EP2384808B1

EP2384808B1 - Device for batching and mixing of colorant substances

Info

Publication number: EP2384808B1
Application number: EP11164675.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ferdinando Sarti
Original assignee: Valpaint SpA
Current assignee: Valpaint SpA
Priority date: 2010-05-04
Filing date: 2011-05-03
Publication date: 2014-07-09
Anticipated expiration: 2031-05-03
Also published as: ES2512741T3; ITBO20100281A1; PL2384808T3; EP2384808A1; IT1399718B1

Description

The present invention relates to a machine for batching and mixing colorant substances.
In detail, it refers to a machine that can be used by inexpert users, and in particular by customers of do-it-yourself and paint shops for do-it-yourself enthusiasts.
The prior art has for some time offered machines for controlled automatic dispensing (batching) of pigments, colorants, paints or other colorant substances, in portable containers such as for example tins.
These machines are known as colorimeters.
For efficient use, the colorant substances batched in one of the above containers have to be homogenised before use.
For this purpose machines known as "mixers" are available.
A need has arisen to prevent the risks of spillage of the colorant substances included in the container during the following operations performed by the users of the above machines: collecting the container from the colorimeter, transporting the container to the mixer and predisposing the container in the accesses to the mixer.
It is evident that manipulation of the containers by inexpert users can not infrequently be clumsy and can therefore lead to risks of spillage.
In an attempt to meet this need, machines are at present available which have the function of batching the colorant substances into the containers and also mixing them once batched.
These batching and mixing machines of known type are now described in terms of their main aspects.
Known machines exhibit a batching station and a mixing station, arranged one by the side of the other at a certain distance.
In the batching station there are means for automatic batching of the colorant substances into the containers, while in the mixing station there are means for automatically mixing the colorant substances included in the containers.
Between the two stations a transfer device is installed, which comprises: horizontal conveyor means for moving the containers with the colorant substances exiting the batching station towards the mixing station, displacing means of the containers with the colorant substances from the batching station to the conveyor means, and displacing means of the containers from the conveyor means to the mixing station.
The known machines are subject to the drawback described herein below.
These machines occupy a quite large space in the room they are installed in, as they substantially occupy a larger surface than the surface occupied by a colorimeter and a mixer placed side by side.
Indeed, these known machines must house, apart from the batching and mixing stations, also the above-cited transfer device, which comprises a succession of components placed side-by-side.
This drawback is particularly critical in a case in which the above-mentioned rooms are do-it-yourself or paint shops for do-it-yourself customers, rather than industrial buildings, as shops usually have a relatively limited space available, which also has many customers milling about.
In other words, the known machines have a lateral overall size which is incompatible with sales policies of do-it-yourself shops and the like.
A kind of this known solution is disclosed in EP2025393 A1 of the Applicant, which describes an apparatus for dispensing of colored pigments in a container and mixing of the pigments with the neutral glaze included in the container, having a batching station and a mixing station, the latter having mixing means including a rest base. The batching station and the mixing station are placed laterally with respect to each other, and the transfer of the container from the batching station to the rest base of the means of the mixing station is achieved moving a plate supporting the container downwards and then moving it horizontally up to the rest base, defining an "L" path. The means used for the transfer in the three embodiments can be alternatively: pusher organs alone, pusher organs plus a roller plane, and pusher organs, roller plane, motor means associated to the roller plane and further pusher organs.
US2008 051936 A1 discloses a method and an arrangement for automated color mixing, the arrangement providing one door, a station for producing a hole in a tin, a dosing station, functionally formed by a plurality of dosing canisters, a labeling and closing station, a mixing station, and a conveyor.
The aim of the present invention is to obviate the above-mentioned drawbacks and more besides by disclosing a machine for batching colorant substances in a portable container for colorant substances and for mixing the colorant substances contained in the container according to claim 1.
The machine comprises at least a batching station for batching the colorant substances into the container when the container is predisposed in the batching station; and
at least a mixing station for mixing the colorant substances such as to make the said substances homogeneous, when they are included in the container, when the container is predisposed in the mixing station.
The batching station and the mixing station are positioned at two different heights and are reciprocally arranged in such a way that one of them is substantially superposed on the other.
The machine also comprises means for supporting and moving the container, alternatively activatable such as to:

predispose the container in the batching station such that colorant substances can be batched into the container, or to
predispose the container containing colorant substances in the mixing station such that the colorant substances contained in the container can be mixed.

