EP1679448A1 - Apparatus for elaborating bulk materials - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for processing bulk materials (e.g. mixing, comminuting, dosing or sieving) has a connector (20) between a vessel (40) and an external rotary drive (10) together with a workpiece (30) driven on a horizontal axis and is such that (A) vessel (40) is releasable fixed to connector (20); (B) a shaft (33) of workpiece (30) is releasably held and is releasably connected to drive (10); and (C) a loose gap seal (50) seals vessel (40) against shaft (33).

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to a device for processing bulk materials, for example by mixing, crushing, dosing and / or sieving, with a container and a tool driven therein by an external rotary drive about a horizontal axis. STATE OF THE ART

Devices of this type are known in various designs. A horizontal container type apparatus having a horizontal container and a tool rotating about a horizontal axis is disclosed in e.g. in Swiss Patent 692,274. Basically similarly constructed, but provided with differently shaped tools devices are also known for crushing, dosing and / or screening.

The known device of the type mentioned above are mainly designed for industrial applications and to relatively large dimensions, robust and provided with a strong drive. Advantageous in them is the possibility of continuous operation, wherein the material to be processed can also be added and / or removed in closed conduit systems. Containers and tools are mounted on them "fixed" and therefore, at least for the user, not readily expandable. Therefore, an exchange of tools and thus, for example, a conversion from a mixer in a crusher or a doser is not readily possible. In the context of industrial installations, this is usually not needed.

A simple and intended solution of the container and the tool from the drive part of the device especially for cleaning purposes, however, is rather the rule in so-called food processors. In these often even different, interchangeable tools are supplied in the manner of a kit. In the kitchen appliances, the container is usually vertical, is closed at the bottom, open at the top and possibly closed with a lid. The tool also rotates in the container about a substantially vertical axis. The vertical orientation of the axle allows a simple releasable seal of the container with respect to the drive to form baffles and under the action of gravity. However, the vertical orientation also requires a batch or batch processing in contrast to a continuous and has the consequence that the material to be processed almost inevitably comes into contact with the ambient air. But in the kitchen this is not a problem.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is based on the recognition that there are applications for processing bulk materials such as e.g. by mixing, crushing, dosing and / or screening, for which neither the above-described industrial devices nor the kitchen machines are suitably designed. These are in particular laboratory applications in which no large amounts are incurred, but in which, especially in the pharmaceutical sector, the highest demands are made on the purity and / or the material to be processed, for example. Under no circumstances should it come into contact with the environment due to extreme toxicity. The invention therefore has as its object to provide a device suitable for such applications.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the features specified in the claims.

In essence, the invention thus provides in a device of the type mentioned above, that between the container and rotary drive a connection unit is arranged, to which the container is releasably secured, in which a shank of the tool is releasably held and releasably connected to the rotary drive, and in which one Gap seal is loosely received to seal the container against the tool shank.

By "releasably secured" is here to be understood an attachment that can be repaired in a few steps and without special tool as intended and non-destructive releasable and then without major difficulties. The term "loosely picked up" is to be understood in relation to the gap seal that it is not installed and fixed in the connection unit, but can be inserted into or removed from it with a single movement.

The advantages achieved by the invention are mainly to be seen in the fact that tool and container and with them the gap seal can be easily removed and thereby also easily and separately cleaned in each case. In contrast to the known industrial devices, which are usually used for sealing lip seals or the like, the gap seal used according to the invention allows a simple insertion or removal of the tool shaft without the risk of damaging the seal. Due to the easy disassembly of the tool, different, interchangeable tools can be used for different processing tasks. Due to the horizontal position of the tool axis of the container can be easily filled from above and emptied down. Due to the horizontal position of the tool axis, it is optionally possible to work continuously except in batches. The container as well as the entire system for the supply and removal of the material to be processed can be made hermetically sealed, so that the material can not come into contact with the environment. By the coupling of the tool shank with the rotary drive in the connection unit and thus outside the container whose volume is almost completely available as a processing room. By being loosely received in and removable from the connection unit, the gap seal can be inspected and externally cleaned. Since it does not require elastic and abrasion-prone parts such as lip seals, and how the container and tool can be made entirely of metallic material, for example, it is very effective to clean. In addition, it could also be sterilized together with the container and the tool in an autoclave at high temperature (eg 130 ° C). For All coming into contact with the material to be machined parts of the device can be made hygienic conditions, ensured and also demonstrated, which is required especially for pharmaceutical applications. The gap seal forms the separating element between the hygienic part of the device and the drive part of the device, for which no such high demands are made on the purity.

In a first preferred embodiment, the connection unit has an outer housing, to which the container is detachably fastened by being inflated. According to a further preferred embodiment, the tool shank is releasably connected in the connecting unit with a pin of the rotary drive via a socket.

