The disclosure relates to a metering and mixing device for multi-component substances, such as multi-component adhesives having at least two associated cartridge accommodating devices of hollow cylindrical shape for accommodating individual substance (e.g., adhesive) components, a discharging device for discharging (e.g., simultaneously discharging) the adhesive components from the cartridges through cartridge outlets by discharging pistons that plunge into the cartridge, and a mixing device which is connected to the cartridge outlets, mixes the discharged substance components and outputs them in the mixed state.
A metering and mixing device is known, for example, from the document DE 32 33 366 A1, for mixing a dental impression material made of two pasty components. The device described therein for mixing the components of a dental impression material includes a mixer designed as a disposable part and having a base body. The mixer includes a mixing chamber, several feed channels for components of impression material which open separately from each other into the mixing chamber, as well as an outlet opening for the mixed impression material. The mixer includes a mixer part which is rotatably arranged in the mixing chamber and driven by a driving device to which the mixer is secured detachably. The components of the impression material are contained in reservoir cylinders and they are pushed by pistons into the mixing chamber, and pushed out after the mixing via the outlet opening into the impression spoon. By way of a control unit, the rate of advance can be varied by the setting actuators of the pistons, so that both the ratio of the piston advance rate which determines the curing time of the impression material and also the total advance or the duration of the advance, and thus the impression material quantity, can be controlled.
Such metering and mixing devices can have issues with metering accuracy, for example, at high quantitative ratios of the individual components, such as 50:1 or higher, for example.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,396 B1 describes a metering and mixing device for multi-component substances, in particular multi-component adhesives, with a single cartridge accommodating device, for accommodating replaceable cartridges having individual substance components, a discharging device for simultaneously discharging the substance components from the cartridges through the component outlets by way of discharging pistons that plunge into the cartridge accommodation device or cartridges, and a mixing device connected to the component outlets which mixes the discharge substance components and outputs them in the mixed state. For driving the discharging pistons, a threaded bar is used in each case, which is introduced into a thread located in a central position in the discharging piston, and which moves the discharging piston forward by the simultaneous rotation of the threaded bars relative to the respective discharging piston. With this metering and mixing device, the threaded bars have to already be plunged with their full length into the individual components to be mixed, and thus, for example, simple tubular cartridges can no longer be used in a simple manner; instead special cartridges are involved which must already have, within their central inner space, the space needed for the threaded bars extending through the cartridges.
A metering and mixing device is disclosed for a multi-component substance, comprising: at least two associated cartridge accommodating devices for accommodating replaceable cartridges having individual substance components; a discharging device for parallel discharging the substance components from cartridges through component outlets by means of discharging pistons that plunge into the cartridge accommodating device or cartridges; and a mixing device, which is connected to the component outlets, for mixing the discharge substance components, and outputting them in a mixed state, wherein: at least one of the discharging pistons has a thread such that the discharging piston will be driven forward by the thread when the discharging piston is rotated relative to the cartridge accommodating device.
The disclosure will be described in further detail using exemplary embodiments with reference to the figures, wherein features required to understand the disclosure are represented. The disclosure is, however, not limited to the depicted and described exemplary embodiments.
The figures show in detail:
The present disclosure is directed to a metering and mixing device for multi-component substances, such as for multi-component adhesives, which can meet high accuracy specifications even in the case of large quantitative differences with regard to the mixture of the components and even under simple production conditions of the corresponding metering and mixing device.
The inventors have recognized that an issue in the accurate metering of several components, such as with regard to the components that account for only a small proportion of the mixture, exists due to the very simple forward driving of the respective piston in the cartridges having components that account for a small proportion of the mixture.
According to exemplary embodiments not only a simple linear forward driving of the piston is used, but this piston can also be provided with a thread which can ensure that by a defined rotation of the piston a corresponding forward driving is produced. Due to a very simple thread pitch that can be defined with precision, this forward driving can also be adjusted very individually based on the specifications of the respective mixing ratio of the individual components to be combined.
It can be particularly simple here if the piston is provided with an outer thread which is moved forward, into the inner cylinder of the respective cartridge accommodating device or of the cartridge in which the component to be metered is located, when the piston is rotated correspondingly. Here, it is as a rule not necessary to provide an inner thread within the cartridge. It is sufficient if the thread of the piston produces by self-cutting or self-punching a corresponding negative thread on the inner wall of the cartridge or cartridge accommodating device. It can also be particularly advantageous if, in the exemplary case of a two-component metering and mixing device, a cartridge accommodating device in which the material component to be metered in a respective high quantity is located, for example, in a tubular bag, is driven forward by means of a linear drive train for the piston, while the cartridge accommodating device which contains the material to be metered very sparingly, for example, in a hard cylindrical cartridge, is moved forward with the piston having a thread configuration according to the disclosure by a rotation of the piston.