As the machine of the invention comprises a batching station and a mixing station arranged substantially superposingly, the above-described drawback, which affects the known machines in relation to the surface of the building to which they are destined, is completely obviated.
The batching and mixing machine of colorant substances of the invention can, in fact, occupy only the surface which substantially corresponds to the surface covered by the station having the larger lateral dimensions (the batching station or the mixing station).
Consequently, the machine of the invention enables batching into the containers and then mixing of the colorant substances automatically and in such a way that beyond satisfying the need to prevent risks of spillage of the colorant substances due to clumsy manipulation of the container on the part of the users, the smallest possible space is used in do-it-yourself or paint shops for do-it-yourself shops that wish to provide their customers with the chance to acquire portable containers with ready-to-use colorant substances.
Specific embodiments of the invention, and advantageous technical-functional characteristics thereof correlated to the embodiments which are only partly derivable from the above description, will be described herein below in the present description, making reference to what is illustrated in the claims and with the aid of the accompanying tables of drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a schematic lateral view in vertical section of the machine of the invention;
figure 2 is a view of a lower part of the machine of figure 1, in an operating stage; and
figure 3 is a view of the machine of figure 1 and figure 2, according to a vertical section indicated by plane III-III of figure 2.

With reference to the accompanying tables of drawings, 1 denotes in its entirety a machine for batching colorant substances in a portable container for colorant substances 2 and for mixing the colorant substances contained in the container 2.
As illustrated in figure 1, the batching station is denoted by D, the mixing station by M and the supporting and mixing means by 10.
The machine can be contained in a casing 3, comprising a first opening 4 and a second opening 5, for access to an internal part of the casing 3, where the batching and mixing stations D, M are housed.
The opening 4 can be used by a user for introducing the container 2 into the casing 3, such that it can be predisposed in the batching station D, while the opening 5 can be used to remove the container 2, comprising the already-homogenised colorant substances, from the mixing station M.
Further details of the functioning will be presented herein below.
In the spirit of a general explanation, not restrictive, we will in the following make reference to the case of a container 2 comprising a neutral substance to be colored by means of pigments, or other colorant substances, batched in the container 2, when predisposed in the batching station D.
In still more detail, the container 2 can comprise an upper wall 23, at least partly constituted by a layer of elastomer material, for reasons that will more fully emerge herein below.
It is clear that, similarly to the case for known colorimeters, the batching station D is able to batch the colorant substances into a container following an automatic process controlled by a processing unit, also preferably comprised in the casing 3.
The casing 3 will also present special interfacing means, such as buttons, monitors, etc., in order to enable the user to provide instructions to the processing unit relating to the desired combination of batched pigments and neutral substance.
The batching station D can comprise a plurality of batching needles 19 (see figure 1) for batching the colorant substances.
The batching needles 19 are arranged in the batching station D and are conformed in such a way as to be able to cross the layer of elastomer material, such that the colorant substances are batched into the container 2.
In this case, the means for supporting and moving 10 are activatable such as to predispose the container 2 in the batching station D such that the batching needles 19 cross the layer of elastomer material of the upper wall 23 of the container 2, such that the colorant substances can be batched into the container 2 itself.
It is therefore clear that when the container 2 and the batching needles 19 separate, the holes realised on the layer of elastomer material spontaneously close by virtue of the known properties of elastomer materials.
Other functions of the machine 1 connected with the automatic batching of pigments, or other colorant substances, are presented in the following.
The supporting and moving means 10 comprise (in reference to each of the accompanying figures of the drawings):

a base 11 for restingly supporting the container 2, and displacing means 12 arranged below the base 11, configured such as to be able to support the base 11, the container 2 resting thereon and the colorant substances when contained in the container 2.

