Static mixer, method of assembling a static mixer and dispensing apparatus

Abstract

A static mixer for mixing together at least two components includes a mixer housing, a mixing element arranged at least partly within the mixer housing, and a mixer inlet section having at least two inlets at an input side and at least two outlets at an output surface.

Claims

1. A static mixer for mixing together at least two components, comprising: a mixer housing; a mixing element arranged at least partly within the mixer housing; and a mixer inlet section having at least two inlets disposed at an input side and at least two outlets disposed at an output surface, the at least two outlets being in fluid communication with the at least two inlets, the mixer inlet section including first and second aligners configured to enable the mixer inlet section to detachably connect to outlets of a cartridge in an aligned manner, and the mixer housing, the mixing element and the mixer inlet section being separate elements, the mixing element including a plug element and the mixer inlet section including a counter plug element engaging the plug element, the plug element and the counter plug element forming a plugged connection when the plug element engages the counter plug element, and the mixing element and the mixer inlet section being configured to be plugged together in a rotationally fixed manner by the plugged connection.

2. The static mixer according to claim 1, wherein the mixing element and the mixer inlet section are held together in an axial direction by the plugged connection that is formed by the plug element and the counter plug element or by at least one element of the mixer inlet section cooperating with at least one element of the mixer housing.

3. The static mixer according to claim 2, wherein the plugged connection comprises a clamping connection or a frictional connection, the clamping connection or the frictional connection being at least one nose frictionally engaging one of the mixer inlet section and the mixing element, or a latching connection of the plug element and the counter plug element.

4. The static mixer according to claim 1, wherein the mixing element and the mixer inlet section are aligned in a fixed predefined rotational angular relationship by the plug element and the counter plug element.

5. The static mixer according to claim 4, wherein the plug element and the counter plug element comprise a coding element cooperating with a corresponding recess or groove, enabling the mixing element and the mixer inlet section to be plugged together only in the predefined rotational angular relationship.

6. The static mixer according to claim 1, wherein the plug element comprises a wall section disposed at an input end of the mixing element and the counter plug element comprises a groove disposed at the output surface.

7. The static mixer according to claim 6, wherein the wall section is arranged between the at least two outlets so as to separate the at least two components when the at least two components leave the at least two outlets before entering inlets of the mixing element.

8. The static mixer according to claim 6, wherein the wall section has a straight planar shape, or comprises a thickened end, or has at least partially a U-shaped cross section, or has at least partially a T-shaped cross section.

9. The static mixer according to claim 1, wherein the at least two inlets have respective inlet openings and the at least two outlets have outlet openings, with the outlet openings being formed in the output surface of the mixing inlet section, and a surface area of at least one of the inlet openings is smaller than a surface area of a corresponding outlet opening.

10. The static mixer according to claim 1, wherein the output surface of the mixer inlet section has an at least substantially slanted contour at an outlet side of the mixer inlet section with respect to a longitudinal axis of the static mixer, with the outlet side being disposed remote from the inlet side, with the at least substantially slanted contour of the output surface being adapted to a shape of an inlet surface of the mixer housing.

11. The static mixer according to claim 9, wherein the static mixer has a longitudinal axis and at least two flow paths extend between the at least two inlet and outlet openings, and each inlet and outlet opening has a geometric center, with the geometric center of at least one of the at least two outlet openings being spaced less far apart from the longitudinal axis than the geometric center of at least one of the at least two inlet openings.

12. The static mixer according to claim 11, wherein, in a region of the at least two outlets, the at least two flow paths are configured to cooperate with the mixer housing, to provide a component flow guide region at inlets of the mixing element, and the at least two outlets of the mixer inlet section are arranged to at least partly overlap with inlets of the mixing element.

