MIXER AND METHOD FOR MIXING TWO COMPONENTS

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a specifically static mixer for mixing two components, with a housing, in which a mixing element is accommodated, and an input part with a first intake and a diametrically opposite second intake, wherein, within the input part, a first channel is formed between the first intake and the mixing chamber and a second channel is formed between the second intake and the mixing chamber. The first channel extends radially inward from the first intake and opens into a central opening in the cover. The second channel has two partial channels as storage chambers not leading into the mixing chamber, and two intake sections located radially within the storage chambers and leading into the mixing chamber. The intake sections branch off the respective storage chambers, extend inward in the opposite direction to the first channel and open into the central opening in the cover.

Claims

1-11 (canceled)

12. A static mixer for mixing two components, comprising: a housing which defines a mixing chamber with a central longitudinal axis, in which a mixing element is accommodated, and an input part with a first intake and a second intake diametrically opposite to the first intake, which input part is connected to the housing in such a manner that it is freely rotatable, wherein, within the input part, a first channel is formed between the first intake and the mixing chamber, and a second channel is formed between the second intake and the mixing chamber, where the first and second channels are delimited by walls formed in the input part and by a cover, wherein the first channel extends radially inward from the first intake and opens into a central opening in the cover, wherein the second channel has two partial channels defining storage chambers not connecting to the mixing chamber, each of the two partial channels extend in an annular-segment shape from the second intake to a wall delimiting the first channel, and has two intake sections located radially within the storage chambers and connecting to the mixing chamber, wherein the intake sections branch off the respective storage chambers, extend inward in the opposite direction to the first channel and open into the central opening in the cover, and wherein the respective intake sections branch off one of the storage chambers at locations spaced apart from each other by a wall section and wherein the wall section forms the end of the first channel opposite from the first intake.

13. The mixer according to claim 12, wherein the first channel is separated from the intake sections by wall sections, or in that the intake sections open into the first channel in the area of the central opening in the cover.

14. The mixer according to claim 12, wherein the first channel extends from the first intake along the longitudinal axis (I).

15. The mixer according to claim 12, wherein the storage chambers are separated from the intake sections by circular wall sections.

16. The mixer according to claim 12, wherein the input part has a bottom opposite to the cover into which the intakes open, wherein the bottom extends at an angle to the plane of the cover at least in the area of the first channel and approaches the cover starting from the first intake.

17. The mixer according to claim 12, wherein the first channel has a cross-section expanding conically in a transverse direction to the longitudinal axis (I).

18. The mixer according to claim 12, wherein the storage chambers extend from the middle of the second intake by 140° to 175°, in particular by 155° to 165°, around the longitudinal axis.

19. The mixer according to claim 12, wherein the ratio of the volumes of the components to be mixed, e.g., 1:2, 1:4, 1:5 or 1:10, corresponds to the ratio of the cross-sectional areas of the first channel and the second channel.

20. The mixer according to claim 12, wherein the two intakes are each formed as intake nozzles with identical outer diameters, wherein the inner diameters of the inlet nozzles differ from each other.

21. A method for mixing a first component with a second component in a static mixer according to claim 12, wherein the components are routed separately from each other through the intakes into the input part, such that the first component is routed through the first channel and on through the central opening in the cover into the mixing chamber, and the second component in the second channel is first routed into the storage chambers until these are filled with the second component to at least 50%, in particular to at least 80%, and only then is routed through the intake sections and on through the central opening in the cover into the mixing chamber, where the two components are mixed by multiple deflection at the mixing element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0029] The drawings schematically show:

[0030] FIG. 1A shows a mixer according to a first embodiment of the disclosure together with a cartridge

[0031] FIG. 1B shows the parts of the mixer according to FIG. 1A in an exploded view

[0032] FIG. 1C shows the mixer according to FIG. 1A in a sectional view

[0033] FIG. 1D shows a plan view of the input part of the mixer according to FIG. 1A

[0034] FIG. 1E shows the input part of the mixer according to FIG. 1A in a perspective view

[0035] FIG. 1F shows a sectional view along the line A-A of the input part of the mixer according to FIG. 1A

[0036] FIG. 2A shows a plan view of the input part of a mixer according to a second embodiment of the invention

[0037] FIG. 2B shows the input part of the mixer according to FIG. 2A in a perspective view

[0038] FIG. 2C shows a sectional view along the line C-C of the input part of the mixer according to FIG. 2A

[0039] FIG. 3A shows a plan view of the input part of a mixer according to a third embodiment of the invention

[0040] FIG. 3B shows the input part of the mixer according to FIG. 3A in a perspective view

[0041] FIG. 3C shows a sectional view along the line D-D of the input part of the mixer according to FIG. 3A

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] FIG. 1a shows a mixer 1 according to the invention together with a cartridge 2, which has two chambers 3, 4 with components to be mixed. In the embodiment shown, the chamber 3 has a significantly smaller cross-section than the chamber 4, such that a mixing ratio of the components deviating from 1:1 is generated in the mixer 1 at identical piston advances in the respective chambers.