The displacing means 12 are activatable to move the base 11, and the container 2 resting on the base 11, in such a way that there can be alternating predisposing of the container in the batching station D for batching the colorant substances in the container 2 or predisposing of the container 2 containing colorant substances in the mixing station M for mixing the colorant substances.
The base 11 can be substantially plate-shaped.
In the invention, the displacing means 12 comprise an upper member 121 that is removably couplable to the base 11 in such a way as to be able directly to support the base 11, and via the base 11 also to support the container 2 resting thereon and the colorant substances, when contained in the container 2.
This arrangement makes it possible alternatively to separate or couple together the base 11, which can bear the container 2, from and to the displacing means 12.
This leads to particular advantages which will be illustrated in the following, during the description of special aspects of the mixing station M in the preferred embodiment.
In detail, the removable coupling between the base 11 and the upper member 121 can be realised by providing the base 11 with a lower surface exhibiting a plurality of lower projections 110 and with the upper member 121 of the displacing means 12 comprising an upper surface exhibiting a plurality of upper recesses 120, at least some lower projections 110 being conformed and arranged in the lower surface such as to be able to insert in the upper recesses 120.
This aspect leads to various advantages.
Firstly, it enables the base 11 to be self-centred with the upper member 121, which enables safely moving the container 2 to inside the machine 1, without there being any risk of losing efficiency, for example of the batching or mixing organs of the colorant substances, due to problems of poor positioning of the container 2 with respect to the batching and mixing stations D, M.
Further, the above aspect enables a certain stability of the base 11 and thus of the container 2 resting thereon, during movement thereof, as the association between the lower projections 110 and the upper recesses 120 constitutes an anti-rotation and a horizontal anti-translation barrier of the base 11 with respect to the displacing means 12.
The batching station D is arranged superiorly of the mixing station M such that it is superposed thereon.
In this way, a more effective use of the plurality of batching needles 19, described above, is achieved.
In practice, the machine 1 functions as described in the following.
The user inserts the container 2 with the neutral product to be coloured in the first opening 4, such that it can rest on the base 11.
For this purpose a flat roller plane of idle rollers (not illustrated) can be comprised, for example inclined such as to exploit the force of gravity, which enables resting sliding of the container 2 thereon, from the first opening to the base 11.
Thereafter, the displacing means 12 raise the base 11 and the container 2, up until the container is predisposed in the batching station D such that the layer of elastomer material is passed-through by the needles 19 sufficiently for efficient batching of the pigments.
Then the displacing means 12 lower the base 11 and the container 2 with the colorant substances up to bringing the container 2 into the mixing station M, predisposing it for mixing the colorant substances.
Then, with reference to figure 3, the container 2 can be brought to the outside of the casing 3, through the opening 5, for example thanks to pusher means 6, activatable for pushing the container towards a further roller plane 7 formed by idle rollers arranged in a plane, for example also inclined such as to exploit the force of gravity, on which further roller plane 7 the container 2 can slide until it is in a position such as to be collected manually by a user.
The fact of having the batching station D arranged superiorly of the mixing station M, such as to be superposed thereon, also leads to achieving the advantages relative to the removable coupling between the base 11 and the upper member 121 by exploiting the force of gravity, and thus with greater efficiency, as will be more fully clarified herein below.
The displacing means 12 comprise a kinematism for straight motion 122, configured and arranged with respect to the batching station D and the mixing station M in such a way as to be activatable to displace the base 11, and the container 2 containing colorant substances resting on the base 11, along an only-vertical straight run from the batching station D to the mixing station M, predisposing the container 2 in the mixing station M such that the colorant substances contained therein can be mixed.
The kinematism for straight motion 122 is further activatable such as to bring the container 2, once resting on the base 11, after the user has inserted it in the first opening 4 in the above-detailed way, into the batching station D, and thus predispose it for batching the colorant substances.
This enables a maximisation of the productivity or performance of the machine 1, as the displacements of the container 2 internally thereof are made along a pathway that is the shortest possible (the exclusively straight and vertical run as described herein above).
The kinematism for straight movement 122 comprises (see figure 1 in particular):

a lower part comprising a sheath 123 in which a cavity is afforded, the cavity having a vertically-disposed longitudinal development, and
an upper part comprising a stem 124, which in turn comprises an upper end 125 associated to the upper member 121 of the displacing means 12 such as to be solidly constrained thereto and, via the upper member 121, to be able to support and move the base 11 with the container resting 2 on the base 11, which stem 124 further comprises a lower portion which is insertable into and extractable from the cavity of the sheath 123.

