Mixing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12083486-B2
Application number	US-201917259444-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2019
Priority date	Jul 12, 2018
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

A mixing device ( 1 ) for cyclically imparting a force on an external surface (A) of a bag (B) for agitating a content (C) of the bag (B), the mixing device ( 1 ) comprising a lever ( 2 ) supported so as to be able to pivot about a pivot ( 3 ), a weight ( 4 ) provided on a first side of the lever ( 2 ), a driver ( 5 ) arranged to cooperate with the lever ( 2 ), a motor ( 6 ) for moving the driver ( 5 ) to lift the first side of the lever ( 2 ) with the weight ( 4 ) against gravity and to drop the first side against the external surface (A) of the bag (B), and a holder ( 7 ) for supporting the mixing device ( 1 ) such that the first side of the lever ( 2 ) can contact the external surface (A) of the bag (B) in the drop motion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mixing device ( 1 ) for cyclically imparting a force on an external surface (A) of a bag (B) for agitating a content (C) of the bag (B), the mixing device ( 1 ) comprising:
a lever ( 2 ) supported so as to be able to pivot about a pivot ( 3 );
a weight ( 4 ) provided on a first side of the lever ( 2 );
a driver ( 5 ) arranged to cooperate with the lever ( 2 );
a motor ( 6 ) for moving the driver ( 5 ) to lift the first side of the lever ( 2 ) with the weight ( 4 ) against gravity and to drop the first side against the external surface (A) of the bag (B); and
a holder ( 7 ) for supporting the mixing device ( 1 ) such that the first side of the lever ( 2 ) can contact the external surface (A) of the bag (B) in a drop motion, the holder ( 7 ) comprising a stand ( 7 a ) arranged to be placed below the bag (B) and a bracket ( 7 b ) connected to the stand ( 7 a ) and supporting the lever ( 2 ) above the bag (B) with the bag (B) placed therebetween, wherein the weight ( 4 ) and the lever ( 2 ) are configured so that the weight ( 4 ) contacts the external surface (A) of the bag (B) in the drop motion, and wherein the stand ( 7 a ) and at least a portion of the bracket ( 7 b ) are arranged such that the bag slides in between or is sandwiched by the stand ( 7 a ) and the bracket ( 7 b ) of the holder ( 7 ); and
wherein the lever ( 2 ), the driver ( 5 ), and the motor ( 6 ) are directly coupled to the bracket ( 7 b ) of the holder ( 7 ).

2. The mixing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein
the driver ( 5 ) is engaged with or is arranged to be engaged with and disengaged from the lever ( 2 ) at a position spaced from the pivot ( 3 ) or a pivot axis, and
the motor ( 6 ) is arranged to move the driver ( 5 ) in engagement with or to cyclically move the driver ( 5 ) into and out of engagement with the lever ( 2 ), or the pivot axis of the lever ( 2 ) to lift the first side with the weight ( 4 ) against gravity and to drop the first side due to gravity of the weight ( 4 ) against the external surface (A) of the bag (B).

3. The mixing device ( 1 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the driver ( 5 ) is arranged such that the disengagement of the driver ( 5 ) from the lever ( 2 ), or the pivot axis of the lever ( 2 ) is made abrupt when the weight ( 4 ) at the first side of the lever ( 2 ) is at a top lift position.

4. The mixing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the driver ( 5 ) comprises a cam ( 5 c ) arranged to be rotated by the motor ( 6 ).

5. The mixing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the driver ( 5 ) comprises one or more pin(s) ( 5 a ) or tooth/teeth ( 5 b ) arranged eccentrically from an axis ( 8 ) of the motor ( 6 ) and connected with the axis ( 8 ) of the motor ( 6 ) so as to be able to perform an orbiting movement.

6. The mixing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising an abutment ( 9 ) for limiting the drop motion of the lever ( 2 ) at a bottom drop position.

7. The mixing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein a horizontal extension of the stand ( 7 a ) and/or the bracket ( 7 b ) is adjustable.

8. The mixing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein a vertical spacing of the weight ( 4 ) in a bottom drop position of the lever ( 2 ) above the stand ( 7 a ) of the holder ( 7 ) is adjustable.

9. The mixing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the first side of the lever ( 2 ) having the weight ( 4 ) has a head with a portion ( 10 ) intended to hit the external surface (A) of the bag (B) in operation.

10. The mixing device ( 1 ) according to claim 9 , wherein the portion ( 10 ) intended to hit the external surface (A) of the bag (B) is formed to avoid damage to the bag (B).

11. The mixing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the weight ( 4 ) has a mass of at least 0.5 kg.

12. The mixing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the motor ( 6 ) is an electric or pneumatic motor and wherein the mixing device ( 1 ) comprises a controller for operating the motor ( 6 ), the controller allowing setting of a timing of operation.

13. A mixing device ( 1 ) for cyclically imparting a force on an external surface (A) of a bag (B) for agitating a content (C) of the bag (B), the mixing device ( 1 ) comprising:
a lever ( 2 ) supported so as to be able to pivot about a pivot ( 3 );
a weight ( 4 ) provided on a first side of the lever ( 2 );
a driver ( 5 ) arranged to cooperate with the lever ( 2 );
a motor ( 6 ) for moving the driver ( 5 ) to lift the first side of the lever ( 2 ) with the weight ( 4 ) against gravity and to drop the first side against the external surface (A) of the bag (B); and
a holder ( 7 ) for supporting the mixing device ( 1 ) such that the first side of the lever ( 2 ) can contact the external surface (A) of the bag (B) in a drop motion,
wherein the motor ( 6 ) is an electric or pneumatic motor and wherein the mixing device ( 1 ) comprises a controller for operating the motor ( 6 ), the controller allowing setting of a timing of operation,
wherein the mixing device ( 1 ) comprises a sensor arrangement ( 11 ) for detecting a mixing state of the content (C) of the bag (B), the sensor arrangement ( 11 ) arranged to cooperate with the controller to control operation of the motor ( 6 ) in accordance with a detection result and/or issue a signal indicative of the detection result.

14. The mixing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the motor ( 6 ) is a clockwork motor.

15. The mixing device ( 1 ) according to claim 9 , wherein the portion ( 10 ) intended to hit the external surface (A) of the bag (B) is rounded and/or coated.

16. The mixing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the weight ( 4 ) has a mass of at least 1 kg.

17. The mixing device ( 1 ) according to claim 12 , wherein the controller allows setting of the timing of operation based on a cycle frequency and/or a cycle pattern and/or a duration of operation.

18. The mixing device ( 1 ) according to claim 2 , wherein
the driver ( 5 ) is engaged with or is arranged to be engaged with and disengaged from the lever ( 2 ) at a position spaced from the pivot ( 3 ) at a second side of the lever ( 2 ) opposite to the pivot ( 3 ) from the first side, or a pivot axis.

19. The mixing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the mixing device ( 1 ) cyclically imparts a force on an external surface (A) of a bag (B) and agitates a content (C) of the bag (B).

Assignees

• Merck Patent Gmbh

Inventors

• Olivier Stephane
• Bour Gaetan

Classifications

• B01F35/22161

  duration of the mixing process or parts of it · CPC title

• B01F35/3204

  Motor driven, i.e. by means of an electric or IC motor · CPC title

• B01F35/2134

  Density or solids or particle number · CPC title

• B01F31/55 Primary

  the materials to be mixed being contained in a flexible bag submitted to periodical deformation · CPC title