EP1053062A1

EP1053062A1 - Modular vibrator

Info

Publication number: EP1053062A1
Application number: EP99938285A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lothar Ginzel
Original assignee: Participation Partnership Consulting Ltd
Current assignee: Participation Partnership Consulting Ltd
Priority date: 1998-12-02
Filing date: 1999-07-19
Publication date: 2000-11-22
Also published as: BR9908546A; DE19855417A1; ID27969A; EA200000800A1; WO2000032324A1; CN1291919A; AU5284599A; CA2319579A1; JP2002531245A

Abstract

The invention relates to a modular vibrator for mixing, compacting and homogenizing melts, mixtures, alloys, emulsions and suspensions. Said vibrator is driven by compressed air via a connection (4) on the housing (1). The connection (4) adjoins an axially extending flow channel (3) in the form of a drill hole that consists of at least one tapered lower end, tapering out into a coaxial outlet (5) that terminates in a swirl system (6). The housing (1) has a cylindrical interior (2) that is partially embodied by a rotor (8) that can freely rotate around a core (10). The rotor (8) can move in a defined axial manner and the housing (1) has at least one outflow connection (23). The housing (1) can be inserted into another housing or replaced by said housing.

Description

Title: Modular Vibrator

description

The invention relates to a modular vibrator which is preferably used for mixing, compacting, homogenizing melts, mixtures, alloys, emulsions, suspensions, etc. It is a vibrator that is driven by compressed air that is blown into an axially extending flow channel, with a coaxial outlet opening in the lower region of the flow channel that ends in a vortex system. The vortex system forces the air flow in a certain direction (swirl), causing a rotor in a housing to rotate. At the same time, the vibrator can be used as an internal and external vibrator.

Such a vibrator can be found, for example, in Swiss Patent Specification 22 10 77, in which a freely movable rotor is present around a core. However, this rotor does not rotate at a certain rotational speed, since the drive is accomplished by the flow channel, which is slightly inclined, but this is a random product.

British GB 2 010 402 A describes a vibrator which is also driven with compressed air or another compressed medium. This vibrator has a side channel through which the medium is blown in and strikes a rotor rotating around a central axis within the system. However, since the outlet opening for the medium is present in the lower and upper area, the efficiency of such a vibrator is very low.

German utility model G 89 16 150 discloses a compact piston vibrator which consists of a housing with at least one cylindrical bore. A bore for an air connection is provided on the side of the housing so as to set a rotor inside the housing in motion. The outer wall surfaces of the Housings run concentrically to the bore within the piston vibrator in which the rotor moves.

In addition to the aforementioned prior art, there are a large number of vibrators which on the one hand work as hydrodynamic vibrators and on the other hand have an integrated electric motor. However, this type of vibrators is not to be used in rough operation because they are very maintenance-intensive and failures occur again and again.

Hydrodynamic vibrators cannot be used everywhere, since there is a risk that the hydrodynamic drive means of such a vibrator will emerge from the inflow or outflow openings or from the vibrator and would thus render the material to be mixed, compacted or homogenized unusable. The hydrodynamic vibrators are constructed in such a way that they have a cylindrical interior in which, for example, an essentially cylindrical unbalance rotor can rotate freely. The rotor is set in motion via inlet and outlet openings for the drive fluid. In such a case, the rotor must have blading, because this is the only way to use the kinetic energy to drive it. The construction is very cost-intensive since, for example, the blades must have a certain radius of curvature because they have to run in the direction of the jet emerging from the inflow opening at the inlet end and essentially counter to this direction at the outlet end.

In the case of piston vibrators, the performance and thus the efficiency essentially depend on the cross-sectional area of the bore and the mass of the piston. From this it can be concluded that in the case of a vibrator with high output and at the same time a high degree of efficiency, a vibrator which is large in its external dimensions must be used. At the same time, this has the consequence that in practice a large number of not only different housing and piston diameters, but also different lengths with the same diameters are required. These housings of the vibrators generally have a more or less cylindrical shape because they are partly manufactured as rotating parts. Here's how already shown in the prior art, laterally at least one air connection attached to the cylindrical wall of such a housing. Since such piston vibrators are operated at considerable pressures of up to 10 or more bar, the air connection must be designed to be pressure-resistant and therefore requires a certain minimum wall thickness of the housing wall in which it is mounted. Such an air connection usually consists of a bore with an internal thread.

In addition, unbalance vibrators are known which are equipped with electromotive drives. Some of them are designed as compact building units, but here the performance is also determined solely by the design. The gear unit and the balancing mass are integrated in one housing. However, these vibrators are very maintenance-intensive.