13. The static mixer in accordance with claim 11, wherein at least one region of at least one of the at least two outlets adjacent to the corresponding outlet opening is configured such that a cross-section thereof perpendicular to a respective one of the at least two flow paths is enlarged in comparison to the corresponding inlet, such that the flow path extending between the inlet opening and the outlet opening is directed and enlarged in a direction towards at least one inlet of the mixer element.

14. The static mixer in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one recess is disposed at an outlet side of the mixer inlet section, one of the at least two outlets opens into a base of the at least one recess and a cross-sectional area of the at least one recess is larger than a cross-sectional area of the one of the at least two outlets, and the depth of the recess in an axial direction amounts to at least a third of the diameter of the outlet, or is equal to or larger than the diameter of the outlet, with the at least one recess having a cross-sectional shape that deviates from a circle such that the at least one recess has an elongate shape that extends towards a longitudinal axis, or the at least one recess is connected to the other one of the at least two outlets or to a further recess in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.

15. The static mixer in accordance with claim 1, wherein the mixing element comprises a plurality of mixer elements arranged one after another for a repeated separation and re-combination of streams of the at least two components, either the mixing element comprises mixer elements for separating the at least two components into a plurality of streams, as well as a structure for layered merging of the at least two components, the structure including a transverse edge and guide walls that extend at an angle to the transverse edge, as well as guide elements arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis and including openings, and the mixing element comprises a transverse edge and a following transverse guide wall and at least two guide walls ending in a separating edge each with lateral end sections and with at least one bottom section disposed between the guide walls, thereby defining at least one opening on one side of the transverse edge of the mixing element and at least two openings on the other side of the transverse edge of the mixing element, or the mixing element comprises mixer elements for separating the at least two components into a plurality of streams, as well as the structure for the layered merging of the at least two components, including separating edges and the transverse edge that extends at an angle to the separating edges, as well as deflecting elements arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis and including openings, and the mixing element comprises at least two separating edges with following guide walls with the lateral end sections and with the at least one bottom section disposed between the guide walls, and the transverse edge arranged at one end of the transverse guide wall, thereby defining the at least one opening on the one side of the transverse edge and the at least two openings on the other side of the transverse edge.

16. A dispensing apparatus comprising: the cartridge; and the static mixer according to claim 1 connected to the cartridge, with the cartridge being capable of being filled with the at least two components.

17. A method of assembling a static mixer including a mixer housing, a mixing element and a mixer inlet section are formed as separate elements, the method comprising: engaging the plug element of the mixing element and the counter plug element of the mixer inlet section; guiding the engaged mixing element and mixer inlet section into the mixer housing to arrange at least a part of the mixing element within the mixer housing, plugging the mixing element and the mixer inlet section together in a rotationally fixed manner by a plugged connection, the static mixer further developed in accordance with claim 1.

18. A method of mixing together and dispensing at least two components, comprising: operating the static mixer in accordance with claim 1 to dispense the at least two components.

19. A method of mixing together and dispensing at least two components, comprising: operating the dispenser in accordance with claim 16 to dispense the at least two components.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be explained in more detail hereinafter with reference to the drawings.

(2) FIGS. 1A and 1B are a first type of static mixer in a first type of mixer housing;

(3) FIGS. 2A to 2E are a first type of mixer inlet section;

(4) FIGS. 3A to 3C are a first type of mixing element;

(5) FIGS. 4A and 4B are perspective part views of the first type of static mixer;

(6) FIGS. 5A and 5B a second type of static mixer in a second type of mixer housing;

(7) FIGS. 6A to 6E are a second type of mixer inlet section;

(8) FIGS. 7A to 7C a second type of mixing element;

(9) FIGS. 8A and 8B are perspective part views of the second type of static mixer;

(10) FIG. 9 is a dispensing apparatus; and

(11) FIG. 10 is sectional views of molding devices.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(12) In the following the same reference numerals will be used for parts having the same or equivalent function. Any statements made having regard to the direction of a component are made relative to the position shown in the drawing and can naturally vary in the actual position of application.

