JP2003315261A - Mixer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mixer which can quantitatively detect the mixing degree of a material. <P>SOLUTION: The mixer is provided with a means for illuminating a mixing material in a mixing container with a light, detecting the changing width due to the timing or positional difference of the reflected or transmitted light, and judging the uniformity of the mixing material. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mixer which, when mixing plural kinds of materials having different optical properties, automatically and automatically detects the homogeneity of the mixture.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to mix plural kinds of materials,
For example, a method of rotating a stirring blade in a container made of stainless steel or plastic, or rotating the container itself for mixing has been generally performed. However, the method of quantitatively detecting whether or not these materials are uniformly mixed is not generalized, and it is necessary to use the experience and feeling such as visually judging the appearance of the mixture or measuring the viscosity of the mixture. I often relied on it.
These methods lack quantification and lead to product quality variations, especially when they involve chemical reactions.To avoid this, measures such as unnecessarily mixing for an unnecessarily long time are taken. Came. This operation naturally leads to oversized equipment and unreasonably raises the cost of the product.

[0003]

The present invention quantifies the detection of the end point of mixing, which relies on these experiences and feelings of the related art, and facilitates automation.

[0004]

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention irradiates a mixture in a mixing container with light, detects the fluctuation range of the reflected light or the transmitted light due to a temporal difference or a spatial difference, and makes the mixture uniform. A mixer equipped with a means for determining the property, and a mixture in a mixing container is irradiated with light from a light source, and the output of a detector corresponding to the intensity of reflected light or transmitted light is fed back to the light source. By setting the intensity of the reflected light or the transmitted light to a constant value, the fluctuation range of the input / output value of the light source or the magnitude of the feedback due to a temporal or spatial difference is detected, and the mixture is uniform. This is a mixer equipped with a means for determining the sex. That is, while mixing the mixture in the mixing container, when a certain position of the mixing container is irradiated with light and the intensity or color tone of the reflected light or the transmitted light is detected, the ratio of the substance passing through the certain part changes. Therefore, the intensity and color tone of the light also fluctuate, but the fluctuation width decreases as the mixing progresses and is made uniform. The same result can be obtained by scanning the detection position linearly or planarly on the surface of the mixture or inside the mixture with the mixing temporarily stopped.
Therefore, it is possible to easily obtain a mixture having a certain homogeneity by detecting the optical fluctuation range of these mixtures due to the difference in time or place and mixing until the fluctuation range reaches a predetermined value.

The mixture used in the mixer of the present invention can be a heterogeneous object having different optical properties, for example, any combination of liquid-liquid, liquid-solid (powder) and solid-solid, By mixing powders having different color tones, the uniformity can be detected with extremely high accuracy. For detecting the difference in color tone, it is effective to insert a color filter or the like in front of the detector. Further, the sensitivity can be adjusted by adjusting the area of the portion to be detected according to the particle size of the powder to be mixed.

In the mixer of the present invention, without stopping the operation during mixing, the light is irradiated to detect the homogeneity of the mixture during mixing, and the operation is terminated when the level reaches a predetermined value. This is a very effective means for keeping the quality of the product constant.

The mixing container used in the present invention may be made of stainless steel, plastic or the like which has been conventionally used, but if a container at least a part of which is made of transparent glass or plastic is used, the part can be detected. It can be used as a passage for light and the light source and the detector can be arranged outside the mixing container, and the system can be easily configured by using the conventional mixer as it is.

Further, it is also possible to insert this into a mixture as a probe in which a light source and a detection unit are integrally combined, and in this case, for example, an optical fiber is used to introduce and guide light from the outside of the container. For example, a probe having a very small tip can be inserted into a mixture, which is preferable because it does not hinder the mixing.

As the light source used in the present invention, an ordinary incandescent lamp, a fluorescent lamp, a high-pressure discharge lamp, an LED, a laser diode, or the like can be used. In particular, a feedback is provided so that the output of the photodetector is constant. When applied, these LEDs, laser diodes, etc. having a fast response speed are desirable.

Further, without fixing the light source and the detection unit at one place, scanning an arbitrary section, simultaneously comparing the signal intensities of a plurality of light sources and the detection unit, or sequentially switching and comparing,
The fluctuation range with respect to time or place may be detected.

[0011]

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention provides a mixer capable of quantitatively detecting the homogeneity of a mixture of a plurality of materials, and the stability of product quality. And the productivity are significantly improved.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A means for irradiating a mixture in a mixing container with light, detecting a fluctuation range of the reflected light or the transmitted light due to a temporal or spatial difference, and determining the uniformity of the mixture. A mixer characterized in that. 2. The reflected light or the transmitted light by irradiating the mixture in the mixing container with light from a light source and feeding back the output of the detector corresponding to the intensity of the reflected light or the transmitted light to the light source. The intensity of the light source is set to a constant value, and the fluctuation range of the input / output value of the light source or the magnitude of the feedback due to a temporal or spatial difference is detected to determine the homogeneity of the mixture. A mixer characterized in that. 3. The mixer according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the wall of the mixing container is transparent, and the transparent part serves as the light passage.