Device and method for storing products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10737837-B2
Application number	US-201113703268-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2011
Priority date	Jun 10, 2010
Publication date	Aug 11, 2020
Grant date	Aug 11, 2020

Abstract

A method and a device used to store a product inside a receptacle. The product includes a first liquid component and at least a second component. Inside the receptacle, the product is circulated by a conveying apparatus which is positioned in the region of a tubular guide element arranged inside a receptacle. At least one component of the product fed to the receptacle flows first into an internal space of the guide element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for storing a product, comprising: a receptacle for storing a product which consists of a first liquid component and at least a second component that is a solid, chunky component, the receptacle having a base; a vertical tubular guide element arranged inside the receptacle with a spacing from the base so as to be oriented with a longitudinal axis in a vertical direction; a conveying apparatus for the product, the conveying apparatus including a propeller positioned in a lower region of the guide element so as to create a vertical flow through the guide element to create a suction for transporting the solid component of the product in a vertical direction to an interior of the guide element and so as to mix the first and the second components along the vertical flow through the guide element; and at least one feed pipe for at least one component of the product opens out into an opening in a side wall of the guide element, wherein the feed pipe has an internal cross-section and the opening in the side wall of the guide element has a cross-section equal to the internal cross-section of the feed pipe so that the entire internal cross-section of the feed pipe opens directly into the guide element to enable streaming of the product with the solid components in the interior of the guide element, wherein the at least one feed is fixed in position in a region of a wall of the receptacle and is attached to the tubular guide elements so as to hold and position the tubular guide element whereby the guide element is held by the feed pipe and the feed pipe opens in the guide element in a lower part of the wall of the guide element, wherein the propeller has at least one blade that extends from a shaft in a radial direction, wherein said blade has a shape to effect said suction in the vertical direction, wherein the guide element has a lower end with a first opening directed to the base of the receptacle and an upper end with a second opening directed away from the base of the receptacle, the first opening and the second opening being surrounded by the wall of the guide element, wherein the conveying apparatus includes a motor coupled to the propeller to rotate the propeller in the suction direction, the motor and the propeller being arranged to create a reversible flow direction in the guide element, the guide element having at least one directing element that suppresses formation of rotary flows inside the guide element and promotes formation of flows in the vertical direction, wherein the base of the receptacle has an upper central region with a bulge directed toward the first opening of the guide element, wherein said bulge is surrounded by a circular depression in the base.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein of the guide element is spaced from the base of the receptacle at a spacing of about 1.3 times an average particle size of the second component.

3. The device according to claim 1 , and further comprising a filling level measuring device connected to the receptacle.

4. The device according to claim 3 , and further comprising a filling level regulating device connected to the filling level measuring device.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein a conveying direction of the conveying apparatus is reversible.

Assignees

• Spelten Franz-Willi
• Kluth Bernd
• Sig Technology Ag

Inventors

• Spelten Franz-Willi
• Kluth Bernd

Classifications

• B01F23/49 Primary

  Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams · CPC title

• B01F23/59

  Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams · CPC title

• B01F25/00

  Flow mixers; Mixers for falling materials, e.g. solid particles (centrifugal mixers B04) · CPC title

• B01F27/80

  with stirrers rotating about a substantially vertical axis · CPC title

• B01F23/023 Primary

  Preventing sedimentation, conglomeration or agglomeration of solid ingredients during or after mixing by maintaining mixed ingredients in movement · CPC title