Hygienic mixer which is pivotably mounted

Abstract

A mixing device includes a mixing container rotatable about a first axis of rotation for receiving mixing material, which has a mixer opening and a mixer cover which can be reciprocated between an opened position and a closed position. The mixer cover in the closed position closes the mixer opening and in the opened position exposes the mixer opening. The mixing container is rotatably mounted to a machine stand. The mixer cover is so fixed to the machine stand that the mixing container in the closed position of the mixer cover is rotatable relative to the mixer cover about the first axis of rotation. The machine stand has a stationary element and a pivotal element, wherein the pivotal element is mounted pivotably about a pivot axis relative to the stationary element. The mixing container is mounted rotatably to the pivotal element and the mixer cover is fixed to the pivotal element.

Claims

1. A mixing device comprising a mixing container rotatable about a first axis of rotation for receiving mixing material, which has a mixer opening and a mixer cover which can be reciprocated between an opened position and a closed position, wherein the mixer cover in the closed position closes the mixer opening and in the opened position exposes the mixer opening, wherein there is provided a machine stand in which the mixing container is rotatably mounted and to which the mixer cover is so fixed that the mixing container in the closed position of the mixer cover is rotatable relative to the mixer cover about the first axis of rotation, wherein the machine stand has a stationary element and a pivotal element, wherein the pivotal element is mounted pivotably about a pivot axis relative to the stationary element, wherein the mixing container is mounted rotatably to the pivotal element and the mixer cover is fixed to the pivotal element, wherein the first axis of rotation and the pivot axis are arranged perpendicularly to each other, wherein the mixing container has a flange with a surface facing towards the mixer opening and a surface facing away from the mixer opening and there is provided a rotary bearing which connects the pivotal element to the surface of the flange that faces away from the opening; and wherein the mixing container is mounted rotatably about the first axis of rotation by way of that rotary bearing.

2. The mixing device according to claim 1, wherein the pivot axis passes through the mixing container.

3. The mixing device according to claim 1, wherein the pivotal element is pivotable with respect to the pivot axis at least through up to 90°.

4. The mixing device according to claim 1, wherein the mixer opening is circular and the mixing container is rotationally symmetrical with respect to the first axis of rotation.

5. The mixing device according to claim 1, wherein the pivotal element has a housing which is sealed in relation to the escape of lubricant and which surrounds the rotary bearing.

6. The mixing device according to claim 1, wherein the mixer cover has a mixing element which is mounted rotatably with respect to the mixer cover in relation to a second axis of rotation and which is of such a configuration and arrangement that in the closed position of the mixer cover said mixing element is within the mixing container.

7. The mixing device according to claim 6, wherein the second axis of rotation is parallel to the first axis of rotation.

8. The mixing device according to claim 1, wherein the pivotal element has a holding frame with said rotary bearing for mounting the mixing container, wherein the holding frame at least partially surrounds the mixing container, and there are provided at least a shaft portion and a pivot bearing, wherein the shaft portion is mounted pivotably in the pivot bearing and either the shaft portion is fixed to the holding frame and the pivot bearing is fixed to the stationary element or the shaft portion is fixed to the stationary element and the pivot bearing is fixed to the holding frame.

9. The mixing device according to claim 1, wherein the mixing device has a drive device which is connected both to the stationary element and also to the pivotal element, and is provided to permit pivotal movement of the pivotal element about the pivot axis.

10. The mixing device according to claim 1, wherein the mixer cover is hingedly mounted with respect to the mixer opening.

11. The mixing device according to claim 10, wherein arranged on the pivotal element is a drive device provided to reciprocate the mixer cover between the closed and opened positions.

12. The mixing device according to claim 1, wherein the mixing container has a closable emptying opening which is of such an arrangement and configuration that the first axis of rotation passes through the emptying opening and there is provided an emptying cover which can be reciprocated between an opened position and a closed position, wherein the emptying cover closes the emptying opening in the closed position and exposes the emptying opening in the opened position.

Description

(1) Further advantages, features and possible uses of the present invention will be clearly apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and the accompanying Figures in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of the mixing container according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the mixing device according to the invention, and

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the mixing device according to the invention.

