Mixing Equipment

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to enable sufficient visual observation of the mixing status inside a mixing tank while preventing damage to the mixing tank. [Solution] An agitation device for agitating liquid or a mixture of liquid and solids, comprising a stirring tank 10 with an open top and an interior that can be seen from at least the side, a lid 20 having a contact portion on one side that can contact the upper surface of the side wall of the stirring tank, a stirring tank drive unit that raises and lowers the stirring tank to an upper limit position, an intermediate position, and a lower limit position, and the lid is supported by the stirring tank and rises and lowers only between the upper limit position and the intermediate position, and a lid intermediate position stop unit that prevents the lid from descending to the lower limit position, wherein the stirring tank drive unit slows down the rising speed when the distance between the lid and the stirring tank approaches within a predetermined range while the stirring tank is rising.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an agitation device for agitating a liquid or a mixture of a liquid and a solid. [Background technology]

[0002] Agitators are used to atomize and mix liquids or mixtures of liquids and solids in cosmetics, food, chemicals, or pharmaceuticals. Agitators are composed of a roughly cylindrical mixing vessel in which a rotating blade attached to a rotating shaft rotates to mix the materials, and a drive unit for rotating the rotating shaft.

[0003] Since the degree of mixing varies depending on the material being mixed and the time, it is desirable to be able to check the degree to which mixing is progressing within the mixing tank.

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes a configuration in which the inside of a stirring vessel can be observed through a viewing window provided in the lid of the stirring vessel. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] Patent Document 1: Patent No. 5264635 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, there is a problem in that it is difficult to fully check the inside of the mixing tank all the way to the bottom through the sight hole provided in the lid on the top of the mixing tank described in Patent Document 1. To address this, for example, providing a sight hole on the side of the mixing tank would make it easier to check the inside of the mixing tank, but in that case, there is a problem in that the material inlet provided on the top of the mixing tank is above eye level, making it difficult to add materials. On the other hand, if the stirring vessel is made of glass in order to visually check the inside of the vessel, there is a problem in that the vessel may be damaged by the impact of the vessel rising and falling.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, to enable sufficient visual observation of the mixing condition inside a mixing tank, and to prevent damage to the mixing tank. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an agitation device for agitating a liquid or a mixture of a liquid and a solid, comprising: a mixing vessel having an open top and an interior that can be seen at least from a side; A lid having a contact portion on one surface thereof that can be in close contact with an upper surface of a side wall of the stirring tank; a mixing tank drive unit that raises and lowers the mixing tank to an upper limit position, an intermediate position, and a lower limit position; a lid intermediate position stopper that is supported by the mixing tank and moves up and down only between an upper limit position and an intermediate position, and prevents the lid from descending to a lower limit position; Equipped with At the lower limit position, the lid does not descend, and the mixing tank descends to open the top surface. The mixing vessel drive unit is From the lower limit position During the ascent , descent is prevented at the intermediate position When the distance to the lid portion approaches within a predetermined range, the ascending speed is reduced. Contact with As the mixing tank rises from the intermediate position, it pushes up the lid and rises to the upper limit position. The present invention provides a stirring device characterized by the above-mentioned.

[0009] With this configuration, a window through which the inside can be seen is provided on at least the side of the mixing tank, and at the upper limit position close to the line of sight of the operator, the mixing status inside the mixing tank can be sufficiently seen, while at the intermediate position, it is easy for the operator to input materials into the material input section. Also, by slowing down the rate of ascent when the mixing tank rises and comes into contact with the lid, it is possible to prevent the mixing tank from being damaged by the impact of contact.

[0010] In the agitation device, the agitation tank drive unit further raises the agitation tank and pushes up the lid after the agitation tank approaches and comes into contact with the lid during the agitation. and make it stick tightly The configuration may be such that:

[0011] With this configuration, the contact portion of the lid and the upper surface of the side of the stirring tank are securely contacted, and a vacuum can be drawn inside the stirring tank.

