Plasticizing device, injection molding apparatus, and three-dimensional shaping apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11679540-B2
Application number	US-202117445244-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2021
Priority date	Aug 19, 2020
Publication date	Jun 20, 2023
Grant date	Jun 20, 2023

Abstract

A plasticizing device includes a driving motor, a rotor rotated around a rotation axis by the driving motor and having a groove forming surface on which a groove is formed, a barrel having an opposed surface opposed to the groove forming surface, a communication hole into which a plasticized material flows being provided in the barrel, a housing section housing the rotor, a first restricting section fixed to the rotor and having a first contact surface facing the barrel side, and a second restricting section fixed to the housing section, opposed to the first contact surface, and having a second contact surface contactable with the first contact surface. Movement of the rotor along the rotation axis is restricted by the first restricting section and the second restricting section. The groove forming surface is separated from the opposed surface at a predetermined interval in a state in which the first contact surface and the second contact surface are in contact.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A plasticizing device that plasticizes at least a part of a material to generate a plasticized material, the plasticizing device comprising:
a driving motor;
a rotor rotated around a rotation axis by the driving motor and having a groove forming surface on which a groove is formed;
a barrel having an opposed surface opposed to the groove forming surface, a communication hole into which the plasticized material flows being provided in the barrel;
a housing section housing the rotor;
a first restricting section fixed to the rotor and having a first contact surface facing the barrel side; and
a second restricting section fixed to the housing section, opposed to the first contact surface, and having a second contact surface contactable with the first contact surface, wherein
movement of the rotor along the rotation axis is restricted by the first restricting section and the second restricting section, and
the groove forming surface is separated from the opposed surface at a predetermined interval in a state in which the first contact surface and the second contact surface are in contact.

2. The plasticizing device according to claim 1 , further comprising a speed reducer connected to the driving motor and the rotor, wherein
the speed reducer and the rotor are fixed by a fixing section, and
the fixing section fixes the speed reducer and the rotor in a position where the groove forming surface is separated from the opposed surface at the interval in the state in which the first contact surface and the second contact surface are in contact.

3. The plasticizing device according to claim 2 , wherein
the speed reducer includes:
a first gear including external teeth and configured to receive a driving force from the driving motor and swing in a direction crossing the rotation axis; and
a second gear including internal teeth and configured to rotate when the external teeth of the first gear come into contact with the internal teeth, and
the fixing section fixes the second gear and the rotor.

4. The plasticizing device according to claim 3 , wherein the first restricting section is provided in the second gear.

5. The plasticizing device according to claim 2 , wherein
the first restricting section is provided in the rotor, and
the fixing section fixes the speed reducer and the rotor in a position where a gap is formed between the first contact surface and the second contact surface.

6. The plasticizing device according to claim 1 , wherein a first distance between the first contact surface and the second contact surface is smaller than a second distance between the groove forming surface and the opposed surface irrespective of a contact state of the first contact surface and the second contact surface.

7. The plasticizing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first restricting section has a third contact surface on an opposite side of the first contact surface, and
the housing section includes a third restricting section having a fourth contact surface contactable with the third contact surface.

8. The plasticizing device according to claim 1 , wherein a rotating body is provided on the first contact surface or the second contact surface.

9. The plasticizing device according to claim 8 , wherein a plurality of the rotating bodies are provided along a circumferential direction centering on the rotation axis.

10. An injection molding apparatus comprising:
the plasticizing device according to claim 1 ; and
a nozzle for ejecting, to a molding die, the plasticized material flowing out from the communication hole.

11. A three-dimensional shaping apparatus comprising:
the plasticizing device according to claim 1 ; and
a nozzle for discharging, toward a shaping table, the plasticized material flowing out from the communication hole.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Maruyama Hidenobu
• Miyashita Daichi
• Tanaka Yasuyuki

Classifications

• B29C64/314

  Preparation · CPC title

• B29C45/20

  Injection nozzles {(B29C45/1603 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B29C45/58

  Details · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

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

• B29C45/464 Primary

  using a rotating plasticising or injection disc · CPC title