Mixing machine

Abstract

To provide a kneader capable of uniformly kneading a large amount of a material to be kneaded at a time.SOLUTION: The kneader (10) has a cylindrical kneading chamber (11) and a cylindrical member arranged in the kneading chamber (11) having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the kneading chamber (11) and having a central axis (121) parallel to the central axis (111) of the kneading chamber (11) at a distance from the central axis (111) of the kneading chamber. The eccentric rotor (12) rotates about the central axis (111) of the mixing chamber.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a kneader for kneading a plurality of fluid materials (liquid, gel, sol), such as a polymer material and an additive, for example. [Background Art]

[0002] Additives are added to plastics, rubbers, and the like for purposes such as improving heat resistance. Accordingly, when producing these plastics, rubbers, and the like, an operation of kneading a fluid polymer material, which serves as the material for these products, with the additive is performed.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a two-rotor type kneader. The kneading chamber of this kneader has a cylindrical shape as a whole, and the cross-sectional shape thereof is an hourglass shape formed by partially overlapping two circles. Accordingly, the kneading chamber is composed of two substantially cylindrical partial chambers. Each partial chamber is provided with a rotor that rotates around the central axis of the corresponding cylinder, and the cross-sectional shape of each rotor is an ellipse centered on the center of the corresponding circle, with a major axis slightly smaller than the diameter of the circle (the inner diameter of the corresponding partial chamber). Both rotors are configured to rotate synchronously in the respective partial chambers such that their major axes form an angle of 90° with each other.

[0004] According to the kneader described in Patent Document 1, after a material to be kneaded is accommodated in the kneading chamber, the two rotors are rotated, whereby the material to be kneaded is kneaded while being subjected to a shearing action in a linear gap (tip clearance) between the tip of the major axis of the rotor and the inner wall surface of each partial chamber. Further, the major axis of the rotor repeatedly pushes the material to be kneaded from one partial chamber to the other, thereby promoting the mixing of a plurality of types of materials constituting the material to be kneaded. [Prior Art Literature] [Patent Literature]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-000916 [Summary of the Invention] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] In the kneader described in Patent Document 1, the material to be kneaded is subjected to a shearing action within a tip clearance extending in the direction of the central axis of the cylinder at the tip of the rotor's major axis. If the width of this tip clearance is narrow, sufficient shearing action cannot be applied, resulting in longer kneading times and, depending on the material, uneven kneading may not be possible. On the other hand, if the ratio of the rotor's major axis to its minor axis is brought closer to 1 (making the rotor's cross-sectional shape a perfect circle), the curvature of the rotor's major axis tip becomes close to the curvature of the inner wall surface of the sub-chamber, and the width of the tip clearance to which the shearing action is applied can be widened. However, the minor axis becomes closer to the inner diameter of the sub-chamber, and the space between the inner wall of the kneading chamber and the rotor (hereinafter referred to as "holding clearance") becomes smaller. As a result, the amount of material to be kneaded that can be accommodated and kneaded in the kneading chamber at one time becomes smaller.

[0007] The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a kneader that can uniformly knead a large amount of material at once. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The kneader according to the present invention, which was developed to solve the above problems, a) A cylindrical kneading chamber, b) A cylindrical member disposed within the kneading chamber, having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the kneading chamber and a central axis parallel to the central axis of the kneading chamber at a position away from the central axis of the kneading chamber, wherein the member comprises an eccentric rotor that rotates about the central axis of the kneading chamber. It is characterized by having the following features.

[0009] When using the kneader according to the present invention, the material to be kneaded is placed in the space (holding clearance) between the inner wall surface of the kneading chamber and the eccentric rotor, and the eccentric rotor is rotated around the central axis of the kneading chamber. Because the axis of rotation of this eccentric rotor is located away from its central axis (eccentric), the side surface of the eccentric rotor is in closest contact with the inner surface of the kneading chamber at the position furthest from the axis of rotation (= central axis of the kneading chamber). The material to be kneaded is subjected to shear action near this closest contact position while being kneaded.