In accordance with this basic concept, a metering and a mixing device is disclosed for multi-component substances, such as multi-component adhesives, which comprise at least two associated cartridge accommodating devices for accommodating individual substance components, a discharging device for parallel discharging (e.g., simultaneously discharging such as in parallel or partially overlapping time sequence) the substance components from the cartridges through component outlets by means of discharging pistons that plunge into the cartridge accommodating device or cartridges, and a mixing device connected to the cartridge outlets which mixes the discharged substance components and outputs them in the mixed state.
An exemplary improvement according to the present disclosure accordingly can include at least one discharging piston having a thread which can drive the discharging piston forward by a rotation of the driving piston.
For definition of the terms, it is noted that, in the sense of this document, a cartridge denotes for example, any container, such as a replaceable container, which can contain one of the substance components. For example, the containers can be cylindrical containers having a relatively hard wall, or also tubular bags.
Thus, at least one cartridge can, for example, be configured as a hollow cylinder in which at least one substance component is located. In such an embodiment, the thread of the at least one discharging piston having a thread can be in contact with the wall of the at least one hollow cylindrical cartridge.
Moreover, at least one cartridge can be a tubular bag in which at least one substance component is located. Here, the thread of the at least one discharging piston having a thread for this cartridge accommodating device in which a tubular bag is inserted as a cartridge can then be in contact with a wall of the cartridge accommodation device.
Moreover, at least one of the cartridge accommodating devices can have a hollow cylinder or at least be configured as a hollow cylinder. However, alternatively it is also possible for at least one cartridge accommodating device to have, for example, at least three cylindrically arranged bar-like supports into which a sufficiently stable cartridge can be inserted.
Using a discharging piston which has a thread, and the forward driving of which is determined by a rotation of the thread, a very precise metering can be produced in a very simple manner, by adapting, on the one hand, the thread pitch, and, on the other hand, the circumferential speed of the driving shaft depending on the desired metering.
In principle it can be advantageous if the discharging piston, which in the end is to plunge into the cartridge in order to discharge the material contained therein through a cartridge outlet, has its thread on the outer side, so that the thread can punch into the inner side of the cylindrical cartridge or cartridge accommodating device, and it thus determines the forward driving. However, it is also possible to use an alternative such as a slightly more expensively configured piston which has, on its rear side, a connection to a cylinder located outside the cartridge, wherein the cylinder in turn has an inner thread which bears against the outer side of the cartridge, and in this manner, by a rotation of the entire discharging piston, it punches its thread on the outside of the cartridge or the cartridge accommodating device, and consequently produces an advance due to a rotation relative to the cartridge or the cartridge accommodating device, the advance of which discharges the material located in the cartridge through a component outlet.
As already mentioned, it can be advantageous if, in the at least one cartridge or cartridge accommodating device in which the at least one discharging piston with outer thread is located, there is already a negative thread with respect to the outer thread of the discharging piston. As a result, the force exerted for driving the discharging piston forward can be slightly smaller. On the other hand, the possibility exists to configure the outer thread of the at least one discharging piston so that it is self-cutting, in such a manner that said discharging piston itself cuts or punches a negative thread during a rotation.
It can be particularly advantageous to use a metering and mixing device in which a combination of, for example, smaller cartridge in which a discharging piston having a thread is located, and an additional cartridge accommodating device with a linear driven discharge bar for the discharging piston located therein, which can be discharged through the a tubular bag located therein, having, for example, a substantially larger metering proportion than in the smaller cartridge.
The linearly forward driven discharge bar can have a regular toothing with which a gear wheel or a spindle thread can engage for the forward driving. Alternatively, the linearly driven discharge bar itself conversely can also have a spindle thread with which an outer toothing can engage.
Moreover, in the metering and mixing device configured according to an exemplary embodiment, at least one gear drive for driving the discharging piston can also be provided, wherein, in an exemplary embodiment, a common gear drive can be provided with a drive input and several drive outputs for driving at least the driving pistons.
