Rotating Mixing Device With Tapered Apertures For Cyclone Agitation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mixing devices for liquids, such as paints and plasters, are inefficient, difficult to use, and prone to manual effort requirements due to insufficient blade sweep, complexity, and difficulty in cleaning, especially when dealing with stratified materials that separate during storage.
Innovation Solution
A rotating mixing device with a shaft and an integral orthogonal blade or impeller featuring tapered apertures, positioned at the end of a looped shaft, which creates drag forces and a cyclone effect for thorough mixing without manual maneuvering, and is easy to clean and package.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a mixing blade is attached to an electric drill shaft, then mixing efficiency is improved, but the blade sweep is significantly less than the container diameter requiring manual maneuvering
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing blade is extended radially outward from the shaft to a distance substantially equal to the container radius, transforming the mixing action from a concentrated central rotation to a distributed radial sweep that covers the entire container cross-section, eliminating the need for manual maneuvering
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed to automatically mix the entire container contents through the extended blade geometry alone, without requiring the user to manually move or reposition the drill, making the system self-sufficient for complete mixing
2Productivity
If multiple nested fins are used to increase surface area, then mixing capability is improved, but device complexity increases and cleaning becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The complex nested fin structure is extracted and replaced with a single flat blade geometry, removing unnecessary structural complexity while maintaining effective mixing capability through the extended radial span of the simplified blade
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of adding complexity through nested fins to increase surface area, the invention inverts the approach by using a large-area flat blade that achieves mixing through radial extension rather than multi-layer nesting, simplifying both structure and cleaning
3Productivity
If blades extend radially outward from the shaft, then mixing coverage is improved, but the device becomes difficult to clean and package
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional multi-blade impeller geometry is replaced with a single flat blade, substituting a complex mechanical structure with a simpler planar element that maintains mixing coverage through radial extension, facilitating easier cleaning and packaging
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 device efficiently mixes liquids with minimal user effort, ensuring thorough mixing without manual handling, is durable, easy to clean, and suitable for various viscosities, providing a consistently mixed product with a cyclone effect that agitates settled components.
Implementation Method 1
The rotation, creates drag forces both above and below the blade or impeller
Implementation Method 2
The integral tapered apertures increase the velocity of liquid passing through the tapered apertures, which causes a cyclone effect moving the liquid to be mixed through this combination of forces
Implementation Method 3
the rotation, creates drag forces both above and below the blade or impeller and these drag forces lead to cavitation behind the blade or impeller
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention describes a rotating mixing/stirring device that includes a shaft (1) connectable to a rotational drive element, the rotating shaft (1) having sufficient length to accommodate at least one integral, substantially orthogonal blade or impeller (5). The blade or impeller (5) is driven to rotate by the rotating shaft (1) and thereby mix and stir any liquid in which the device is used. The blade or impeller (5) includes a plurality of apertures (6) arranged perpendicular to the rotating shaft (1) and these apertures are tapered.