# US 11,440,033 B2 · Mixer, multi-component dispenser, and method of dispensing multi-component material from a multi-component dispenser

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- Number: US 11,440,033 B2
- Document ID: US11440033B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/957,178
- Filed: 2018-12-13
- Published: 2020-12-17
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-29
- Assignees: Medmix Switzerland AG
- Applicants: Sulzer Mixpac AG
- Inventors: Joachim Schoeck
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440033B2

## CPC

- B01F 25/12: {Interdigital mixers, i.e. the substances to be mixed are divided in sub-streams which are rearranged in an interdigital or interspersed manner (micromixers using interdigital streams B01F33/3012)}
- B05B 7/0408: {with arrangements for mixing two or more liquids}
- B01F 25/432: with means for dividing the material flow into separate sub-flows and for repositioning and recombining these sub-flows; Cross-mixing, e.g. conducting the outer layer of the material nearer to the axis of the tube or vice-versa
- B01F 25/4321: {the subflows consisting of at least two flat layers which are recombined, e.g. using means having restriction or expansion zones}
- B01F 33/50112: {of the syringe or cartridge type}
- B05C 17/00553: {with means allowing the stock of material to consist of at least two different components}
- B01F 2101/2305: {Mixers of the two-component package type, i.e. where at least two components are separately stored, and are mixed in the moment of application}
- B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06)
- B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D)
- B05C: APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (spraying apparatus, atomising apparatus, nozzles B05B; plant for applying liquids or other fluent materials to objects by electrostatic spraying B05B5/08)

## Abstract

A mixer for mixing multi-component materials includes a mixing element and an inlet. The mixing element is arranged at a longitudinal axis of the mixer for mixing multi-component materials. The inlet section is arranged at the longitudinal axis.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A mixer for mixing multi-component materials, the mixer comprising:
a mixing element arranged at a longitudinal axis of the mixer for mixing the multi-component materials; and
an inlet section arranged at the longitudinal axis,
the inlet section comprising
a first channel configured to conduct a first component from an inlet side to an outlet side, the first channel splitting up into a set of sub-channels within the inlet section, the set of sub-channels opening into a set of first outlets arranged at the outlet side and the first outlets being configured to direct a flow of the first component of the multi-component materials to the mixing element arranged at the outlet side, the first channel splitting up into a set of sub-passages prior to splitting up into the set of sub-channels within the inlet section, with the set of sub-channels comprising more sub-channels than the set of sub-passages comprises sub-passages.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The mixer according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the sub-channels are of cylindrical shape over at least a part of a length of the at least some of the sub-channels.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The mixer according to claim 2, wherein a ratio of a length of each of the sub-channels of the cylindrical shape to an inner diameter of each of the sub-channels is at least 8.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The mixer according to claim 1, wherein the set of first outlets have at least a circular outer or inner shape at the outlet side.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The mixer according to claim 1, wherein the set of sub-channels comprises between 3 and 12 sub-channels.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The mixer according to claim 1, wherein an area of the first channel perpendicular to the longitudinal axis is greater than a sum of the areas of the set of sub-channels perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The mixer according to claim 1, wherein the set of sub-passages extends between the first channel and the set of sub-channels inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis, or the set of sub-passages are arranged in an intermediate section arranged between the inlet side and the outlet side, with a transition between the intermediate section and the outlet side of the inlet section comprising an outlet conversion of the set of sub-passages to the set of sub-channels, or with a transition between the intermediate section and the inlet side of the inlet section comprising an inlet conversion of the first channel to the set of sub-passages.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The mixer according to claim 7, wherein the inlet section comprises an outlet region and the set of sub-channels are distributed over the outlet region, the set of sub-channels having the first outlets project from a base section arranged at a base of the outlet region, and the set of sub-passages split up into the set of sub-channels within the base section.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The mixer according to claim 1, wherein the inlet section comprises an outlet region and the set of sub-channels are distributed over the outlet region.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The mixer according to claim 9, wherein the set of sub-channels having the first outlets project from the outlet region.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The mixer according to claim 9, wherein the mixing element has a mixing element area perpendicular to the longitudinal axis that is less than an area of the outlet region perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and the first outlets are arranged projecting from a base section and distributed over an area corresponding to the mixing element area of the mixing element.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The mixer according to claim 9, wherein the inlet section comprises a second channel for conducting a second component from the inlet side to the outlet side, the second channel has a second outlet at the outlet region, with the second outlet surrounding the first outlets.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The mixer according to claim 12, wherein the first outlets project from the outlet region beyond a height of the second outlet, or an area of the second channel perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at the inlet side is less than an area of the second outlet perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, or the first and second channels comprise first and second inlets configured to connect the mixer to a cartridge comprising first and second containers for storage of the multi-component materials.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The mixer according to claim 9, wherein the inlet section comprises a single second channel for conducting a second component from the inlet side to the outlet side, the second channel has a second outlet at the outlet region, with the second outlet surrounding the first outlets.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The mixer according to claim 1, wherein a spacing between the first outlets and a first mixing segment of the mixing element is selected in the range of 0.1 to 1 times a height of the first mixing segment along the longitudinal axis.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

A multi-component dispenser comprising:
the mixer in accordance with claim 1;
a cartridge; and
a dispensing mechanism configured to move the multi-component materials from the cartridge and through the mixer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

A method of dispensing the multi-component materials from the multi-component dispenser according to claim 16, the method comprising:
moving the multi-component materials from the cartridge into the mixer, with the first component being guided in the first channel;
conducting the first component through the first channel and splitting up a flow of the first component such that a set of separated partial-streams of the first component result that subsequently exit the set of first outlets in a direction of the mixing element.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The mixer according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the sub-channels are of cylindrical shape over at least a part of a length of the at least some of the sub-channels and are arranged to extend in parallel to the longitudinal axis.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The mixer according to claim 1, wherein the inlet section comprises an outlet region and the set of sub-channels are unevenly distributed over the outlet region.