Agitation/defoaming apparatus and method and rotary motion transmission device

A method for agitating/defoaming an object by revolving and rotating a container containing the object to be processed, comprising:

• rotating a first rotor using a rotary motion applied from a motor;
• rotating a second rotor to follow the first rotor, wherein a braking force is applied to the second rotor and the braking force controls a rotational frequency of the second rotor to be equal to or less than a rotational frequency of the first rotor;
• revolving a first rotary motion converter and a second rotary motion converter along with the first rotor, the revolving making the first rotary motion converter and the second rotary motion converter be revolved relative to the second rotor;
• and generating a rotational motion from the revolving motion relative to the second rotor through the first rotary motion converter and the second rotary motion converter,
• wherein, if revolving directions of the first and second rotary motion converters are in a predetermined direction relative to the second rotor, a first selective rotary motion transmitter transmits a first revolving motion and a first rotational motion of the first rotary motion converter to a third rotor,
• while rotatably supporting a fourth rotor, a second selective rotary motion transmitter transmits a second revolving motion of the second rotary motion converter to the fourth rotor, and
• the first rotational motion is transmitted from the third rotor to the fourth rotor,
• wherein, if the revolving directions of the first and second rotary motion converter are in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction relative to the second rotor, the second selective rotary motion transmitter transmits the second revolving motion and a second rotational motion of the second rotary motion converter to the fourth rotor,
• while rotatably supporting the third rotor, the first selective rotary motion transmitter transmits the first revolving motion of the first selective rotary motion transmitter to the third rotor, and
• the second rotational motion is transmitted from the fourth rotor transmits to the third rotor, and
• wherein at least one of the third and fourth rotors transmits the revolving and rotational motions to the container containing the object, thereby agitating and defoaming the object.

A rotary motion transmission device suitable for a revolving and rotational motion imparting apparatus having:

• a motor capable of changing a rotary direction;
• a revolving shaft;
• a first rotor and a second rotor rotate around the revolving shaft, a brake applying a braking force to the second rotor;
• and a container holder that is pivotally supported by the first rotor and that applies a rotary motion to a container containing an object to be processed, wherein the rotary motion transmission device converts a relative motion of the first rotor relative to the second rotor into a rotational motion and transmits the rotational motion to the container holder, the rotary motion transmission device comprising:
• a third rotor and a fourth rotor;
• a first rotary motion converter and a second rotary motion converter;
• a first selective rotary motion transmitter allowing only a first rotary motion in a predetermined direction to be transmitted;
• and
• a second selective rotary motion transmitter allowing only a second rotary motion in a direction opposite to the first rotary motion in the predetermined direction, which is allowed by the first selective rotary motion transmitter, to be transmitted,
• wherein the third rotor and the fourth rotor are mechanically coupled each other, and
• wherein the first rotary motion converter is coupled to the third rotor through the first selective rotary motion transmitter and, the second rotary motion converter is coupled to the fourth rotor through the second selective rotary motion transmitter.