts there are, the more effort it takes to attach and detach the container, but the more secure and stable the attachment of the container 3 to the rotating table 5 becomes.

[0072] In this embodiment, to allow the positions of the numerous locking protrusions 31 to be easily determined from above the container 3, a marker projection 32 is integrally formed on the periphery of the opening of the container 3 at a position that overlaps with the lower locking protrusion 31 when viewed from above, i.e., vertically above each locking protrusion 31. Therefore, in a container 3 provided with eight locking protrusions 31, there will also be eight marker projections 32 on the edge of its opening. Using such marker projections 32 makes it easy to align the locking protrusions 31 with the locking pieces 51, and allows the container 3 to be mounted on the rotating table 5 in a short time.

[0073] Furthermore, in this embodiment, in order to more stably maintain the container 3 on the rotary table 5, a stopper 52 is integrally provided protruding between a pair of locking pieces 51 on the rotary table 5. When this stopper 52 abuts against the lower end of the container 5, the movement of the lower end is restricted, thereby preventing the container 3 from shifting position during rotation. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0074] 1: Agitator 2: Main unit 3: Container 4: Agitator blade 4a: Feather body 4b: Mounting shaft 5: Rotating table 10: Drive unit M: Motor (brushless motor) 11: Drive gear 12: Driven gear 13: Rotation axis of the rotary table 14: Cylindrical part 15: Intermediate gear 15S: Step 16: First internal gear 17: Second internal gear 18: Rail 18a: Outer rail 18b: Inner rail 19: Wheel-shaped bearing member 20: Retaining member 20R: Pressing rotation axis 21: Support plate 22: Support shaft G1, G2: Locking groove 23: Cover 24: Holding axis 25: Holding part 26: Locking device 26h: Locking hook 27: Engagement hole 28,42: Attachment / detachment tool 29: Storage section 31:Latching protrusion 32: Marker projection 40: Hera 41: Grip component 51:Latching piece 51H:Holding hole 52: Stopper 60: Control panel

Claims

1. A stirrer comprising: a main body with a drive device mounted inside; a rotary table rotated horizontally on the main body at a predetermined speed by the drive device; a container detachably held on the rotary table for containing materials to be mixed; stirring blades for stirring the materials to be mixed inside the container; a support shaft erected on the main body; and a holding shaft whose lower end is detachably attached to and supported by the support shaft, with the tip of the holding shaft for holding the stirring blades, wherein The support shaft is provided in a state where it penetrates the main body vertically, independently of the drive device and without power transmission. The holding shaft has a curved shape in its upper region that positions its tip at a predetermined position on the opening surface of the container on the rotating table, and has a holding portion at its tip for attaching the stirring blade detachably and rotatably. The agitator is characterized in that the drive device comprises a motor and a transmission means for transmitting the rotational motion of the motor to the rotary table.

2. The aforementioned transmission means is The motor comprises a drive gear provided around its rotation axis, a driven gear provided around the rotation axis of the rotary table, and an intermediate gear that reduces the speed of the driven gear and causes it to interlock with the drive gear. The aforementioned intermediate gear The agitator according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a single component comprising a two-stage internal gear comprising a first internal gear that meshes with the drive gear and a second internal gear formed concentrically inside the first internal gear and meshing with the driven gear.

3. The transmission means further includes a holding mechanism that suppresses the floating of the intermediate gear relative to the drive gear and maintains a constant meshing state with the first internal gear. The aforementioned holding mechanism is A retaining member is fixed to the casing of the main body at the rear end and has a retaining rotating shaft at its tip that rotatably contacts the upper surface of the edge of the intermediate gear, thereby restricting the upward movement of the intermediate gear. A wheel-shaped bearing member is rotatably mounted below the drive gear around the rotation shaft of the motor, The agitator according to claim 2, further comprising a pair of rails provided circumferentially below the first internal gear, which engage the wheel-shaped bearing member between them to allow the wheel-shaped bearing member to rotatably move in conjunction with the rotation of the intermediate gear.

4. The rotating blade comprises a blade body and a mounting shaft that extends along the central axis of the blade body and is rotatably mounted on the holding portion of the holding shaft. The agitator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the blade base has a maximum width corresponding to the inner circumference radius of the container at the height position of its maximum width, and has an outer contour shape that contacts the inner surface and bottom surface of the container.

5. With the rotating blades removed from the holding shaft, a gripping member is detachably covered around the mounting shaft, The agitator according to claim 4, further comprising a storage section for the gripping member formed on the lower side surface of the main body.

6. The motor is a brushless motor, The main unit is equipped with a control panel on which switches are arranged to execute multiple stirring modes. The agitator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control panel includes a control circuit that starts driving the brushless motor based on an input signal generated when each of the switches is turned on, and changes the rotation speed of the brushless motor to a predetermined maximum speed after a predetermined period of time at a predetermined initial low speed by changing the voltage applied to the brushless motor or the current flowing through it according to a predetermined stirring mode.

7. A stirrer comprising a main body with a drive device mounted inside, a rotary table rotated horizontally on the main body at a predetermined speed by the drive device, a container detachably held on the rotary table for containing the material to be mixed, and stirring blades for stirring and mixing the material to be mixed inside the container, The container is provided with a latching means for detachably holding it coaxially with respect to the rotating table, The aforementioned locking means is At least two latching protrusions are integrally formed at equal angular intervals on the outer circumferential surface near the lower end of the container, A stirrer characterized by having at least two locking pieces integrally projecting from the outer circumference of the mounting surface on which the container is placed, and having locking holes into which the locking projection is releasably fitted and locked.

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