(13) FIG. 1A shows a side view of a first type of static mixer 10 having a first type of mixer housing 12. The mixing element 16 (see FIG. 1A) and part of the mixer inlet section 14 (see FIG. 1B) are arranged within the mixer housing 12. One inlet 18a into the mixer inlet section 14 can be seen, as can alignment means or device 20a, 20b by which the mixer inlet section 14 is aligned relative to a cartridge 100 (see FIG. 9).

(14) FIG. 1B shows a section through the static mixer 10 of FIG. 1A when the static mixer 10 is rotated by 90° about the longitudinal axis A. Both of the inlets 18a, 18b into the mixer inlet section 14 can be seen in this position. Furthermore, the mixing element 16 is arranged within the mixer housing 12.

(15) FIGS. 2A-2E show various views of the mixer inlet section 14 of FIGS. 1A and 1B. FIG. 2A shows a top view of the mixer inlet section 14. The mixer inlet section 14 has a generally circular shape in the top view. The mixer inlet section 14 has two outlets 22a, 22b each having an outlet opening 24a, 24b. A counter plug element 26 is arranged between the outlets 22a, 22b. In the present example the counter plug element 26 is configured as a socket.

(16) The counter plug element of FIG. 2A is formed by a first groove 26a and a second groove 26b extending transverse thereto. Noses 28 are disposed within the first and second grooves 26a, 26b. The noses 28 are adapted to cooperate with a plug element 30 (see FIGS. 3A to 3C) such that they frictionally engage the plug element 30 to fix the plug element 30 relative to the counter plug element 26.

(17) The counter plug element 26 is configured such that the plug element 30 can only be inserted in one direction into the mixer inlet section 14. Thereby the shape of the counter plug element 26 acts as coding element for the insertion of the generally T-shaped end of the plug element 30.

(18) The outlet openings 24a, 24b are respectively formed in an output surface 32 of the mixer inlet section 14. Adjacent to the outlet opening 24b a recess 34 is formed within the outlet 22b. The recess 34 expands a volume of the outlet 22b relative to the inlet 18b.

(19) The recess 34 has an elongate shape and thereby enlarges and directs a flow path of a component 102b (see FIG. 10), flowing from the inlet 18b to the outlet 22b. The recess 34 thereby acts as a guide reservoir for the component 102b that flows into the mixing element 16.

(20) The guide reservoir enables the component 102b to be directed into inlets 36 (see FIGS. 3A to 3C) of the mixing element 16, so that an ideal point of entry for the component 102b into the inlets 36 can be selected.

(21) In order to improve the introduction of the components 102a, 102b into the mixing element 16, the outlets 22a, 22b of the mixer inlet section 14 are spaced less far apart than the corresponding inlets 18a, 18b.

(22) The outlet opening 24a is approximately a tenth of the size of the outlet opening 24b. This is because the mixer inlet section 14 is used for multi-components having a medium to high mixing ratio such as 4:1 and 10:1, this means that one of the components is introduced into the mixing element at a ratio of 4:1 or 10:1 with respect to the other component.

(23) FIG. 2B shows a bottom view of the mixer inlet section 14. The inlets 18a, 18b have a substantially circular shaped inlet opening 38a, 38b. The shape of the inlet opening is selected so that the inlets 18a, 18b can be connected to outlets of a cartridge 100 (see FIG. 10).

(24) The inlets 18a, 18b are in fluid communication with the respective outlets 22a, 22b, so as to guide components from the cartridge 100 to the mixing element 16.

(25) The alignment devices 20a, 20b are used in order to align the mixer inlet section 14 with the cartridge 100. In order to connect the mixer inlet section 14 of the static mixer 10 to the cartridge 100 in a coded and aligned manner the alignment devices 20a, 20b have a different size so that these can only be positioned in one way. Moreover, the alignment devices 20a, 20b have a generally T-shaped cross-section for this purpose. An attachment means or device (not shown) such as a retainer nut can additionally be used to, at least intermittently fixedly, connect the static mixer 10 to the cartridge 100.

