Mixing apparatus and method
OwnerCharles Renfroinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mixing apparatus having a mixing impeller affixed to the end of a mixer shaft which is reciprocably and rotatably or non-rotatably mounted thru mixer seal structure which has surface portions adapted to be brought into sealing engagement with the open filler end of a retail off-the-shelf tube of viscous caulking or sealant compound or the like, wherein the shaft and impeller are adapted to be reciprocated thru the compound and an additive contained in the tube substantially the entire length of the tube to rapidly and intimately mix the compound with colorant or other additive added directly into the retail tube thru its filler (back) end.
Claims80
The method for mixing additive into viscous base material, which base material is contained in a cylindrical tube having a longitudinal axial dimension, a filler end sealed with a removable back plug which has been pushed into said filler end, and further having a dispensing end sealed with a puncturable seal, said tube providing a mixing cavity for said base material and additive, said method comprising;
- a) removing said back plug from said filler end of said tube,
- b) adding a measured amount of additive into said cavity thru said filler end to provide a batch for mixing,
- c) providing a mixing device having mixer head means adapted to be affixed onto said filler end of said tube and hermetically seal said cavity at said filler end, said device further having a mixer shaft having a mixing end portion provided with apertured impeller means affixed to said end portion for reciprocation therewith and adapted to extend into said cavity said shaft further having an operating end portion adapted to extend axially outwardly of said tube and to be engaged by hand or machine for reciprocating said shaft, said shaft being axially reciprocably mounted through hermetic seal means affixed in aperture means provided thru said head means;
- d) inserting said mixing end portion of said shaft with said impeller means down into said cavity and into said batch to a desired initial longitudinal position in said cavity;
- e) affixing said head means onto said filler end to hermetically seal said cavity;
- and
- f) reciprocating said shaft with said impeller means within said cavity between said filler end and said dispensing end whereby said additive is intimately mixed into said base material.
A method for mixing together components comprising a base material and additive such as caulk and additive, sealant and additive, or resin and curing agent, or the like in a cylindrical, resilient walled tube wherein the tube has a longitudinal axis, a sealed dispenser end section, and a filler end section having inner surface portions defining a cylindrical fill opening into said tube, said method comprising the steps of (a) adding said components into said tube thru said filler end section, (b) positioning in said filler end section a mixing apparatus comprising mixer head means having a cap member with a top portion having an outer proximal surface and an inner distal surface wherein a bushing bore is formed axially through said top portion, a cap wall portion depending distally and axially from said top portion and providing a cylindrical tube receiving pocket formed by said wall portion, said pocket having a diameter substantially the same as the outside diameter of said tube and adapted to slidingly receive said filler end thereof, elongated bushing means mounted thru said bushing bore with a proximal end thereof extending above said top portion and provided with laterally extending first shoulder means, a distal end of said bushing means extending into said cavity and provided with laterally extending second shoulder means, tube seal means having a generally cylindrical configuration with a thick, deformable, elastomeric body having top and bottom surfaces and being axially mounted on said bushing means between said inner distal surface and said second shoulder means, the outer periphery of said body in its relaxed condition having a diameter substantially the same as the inside diameter of said tube, compression means being engageable with said first shoulder means and said outer proximal surface of said top portion for pulling said second shoulder means against said bottom surface of said body while forcing said top surface of said body against said inner distal surface of said top portion whereby said body will be axially compressed and radially expanded and said outer periphery of said body will be forced radially against an inner wall surface of said tube to radially expand tube wall portions tightly against said cap wall portion to frictionally lock said apparatus to said tube preparatory for the mixing operation, a shaft bore formed thru said bushing means substantially on said longitudinal axis, elongated mixer shaft means mounted thru said shaft bore for reciprocating axial motion relative to said tube, said shaft means having a proximal end lying axially proximally of said top portion and having a distal end adapted to lie within said tube, mixer impeller means mounted on said distal end and having peripheral portions adapted to lie closely adjacent to said inner surface of said tube to substantially wipe said components therefrom by way of axial reciprocation of said shaft means, said proximal end being adapted for engagement with a power source for axially moving said shaft means and impeller means substantially completely thru material contained in said tube in a reciprocating manner, (c) actuating said compression means to frictionally lock said mixing apparatus to said tube, (d) starting relative reciprocation of said mixer shaft means within said tube, (e) continuing the reciprocation for a desired mixing period, and (f) deactuating said compression means and removing said mixing apparatus from said tube.
A removable back plug for caulk tubes wherein the caulk is to be colored in situ, said plug comprising a formed plastic structure having circular floor means and cylindrical wall means depending from the periphery thereof to provide a generally cup shaped structure, wherein said plug is provided with grip means whereby manual pull force can be exerted on said grip means to extract said plug from a filler end of said caulk tube.
A colorant dispenser container in the form of a packet containing a measured amount of colorant and comprised of flexible clear plastic sheeting formed to provide a cavity defined by a hermetically sealed periphery, wherein said cavity contains a measured amount of colorant and wherein said sheeting is puncturable and rupturable to allow pouring of said colorant into the open filler end of a tube of caulk.