The object of the invention is to provide a universal, environmentally friendly vibrator which can be used for different applications and which, in addition to being highly efficient, must also ensure use in extreme weather conditions and, moreover, is intended to work maintenance-free.

The object of the invention is achieved according to claim 1. The subclaims represent a further embodiment of the inventive idea.

The modular vibrator can be used for a wide variety of applications and can therefore be used for mixing, compacting, homogenizing, etc. of melts, mixtures, alloys, emulsions, Sus pensions, especially for compacting liquid concrete. The vibrator consists of a housing that is designed as a turned part. Compressed air is blown into a flow channel via a connection which is provided on the housing, preferably on the axial side. This flow channel runs axially in the middle of the vibrator and is designed as a blind bore. In addition to the cylindrical design, this flow channel can taper at least in some areas, so that no swirls of the compressed air occur at the end of the channel. At the end of the flow channel is a coaxial opening that ends in a vortex system. This vortex system sits at the end of the flow channel and preferably consists of a helical course which has only one helix with a small pitch. By using the small slope, the flow loss of the drive medium air is kept small here too, which in conjunction with the conical course of the flow channel brings about a substantial increase in performance and thus an increase in the efficiency of such a vibrator. At the end of the vortex system, the flow medium enters a cylindrical interior, which is partially filled by a cylindrical rotor that can rotate freely around a core. This rotor has an outwardly spherical surface, which also increases the efficiency of the vibrator. At the same time, the play of the rotor is small in the axial direction in order to keep flow losses low. In the wall of the interior, in which the rotor can rotate, there are circumferential grooves, the base of which is also spherically shaped. These grooves ensure that no jam can occur in the interior and thus the rotor does not tend to "flutter", because this would generate an unwanted oscillation, which could have a negative result on the material to be mixed, compacted or could have homogenizing good.

The outer dimensions of the vibrator are kept so that they are very compact. The ratio of the outer diameter to the length of the vibrator is approximately the same.

The area of the vibrator that contains the air inlet and also the air outlet can also be sealed according to the invention by a silencer. The use of a suitable silencer makes it possible to operate the vibrator in an environmentally friendly manner, which means that unnecessary interference from ambient noise is avoided. Another environmentally friendly aspect comes to light at the moment when several vibrators are connected, that is cascaded. For this purpose, the exhaust air from the first vibrator, for example, which has passed the passage of the vortex system, is passed to the subsequent vibrator via a hose attached to the aforementioned silencer forwarded. All connected vibrators are equipped with appropriate silencers. Due to the fact that the compressed air, which has penetrated the first vibrator, has lost its force, new compressed air which has not been used so far, however, is supplied by means of an inlet to be blown in on the second vibrator with a smaller amount. This means that, for example, before entering the second vibrator, the new compressed air mixes with the old compressed air and is thus quasi charged with energy and can vibrate the second vibrator to the same extent as the first. This measure can be continued several times in succession and shows very clearly that such a measure drastically reduces not only the environmental friendliness but also the energy costs for the operation of several vibrators.

The muffler can be firmly connected to the vibrator on the one hand, and it can also be connected to the vibrator by suitable connections and fastenings.

As it shows, such a vibrator can be used universally, because in the most varied areas of technology it is necessary to compress the masses contained in containers. This can be, for example, bulk goods whose volume is to be reduced. Another large area of application is the area of prefabricated components that are made of concrete. In order to achieve correspondingly high strength values, it is absolutely necessary to achieve a high level of compaction before the concrete sets. Different methods and devices for compacting liquid concrete are therefore used in precast concrete plants. The concrete to be compacted, which is in a form, is impressed with an oscillating or circumferential movement, which has the purpose of triggering shear stresses in the concrete. In this way, air contained in the concrete is expelled and the concrete is compressed accordingly. The movements can be impressed on the liquid concrete via the mold walls, for example. This is known as shaking, vibrating, or shaking. These devices, also known as the vibrating table, take up, for example, the form in which the liquid concrete is contained. With the vibrating table it can are, for example, a continuous tabletop, but it is also possible to include parts for this in a receptacle. In the case of such vibrating tables, which work on the principle of the unbalance exciter, a shaft is driven electrically pneumatically, hydraulically or else via V-belts. This requires appropriate constructions that can only be used for this application. This can be eliminated with the present invention. At the same time, the use of cement can be reduced because the concrete is better compacted.

The vibrator according to the invention makes it possible to enormously reduce the switch-off time of the precast concrete parts. In a vertical or almost vertical position, the not yet hardened concrete slabs can therefore be handled, for example, in order to feed them to a drying store, where they can finally harden.

