Abstract:
An apparatus for blending two different components, comprising: two vessels each containing one of said components, connection means to which said components are separately fed from said vessel, and an actuation device which initiates the entry of the components into said connection means from said vessels at a predetermined ratio, where a pressurized vessel each is provided as a vessel from which said component is discharged by means of an expulsion agent via a valve, the valves of said vessels being operated via the actuation device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Not applicable. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH  
       [0002]     Not applicable. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The present invention relates to an apparatus for blending two different components.  
         [0004]     Two-component systems in which two different components are blended with each other for specific purposes have sufficiently been known. For example, it is possible to employ reactive adhesives and sealants for very different applications. Likewise, two-component systems can be used for potting and encapsulating items in the field of electrotechnical equipment.  
         [0005]     A known blending apparatus, for example, is designed as a 2-component blending gun in which the materials being blended are provided in two cartridges. The material is forced out of the cartridges into a tubular or tip-shaped mixer via one piston each. A detent mechanism is provided to actuate the blending gun and cause the rams to be advanced by steps in the cartridges. It is also known to provide a pneumatic advancing motion system for the pistons instead of the mechanical detent mechanism.  
         [0006]     It is the object of the invention to provide an apparatus for blending two different components which allows to easily handle the components being blended and control the expulsion thereof.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     Advantageous aspects define the subject matters of the sub-claims.  
         [0008]     The inventive apparatus serves for blending two different components which preferably react with each other to obtain the desired material. The device has two vessels which receive one component each, connection means to which the components are separately fed from the vessel and from which they exit in order to be contacted with each other in a mixer, for example. Further, an actuation device is provided which initiates the entry of the components into the connection means from the vessels at a predetermined ratio. According to the invention, a pressurized vessel each is provided as a vessel from which the components are dispensed by means of an expulsion medium via a valve. In the inventive apparatus, the valves of the vessel are opened and closed via the actuation device.  
         [0009]     Unlike in the known 2-component blending gun, a piston is no longer moved directly by the actuation device in the inventive apparatus, but a valve is opened on a pressurized vessel. The components will then exit from the pressurized vessel through the valve and are fed to the connection means and/or passed on to a mixer. A particular advantage of the inventive apparatus is that the components being blended are provided in pressurized vessels from which the components being blended are caused to exit by an expulsion medium in the vessel.  
         [0010]     It is preferred that a dispensing vessel is provided as a vessel which is of a substantially cylindrical shape. The dispensing vessels may be arranged as a package in parallel with each other, the vessels preferably being provided with a valve each at their fronts.  
         [0011]     In a preferred aspect, at least one of the vessels is provided with a male valve which opens when a pressure acts on its projecting stem in an axial direction and/or which opens when its projecting stem is tilted crosswise to the axial direction. Alternatively, it is possible for at least one of the vessels to have a female valve which opens when under a pressure in an axial direction.  
         [0012]     In a preferred aspect, the connection means have a blending body including two inlet openings and two channels. The blending body preferably has provided therein a check valve each in the channel that prevents the components from flowing back to the vessel. This avoids any undesirable reaction between components in the blending body. The connection means further have an insert body which defines the channels, along with the blending body. It is preferred that the connection means are provided with a blending tube in which the components then undergo thorough blending. The blending tube is suitably placed on top of the blending body.  
         [0013]     The inventive device has a holder to releasably connect to the vessels. The vessels may be exchanged singly or by pairs for use on the holder. The holder is provided with a handle and an actuation lever. The actuation lever is hinged to the holder and has a projection which interacts with the vessels. It is preferred that the holder has a head portion in which the connection means are disposed.  
         [0014]     The vessels can be jointly disposed in a reception sleeve where the sleeve has detent means which grip behind a projection of the vessel. The detent means have a catch plate including two indentations and a lever may additionally be provided to disengage the catch plate from its engaged position.  
         [0015]     The reception sleeve further has an abutting surface which interacts with the actuation device. The sleeve can be moved, along with the vessels, within the head portion of the holder to open the valves of the vessels. Force is transmitted to the valve via the connection means here.  
