A CLEANING PISTON WHICH HAS A NON-POLAR MATERIAL FOR A MIXING HEAD, AND MIXING HEAD AND DISCHARGE CHANNEL, EACH OF WHICH CONTAINS SUCH A CLEANING PISTON

Abstract

A cleaning piston for a mixing head of a reaction moulding machine includes a main part which has a cylindrical casing region, and a clearing part. The material and geometry of the clearing part are designed to remove residual material adhering to a channel of the mixing head. The clearing part is at least partly made of non-polar material.

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. A cleaning piston for a mixing head of a reaction moulding machine, said cleaning piston comprising: a main part having a cylindrical casing region; and a clearing part made of a non-polar material and having a geometry reflective of a sharp-edged contour so as to remove residual material adhering during operation to a channel of the mixing head.

15. The cleaning piston of claim 14, wherein the clearing part has an outer circumference sized at least partly greater in relation to the casing region.

16. The cleaning piston of claim 14, wherein the clearing part has a casing made of non-polar material.

17. The cleaning piston of claim 16, further comprising a receiving pin connected securely to the main part, said casing being formed as a top piece, which is held in a form-fitting, force-fitting and/or materially bonded manner on the receiving pin.

18. The cleaning piston of claim 14, wherein the non-polar material is a non-polar plastic material.

19. The cleaning piston of claim 14, wherein the main part is made entirely or partly of a ferrous material.

20. The cleaning piston of claim 14, wherein the main part is made entirely or partly of a non-polar material.

21. The cleaning piston of claim 14, wherein the clearing part has an outer casing side provided with a circumferential clearing groove or a plurality of clearing grooves in a circumferential direction of the main part.

22. The cleaning piston of claim 14, wherein the clearing part is arranged at an axial end region of the main part and forms an axial face side.

23. A mixing head for a reaction moulding machine, comprising: a mixing chamber; a control piston arranged in the mixing chamber for regulating a component flow; a discharge channel; and a cleaning piston inserted into the discharge channel in at least one cleaning state, said cleaning piston including a main part having a cylindrical casing region, and a clearing part made of a non-polar material and having a geometry reflective of a sharp-edged contour so as to remove residual material adhering during operation to a channel of the mixing head.

24. The mixing head of claim 23, wherein the discharge channel is made at least partly of a non-polar material.

25. The mixing head of claim 23, wherein the clearing part has an outer circumference sized at least partly greater in relation to the casing region.

26. The mixing head of claim 23, wherein the clearing part has a casing made of non-polar material.

27. The mixing head of claim 26, wherein the cleaning piston includes a receiving pin connected securely to the main part, said casing being formed as a top piece, which is held in a form-fitting, force-fitting and/or materially bonded manner on the receiving pin.

28. The mixing head of claim 23, wherein the non-polar material is a non-polar plastic material.

29. The mixing head of claim 23, wherein the main part is made entirely or partly of a ferrous material or a non-polar material.

30. The mixing head of claim 23, wherein the clearing part has an outer casing side provided with a circumferential clearing groove or a plurality of clearing grooves in a circumferential direction of the main part.

31. The mixing head of claim 23, wherein the clearing part is arranged at an axial end region of the main part and forms an axial face side.

32. A reaction moulding machine, comprising a mixing head, said mixing head including a mixing chamber, a control piston arranged in the mixing chamber for regulating a component flow, a discharge channel, and a cleaning piston inserted into the discharge channel in at least one cleaning state, said cleaning piston including a main part having a cylindrical casing region, and a clearing part made of a non-polar material and having a geometry reflective of a sharp-edged contour so as to remove residual material adhering during operation to a channel of the mixing head.

33. A discharge pipe for a mixing head, said discharge pipe constructed for attachment onto a housing of the mixing head such as to form a section of a discharge channel, said discharge pipe being made at least partly of a non-polar material.