The formation of such a form must of course ensure early stripping, because only in this way can the concrete parts be tipped out of the form in the erected state.

Another area of application of the vibrator is, for example, to completely empty containers or to keep bulk goods flowing. Such vibrators are particularly useful when handling and transporting bulk materials. This is possible in a wide variety of technical areas, including in particular medicine, the food industry and the manufacture of prefabricated components.

In order to use a vibrator of the type according to the invention for all of these areas of application, it is necessary to be universal both in design and in handling. The present vibrator is light in weight and can be used in another housing. The modular design of the vibrator becomes even clearer by inserting it into another housing. This second housing can be welded or screwed to a construction. Such a construction can be a mixing container, a vibrating mold, a mold, etc. Since the vibrator is preferably designed as a turned part, there is virtually no wear. The guiding of the rotor, which is made of steel, also reduces the wear accordingly. Depending on the intended use, the air supply can also be carried out intermittently, with the result that the amplitude with which the vibrator vibrates can be different. Due to the air supply, the vibrator can be operated with both a low and a high frequency. Due to the driving energy from compressed air, such a vibrator can also be used at low temperatures. This is not possible, for example, with vibrators that are driven with an appropriate medium, for example water or oil, and the electrically driven vibrators cannot be used at low temperatures.

The invention is described in more detail using a possible exemplary embodiment of the figures. It shows:

Figure 1: A section through a vibrator.

Figure 2: A section through a second surrounding the vibrator

Casing.

Figures 3 and 4: interconnection of several vibrators with sound absorption.

The vibrator shown in Figure 1 consists of a housing 1, which is designed as a cylindrical body and thus as a turned or cast part. The end faces present in the axial direction are closed by closures 18 and 19. However, the closure 19 is formed in its central region so that it receives an inner part 20. The inner part 20 consists essentially of a bottom 13 which comes to rest on the closure 18 in the lower part. Following the bottom 13 there is a vortex system 6 which is provided with a helix 7. A core 10 connects to the vortex system 6. Outside the vibrator, there is a connection 4 on the inner part 20, which is used for blowing in the compressed air. In this case, the connection 4 has an axially extending flow channel 3, which is cylindrical in the exemplary embodiment. According to the invention, however, it is also possible to make the flow channel 3 conical. At the end of the flow channel 3, the is designed as a blind bore, there is an outlet opening 5 for the drive medium. This outlet 5 is arranged in the lower part of the vortex system 6. The air emerging from the outlet opening 5 is directed in a predetermined direction due to the helix 7. As a result, the air comes into an interior 2 inside the vibrator. As a result of the air having undergone a certain swirl via the vortex system 6, it will strike the outer surface of the spherical rotor 8. This rotor 8 is thereby rotated around the core 10 of the vibrator. So that the drive medium can escape again from the vibrator, at least one outflow connection 23 is provided.

In order to increase the efficiency and to avoid turbulence, there are grooves 9 in the interior 2 on the wall, which have a slightly spherical base.

The vibrator described and shown in FIG. 1 can be used for different applications due to its construction. This has been indicated, for example, in FIG. 2, where the housing 1 of the vibrator can be used within a space 21. This housing 11, which encloses the housing 1, is then preferably closed by means of a closure plate 22, which is connected to the housing 11 in a non-positive and positive manner by means of screw connections 15. The dimensional coordination of the housing 1 is so precise that it is fitted into the inner contour 14 of the housing 11. In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2, the housing 11 is connected to a device 17 in a non-positive and positive manner via screw connections 16. In addition to the screw connection 16, however, the housing 11 can also be welded to the device 17.

This embodiment, that is to say with a second housing 11, makes it clear that the vibrator has a modular structure and can be designed for a wide variety of applications. This means that the manufacturing costs are lower and that the vibrator is used universally through appropriate adaptations, that is to say the most varied designs of the housing 11. The entire construction of the vibrator is also designed so that parts can be exchanged as quickly as possible are, the vibrator runs maintenance-free and therefore contains virtually no wearing parts.