When Vorhandensein an outer housing, the plug-in sleeve is preferably mounted in the housing in the region of its container-side end.

If the tool shank is held so stable in the socket that the tool requires no further support, the tool can end freely in the container. To remove the tool in this case needs another holder such. not to dismantle an end bearing. Also, due to the absence of another mount, the cleaning of the device is easier and faster to perform.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the tool shank is secured in the plug-in sleeve in the axial direction only non-positively. To mount the tool in this case, it is sufficient to insert the tool with its shank through the gap seal into the piece sleeve. Conversely, the tool for its disassembly can be easily pulled out of the socket without any glands or the like must be solved.

A particularly simple construction results when the pin of the rotary drive is mounted in the rotary drive. In this case, it is sufficient to provide in the housing of the connection unit, the already mentioned storage of the receptacle to keep the tool as a whole sufficiently stable in the receptacle.

The gap seal provided for sealing the container against the tool shank has the advantage that, because of its oversize, the tool shank can simply be inserted through it or pulled out of it without having to make any manipulations on it. In order also to seal the gap existing by the excess against the bulk material to be processed in the container, the gap seal can be acted upon with a purge gas under pressure in the direction of the container.

Among other things, to facilitate access to the tool and its assembly or disassembly, the container may be provided on its side remote from the rotary drive side with a removable front cover.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the container has an upper inlet and a lower outlet opening, of which at least one is preferably tightly closed by at least one closure element with respect to the bulk materials to be processed. At least one of these openings can also be designed so that a pipe can be connected to it.

In contrast to the devices mentioned above for industrial use, the device according to the invention is preferably dimensioned such that the container has a volume of between 0.1 and 100 liters, in particular between 1 and 10 liters. The rotary actuator can be designed for a maximum torque in the range between 01 and 300 Nm.

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES

Fig. 1

in teilweise geschnittener Darstellung eine erste Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung in einer Ausbildung zum Zerkleinern eines Schüttgutes;

Fig. 2

die Vorrichtung von Fig. 1 in teilweise halbierter, perspektivischer Darstellung;

Fig. 3

unter ) und b) in teilweise geschnittenen Explosionsdarstellungen die Schritte zur teilweisen Demontage der Vorrichtung von Fig. 1;

Fig. 4

eine zweite Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung in einer Ausbildung als Batch-Mischer;

Fig. 5

eine dritte Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung in einer Ausbildung als kontinuierlicher Mischer mit angeschlossenen Rohrleitungen zur Zu- und Abfuhr des Mischgutes;

Fig. 6

eine vierte Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung in einer Ausbildung als Dosierer, und

Fig. 7

eine fünfte Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung in einer zum Sieben geeigneten Ausbildung.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to embodiments in conjunction with the drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

in a partially sectioned view of a first embodiment of an inventive device in an embodiment for crushing a bulk material;

Fig. 2

the device of Figure 1 in a partially halved, perspective view.

Fig. 3

under) and b) in partial sectional exploded views, the steps for partial disassembly of the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4

a second embodiment of an inventive device in an embodiment as a batch mixer;

Fig. 5

a third embodiment of an inventive device in a training as a continuous mixer with connected pipes for supply and removal of the mix;

Fig. 6

a fourth embodiment of an inventive device in an embodiment as a doser, and

Fig. 7

a fifth embodiment of an inventive device in a suitable for screening training.

In the figures, corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numerals.

WAYS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Fig. 1 shows a partially sectioned view of a first embodiment of an inventive device. The device comprises a rotary drive 10, a connection unit 20, a tool 30 and a container 40.

The rotary drive 10 is e.g. a spur gear motor with integrated gear 11. With 12 in the connecting unit 20 projecting drive pin of the rotary drive 10 and the transmission 11 is denoted by 13 and a gear flange. In a holder 14 of the rotary drive is stationary mounted.

The container 40 encloses a processing space 41, has an upper inlet opening 42 and a lower outlet opening 43. The inlet opening 42 is closed by a removable cover 44. Another cover 45 is flanged to a free end wall 46 of the container 40 and closes an existing there opening. The diameter of this opening corresponds approximately to the diameter of the processing space. Against the outlet opening processing space is limited by a grating 47. Under the outlet opening 43, a collecting container (not shown) can be placed.

The tool 30 of Fig. 1 comprises a suitable and suitable for comminuting a bulk material tool head 31 with a plurality of paddles or battens 32 and a tool shank 33. The tool head 31 is fitted with his paddles or battens 32 in the processing space 41 of the container 40 and in order a horizontal axis rotatable. Held and stored is the tool head 31 exclusively by the tool shank 33 outside the container 40. The tool shank 33 is for this purpose carried out through an opening in the rotary drive side end wall 48 of the container 40 and extends into the connection unit 20 inside. This opening also has a diameter which corresponds approximately to the diameter of the processing space 41.