Description

[0027] The invention is now described in further detail below with the aid of figures, in which context also various example embodiments are explained.

[0028] There are shown:

[0029] FIG. 1 a sectional illustration of a mixing head having a cleaning piston according to the invention in accordance with a preferred first example embodiment, wherein the mixing head is illustrated in section along the discharge channel and along the mixing chamber,

[0030] FIG. 2 a sectional illustration of a mixing head with a cleaning piston according to the invention in accordance with a second example embodiment, wherein this mixing head differs compared to the mixing head of FIG. 1 in particular by the cleaning piston and by a bush also forming the outlet channel,

[0031] FIG. 3 a longitudinal section illustration of a cleaning piston according to the invention in accordance with a third example embodiment, in which a preferred structure of the cleaning piston is illustrated particularly well, wherein this cleaning piston is in turn able to be inserted into a mixing head of FIG. 1 or 2,

[0032] FIG. 4 a perspective illustration of the cleaning piston according to FIG. 3 in a full view,

[0033] FIG. 5 a detail illustration of the end region of the cleaning piston according to FIG. 3, in section in longitudinal direction, wherein a cleaning part can be seen in its configuration and arrangement,

[0034] FIG. 6 a perspective illustration of the cleaning piston, illustrated in full view, according to FIG. 4, in the region of the clearing part,

[0035] FIG. 7 a longitudinal section illustration of a cleaning piston according to a further fourth example embodiment, which cleaning piston is in turn able to be inserted into a mixing head of FIG. 1 or 2, and now on its outer circumference side is not grooved on the circumference like the cleaning piston according to FIGS. 3 to 6, but rather has a non-grooved outer casing side,

[0036] FIG. 8 a perspective illustration of the cleaning piston according to FIG. 7 in a full view, and

[0037] FIG. 9 a side view of a main part, as is inserted into the cleaning piston of FIGS. 1 to 8.

[0038] The figures are only diagrammatic in nature and serve exclusively for the understanding of the invention. The same elements are provided with the same reference numbers.

[0039] In FIG. 1 firstly a mixing head 15 according to the invention can be clearly seen in accordance with a preferred first example embodiment. The mixing head 15 is configured/provided as a mixing head 15 of a reaction moulding machine and therefore for use/connection in/to this reaction moulding machine, which for reasons of clarity is not illustrated further here. In particular, the mixing head 15 serves, in an operation of the reaction moulding machine, for homogenizing/intermixing/blending at least two different individual components of a reaction plastic. For example, the mixing head 15 is used for producing a polyurethane material, namely a polyurethane foam/PUR foam.

[0040] The mixing head 15 is furthermore configured as a deflection mixing head. The mixing head 15 has an elongated mixing chamber 16. A control piston 18 is received displaceably in the mixing chamber 16. Depending on the location/position of this control piston 18 in the mixing chamber 16, the individual components (in a conveying position of the control piston 18) of the reaction plastic/the mixture which is to be provided are introduced into the mixing chamber 16 or (in a locked position of the control piston 18) are prevented from flowing into the mixing chamber 16. The mixing chamber 16, extending in a straight line, is aligned/running transversely, namely perpendicularly/by 90 to a discharge channel 5. The mixing chamber 16 continues into this discharge channel 5, is therefore connected to the discharge channel 5.

[0041] In a conveying/mixing state of the mixing head 15, the control piston 18 is connected in its conveying position, and the discharge channel 5 is opened toward the environment of the mixing head 15. Thereby, the mixture flows in the fluid state, after exiting from the control piston 18, through the mixing chamber 16 and the discharge channel 5, up to an outlet opening 22 of the discharge channel 5. At this outlet opening 22 the mixture exits from the mixing head 15 and is fed in a conventional manner to further devices for hardening/cooling/forming of a completed semi-finished product. In a locked position of the control piston 18, then in turn a flowing of the individual components from the control piston 18 into the mixing chamber 16 and thereby finally also a flowing of the mixture from the mixing chamber 16 into the discharge channel 5 is prevented. This locked position of the control piston 18 is implemented, for instance, when the discharge channel 5 is to be cleaned/cleared owing to residual material/moulding residues adhering to it.