A unitary structural combination of a mixing apparatus 10 and a cylindrical walled tube 16, said tube being of substantially uniform diameter and providing a mixing cavity 14 for containing components 13 to be mixed together, said tube and apparatus having substantially coincident longitudinal axes 30, and said tube having a sealed dispensing end portion 18 and an open filler end portion 20, wherein an inner surface 188 of the tube wall portion 15 at said filler end portion provides a hermetic sealing surface 188, and wherein said apparatus is affixed to said filler end portion in operable mixing position, said apparatus comprising mixer head means 23 having a pressure cap member 41 with a top portion 67 having an axially outer proximal surface 159 and an axially inner distal surface 175, wherein a bushing bore 65 is formed axially through said top portion, a radial compression wall portion 87 depends distally and axially from said top portion wherein a radially inner generally cylindrical pressure surface 31 of wall portion 87 provides a cylindrical tube receiving pocket 25 of a diameter substantially the same as the outside diameter of said tube and slidably receiving said filler end portion thereof, elongated bushing means 164 mounted thru said bushing bore 65 with a proximal end portion 179 thereof extending above said top portion 67 and provided with laterally extending first shoulder means 165, a distal end portion 161 of said bushing means extending into said cavity 14 and provided with laterally extending second shoulder means 166, filler end portion seal means 24 having a generally axial cylindrical configuration with a thick, deformable, elastomeric seal body 56 having top 182 and bottom 184 surfaces and being axially mounted on said bushing means between said inner distal surface 175 of said cap member 41 and said second shoulder means 166 of said bushing means, a radially outer periphery 186 of said body 56 having, in its relaxed condition, a diameter slightly less than the inside diameter of said tube whereby said body can be easily slid in and out of said filler end portion, axially operating compression means 69 engaging said first shoulder means 165 and said outer proximal surface 159 of said top portion and pulling said second shoulder means 166 against said bottom surface 184 of said body and forcing said top surface 182 of said body against said inner distal surface 175 of said top portion 67 whereby said body is axially compressed and radially expanded and said outer periphery 186 of said body has been forced radially against said cavity sealing surface 188 of said filler end portion 20 and has radially expanded said filler end portion wall portion 15 tightly against said pressure surface 31 of said cap member 41 and frictionally locked said apparatus to said tube preparatory for the mixing operation, a shaft bore 168 is formed thru said bushing means substantially on said longitudinal axis, elongated mixer shaft means 32 is mounted thru said shaft bore for reciprocating axial motion relative to said tube, said shaft means having an operating end portion 21 lying outwardly of said cavity 14 and having a mixing end portion 19 adapted to be axially reciprocated in and out of said cavity and thru said components therein, mixer impeller means 38 is mounted on said mixing end portion and has peripheral portions 40 adapted to lie closely adjacent to said inner surface 22 of said tube during reciprocation of said shaft to wipe said components from said inner surface, said operating end portion 21 being adapted for engagement with a power source for axially reciprocating said shaft means and impeller means substantially completely thru components contained in said cavity 14, wherein the physical frictional engagement of said filler end portion 20 of said tube with said apparatus is sufficiently strong to require a direct axial pull force substantially greater than the reciprocation force to be applied to said shaft means, in order to accidentally disengage said tube from said apparatus.
The combination of claim 47 wherein said bushing bore 65 and bushing stem 73 are provided with mating keying surfaces 33 and 61 to prevent rotation of said bushing means 164 in said bore during rotation of said knob means.
An apparatus for mixing additives or components of a mix batch in liquid, solid, slurry, suspension, viscous or other forms contained in a mixing cavity provided by a cylindrical tube having a longitudinal axis, an open filler end and a sealed dispenser end, said apparatus comprising a mixer head means having an inverted generally cup shaped cap member having a top portion and cylindrical side wall formed around a longitudinal axis and depending from said top portion, said side wall being dimensioned to slidably receive said filler end, cavity seal means dimensioned to slide into said filler end and being comprised of compressible, resilient elastomeric material, mixer shaft means reciprocably slidably, axially mounted thru said seal means and having a mixing impeller on one end, and clamping means for axially compressing said seal means to bulge it radially against wall portions of said tube which are adjacent said filler end to radially force said wall portions against an inner cylindrical surface of said side wall to frictionally affix said head means to said filler end wherein said impeller is positioned within said cavity.
A gripping tool for extracting a back plug from a caulk tube having a longitudinal axis wherein said plug is of thin flexible material and is generally cup shaped to have a floor and a cylindrical tube sealing wall surrounding the perimetric edge of said floor, said sealing wall having an inner surface defining a well, wherein said tool comprises body means having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end being adapted to fit down into said well, radially expandable gripping structure mounted on said distal end and having gripping portions adapted to frictionally engage said inner surface, actuator means on said tool for imparting radial expansion force to said gripping structure for forcing said gripping portions into engagement with said inner surface whereby said tool with said plug attached thereto can be pulled outwardly axially of said tube, and release structure on said tool for releasing said expansion force to allow removal of said tool from said plug.