In this case, the kinematism for straight movement 122 is arranged, with respect to the batching station D and the mixing station M in such a way that the stem 124 is vertically mobile along an ideal straight line which crosses both the batching station D and the mixing station M.
The kinematism for the straight motion 122 is further configured such that the stem 124 is mobile to travel in such a way that the container 2 can be predisposed alternatively in the mixing station M or in the batching station D.
The kinematism for straight movement 122 can in practice comprise a jack or a linear actuator.
The stem 124 can be telescopic, like the one on figure 1.
The upper end 125, differently to what is illustrated in the figures, can also be connected to the upper member 121 via a loading cell or other means for weight measurement.
This detail can be useful for automatic and controlled dispensing of the pigments, as the loading cell can be connected to the above-mentioned processing unit for transmission of data relating to the weight and thus to the quantity of colorant substances contained in the container 2.
The data can be useful for establishing when to interrupt batching of the colorant substances, after dispensing a predetermined quantity thereof.
Alternatively the upper member 121 itself can comprise the loading cell.
As shown in all three figures, the mixing station M comprises:

blocking means 13 associable to the container 2 containing the colorant substances such as to be solidly constrained thereto, and
shaker means 14 activatable in order to shake the blocking means 13 in such a way that, when the blocking means 13 are solidly constrained to the container 2 containing colorant substances, the colorant substances can be mixed in order to become homogeneous.

With this solution, the colorant substances are mixed without inserting stirring means into the container 2.
It has the advantage, therefore, of completely preventing any possibility of undesired spillage of colorant substances from the container 2, and the advantage of the possibility to use the containers 2 with a layer of elastomer polymer.
Further, though this will be more fully explained herein below, it enables efficient exploitation of the removable coupling of the base 11 and the upper member 121, with a contemporaneous exploiting of the force of gravity.
In detail, the blocking means 13 comprise:

a support frame 131 for restingly supporting the base 11 on which the container 2 containing the colorant substances rests, and
locking means 132, associated to the support frame 131 such as to be solidly constrained thereto, the locking means 132 being activatable for associating the base 11 and the container 2 containing colorant substances to the support frame 131 such as to remain solidly constrained thereto.

The frame 131 serves to support the base 11 and the container 2, while the locking means 132 make the container 2 solid to the frame 131 such that the energy transmitted to the frame 131 during shaking thereof by the shaker means 14 is transferred with the minimum possible leakage of the colorant substances contained in the container 2.
The locking means 132 are supported and fixed directly to the frame 131, such as to form, for the purpose of the shaking, an assembly with the frame 131 and the container 2, which is advantageous for the effectiveness of the shaking, as the force exerted on the locking means 13 by the shaker means 14 transmits rigidly to all the components of the assembly.
In order to exploit the force of gravity, and to prevent the mixing of the colorant substances from being, in some way, obstructed by the kinematism for straight movement 122, and for other reasons that will be specified herein below, the embodiment of the machine 1 (illustrated in all the figures) exhibits special characteristics as listed and detailed herein below.
The support frame 131 comprises a lower rest plate 133 comprising, in turn, a through-opening 134 of which is conformed such as to enable free crossing of the upper member 121 of the displacing means 12.
The displacing means 12 are arranged, with respect to the through-opening of the support frame 131, and are activatable such as to move the upper member 121 thereof, such as to arrange it alternatively either inferiorly or superiorly of the through-opening 134 of the lower rest plane 133 of the support frame 131.
Further, the lower rest plane 133 further comprises a rest portion 135 which includes the through-opening 134, which rest portion 135 is conformed such as to be able to support the base 11 of the supporting and moving means 10 and the container 2 containing colorant substances.
Further, the rest portion 135 is conformed such that when the upper member 121 of the displacing means 12 is coupled to the base 11, on which the container 2 with the colorant substances is resting, and when the upper member 121 is moved such as to arrange it inferiorly of the through-opening 134, the base 11 abuts on the rest portion 135 of the lower rest plane 134, and is removed by the upper member 121, remaining in contact on the rest portion 135.
Further, the displacing means 12 are arranged, with respect to the base 11 and are activatable such as to be able to move the upper member 121, when arranged inferiorly to the through-opening 134, in such a way that it couples with the base 11, when it is resting on the rest portion 135, and such as to remove it from the rest portion 135.
In particular, the rest portion 135 of the support frame 131 exhibits a plurality of recesses 130 configured such as to be able to insertingly receive some lower projections 110 of the lower surface of the base 11, such that the base 11 is removably coupled to the support frame 131.
In this way, the advantages of self-centring, anti-rotation and horizontal anti-translation are obtained, as described herein above for the association of the base 11 with the upper member 121.
Returning to the functioning of the machine 1, after batching the colorant substances in the container 2, the container 2, resting on the base 11, is lowered and brought into the mixing station M.
When the base 11 abuts against the rest portion 135, its descent is halted, and so is the descent of the container 2.
At this point the upper membrane 121 and the base 11 separate.
The upper member 121 descends below the through-opening 134 of the support frame 131, while the base 11 remains, with the container 2 and the colorant substances to be mixed, resting on the frame 131, given that it comprises a suitable rest portion 135.
The locking means 132 are then activatable to associate the base 11 and the container 2 containing colorant substances to the support frame 131 such as to be solidly constrained thereto.
Then the shaker means 14 are activated such as to shake the frame 131, with the locking means 132, as explained herein above, such that the colorant substances are homogenised.
In order for the shaker means 132 not to obstruct the vertical movement of the base 11, the container 2 and/or the stem 124, the locking means 132 can be arranged such as to be laterally positioned with respect to the container 2 containing colorant substances, when the container 2 is resting on the base 11, which is supported on the support frame 131.
In practice, as in general the container 2 comprises at least a lateral surface 21 and an upper surface 22, the locking means 132 preferably comprise:

a plurality of linear actuators 136 fixed to the support frame 131, each of which comprises a free end, and
an abutting member 137 fixed to the free end of each linear actuator 136, which abutting member 137 is conformed such as to be able to contemporaneously abut the upper surface 22 and the lateral surface 21 of the container 2.

Thanks to the conformation of the abutting member 137, when the linear actuators 136 are activated to bring the abutting member 137 to abut with the container 2, not only is it laterally constrained such that it cannot be subject to oscillations with respect to vertical axes, it is further kept blocked, by the base 11, against the above-mentioned support portion 135.
The linear actuators 136 are arranged, with respect to the container 2 containing colorant substances, when the container is resting on the base 11 which is resting on the support frame 131, such as to be activatable in order to associate the base 11 and the container 2 containing colorant substances to the support frame 131, such as to be solidly constrained thereto.
For example, the linear actuators 136 can be arranged such that the abutting members 137 thereof face one another, for example because the linear actuators 136 are arranged in a spoke-fashion with respect to the container 2.
In practice, the abutting member 137 can have such a form as to exhibit a front surface that is complementarily-shaped to a portion of the container 2 which comprises a tract of the edge formed by the upper surface 22 and the lateral surface 21.
After the mixing operation, the linear actuators 136 are activated such as to distance the abutting members from the container 2.
Then, the above-mentioned pusher means 6 (figure 3) are activated to bring the container 2, with the colorant substances, externally of the casing 3, through the opening 5.
Then, the above-mentioned kinematism for the straight movement 122 is activated such that the upper member 121 raises to pass through the through-opening 134 of the support frame 131 and couple with the base 11, in the ways described in detail herein above.
Not only this, the kinematism for the straight movement 122 is activated to bring the base 11, in an arrangement in the internal part of the casing 3 of the machine 1, such that the user can insert a next container 2 with the neutral product in the first opening 4, such that it rests on the base 11.
As shown above, a big advantage of the above-detailed arrangement lies in the fact that during the movement between the stations, the container 2 follows only vertical movements.
The above-presented details enable total avoidance of the use of devices for moving the container 2 which cause the container 2 to move along non-vertical pathways, reducing the possible lateral size of the machine 1 to a minimum.
The configuration and the reciprocal arrangement between the batching station D, the mixing station M and the supporting and moving means of the container 10, enables the occupation of surfaces in rooms the machine 1 is destined to be installed in to be kept to a minimum.
The above-mentioned shaker means 14 comprise:

a bench 15 which can be rested on the ground,
an intermediate structure 16 located superiorly of the bench 15 and inferiorly of the support frame 131, which intermediate structure 16 is supported by the bench 15,
first means for alternating motion 17 activatable to produce a vertical oscillating motion of the intermediate structure 16 with respect to the bench 15, and
second means for alternating motion 18 activatable to produce a horizontal oscillating motion of the support frame 131 with respect to the intermediate structure 16.