[0010] According to the kneader of the present invention, by using a rotor having a cylindrical (perfectly circular) shape (eccentric rotor), the curvature of the rotor's side surface at the position closest to the inner surface of the kneading chamber (farthest position) can be brought closer to the curvature of the inner surface, thereby widening the region where shearing action occurs (chip clearance). As a result, sufficient shearing action can be applied to the material to be kneaded, shortening the time required for kneading and enabling uniform kneading. Furthermore, because the eccentric rotor is eccentric, a wide space for accommodating the material to be kneaded (holding clearance) can be secured between the rotor and the inner surface of the kneading chamber at the position opposite to the farthest position of the rotor (the position where the side surface of the eccentric rotor is closest to the axis of rotation: nearest position), thus increasing the amount of material to be kneaded that can be accommodated and kneaded at one time.

[0011] In the kneader according to the present invention, it is preferable that the minimum gap between the eccentric rotor and the inner wall of the kneading chamber at the furthest position (chip clearance) is 100 μm or less. This ensures that a shearing action is reliably applied when kneading typical materials such as plastics and rubber, and that the materials are kneaded uniformly in a short time. Furthermore, such a gap can generate flow such as extensional flow and Taylor vortex flow in the materials to be kneaded, thereby promoting the kneading of the materials.

[0012] While it is preferable for the diameter of the eccentric rotor to be larger than half the inner diameter of the kneading chamber in order to widen the chip clearance, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be half or smaller than the inner diameter of the kneading chamber.

[0013] The kneader according to the present invention may further be equipped with a heater for heating the kneading chamber. By heating with this heater, it becomes possible to knead materials that do not have fluidity at room temperature, such as plastic materials. The heater may be provided on the outer circumference of the cylinder of the kneading chamber.

[0014] On the other hand, the kneader according to the present invention may further include a cooler for cooling the kneading chamber. Since heat is generated when shearing action is applied to the material to be kneaded (shear heating), operating the cooler can prevent the temperature of the material to be kneaded from rising excessively and prevent deterioration. The cooler can consist of a refrigerant flow path provided in the wall of the kneading chamber and means for supplying the refrigerant to the flow path.

[0015] Furthermore, the kneader according to the present invention may include both the heater and the cooler, as well as a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature inside the kneading chamber and a temperature controller for controlling the heater and the cooler based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor. This makes it possible to control the temperature inside the kneading chamber.

[0016] Furthermore, the kneader according to the present invention may further include a sealing mechanism for sealing the kneading chamber and a vacuum mechanism for creating a vacuum in the kneading chamber. Alternatively, it may include the sealing mechanism and an inert gas introduction mechanism for introducing an inert gas into the kneading chamber. With these configurations, the materials to be kneaded can be kneaded without coming into contact with air.

[0017] Furthermore, the kneading machine according to the present invention may also be equipped with a kneaded material discharge port consisting of nozzles or holes provided in the wall of the kneading chamber (not limited to the side wall, but may also be the bottom wall, top wall, or a lid fitted to the kneading chamber). If holes are provided in the side wall or bottom wall, removable plugs should also be provided in the holes. With such a kneaded material discharge port, the kneaded material after kneading is complete can be removed from the kneaded material discharge port. Alternatively, instead of providing such a kneaded material discharge port, a lid may be provided in the kneading chamber and the kneaded material may be removed by opening the lid.

[0018] In the kneading machine according to the present invention, the eccentric rotor can be made up of a central cylindrical part on the central axis side and a cylindrical sleeve part fitted to the outside of the central cylindrical part.

[0019] In a kneader equipped with an eccentric rotor consisting of a central cylindrical part and a sleeve part, the sleeve part rotates relative to the central cylindrical part due to the resistance received from the material to be kneaded in the chip clearance as the eccentric rotor rotates.

[0020] In some cases, the material to be mixed may adhere to the eccentric rotor. In such cases, the adhered material cannot be fed into the chip clearance, potentially preventing uniform mixing of the entire material. In contrast, in a mixer equipped with an eccentric rotor consisting of a central cylindrical part and a sleeve part, even if the material to be mixed adheres to the side of the sleeve part in an area other than the chip clearance, when the central cylindrical part rotates around the rotation axis of the eccentric rotor (i.e., the central cylindrical part rotates / revolves around the central axis of the mixing chamber), the friction between the inner surface of the central cylindrical part and the sleeve part forces the sleeve part to rotate so that it rolls along the inner surface of the mixing chamber. This forces the material adhering to the surface of the sleeve part into the chip clearance. In this way, the entire material to be mixed can be uniformly mixed.