[0042] For cleaning the mixing head 15 in a so-called cleaning state of the mixing head 15/of the reaction moulding machine, the control piston 18 is brought into its locked position, and a cleaning piston 1, inserted in the discharge channel 5, is displaced in axial direction, so that it conveys the adherent, excess residual material out from the discharge channel 5 and prepares the discharge channel 5 for a new mixing process/mixing state.

[0043] As the discharge channel 5, which likewise extends in a straight line, runs transversely, namely perpendicularly to the mixing chamber 16, the cleaning piston 1 is aligned transversely, namely substantially perpendicularly to the control piston 18, and is displaceable in its axial direction (along its longitudinal axis).

[0044] The discharge channel 5, as can also be seen particularly well in FIG. 1, is formed in a first part/section through a wall 19/inner wall of a hole/bore 24 in a housing 23 of the mixing head 15. In a second part/section, which adjoins the first part in longitudinal direction of the discharge channel 5, the discharge channel 5 is formed by an inner circumferential side 20 of a bush 21. The bush 21 is, in turn, fastened to the housing 23. Both the wall 19 and also the bush 21 form a guide region 30 of the discharge channel 5 which, during operation of the reaction moulding machine, comes in contact with mixture and directs the mixture towards the outlet opening 22. In other words, the bush 21 therefore forms a discharge pipe and is also alternatively designated as such in the following.

[0045] The discharge channel 5 is made partly of a non-polar material. In particular, in this embodiment, the bush 21 is produced (entirely) from this non-polar material in the form of a non-polar plastic material, namely a polyimide material, alternatively also a PIC material. Thereby, the discharge channel 5 has a non-polar material in particular on a radial inner side/the inner circumferential side 20 of the bush 21. Therefore, the bush 21 is repellent with respect to residual material from the reaction plastic/mixture of the (plastic) individual components which is to be blended.

[0046] The housing 23 of the mixing head 15, in which the first part of the discharge channel 5 is formed in the form of the bore 24, is made in turn, in this embodiment, of a polar material, namely a steel material. Alternatively hereto, it is also possible in principle to produce this housing 23 and therefore the bore 24 from a different metal material, or likewise from a non-polar material. In other words, the bore 24 and the bush 21 form respectively sections in which the cleaning piston 1 moves along in the cleaning state. In particular, the non-polar material properties of the bush 21 makes provision that excess material components/residual material adhere less intensively, or not at all, to the discharge channel 5.

[0047] The bush 21, as can likewise be readily seen in FIG. 1, is formed with a threaded section 25 at an axial end. This threaded section 25 is screwed directly into an internal threaded region 26 of the housing 23, so that the bush 21 is securely screwed to the housing 23, in a manner aligned coaxially to the bore 24. The bush 21 is therefore mounted on the mixing head 15/housing 23 of the mixing head 15 so as to be removable again.

[0048] According to a second example embodiment of a mixing head 15 according to FIG. 2, it is also possible to dispense with such a threaded section 25 on the bush 21 itself. Instead of the threaded section 25, the bush 21 is provided with a flange region 27, which in turn is connected to the housing 23 so as to be removable again. The flange region 24 is mounted on the housing 23 by means of a plurality of screws or similar detachable fastening means. Also in this embodiment, the bush 21 is always aligned coaxially to the bore 24 and to the cleaning piston 1. The remaining structure and the mode of operation of this mixing head 15 correspond to the mixing head of the first example embodiment.