(5) FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of the mixing container 2 and the components of the mixing device 1, that adjoin the mixing container 2. In this case the mixing container 2 is in a vertical position, that is to say at an angle of inclination of 0°. The mixer opening 4 is at the upper end of the mixing container 2 and the emptying opening 5 is at the lower end. The mixer opening 4 in this view is closed by the mixer cover 6. FIG. 1 accordingly shows a part of the mixing device 1 in a closed position of the mixer cover 6. The emptying opening 5 is also closed by the emptying cover 7. This accordingly is also a view of the closed position of the emptying cover 7.

(6) The emptying cover 7 shown here is in the form of a ball segment valve which is arranged on the mixing container 2 and in operation also rotates therewith. In this case the emptying cover 7 is composed of two ball portion segments 32′ and 32″ (not explicitly shown) which can each be pivoted by a linear movement of the respective hydraulic piston drives 33′ and 33″. The hydraulic piston drives 33′ and 33″ do not also rotate in operation with the mixing container 2. Consequently by virtue of a pivotal movement of the ball segments 32′ and 32″ the emptying cover 7 can be moved from an open position into a closed position or from a closed position into an open position. The corresponding ‘second’ pivot axis about which the pivotal movement of the emptying cover 7 occurs is preferably perpendicular to the first axis of rotation 18 and also rotates with the mixing container 2.

(7) In the illustrated embodiment of the mixing device 1 the mixing container 2 has a flange 9. A ball bearing 10 is arranged on the side/surface of the flange 9, that faces away from the mixer opening 4. The flange 9 is connected to a seal 30 and a first ball bearing rail 28′ which in turn is mounted rotatably by way of a ball element 29 relative to a second ball bearing rail 28″. The second ball bearing rail 28″ is fixed to a holding frame of the pivotal element 8, in the form of part of the pivotal element. The ball bearing 10 is surrounded by the holding frame of the pivotal element 8, the flange 9 and the seal 30 in such a way that the assembly of those components 8, 9 and 30 delimit the ball bearing from the exterior in oil-tight relationship, more precisely in lubricant-tight relationship. The assembly of the components 8, 9 and 30 therefore forms a lubricant-tight housing 27.

(8) The ball bearing 10 is set in movement by way of the drive 11 whereby the rotation of the mixing container is driven about the first axis of rotation 18.

(9) The mixer cover 6 shown in FIG. 1 bears at the mixer opening 4 against the edge surfaces of the mixing container 2 by way of a seal 26. The seal 26 is a sliding seal. The mixer cover 6 is also supported by way of a hinge 21 which can be actuated by way of a hydraulic device 12. In that way a reciprocating movement is produced between an opened and a closed position of the mixer cover 6. For that purpose the hydraulic device 12 is connected on the one hand to the mixer cover 6 (the hinge 21 of the mixer cover 6) and on the other hand to the holding frame of the pivotal element 8. Upon a pivotal movement of the pivotal element 8 the hydraulic device 12 together with the mixer cover 6 therefore performs the same pivotal movement as the pivotal element 8.

(10) In addition arranged on the mixer cover 6 is a mixer shaft 3 projecting into the interior of the mixing container 2. The mixer shaft can be caused to rotate about the second axis of rotation 19 by way of the drive 13 which is also arranged on the mixer cover. In addition blades 14 and bottom scrapers 15 are fixed to the mixer shaft 3. The blades 14 produce efficient thorough mixing of the mixing material in operation of the mixing device 1. The bottom scrapers 15 end in the proximity of the mixing container bottom 31 and are of such a design that in operation of the mixing device 1 the bottom scrapers 15 pass over the mixing container bottom 31 so that mixing material which has accumulated at the mixing container bottom 31 is detached therefrom without damage to the mixing container bottom 31 by virtue of the bottom scrapers 15 passing over same. The bottom scrapers 15 can be in the form of strips or slats of an elastic material or however also a rigid material like for example a plastic.