[0021] Although the inner surfaces of the central cylindrical portion and the sleeve portion may be in planar contact, a slight gap may be provided between the two to allow the sleeve portion to rotate smoothly. Further, the height (length) of the central cylindrical portion and the height (same) of the sleeve portion may be the same, or either one may be higher (longer) than the other. The height of the sleeve portion may be determined according to the expected storage amount of the material to be kneaded so as to be higher than the height of the material to be kneaded stored in the holding clearance. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] According to the kneader of the present invention, a large amount of material to be kneaded can be uniformly kneaded in one operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a kneader according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the kneader according to the present embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an A-A cross-sectional view of the kneader according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a kneader according to a modified example of the present embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a plan view and a partial enlarged view thereof for explaining the operation of the kneader according to the present embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a modified example in which a temperature controller is provided in the kneader according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a modified example in which a vacuum pump and / or an inert gas source or the like is provided in the kneader according to the present embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a modified example having an eccentric rotor composed of a central cylindrical portion and a sleeve portion in the kneader according to the present embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the operation of an example having an integrated eccentric rotor. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the operation of a modified example having an eccentric rotor composed of a central cylindrical portion and a sleeve portion. MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0024] An embodiment of the kneading machine according to the present invention will be described using Figures 1 to 10.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the kneader 10 of this embodiment includes a kneading chamber (kneading container) 11, an eccentric rotor 12, a cooler 13, a heater 14, a kneading material discharge nozzle (kneading material discharge port) 15, a motor 16 (not shown in Figures 1 and 2), and a handle 17.

[0026] The kneading chamber 11 has a cylindrical shape with one end closed. A cooler 13 is provided inside the wall of the kneading chamber 11, as will be described later.

[0027] The eccentric rotor 12 is a cylindrical member placed inside the kneading chamber 11. The diameter r2 of the eccentric rotor 12 is smaller than the inner diameter r1 of the kneading chamber 11. The central axis 121 of the eccentric rotor 12 (as a cylinder) is parallel to the central axis 111 of the kneading chamber 11 and is located away from the central axis 111. The eccentric rotor 12 rotates not around its own central axis 121, but around a rotation axis 122 that coincides with the central axis 111 of the kneading chamber 11. In other words, the rotation axis 122 of the eccentric rotor 12 is offset from its own central axis 121.

[0028] As the rotation axis 122 of the eccentric rotor 12 is eccentric, the side surface 125 of the eccentric rotor 12 comes into closest contact with the inner surface 115 of the kneading chamber 11 at the furthest position 126, which is the position furthest from the rotation axis 122. At this furthest position 126, a small gap (tip clearance 116) is formed between the side surface 125 of the eccentric rotor 12 and the inner surface 115 of the kneading chamber 11. The size of the tip clearance 116 (the shortest distance between the side surface 125 of the eccentric rotor 12 and the inner surface 115 of the kneading chamber 11) L is preferably 100 μm or less so that a shearing action can be reliably applied when kneading materials made of molten polymers such as plastics or rubber.

[0029] The size of the tip clearance 116 is not limited to the aforementioned 100 μm or less. For example, if the material to be kneaded is made of a material with lower viscosity than a typical molten polymer and can be kneaded more easily, the size of the tip clearance 116 may exceed 100 μm (for example, within the range of 100 to 200 μm). On the other hand, in order to impart a greater shear force, it is more desirable for the size of the tip clearance 116 to be 50 μm or less. However, if the tip clearance 116 is too small, the amount of material to be kneaded to which shear force can be applied at one time will be too small, which will actually increase the time required for kneading. Therefore, it is preferable for the size of the tip clearance 116 to be 10 μm or more, more preferably 40 μm or more, and even more preferably 50 μm or more. Furthermore, it is advisable to adjust the size of the tip clearance 116 so that an appropriate shear force can be applied according to the viscosity of the material to be kneaded, the properties of the substances constituting the material to be kneaded (solid, liquid), etc.