The connecting unit 20 has a rotationally symmetrical, approximately lantern-shaped outer housing 21 which is provided with flanges 22 and 23 on both sides. With the flange 22, the housing 21 is screwed to the aforementioned transmission flange 13 and the flange 23 with the end wall 48 of the container 40th

About a likewise rotationally symmetrical socket 24 of the tool shank 33 in the connection unit 20 and the housing 21 with the drive pin 12 of the rotary drive 10 is rotatably connected. For this purpose, both the drive pin 12 and an end portion 34 (see Figure 3 b)) of the tool shank 33 are provided with a polygonal cross section and inserted from the opposite direction in a correspondingly polygonal recess 25 at the drive end of the socket 24. A diameter-expanded portion 35 (see Figure 3 b)) of the tool shank 33 is in contrast provided with a round cross-section and in a cross-sectionally also round recess 26 at the container-side end of the socket 24 fitted substantially free of play. In the axial direction, the socket 24 is fixed to the drive pin 12, for example, positively connected to a threaded pin. In contrast, the tool shank 33 is only frictionally secured in the axial direction in the plug-in sleeve by means of spring-loaded pressure pieces 27 which engage in a groove 36 provided with an oblique flank (see FIG. 3 b)) in the tool shank 33. The tool shank 33 can thereby be easily pulled out of the socket 24 by applying a certain withdrawal force.

In the outer housing 21 of the connection unit 20, the receptacle 24 is mounted with a deep groove ball bearing 28. At least one further bearing is still contained in the gear 11 of the rotary drive 10 for the drive pin 12, as a standard component of the transmission in the figures, however, not shown. Except through these bearings, the tool 30 is not stored. In particular, his container-side end is not additionally stored but free. Opposite the housing 21, the socket 24 is sealed by means of a lip seal 29.

To seal the end wall 48 of the container 40 against the tool shank 33 is in the housing 21 from its container-side end a gap seal 50 fit, but still used loosely. With a peripheral edge 51, the gap seal 50 bears against a corresponding gradation of the housing 21 and is otherwise held in position by the end wall 48. As its name implies, the gap seal 50 has an excess over the tool shank 33 and especially with respect to the enlarged diameter portion 35 of the tool shank 33. The tool shaft 33 can thereby be freely inserted through gap seal 50 in the connection unit 20 and inserted into the socket 24. Likewise, it can be unhindered by the gap seal 50 from the connection unit 20 and the receptacle 24 also pulled out again.

So that no material from the container 40 can penetrate into the sealing gap, the gap can be flushed in countercurrent with a gas which is fed via a purge gas connection 52 under pressure. Because of the mentioned fit of the tool shank 33 in the socket 25 and the aforementioned lip seal 29 between the socket 25 and housing 21, the purge gas can choose no other way than through the gap of the gap seal in the container 40.

Seals in the form of O-rings or the like are also provided at other seams of the device, in particular between the flange 22 of the connection unit 20 and the gear flange 13 and the flange 23 of the connection unit 20 and the end wall 48 of the container 40. In the figures only shown required for these seals sealing grooves.

The above-described embodiment is further illustrated by the perpektivische representation of FIG. 2.

• Zunächst werden z.B. die beiden Deckel 44 und 45 von dem Behälter 40 abgenommen werden.Sodann wird die Flanschverbindung 48/23 zwischen dem Behälter 40 und der Verbindungseinheit 20 gelöst. Da das Werkzeug 30 ausschliesslich in der Verbindungseinheit 20 gehalten und gelagert ist und in den Behälter 40 mit seinem Werkzeugkopf 31 nur hineinragt und da der Durchmesser der Öffnung in der Behälterwand 48 etwa dem Durchmessers des Bearbeitungsraumes 41 entspricht, kann der Behälter 40 danach einfach zur Seite weggezogen werden. Er ergibt sich die in Fig. 3 a) dargestellte Situation.

In the above-described device according to the invention, the parts or assemblies coming into contact with the material to be treated can be easily dismantled, eg for cleaning purposes. The steps necessary for this purpose are explained below with reference to FIG. 3:

• First, for example, the two covers 44 and 45 are removed from the container 40. Then, the flange 48/23 between the container 40 and the connection unit 20 is released. Since the tool 30 is held and supported exclusively in the connection unit 20 and only protrudes into the container 40 with its tool head 31 and since the diameter of the opening in the container wall 48 approximately corresponds to the diameter of the processing space 41, the container 40 can then simply to the side be moved away. It results in the situation shown in Fig. 3 a).

As shown in Fig. 3 b), then the tool 30 can be pulled out of the connection unit 20, in which it is indeed only plugged. As explained above, the gap seal 50 is not an obstacle. Finally, the gap seal 50 can also be removed from the connection unit 20.