[0049] With respect to the cleaning piston 1 of the first example embodiment, and to the cleaning piston 1 of the second example embodiment, firstly the cleaning piston 1, illustrated in further detail in FIGS. 3 to 6, of a third example embodiment is now firstly described in detail in the following, wherein the cleaning pistons 1 used in the first and second example embodiments function and are constructed to the greatest possible extent like the cleaning piston 1 according to FIGS. 3 to 6.

[0050] The cleaning piston 1 according to the invention has, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 3, a rod-shaped main part 3. The rod-shaped main part 3 can also be readily seen alone in FIG. 9. The main part 3 has a cylindrical casing region 2. The casing region 2 has a uniform/constant diameter over its length/along a longitudinal axis 31 of the cleaning piston 1. The main part 3 also is made entirely of a polar material, namely of a metal material in the form of a steel material. In other embodiments, however, the main part 3 is also produced from a non-polar material, such as a non-polar plastic material such as PIC or polyamide.

[0051] At its respective end regions 10 and 12, the main part 3 is reduced/narrowed in diameter. At a first end region 10, the diameter is reduced with respect to the casing region 2 by a radial shoulder 28. This region, reduced in (outer) diameter, of the main part 3 forms a receiving pin 29. At a second end region 12, lying opposite the first end region 10, the main part 3 is likewise partly narrowed/reduced in (outer) diameter with respect to the casing region 2, and has a fully circumferential connecting groove 13 in circumferential direction of the cleaning piston 1. During operation of the mixing head 15, a drive means engages into the connecting groove 13, in order to displace the cleaning piston 1, in the cleaning state, axially to and fro.

[0052] At the first end region 10 furthermore a cleaning part 4 of the cleaning piston 1 is formed/arranged/configured. The clearing part 4 is configured with regard to material and geometry for removing the moulding residues adhering to/in the discharge channel/channel 5 of the mixing head 15. The clearing part 4 includes on the one hand of the receiving pin 29, embodied in one piece with the main part 3 with regard to material, on the other hand of a top piece 7 which is separate from the main part 3 with regard to material. The top piece 7 is placed securely onto the receiving pin 29. The top piece 7 is formed in a cap-shaped manner and forms both a casing 6 with regard to the main part 3/receiving pin 29 and also an axial face side 11 of the cleaning piston 1. Therefore, the clearing part 4 is pushed onto the main part 3 and forms over a certain longitudinal region of the cleaning piston 1 its outer casing side 8.

[0053] The top piece 7/casing 6 is made entirely of a non-polar material. In this embodiment, the top piece 7/casing 6 is also made of a non-polar plastic material, namely a polyamide material, alternatively of a PIC material.

[0054] In the example embodiment according to FIGS. 3 to 6, the clearing part 4 is provided with several, namely three, clearing grooves 9 running continuously around along the circumference of the cleaning piston/main part 3. The clearing grooves 9 are introduced into the outer casing side 8 of the top piece 7. The clearing grooves 9 are arranged next to one another spaced apart uniformly in axial direction. Through these clearing grooves 9, in turn, a plurality of sharp-edged contours 17 are formed. By means of these contours 17/edges, the clearing part 4, in the cleaning state, scrapes off the residues on the discharge channel 5. The outer casing side 8 is also shouldered/enlarged in its circumference relative to the casing region 2. The outer casing side 8 is partly increased in diameter with respect to the diameter of the casing region 2. Also through a shoulder 32 which is thus formed, a sharp edge/sharp-edged contour 17 is formed for the scraping of the channel 5. Likewise, such a sharp-edged contour 17 is formed on the radial exterior of the face side 11. Sharp-edged with respect to the contours 17 is understood to mean here that these respective edges, arranged in the radial outermost region of the outer casing side 8 have an edge radius of a maximum of 0.5 mm, preferably of approximately 0.2 mm.

