Abstract:
A quick-disconnect mixer drive system includes a drive adapted to be mounted on a mixing tank. The drive includes an output shaft; a first quick-disconnect coupling component mounted on the output shaft; and a second quick-disconnect coupling component adapted to be mounted on a mixing shaft of an associated mixing tank. The second quick-disconnect coupling component being shaped to engage the first quick-disconnect coupling component to transmit both clockwise and counterclockwise torque from the output shaft to the mixing shaft and resist relative longitudinal movement between the first and second quick-disconnect coupling components.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     This disclosure relates to portable mixers and, more particularly, to quick-disconnect mixer drive systems adapted to be mounted on mixing tanks.  
         [0002]     Large volume users of paint, such as automotive assembly plants, typically purchase paint in large, substantially enclosed, stainless steel drums called “totes.” Totes typically include internal mixing blades attached to a vertical shaft that is rotatably mounted to the tote. The shaft may include a stub portion that protrudes upwardly from a top surface of the tote. A drive may be mounted (or otherwise positioned) on the top of the tote and may engage the stub portion so that the drive rotates the shaft supporting the mixing blades.  
         [0003]     The totes typically are recycled; that is, they are repeatedly filled with paint and emptied as the paint is sprayed onto vehicles by various paint spraying devices. The mixing blades are rotated to ensure that the paint is properly mixed as it is being used. The need for cleaning a tote after it has been drained of paint may be eliminated by keeping the shaft and impeller system captive to the tank and refilling the tank with the same material.  
         [0004]     Painting facilities may store and use many totes at any one time. However, such facilities typically only have a few drives. Therefore, the agitator drives may be mounted on the totes being used, thereby requiring the user to connect and disconnect the drives from the totes as the totes are rotated through the facility. This technique minimizes the number of drive systems required and reduces the overall cost of producing the end product.  
         [0005]     Consequently, there is a need for a mixer drive system that may be quickly and easily attached to and removed from a tote.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006]     In one aspect, a quick-disconnect mixer drive system may include a drive adapted to be mounted on a mixing tank. The drive may include an output shaft, a first quick-disconnect coupling component mounted on the output shaft and a second quick-disconnect coupling component adapted to be mounted on a mixing shaft of an associated mixing tank. The second quick-disconnect coupling component may be shaped to engage the first quick-disconnect coupling component to transmit both clockwise and counter-clockwise torque from the output shaft to the mixing shaft and resist relative longitudinal movement between the first and second quick-disconnect coupling components.  
         [0007]     Other aspects will become apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view, partially in section, of an aspect of the quick-disconnect mixer drive system;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the plug quick-disconnect coupling component of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is an exploded, side elevational view, in section, of the socket quick-disconnect coupling component of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view, in section, of the socket quick-disconnect coupling component of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0012]     As used herein, “quick-disconnect” shall refer generally to any connector adapted to facilitate rapid engagement and disengagement of two connector halves.  
         [0013]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a quick-disconnect mixer drive system, generally designated  10 , may include a drive  12  adapted to be mounted on a tote  14  having a mixing shaft  16  positioned therein. The mixing shaft  16  may include mixing blades  18  or other agitating devices mounted thereon.  
         [0014]     The drive  12  may be operatively connected to the mixing shaft  16  by a quick-disconnect  20  such that the drive  12  may supply clockwise or counter-clockwise rotational torque to the mixing shaft  16 , as shown by arrow A. In one aspect, the drive  12  may be a motor or the like and may include an output shaft  22 , wherein the output shaft  22  may be operatively connected to the mixing shaft  16  by the quick-disconnect  20 .  
         [0015]     In one aspect, the quick-disconnect  20  may include a plug portion  24  and a socket portion  26 . The output shaft  22  may be connected to a quick-disconnect adapter  28  by a set screw  30  and the adapter  28  may be connected to the socket portion  26  of the quick-disconnect  20  by screws  32 , such that clockwise and counter-clockwise torque may be transferred from the output shaft  22  of the drive  12  to the socket portion  26  and plug portion  24  of the quick-disconnect  20  and ultimately to the mixing shaft  16 .  
         [0016]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the plug portion  24  may be connected to a stud portion  34  of the mixing shaft  16  that protrudes above the tote  14 . In one aspect, the plug portion  24  may be press fit onto the stud portion  34 , although any connection means may be used.  
