Additive manufacturing system having finish-follower

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10940638-B2
Application number	US-201715846490-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2017
Priority date	Jan 24, 2017
Publication date	Mar 9, 2021
Grant date	Mar 9, 2021

Abstract

An additive manufacturing system is disclosed. The additive manufacturing system may include a matrix reservoir, a primary nozzle fluidly connected to the matrix reservoir, and a primary cure enhancer operatively connected to at least one of the matrix reservoir and the primary nozzle. The primary cure enhancer may be configured to direct a cure energy toward a tip of the primary nozzle. The additive manufacturing system may also include an auxiliary nozzle, an arm configured to mount the auxiliary nozzle at a trailing side of the primary nozzle, and a passage extending from the matrix reservoir to the auxiliary nozzle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A follower for an additive manufacturing system having a print head, the follower comprising:
a matrix inlet passage;
a nozzle connected to a distal end of the matrix inlet passage;
a pivoting arm configured to connect the nozzle to a trailing side of the print head and to pivot relative to the print head;
a cure enhancer mounted to the arm at a location downstream of the nozzle; and
a squeegee blade mounted to the arm at a location between the nozzle and the cure enhancer, the squeegee blade being generally aligned with a central axis of the nozzle wherein the pivoting arm is configured to pivot the nozzle, cure enhancer and squeegee blade relative to the print head.

2. The follower of claim 1 , wherein:
the squeegee blade is a first blade; and
the follower further includes a second blade disposed upstream of the nozzle.

3. The follower of claim 1 , wherein the squeegee blade includes:
a flexible outer membrane; and
a smart fluid disposed within the flexible outer membrane.

4. The follower of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle includes a plurality of orifices.

5. The follower of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of orifices are connected together in a chain by way of at least one hinge.

6. The follower of claim 5 , further including an actuator configured to move the chain.

7. The follower of claim 1 , further including a hood that flares outward around the cure enhancer.

8. The follower of claim 2 , wherein:
the first blade is positioned a first distance above material discharged from the print head; and
the second blade is positioned a second distance above the material that is greater than the first distance.

9. The follower of claim 1 , wherein the squeegee blade is flat, resilient, and oriented in general alignment with a central axis of the nozzle.

10. An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
a matrix reservoir;
a primary nozzle fluidly connected to the matrix reservoir;
a primary cure enhancer operatively connected to at least one of the matrix reservoir and the primary nozzle, the primary cure enhancer configured to expose material discharging from a tip of the primary nozzle to light after discharge;
a follower comprising:
a pivoting arm;
an auxiliary nozzle mounted to the arm;
a passage extending from the matrix reservoir to the auxiliary nozzle;
an auxiliary cure enhancer mounted to the arm at a location downstream of the auxiliary nozzle; and
a squeegee blade mounted to the arm at a location between the auxiliary nozzle and the auxiliary cure enhancer;
wherein the pivoting arm is configured to pivot the auxiliary nozzle, auxiliary cure enhancer, and squeegee blade relative to the primary nozzle.

11. The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , wherein:
the squeegee blade is a first blade; and
the additive manufacturing system further includes a second blade disposed upstream of the auxiliary nozzle.

12. The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , wherein the squeegee blade includes:
a flexible outer membrane; and
a smart fluid disposed within the flexible outer membrane.

13. The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , further including a hood mounted to the arm that flares outward around the auxiliary cure enhancer at a downstream side of the primary nozzle and moves together with the auxiliary cure enhancer.

14. The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , wherein the auxiliary nozzle includes a plurality of orifices.

15. The additive manufacturing system of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of orifices are connected together in a chain by way of at least one hinge.

16. The additive manufacturing system of claim 15 , further including an actuator configured to move the chain.

17. The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , wherein:
the primary nozzle is configured to discharge a matrix-wetted reinforcement; and
the auxiliary nozzle is configured to discharge only a matrix.

18. An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
a moveable support;
a print head connected to the moveable support and configured to discharge a matrix-wetted reinforcement; and
a follower connected to trail behind the print head and to pivot relative to the print head by way of an arm, the follower including:
nozzle mounted to the arm and configured to discharge only a matrix;
a cure enhancer mounted to the arm at a side of the nozzle opposite the print head and configured to expose the matrix to light after discharge from the nozzle; and
a squeegee blade mounted to the arm at a location between the nozzle and the cure enhancer wherein the pivoting arm is configured to pivot the nozzle, cure enhancer and squeegee blade relative to the print head.

Assignees

• Cc3D Llc
• Continuous Composites Inc

Inventors

• Tyler Kenneth Lyle
• Stockett Ryan C

Classifications

• B29C48/12 Primary

  Articles with an irregular circumference when viewed in cross-section, e.g. window profiles · CPC title

• B22F10/32

  of the atmosphere, e.g. composition or pressure in a building chamber · CPC title

• B22F10/12

  by photopolymerisation, e.g. stereolithography [SLA] or digital light processing [DLP] · CPC title

• B29C64/118 Primary

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

• B33Y70/10

  Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials · CPC title