[0012] The stirring device may be configured such that the deceleration rate at which the ascending speed is decreased can be changed by manual input into a display unit.

[0013] With this configuration, it is possible to set the deceleration rate to avoid shock to the mixing tank while checking various conditions, such as when raw materials are charged into the mixing tank. Effect of the Invention

[0014] With the mixing device of the present invention, the mixing condition inside the mixing tank can be fully visualized at the upper limit position, and at the intermediate position, it is easy for operators to add materials to the material input section.In addition, when the mixing tank rises and the distance from the lid approaches a specified range, the rising speed slows down, preventing damage to the mixing tank due to impact. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the stirring vessel of the stirring device in the first embodiment of the present invention at the upper limit position. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the stirring vessel of the stirring device in the first embodiment of the present invention in an intermediate position. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the stirring vessel of the stirring device in the first embodiment of the present invention at the lower limit position. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which an agitation tank of the agitation device in Example 1 of the present invention is overturned at a lower limit position. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a first diagram illustrating a display on a display unit of the stirring device in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a second diagram illustrating the display of the display unit of the stirring device in Example 1 of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an agitation vessel holder of the agitation device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8]FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a middle position stopper of the agitation device in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an upper limit position stopper of the agitation device in the first embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS EXAMPLES

[0016] The stirring device of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1-9. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the stirring tank of the stirring device of the first embodiment of the present invention in the upper limit position. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the stirring tank of the stirring device of the first embodiment of the present invention in the intermediate position. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the stirring tank of the stirring device of the first embodiment of the present invention in the lower limit position. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the stirring tank of the stirring device of the first embodiment of the present invention turned over at the lower limit position. Fig. 5 is a first diagram for explaining the display of the display unit of the stirring device of the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 6 is a second diagram for explaining the display of the display unit of the stirring device of the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining the stirring tank holding unit of the stirring device of the first embodiment of the present invention. Note that the stirring blades are omitted in Fig. 7. Fig. 8 is a diagram for explaining the intermediate position stopper of the stirring device of the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 9 is a diagram for explaining the upper limit position stopper of the stirring device of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] The stirring device 100 in the first embodiment includes a substantially cylindrical stirring tank 10 having a window 11 on the side and bottom surfaces through which the inside can be seen, and an open top surface, a substantially circular lid 20 having a contact part (not shown) made of an O-ring on one side that can be in close contact with the upper side of the side wall of the stirring tank 10, a rotating or rotating stirring blade 23 provided inside the contact part on one side of the lid 20, a material input part 21 on the other side of the lid 20, and a drive part (not shown) that raises and lowers the stirring tank 10 to an upper limit position, an intermediate position, and a lower limit position. In the first embodiment, the material stirred by the stirring blade in the stirring tank 10 is discharged into a tank or the like by tilting the stirring tank 10 sideways at the lower limit position as described later (see FIG. 4), but it may be guided to a predetermined tank through a hose (not shown) provided at the bottom of the stirring tank 10.

[0018] The stirred tank 10 in Example 1 is made of transparent glass in a substantially cylindrical shape with an open top, and has a structure in which the back surface and part of the bottom surface are supported by protective metal. Therefore, most of the front surface and bottom surface of the outer surface of the stirred tank 10 that are not protected by protective metal function as the window portion 11. In addition, the transparent glass of the stirred tank 10 is made of double glass, and hot water can be poured between the glass to increase or maintain the temperature inside the stirred tank 10, and cold water can be poured between the glass to decrease or maintain the temperature inside the stirred tank 10.

[0019] In Example 1, the window portion 11 is provided on the side and bottom surfaces of the stirred tank 10, but this is not necessarily limited to this and can be modified as appropriate. For example, the window portion 11 may be provided on the side and top surfaces, or may be provided on at least the side surfaces. In Example 1, the stirred tank 10 is made of transparent glass having a substantially cylindrical shape with an open top, but this is not necessarily limited to this and can be modified as appropriate. For example, the stirred tank 10 may be made of transparent glass having a substantially polygonal prism shape with an open top, or may be made of slightly colored glass. It is sufficient that at least the inside of the stirred tank 10 can be viewed from the side.

