EP0822000A1

EP0822000A1 - Improved stirring device for collecting the main pigments used for making paints

Info

Publication number: EP0822000A1
Application number: EP97830303A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Carlo Desinano
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-08-02
Filing date: 1997-06-27
Publication date: 1998-02-04
Also published as: ITMI961698A0; IT1283680B1; ITMI961698A1

Abstract

A stirring device (1) comprises a holding casing and an inner stirring element.

The inner stirring element comprises an impeller (11) provided with recesses for housing magnetic bodies (12).

On the outer surface of a portion of the device (1) is housed a gear wheel (13) in turn provided with recesses for housing magnets (14).

As the device (1) operates, the impeller (11) is magnetically coupled to the gear wheel (13), the rotary movement of which will drive the stirring element.

The device provides the advantage that it is not necessary to provide sealing elements on the body of the vessel, in particular at the driving means for driving said stirring element.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved stirring device, which has been specifically designed for holding the main or base pigments to be used for making paints.

More specifically, the invention can be applied to the systems for collecting and preserving liquid materials in general.

As is known, in some specific applications, it is necessary to hold the liquid mass under a constant stirring or mixing condition inside the vessel in which said liquid mass is contained. This is, for example, the case of the main or base pigments used for preparing paints, in which the pigment materials are continuously stirred in order to allow a preserving of the fluid and homogeneity properties of the product.

More specifically, in such an application, conventional vessels provided for holding therein the main or base pigments (the so-called "baskets") are provided with an inner stirring element, driven by a mechanical type of driving transmission, usually arranged at the bottom of the paint vessel. In this case, a necessary clearance of the mechanical components, as well as the wearing-out of the sealing elements provided for dynamically coupling the stirring element on the bottom of the basket, will cause leakages of the preserved liquid product. Such a phenomenon would be obviously undesirable, both because of a comparatively high loss of the base or main pigment, and since the liquid product could damage parts of the systems (such as electric components and the like) arranged under the basket.

Moreover, the location of the mechanical driving assembly at the bottom of the paint vessel is such as to hinder an efficient preserving of the product. Actually, in a case of very dense fluids or large size vessels, the mechanical stress exerted on the free end portion or on the bottom portion of the stirring element would negatively affect the bottom mechanical couplings, thereby further aggravating the above mentioned undesired phenomenon.

Moreover, prior art driving mechanical assemblies are rather complex, which negatively affects the cleaning operations for servicing the paint vessels as well as the recovering of the couplings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to provide such an improved stirring device for collecting liquid materials in general and main or base pigments in particular, which allows to obtain very good sealing conditions even at the stirring element dynamic coupling assembly.

Within the scope of the above mentioned aim, a main object of the present invention is to provide a better transmissions of the forces to the overall construction of the stirring element, even at regions thereof which are spaced at a great distance from the dynamic coupling assembly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a stirring device for collecting liquid products, which can be easily and quickly disassembled for performing necessary cleaning operations.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the above aim and objects are achieved by the stirring device according to the invention, which is of a type comprising a vessel body, a stirring element rotatably supported inside said vessel body and driving means for rotatively driving said stirring element, and being essentially characterized in that said vessel body comprises a closed or continuous construction, at least at the portion thereof coupling said stirring element with said driving means.

According to further features of the device according to the invention, said driving means are of a magnetic operating or interaction type. They comprise, more specifically, an inner impeller including a plurality of magnets and an outer gear wheel, also provided with magnets, said inner impeller and outer gear wheel being so arranged that the rotary movement applied to the gear wheel is transmitted to the impeller.

The device according to the invention is moreover characterized in that the gear wheel is arranged on an outer seat of the device, at a position corresponding to that of the impeller with the stirring element being mounted inside the vessel. The gear wheel seat, furthermore, is spaced from the bottom of the vessel. The latter is provided, in turn, with a bottom portion of substantially glass configuration, and including a seat or recess for the bottom end portion of the stirring element.

With respect to prior stirring devices, the stirring device according to the invention provides the advantages that no sealing element must be provided on the vessel body, and in particular at the stirring element driving means. This feature, in addition to simplifying the construction of the device, would prevent any leakages from occurring, independently from the using time of the stirring device.