With such a gear drive it is possible to connect, on the one hand, at least one linearly movable discharging piston and at least one discharging piston that can be moved in rotation. This can be particularly advantageous if a common gear drive through a common drive input comprises, on the one hand, a transmission to a linear forward driving, using, for example, a bevel wheel drive or a gear drive or a spindle drive, and, on the other hand, it comprises a rotating output, wherein a shaft can be driven in rotation, in order to drive in rotation the discharging piston provided with a thread.
In an exemplary metering and mixing device according to the disclosure, the mixing device can be configured moreover both as a passive or static mixer or alternatively as an active or dynamic mixer, such as a rotary mixer.
In an exemplary embodiment of a mixing device as an active or dynamic mixer, the mixer be connected to a gear drive, such as to the gear drive for driving the discharging piston. As a result, the possibility exists to use a single common gear drive, for example, an electric motor, to drive, by means of the different drive outputs, on the one hand, a linear forward driving, and, on the other hand, a rotational driving for a discharging piston having a thread, and, to operate a rotary mixer. Here, it can be ensured that both the discharging and also the active mixing of the individual components are carried out with mutual adaptation.
With regard to exemplary discharging pistons according to the disclosure, such as the discharging piston having a thread, they can comprise at least one ventilation device in the area of the discharging piston itself, or alternatively at least one of the cartridges or cartridge accommodating devices into which the discharging piston is introduced, can comprise a ventilation device. As a result, it is possible in particular to countersink, as a ventilation device, in the rear portion of the cartridge inner side or cartridge accommodation device, at least one ventilation groove, so that excess air can escape to the side over at least a portion of the discharge section.
Moreover, in an exemplary embodiment of the metering and mixing device, it is proposed that at least two of the cartridge accommodating devices be configured so that they have different lengths and/or so that at least two of the cartridge accommodating devices have different diameters. The design with different lengths of the cartridge accommodating devices can be compensated without problems by applying a corresponding thread pitch to the discharging piston(s), wherein, in addition or alternatively, by means of the different diameters, the different metering of the individual substance components can be taken into consideration.
Moreover, it is proposed that at least one gear drive can be driven by a motor, such as by an electric motor.
The cartridge accommodating devices with discharging pistons and adhesive components can also be connected to form one unit, and the mixer and the at least one gear drive can be configured so they can be attached or docked or clipped on separately.
The gear drive 8 in the exemplary embodiment of the dosing and mixing device 1 depicted can be driven by means of an electric motor 9.
In
In addition, on this cartridge 3.1, an exemplary closure system of the cartridge can also be seen, wherein, in the manufacture of the cartridge, a closure 13 is connected to the discharge spout 12 so as to form a single piece. For opening, the closure 13, optionally with the assistance of an appropriate tool, can be sheared off the discharge spout by twisting, so that a discharge opening forms in the discharge spout. Such a closure is known, for example, in the field of toothpaste tubes.
In
Furthermore, the rotary piston 11 is shown in detail in different additional exemplary embodiments in
In
In
In
Overall, the disclosure proposes an exemplary metering and mixing device, such as for multi-component adhesives, in which the various cartridges of hollow cylindrical shape each contain substance components, and wherein a discharging device for simultaneously discharging the substance components via a mixing device are provided. According to an exemplary embodiment, at least one discharging piston has a thread which is in contact with a wall of the cartridge, so that a rotation of the driving piston can generate a forward driving of the discharging piston.
Exemplary combinations of features described herein can be particularly advantageous; for example:
I. Metering and mixing device for multi-component substances, such as multi-component adhesives, comprising:
I.a at least two associated cartridge accommodating devices for accommodating replaceable cartridges with separate substance components,
I.b a discharging device for discharging (e.g., simultaneously discharging) the substance components from the cartridges through the component outlets by means of discharging pistons that plunge into the cartridge accommodation device or the cartridges,
I.c a mixing device which is connected to the component outlets, which mixes the discharged substance components and discharges them in the mixed state, wherein
I.d at least one discharging piston has a thread which can drive the discharging piston forward by a rotation.
II. Metering and mixing device according to the previous combination of features I, wherein at least one cartridge is a hollow cylinder in which at least one substance component is located.
III. Metering and mixing device according to the previous combination of features II, wherein the thread of the at least one discharging piston with thread is in contact with a wall of the at least one cartridge of hollow cylindrical shape.
IV. Metering and mixing device according to any of the previous combinations of features I and II, wherein at least one cartridge is a tubular bag in which at least one substance component is located.
V. Metering and mixing device according to the previous combination of features IV, wherein the thread of the at least one discharging piston for a cartridge accommodating device in which a tubular bag can be inserted as cartridge is in contact with a wall of the cartridge accommodating device.