         [0017]     In one aspect, the plug portion  24  may include a plurality of longitudinal splines  36  and a circumferential race  38 . A thrust bearing  40  may be shaped to slidably engage the mixing shaft  16  and may be urged against the underside of the plug portion  24  by a coil spring  42 , thereby urging the plug portion  24  away from the tote  14 . The coil spring  42  may be seated on a packing follower  44 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , and may urge the plug portion  24  away from the tote  14 . A collar  46  ( FIG. 1 ) may be mounted on the mixing shaft  16  to restrict the travel of the mixing shaft  12  relative to the packing follower  44  beyond a predetermined point.  
         [0018]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a protective cover  43  may be positioned over the thrust bearing  40  and or the spring  42 . The cover  43  may be made from a plastisol, a rubber material, a metal or metal alloy, a polymeric material or the like.  
         [0019]     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the socket portion  26  may include a body  48  that defines a socket  50  therein. The socket  50  may include a plurality of grooves  52  sized and shaped to receive the splines  36  (see  FIG. 2 ) when the plug portion  24  is received within the socket  50  of the socket portion  26 , thereby restricting rotation of the plug portion  24  relative to the socket portion  26 .  
         [0020]     In one aspect, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the socket portion  26  may include a spring  54 , a ramp  56 , detents  58  (e.g., generally cylindrical rollers) and a sleeve  60 . The detents  58  may be slidably received within one ore more apertures  62  in the body  48  of the socket portion  26 . The apertures  62  may, be positioned such that the detents  58  engage the ball race  38  of the plug portion  24  when the plug portion  24  is received within the socket  50  of the socket portion  26 , thereby forming a secure or locked connection between the plug portion  24  to the socket portion  26 .  
         [0021]     The spring  54  may be provided to urge the sleeve  60  and ramp  56  out of engagement with the detents  58 . However, when the force of spring  54  is overcome, the sleeve  60  and ramp  56  may be advanced into engagement with the detents  58  to urge the detents  58  in the direction shown by arrows B ( FIG. 3 ), thereby disengaging the detents  58  from the ball race  38 . When the detents  58  disengage the ball race  38 , the plug portion  24  may be removed from the socket  50  of the socket portion  26 .  
         [0022]     The quick-disconnect  20  may be selected from quick-disconnects commercially available from suppliers, such as Part No.: 801-70004 available from Sweet Manufacturing Inc. of Kalamazoo, Mich.  
         [0023]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a support housing  64  may be provided for supporting the drive  12  relative to the tote  14 . The drive  12  may be connected to the support housing  64  by screws  66 . The support housing  64  may be releasably connected to the tote  14  by any available means. In one aspect, the housing  64  may be releasably connected to the tote  14  by engaging locking lugs  68  that extend from the tote  14 , through an opening  70  in the housing  64 , with locking wedges  72  positioned on a bottom surface  74  of the housing  64 , thereby tightly securing the bottom surface  74  of the housing  64  between the locking lugs  68  and the tote  14 .  
         [0024]     Accordingly, a user may connect the drive  12  to the mixing shaft  16  by positioning the drive  12  over the tote and engaging the socket portion  26  of the quick-disconnect  20  with the plug portion  24  of the quick-disconnect  20 , wherein, in one aspect, the socket portion  26  is fixedly connected to the output shaft  22  of the drive and the plug portion  24  is fixedly connected to the mixing shaft  16 . The detents  58  of the socket portion  26  may engage the ball race  38  of the plug portion  24 , thereby securing or locking the socket portion  26  relative to the plug portion  24 . The support housing  64  may be rotated relative to the tote  14  such that the locking lugs  68  on the tote  14  engage the locking wedges  72  on the housing  64 .  
         [0025]     The assembly  10  may be disconnected by rotating the support housing  64  relative to the tote  14  such that the locking lugs  68  disengage the locking wedges  72  and the bottom surface  72  of the housing  64 . When the housing  64  is disconnected from the tote  14 , a user may lift the sleeve  60  on the socket portion  26  against the bias of the spring  54  to urge the ramp  56  into engagement with the detents  58 , thereby moving the detents  58  out of engagement with the ball race  38  on the plug portion  24 . When the detents  58  have disengaged the ball race  38 , the plug portion  24  may be separated from the socket portion  26 .  
         [0026]     Although various aspects have been shown and described, modifications may occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the specification. The public is hereby placed on notice that any patent that may issue on this application includes such modifications and is limited only by the scope of the claims.