(11) FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the entire mixing device 1. The first axis of rotation 18, the second axis of rotation 19 and the pivot axis 20 are shown in this view. In the illustrated embodiment the first axis of rotation 18 and the second axis of rotation 19 are arranged parallel to each other but spaced. That is also referred to as an asymmetrical arrangement of the mixer shaft 3. Fixedly connected to the mixer cover 6 is the scraper device 22 which is supported in overhung relationship and which extends along the mixing container wall to the mixing container bottom 31. Upon rotation of the mixing container 2 about the first axis of rotation 18 then accordingly solely by virtue of that rotational movement the mixing material is caused to flow on to the mixer shaft 3 and the scraper device 22. The blades 14 of the mixer shaft 3 like also the scraper device 22 therefore on their own produce a thorough mixing effect by virtue of that relative movement, even when the mixer shaft itself does not perform a rotational movement. If however the mixer shaft 3 is driven in rotation about the second axis of rotation 19 that causes additional mixing of the mixing material. In that case in particular the bottom scrapers 15 can be of such an arrangement and configuration that, after a given number of revolutions of the mixing container 21 and a given number of revolutions of the mixer shaft 3 every location of the mixing container bottom 31 has had a bottom scraper 15 pass thereover at least once.

(12) FIG. 2 also shows the machine stand 16. In the illustrated embodiment this comprises two stands which are arranged on two opposite sides of the pivotal element 8 and in which a respective pivot bearing 17 is disposed. The pivotal element 8 is thus mounted pivotably about the pivot axis 20 by way of the pivot bearings 17. The pivot axis 20 is arranged perpendicularly to the first axis of rotation 18 and consequently also perpendicularly to the second axis of rotation 19.

(13) FIG. 2 also shows a material transfer conduit 25 which is arranged in the lower region of the pivotal element and adjoins the emptying opening 5 of the mixing container 2. Mixing material which has been correspondingly thoroughly mixed in the mixing container 2 can thus be discharged by way of the emptying opening 5 into the material transfer conduit 25 and from there transferred for example on to a conveyor belt.

(14) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the entire mixing device 1. In this case the mixing device 1 is shown with the mixer cover 6 in an open position. In addition in this view the mixing container 2 is inclined through an angle of inclination of about 20° so that the pivotal element is pivoted through about 20° in the direction towards the viewer. It will be apparent from this view that the angle of inclination can be easily set to any desired value by a pivotal movement about the pivot axis.

(15) The hinged mixer cover 6 is opened in FIG. 3 in such a way that the mixer shaft 3 is disposed outside the mixing container 1 and the mixer opening 4 is completely visible. By virtue of the hinged mounting of the mixer cover 6 by way of the hinge 21 the mixer cover 6 can be easily pivoted open and shut. That mechanism can be particularly clearly seen in FIG. 3.

(16) Besides the mixer shaft 3 with its drive 13 the perspective view in FIG. 3 shows the scraper device 22 which is also fixed to the mixer cover 6. Therefore like the mixer shaft 3 upon a rotation of the mixing container 2 the scraper device 22 does not also rotate with same and projects into the mixing container 2 when the mixer cover 6 is in a closed position. The scraper device 22 for example has a respective rail which comprises an elastic material and which, with the mixer cover 6 in a closed position, is in contact with the lateral inside wall of the mixing container 2. As a result upon rotation of the mixing container in operation the inside of the mixing container is completely freed of mixing material, thereby preventing the formation of mixing material residues while in addition achieving a further increase in the degree of mixing.

(17) The drive 24 for the pivotal movement of the pivotal element is visible in the machine stand 16 on the side towards the viewer. Accessibility to the drive for maintenance operations is afforded by the doors 23 (partly faded out) of the machine stand 16.

LIST OF REFERENCES

(18) 1 mixing device 2 mixing container 3 mixing element/mixer shaft 4 mixer opening 5 emptying opening 6 mixer cover 7 emptying cover 8 holding frame/pivotal element 9 flange 10 rotary bearing/ball bearing 11 drive for mixing container 12 hydraulic device (drive) for mixer cover 13 drive for mixer shaft 14 blade 15 bottom scraper 16 machine stand 17 pivot bearing 18 first axis of rotation 19 second axis of rotation 20 pivot axis 21 hinge 22 scraper device 23 door 24 drive pivotal element 25 material transfer conduit 26 seal 27 lubricant-tight (oil-tight) housing 28′ 28″ ball bearing rail 29 ball element 30 seal 31 mixing container bottom 32′,32″ ball segment of a ball segment valve 33′,33″ hydraulic piston drive for emptying cover