Mixer for forming ceramic suspension with reduced cooling and related method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10800069-B2
Application number	US-202016816652-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2020
Priority date	Jun 28, 2017
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

A mixer is disclosed including a sealed mixing chamber having an interior, and a rotating mixing bowl within the interior of the sealed mixing chamber. A stand operatively supports the sealed mixing chamber. The stand includes: a foundation, a mixing chamber base movably coupled to the foundation and positioning the sealed mixing chamber at an angle relative to horizontal, and a linear actuator system configured to move the mixing chamber base relative to the foundation in at least one linear direction. A rotating mixing head is operatively positioned and sealingly disposed within the sealed mixing chamber, the rotating mixing head rotating within the rotating mixing bowl. The mixer and a related method provide for ceramic suspension mixing with reduced cooling and possibly without cooling the suspension.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of mixing a ceramic suspension with reduced cooling the ceramic suspension, the method comprising:
adding at least two constituents of the ceramic suspension into a mixing bowl positioned in a mixing chamber, the mixing chamber and the mixing bowl being tilted relative to horizontal;
sealing the mixing chamber with a lid and applying a vacuum through a first portal and using a vacuum source, creating a sealed mixing chamber, wherein the vacuum source is one of a pump or compressor;
mixing the at least two constituents in the mixing bowl in the sealed mixing chamber with reduced cooling by simultaneously:
first rotating a rotating mixing head relative to the mixing bowl,
second rotating the mixing bowl, and
moving the sealed mixing chamber in at least one linear direction; and
adding a third constituent to the ceramic suspension through a second portal in the lid.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the moving includes moving the sealed mixing chamber in a pair of linear directions.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first rotating and the second rotating are in opposite directions.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising supporting the sealed mixing chamber relative to a foundation thereof on elastic mounts.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising pausing the mixing and adding an additional constituent to the sealed mixing chamber while maintaining the vacuum.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using the ceramic suspension after mixing to form a ceramic component without ever cooling the ceramic suspension.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Troitino Lopez Jose
• Pratt James Stuart

Classifications

• B01F29/83 Primary

  with rotary paddles or arms, e.g. movable out of the receptacle · CPC title

• B01F29/4034

  variable, e.g. tiltable during the operation · CPC title

• B01F31/50

  with a receptacle submitted to a combination of movements, i.e. at least one vibratory or oscillatory movement · CPC title

• B01F31/56

  having a vibrating receptacle provided with stirring elements, e.g. independent stirring elements · CPC title

• B01F33/82

  Combinations of dissimilar mixers · CPC title