[0030] On the other hand, on the opposite side from the furthest position 126, at the nearest position 127 where the side surface 125 of the eccentric rotor 12 is closest to the rotation axis 122, a space is formed between it and the inner surface 115 of the kneading chamber 11. This space is the holding clearance 117 in which the material to be kneaded is contained when the kneader 10 is in use.

[0031] A motor 16 is connected to the upper end of the rotating shaft 122 via a clutch 1221. The clutch 1221 has a moving mechanism that moves the relative vertical position of the motor 16 and the rotating shaft 122, thereby connecting / disconnecting the motor 16 and the rotating shaft 122. Note that the clutch 1221 may be omitted.

[0032] Alternatively, the rotating shaft 122 may be provided on the lower surface of the eccentric rotor 12 so as to protrude downward (Figure 4). In this case, the rotating shaft 122 penetrates the bottom of the kneading chamber 11 and is connected to the motor 16 below the kneading chamber 11. By providing the rotating shaft 122 on the lower surface of the eccentric rotor 12 in this way, a removable lid 113 can be attached to the upper side of the kneading chamber 11. Note that even when the rotating shaft 122 is provided on the upper surface of the eccentric rotor 12 as shown in Figures 1 to 3, a lid divided into two (or more) parts with a hole corresponding to the rotating shaft 122 may be attached to the upper side of the kneading chamber 11.

[0033] The cooler 13 comprises a cylindrical body 130 that covers the outer surface of the kneading chamber 11, a refrigerant flow path 131 consisting of a spiral groove formed on the inner circumferential surface (the surface facing the kneading chamber 11) of the cylindrical body 130, a refrigerant introduction nozzle 132 connected to one end of the refrigerant flow path 131, and a refrigerant discharge nozzle 133 connected to the other end of the refrigerant flow path 131. The groove of the refrigerant flow path 131 is closed off by the outer circumferential surface of the kneading chamber 11, so that refrigerant does not leak in the middle of the groove. When water is introduced as a refrigerant from the refrigerant introduction nozzle 132, the water passes through the refrigerant flow path 131 and is discharged from the refrigerant discharge nozzle 133. As a result, the inside of the kneading chamber 11 is cooled through the cylindrical body 130 and the walls of the kneading chamber 11.

[0034] The heater 14 has a sheet-like shape and is installed so as to cover the outer surface of the cylindrical body 130 of the cooler 13. A power supply (not shown) is connected to the heater 14, and the heater 14 generates heat when current is supplied from the power supply.

[0035] The kneading discharge nozzle 15 communicates with the inside of the kneading chamber 11 near the lower end of the side wall of the kneading chamber 11 and has an on / off valve 151 (see Figure 3).

[0036] The handle 17 is used when moving the kneader 10 and is fixed to the upper end of the wall of the kneading chamber 11. The handle 17 may be omitted.

[0037] The operation of the kneader 10 of this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figure 5. Note that the refrigerant introduction nozzle 132, refrigerant discharge nozzle 133, kneaded material discharge nozzle 15, and handle 17 are omitted from the illustration in Figure 5.

[0038] First, the mixture to be mixed, consisting of multiple types of materials, is placed into the holding clearance 117 of the mixing chamber 11. Examples of such combinations of multiple materials include combinations of plastics and their additives, or combinations of rubber and its additives. In addition, instead of solid materials to be mixed, liquid materials or mixtures of solids and liquids may be used as the material to be mixed.

[0039] With the material to be mixed contained in the mixing chamber 11 in this manner, the mixing chamber 11 is heated by applying power to the heater 14, thereby softening the material inside the mixing chamber 11. However, when mixing a material that does not need to be softened, such as a liquid, heating with the heater 14 is not necessary.

[0040] Then, by operating the motor 16, the eccentric rotor 12 is rotated around the rotation axis 122. As a result, the material to be mixed in the mixing chamber 11 is mixed while subjected to shear force (see arrow 21 in Figure 5) between the inner surface of the wall of the mixing chamber 11 and the surface of the eccentric rotor 12 which moves laterally relative to the wall, near the furthest position 126.

[0041] Here, for example, by forming a narrow tip clearance 116 of 100 μm or less as described above, a large shear force can be applied to the material being kneaded. Furthermore, by making the size of the tip clearance 116 significantly smaller than 100 μm, or by bringing the curvature of the side surface 125 of the eccentric rotor 12 at the furthest position 126 closer to the curvature of the inner surface of the kneading chamber 11, the width of the region in which a large shear force can be applied can be widened. As a result, sufficient shear action can be applied to the material being kneaded, the time required for kneading can be shortened, and kneading can be performed uniformly.