The assembly of the individual parts takes place in reverse order.

It is possible to replace individual disassembled parts by spare parts, but also by differently shaped parts and thereby adapt the inventive device of another processing task. In FIGS. 4 to 7, four further devices according to the invention are shown to explain these possible variations. FIGS. 4 to 7 each show the same rotary drive 10 with the same connecting unit 20, which are combined with differently shaped containers 40, in which different tools can be used in each case. Such a tool 30 is shown in dashed lines in the container 40 of FIG. 4.

4 shows a device according to the invention in a design as a batch or batch mixer. The container 60 is here provided with a funnel-shaped inlet opening and an outlet opening 43 arranged vertically below it. The outlet opening 43 can be closed with a flap 47 'shown in dashed lines during the mixing process.

The apparatus of Fig. 5 is a continuous mixer with the material to be mixed in the container 40 during mixing by appropriate formation of the again shown dashed mixing tool 30 from the inlet opening 42 arranged above its drive end to the outlet opening 43 arranged below its opposite end is transported.

FIG. 5 also shows, by way of example, pipelines 61 and 62 flanged to inlet 42 and outlet opening 43, as the device may possibly be integrated into a closed system for the supply and removal of the material to be processed. Corresponding pipelines could in principle be provided in the other embodiments.

FIG. 6 shows a device according to the invention in an embodiment as a metering device, the tool being designed as a metering spiral or screw. This transports a uniform, adjustable by varying their rotational frequency stream of bulk material in a instead of the cover 45 of FIG. 1 to the container 40 flanged horizontal pipe socket 49, at the end of the bulk material is ejected.

The device of Fig. 7 is designed for sieving. Via the inlet opening 42, a bulk material with different grain size is fed to the container. A finer fraction leaves via the outlet opening 43.1 and a coarser fraction of this bulk material leaves the container 40 via the outlet opening 43.2.

NAME LIST

10

rotary drive

11

transmission

12

drive journal

13

gearbox

14

bracket

20

connecting unit

21

outer housing of the connection unit

22

Flange of the housing

23

Flange of the housing

24

receptacle

25

polygonal recess in the socket

26

round recess of the socket

27

spring-loaded plungers

28

Deep groove ball bearings

29

lip seal

30

Tool

31

tool head

32

Paddles or battens

33

tool shank

34

End portion of the tool shank

35

Section of the tool shank

36

Groove in tool shank

40

container

41

working space

42

upper inlet opening

43

lower outlet opening

44

cover

45

cover

46

Front wall of the container

47

grating

47 '

flap

48

drehantriebsseitige end wall of the container

49

pipe socket

50

gap seals

51

Edge of the gap seal

52

purge gas

61

pipeline

62

pipeline

Claims (12)

Apparatus for processing bulk materials, eg by mixing, crushing, dosing and / or sieving, comprising a container (40) and a tool (30) driven therein by an external rotary drive (10) about a horizontal axis, characterized in that between containers ( 40) and rotary drive (10) a connecting unit (20) is arranged, on which the container (40) is releasably secured, in which a shaft (33) of the tool (30) releasably held and releasably connected to the rotary drive (10) , And in which a gap seal (50) for sealing the container (40) against the tool shank (33) is loosely received. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting unit (20) has an outer housing (21) on which the container (40) is releasably secured by Anflaschen. Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the tool shank (33) in the connection unit (20) with a pin (12) of the rotary drive (10) via a plug-in sleeve (24) is detachably connected. Device according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the plug-in sleeve (24) is mounted in the housing (21) in the region of its container-side end. Apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the tool shank (33) in the plug-in sleeve (24) is held stable transverse stable, that the tool (30) further requires no further support. Apparatus according to claim 3-5, characterized in that the tool shank (33) is secured in the plug-in sleeve (24) in the axial direction only frictionally. Device according to one of claims 3 - 6, characterized thereby , that the journal (12) of the rotary drive (10) is mounted in the rotary drive (10). Device according to one of claims 1-7, characterized in that the gap seal (50) can be acted upon with a purge gas in the direction of the container (40). Device according to one of claims 1 - 8, characterized in that the container (40) on its side remote from the rotary drive (10) side has a removable front cover (45). Device according to one of claims 1-9, characterized in that the container (40) has an upper inlet (42) and a lower outlet opening (43), at least one of which by at least one closure element (44, 47 ') opposite can be closed to be processed bulk materials. Device according to one of claims 1-10, characterized in that the container (40) has an upper inlet (42) and a lower outlet opening (43), of which at least one at least one pipe is connectable. Device according to one of claims 1 - 11, characterized in that the container (40) has a volume between 0.1 - 100 liters, in particular between 1 - 10 liters.

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