The first and the second means for alternating movement 17, 18 are together able to realise the shaking operations of the frame 131 as described above and thus mix the colorant substances.
For the special detail to be effectively usable with the above-described aspects of the machine 1, the intermediate structure 16 will comprise a through-opening 161 conformed and positioned both with respect to the through-opening 134 of the lower rest plane 133 of the support frame 131 and with respect to the displacing means 12, such that the upper member 121 thereof can be moved to pass freely through the through-opening 161 of the intermediate structure 16 and be alternating arranged either below or above it.
In still more detail, the bench 15 can comprise a hole 151 conformed such as to house the sheath 123 of the kinematism for straight movement 122.
The hole 151 of the bench 15 is arranged below the through-hole 161 of the intermediate structure 16 in such a way that the stem 124 of the kinematism for the straight motion 122 is vertically mobile such as to run through the through-opening 161 of the intermediate structure 16 and through the through-opening 134 of the lower rest plane 133 of the support frame 131.
In this case, the batching station D and the mixing station M are arranged with respect to one another such that the stem 124 is mobile vertically along an ideal straight line which crosses both the batching station D and the mixing station M over run lengths such that the container 2 can be predisposed alternatively in the mixing station M or the batching station D.
Practically, the first and the second means for alternating motion 17, 18 can each be formed by a con rod-crank kinematism 171, 181 and by guides for linear movement 172, 182, each of which is constituted by an arm sliding in a respective recess.

Claims

A machine for batching colorant substances in a portable container for colorant substances (2) and for mixing the colorant substances contained in the container (2), which machine (1) comprises:
at least a batching station (D) for receiving a container (2) and for batching the colorant substances into the container (2), and

at least a mixing station (M) for receiving the container (2) with the batched colorant substances and for mixing the colorant substances such as to make the said substances homogeneous,

wherein the batching station (D) and the mixing station (M) are positioned at two different heights, the batching station (D) is arranged superiorly of the mixing station (M) and the machine (1) comprises means (10) for supporting and moving the container (2), in turn comprising a base (11) for restingly supporting the container (2), and displacing means (12), arranged below the base (11), able to support the base (11), the container (2) resting thereon and the colorant substances, which displacing means (12) are able to move the container (2) resting on the base (11) between the batching station (D) and the mixing station (M), the mixing station (M) comprising blocking means (13) associable to the container (2) containing the colorant substances such as to be solidly constrained thereto, and shaker means (14) activatable in order to shake the blocking means (13) in such a way that, when the blocking means (13) are solidly constrained to the container (2) containing colorant substances, the colorant substances can be mixed in order to become homogeneous,

the machine being characterized in that the batching station (D) is arranged superposed on the mixing station (M) and in that said displacing means (12) comprise a kinematism for straight motion (122) able to move the container (2) resting on the base (11) along a straight and only vertical run from the batching station (D) to the mixing station (M) and an upper member (121), removably couplable to the base (11) such as to be able to directly support the base (11), and via the base (11) to support the container (2) with the colorant substances resting thereon, wherein the blocking means (13) comprise a support frame (131) for restingly supporting the base (11) on which the container (2) containing the colorant substances rests, and locking means (132), such associated to the support frame (131) so as to be solidly constrained thereto, the locking means (132) being activatable for associating the base (11) and the container (2) containing colorant substances to the support frame (131) such as to remain solidly constrained thereto, the support frame (131) comprising a lower rest plane (133) comprising in turn a through-opening (134), which through-opening (134) is conformed such as to enable free crossing of the upper member (121) of the displacing means (12), the displacing means (12) are so arranged with respect to the through-opening (134) of the support frame (131) and are so activatable for moving the upper member (121) as to arrange the upper member (121) alternatingly either inferiorly or superiorly of the through-opening (134) of the lower rest plane (133) of the support frame (131), the lower rest plane (133) further comprises a rest portion (135) which includes the through-opening (134), which rest portion (135) is conformed such as to be able to support the base (11) of the supporting and moving means (10) and the container (2) containing colorant substances, and such that, when the upper member (121) of the displacing means (12) is coupled to the base (11) on which the container (2) containing the colorant substances is resting, and when the upper member (21) is moved such as to be arranged inferiorly of the through-opening (134), the base (11) abuts the rest portion (135) of the lower rest plane (134) and is removed from the upper member (121), remaining resting on the rest portion (135), and in which the displacing means (12) are arranged with respect to the base (11) and are activatable such as to be able to move the upper member (121), when arranged inferiorly of the through-opening (134), such that it couples with the base (11) when the base (11) is resting on the rest portion (135), and such as to remove it from the rest portion (135).
The machine of claim 1, wherein the kinematism for the straight motion (122) comprises:
a lower part comprising a sheath (123) in which a cavity is afforded, the cavity having a vertically-disposed longitudinal development, and

