Bulk Material Mixer With Vacuum Fixation And Dynamic Drive

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing bulk material mixing machines are limited in their ability to mix materials with varying particle sizes and specific weights, leading to separation issues during the mixing process, and are typically designed for use with plastic bags, which can result in wrinkles and material accumulation, hindering effective mixing.

Innovation Solution

A mixing machine design featuring a container holder with vacuum fixation and a pivoting drive unit, equipped with a sealing lid and conically tapered container receptacle, allows for flexible container use and prevents material separation by generating a turbulent flow with a dual-blade mixing tool and horn tool, ensuring thorough mixing without additional setup for the plastic bag.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a vibrating drive acting on the container holder is used to generate mixed material flow, then the mixing process can be performed, but materials with varying particle sizes and specific weights separate during mixing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemixing capabilityVSAvoidmixing uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The drive unit is made movable relative to the container holder through a lifting column mechanism, allowing dynamic adjustment of the drive unit's position. This dynamic configuration enables the mixing tools to effectively process materials with varying particle sizes and specific weights by adjusting the mixing action intensity and position, thereby preventing material separation while maintaining mixing productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Loss of time

If plastic bags are used as containers to avoid cleaning, then setup time is reduced, but wrinkles and material accumulation occur hindering effective mixing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontainer setup timeVSAvoidmixing effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The lifting column enables dynamic vertical movement of the drive unit relative to the container holder. This dynamic adjustment allows the mixing tools to maintain optimal contact with the container bottom and inner walls throughout the mixing process, preventing material accumulation and wrinkles even when using flexible plastic bag containers, thus maintaining mixing effectiveness while keeping setup time low.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system allows adjustment of the drive unit's vertical position parameter through the lifting column. By changing this parameter, the mixing tools can adapt to the container's shape and position, ensuring consistent mixing performance regardless of container flexibility or material properties, thereby preventing wrinkles and accumulation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If the drive unit is stationary relative to the container holder, then structural simplicity is maintained, but flexible container use is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidcontainer flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The lifting column transforms the stationary drive unit into a movable one, allowing vertical displacement relative to the container holder. This dynamic capability enables the system to accommodate various container types and positions while maintaining relatively simple structural implementation through a straightforward lifting mechanism, thus achieving both adaptability and structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The design enables efficient mixing of materials with varying sizes and weights by creating a physical unit between the container and drive unit, preventing separation and allowing for easy container insertion and removal, while maintaining a sealed environment to prevent material accumulation and wrinkles.

Implementation Method 1

The container is fixed in the container holder (2) by applying a negative pressure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNegative pressure: Vacuum

Implementation Method 2

it is necessary to move the material to be mixed within the container to form a flow of material to be mixed, such a flow being a turbulent flow, as a result of which the material to be mixed is thoroughly mixed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTurbulent flow: Turbulence

Data Source

PatentEP2168670B1Device for mixing bulk material
Publication Date: 2012.02.29 HERFELD GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2168670B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2168670B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2168670B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The mixer has a container (2) with a receiving opening for receiving packages. A motor-driven rotatable tool (15) e.g. mixing tool, is formed as a part of a drive unit (5) and positioned at a drive shaft (14). The tool and the container are movable relative to each other for inserting the tool into the packages. The tool is positioned on the drive shaft according to a mixing blade tool (16) for producing a mixing movement of the goods. The drive unit has a connecting piece (23), and the tool (15) is attached at the drive unit by the connecting piece in the drive position of the container.