         [0016]     As an alternative of the reception sleeve, a pair of vessel attachments may also be used which are placed on the top and bottom portions of the vessels. Each vessel attachment has two receptacles which accommodate the vessel in its top and bottom regions. At least one of the vessel attachments, in theregion of the receptacle, has a through opening through which the valve is accessible. If a vessel is used with a male valve the stem will protrude through the through opening. If a female valve is used an extension socket or the like can pass through the through opening and operate the valve in the vessel attachment. For a connection of vessels and vessel attachments, catch lugs are provided which grip behind appropriate projections on said vessels.  
         [0017]     As in the case of the reception sleeve, the vessel attachment for the head portion of the vessels has an abutting surface which interacts with the actuation device. Upon actuation, the vessel attachment is advanced along with the vessels and the force expended for the purpose is utilized to open the vessel valves. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]     Preferred embodiments of the inventive device will be explained in more detail below.  
         [0019]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the inventive blending gun as seen obliquely from the front,  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the inventive blending gun as seen from a side,  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  shows an exploded view of the blending gun of  FIG. 1  as seen obliquely from top,  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  shows an exploded view of the blending gun of  FIG. 1  as seen obliquely from bottom in a perspective view,  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  shows a section through the connection means,  
         [0024]      FIGS. 6 and 7  show two perspective views of vessel attachments for the bottom and top regions of the vessels, and  
         [0025]      FIGS. 8 and 9  show an alternative aspect in a perspective view,  
         [0026]      FIG. 10  shows an exploded view of the blending gun of  FIG. 8 , and  
         [0027]      FIG. 11  shows a section through the connection means for the blending gun of  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0028]     While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there are described in detail herein a specific preferred embodiment of the invention. This description is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment illustrated  
         [0029]      FIG. 1  shows a two-component blending gun  10  in a perspective view. The blending gun  10  has a handle  12  with an actuation lever  14 . The handle  12  has a receptacle  16  which receives the actuation lever  14  when in its depressed condition. The handle  12  laterally is further provided with a lug  18  which can serve as an abutment for the thumb during an actuation.  
         [0030]     The 2-component blending gun has a mixer  20  which internally exhibits helically shaped blending plates which are known as such and thoroughly blend the components which are advanced by them. The components, when blended together, exit through the mixer tip  22 . The mixer  20  is selected in its diameter and its arrangement of the guide plates used in a manner known as such depending on the requirements made to the components being blended. The mixer  20  is screwed to a holder  26  by means of a spigot nut  24 . The holder  26  exhibits a head portion  28  which has an upper half  30  and a lower half  32  which is joined to the handle  12 . The holder  26  further exhibits a supporting plate  34  through which the actuation lever  14  is extended (cf.  FIG. 3 ). The upper and lower parts of the head portion  28  can be screwed to each other.  
         [0031]     Referring back to  FIG. 1 : The two-component blending gun which is shown further has a sleeve-like vessel receptacle  36  which accommodates two cylindrical dispensing vessels  38 ,  40 . At its end facing the mixer  20 , the vessel receptacle  36  has a catch plate  42  which is fixed to a movable tongue  46  of the mounting  36  and can be moved via a lever  44  that stands out (cf.  FIG. 3 ).  
         [0032]     For insertion, the dispensing vessels  38  and  40  are axially introduced into the receptacle  36  and are advanced until the catch plate  42  grips behind the valve disks, the rim of the vessel or another lug on the dispensing vessels. The vessels will then be in communication with the vessel receptacle  36 . For an exchange of the vessels  38  and  40  after use, the lever  44  is bent away from the mixer  20  to release the cans  38  and  40 .  
