MAGNETIC MIXER
First Claim
1. Apparatus such as described, comprising:
- a support for a volume of liquid containing a suspension a multiplicity of magnetic particles, means effecting a rotary movement of said particles relatively to said liquid about an axis, which movement tends to be characterized by redistribution and collection of said particles in one or more localized areas in said liquid, and which rotary movement generates a centrifugal force affecting said particles, and means externally of said liquid generating a magnetic field gradient coacting with said particles to overcome such redistributing effect thereon and balance said force, for substantial uniformity of distribution of said particles in said liquid.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A magnetic mixer for laboratory use which includes a permanent magnet mounted for rotation and driven on an axis centrally between its poles. A volume of combined liquids, containing in addition a multiplicity of magnetic particles, is supported centrally with reference to the magnet poles for activation of the particles in the rotating magnetic field to mix the liquids to achieve a reaction between them or merely a blending. This rotational force on the mixture has the effect of redistributing the magnetic particles away from the center of the mixture which effect, unless countered, lessens the mixing action. A second permanent magnet is provided having its poles in substantial alignment with the first mentioned axis, and having one of these last-mentioned poles spaced a distance nearer to the mixture than the other pole thereof, the magnetic field of the second magnet being substantially at right angles to the magnetic field of the first magnet. The field of the second magnet effectively counters by attraction the aforementioned redistributing movement of the magnetic particles, and the resultant particle distribution is substantially uniform throughout the combined liquids.
19 Citations
13 Claims
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1. Apparatus such as described, comprising:
- a support for a volume of liquid containing a suspension a multiplicity of magnetic particles, means effecting a rotary movement of said particles relatively to said liquid about an axis, which movement tends to be characterized by redistribution and collection of said particles in one or more localized areas in said liquid, and which rotary movement generates a centrifugal force affecting said particles, and means externally of said liquid generating a magnetic field gradient coacting with said particles to overcome such redistributing effect thereon and balance said force, for substantial uniformity of distribution of said particles in said liquid.
- View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. Mixing apparatus comprising:
- a first magnet having its axis between poles of the magnet disposed in a first plane, means for rotating said magnet on a second axis normal to said plane to generate a rotating first magnetic field, the second axis being located centrally between said magnet poles, support means for fixedly supporting substantially on said second axis a volume of plural combined liquids to be intermixed by a suspension of magnetic particles in said liquid volume, and a second magnet having poles, generating a second magnetic field and having its axis substantially on said second axis, one of said poles of said second magnet being spaced nearer said liquid volume than the other of said last-mentioned poles, said support means supporting said liquid volume in both said first and second magnetic fields so that dislocating movement of said magnetic particles by centrifugal force as the latter move through said liquid volume during mixing of the constituents latter is effectively opposed by said second magnetic field.
- View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. Apparatus such as described, comprising:
- a support for a volume of liquid containing in suspension a multiplicity of magnetic particles, means effecting movement of said particles relatively to said liquid volume, which movement tends to be characterized by redistribution and collection of said particles in one or more localized areas in said liquid volume resulting in a non-uniform particle distribution throughout the liquid volume, and means externally of said liquid generating a magnetic field gradient coacting with said particles to overcome such non-uniform distributing effect thereon, to achieve substantial uniformity of distribution of said particles throughout said liquid volume.
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13. A method of mixing a volume of plural combined liquids to be intermixed by activation of magnetic particles in suspension in the liquid volume comprising:
- the step of generating a rotating first magnetic field, generating a second magnetic field substantially at right angles and centrally of said first magnetic field so as to have a portion thereof extending into and overlapping said first magnetic field, and supporting said liquid volume in said overlapping portion of said second magnetic field, so that said magnetic particles are attracted by both magnetic fields.
Specification