[0043] The mixer 1 has three components in the embodiment shown, namely a housing 5, a mixing element 6 and an input part 7. The housing 5 is equipped with an external thread 8, by means of which the mixer 1 can be connected with the cartridge 2, which has an internal thread, not shown here. The chambers 3, 4 of the cartridge 2 are provided with respective outlets, not shown here, which can be connected with the intakes 9, 10 of the mixer 1, for example by inserting the intakes 9, 10 into the outlets. It is visible in FIG. 1C that the cross-section of the intake 9 is smaller than that of the intake 10, corresponding to the ratio of the cross-section of the chambers 3, 4. However, the outer diameter of the intakes 9 and 10 formed as intake nozzles preferably is the same.

[0044] To align the mixer 1 to the cartridge 2, a guiding protrusion 11 is provided at the input part 7, which protrudes beyond the cylindrical inlets 9, 10. The guiding protrusion 11 can be inserted into an opening of the cartridge 2 (not shown here in detail), such that the intakes 9, 10 can be lined up with the corresponding outlets of the cartridge 2. To mount the mixer 1 to the cartridge 2, the housing 5 is rotated relative to the input part 7, whereby the thread 8 screws into the corresponding thread of the cartridge.

[0045] In the embodiment shown, the mixing element 6 is formed with a square cross-section and is thus held in a rotationally fixed manner in a mixing chamber in the housing 5, which chamber also has a square shape on the inside. To fix or release the mixer 1, the housing 5 and the mixing element 6 are rotated relative to the input part 7.

[0046] The mixing element 6 is provided with a cover 12 on its side facing the input part 7, which cover 12 protrudes essentially radially outward as a flange-like collar from the mixing element 6. A central opening 13 is formed in the cover 12, which opening 13 in the shown embodiment is arranged concentrically to the longitudinal axis I of the mixer 1. Components can enter the mixing chamber through this opening 13, in which chamber they are deflected at the mixing element 6 for mixing the components.

[0047] The input part 7 of the mixer 1 is shown in FIGS. 1D to 1F. The input part 7 is provided with an annular bead 14 at its outer circumference, which annular bead 14 serves for mounting the input part 7 in the housing 5 in such a manner that it is freely rotatable about its axis. An area with an annular groove 15 is provided radially within the annular bead 14, with which an annular protrusion of the housing 5 can engage to seal the housing 5 against the input part 7 (see also FIG. 1C). A circular wall 16 is formed radially within the groove 15, which wall 16 surrounds an area in which the components can be routed through two channels from the intakes 9, 10 to the opening 13 and into the mixing chamber.

[0048] The first channel 17 for the component of a relatively smaller volume extends from the first intake 9 radially inward to the area in which the central opening 13 is formed in the cover 12. Thus, the first channel 17 extends in a straight line from the first intake 9 to beyond the longitudinal axis 1. As is visible in FIG. 1d, the first channel 17 can expand conically. In the embodiment shown, this compensates for the fact that the bottom 18 of the first channel 17 approaches the plane of the cover 12, i.e., the upper edge in FIG. 1F, from the first intake 9.

[0049] In the first embodiment shown here, the first channel 17 is completely closed on its sides by means of wall sections 18, 19. In other words, the first channel 17 is only open at one end toward the first intake 9 and at the opposite central inner end toward the central opening 13 of the cover 12. Otherwise, the first channel 17 is closed toward the top (in FIG. 1E or 1F) by the cover 12.

[0050] The second channel 20 initially has two storage chambers 21, which extend from the second intake 10 in a curve about the longitudinal axis I up to the respective wall section 18, which delimits the first channel 17 on its side. The second component, which is relatively larger in volume, and which is routed through the second intake 10 into the second channel 20, is initially directed through the arc-shaped curved wall section 19 into the two storage chambers 21. In the embodiment shown, the storage chambers 21 are delimited inward by arc-shaped wall sections 22.

[0051] Respective passages are formed between the arc-shaped wall portions 22 and the curved wall section 19, which connect the respective storage chambers 21 with an intake section 23 located radially inward. The intake sections 23 formed on both sides of the first channel 17 extend in the opposite direction to the channel 17 and also open into the central opening 13 of the cover 12. In other words, an approximately ribbon-shaped strand of the first component advances through the central opening 13, which strand is surrounded on both sides by an approximately ribbon-shaped strand of the second component.

