WO2008036264A2

WO2008036264A2 - Stirrer attachment

Info

Publication number: WO2008036264A2
Application number: PCT/US2007/020191
Authority: WO
Inventors: Donald Doll
Original assignee: Donald Doll
Priority date: 2006-09-20
Filing date: 2007-09-18
Publication date: 2008-03-27
Also published as: WO2008036264A3

Abstract

A mixing stirrer attachment for power drills of a design providing optimum mixing action with minimum rotational power drive requirements.

Description

STIRRER ATTACHMENT

Related Applications

This application is a continuation-in-part patent application of the provisional patent application entitled "Stirrer Attachment", filed on 9/20/2006 and assigned serial number 60/845,910.

Background of the Invention

FIELD. This invention pertains to mixer power attachments. In particular, it relates to an improved stirrer attachment for a power drill or rotary power source.

STATE OF THE ART. A number of stirrer attachments are known.

Martin, U.S. Patent No. D512, 292 issued December 6, 2005 discloses a paint stirrer structured as a propeller attached to a shaft to be driven by a power drill. Panaccione et at., U.S. Patent No. D421, 030 issued February 22, 2000 discloses a drill-driven paint stirrer with paddles attached to a shaft. Geible, U.S. Patent No. 4,422,770 issued December 27, 1983 discloses an electric drill powered bent wire paint stirrer, which is not suitable for mixing more concentrated mixtures, such as cements or resins.

A number of power drill attachments with cage-like mixing ends are known. Bosch GRW HE Stirrer discloses a power drill attachment with a cage-like mixing end. Belle Promix 1200 E. 110 volt power stirrer is another power drill attachment with a cage-like mixing end. FAI/Full Mixing Paddle is still another power drill attachment with a cage-like mixing end. Wolfcraft 1706 Paint and Heavy Duty mixer is still another power drill attachment with a cage-like mixing end. DeWaIt DT 4950QZ discloses a power drill attachment mixer paddle with a cage-like mixing end. SilverHne H. Duty

Plaster Mixer power drill attachment with a cage-like mixing end. These mixing attachment devices require strong power drive requirements, and are more difficult to clean.

Wolfcraft 2141 Paint Mixer power drill attachment has a ribbon-like end with a loop and open ends. Cited for general interest is Hippler, US Patent No. D344, 380 issued February 15, 1994 directed to a manually operated L shaped stirrer. L'Estrange, Jr., U.S. Patent No. 5,494,352 discloses a manual stirrer blade with an upper handle section and a lower section with tapers and holes for stirring. Haller, U.S. Patent No. D262, 431 issued December 29, 1981 discloses a manually operated outward vented paint stirrer. Rodgers, U.S. Patent No. 4,884,895 issued December 5, 1989 discloses a manually operated paint stirrer with a plurality of flexible pliable members at its end to aid in circulating stirrer settled out colloidal suspended pigments None of these stirrers provides a design providing optimum mixing action with minimum power drive. The device below provides such an invention.

Summary of the Invention

The invention comprises a jointed or single piece steel bar bent to form a stirrer attachment having a shaft section with one end is adapted to fit within the chuck of a power drill or other rotary power source and the other end bent into a mixing segment. Preferably it is constructed of hexagonal steel bar. The mixing segment has an L-shaped stirrer segment bent normal the shaft. The L-shaped stirrer segment has a first end forming a 180 degree bend to loop back and position a bottom stirrer segment of a length approximately twice the L-shaped stirrer segment parallel the L-shaped stirrer segment. The bottom stirrer segment extends beyond the shaft and has a second end forming a 90 degree bend to position a straight stirrer segment aligned parallel the shaft. The straight stirrer segment is of a length selected to form a rotationally balanced straight stirrer segment off-setting the L-shaped stirrer segment so that the stirrer when turned by the rotary power source rotates without wobbling. The mixing segment thus has a first bend to form a first L-shaped stirrer section which extends until a second bend loops it back under the L- shaped section forming looped segment, which extends a similar distance beyond the L-shaped section until its end is bent upward forming an upward mixing segment approximate the same length as the first L-shaped section parallel the shaft to aid in mixing and balancing the stirrer when rotated.

The width and length of the stirrer attachment is selected to provide proper mixing for the type of material to be blended or stirred. For example, a paint mixer is sized so the bottom mixing segment fits within a conventional paint can. A larger similar shaped concrete mixing stirrer attachment is used for heavier mixtures.