VI. Metering and mixing device according to any of the previous combinations of features I-V, wherein at least one cartridge accommodating device comprises a hollow cylinder.
VII. Metering and mixing device according to any of the previous combinations of features I-V, wherein at least one cartridge accommodating device comprises at least three cylindrically arranged bar-like supports.
VIII. Metering and mixing device according to any of the previous combinations of features I-VII, wherein at least one discharging piston has an outer thread.
IX. Metering and mixing device according to the previous combination of features VIII, wherein, in the at least one cartridge accommodating device or cartridge in which the at least one discharging piston having an outer thread is located, and a negative thread with respect to the outer thread of the discharging piston is present.
X. Metering and mixing device according to any of the previous combinations of features I-IX, wherein the thread of the at least one discharging piston is designed so that it is self cutting, in such a manner that it itself cuts or punches a negative thread into the cartridge accommodating device or the cartridge.
XI. Metering and mixing device according to any of the previous combinations of features I-X, wherein at least one discharging piston comprises a linearly forward driven discharge bar.
XII. Metering and mixing device according to the previous combination of features XI, wherein the linearly forward driven discharge bar has a regular toothing, with which a gear wheel or a spindle thread for the forward driving can engage.
XIII. Metering and mixing device according to the previous combination of features XI, wherein the linearly driven discharge bar has a spindle thread with which a toothing can engage.
XIV. Metering and mixing device according to any of the previous combinations of features I-XIII, wherein at least one drive for driving the discharging piston is provided.
XV. Metering and mixing device according to any of the previous combinations of features I-XIII, wherein a common gear drive with a drive input and several drive outputs is provided for driving at least the driving piston.
XVI. Metering and mixing device according to any of the previous combinations of features XIV-XV, wherein, with the at least one gear drive, at least one linearly movable discharging piston and at least one discharging piston that can be moved in rotation are connected.
XVII. Metering and mixing device according to any of the previous combinations of features I-XVI, wherein the mixing device is configured as a passive or a static mixer.
XVIII. Metering and mixing device according to any of the previous combinations of features I-XVI, wherein the mixing device is configured as an active or a dynamic mixer, such as a rotary mixer.
XIX. Metering and mixing device according to the previous combination of features XVIII, wherein the active or the dynamic mixer is connected to a gear drive, such as to the gear drive for driving the discharging piston.
XX. Metering and mixing device according to any of the previous combinations of features I-XIX, wherein at least one of the driving pistons comprises a ventilation device.
XXI. Metering and mixing device according to any of the previous combinations of features I-XIX, wherein at least one of the cartridge accommodating devices or cartridges comprises a ventilation device.
XXII. Metering and mixing device according to the previous combination of features XXI, wherein, as a ventilation device, in the rear portion of the inner side of the at least one cartridge accommodating device or cartridge, at least one ventilation groove is countersunk.
XXIII. Metering and mixing device according to any of the previous combinations of features I-XXII, wherein at least two of the cartridge accommodating devices have different lengths.
XXIV. Metering and mixing device according to any of the previous combinations of features I-XXIII, wherein at least two of the cartridge accommodating devices have different diameters.
XXV. Metering and mixing device according to any of the previous combinations of features XIV-XXIV, wherein the at least one gear drive is driven by motor, such as by an electric motor.
XXVI. Metering and mixing device according to any of the previous combinations of features I-XXV, wherein the cartridge accommodating devices are connected to discharging pistons to form a unit, and the mixer and the at least one gear drive are configured so that they can be attached or docked or clipped on separately.
Thus, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restricted. The scope of the disclosure is indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and all changes that come within the meaning and range and equivalence thereof are intended to be embraced therein.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10196972 | Dec 2010 | EP | regional |
This application claims priority as a continuation application under 35 U.S.C. §120 to PCT/EP2011/073576, which was filed as an International Application on Dec. 21, 2011 designating the U.S., and which claims priority to European Application 10196972.3 filed in Europe on Dec. 24, 2010. The entire contents of these applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
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Entry |
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Notification of Transmittal of Copies of Translation of the International Preliminary Report on Patentability (Chapter I or Chapter II)(PCT/IB/338), International Preliminary Report on Patentability (Form PCT/IB/373) and Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority (Translation)(Form PCT/ISA/237) issued on Jul. 4, 2013, in corresponding International Application No. PCT/EP2011/073576. (9 pages). |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20130277390 A1 | Oct 2013 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/EP2011/073576 | Dec 2011 | US |
Child | 13924884 | US |