an upper part comprising a stem (124), which in turn comprises an upper end (125) associated to the upper member (121) of the displacing means (12) such as to be solidly constrained thereto and, via the upper member (121), to be able to support and move the base (11) with the container resting (2) on the base (11), which stem (124) further comprises a lower portion which is insertable into and extractable from the cavity of the sheath (123),

the kinematism for straight movement (122) being arranged, with respect to the batching station (D) and the mixing station (M), in such a way that the stem (124) is vertically mobile along an ideal straight line which crosses both the batching station (D) and the mixing station (M), the kinematism for straight motion (122) further being configured such that the stem (124) is mobile to travel in such a way that the container (2) can be predisposed alternatively in the mixing station (M) or in the batching station (D).
The machine of claim 1, wherein the locking means (132) are arranged laterally with respect to the container (2) containing colorant substances, when the container (2) is resting on the base (11) which is supported on the support frame (131).
The machine of the preceding claim, for a portable container for colorant substances (2) comprising at least a lateral surface (21) and an upper surface (22), wherein the locking means (132) comprise:
a plurality of linear actuators (136) fixed to the support frame (131), each of which comprises a free end, and

an abutting member (137) fixed to the free end of each linear actuator (136), which abutting member (137) is conformed such as to be able to contemporaneously abut the upper surface (22) and the lateral surface (21) of the container (2),

the linear actuators (136) being arranged, with respect to the container (2) containing colorant substances, when the container is resting on the base (11) which rests on the support frame (131), such as to be activatable in order to associate the base (11) and the container (2) containing colorant substances to the support frame (131), such as to be solidly constrained thereto.
The machine of claim 1, wherein the shaker means (14) comprise:
a bench (15) which can be rested on the ground,

an intermediate structure (16) located superiorly of the bench (15) and inferiorly of the support frame (131), which intermediate structure (16) is supported by the bench (15),

first means for alternating motion (17) activatable to produce a vertical oscillating motion of the intermediate structure (16) with respect to the bench (15), and

second means for alternating motion (18) activatable to produce a horizontal oscillating motion of the support frame (131) with respect to the intermediate structure (16),

and wherein the intermediate structure (16) comprises a through-hole (161) conformed and positioned with respect to both the through-hole (134) of the lower rest plane (133) of the support frame (131) and the displacing means (12) such that the upper member (121) of the displacing means (12) can be moved, freely passing through the through-hole (161) of the intermediate structure (16), becoming arranged alternatively either inferiorly or superiorly thereof.
The machine of the preceding claim and claim 2, wherein:
the bench (15) comprises a hole (151) conformed such as to receive the sheath (123) of the kinematism for straight motion (122), which hole (151) in the bench (15) is arranged inferiorly of the through-hole (161) of the intermediate structure (16) such that the stem (124) of the kinematism for the straight motion (122) is vertically mobile in order to run through the through-hole (161) of the intermediate structure (16) and through the through-hole (134) of the lower rest plane (133) of the support frame (131), and wherein the batching station (D) and the mixing station (M) are arranged with respect to one another in such a way that the stem (124) is vertically mobile along an ideal straight line which crosses both the batching station (D) and the mixing station (M) with runs such that the container (2) can be predisposed alternatingly in the mixing station (M) or the batching station (D).
The machine of claim 1, for a portable container for colorant substances (2) comprising an upper wall (23) at least partly constituted by a layer made of an elastomer material, wherein:
the batching station (D) comprises a plurality of batching needles (19) for batching colorant substances, which batching needles (19) are arranged in the batching station (D) and are conformed such that they can pass through the layer of elastomer material, so that the colorant substances are batched in the container (2), and wherein

a kinematism for straight movement (122) is activatable such as to predispose the container (2) in the batching station (D) in such a way that the batching needles (19) cross the layer of elastomer material of the upper wall (23) of the container (2) and the colorant substances can be thus batched in the container (2).
The machine of claim 1, wherein the base (11) comprises a lower surface exhibiting a plurality of lower projections (110) and the upper member (121) of the displacing means (12) comprises an upper surface exhibiting a plurality of upper recesses (120), at least some of the plurality of lower projections (110) being conformed and arranged in the lower surface such as to be able to insert in the upper recesses (120), removably coupling the upper member (121) with the base (11).
The machine of claim 8, wherein the rest portion (135) of the support frame (131) forms a plurality of recesses (130) configured such as to be able to insertingly receive some lower prominences (110) of the lower surface of the base (11), such that the base (11) is removably coupled to the support frame (11).