[0042] In such a narrow tip clearance 116, complex flow patterns are generated within the material being kneaded, including extensional flow (see arrow 22 in Figure 5), where the material flows tangentially to the circular cross-section of the inner wall of the kneading chamber 11 and the surface of the eccentric rotor 12, and Taylor vortex flow (see arrow 23 in Figure 5), where the material flows in a vortex pattern. This promotes the mixing of different materials within the material being kneaded.

[0043] On the other hand, because the rotor (eccentric rotor 12) is eccentric, a wide holding clearance 117 for accommodating the material to be kneaded can be secured on the opposite side of the furthest position 126. Therefore, the amount of material to be kneaded at one time can be increased.

[0044] Furthermore, in the holding clearance 117, the material to be kneaded is subjected to centrifugal force (see arrow 24 in Figure 5) as it rotates along with the rotation of the eccentric rotor 12, and also receives a force (arrow 25 in Figure 5) pushing it circumferentially from the eccentric rotor 12 into the kneading chamber 11. These forces create a swirling flow (arrow 26 in Figure 5) in the material to be kneaded within the holding clearance 117. This further promotes the mixing of different materials within the material to be kneaded.

[0045] During the mixing process, the material being mixed is subjected to shear force, causing its temperature to rise. If this temperature rises too high, it can cause the material to deteriorate. In such cases, the heater 14 is stopped, and the cooler 13 is activated by supplying refrigerant (cooling water) from the refrigerant introduction nozzle 132 to the refrigerant flow path 131, thereby lowering the temperature of the material being mixed in the mixing chamber 11.

[0046] By continuing the above operations for a predetermined time, a thoroughly mixed mixture is obtained. Then, a container (not shown) for containing the mixture is placed at the outlet of the mixture discharge nozzle 15, and while continuing to rotate the eccentric rotor 12, the on / off valve 151 of the mixture discharge nozzle 15 is opened. As a result, the mixture in the mixing chamber 11 is pushed by the eccentric rotor 12 and discharged outside the mixing chamber 11 through the mixture discharge nozzle 15, and is collected in the container.

[0047] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above, and further modifications are possible.

[0048] For example, the configuration of the cooler 13 and heater 14 is not limited to the above example, and any cooling / heating device that can cool / heat the inside of the kneading chamber 11 can be used. When kneading materials that are small enough that the heat generated during kneading does not have an effect, the cooler 13 may be omitted. Also, when kneading materials that can be kneaded without heating, the heater 14 may be omitted.

[0049] The kneader 10 of this embodiment may also be further equipped with a temperature sensor 31 for measuring the temperature inside the kneading chamber 11, and a temperature controller 32 for controlling the output of the cooler 13 and heater 14 (flow rate of refrigerant flowing to the cooler 13, power supplied to the heater 14) according to the measurement results of the temperature sensor 31 (Figure 6). This makes it possible to maintain the temperature inside the kneading chamber 11 even if heat is generated due to shear action or heat is generated or absorbed due to chemical reactions within the material being kneaded. Although the handle 17 is omitted in Figure 6, it may be provided in this configuration.

[0050] In the kneader 10 of this embodiment, the kneading chamber 11 can be sealed by providing a sealing material 41 between the upper end of the wall of the kneading chamber 11 and the lower surface of the lid 113, and a suction pipe 42 connected to the kneading chamber 11 and a vacuum pump 43 connected to the suction pipe 42 may be provided (Figure 7). Alternatively, instead of, or together with, the suction pipe 42 and vacuum pump 43, a gas supply pipe 45 and a gas exhaust pipe 46 connected to the kneading chamber 11, and an inert gas source 47 connected to the gas supply pipe 45 may be provided (Figure 7). With these, the kneading material can be kneaded in a vacuum or inert gas atmosphere inside the kneading chamber 11 without exposing the material to air. Note that in Figure 7, the refrigerant introduction nozzle 132, refrigerant discharge nozzle 133, and kneaded material discharge nozzle 15, which are not present in the cross-section shown therein, are not depicted, but in reality, these nozzles are also provided in the kneader of this modified example. Also, a handle 17 may be provided in the configuration shown in Figure 7.