[0020] Furthermore, from the upper limit position to the intermediate position, the contact portion of the lid portion 20 is in contact with the agitation tank 10, so the agitation blade 23 can be rotated or turned to agitate the inside of the agitation tank 10, and the inside of the agitation tank 10 can be evacuated. However, in order for the contact portion of the lid portion 20 to come into contact with the agitation tank 10, the agitation tank 10 needs to be pressed against the contact portion of the lid portion 20 to such an extent that the O-ring constituting the contact portion is deformed. Therefore, as described below, after the agitation tank 10 rises and comes into contact with the contact portion of the lid portion 20, the agitation tank 10 can be further raised and pushes up the lid portion 20, so that the agitation tank 10 and the lid portion 20 can be reliably brought into contact with each other.

[0021] In Example 1, the lid part 20 is configured to be in close contact with the stirred tank 10 from the upper limit position to the intermediate position, but this is not necessarily limited to this and can be modified as appropriate. For example, the lid part 20 may be configured to be in close contact with the stirred tank 10 only at the upper limit position and the intermediate position, or the close contact part of the lid part 20 may be configured to be in close contact with the upper surface of the side wall of the stirred tank 10 at least at the upper limit position and the intermediate position.

[0022] A rubber O-ring is provided on one surface of the lid 20 (the surface that contacts the top surface of the agitation tank 10) of the lid 20, so that the lid 20 can be fitted tightly to the upper surface of the side wall of the agitation tank 10. From the upper limit position to the intermediate position, the upper surface of the side wall of the agitation tank 10 is pressed against and fitted tightly to the fitting part of the lid 20, and the agitation blade 23 provided on one surface of the lid 20 (the surface that contacts the top surface of the agitation tank 10) rotates or turns within the agitation tank 10 to agitate the charged materials.

[0023] A rotation drive unit 22 that rotates or turns the stirring blade 23 is provided on the other surface of the lid unit 20. The rotation drive unit 22 moves up and down integrally with the lid unit 20 as described later.

[0024] The agitation tank 10 is held by the agitation tank holder 50 (see FIG. 7), and can be raised and lowered along the rail 40, which is fixed to the rail holder 43 and extends up and down, by driving a drive unit consisting of a motor and a trapezoidal screw (not shown). The worker H raises and lowers the agitation tank 10 to the upper limit position by touching the touch panel labeled "upper limit" in a box labeled "continuous operation" on the display unit 30 shown in FIG. 5. Similarly, the agitation tank 10 raises and lowers to the middle position by touching "middle". Furthermore, the agitation tank 10 descends to the lower limit position by touching "lower limit". The position of the top surface of the agitation tank 10 shown in FIG. 1 is the upper limit position set at 1533 mm from the floor surface, and is a position where the worker H can visually check the inside of the agitation tank 10 through the window 11 to check the agitation state. In addition, at this upper limit position, the agitation state in the agitation tank 10 can be checked from the window 11 at the bottom of the agitation tank 10.

[0025] In Example 1, the upper limit position is the distance from the floor surface to the top surface of the mixing tank 10 of 1533 mm, but is not necessarily limited to this and can be changed as appropriate. For example, it may be 1534 mm or more or 1532 mm or less, and may be set at a position where the operator H can easily view the inside of the mixing tank 10 through the window portion 11. To change the upper limit position, the "upper limit position for lifting" in FIG. 5 may be changed, or the position of the upper limit position stopper 42 (see FIG. 9) may be adjusted as described below.