Moreover, the location of the stirring element driving means at a distance from the bottom of the vessel will provide very good operating conditions for the stirring element, and, accordingly, a very good mixing and homogenizing of the product.

The assembling of the stirring element inside the vessel body of the device according to the invention is moreover very quick and simple.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics, objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of a not limitative example, a preferred embodiment of the invention. In the drawings, which constitute an integrating part of the present disclosure:

Figure 1 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the stirring device according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded view illustrating the device shown in figure 1, including the outer magnet and gear wheel assembly;

Figure 3 illustrates the device of figures 1 and 2 in an assembled operating condition; and

Figure 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of figure 3 substantially taken along the section line IV-IV.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The stirring device according to the invention has been generally indicated by the reference number 1 in figure 1. In the shown embodiment, the stirring device 1 has been specifically designed for holding and preserving, in a ready for use condition, the main or base pigments used for preparing paints. In this connection it should be however pointed out that the subject device can also be used for preserving liquid products in general, in particular those requiring a continuous mixing or stirring inside the vessel (such as liquid mixtures and so on).

The stirring device 1 comprises a substantially cylindrical vessel, formed by a plastic, metal or the like material casing, which casing includes:

a top portion 2, the mouth 20 of which is closed by a cover 19; on this top portion a corresponding top portion of a stirring element 8 extends, said stirring element 8 being rotatably mounted inside said vessel;
a smaller cross-sectional size cylindrical portion 3, arranged at the bottom of said top portion 2, and in which are arranged the stirring element 8 driving means;
a bottom portion 4, having a diameter less than of said portion 3 and having a substantially glass-like shape, with a bottom 5 including coupling or fitting elements 6 and 7 for recirculating the pigment material held in said device 1.

More specifically, the latter is provided with a stirring element 8 including a stirring element shaft 10, coaxially arranged inside said vessel 2 and provided with propeller means 9 with a bottom end portion 17 rotatably housed inside a seat 18, also formed on said bottom 5.

On that portion of the stirring element 8 shaft 10 which, with the end portion 17 supported inside said seat 18, is arranged at the level of the portion 3 of said vessel, an annular or ring-like impeller 11 is coupled. As clearly shown in figures 2 and 3, the impeller 11 comprises a plurality of radially extending arms 21 which support, at the outer end portions thereof, a ring element 22 provided for being rotatably housed inside said portion 3 of the device 1. On the sections of the arms 21 coupling said arms to said ring element 22, are moreover provided a plurality of seat or recesses 23 (figure 2) for housing therein respective magnetic bodies 12 (figure 4).

That portion of the stirring element 8 shaft 10 arranged at the bottom of the impeller 11 is also provided with a propeller element 9, holding the liquid material held in said glass-like portion 4 of the vessel in a stirred condition.

On the outer surface of the portion 3 of the stirring device 1, i.e. at the level of the impeller 11 including said magnets 12, is provided a gear wheel system 13, also defined by a ring-like body including inner recesses or seats 24 for housing therein said magnets 14. The gear wheel 13 is locked on said portion 3 of the stirring device 1 so as to abut against a shoulder 25 of said device 1 (figures 1 and 3). The gear wheel 13, in its assembled operating condition, will accordingly provide a magnetic type of coupling with said impeller 11, due to a mutual drawing interference of

corresponding magnets

14 and 12 respectively arranged outside and inside said vessel portion 3. The system comprises moreover driving means 16, shown in figure 3, including a pinion 15 engaging with the gear wheel 13.

The stirring device is assembled by arranging the vessel body on a supporting framework (not shown), with the gear wheel 13 meshing with said pinion 15. The stirring element 8 is arranged inside the stirring device 1 by simply causing the end portion 17 of the shaft 10 to be received in the seat 18 of the bottom 5 of the glass-like body 4. This position will be held owing to the mutual cooperation of the

magnets

12 and 14 which, by attracting one another, will axially lock the impeller 11 and, accordingly, the stirring element 8. In particular, said stirring element will be stopped due to the magnetic forces lying on the plane which also contains said impeller 11 and gear wheel 13.