(26) Having regard to the high ratio mixer inlet section, the inlets 18a, 18b are also of different size so that these can only be placed on to the cartridge 100 in one way and thereby also act as a coded alignment devices.

(27) FIG. 2C shows a side view of the mixer inlet section 14 of FIG. 2A. The outlets 22a, 22b of the mixer inlet section 14 are connected to one another via a volume forming at least a part of the counter plug element 26. Once the plug element 30 cooperates with the counter plug element 26, the outlets 22a, 22b are separated from one another by the plug element 30 (see FIGS. 4A and 4B).

(28) Moreover, one can see a side view of the generally T-shaped alignment devices 20a, 20b in FIG. 2C.

(29) The mixer inlet section 14 has a projection 40 arranged adjacent to the output surface 32. This projection is adapted to cooperate with a groove 42 (see FIG. 1B) arranged in the mixer housing 12 in order to latch the mixer housing 12 to the mixer inlet section 14.

(30) FIG. 2D shows a section through the mixer inlet section 14 along the sectional line B-B of FIG. 2C. The outlet 22b is arranged such that at least a part of the outlet opening 24b is arranged around the longitudinal axis A of the static mixer. Thereby the component is guided from the inlet 18b to the mixing element 16.

(31) One can see how the flow path 44b between the inlet 18b and the outlet 22b is directed towards the longitudinal axis A. Through the provision of the recess 34, the diameter of the flow path 44b (the same is true in analogy for the flow path 44a) experiences no constrictions in the region of the outlet 22b. This is because a distance between the mixer housing 12 and the recess 34 is selected such that the diameter of the flow path 44b is kept at least substantially equal throughout the mixer inlet section 14 and up to the mixing element 16. For this reason the flow of the component 102b experiences significantly less flow resistance on its passage through the mixer inlet section 14 up to the mixing element 16 on being discharged from the cartridge 100 in comparison to prior art static mixers (not shown). Likewise the flow path 44a between the inlet 18a and the outlet 18b is shifted towards the longitudinal axis A.

(32) FIG. 2E shows an enlarged view of the generally T-shaped counter plug element 26. The outlets 22a and 22b are connected to one another via the counter plug element 26. The connection is closed once the plug element 30 is inserted into the counter plug element 26 (see FIG. 4). Furthermore, four noses 28 are visible in the region of the first groove 26a. The four noses 28 are configured to engage the corresponding plug element 30.

(33) FIGS. 3A to 3C show various views of a first type of mixing element 16. The mixing element 16 comprises mixer elements 46 for separating the material to be mixed into a plurality of streams, as well as layered merging of the same. The layered merging is accomplished by a structure that comprises transverse edges 48 and guide walls 50 that extend at an angle to the transverse edges 48, as well as guide elements 52 arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis A and including openings.

(34) The individual mixer elements 46 are connected to one another by struts 54, with the struts 54 also acting as further guide and deflecting walls. The number of mixer elements 46 and the corresponding length of the struts 54 is selected in dependence on the kind of material that is to be dispensed with a certain static mixer 10. For some applications five mixer elements 46 may be sufficient whereas for others ten or more mixer elements 46 may need to be connected to one another by struts 54.

(35) FIG. 3A shows a side view onto the mixing element 16. At the right hand side of the mixing element 16, there is a plug element 30. This is composed of a wall section 56. Some of the wall section 56 has a U-shaped cross-section that leads into a T-shaped cross-section. A groove 58 is formed in the wall section 56 that extends from the T-shaped cross-section through the U-shaped cross-section and towards an inlet 36 of the mixing element 16.

(36) FIG. 3B indicates how this groove extends from a surface 60 of the plug element 30 towards the inlet 36 of the mixing element 16. The groove thereby extends the flow path 44a from the mixer inlet section 14 into the mixing element 16 (see also FIG. 4 in this regard).