[0026] The position of the top surface of the mixing tank 10 shown in Fig. 2 is an intermediate position set at 962 mm from the floor surface. This intermediate position is set at a position where operator H can easily input materials into the material input section 21. Note that the inside of the mixing tank 10 may be evacuated. In this case, after inputting materials into the hopper of the material input section 21, the cock is turned to open the door to the inside of the mixing tank 10, and the materials are drawn in by the vacuum. After this, in order to maintain the vacuum state, the cock is turned in the opposite direction to close the door to the inside of the mixing tank 10, and the evacuated state of the mixing tank 10 is maintained.

[0027] In Example 1, the intermediate position is the distance from the floor surface to the top surface of the mixing tank 10 of 962 mm, but this is not necessarily limited to this and can be changed as appropriate. For example, it may be 963 mm or more or 961 mm or less, and may be set at a position where the operator H can easily input material into the material input section 21. To change the intermediate position, the "lift intermediate position" in FIG. 5 may be changed.

[0028] The position of the top of the agitation tank 10 shown in Fig. 3 is the lowest position set at 622 mm from the floor. At this lowest position, the top of the agitation tank 10 is open, allowing the inside of the agitation tank 10 to be visually observed. In other words, the lid part 20, together with the drive part 22, is held in the middle position by the middle position stopper 41 (see Fig. 8) and will not descend to the lowest position. As a result, the lid part 20 is released from its tight contact with the top of the agitation tank 10, and the top is opened.

[0029] In Example 1, the lower limit position is the distance from the floor surface to the top surface of the mixing tank 10 of 622 mm, but this is not necessarily limited to this and can be changed as appropriate. For example, it may be 623 mm or more or 621 mm or less, and may be set at a position where the operator H can easily visually inspect and clean the inside of the mixing tank 10. To change the lower limit position, the "lifting / lowering limit position" in FIG. 5 may be changed.

[0030] 4, at the lowest position, the stirring tank 10 can be tilted sideways, and the inside of the stirring tank 10 can be washed to remove residue and the like. Also, washing water can be poured into the stirring tank 10 for washing.

[0031] When the agitation tank 10 is raised from the lowest position to the intermediate position, the agitation tank 10 is raised and reaches the intermediate position by touching the area marked "Intermediate" (see FIG. 5) in the box marked "Continuous Operation" on the touch panel of the display unit 30. The agitation tank 10 can then be stopped temporarily at the intermediate position. At this time, when the distance between the agitation tank 10 and the lid unit 20 falls within a predetermined range while the agitation tank 10 is rising, the rate of ascent is slowed down. This prevents the agitation tank 10 from colliding with the lid unit 20 too forcefully and breaking the glass that constitutes the agitation tank 10.

[0032] The predetermined range for decelerating the ascending speed is set to 20 mm in the first embodiment, but it can be changed by setting the value of the "speed change distance near lid contact" shown in Fig. 5. Also, the speed during deceleration can be set by setting the value of the "ascending speed when lid contacts".

[0033] Furthermore, to prevent injuries or damage to clothes caused by fingers or clothing being caught between the rising mixing tank 10 and the lid 20, the system is controlled to perform an emergency stop when a load equal to or greater than a predetermined value is detected. This predetermined load value can be set by setting the value of the "torque limit under lid contact" in Fig. 5.

[0034] If a finger or clothing becomes caught between the rising mixing tank 10 and the lid 20, the message "Torque Limit ON" appears and the rising of the mixing tank 10 is stopped, as shown in FIG. 6, to prevent injury or damage to clothing.

[0035] In addition, the mixing vessel 10 Lid After contact with 20, the stirring tank 10 is further raised, pushing the lid 20 up by about 10 mm. The rising speed at this time can be set by setting the value of "rising speed when lid contacts" shown in FIG. 5. By pushing it up further after contact, the upper surface of the side wall of the stirring tank 10 and the contact part of the lid 20 can be tightly attached to each other. By tightly attaching the stirring tank 10 and the lid 20, the stirring blade 23 is stored inside the stirring tank 10 even at the intermediate position, so stirring can be performed by rotating or turning. It is also possible to draw a vacuum.