These stirrers are preferably made of cold rolled steel or similar material, which is resistant to interacting with the mixture being stirred, but strong enough to withstand the rotational torque forces required for mixing. The mixing end is adapted to provide a balanced rotating end, which simultaneously mixes paints, cements, or resins to be stirred. Its shape provides effective mixing, while requiring minimal power making it suitable for use with a power drill. It is capable of mixing concrete containing gravel aggregates, mortar, and taping compound mixtures as well as paints and resins with an absolute minimum of product waste. For thinner mixtures, its flat bottom mixing end continually clears the bottom of paint cans and containers, while providing the maximum stirring action to effectively and completely mix all settled pigmentation sediments from the bottom back up into the liquid medium of the paint at the same time such that the paint does not rise up out of the can.

The recommended drill size for use with the paint stirrer of Fig. 1, is any power drill with a rating of 14 volts or higher. The recommended minimum drill size for use with the concrete mixing stirrer is a 3/8 inch variable speed drill delivering between 800 and 1200 revolutions per minute. The running amp capacity of the drill should be at least 5 amps as shown on the name plate of the drill. The higher the rpm of the drill, the higher the amp draw. These mixing stirrers thus provide a design providing optimum mixing action with minimum power drive requirements.

Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the preferred embodiment shown in Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a side view of another preferred embodiment.

Description of the Illustrated Embodiments

The invention 10 comprises a single piece hexagonal steel bar bent as shown in Fig. 1 as a paint stirrer to form a shaft section 12 with one end 14 is adapted to fit within the chuck of a power drill and the other end bent into a mixing segmentlό. The mixing segment 16 has a first quarter circle bend to form a first L-shaped stirrer section 18, which extends away from the shaft 12 sufficiently to mix, but in a manner that minimizes rotational torque. A second half circle bend 20 loops the bar back under the L-shaped section 18 forming looped bottom segment 22, which extends a similar distance beyond the L-shaped section 18 until bent with a one quarter circle bend 24 upward forming an upward mixing segment 26 held parallel the shaft 12 to aid in mixing and balancing the stirrer when rotated.

The preferred dimensions of the paint stirrer are shown in Fig. 1 : Shaft 12: 310 mm made of 5 type hex flats

Stirrer section 18: 40.5 mm

Bend 20: R9.5 Type 3 pics

Looped segment 22: 81 mm

Mixing segment 26: 50 mm. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the embodiment showing in Fig. 1 showing the width of the looped segment 22.

A larger similar shaped concrete mixing stirrer for heavier mixtures is shown in Fig. 3. The preferred dimensions of this concrete mixing stirrer 10 are shown in Fig.2: Shaftl2: 535 mm made of 6.3 type hex stock

Stirrer section 18: 44.5 mm

Bend 24: Rl 2.50 Type 4 pics

Looped segment 22: 101.5 mm

Mixing segment 26: 58 mm. These stirrers 10 are preferably made of cold rolled steel or similar material, which is resistant to interacting with the mixture being stirred, but strong enough to withstand the rotational torque forces required for mixing. The preferred stirrer attachment 10 is made of hexagonal stock for strength and providing an end 14 for gripping by a power drill. Although circular bends are shown, other bends and joints are contemplated to produce the shape of the stirrer 10.

The mixing end 16 is adapted to provide a balanced rotating end, which simultaneously mixes paints, cements, or resins to be stirred. Its shape provides effective mixing, while requiring minimal power to overcome stirring resistance making it suitable for use with a power drill. These mixing stirrers 10 thus provide a design providing optimum mixing action with minimum rotational power drive requirements.

Although this specification has referred to the illustrated embodiments, it is not intended to restrict the claims of the invention. The claims themselves recite those features deemed essential to the invention.

Claims

CLAIMSWe claim:

1. A stirrer comprising: a. a shaft with one end adapted to attach removably to a rotary power source, and b. a second end structured as a stirrer having

1. an L-shaped stirrer segment bent normal the shaft with a first end forming ii. a 180 degree bend to position a ϊii. bottom stirrer segment of a length approximately twice the L- shaped stirrer segment parallel the L-shaped stirrer segment and extending beyond the shaft with a second end forming iv. a 90 degree bend to position a v. straight stirrer segment aligned parallel the shaft and of a length selected to form a rotationally balanced straight stirrer segment off-setting the

L-shaped stirrer segment so that the stirrer when turned by the rotary power source rotates without wobbling.

2. A stirrer according to claim 1, wherein the stirrer and shaft are made of a resistant material, which will not interact with the mixture being stirred, but strong enough to withstand the rotational torque forces required for mixing-

3. A stirrer according to claim 1, wherein the stirrer is constructed of a single piece of bent hexagonal metal.

4. A stirrer according to claim 1, wherein the bends are circular bends.

5. A stirrer according to claim 1, wherein the length of the bottom segment is approximately the width of a mixing pail.

6. A stirrer according to claim 1, where the shape of the bends and segments are selected to form a rotationally balanced stirrer which provides effective mixing, while requiring minimal power to overcome stirring resistance.