Mixer for products contained in sealed envelopes
AssigneeLadd Research Industries, Inc.
InventorJohn H. Porter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for mixing products within a generally flattened, flexible package having opposite side walls, comprising a support surface adapted to support one side wall of a package and mixing means adapted to contact an opposite side wall of a package on the support surface, the mixing means and support surface being mounted for rotation relatively to each other about an axis generally perpendicular to and intersecting the support surface. The mixing means includes package contacting means extending from the axis and generally parallel to the support surface and operating means for rotating the mixing means and support surface relatively to one another about the axis for mixing a product within the package during such rotation.
Claims10
In apparatus for mixing products contained in a flattened flexible package resting on a flat support by means of a roller assembly having a plurality of rollers urged toward the support as they rotate to press the package thereagainst, the rollers being aligned on an axis generally parallel to the support and orbiting a second axis generally perpendicular to the support, the apparatus having mechanism for rotating the roller assembly and support relatively to one another on said second axis to produce the rolling movement, the improvement
- wherein the rolling surface of a centermost roller extends at least to said second axis to prevent accumulation of unmixed product thereat,
- the remaining rollers extend radially outwardly from said axis in at least one direction to cover the area occupied by said package, and
- including means for maintaining at least some of said rollers out of pressure contact with package across at least a portion thereof during at least a portion of their orbital movement to cause mixing movement of product within the package for rapid and intimate mixing thereof and to prevent product entrapment at locations therein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.