[0036] In Example 1, the stirring tank 10 is further raised after contact with the lid portion 20, so that the lid portion 20 is pushed up by about 10 mm, but this is not necessarily limited to this and can be modified as appropriate. For example, the stirring tank 10 may be pushed up by about 20 mm, or may be pushed up by about 5 mm. It is sufficient that at least the contact portion of the lid portion 20 and the upper surface of the side wall of the stirring tank 10 are in close contact with each other.

[0037] When the agitation tank 10 is raised from the intermediate position to the upper limit position, the agitation tank 10 is raised to the upper limit position by touching the area marked "upper limit" (see FIG. 5) in the box marked "continuous operation" on the touch panel of the display unit 30. At this time, as the agitation tank 10 rises, the agitation tank holder 50 pushes up the rotation drive unit holder 60 holding the lid unit 20 and the rotation drive unit 22 while the agitation tank 10 is in close contact with the lid unit 20, and the agitation tank 10, the lid unit 20, and the rotation drive unit 22 rise together to the upper limit position (see FIG. 8). In other words, only the agitation tank holder 50 holding the agitation tank 10 is driven by the agitation tank drive unit, and the rotation drive unit holder 60 holding the lid unit 20 and the rotation drive unit 22 is pushed up by the agitation tank holder 50 holding the agitation tank 10. This allows the agitation tank 10 and the lid unit 20 to maintain a close contact state.

[0038] The lifting and lowering speed of the mixing tank 10 can be changed by changing the value displayed as "Lifting and lowering operation speed (normal)" on the touch panel of the display unit 30. Specifically, when "Lifting and lowering operation speed (normal)" is touched, a numeric keypad pops up and a number is entered.

[0039] Next, the positioning of the lid part 20 and the rotary drive part 22 at the upper limit position and the intermediate position will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 7 to 9. In Fig. 7, the illustration of the agitation blade part 23 is omitted. Here, Figs. 8 and 9 are views seen from the rear side. As described above, it is the agitation tank holder 50 that holds the agitation tank 10 that is raised and lowered by the agitation tank drive part (not shown) consisting of a trapezoidal screw and a motor. In this way, the agitation tank 10 held by the agitation tank holder 50 can be raised and lowered. In addition, the lid part 20 and the rotary drive part 22 are held by the rotary drive part holder 60.

[0040] In addition, when the mixing tank 10 and the mixing tank holding part 50 are in the intermediate position and the lowermost position, the rotation drive unit holding part 60 stops at the intermediate position as the intermediate position stopper block 61 at the bottom of the rotation drive unit holding part 60 comes into contact with the intermediate position stopper 41 fixed to the rail holding part 43, and the rotation drive unit holding part 60 cannot descend any further.

[0041] When the mixing tank holder 50 rises from the lower limit position to the intermediate position, the push-up portion 51 of the mixing tank holder 50 pushes up the push-up portion corresponding block 63 of the rotation drive unit holder 60 a little. Then, the upper surface of the side wall of the mixing tank 10 comes into contact with the contact portion of the lid unit 20. Next, when the mixing tank holder 50 rises from the intermediate position to the upper limit position, the push-up portion 51 of the mixing tank holder 50 pushes up the push-up portion corresponding block 63 of the rotation drive unit holder 60, so that the mixing tank 10, the lid unit 20, and the rotation drive unit 22 rise together. When the mixing tank 10 rises to the upper limit position, the upper limit position stopper block 62 fixed to the rotation drive unit holder 60 comes into contact with the upper limit stopper 42 and stops. Then, the mixing tank 10 cannot rise any further.

