Patent ID: 8206024

Claim:
An ultrasonic mixing system for mixing particulates into a formulation, the mixing system comprising: a particulate dispensing system capable of dispensing particulates into a treatment chamber for mixing with a formulation; and the treatment chamber comprising: an elongate housing having longitudinally opposite ends and an interior space, the housing being generally closed at at least one longitudinal end and having at least one inlet port for receiving the formulation into the interior space of the housing and at least one outlet port through which a particulate-containing formulation is exhausted from the housing following ultrasonic mixing of the formulation and particulates to form the particulate-containing formulation, the outlet port being spaced longitudinally from the inlet port such that the formulation and particulates flow longitudinally within the interior space of the housing from the inlet port to the outlet port; and an elongate ultrasonic waveguide assembly extending longitudinally within the interior space of the housing and being operable at a predetermined ultrasonic frequency to ultrasonically energize and mix the formulation and particulates flowing within the housing, the waveguide assembly comprising an elongate ultrasonic horn disposed at least in part intermediate the inlet port and the outlet port of the housing and having an outer surface located for contact with the formulation and particulates flowing within the housing from the inlet port to the outlet port, and a plurality of discrete agitating members in contact with and extending transversely outward from the outer surface of the horn intermediate the inlet port and the outlet port in longitudinally spaced relationship with each other, the agitating members and the horn being constructed and arranged for dynamic motion of the agitating members relative to the horn upon ultrasonic vibration of the horn at the predetermined frequency and to operate in an ultrasonic cavitation mode of the agitating members corresponding to the predetermined frequency and the formulation and particulates being mixed in the chamber, wherein at least one of the agitating members has a ratio of transverse length to thickness of the agitating member in the range of about 2:1 to about 6:1.