Mixing device and methods of operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12485392-B2
Application number	US-202017767026-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2020
Priority date	Oct 8, 2019
Publication date	Dec 2, 2025
Grant date	Dec 2, 2025

Abstract

Apparatus for mixing polymer, the apparatus comprising (i) a mixer housing including an internal chamber, said internal chamber having first and second sections in fluid communication with each other through a passageway; (ii) a first ram received in said first section; and (iii) a second ram received in said second section, where the apparatus is adapted to receive a composition including polymer within said internal chamber and move said composition between said first and second chambers through said passageway by operation of said first and second rams.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for mixing polymer, the apparatus comprising:
(i) a mixer housing including an internal chamber, said internal chamber having first and second sections in fluid communication with each other through a passageway; (ii) a first ram received in said first section; (iii) a second ram received in said second section (iv) a bore hole extending through said housing transverse to said passageway and intersecting said passageway, and (v) a pin extending into said bore hole;
where the apparatus is adapted to receive a composition including polymer within said internal chamber and move said composition between said first and second chambers through said passageway by operation of said first and second rams.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , where said pin is movable within said bore hole and adapted to partially occlude said passageway when in a first position and adapted to substantially avoid said passageway when in a second position.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , where the intersection of said passageway and said pin forms a plurality of passageways between said first and second sections.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an actuator coupled to said pin and adapted to selectively move said pin into and out of said passageway.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 4 , where said actuator is adapted to move said pin out of said orifice such that when both said rams are moved toward said mixing head, the polymer exits said pin hole.

6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , where said internal chamber is defined by a diameter, said passageway is defined by a diameter, and said diameter of said internal chamber is larger than the diameter of said passageway.

7 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , where said pin has a slit extending therethrough.

8 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , where said pin has a variable configuration.

9 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said passageway is disposed between opposed mix head walls, where said opposed mix head walls have a tapered surface.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , where said mixer housing has at least one vent extending into said chamber.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , where said first and second rams include contact surfaces adapted to interface with the mix head wall, which serves to facilitate the forcing of said composition through said passageway.

12 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , where said housing includes a heating or cooling element.

13 . A method for mixing a polymer, comprising:
(i) providing the apparatus of claim 1 ; (ii) charging a composition including a polymer to said internal chamber between said first and second rams; (iii) positioning the pin to partially occlude said passageway; (iv) moving one of said ram in one of said sections to force the composition through said passageway and into the other of said sections; (v) moving the other of said rams to force the composition back through said passageway and into the other of said sections; and (vi) repeating the moving of said rams.

14 . The method according to claim 13 further comprising after said step of repeating, discharging the composition from the chamber, where said step of discharging includes moving said pin away from said passageway to thereby avoid said passageway and directed said rams toward said passageway to thereby force the composition into a portion of said bore hole.

15 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising discharging the composition from the bore hole by operation of the pin.

16 . The method according to claim 13 , where the composition has a dynamic viscosity of from about 1 to about 100 Pa·s at said step of charging.

17 . The method according to claim 14 , where the composition has a Mooney viscosity (ML 1+4 @ 100 ° C.) of from about 20 to about 250 at said step of discharging.

18 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising the step of heating the composition during said steps of moving said rams.

19 . The method of claim 13 , where said composition includes a solvent, and further comprising the step of venting solvent from the mixer during said step of moving said arms.

20 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising a step of mixing the composition in a subsequent mixing step in another apparatus after discharging the composition from the chamber.

21 . The method of claim 20 , where said subsequent step of mixing takes place at conditions different than steps iii, iv, and v.

22 . An assembly comprising the apparatus of claim 1 in combination with a second apparatus for mixing polymer.

23 . The assembly of claim 22 , where the second apparatus for mixing polymer is an apparatus including:
(i) a second mixer housing including a second internal chamber, said second internal chamber having third and fourth sections in fluid communication with each other through a second passageway; (ii) a third ram received in said third section; and (iii) a fourth ram received in said fourth section,
where the second apparatus is adapted to receive a composition including polymer within said second internal chamber and move said composition between said third and fourth chambers through said second passageway by operation of said third and fourth rams.

Assignees

• Bridgestone Corp

Inventors

• Franks William
• Tartamella Timothy L

Classifications

• B01F2215/0495

  Numerical values of viscosity of substances · CPC title

• B01F35/189

  Venting, degassing or ventilating of gases, fumes or toxic vapours during mixing · CPC title

• B01F23/43

  using driven stirrers · CPC title

• B01F35/92

  for heating the outside of the receptacle, e.g. heated jackets or burners · CPC title

• B01F33/811

  in two or more consecutive, i.e. successive, mixing receptacles or being consecutively arranged · CPC title