Abstract: An impeller system for a mixer is used with a vessel for holding a material to be mixed. A stationary shaft extends into the vessel. A rotor having impellers extending therefrom is supported on a ceramic roller bearing assembly that supports the rotor for rotation about the shaft. The bearing assembly has a ceramic inner race, a ceramic outer race and ceramic rolling elements. A drive system is external to the vessel to magnetically drive the rotor.

Abstract: A bearing assembly including an inner race having a first groove; an outer race having a second groove; and a plurality of balls disposed between the races and in contact with the races, wherein each groove has a pair of edge corners, and wherein the location of highest load stress between the balls and respective grooves is located away from the corners.

Abstract: A mixing apparatus and method uses a disposable assembly including a closed vessel with a rotating shaft supported in the vessel. The shaft has radially extending impellers. The shaft is driven via an external magnetic drive system. The vessel can be cleaned during manufacture and discarded after use.

Abstract: A hub for removable mounting onto a shaft has an inner sleeve having a first end and a second end, and having a substantially cylindrical inner diameter and having an outer surface having a threaded region and a tapered conical surface located substantially near the first end. An outer hub has an inner surface with a threaded region threadably engagable with the threaded region of the inner hub, and a inner tapered conical surface configured to cam along the tapered outer surface of the inner hub. The hub can be locked at a desired axial location or the shaft by engaging the threads to cause the cam surfaces to constrict the diameter of the first end so it frictionally locks onto the shaft.

Abstract: A coupling assembly that can be used to quickly connect and disconnect an impeller shaft to and from a drive output shaft. A portion of the coupling assembly can be used to secure the impeller shaft inside a mixing vessel so that the impeller shaft can remain secure inside the mixing vessel when the drive is disconnected. The coupling assembly has a first and a second coupling half, a first group of locking pens that extend from the first coupling half and can pass through openings formed in the second coupling half, and second group of locking pins that extend from the first coupling half and can pass through openings formed in the top region of the mixing vessel.

Abstract: A hub for removable mounting onto a shaft uses a locking ring having an inner diameter that surrounds the shaft and frictionally engages the shaft to fix the locking ring against the shaft axially and rotationally, a first annular hub component that is mounted to the locking ring, and a second annular hub component that is mounted to the first annular hub component.