Static Mixing Tip Venting for Bubble-Free Adhesive Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing static mixing tips face challenges in efficiently venting trapped air, leading to bubble formation and inhomogeneous mixtures, particularly when dealing with air-sensitive and valuable materials, and existing venting solutions are complex, space-consuming, or ineffective for fast-reacting adhesives.
Innovation Solution
A static mixing tip with venting means on the sealing lip and/or housing, allowing a tortuous pathway for air to escape to the ambient atmosphere, while maintaining a seal for the materials, using radially or axially oriented vents with varying sizes to accommodate pressure differences and material ratios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If a tight sealing construction is used to prevent leakage, then material loss is reduced, but air becomes trapped inside causing bubble formation
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing lip is segmented with multiple vents of varying sizes distributed around its circumference. This segmentation allows the sealing structure to simultaneously prevent material leakage while providing multiple pathways for air escape. The different vent sizes cater to varying pressure conditions and material ratios, ensuring effective air venting without compromising the tight seal.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the sealing lip are assigned different local qualities through the use of vents with varying sizes. Larger vents are positioned to handle high-pressure air pockets, while smaller vents manage normal operating conditions. This local differentiation allows the seal to adapt to varying air pressure and material flow conditions, preventing bubble formation without sacrificing material containment.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If additional venting devices are added to vent air, then air can be vented effectively, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The venting function is merged directly into the sealing lip structure itself, eliminating the need for separate venting devices. The vents are integrated as features of the sealing lip, combining the sealing and venting functions into a single component. This integration reduces device complexity while maintaining effective air venting capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing lip serves multiple functions: it provides the primary seal to prevent material leakage, accommodates air vents of varying sizes for air escape, and adapts to different material ratios and pressure conditions. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for additional dedicated venting devices, simplifying the overall system while achieving effective air venting.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If vents are made larger to improve air escape, then air venting improves, but material may leak through the vents
Solution Approach 1:
Different sizes of vents are distributed around the sealing lip to create local quality variations. Larger vents are positioned to handle specific high-pressure air pockets, while smaller vents manage normal operating conditions. This differentiation allows each vent size to be optimized for its specific function, ensuring adequate air escape while preventing material leakage through appropriately sized openings.
Solution Approach 2:
The venting system is segmented into multiple vents of varying sizes rather than using a single large vent. This segmentation distributes the air escape function across multiple pathways, reducing the risk that any single vent becomes a material leakage point while collectively providing sufficient air venting capacity.
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 solution effectively vents trapped air without increasing the mixer's length, ensuring homogeneous mixtures by preventing bubble formation and maintaining material integrity, even with fast-reacting adhesives, and is simple and cost-effective.
Implementation Method 1
a tortuous pathway for air to escape to the ambient atmosphere
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
A static mixing tip (10) is disclosed comprising: a static mixer (100), a housing (110), a head space (140), a sealing lip (20) on the base (30) of the static mixer (100), which provides a sealing between the base (30) and the housing (110), and a venting means (150) [e.g. vents (155)] on the sealing lip (20) and / or the housing (110), which provides a gas flow communication between two sides of the sealing lip, preferably provides a gaseous connection between the head space (140) and the exterior ambient atmosphere outside the static mixing tip (10) so that gases trapped in the head space (140) may escape to the exterior ambient atmosphere during normal operation and use. The present invention also relates to a static mixer (100) suitable for the static mixing tip (10), the use of said static mixing tip (10), and a kit of parts comprising said static mixing tip (10).