[0052] The curved wall section 19 is arranged directly adjacent to the second intake 10, such that the second component first flows into the storage chamber 21 at the beginning of the mixing process and only is routed into the intake sections 23 as a result of the higher pressure when said storage chambers 21 are largely filled, for example filled to at least 80%. At the beginning of the mixing process, the first component can thus flow through the first channel 17 to the mixing chamber unobstructed by the second component. This prevents the second component, which is possibly advancing ahead, from obstructing or even suppressing the inflow of the first component into the mixing chamber. This results in a good mixing ratio from the beginning.

[0053] A second embodiment of the disclosure is shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, wherein, compared to the first embodiment, only the geometry of the channels 17, 20 in the input part 7 of the mixer 1 is changed.

[0054] The first channel 17 in turn extends starting from the first intake 9 radially inward along a straight line to an area in which the central opening 13 is formed in the cover 12. The first channel 17 in turn is delimited laterally by wall sections 24 and on the side opposite to the first intake 9 by a curved wall section 25. Therein, the lateral wall sections 24 partially extend in an arc-shaped manner, such that they, together with the curved wall section 25, surround a central circular area of the first channel 17.

[0055] This central circular area of the first channel 17 simultaneously forms the intake areas 23 of the second channel 20 for the second component. For this purpose, respective passages are formed in the lateral wall section 24 on both sides of the curved wall section 25. The lateral wall sections 24 in turn separate arc-shaped storage chambers 21 of the second channel 20 from the intake areas 23 and from the first channel 17. Thus, much like in the first embodiment, the second component here initially flows into the storage chambers 21 deflected by the curved wall section 25 until these storage chambers 21 are at least mostly filled, and is then routed through the two passages against the flow direction in the first channel 17 into the intake areas 23, from where both components together enter the mixing chamber through the central opening 13.

[0056] In this second embodiment of the disclosure, the two components are therefore brought into contact with each other immediately before passing through the central opening 13 into the mixing chamber, wherein again an approximately ribbon-shaped strand of the first component is surrounded on both sides by an approximately ribbon-shaped strand of the second component.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 2C, the bottom 18 of the first channel 17 in this exemplary embodiment extends essentially parallel to the plane defined by the cover 12, i.e., the upper edge of the wall 16 in FIG. 2C.

[0058] A third embodiment of the disclosure is shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C, wherein, compared to the first two embodiments, only the geometry of the channels 17, 20 in the input part 7 of the mixer 1 is changed.

[0059] The third embodiment essentially corresponds to the first embodiment with respect to the design of the first channel 17, with a channel extending radially inward along a straight line, a bottom 18 rising up at an angle and wall sections 26, 27 which completely enclose the first channel 17 on the sides.

[0060] The second channel 20 in turn has circular storage chambers 21, into which the second component is deflected by means of the curved wall section 27 as it enters from the intake 10. In addition, there are intake sections 23 in the second channel 20, which are positioned radially within the storage chambers 21, through which intake sections 23 the second component is routed to the central opening 13 in the cover 12. Compared to the first embodiment, however, wall sections are missing in the third embodiment, which separate the storage chamber 21 from the intake sections 23. Thus, the volume available for the storage chamber at 21 and the intake sections 23 is greater than in the first embodiment.

[0061] All three embodiments shown have in common that the first component, for example a catalyst component of a dental material, is routed from the first intake 9 in the first channel 17 radially inward in a straight line and from there through the central opening 13 into the mixing chamber. On the other hand, in all three embodiments shown, the second component is initially separated into two partial streams by means of a curved wall section 19, 25 or 27, which is directly adjacent to the second intake 10, and is routed into the storage chambers 21 along an arc, which storage chambers 21 in the examples shown extend arc-shaped around the longitudinal axis I by approximately 160°. Only when these storage chambers 21 are at least mostly filled, does the second component enter the intake sections 23, which are located radially inward in relation to the storage chambers 21, from where it advances through the central opening 13 into the mixing chamber.

[0062] Due to the geometry of the first channel 17 and the second channel 20, an approximately ribbon-shaped strand of the first component is generated, as well as two approximately ribbon-shaped strands of the second component, between which the strand of the first component is positioned. The components are routed through the central opening 13 into the mixing chamber in this three-layer form. Combined with the collection in the storage chambers 21 of a portion of the second component that may be advancing ahead, this ensures a very good mixing result.