Recoater bracket for additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10471696-B2
Application number	US-201615255760-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 2, 2016
Priority date	Sep 2, 2016
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

A mounting apparatus for a recoater rail of an additive manufacturing machine includes: a bracket including: a body having first and second ends; first and second flanges extending from the first and second ends respectively, the body and flanges cooperatively forming a C-shape; a first jack screw mounted to the first flange, the first jack screw extending parallel to the body; and a second jack screw mounted to the second flange, the second jack screw extending parallel to the body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mounting apparatus for a recoater rail of an additive manufacturing machine, comprising:
a bracket including:
a body having first and second ends;
first and second flanges extending from the first and second ends respectively, the body and flanges cooperatively forming a C-shape;
a first jack screw mounted to the first flange, the first jack screw extending parallel to the body and terminating at a free end adapted to bear against a lower surface of a recoater rail;
a second jack screw mounted to the second flange, the second jack screw extending parallel to the body and terminating at a free end adapted to bear against an upper surface of the recoater rail; and
a third jack screw mounted to the second flange, wherein the second and third jack screws are spaced apart from each other and extend parallel to the body.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second jack screws are oriented coaxial to each other.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first, second, and third jack screws are oriented parallel to each other.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first jack screw is disposed halfway between the second and third jack screws.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one female threaded rail mounting hole formed through the body.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising frame mounting slots formed in the body.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the recoater rail includes first and second ends, the first end being received between the free ends of the first and second jack screws of the mounting bracket.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the second end of the recoater rail is pivotally mounted to a first frame member of an additive manufacturing machine.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a blade-like recoater mounted to the recoater rail.

10. A method of upgrading a recoater rail in an additive manufacturing machine, comprising:
removing a pre-existing mounting bracket which interconnects a recoater rail and a frame member of the additive manufacturing machine;
positioning a revised mounting bracket between the recoater rail and the frame member, the revised mounting bracket comprising:
a body having first and second ends;
first and second flanges extending from the first and second ends respectively, the body and flanges cooperatively forming a C-shape; and
a first jack screw mounted to the first flange, the first jack screw extending parallel to the body and terminating at a free end adapted to bear against a lower surface of a recoater rail;
a second jack screw mounted to the second flange, the second jack screw extending parallel to the body and terminating at a free end adapted to bear against an upper surface of the recoater rail; and
a third jack screw mounted to the second flange, wherein the second and third jack screws are spaced apart from each other and extend parallel to the body; and

securing the revised mounting bracket to the recoater rail and the frame member with the recoater rail between the first and second jack screws.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first and second jack screws are oriented coaxial to each other.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the first, second, and third jack screws are oriented parallel to each other.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the first jack screw is disposed halfway between the second and third jack screws.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the revised mounting bracket further comprises at least one female threaded rail mounting hole formed through the body.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the revised mounting bracket further comprises frame mounting slots formed in the body.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the recoater rail has first and second ends, the first end being received between the jack screws of the revised mounting bracket.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the second end of the recoater rail is pivotally mounted to a first frame member of the additive manufacturing machine.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Deak Stephen Michael

Classifications

• B29K2105/0058

  Liquid or visquous · CPC title

• B33Y30/00 Primary

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B05C11/02 Primary

  Apparatus for spreading or distributing liquids or other fluent materials already applied to a surface {; Controlling means therefor}(B05C7/00 takes precedence; Hand tools for such purposes B05C17/10); Control of the thickness of a coating {by spreading or distributing liquids or other fluent materials already applied to the coated surface}(controlling supply of liquid or other fluent material B05C11/10) · CPC title

• B29C64/214 Primary

  Doctor blades · CPC title