         [0033]     As is apparent from  FIGS. 3 and 4  the head portion  28  has provided thereon connection means. The connection means illustrated comprises a blending body  46  which has two inlet openings  48 ,  50  for the valves of the vessels  38  and  40 . As will be explained now the components are blended in the mixer only and not yet in the blending body. The components are fed to the mixer separately through the blending body. The inlet openings point towards the blending tube  20 . The inlet channel  52  and  54  that respectively joins the inlet opening  48  and  50  has a check valve  56  and  58 . The check valves  56  and  58  are introduced into the blending body through a lateral opening to facilitate their assembly. The check valves concerned are conically converging membrane elements which have a slot which is opened by the medium in the direction of channel and is squeezed in the opposite direction.  
         [0034]     Centrally interposed between channels  52  and  54  is a channel body  60  which defines an extension of the two channels  52  and  54  towards the mixer. The inserted body  60  has a partition  62  which extends through the channel. For example, the inserted body  60  may be held by lugs on that side of the blending body  46  which faces away from the mixer.  
         [0035]     The channel body  60  also serves as a gate for the mixer  20 .  
         [0036]     As can be seen distinctly in  FIG. 4  the vessel receptacle  36  has a groove  64  at its underside that opens into an abutting surface  66  at the side facing the mixer. The actuation lever  14  has a bore  70  through which the actuation lever  14  is pivotally supported by a spigot  68  about the handle  12 . A projection  72  extends into the holder and bears on the abutting surface  66 . Actuating the lever  14  causes the receptacle  36  to be moved towards the mixer via the projection  72  and abutting surface  66 . As a result, the projecting stem of the valves  74  and  78  urges the vessels  38  and  40  into the receptacles  48  and  50 . The valves of the vessels  38  and  40  will open after a sufficient lift and the components will exit and get into the mixer  20 .  
         [0037]     For guidance of the receptacle on the holder device the latter is laterally provided with lugs  78  which are guided in an appropriate seat  80  on the head portion  28 .  
         [0038]     Not illustrated is a second catch plate which substantially corresponds in geometry to that of the catch plate  42  and is disposed opposite this one in the vessel receptacle  36 . This enables the dispensing vessels  38  and  40  to be held in the vessel receptacle  36  for an application of an appropriate force. To prevent the catch plate  42  from coming off incidentally it can be biased to its engaged position via a leaf spring  80 . The leaf spring  80  is guided on the receptacle  36  via tracks  82  and  84 .  
         [0039]     In the embodiment which is shown, force is applied by the actuation lever directly to the vessel receptacle for the dispensing vessels. An intensification of the force would also become possible by providing a transmission or gearing here.  
         [0040]     The 2-component blending gun is preferably manufactured from a reinforced plastic and is designed for permanent use. The lift to be provided is different, depending on the valve used. As a rule, a lift of two to three millimeters is adequate for standard valves. Tilting valves may be employed in addition to the axially actuated valves which are shown. The design of the valves may vary as well and, thus, it is also possible to use so-called bag-on valves or valves having an internal pressure-guided piston.  
         [0041]      FIG. 6  shows two can-shaped vessels  160  and  162  each of which has a projecting stem  164 ,  166 . For example, the valve interacting with the stem may be a valve as is used for PU foam. The vessels  160  and  162  are held in parallel and at the same orientation to each other by means of a pair of vessel attachments  168  and  170 . Each vessel attachment is of an roughly bone-like shape with one receptacle each for the vessel. The substantially circular receptacles for the vessel ends are joined to each other via a bridging portion. The bridging portions have cruciform webs  172 ,  174 . The vessel attachment  168  provided in the top region of the vessels has an abutting surface which is provided on the side facing away from the valves and is for an actuation device. This abutting surface can suitably be located approximately at the level of the longitudinal axis of the vessels  160 ,  162  so that this avoids tilting the vessels while they are advanced.  
         [0042]     It is preferred to use a snap-in mechanism to join the vessel attachments  160  and  170  to the vessels  160  and  162 . The vessel attachments are renewed together with the vessels in case of a replacement. The risk of confusing them may be ruled out by providing appropriate contours to the vessel attachments and the holder.  
         [0043]     As was the case for the vessel receptacle  136  already the vessel attachment  168  is slidably guided in the head portion  128  of the holder, which makes the vessel receptacle  136  unnecessary here.  