[0042] When the mixing tank holder 50 descends from the upper limit position, the mixing tank 10 and the lid 20 remain in close contact, and the mixing tank 10 held by the mixing tank holder 50 also begins to descend. In other words, the rotation drive unit holder 60, whose pushing-up force of the mixing tank holder 50 has been released, descends together with the mixing tank holder 50, and at the same time, the lid 10 and the rotation drive unit 22 also descend together. When the mixing tank holder 50 descends to the intermediate position and stops, the intermediate position stopper block 61 fixed to the rotation drive unit holder 60 comes into contact with the intermediate position stopper 41 supported by the rail holder 43, and the rotation drive unit holder 60 cannot descend any further.

[0043] When the stirring tank holder 50 descends further from the intermediate position, the contact between the lid part 20 and the upper surface of the side wall of the stirring tank 10 is released, and the lid part 20 and the rotary drive part 22 remain in the intermediate position, while only the stirring tank 10 and the stirring tank holder 50 descend to the lowest position, thereby releasing the contact between the stirring tank 10 and the lid part 20. When the stirring tank 10 descends to the lowest position and is separated from the lid part 20, the inside of the stirring tank 10 can be easily cleaned. Furthermore, the stirring blade 23 is exposed from the stirring tank 10, so that the stirring blade 23 can also be easily cleaned.

[0044] Thus, in Example 1, A mixing device for mixing a liquid or a mixture of a liquid and a solid, comprising: a mixing vessel having an open top and an interior that can be seen at least from a side; A lid having a contact portion on one surface thereof that can be in close contact with an upper surface of a side wall of the stirring tank; a mixing tank drive unit that raises and lowers the mixing tank to an upper limit position, an intermediate position, and a lower limit position; a lid intermediate position stopper that is supported by the mixing tank and moves up and down only between an upper limit position and an intermediate position, and prevents the lid from descending to a lower limit position; Equipped with The mixing device is characterized in that the mixing tank drive unit slows down the rising speed when the distance between the mixing tank and the lid unit approaches within a predetermined range while the mixing tank is rising, making it possible to visualize the inside of the mixing tank, allowing the mixing status to be fully confirmed, making it easier to add materials and clean the mixing tank, and preventing damage to the mixing tank. [Industrial Applicability]

[0045] The stirring device of the present invention can be widely applied to fields in which liquids or mixtures of liquids and solids are stirred. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 10: Mixing tank 11: Window section 20: Lid section 21: Material input section 22: Rotation drive section 23: Mixing blade 30: Display section 40: Rail 41: Intermediate position stopper 42: Upper limit position stopper 43: Rail holding section 50: Mixing tank holding section 51: Push-up section 60: Rotation drive section holding section 61: Intermediate position stopper block 62: Upper limit position stopper block 63: Push-up section corresponding block 100: Mixing device

Claims

1. A mixing device for mixing a liquid or a mixture of a liquid and a solid, comprising: a mixing vessel having an open top and an interior that can be seen at least from a side; A lid having a contact portion on one surface thereof that can be in close contact with an upper surface of a side wall of the stirring tank; a mixing tank drive unit that raises and lowers the mixing tank to an upper limit position, an intermediate position, and a lower limit position; a lid intermediate position stopper that is supported by the mixing tank and moves up and down only between an upper limit position and an intermediate position, and prevents the lid from descending to a lower limit position; Equipped with At the lower limit position, the lid does not descend, and the mixing tank descends to open the top surface. the stirring tank drive unit, when the distance between the stirring tank and the lid unit, which is prevented from descending at an intermediate position, approaches within a predetermined range during the stirring tank's upward movement from a lower limit position, decelerates the upward movement speed and brings the stirring tank into contact with the lid unit, The stirring device is characterized in that the stirring tank pushes up the lid portion as it rises from an intermediate position to an upper limit position.

2. The stirring device according to claim 1, wherein the stirring vessel drive unit further raises the stirring vessel and pushes up the lid portion to tightly contact the lid portion after the stirring vessel approaches and contacts the lid portion while rising.

3. 3. The stirring device according to claim 1, wherein the deceleration rate at which the ascending speed is decreased can be changed by manually inputting the deceleration rate into a display unit.

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