(37) FIG. 3C like FIG. 3B shows how the T-shaped wall section 56 is formed by a first wall 62 and a second wall 64 extending transverse thereto. The groove 58 is formed extending from the surface 60 within the second wall 64 towards the inlet 36 of the mixing element 16.

(38) FIGS. 4A and 4B show perspective part views of the first type of static mixer 10. In particular one can see how the flow path 44a extends from the inlet 18a of the mixer inlet section 14 via the outlet 22a and the groove 58 towards one of the inlets 36 of the mixing element 16.

(39) Likewise the flow path 44b extends from the inlet 18b via the outlet 22b of the mixer inlet section towards inlets 36 of the mixing element 16. The flow path 44a is smaller in diameter than the flow path 44b, as the mixer inlet section 14 and the mixing element 16 currently employed are used for high mixing ratios of e.g. 4:1 and 10:1.

(40) Moreover, the section shown in FIG. 4A indicates how the flow path 44b is enlarged in the region of the outlet 22b in comparison to the inlet 18b. This enlargement of the flow path 44b is further highlighted in FIG. 4B where one can see how the flow path 44b extends around the second wall 64 up to the first wall 62 of the wall section 56 of the mixing element 16. The flow path 44b is extended such that it comes into contact with substantially the whole width of the mixing element 16 in the region of the inlets 36 where it extends around the second wall 64. The region of the outlet 22b is arranged such that the component 102b flowing through the flow path 44b arrives in a directed manner at the inlet 36 of the mixing element 16.

(41) Both FIGS. 4A and 4B show that the flow paths 44a, 44b are shifted with respect to the longitudinal axis A from the inlets 18a, 18b towards the longitudinal axis A in the regions of the outlets 22a, 22b. Thereby the components 102a, 102b flow into the mixing element 16 in a more directed manner and can be introduced into the mixing element 16 in an optimum way, so that a mixing result is improved. This also leads to a reduction in the length of the mixing element 16 and hence to a reduction in the residual volume remaining in the static mixer 10.

(42) Moreover, the shift of the flow paths 44a, 44b takes place within the mixer inlet section 14, so that a spacing between the mixer inlet section 14 and the mixing element 16 can be reduced leading to a further reduction in the residual volume remaining in the static mixer 10. This is advantageously achieved in a mixer inlet section 14 having the same height as prior art mixer inlet sections (not shown).

(43) FIGS. 5A and 5B show a second type of static mixer 10 in a second type of mixer housing 12. The mixer is typically used for low ratio mixing of components such as 1:1 or 2:1.

(44) FIGS. 6A to 6E show a second type of mixer inlet section 14 designed for 1:1 and 2:1 mixing ratios. FIG. 6A shows a bottom view of the mixer inlet section 14 in which the inlets 18a, 18b and the corresponding inlet openings 38a, 38b are of equal size.

(45) FIG. 6B shows a top view of the mixer inlet section 14 in which the outlets 22a, 22b and the corresponding outlet openings 24a, 24b are of equal size. A counter plug element 26 having only a first groove 26a extends between the outlets 22a, 22b. A recess 66 is arranged at an end of the first groove 26a. This recess 66 is adapted to cooperate with a bulge 68 (see FIG. 7) configured at the plug element 30 of the mixing element 16.

(46) As the outlets 22a, 22b have the same size, the side view of FIG. 6C appears to have a continuous outlet opening 24a, 24b. As can be seen from FIG. 6D this is because the mixer inlet section 14 has a free space extending into the recess 34 and adjacent to the first groove 26a into which free space the plug element 30 of the mixing element 16 is inserted to separate the outlets 22a, 22b from one another so that a mixing of components only takes place once the components enter the mixer elements 46 of the mixing elements 16.

