U.S. patent application number 17/578153 was filed with the patent office on 2022-05-05 for feeding mechanisms for 3d printers.
This patent application is currently assigned to Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.. The applicant listed for this patent is Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.. Invention is credited to Tristan Dudik, Brent EWALD, John Geile, Michael Rode.
Application Number | 20220134665 17/578153 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000006093862 |
Filed Date | 2022-05-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220134665 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
EWALD; Brent ; et
al. |
May 5, 2022 |
FEEDING MECHANISMS FOR 3D PRINTERS
Abstract
In order to have ensure a proper dosing of a 3D printing system,
it is disclosed a feeding mechanism for feeding build material to a
surface that comprises: a receptacle to receive build material; and
an outlet of the build material having a substantially
quadrilateral opening with a first dimension and a second dimension
orthogonal to one another; the outlet further comprising a third
dimension orthogonal to the first dimension and the second
dimension defining the height of the outlet, and the feeding
mechanism being to selectively feed build material from to the
receptacle through the outlet onto a surface as the feeding
mechanism moves along a travel direction over the surface, being
such travel direction parallel to the first dimension of the
outlet, the feeding mechanism further comprising an actuator to
modify the magnitude of at least one of the second dimension or the
third dimension outlet.
Inventors: |
EWALD; Brent; (Vancouver,
WA) ; Geile; John; (Vancouver, WA) ; Dudik;
Tristan; (Vancouver, WA) ; Rode; Michael;
(Vancouver, WA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. |
Spring |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Hewlett-Packard Development
Company, L.P.
Spring
TX
|
Family ID: |
1000006093862 |
Appl. No.: |
17/578153 |
Filed: |
January 18, 2022 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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16076122 |
Aug 7, 2018 |
11254056 |
|
|
PCT/US2017/043751 |
Jul 25, 2017 |
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17578153 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
425/375 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C 64/321 20170801;
B22F 12/52 20210101; B33Y 30/00 20141201; B33Y 40/00 20141201 |
International
Class: |
B29C 64/321 20060101
B29C064/321; B33Y 30/00 20060101 B33Y030/00; B33Y 40/00 20060101
B33Y040/00; B22F 12/52 20060101 B22F012/52 |
Claims
1-15. (canceled)
16. A 3D printing system comprising: a feeding mechanism for
feeding build material to a surface, the feeding mechanism
including: a receptacle to receive build material; an outlet
through which the build material is to be outputted onto the
surface as the feeding mechanism moves along a first axis over the
surface, the outlet having a quadrangular opening formed by a first
end wall and a second end wall; and an actuator to move at least
one of the first end wall and the second end wall in at least one
of a vertical direction and a horizontal direction to vary a size
of the outlet in at least one of the vertical direction and the
horizontal direction; and a spreader to move along a second axis to
spread the build material from the surface over a build
surface.
17. The 3D printing system of claim 16, wherein the actuator is to
move at least one of the first end wall and the second end wall
along the second axis to vary the size of the outlet in the
horizontal direction, wherein the first axis is orthogonal to the
second axis.
18. The 3D printing system of claim 16, wherein the actuator is to
move at least one of the first end wall and the second end wall
along a third axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and the
second axis to vary the size of the outlet in the vertical
direction.
19. The 3D printing system of claim 16, further comprising: a motor
coupled to the feeding mechanism, wherein the motor is to cause the
feeding mechanism to be moved linearly along the first axis.
20. The 3D printing system of claim 16, wherein the actuator is to
move the first end wall and the second end wall in both the
vertical and horizontal directions to vary the size of the outlet
in both the vertical and horizontal directions.
21. The 3D printing system of claim 16, wherein the actuator is to
bi-directionally move the first end wall and the second end wall in
both the vertical and horizontal directions to bi-directionally
vary the size of the outlet in both the vertical and horizontal
directions.
22. The 3D printing system of claim 16, further comprising: a
carriage to move bi-directionally over the surface along the first
axis, wherein the feeding mechanism is mounted to the carriage.
23. The 3D printing system of claim 16, further comprising: a
carriage to move bi-directionally over the surface along the second
axis, wherein the spreader is attached to the carriage.
24. The 3D printing system of claim 16, further comprising: the
build surface, wherein the build surface is to be lowered after
each layer of build material is selectively solidified over the
build surface.
25. A 3D printing system comprising: a build surface; a dosing
surface; a feeding mechanism including: a receptacle to receive
build material; an outlet having a quadrangular opening, the
quadrangular opening being formed by a first end wall and a second
end wall, wherein at least one of the first end wall and the second
end wall is movable with respect to the other one of the first end
wall and the second. end wall; an actuator to move at least one of
the first end wall and the second end wall in at least one of a
vertical direction and a horizontal direction to vary a size of the
outlet in at least one of the vertical direction and the horizontal
direction, wherein the feeding mechanism is to deposit build
material on the dosing surface through the outlet as the feeding
mechanism is moved along a first axis over the dosing surface; and
a spreader to move along a second axis to spread the build material
from the dosing surface over the build surface, wherein the second
axis is orthogonal to the first axis.
6. The 3D printing system of claim 25, wherein the actuator is to
move the first end wall and the second end wall bi-directionally
along the second axis to vary the size of the outlet in the
horizontal direction.
27. The 3D printing system of claim 25, wherein the actuator is to
move the first end wall and the second end wall bi-directionally
along a third axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and the
second axis to vary the size of the outlet in the vertical
direction.
28. The 3D printing system of claim 27, wherein the actuator is to
move the first end wall and the second end wall bi-directionally
along both the second axis and the third axis to vary the size of
the outlet in both the vertical direction and the horizontal
direction.
29. The 3D printing system of claim 25, further comprising: a first
carriage to move bi-directionally along the second axis, wherein
the spreader is attached to the first carriage.
30. The 3D printing system of claim 25, further comprising: a
second carriage to move bi-directionally along the first axis,
wherein the feeding mechanism is attached to the second carriage.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Additive manufacture systems, commonly known as
three-dimensional (3D) printers, enable objects to be generated on
a layer-by-layer basis. Powder-based 3D printing systems, for
example, form successive layers of a build material in a printer
and selectively solidify portions of the build material to form
layers of the object or objects being generated.
[0002] 3D printing systems may comprise mechanisms for accurately
measuring the amount of powder to be used in each of the successive
layers in order to help ensure that each layer has an appropriate
amount of powder and that the conditions of the system, such as
layer temperature, are suitable.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] Examples will now be described, by way of non-limiting
example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0004] FIG. 1A shows an isometric view of a 3D printing system
according to one example;
[0005] FIG. 1B shows a top view of the 3D printing system of FIG.
1A;
[0006] FIG. 2 shows an schematic process diagram for a feeding
mechanism according to one example;
[0007] FIG. 3 shows an isometric view of a schematic example of a
feeding mechanism; and
[0008] FIG. 4 shows a front view of the feeding mechanism of FIG. 3
according to one example.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0009] Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, schematic views are shown of
part of a 3D printing system according to one example.
[0010] In particular, FIGS. 1A and 1B show, respectively, isometric
and top views of a 3D printing system 100 comprising a spreader
104, attached to a carriage 103. Furthermore, a build surface 105
is shown wherein a determined amount of build material is to be
spread by the spreader 104 to generate a layer of build material,
either over the build surface 105 or over a previously processed
layer of build material. The build material is spread by means of
the spreader 104 mounted on a first carriage 103 which is shown in
the figures as a roller but can be any device capable of conveying
powdered material such as, for example, a wiper.
[0011] In one example, the build surface 105 may be part of a build
unit 101 that forms a build chamber. In one example the build unit
may be removable from the other components of the 3D printing
system. The 3D printing system 100 forms 3D objects within the
build chamber as it selectively solidifies portions of each formed
layer of build material. After each layer of build material is
selectively solidified the build surface 105 is lowered, along the
z-axis, to enable a new layer of build material to be formed
thereon. Depending on the particular 3D printing system used, each
layer of build material formed may have a height, for example, in
the region of about 50 to 120 microns.
[0012] Furthermore, the system may comprise at least one auxiliary
platform that can be used for support processes, such as the dosing
of the build material or the processing of excess build material.
In particular, the system of FIGS. 1A and 1B comprise: a dosing
surface 102 adjacent to the build surface 105 wherein material is
prepared for an accurate dosing and pre-heating; and a recycling
chamber 300 adjacent to the build surface 105 on the opposite side
of the dosing surface 102 wherein, for example, excess material may
be transferred for its reuse or disposal.
[0013] Firstly, a pile of build material is transferred from a
storage to the dosing s surface 102 by appropriate means, such as a
feed mechanism 106. Since build material may be powdered or
particulate material, the measurement of the amount of build
material that is actually transferred from the storage to the
dosing surface 102 may be difficult to accurately quantify. It may
also be difficult to uniformly locate over the dosing surface 102.
This may be further complicated by the fact that build material may
have to be transferred rapidly so that its transfer does not affect
the processing time of each layer of build material.
[0014] In an example, a pile of build material may be laid along
the Y axis of the dosing surface 102, by the feed mechanism 106.
The build material may be fed is to the dosing surface 102, for
example, by a choked flow hopper that is moved along a laying axis
D1 over the dosing surface 102 by means of a second carriage 107.
The build material may be fed to the dosing surface 102, for
example, by gravity.
[0015] The dosing surface 102 may comprise pre-heating mechanisms
below and/or over the dosing surface 102. Therefore, it is useful
to uniformly lay the build material over the dosing surface and to
accurately determine the amount and height of the layer of build
material so that operations like, for example, the pre-heating
before the selective solidification are performed adequately.
[0016] Once a determined amount of build material has been fed to
the dosing surface 102 and the pre-processing operations, for
example, the preheating has been performed, a sweep may be
performed by the spreader 104 together with the first carriage 103
along a second axis D.sub.2 to spread at least part of the build
material over the build surface 105. Then, the build material
spread over the build surface 105 may be selectively solidified by
a printing mechanism and a new pile of build material may be
transferred to the dosing surface 102 by the feeding mechanism 106
wherein the feeding of the dosing surface 102 is repeated for a new
layer of build material, for example, once the carriage has
returned back to its starting position on the left as shown in
FIGS. 1A and 1B.
[0017] The motion of the first carriage 103 and the second carriage
107 are controlled, in an example, by means of a motion controller
108 that may be connected to a main processing unit. Also, the
first carriage 103 and the second carriage 107 may move
bi-directionally along a linear trajectory thereby increasing the
processing speed and reducing the computational cost on the motion
controller 108.
[0018] FIG. 2 shows a schematic process of a feeding mechanism 106.
The feeding mechanism 106 comprises an inlet 1062 for receiving
build material 10 and an outlet for feeding a layer build material
to the dosing surface 102. The outlet has a quadrangular opening
that, in this particular case, is a rectangular opening 1060, in
order to feed a substantially rectangular layer of build material
is on the dosing surface 102. The rectangular opening 1060 may
comprise a closing mechanism such as to selectively cover at least
part of the opening.
[0019] In a first section 201, the feeding mechanism 106 is located
at a first position for receiving build material 10, for example,
in a receptacle of the feeding mechanism 106. In a second section
202, the feeding mechanism is shown while it moves linearly along a
laying axis D.sub.1 in a first direction and the rectangular
opening 1060 is open such as to feed a layer of build material 10
on the dosing platform 102 as the feeding mechanism 106 follows the
laying axis D.sub.1. In this example, the layer of build material
10 that is fed to the dosing surface 102 has, in its plan view, a
quadrangular shape, in particular, rectangular with a layer width
defined by the width W of the rectangular opening 1060.
[0020] The result of the feeding of the dosing surface is shown in
the third section 203. Therein, a layer of build material 10 is
laid with a width W equal to the width of the rectangular opening
1060 and a thickness h that may be determined by height of the
outlet, as will be described with reference to FIG. 3. A
substantially uniform layer is generated wherein operations, such
as, e.g., preheating are performed more efficiently, for example
since the amount of powder to heat along the length of the pile is
substantially constant.
[0021] In an example, the 3D printing system 100 comprises a
preheating mechanism (not shown) to induce heat from below the
dosing surface 102. Additional preheating mechanisms may be
incorporated, e.g., from above the dosing surface 102 as to preheat
the upper portion of the layer of build material 10.
[0022] FIG. 3 shows a schematic example of a feeding mechanism 106.
In this example, the feeding mechanism 106 comprises a receptacle
1063 with a top side 1062 that may be selectively open as to
receive build material and a bottom side 1061. In an example, the
bottom side 1061 may be open as to allow build material to exit the
receptacle. The feeding mechanism 106 may comprise an outlet
connected to the open bottom side 1061 as to selectively allow
build material to exit the receptacle 1063 and go through the
outlet so that the build material is fed to a surface, for example,
a dosing surface 102.
[0023] In the example of FIG. 3, the outlet comprises a first end
wall 1064 and a second end wall 1065 that have projecting surfaces
below the bottom side 1061 that may cover at least part of the
bottom surface 1061 of the receptacle 1063.
[0024] The end walls thereby define the rectangular opening 1060
for build material to pass through. In this example, the width W of
the rectangular opening 1060 is defined by the distance between the
projecting surfaces of the end walls and its length by the length
L.sub.R of the receptacle 1063.
[0025] In a further example, the feeding mechanism 106 may comprise
an actuator 1065 coupled to at least one of the first end wall 1064
or the second end wall 1065. The actuator may comprise displacement
means as to move the first end wall 1064 and/or the second end wall
1065 in a direction orthogonal to the laying axis D.sub.1. The
actuator 1065 thereby performs a dimensioning function in
directions other than the laying axis D.sub.1.
[0026] The dimensioning of the outlet is particularly relevant in
the context of the feeding mechanism 106 because it provides the
feeding mechanism 106, on one hand, with a fine-tune capability on
the dosing and, on the other, with flexibility for using a feeding
mechanism that can feed layers of several widths on the dosing
surface 102.
[0027] Since the width of the layer of build material on dosing
surface 102 determines the amount of build material that is to be
used in a particular 3D printing process, having a feeding
mechanism 106 with the capability to determine the width of the
build material to be fed to the dosing surface in a single pass is
a fast mechanism with low computational cost to define the amount
of build material that is used for each layer of the 3D printing
process.
[0028] In an example, the actuator 1065 may modify the height H of
the outlet. For explanatory purposes and in order to maintain the
references within the feeding mechanism, the height H of the outlet
will be considered to be the distance between the bottom surface
1060 of the receptacle 1063 and the opening 1061. In other
examples, the height H can likewise be measured relative to the
dosing surface 102.
[0029] In a further example, the feeding mechanism 106 may comprise
an actuator and mechanical interconnections between end walls so
that an action by the actuator is transferred to the first and the
second end walls and displaces their position. For example, the
first end wall 1064 and the second end wall 1065 may be
mechanically coupled so that an action by the actuator 1065 to
reduce the width of the output reduces the relative distance
between the end walls, e.g., by moving both of them towards each
other. Furthermore, the first end wall 1064 and the second end wall
1065 may be mechanically coupled so that an action by the actuator
1066 to modify the height of output is transferred by the
mechanical coupling to the end walls so that both of them are
simultaneously displaced by the same distance.
[0030] In another example, the feeding mechanism 106 may comprise
several actuators. The feeding mechanism may comprise one actuator
1065 for each of the end walls or may comprise two actuators for
each end wall, e.g., one for modifying the height H of the outlet
and one for modifying the width W of the outlet.
[0031] FIG. 4 shows a front view of the feeding mechanism 106 of
FIG. 3. As mentioned above, the feeding mechanism 106 may comprise
end walls that modify the dimension of the rectangular opening
1061. In an example, the feeding mechanism 106 may comprise an
actuator 1065 to modify the width W of the outlet, i.e., the
opening 1061 by moving in a horizontal direction by a horizontal
distance D.sub.W. In another example, the feeding mechanism 106 may
comprise an actuator 1065 to modify the height H of the outlet by a
vertical distance D.sub.H. In a further example, the feeding
mechanism 106 may comprise one or more actuators 1065 to modify the
height H and the width W of the outlet.
[0032] The actuator 1065 may be a mechanical actuator, e.g., a
lever or any other type of manual mechanism. Alternatively,
automatic (or semi-automatic) actuators are envisaged wherein the
actuator may comprise a pneumatic or hydraulic mechanism to move
the end walls or may be an electric actuator comprising, e.g., a
solenoid to move the end walls. In a further example, the actuator
1065 may be a hybrid actuator, for example, a pneumatic actuator
wherein the control signal is an electric signal.
[0033] Automatic or semi-automatic actuators 1065 comprise an
outlet controller 1067 that issues a control signal that is to be
received by the actuators and, in response to such control signal,
move the end walls.
[0034] An automatic actuator is to be understood as an actuator
1065 that is configured to act with no interaction by a user (e.g.,
based on measurements or on a previous calibration) and a
semi-automatic actuator is to be understood as an actuator that,
upon receipt of a command by a user (e.g., by issuing a signal or
inputting a value on the controller 1067), performs an action.
[0035] The outlet controller 1067 may, for example, be configured
to determine a quantity of powder to be delivered based on a
pre-determined or user-selectable input (e.g. a layer height,
material type, etc.). Further, the controller 1067 may be
configured to modify the size or height of the opening, e.g., by
moving the sidewalls horizontally or vertically. In another
example, the controller 1067 may be configured to provide a pile of
powder having the chosen width W and thickness h.
[0036] In essence, it is disclosed a feeding mechanism for feeding
build material to a surface that comprises: [0037] a receptacle to
receive build material; and [0038] an outlet of the build material
having a substantially quadrilateral opening with a first dimension
and a second dimension orthogonal to one another; the outlet
further comprising a third dimension orthogonal to the first
dimension and the second dimension defining the height of the
outlet, and the feeding mechanism being to selectively feed build
material from the receptacle through the outlet onto a surface as
the feeding mechanism moves along a travel direction over the
surface, being such travel direction parallel to the first
dimension of the outlet, the feeding mechanism further comprising
an actuator to modify the magnitude of at least one of the second
dimension or the third dimension outlet.
[0039] In an example, the feeding mechanism is coupled to a motor
to move linearly along the travel direction. This bidirectional
linear movement along a laying axis allows for simpler programming
on the controller and lower computational cost on the control
algorithms.
[0040] The actuator may be configured to modify the second
dimension and the third dimension of the outlet. That is, the width
and the height of the outlet, which imply, respectively, a change
in the width and the thickness of the layer of build material to be
fed to the dosing surface.
[0041] In an example, the outlet comprises a first end wall and a
second end wall separated by a distance defining the second
dimension of the outlet, being the actuator to reduce the distance
between the first end wall and the second end wall, i.e., the width
of the outlet.
[0042] In a further example, a first end wall and a second end wall
located at the same height, being the actuator to modify by the
same magnitude the height of the first end wall and the second end
wall. Also, the first end wall and the second end wall may be
mechanically coupled as to move jointly.
[0043] The feeding mechanism may provide a choked-flow
mechanism.
[0044] Furthermore, it is disclosed a 3D printing system that
comprises: [0045] a carriage to move over a surface at a determined
vertical separation distance; and [0046] a feeding mechanism to
jointly move with the carriage and to selectively feed build
material to the surface; wherein the feeding mechanism comprises a
receptacle to store build material and an outlet of the build
material, the outlet having a quadrangular opening and having at
least a first end wall and a second end wall defining the
dimensions of the opening, the feeding mechanism further comprising
an actuator to move at least one of the one walls to modify one of:
a separation between the first end wall and the second end wall or
a separation between at least one of the end walls and the
receptacle.
[0047] In an example, the carriage is to move linearly along a
travel direction and the actuator may be configured to move at
least one of the end walls in a direction orthogonal to the travel
direction, This is, if the carriage is to move along the Y axis,
the actuator may be to move at least one of the end walls along the
X and/or Z axis. Also, actuator may comprise means for
bi-directional movement of the end walls in directions orthogonal
to the travel direction.
[0048] In a further example, the first end wall is mechanically
coupled to the second end wall as to move simultaneously upon
receipt of an action by the actuator.
[0049] Also, the feeding mechanism may comprise a cap to
selectively dose the rectangular opening. The cap may comprise
electro-mechanical means for its actuation.
[0050] In order to act on the end walls and the cap, the actuator
may comprise to one of a servomotor, a solenoid, a pneumatic
cylinder, or a manually-operated lever.
* * * * *