The combination of a back plug and a gripping tool for extracting the back plug from a caulk tube having a longitudinal axis, wherein said plug is of thin flexible material and is generally cup shaped to have a floor and a cylindrical tube sealing wall surrounding the perimetric edge of said floor, said sealing wall having an inner surface defining a well, wherein said tool comprises body means having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end being positioned down into said well, radially expandable gripping structure mounted on said distal end and having gripping portions adapted to frictionally engage said inner surface, hand operable actuator means on said tool for imparting radial expansion force to said gripping structure for forcing said gripping portions into engagement with said inner surface whereby said tool with said plug attached can be pulled outwardly axially of said tube, and release structure on said tool for releasing said expansion force to allow removal of said tool from said plug.
A unitary structural combination of a mixing apparatus 10 and a cylindrical walled tube 16, said tube being of substantially uniform diameter and providing a mixing cavity 14 containing components 13 to be mixed together, said tube and apparatus having substantially the same coincident longitudinal axis 30, and said tube having a sealed dispensing end portion 18 and an open filler end portion 20, wherein an inner surface 188 of the tube wall portion 15 at said filler end portion provides a hermetic sealing surface 188, and wherein said apparatus is affixed to said filler end portion in operable mixing position, said apparatus comprising mixer head means 23 having a pressure cap member 41 with a top hand grip portion 247 and a tube end seal means 24 in the shape of a circular cross-section tapered stopper wall 158, wherein mixer shaft means is reciprocably mounted axially thru said cap member 41 and is provided with mixer impeller means on a distal end thereof, wherein said wall has a proximal portion with a diameter of from about 0.001 in., to about 0.01 in., larger than the inside diameter of said tube filler end whereby pushing of said head means down into said tube will frictionally secure said head means in said filler end with sufficient frictional contact to prevent the force of reciprocation of said impeller means during mixing from extracting said head means from said tube.
A mixing apparatus 10 for mixing viscous material with other components in a cylindrical walled tube 16, said tube being of substantially uniform diameter and providing a mixing cavity 14 containing components 13 to be mixed together, said tube and apparatus having substantially the same coincident longitudinal axis 30, and said tube having a sealed dispensing end portion 18 and an open filler end portion 20, wherein an inner surface 188 of the tube wall portion 15 at said filler end portion provides a hermetic sealing surface 188, and wherein said apparatus is adapted to be affixed to said filler end portion in operable mixing position, said apparatus comprising mixer head means 23 having a pressure cap member 41 with a top hand grip portion 247 and a tube end seal means 24 in the shape of a circular cross-section tapered stopper wall 158, wherein mixer shaft means is reciprocably mounted axially thru said cap member 41 and is provided with mixer impeller means on a distal end thereof, wherein said wall has a proximal portion with a diameter of from about 0.001 in., to about 0.01 in., larger than the inside diameter of said tube filler end whereby pushing of said head means down into said tube will frictionally secure said head means in said filler end with sufficient frictional contact to prevent the force of reciprocation of said impeller means during mixing from extracting said head means from said tube.
A device for mixing colorant or other additive into an off-the-shelf tube of viscous material such as caulking compound, said device comprising a mixer head having a top section, an intermediate section and a seal body section, and having a longitudinal axis, said seal body section being of circular configuration and adapted to be slid down into the filler end of an off-the-shelf caulk tube, said seal body section having seal means around a portion of its periphery, multiple gripping fingers on said head arrayed around said head in a generally circular pattern and extending generally axially downwardly and outwardly from said head and being spaced outwardly from the periphery of said seal body section to provide a gap therebetween for slidingly receiving the circular wall of a filler end of a caulk tube, said fingers being highly resilient and having upper ends affixed to said head in a circular pattern having an outer first diameter, gripping points on radially inner surfaces of said fingers, and a clamping ring upwardly and downwardly slidably mounted on and around said head and having an inner second diameter substantially the same as said first diameter whereby when the circular wall of the filler end of a caulk tube is positioned in said gap and said ring is pushed down over said fingers to adjacent lower ends thereof, said points will be impressed into the outer surface of said circular wall of said tube.
A device for mixing colorant or other additive into an off-the-shelf tube of viscous material such as caulking compound, said device comprising a mixer head having an upper hand grip section, a lower head-to-tube seal section which is circular in cross-section, a mixer shaft bore formed axially thru said sections for slidably receiving a mixer shaft, thread means on a peripheral portion of said seal section for engaging and impressing into an inner wall surface portion of a filler end of said tube as said seal section is screwed into said filler end, head-to-tube seal means peripherally surrounding one or more peripheral portions of said seal section for contacting and sealing against inner wall surface portions of said filler end, and shaft seal means affixed to said seal section and having an axial aperture for slidably, sealingly receiving said shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.