Additive manufacturing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10065360-B2
Application number	US-201715626405-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2017
Priority date	May 1, 2015
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

A CNC machine including a worktable displaceable along y-axis, a gantry disposed along an x-axis, either fixed or displaceable along the y-axis, a carriage on such gantry displaceable along the x-axis and including a thermoplastic material extrusion conduit, a tool carrier mounted on such carriage displaceable along a z-axis, a dispersion conduit mounted on such tool carrier accommodating an applicator, means mounted on such applicator for extruding a molten bead of a thermoplastic material, a flexible hose interconnecting such molten material forming means and such applicator, a plurality of servomotors for linearly or rotationally displacing such components along or about such axes and a computer for controlling such component displacements.

First claim

We claim:

1. An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
a carrier including:
a first actuator; and
a swivel member;

a holder rotatably mounted to the carrier, wherein the holder includes a rotatable shaft extending therefrom;
a second actuator configured to rotate the shaft with respect to the holder; and
a flexible tube comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is coupled to the swivel member, and wherein the second portion is coupled to the shaft;
wherein actuation of the first actuator rotates the swivel member with respect to the carrier so as to rotate the flexible tube and the swivel member about a first axis, and
wherein actuation of the second actuator rotates the shaft about a second axis, orthogonal to the first axis.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an extruder configured to output a flowable material to the flexible tube, wherein the extruder is disposed within the carrier, and wherein the first portion of the flexible tube includes an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the extruder.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a support platform coupled to the carrier, the support platform including an opening disposed along the first axis, wherein the swivel member is disposed between the support platform and the outlet of the extruder, and wherein the outlet of the extruder and the first portion of the flexible tube form a path through the swivel member; and
a gearbox operably coupled to the first actuator, the first actuator being configured to rotate the swivel member.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a gantry displaceable along a third axis; and
a carriage mounted to the gantry and displaceable along the second axis, wherein the carrier is mounted to the carriage and displaceable along the first axis.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shaft extends from the holder along the second axis, and wherein the first axis intersects the second axis.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a rigid tube having a first end and a second end;
a support conduit coupling the second portion of the flexible tube to the first end of the rigid tube, wherein the shaft is coupled to the support conduit; and
a material applicator coupled to the second end of the rigid tube.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the material applicator further comprises a base component and a detachable component, wherein the base component is coupled to the second end of the rigid tube, and wherein the detachable component is configured to couple to the base component.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein rotation of the shaft about the second axis deflects the rigid tube towards or away from the first axis.

9. An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
a tool carrier having a longitudinal axis;
a swivel member mounted within the tool carrier;
a first actuator configured to rotate the swivel member with respect to the tool carrier;
a holder rotatably coupled to the tool carrier and including a rotatable shaft extending therefrom, wherein the holder is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the tool carrier;
a second actuator configured to rotate the shaft with respect to the holder;
a flexible tube configured to deliver a flowable material, wherein the flexible tube includes a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first end portion is supported by the tool carrier and the second portion is coupled to the shaft;
a rigid tube in fluid communication with the second end portion of the flexible tube, wherein the rigid tube is configured to deflect towards and away from the longitudinal axis of the tool carrier;
wherein actuation of the first actuator rotates the swivel member so as to rotate the flexible tube and the swivel member about the longitudinal axis of the tool carrier and relative to the tool carrier; and
wherein actuation of the second actuator rotates the shaft about a second axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tool carrier.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising an extruder configured to output a flowable material, wherein the extruder is disposed within the tool carrier, and wherein the first end portion includes an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the extruder.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a support platform including an opening oriented along the longitudinal axis of the tool carrier, wherein the swivel member is disposed between the support platform and the outlet of the extruder; and
a gearbox operably coupled to the first actuator, the first actuator being configured to rotate the swivel member.

12. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a gantry displaceable along a third axis; and
a carriage mounted to the gantry and displaceable along the second axis, wherein the tool carrier is mounted to the carriage and displaceable along the longitudinal axis of the tool carrier.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the shaft extends from the holder along the second axis, and wherein the longitudinal axis of the tool carrier intersects the second axis.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the rigid tube further comprises a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the system further comprises:
a support conduit coupling the second end portion of the flexible tube to the first end portion of the rigid tube, and wherein the support conduit is further coupled to the shaft.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a material applicator coupled to the second end portion of the rigid tube.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the material applicator further comprises a base component and a detachable component, wherein the base component is coupled to the second end of the rigid tube, and wherein the detachable component is configured to couple to the base component.

17. An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
a carrier including:
a first actuator; and
a swivel member;

a holder including a gearbox and a shaft extending from the gearbox;
a second actuator configured to rotate the shaft via the gearbox; and
a flexible tube comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is coupled to the swivel member, and wherein the second portion is coupled to the shaft;
an extruder disposed within the carrier, the extruder configured to output a flowable material to the flexible tube, the first portion of the flexible tube including an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the extruder;
wherein actuation of the first actuator rotates the swivel member with respect to the carrier so as to rotate the swivel member and the flexible tube about a first axis;
wherein actuation of the second actuator rotates the shaft with respect to the holder about a second axis, orthogonal to the first axis; and
wherein the first portion of the tube extends through a part of the swivel member and forms a path with the outlet of the extruder through the swivel member.

18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising:
a support platform coupled to the carrier, the support platform including an opening disposed along the first axis, wherein the swivel member is disposed between the support platform and the outlet of the extruder.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the shaft extends from the holder along the second axis orthogonal to the first axis.

20. The system of claim 17 , further including a support conduit coupled to the shaft, wherein the support conduit connects the second portion of the f

Assignees

• Thermwood Corp

Inventors

• Susnjara Kenneth J
• Smiddy Brian Scott

Classifications

• B29C64/118

  using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM] · CPC title

• B29C64/236

  for motion in a direction within the plane of a layer · CPC title

• B29C64/241

  for rotary motion · CPC title

• B25J15/0491

  comprising end-effector racks · CPC title

• B25J11/00

  Manipulators not otherwise provided for · CPC title