         [0044]     In this aspect, a spring-loaded release lever may be provided which grips behind the bridging portion. This also secures the inserted vessels from being taken out. For a detachment of the vessels with the vessel attachment, a solvent is provided which loosens the vessel attachment in the head portion of the holder so that the vessel attachment can be removed.  
         [0045]     In a possible aspect, the two dispensing vessels are interconnected to form a package already. An appropriate geometry of this package allows a suitable receptacle or appropriate blending body to prevent a confused introduction of the vessels. Dispensing vessels can be provided in different volumes and with different valves, depending on the desired blending ratio. If dispensing vessels having a rolled rim are used the detent means preferably grip behind the rim.  
         [0046]     An alternative aspect of a two-component blending gun  210  is shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . Like the model described previously, the blending gun has a handle  212  with a receptacle  216  for an actuation lever  214 . Again, a lug  18  is provided as an abutment for the thumb. Like in the model which is known already, the mixer  220  is fixed to a holder  226  by means of a spigot nut  224 .  
         [0047]     As can be seen from  FIG. 10  the holder  226  is composed of a lower shell half  228  and an upper shell half  230 . The lower shell half  228  is joined to the handle  212  and, at the side facing the handle, has an opening through which a projection  272  of the actuation lever  214  extends into the interior. The upper shell half  230  may be fixed, along with the lower shell half  228 , by means of two pairs of screws which are guided in the lower shell half  228  via screw channels  229 .  
         [0048]     In addition to the upper shell half  230 , a cover element  231  is provided which engages both the upper shell half  230  and lower shell half  228  via lateral detent edges  233  and a detent projection  235 . At its rear end, the cover  231  centrally has a projection  237  with a catch nose  239 . The projection  237  is passed through between the vessels  238  and  240  and additionally secures the cover element  231  to the lower shell half  228 .  
         [0049]     The two vessels  238  and  240  are accommodated in a pair of vessel attachments  268  and  270 . The vessel&#39;s front attachment  268  is joined to either of the two vessels  238  and  240 . The vessel attachment  268  has an annular indentation with detent means which snap into a circumferential lug along the valve disk. At its underside, the vessel adapter  268  has a recess into which the projection  272  of the actuation lever  214  extends. During use, the actuation lever  214  is depressed and the force applied is transmitted to the upper vessel adapter. The vessels  238  and  240 , along with the lower vessel attachment  270 , are thus moved towards the mixer  220 .  
         [0050]     The projecting stem of the valves extends through the vessel attachment  268  and into a blending body  246  which serves as a gate to the mixer. The components being mixed are separately fed to the mixer through the blending body.  
         [0051]      FIG. 11  shows a cross-section through the front portion of the blending gun. The blending body  246  has two separate channels  252  and  254 . The stems  248  and  250  are mounted in the blending body  246 . So-called tilting valves which will also open when under an axial pressure are shown as valves in  FIG. 11 .  
         [0052]     The above disclosure is intended to be illustrative and not exhaustive. This description will suggest many variations and alternatives to one of ordinary skill in this art. All these alternatives and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims where the term “comprising” means “including, but not limited to”. Those familiar with the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein which equivalents are also intended to be encompassed by the claims.  
         [0053]     Further, the particular features presented in the dependent claims can be combined with each other in other manners within the scope of the invention such that the invention should be recognized as also specifically directed to other embodiments having any other possible combination of the features of the dependent claims. For instance, for purposes of claim publication, any dependent claim which follows should be taken as alternatively written in a multiple dependent form from all prior claims which possess all antecedents referenced in such dependent claim if such multiple dependent format is an accepted format within the jurisdiction (e.g. each claim depending directly from claim  1  should be alternatively taken as depending from all previous claims). In jurisdictions where multiple dependent claim formats are restricted, the following dependent claims should each be also taken as alternatively written in each singly dependent claim format which creates a dependency from a prior antecedent-possessing claim other than the specific claim listed in such dependent claim below.  
         [0054]     This completes the description of the preferred and alternate embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiment described herein which equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto.