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US 5,268,620 AGranted
Mixing apparatus
AssigneeFluid Management Limited Partnership
InventorLeen Hellenberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A control system for mixing materials in a container. A screw-driven pressure plate clamps the container during mixing. Current of the clamping motor driving the screws is monitored and control circuitry allows multiple speed, multiple current draw, automatic switch-over operation of the clamping motor. Circuit components are automatically checked, and control over a mixing or clamping operation is assumed if necessary.
Claims40
Mixing apparatus for mixing contents in a container comprising:
- container contacting means including a support plate and a pressure plate which is movable toward and away from the support plate;
- actuator means operable in response to a plurality of driving signals to move the pressure plate toward and away from the support plate at a first, faster speed and at a second, slower speed;
- circuit means coupled to said actuator means for producing said plurality of driving signals;
- said circuit means responsive to input signals;
- inputting means for inputting user-defined input signals, relative to parameters of the pressure plate travel, to said circuit means;
- said circuit means responding to said user-defined input signals to result in said first and second speeds of movement of said pressure plate travel, said circuit means including programmable computer means and annunciator means coupled to said programmable computer means;
- said inputting means includes switch means coupled to said programmable computer means;
- and
- said programmable computer means presents a sequence of messages to said annunciator means and processing respective operations of said switch means as a sequence of different user-defined input signals.
6 more elements
Mixing apparatus for mixing contents in a container comprising:
- container contacting means including a support plate and a pressure plate which is movable toward and away from the support plate;
- actuator means including an electric motor, said actuator means operable in response to a plurality of driving signals to move the pressure plate toward and away from the support plate at a first, faster speed and at a second, slower speed;
- circuit means coupled to said actuator means for producing said plurality of driving signals, said circuit means responsive to input signals;
- inputting means for inputting user-defined input signals, relating to parameters of the pressure plate travel, to said circuit means;
- pressure monitoring means for monitoring the pressure applied by said pressure plate to said container including power monitoring means for monitoring the power consumption of said actuator means;
- said user-defined input signals including at least one signal indicating a preselected pressure limit;
- pressure control means for comparing the monitored pressure to said preselected pressure limit and for altering the driving signals so as to alter the pressure applied to said container by said pressure plate and said support plate;
- and
- the power monitoring means comprises means for monitoring the electrical current inputted to said electric motor.
6 more elements
Mixing apparatus for mixing contents in a container comprising:
- container contacting means including a support plate and a pressure plate which is movable toward and away from the support plate;
- actuator means operable in response to a plurality of driving signals to move the pressure plate toward and away from the support plate at a first, faster speed and at a second, slower speed;
- circuit means coupled to said actuator means for producing said plurality of driving signals, said circuit means responsive to input signals;
- inputting means for inputting user-defined input signals, relating to parameters of the pressure plate travel, to said circuit means;
- pressure monitoring means for monitoring the pressure applied by said pressure plate to said container including power monitoring means for monitoring the power consumption of said actuator means;
- said user-defined input signals including at least one signal indicating a preselected pressure limit;
- pressure control means for comparing the monitored pressure to said preselected pressure limit and for altering the driving signals so as to alter the pressure applied to said container by said pressure plate and said support plate;
- and
- means for generating a discontinuous driving signal when the power consumption of said actuator means exceeds the preselected limit.
6 more elements
Mixing apparatus for mixing contents in a container comprising:
- container contacting means including a support plate and a pressure plate which is movable toward and away from the support plate;
- actuator means operable in response to a plurality of driving signals to move the pressure plate toward and away from the support plate at a first, faster speed and at a second, slower speed;
- circuit means coupled to said actuator means for producing said plurality of driving signals, said circuit means responsive to input signals;
- inputting means for inputting user defined input signals, relating to parameters of the pressure plate travel, to said circuit means;
- pressure monitoring means for monitoring the pressure applied by said pressure plate to said container;
- said user-defined input signals include at least one signal indicating a preselected pressure limit;
- and
- said apparatus further comprises pressure control means for comparing the monitored pressure to said preselected pressure limit and for altering the driving signals so as to alter the pressure applied to said container by said pressure plate and said support plate, said pressure control means being coupled to said circuit means and sending signals to said circuit means, causing said circuit means to produce driving signals so as to reverse the direction of travel of said pressure plate, so as to displace the pressure plate a preselected distance in the reverse direction and resume the pressure plate travel toward the support plate.
5 more elements
Mixing apparatus for mixing contents in a container comprising:
- container contacting means including a support plate and a pressure plate which is movable toward and away from the support plate;
- actuator means operable in response to a plurality of driving signals to move the pressure plate toward and away from the support plate at a first, faster speed and at a second, slower speed;
- circuit means coupled to said actuator means for producing said plurality of driving signals;
- and
- speed switching means responsive to pressure plate movement for altering the drive signals to said actuator means to cause a change in the speed of pressure plate travel, said speed switching means coupled to said circuit means and sending an alert signal to said circuit means when said pressure plate passes a preselected position.
2 more elements
Mixing apparatus for mixing contents in a container comprising:
- a pair of spaced container contacting plates including a support plate and a pressure plate which is movable toward and away from the support plate;
- actuator means operable in response to a plurality of driving signals to move the pressure plate in opposite directions toward and away from the support plate;
- contact sensing means for sensing contact of the pressure plate with a container located between the pressure plate and the support plate, including contact sensing signal means for generating contact sensing signal for indicating such contact;
- circuit means for producing said plurality of driving signals, coupled to said contact sensing means so as to receive said contact sensing signal, said circuit means responsive to said sensing signal to change the driving signals to said actuator means, so as to change the movement of said pressure plate in response to said driving signals;
- and
- said driving signals including signals for moving the pressure plate toward a container on the support plate, moving the pressure plate in a reverse direction in response to the contact sensing signal, and resuming movement of the pressure plate toward the support plate so as to apply pressure to said container.
3 more elements
Mixing apparatus for mixing contents in a container comprising:
- a pair of spaced container contacting plates including a support plate and a pressure plate which is movable toward and away from the support plate;
- actuator means operable in response to a plurality of driving signals to move the pressure plate in opposite directions toward and away from the support plate;
- contact sensing means for sensing contact of the pressure plate with a container located between the pressure plate and the support plate, including contact sensing signals means for generating contact sensing signal for indicating such contact;
- circuit means for producing said plurality of driving signals, coupled to said contact sensing means so as to receive said contact sensing signal, said circuit means responsive to said sensing signal to change the driving signals to said actuator means, so as to change the movement of said pressure plate in response to said driving signals;
- position sensing means for sensing the position of said pressure plate relative to said support plate and for sending a position signal in response thereto,
- said circuit means including comparing means coupled to said position sensing means for comparing a position signal to a predefined position from said support plate corresponding to the size of a container to be mixed, and
- said comparing means coupled to said circuit means to cause driving signals to be received by said actuator means when said position signal indicates pressure plate position away from the predefined position and to cause driving signals to said actuator means to be discontinued when said position signal indicates pressure plate position close to said predefined position or between said predefined position and said support plate.
4 more elements
Mixing apparatus for mixing contents in a container comprising:
- a pair of spaced container contacting plates including a support plate and a pressure plate which is movable toward and away from the support plate;
- actuator means operable in response to a plurality of driving signals to move the pressure plate in opposite directions toward and away from the support plate;
- contact sensing means for sensing contact of the pressure plate with a container located between the pressure plate and the support plate, including contact sensing signal means for generating contact sensing signal, for indicating such contact;
- circuit means for producing said plurality of driving signals, coupled to said contact sensing means so as to receive said contact sensing signal, said circuit means responsive to said sensing signal to change the driving signals to said actuator means, so as to change the movement of said pressure plate in response to said driving signals;
- and
- said circuit means including pressure level setting means for defining the contact pressure at which contact is indicated by said contact sensing signal.
3 more elements
Mixing apparatus for mixing contents in a container comprising:
- a pair of spaced containers contacting plates including a support plate and a pressure plate which is movable toward and away from the support plate;
- actuator means operable in response to a plurality of driving signals to move the pressure plate in opposite directions toward and away from the support plate;
- contact sensing means for sensing contact of the pressure plate with a container located between the pressure plate and the support plate, including contact sensing signal means for generating contact sensing signal for indicating such contact;
- circuit means for producing said plurality of driving signals, coupled to said contact sensing means so as to receive said contact sensing signal, said circuit means responsive to said sensing signal to change the driving signals to said actuator means, so as to change the movement of said pressure plate in response to said driving signals;
- and
- said contact sensing means including power monitoring means for monitoring the power consumption of said actuator means.
3 more elements
Mixing apparatus for mixing contents in a container comprising:
- a pair of spaced container contacting plates including a support plate and a pressure plate which is movable toward and away from the support plate;
- lead screw means threadingly engaged with said pressure plate;
- actuator means operable in response to a plurality of driving signals to move the pressure plate in opposite directions toward and away from the support plate, said actuator means including a motor coupled to said lead screw means for rotation thereof in opposite directions;
- rotation monitoring means for monitoring the rotation of said lead screw means and for generating a rotation signal indicative of the rotation;
- and
- circuit means for producing said plurality of driving signals, including means for receiving said rotation signal and for changing the driving signals to said actuator means in response thereto so as to change the movement of said pressure plate.
3 more elements
Mixing apparatus for mixing contents in a container comprising:
- a pair of spaced container contacting pressure plates movable toward one another so as to apply pressure to a container clamped therebetween and away from one another so as to release the container;
- driving means operable in response to a plurality of driving signals to move the plates toward and away from one another;
- circuit means for producing said plurality of driving signals in response to an input signal indicative of container size;
- means for inputting an input signal in said circuit means, indicative of container size;
- and
- said driving signals including a first signal for initially moving said pressure plates at a first, faster speed and a second signal for moving said pressure plates at a second, slower speed as said pressure plates engage the container.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.