Fluid Mixing Systems with Modular Impellers and Related Methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021237009-A1
Application number	US-202117165564-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 2, 2021
Priority date	Feb 3, 2020
Publication date	Aug 5, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A mixing system for mixing a liquid includes a first impeller segment having a first mount and a first mixing blade secured to the first mount and a second impeller segment having a second mount and a first mixing blade secured to the second mount, the second impeller segment being separate and discrete from the first impeller segment. One or more drive members are secured to the first impeller segment and the second impeller segment for concurrently rotating the first impeller segment and the second impeller segment about a rotational axis. The first impeller segment and the second impeller segment are secured to the one or more drive members so that a plane extending normal to the axis of rotation intersects with the first mixing blade of the first impeller segment and the first mixing blade of the second impeller segment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A mixing system for mixing a liquid, comprising:
a first impeller segment comprising a first mount and a first mixing blade secured to the first mount; a second impeller segment comprising a second mount and a first mixing blade secured to the second mount, the second impeller segment being separate and discrete from the first impeller segment; and means secured to the first impeller segment and the second impeller segment for concurrently rotating the first impeller segment and the second impeller segment about a rotational axis, wherein the first impeller segment and the second impeller segment are secured to the means for concurrently rotating so that a plane extending normal to the rotational axis intersects with the first mixing blade of the first impeller segment and the first mixing blade of the second impeller segment.

2 . The mixing system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a second mixing blade secured to the first mount and being spaced apart from the first mixing blade of the first mount.

3 . The mixing system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first mixing blade and the second mixing blade are the only mixing blades secured to first mount of the first impeller segment.

4 . The mixing system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first impeller segment and the second impeller segment have identical configurations.

5 . The mixing system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first mount has an opening extending therethrough and the second mount has an opening extending therethrough, the opening of the first mount and the opening of the second mount being aligned.

6 . The mixing system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first mount has a top face and an opposing bottom face and the second mount has a top face and an opposing bottom face, the bottom face of the first mount being disposed directly against or directly adjacent to the top face of the second mount.

7 . The mixing system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first mount and the second mount are disposed at different locations along the rotational axis.

8 . The mixing system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plane extending normal to the rotational axis does not intersect with both the first mount and the second mount.

9 . The mixing system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first mixing blade of the first impeller segment has a front face with a concave or parabolic configuration.

10 . The mixing system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first mixing blade of the first impeller segment further comprises a front face and an opposing back face, the front face having a length that extends from a first terminal end to an opposing second terminal end and having a width that extends between an inside edge connected to the first mount and an opposing outside edge.

11 . The mixing system as recited in claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the front face the first mixing blade of the first impeller segment extends linearly between the inside edge and the opposing outside edge.

12 . The mixing system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a third impeller segment secured to the means for concurrently rotating, the third impeller segment comprising a third mount and a first mixing blade secured to the third mount, the third impeller segment being separate and discrete from the first impeller segment and the second impeller segment.

13 . The mixing system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising means for securing the first impeller segment to the second impeller segment.

14 . The mixing system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the means for concurrently rotating comprises a first drive member coupled to the first impeller segment and the second impeller segment.

15 . The mixing system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the first mount of the first impeller segment and the second mount of the second impeller segment each have an opening extending therethrough, the first drive member being disposed within the opening of the first mount and the second mount.

16 . The mixing system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the first drive member is tubular, a drive shaft being removably received within the first drive member.

17 . The mixing system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the means for concurrently rotating comprises a first drive member secured to the second impeller segment and a second drive member secured to the second impeller segment.

18 . A mixing system for mixing a liquid, comprising:
a first impeller segment comprising a first mount, a first mixing blade secured to the first mount, and a second mixing blade secured to the first mount, the first mixing blade being spaced apart from second mixing blade; a second impeller segment comprising a second mount and a first mixing blade secured to the second mount, the second impeller segment being separate and discrete from the first impeller segment; and an elongated first drive member, the first impeller segment and the second impeller segment being secured to the first drive member so that a plane intersects with the first mixing blade and the second mixing blade of the first impeller segment and also with the first mixing blade of the second impeller segment.

19 . The mixing system as recited in claim 18 , wherein the first mixing blade of the first impeller segment has a front face with a concave or parabolic configuration.

20 . A mixing system for mixing a liquid, comprising:
a first impeller segment comprising a first mount and only two mixing blades or only one mixing blade being secured to the first mount; a second impeller segment comprising a second mount and only two mixing blades or only one mixing blade being secured to the second mount, the second impeller segment being separate and discrete from the first impeller segment; an elongated first drive member secured to the first impeller segment and/or the second impeller segment; and a collapsible, flexible bag having a compartment and being comprised of one or more sheets of polymeric film, the first impeller segment, the second impeller segment and at least a portion of the elongated first drive member being disposed within the compartment of the flexible bag.

Assignees

• Life Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Jones Nephi D
• Brown Jason D

Classifications

• C12M27/02

  Stirrer or mobile mixing elements · CPC title

• B01F2101/44

  Mixing of ingredients for microbiology, enzymology, in vitro culture or genetic manipulation · CPC title

• B01F2035/99

  Heating · CPC title

• B01F2035/352

  Bearings · CPC title

• B01F35/92

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