[0051] In the kneader 10 of this embodiment, the kneading material discharge nozzle 15 is provided on the side wall of the kneading chamber 11, but it may also be provided on the bottom wall or top wall (or lid) of the kneading chamber 11. Alternatively, instead of the kneading material discharge nozzle 15, a hole for removing the kneading material may be provided in the wall (lid) of the kneading chamber 11. If a hole is provided in the side wall or bottom wall, a removable plug should also be provided in the hole. Alternatively, the kneading material discharge nozzle 15 and the hole may be omitted, and the kneading material may be removed from the kneading chamber 11 by opening the lid.

[0052] In the kneader of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, an eccentric rotor 12A consisting of a central cylindrical portion 18 on the central axis side and a cylindrical sleeve portion 19 fitted to the outside of the central cylindrical portion 18 may be used. The sleeve portion 19 is not fixed to the central cylindrical portion 18 and is rotatable relative to the central cylindrical portion 18 about the central axis 121A of the eccentric rotor 12A.

[0053] The operation of the kneader 10A having such an eccentric rotor 12A (Figure 10) will be explained in comparison with the operation of the kneader 10 having an integrated eccentric rotor 12 (Figure 9).

[0054] Depending on the material to be kneaded, it may adhere to the eccentric rotor. However, in a kneader 10 having an integrated eccentric rotor 12, the position 128 (Figure 9(a)) on the side surface 125 of the eccentric rotor 12 that is closest to the inner surface 115 of the kneading chamber 11 does not change even when the eccentric rotor 12 rotates. Therefore, even if the eccentric rotor 12 is rotated, the material to be kneaded S that has adhered to a position far from the tip clearance 116 cannot be fed into the tip clearance 116 (Figure 9(b)). In this case, it is difficult to knead the material uniformly.

[0055] In contrast, with the eccentric rotor 12A, which consists of a central cylindrical portion 18 and a sleeve portion 19, even if the material to be kneaded S adheres to the side surface of the sleeve portion 19 in an area other than the tip clearance 116 (Figure 10(a)), when the central cylindrical portion 18 rotates with respect to the rotation axis 122A of the eccentric rotor 12A (and the central axis 111 of the kneading chamber) (arrow A in Figure 10), the friction between the central cylindrical portion 18 and the inner surface of the sleeve portion 19 forces the sleeve portion 19 to rotate so that it rolls along the inner surface 115 of the kneading chamber (arrow B in Figure 10). As a result, the material to be kneaded adhering to the surface of the sleeve portion 19 is forcibly drawn into the tip clearance 116 (Figure 10(b)). In this way, the entire material to be kneaded can be kneaded uniformly.

[0056] [Aspect] It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the exemplary embodiments described above are specific examples of the following embodiments.

[0057] (Section 1) A kneader according to one aspect of the present invention is: a) A cylindrical kneading chamber, b) A cylindrical member disposed within the kneading chamber, having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the kneading chamber and a central axis parallel to the central axis of the kneading chamber at a position away from the central axis of the kneading chamber, wherein the member comprises an eccentric rotor that rotates about the central axis of the kneading chamber. It is equipped with.

[0058] (Article 2) The kneader according to Article 2 is the kneader according to Article 1, wherein the minimum gap between the eccentric rotor and the inner wall of the kneading chamber at the position where the side surface of the eccentric rotor is furthest from the central axis of the kneading chamber is 100 μm or less.

[0059] (Article 3) The kneader according to Article 3 is a kneader according to Article 1 or Article 2, further equipped with a heater for heating the kneading chamber.

[0060] (Article 4) The kneader relating to Article 4 is a kneader relating to any one of Articles 1 to 3, further equipped with a cooler for cooling the kneading chamber.

[0061] (Article 5) The kneader according to Article 5 further comprises, in addition to the kneader according to Article 1 or Article 2, a heater for heating the kneading chamber, a cooler for cooling the kneading chamber, a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature in the kneading chamber, and a temperature controller for controlling the heater and the cooler based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

[0062] (Article 6) The kneader according to Article 6 is a kneader according to any one of Articles 1 to 5, further comprising a sealing mechanism for sealing the kneading chamber and a vacuum mechanism for creating a vacuum in the kneading chamber.

