Stirring device and method using electrostatic charge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9724659-B2
Application number	US-201414574983-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2014
Priority date	Dec 18, 2014
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

A stirring device and method for stirring a material using an applicator with an electrically controllable element placed on an outside surface of the applicator so that a controllable power source coupled to the electrically controllable element provides a controlled electrostatic charge to the element. The controlled electrostatic charge provided by the power source creates a variable electric field exterior to the outside surface of the applicator. The variable electric field induces a stirring movement to the material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stirring device comprising:
an applicator comprising an electrically controllable element disposed on an outside surface of the applicator, wherein the electrically controllable element has at least a first electrode and a second electrode; and
a controllable power source coupled to the electrically controllable element, wherein
the first electrode and the second electrode are independently coupled to the controllable power source, and
the controllable power source forms a variable electric field exterior to the outside surface of the applicator by independently controlling a controlled electrostatic charge provided to the first electrode and the second electrode.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the electrostatic charge is pulsed between an energized condition and a de-energized condition.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controlled electrostatic charge is pulsed between a first polarity and a second polarity.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the first electrode and the second electrode simultaneously receive an electrostatic charge of opposite polarity.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are simultaneously pulsed between an energized condition and a de-energized condition.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode is pulsed between a first polarity and a second polarity simultaneously with the second electrode pulsed between a second polarity and a first polarity.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controllable power source controls one or more of amplitude and frequency.

8. A method of stirring comprising:
providing a vessel;
placing a material (substance) to be stirred in the vessel;
placing an applicator comprising an electrically controllable element disposed on an outside surface of the applicator in the vessel so that the electrically controllable element is disposed within the material to be stirred, or placing the applicator within an exterior region of a bottom surface of the vessel that is indented so that the electrically controllable element is disposed within the indent at a level between the bottom surface of the vessel and a top surface of the material to be stirred, wherein the electrically controllable element has at least a first electrode and a second electrode;
coupling a controllable power source to the electrically controllable element of the applicator, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are independently coupled to the controllable power source;
applying a controlled electrostatic charge from the controllable power source to the electrically controllable element;
forming a variable electric field exterior to the outside surface of the applicator by independently controlling the controlled electrostatic charge provided to the first electrode and the second electrode of the electrically controllable element; and
stirring the material using the variable electric field.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the controlled electrostatic charge is pulsed between an energized condition and a de-energized condition.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the controlled electrostatic charge is pulsed between a first polarity and a second polarity.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode simultaneously receive an electrostatic charge of opposite polarity.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are pulsed between an energized and a de-energized condition.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first electrode is pulsed between a first polarity and a second polarity concurrently with the second electrode pulsed between a second polarity and a first polarity.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the controllable power source controls one or more of amplitude and frequency.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the applicator is at least partially inserted into a vessel containing a material to be stirred, and the controllable power source forms a variable electric field within the material to be stirred by independently controlling a controlled electrostatic charge provided to the first electrode and the second electrode.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the applicator is at least partially inserted into an exterior region of a bottom surface of the vessel containing the material to be stirred, that is indented, and the controllable power source forms a variable electric field within the material to be stirred by independently controlling a controlled electrostatic charge provided to the first electrode and the second electrode.

Assignees

• Flextronics Ap Llc

Inventors

• Abraham Susan
• Willie Dennis

Classifications

• B01F13/0076

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B01F13/0003 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B01F13/0005

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B01F33/051 Primary

  the energy being electrical energy working on the ingredients or compositions for mixing them · CPC title

• B01F33/052 Primary

  the energy being electric fields for electrostatically charging of the ingredients or compositions for mixing them · CPC title