FIG. 3 shows the cascadability of two housings 1 of the vibrators contained therein. In addition to the selected version of two vibrators, it is also possible to interconnect further vibrators in a corresponding manner, so that a cascade is created. A connection piece 25 is present on the flow channel 3 and emerges from a silencer 26. The silencer 26 is fastened on the housing 1 in such a way that it does not interfere with the vibrating process of the vibrator. Threads can be selected as the attachment or corresponding attachment types. A connecting hose 24 is connected to the connecting piece 25, via which the energy required for the operation of the vibrator in the housing 1, namely the compressed air 29, is supplied. After the compressed air has passed the vibrator, it emerges from the housing 1 via the outflow connection 23. If no further vibrator is switched on to the first one, the quasi partially used compressed air emerges from an air outlet 27 which is located within the silencer 26. In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 3, however, an operative connection is established from the first vibrator to the second vibrator via a connecting hose 28. The compressed air discharge line 30 from the first vibrator is thus passed on to the connector 25 of the second vibrator. Compressed air that has already passed through a vibrator no longer has the high effect required to set the vibrator in the desired rotation. For this reason, there is a hose 33 on the connecting hose 28, via which a new compressed air supply 31 for the compressed air discharge is brought about. For this purpose there is a valve in the hose 33, preferably a check valve, which prevents the compressed air discharge line 30 from escaping unintentionally. By supplying the compressed air 31 with the compressed air discharge line 30, the same result is achieved for the second vibrator as for the first one, only much less primary energy is required for this. This makes the operation of such a vibrator, which is cascaded, much cheaper.

4 shows the same structure as in FIG. 3, only the air outlet 27 is flanged directly to the outflow connection 23 in order to to cause no further losses within the first silencer 26. On the second vibrator, that is to say the lower one in FIG. 4, a hose for exhaust air is attached to the outflow connection 23.

reference numeral

1 housing

2 interior

3 flow channel

4 connection

5 outlet opening

6 vortex system

7 coils

8 rotor

9 grooves

10 core

11 housing

12 air outlet

13 floor

14 inner contour

15 screw connection

16 screw connection

17 device

18 closure

19 closure

20 inner part

21 room

22 closure plate

23 outlet connection

24 connecting hose

25 connector

26 silencer

27 air outlet

28 connecting hose

29 Compressed air supply

30 compressed air discharge

31 compressed air supply

32 valve

33 hose

Claims

claims

1. Modular vibrator for mixing, compressing and homogenizing melts, mixtures, alloys, emulsions, suspensions, which has a connection (4) to a housing (1) which has a cylindrical interior (2) and a rotor (8 ) is driven by compressed air, characterized in that the connection (4) is followed by an axially extending flow channel in the form of a blind bore, which tapers at least in its lower part and ends in a coaxial outlet opening (5) which leads into a vortex system (6) ends, and the interior, which is partially filled by a cylindrical rotor which can freely rotate about a core (10), the movement of the rotor (8) being limited in the axial direction and the housing (1) having at least one outflow connection (23 ) which opens into a silencer (26) and that

Housing (1) can be inserted and exchanged in a further housing (11).

2. Modular vibrator according to claim 1, characterized in that the vortex system (6) has a helical shape with only one helix (7) with a small pitch.

3. Modular vibrator according to claim 1, characterized in that the interior (2) has circumferential grooves (9) which have a spherical base.

4. Modular vibrator according to claim 1, characterized in that the flow channel (3) has a cylindrical and / or conical shape.

5. Modular vibrator according to claim 1 and 4, characterized in that the flow channel (3) is double-walled and thus at the same time includes the outflow connection (23).

6. Modular vibrator according to claim 1, characterized in that the ratio of the outer diameter to the length of the vibrator is approximately the same.

7. Modular vibrator according to claim 1, characterized in that the muffler (26) can be interchangeably attached to the housing (1).

8. Modular vibrator according to claim 1 and 7, characterized in that the connection (4) via an existing in the muffler (26) connector (25) for the supply of the compressed air (29) is connected and in the muffler

(26) there is an air outlet (27) for air (30) emerging from the outlet connection (23).

9. Modular vibrator according to claim 8, characterized in that the air outlet (27) by means of a connecting hose (28) with a further connector (25) of a further housing

(1) is connected and a further hose (33) is connected to the connecting piece (25) or the connecting hose (28), via which additionally compressed compressed air supply (31) can be supplied.

10. Modular vibrator according to claim 9, characterized in that a check valve (32) is contained in the hose (33).

11. Modular vibrator according to claim 7 to 10, characterized in that several silencers (26) can be connected to one another by means of connecting hoses (28).

12. Modular vibrator according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotor (8) consists of steel.

13. Modular vibrator according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing (11) can be welded or screwed to a construction.

14. Modular vibrator according to claim 13, characterized in that the construction is a mixing container, a vibrating table or a mold.

15. Modular vibrator according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the vibrator is maintenance-free.

16. Modular vibrator according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the vibrator operates at a high frequency.

17. Modular vibrator according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the frequency of the vibrator is intermittent.

18. Modular vibrator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vibrator has a low weight and a compact design.

19. Modular vibrator according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the vibrator starts in any position.