With the disclosed arrangement of the stirring element 8 inside the vessel, as the pinion 15 is rotatively driven, it will cause the gear wheel 13 and related magnets 14 to correspondingly turn. This rotary movement will be in turn transmitted to the impeller 11, owing to the interference of the

magnets

12 and 14, according to a tangential force (arrow F of figure 4). This force, as stated, is moreover applied to the stirring element 8 at a region thereof raised at a set distance from the seat 18 provided on the bottom 5 of the stirring device 1. Thus, the loads and stresses will be optimally distributed through the propeller arrangements 9 of the stirring element 8, and, in particular, on the top propeller arrangement, i.e. that which is located at a maximum distance from the bottom end portion 17 operating as a pivot pin for the shaft 10.

Thus, the vessel of the stirring device according to the invention is constituted by a continuous-wall body, the walls of which are closed at the level of the dynamic coupling of the stirring element 8 to the driving means 15.

The operating assembly of the stirring element 8 or the disassembling thereof from the vessel would not moreover require any additional operations (such as engagement or disengagement of threaded connections and so on), since the stirring element is held in its operating position exclusively by the magnetic action between the

bodies

12 and 14. The stirring element, furthermore, can be manually removed, by simply applying a slight force as necessary for overcoming the attraction of the magnets.

The invention as shown and disclosed is susceptible to several modifications and variations all of which will come within the scope of the accompanying claims.

Thus, for example, the impeller 11 and respective supporting means for supporting the magnets 12 could be designed with different configurations. Also different could be the construction of said gear wheel 13, provided that it includes suitable supporting means for rotatively supporting the magnets 14 of said gear wheel. Finally, the specific size and shapes of the vessel and portions thereof, as well of the blades 9 of the stirring element 8 could be different from those which have been specifically shown.

Claims

A stirring device for collecting liquid products in general, of a type comprising a vessel body, a stirring element rotatably housed inside said vessel body and driving means for rotatively driving said stirring element, characterized in that said vessel body is provided with a closed or continuous construction, at least at the coupling section (3) thereof for coupling said stirring element (8) to said driving means (15).
A device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said driving means are of a magnetic inter-action type.
A device according to Claim 2, characterized in that said driving means comprise an inner impeller (11) provided with magnets (12) and an outer gear wheel (13) provided with magnets (14), said inner impeller and outer gear wheel being so arranged that the rotary movement applied to said gear wheel (13) is transmitted to said impeller (11).
A device according to Claim 3, characterized in that said impeller (11) is keyed on the shaft (10) of said stirring element (8).
A device according to Claims 3 and 4, characterized in that said gear wheel (13) is arranged on an outer seat (3) of said device (1) at a position corresponding to that of said impeller (11), with said stirring element (8) being operatively assembled inside said vessel.
A device according to Claim 5, characterized in that said seat (3) for said gear wheel (13) is spaced from the bottom (5) of said vessel.
A device according to Claim 6, characterized in that said stirring element (8) is subjected, due to said magnetic coupling, to a force (F) oriented tangentially with respect to said impeller (11).
A device according to Claim 6, characterized in that said vessel is provided with a substantially glass-like bottom portion (4), provided with a seat (18) for engaging therein the bottom end portion (17) of said stirring element (8).
A device according to Claim 8, characterized in that said stirring element (8) is provided with propeller means (9) for mixing the liquid material held in said vessel.
A device according to Claim 9, characterized in that said stirring element (8) is provided, at a portion thereof held in said glass-like bottom portion (4), under said impeller (11), with at least a propeller means (9).
A device according to Claim 4, characterized in that said impeller (11) is provided with a plurality of radially extending supporting arms (21) which support a ring-like body (22), seats (23) for said magnets (12) being provided at the coupling sections coupling said arms (21) and said ring-like body (22).
A device according to Claim 3, characterized in that said gear wheel (13) is provided with seats (24) for engaging therein said magnets (14) in a facing relationship with respect to the magnets (12) of the impeller (11).
A device according to Claim 8, characterized in that said bottom portion (4) of said vessel is moreover provided with fittings (6, 7) for recirculating said liquid material in said vessel.
The use of a device according to any preceding claims 1 to 13 for holding main or base pigments to be used for making paints.