(47) Like with the outlet 22b of FIGS. 2A to 2E, both of the outlets 22a, 22b have a recess 34 adjacent to the output surface 32. This recess 34 expands a volume of the respective outlet 22a, 22b in an elongate way to form a component flow guide region adjacent to the output surface 32. The component flow guide region acts as a region in which the components 102a, 102b can flow into the inlets 36 of the mixing element 16 in a directed manner. In order to complement the directed flow of the components a shape of an inlet surface of the mixer housing 12 is adapted to the shape of the output surface 32 of the mixer inlet section 14. In the present example the output surface 32 has a part spherical shape.

(48) As can be seen in the section of FIG. 6D, the inlets 18a, 18b start merging into the outlets 22a, 22b at approximately a third of the length between the inlet openings 38a, 38b and a top most part of the outlet openings 24a, 24b. The outlets start at approximately two third of a length between the inlet openings 38a, 38b and a top most part of the outlet openings 24a, 24b. The same is true for the example shown in FIG. 2A to 2E.

(49) FIG. 6E shows an enlarged view of the region of the first groove 26a. A nose 28 is visible within the recess 66. This, like the other noses 28 configured in the first groove 26a, is designed to frictionally engage the wall section 56 of the plug element 30 when the plug element 30 cooperates with the counter plug element 26.

(50) FIGS. 7A to 7C show perspective views of a second type of mixing element 16. The mixer elements 46 of the mixing element 14 are configured like the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C. The difference is to be seen in the wall section 56 of the plug element 30.

(51) The wall section 56 shown in the side view of FIG. 7A has a generally planar shape with a bulge 68 configured at an end thereof. The bulge 68 is configured so that it extends substantially in parallel with the longitudinal axis A.

(52) FIG. 7B shows a further side view when the mixing element 14 is rotated by 90° about the longitudinal axis A. One can see how the wall section 56 has a thinner diameter in comparison to the bulge 68.

(53) FIG. 7C shows a further rotation of the mixing element 14 by 90° about the longitudinal axis A. Now the bulge 68 is positioned at the top of the wall section 56 of the plug element 30. The bulge 68 is a coded alignment element, so that the plug element 30 can only be plugged into the counter plug element 26 of the mixer inlet section 14 of FIG. 6A to 6E in one way.

(54) FIGS. 8A and 8B show perspective part views of the second type of static mixer 10. Both flow paths 44a, 44b are directed from the inlets of the mixer inlet section 14 to the inlets 36 of the mixing element 16. Thereby a geometric center of the outlet openings 24a, 24b is spaced less far from the longitudinal axis A than a geometric center of the inlet openings 38a, 38b to direct the flow path 44a, 44b of the components 102a, 102b towards the inlets 38.

(55) FIG. 9 shows a dispensing apparatus 98 comprising a multi-component cartridge 100 and a static mixer 10. The multi-component cartridge 100 is filled with respective components 102a, 102b. The components 102a, 102b can be discharged from the cartridge 100 by a plunger (not shown) into the inlets 18a, 18b of the mixer inlet section 14 of the static mixer 10. The static mixer 10 is connected to the cartridge 100, on the one hand, by the alignment elements 20a, 20b for a coded alignment between the static mixer 10 and the cartridge 100. On the other hand, the static mixer 10 is connected to the cartridge 100 by a retainer nut (not shown). The retainer nut is adapted to cooperate with the cartridge 100 and engages the mixer housing 12 of the static mixer 10 in order to fix the static mixer 10 to the cartridge 100.

(56) FIG. 10 shows a schematic sectional view of a molding device Ma for a mixing element 16 as described herein, and a sectional view of a molding device Mb for a mixer inlet section 14 as described herein. The molding devices have respective inputs for the components to be injected (not shown) and for any required vacuum apparatus (also not shown). In order to mold the specific components, inserts specific for any shapes of the components are also introduced into the molding devices Ma, Mb.

(57) Using the molding devices Ma, Mb mixer inlet sections 14 and mixing elements 16 as described herein can be produced.