System, print head, and compactor for continuously manufacturing composite structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11110655-B2
Application number	US-201816184228-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2018
Priority date	Dec 29, 2017
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

A compactor is disclosed for use with an additive manufacturing print head. The compactor may include a housing connectable to the additive manufacturing print head. The compactor may also include a compacting wheel, and at least one spring disposed in the housing and configured to exert an axial force on the compacting wheel. The compactor may further include a piston moveable to adjust a distance between the housing and the compacting wheel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A print head for an additive manufacturing system, comprising:
a matrix reservoir configured to hold a supply of matrix;
a nozzle connected to an end of the matrix reservoir;
a cure enhancer configured to expose a composite material being discharged from the nozzle to a cure energy; and
a compactor located between the nozzle and the cure enhancer and configured to compact the composite material prior to exposure to the cure energy, the compactor including:
a housing;
a compacting wheel; and
at least one spring disposed in the housing and configured to exert an axial force on the compacting wheel; and

a sensor mounted at a leading side of the nozzle opposite the compactor and configured to generate a signal indicative of a surface condition of a structure being formed by the composite material.

2. The print head of claim 1 , further including an actuator configured to selectively adjust a distance between the housing and the compacting wheel.

3. The print head of claim 1 , further including a scraper mounted to the housing between the compacting wheel and the cure enhancer.

4. The print head of claim 2 , wherein the actuator is automatically actuated based on the signal.

5. The print head of claim 1 , wherein the surface condition includes at least one of a location, an orientation, a shape, a size, a material type, a hardness, an amount, and a type of support.

6. The print head of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is one of a lidar sensor, a radar sensor, a camera, a current sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, and a stereoscopic optical-type sensor.

7. A system for additively manufacturing a composite structure, comprising:
a nozzle configured to discharge a continuous reinforcement at least partially coated with a matrix;
a support configured to move the nozzle during discharging;
a compactor operatively connected to the nozzle and being adjustable to vary a compaction force exerted on the matrix-coated continuous reinforcement discharging from the nozzle;
a cure enhancer configured to expose the matrix to a cure energy;
a sensor mounted at a side of the nozzle opposite the compactor and configured to generate a signal indicative of a surface characteristic of the composite structure; and
a controller configured to selectively cause adjustment of the compactor based on the signal.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the surface condition includes at least one of a location, an orientation, a shape, a size, a material type, a hardness, an amount, and a type of support.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the sensor is one of a lidar sensor, a radar sensor, a camera, a current sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, and a stereoscopic optical-type sensor.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the compactor includes:
a compacting wheel;
a spring biasing the compacting wheel toward the matrix-coated continuous reinforcement;
an actuator selectively energized by the controller to affect a force of the spring.

11. A system for additively manufacturing a composite structure, comprising:
a print head configured to discharge a continuous reinforcement at least partially coated with a matrix;
a support configured to move the print head during discharging;
a compactor operatively connected to the print head and being adjustable to vary a compaction force exerted on the matrix-coated continuous reinforcement discharging from the print head;
a sensor mounted at a side of the print head opposite the compactor and configured to generate a signal indicative of a surface characteristic of the composite structure; and
a controller configured to selectively cause adjustment of the compactor based on the signal.

12. The system of claim 11 , further including a cure enhancer configured to expose the matrix to a cure energy.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the cure enhancer is configured to expose the matrix to the cure energy at a location trailing the compactor.

14. The system of claim 11 , further including a scraper mounted between the compactor and the cure enhancer.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein:
the signal is indicative of an unsupported region of the composite structure; and
the controller is configured to responsively adjust the compactor to exert a lower compaction force.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein:
the signal is indicative of a protruding region of the composite structure; and
the controller is configured to responsively adjust the compactor to exert a higher compaction force.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein:
the signal is indicative of an excessive surface roughness of the composite structure; and
the controller is configured to responsively adjust the compactor to exert a higher compaction force.

18. The system of claim 6 , further including a scraper mounted between the compactor and the cure enhancer.

Assignees

• Cc3D Llc
• Continuous Composites Inc

Inventors

• Budge Trevor David
• Tyler Kenneth Lyle
• Hambling Colin Hugh

Classifications

• B22F12/42

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• B22F12/38

  Housings, e.g. machine housings · CPC title

• B22F12/53

  Nozzles · CPC title

• B22F12/50

  Means for feeding of material, e.g. heads · CPC title

• B22F12/46

  with translatory movement · CPC title