[0055] In FIG. 5 it can also be readily seen how the top piece 7 in the form of the casing 6 in this example embodiment is placed/fastened in a form- and force-fitting manner on the receiving pin 29 of the main part 3. The main part 3 has on its outer circumferential side in the region of the receiving pin 29 a knurl/knurled surface structure, which is in contact with the inner circumferential side of the top piece 7/casing 6. Thereby, the connecting force between top piece 7 and main part 3 is further increased in axial direction of the cleaning piston 1.

[0056] The cleaning piston 1 (in the cleaning state) is displaceable in the discharge channel 5 of the mixing head so far in axial direction that it can always be pushed with the clearing part 4 through the entire guide region 30, i.e. both through the entire wall 19 and also through the entire bush 21.

[0057] In FIGS. 7 and 8, a further example embodiment of a cleaning piston 1 according to the invention is then in turn illustrated further, wherein this example embodiment is embodied in principle like the example embodiment of the cleaning piston 1 according to FIGS. 3 to 6. In this embodiment, only the clearing grooves 9 are dispensed with, and the clearing part 4 has, adjacent to the shoulder 32, a substantially smooth/cylindrical outer casing side 8. Here, also, the top piece 7 again forms a face side 11 of the cleaning piston 1.

[0058] Returning to FIGS. 1 and 2, it is also possible in principle to configure the cleaning piston 1 still differently in the region of the clearing part 4.

[0059] In FIG. 1 the cleaning piston 1 according to the invention is configured on the outer casing side 8 of the top piece 7 with clearing grooves 9 running in a spindle-shaped/helical/spiral-shaped manner.

[0060] It is also possible, according to the cleaning piston 1 according to the invention, in accordance with FIG. 2, to configure the clearing part 4 with a different number of clearing grooves 9 than with the three clearing grooves 9 implemented in FIG. 4. In FIG. 2 only two clearing grooves 9 are implemented.

[0061] Further, the control piston 18 of the mixing head 15 has e.g. a diameter of approximately 16 mm, the cleaning piston 1 has a diameter e.g. of approximately 25 mm. The pistons (control piston 18 and cleaning piston 1) are respectively produced with specific steel materials and are subjected to particular surface treatments.

[0062] In other words, the cleaning piston 1 can therefore be produced as a whole with a non-polar substance/material and in the front region can be equipped with different geometries. The cleaning piston can also be produced in the front region with a non-polar material and with different geometries. The non-polar material in the front region of the piston can be embodied with the most varied geometries. The discharge pipe (bush 21/discharge channel 5) can be produced as a whole with a non-polar material. The discharge pipe 5 can be produced in particular with a bush 21 with non-polar material. The discharge pipe 5 can, however, also be produced, at least partly, with a polar material (e.g. steel). Therefore, combinations of polar and non-polar materials can be used for the piston 1 and the discharge pipe 5. The fit tolerances are relatively non-critical here, because the non-polar materials (in particular in radial direction) are pre-stressed. Through the pre-stressing of the non-polar material (e.g. PIC, polyamide, etc.)/the pre-stressing of the clearing part 4 in the discharge pipe 5 in radial direction, the discharge pipe 5 can be cleaned in a residue-free manner.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0063] 1 cleaning piston [0064] 3 casing region [0065] 3 main part [0066] 4 clearing part [0067] 5 channel/discharge channel [0068] 6 casing [0069] 7 top piece [0070] 8 outer casing side of the clearing part [0071] 9 clearing groove [0072] 10 first end region [0073] 11 face side [0074] 12 second end region [0075] 13 connecting groove [0076] 14 drive means [0077] 15 mixing head [0078] 16 mixing chamber [0079] 17 contour [0080] 18 control piston [0081] 19 wall [0082] 20 inner circumferential side [0083] 21 bush [0084] 22 discharge opening [0085] 23 housing [0086] 24 bore [0087] 25 threaded section [0088] 26 internal threaded region [0089] 27 flange region [0090] 28 shoulder/first shoulder [0091] 29 receiving pin [0092] 30 guide region [0093] 31 longitudinal axis [0094] 32 shoulder/second shoulder