[0063] (Clause 7) The kneader according to paragraph 7 is a kneader according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 6, further comprising a sealing mechanism for sealing the kneading chamber and an inert gas introduction mechanism for introducing an inert gas into the kneading chamber. Alternatively, the kneader according to paragraph 7 is a kneader according to paragraph 6, further comprising an inert gas introduction mechanism for introducing an inert gas into the kneading chamber.

[0064] (Clause 8) The kneader according to paragraph 8 is a kneader according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 7, further comprising a kneading discharge port consisting of a nozzle or hole provided in the wall of the kneading chamber.

[0065] (Paragraph 9) The kneader according to Paragraph 9 is a kneader according to any one of Paragraphs 1 to 8, wherein the eccentric rotor consists of a central cylindrical part on the central axis side and a cylindrical sleeve part fitted to the outside of the central cylindrical part. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0066] 10, 10A... Mixing machine 11… Mixing Room 111...Central axis of the mixing chamber 113…Lid 115...Interior surface of the mixing chamber 116…Tip clearance 117… Holding clearance 12…Eccentric rotor 121...Central axis of an eccentric rotor 122, 122A... Rotation axis of eccentric rotor 1221... Clutch 125... Side view of the eccentric rotor 126…Farthest position 127…Recent position 128... The position where the side of the eccentric rotor is closest to the inner surface of the mixing chamber. 13...Cooler 130...Cylinder of the cooler 131... Refrigerant flow path 132... Refrigerant introduction nozzle 133... Refrigerant discharge nozzle 14… Heater 15… Mixture discharge nozzle 151... On / off valve for the mixed material discharge nozzle 16…motor 17...Handle 18...Central cylindrical part 19...Sleeve section 191...Side of the sleeve 192... The position where the side of the sleeve portion is closest to the inner surface of the mixing chamber at a certain rotation angle of the eccentric rotor. 21…Arrow indicating shear force 22...Arrow indicating extensional flow 23...Arrow indicating Taylor vortex 24...Arrow indicating centrifugal force 25…Arrow indicating the force with which the material being kneaded is pushed by the eccentric rotor. 26…Arrow indicating swirling flow 31…Temperature sensor 32…Temperature controller 41...Sealant 42...Suction tube 43… Vacuum pump 45...Gas supply pipe 46... Gas exhaust pipe 47…Inert gas source S...Material to be mixed

Claims

1. a) A cylindrical kneading chamber, b) A cylindrical member disposed within the kneading chamber, having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the kneading chamber and a central axis parallel to the central axis of the kneading chamber at a position away from the central axis of the kneading chamber, wherein the member comprises an eccentric rotor that rotates about the central axis of the kneading chamber. Equipped with, A kneading machine characterized by kneading the material to be kneaded without discharging the material to be kneaded.

2. The kneader according to claim 1, characterized in that the minimum gap between the eccentric rotor and the inner wall of the kneading chamber at the position where the side surface of the eccentric rotor is furthest from the central axis of the kneading chamber is 100 μm or less.

3. Furthermore, the kneading machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is further equipped with a heater for heating the kneading chamber.

4. Furthermore, the kneading machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is further equipped with a cooler for cooling the kneading chamber.

5. Furthermore, the kneader according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a heater for heating the kneading chamber, a cooler for cooling the kneading chamber, a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature in the kneading chamber, and a temperature controller for controlling the heater and the cooler based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

6. Furthermore, the kneader according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it further comprises a sealing mechanism for sealing the kneading chamber and a vacuum mechanism for creating a vacuum in the kneading chamber.

7. Furthermore, the kneader according to claim 1 or 2 is characterized by comprising a sealing mechanism for sealing the kneading chamber and an inert gas introduction mechanism for introducing an inert gas into the kneading chamber.

8. Furthermore, the kneading machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is further provided with a kneading discharge port consisting of a nozzle or hole provided in the wall of the kneading chamber.

9. The kneader according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the eccentric rotor comprises a central cylindrical portion on the central axis side of the eccentric rotor and a cylindrical sleeve portion fitted to the outside of the central cylindrical portion.

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