Fluid management and circulation systems for use in additive manufacturing apparatuses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12358227-B2
Application number	US-202017612454-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2020
Priority date	May 23, 2019
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to additive manufacturing apparatuses, cleaning stations incorporated therein, and methods of cleaning using the cleaning stations.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid management system for supplying at least a binder fluid and a cleaning fluid, the system comprising:
a cleaning fluid path comprising at least one cleaning fluid reservoir, a pump configured to deliver the cleaning fluid from the at least one cleaning fluid reservoir to at least one cleaning station vessel, and a drain coupling the at least one cleaning station vessel to the at least one cleaning fluid reservoir, wherein the at least one cleaning station vessel comprises a wet wipe member, the wet wipe member comprising a wet wiper body and a fluid channel positioned therein and extending horizontally from a first end of the wet wiper body to a second end of the wet wiper body and opening vertically such that the cleaning fluid is configured to flow upwardly out of the fluid channel and is applied to a print head coupled to a print head manifold; and
a binder fluid path comprising at least one binder reservoir, a pump configured to deliver the binder fluid from the at least one binder reservoir through an ink supply system to the print head manifold, and a binder purge bin configured to receive binder fluid discharged by the print head.

2. The fluid management system of claim 1 , wherein the binder purge bin is a first binder purge bin, the binder fluid path further comprising a second binder purge bin, wherein the first binder purge bin is located upstream from the at least one cleaning station vessel and the second binder purge bin is located downstream from the at least one cleaning station vessel along a path of the print head.

3. The fluid management system of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning fluid path further comprises a filter positioned between the at least one cleaning fluid reservoir and the pump.

4. The fluid management system of claim 1 , wherein the binder fluid path further comprises a filter positioned between the binder purge bin and the at least one binder reservoir.

5. The fluid management system of claim 1 , wherein the binder fluid path further comprises an additional pump configured to pump fluid from the binder purge bin to the at least one binder reservoir.

6. The fluid management system of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning fluid path further comprises a heater to heat the cleaning fluid.

7. The fluid management system of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning fluid path further comprises a controller configured to send a signal to a valve positioned in the cleaning fluid path between the at least one cleaning station vessel and the at least one cleaning fluid reservoir to redirect a predetermined amount of the cleaning fluid flowing from the at least one cleaning station vessel to the at least one cleaning fluid reservoir to a waste tank, wherein the predetermined amount of the cleaning fluid contains at least some binder fluid.

8. The fluid management system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to send a signal to the pump of the cleaning fluid path to adjust a flow rate of the cleaning fluid from the at least one cleaning fluid reservoir to the at least one cleaning station vessel.

9. The fluid management system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to send a signal to a heater positioned between the pump and the at least one cleaning station vessel to adjust a temperature of the cleaning fluid.

10. The fluid management system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the pump of the cleaning fluid path and the pump of the binder fluid path is configured to move ferrous metals.

11. The fluid management system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cleaning station vessel further comprises a dry wipe member.

12. A method of using a fluid management system comprising:
continuously recirculating a binder fluid through a binder fluid path comprising at least one binder reservoir, a pump, and a binder purge bin, wherein:
the pump delivers the binder fluid from the at least one binder reservoir through an ink supply system to a print head manifold; and
the binder purge bin receives binder fluid discharged by a print head coupled to the print head manifold;
delivering, using a pump, a cleaning fluid from at least one cleaning fluid reservoir to at least one cleaning station vessel, wherein the at least one cleaning station vessel comprising a wet wipe member, the wet wipe member comprising a wet wiper body and a fluid channel positioned therein and extending horizontally from a first end of the wet wiper body to a second end of the wet wiper body and opening vertically such that the cleaning fluid is configured to flow upwardly out of the fluid channel and is applied to the print head;
receiving, at a waste tank, a first portion of the cleaning fluid from the at least one cleaning station vessel;
returning a second portion of the cleaning fluid from the at least one cleaning station vessel to the at least one cleaning fluid reservoir; and
diverting a predetermined amount of the second portion of the cleaning fluid to the waste tank based on a level of contamination of the cleaning fluid with the binder fluid.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein diverting the predetermined amount of the second portion of the cleaning fluid comprises sending a signal to a valve positioned between the at least one cleaning station vessel, the at least one cleaning fluid reservoir, and the waste tank to divert the predetermined amount of the second portion of the cleaning fluid flowing from the at least one cleaning station vessel to the at least one cleaning fluid reservoir to the waste tank.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the binder purge bin comprises an overflow outlet for redirecting the binder fluid from the binder purge bin to the at least one binder reservoir.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein continuously recirculating the binder fluid comprises pumping the binder fluid from the binder purge bin to the at least one binder reservoir.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the binder fluid path further comprises a filter positioned between the binder purge bin and the at least one binder reservoir.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the filter is positioned between the binder purge bin and the pump of the binder fluid path.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Andrews Timothy Francis
• Bonilla Carlos H
• Bromberg Vadim
• Fulton Victor
• Griffith Tyler Andrew
• Jeong Younkoo
• Sterle John
• Ingram Grant Alan

Classifications

• B22F10/30

  Process control · CPC title

• B22F12/90

  Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors · CPC title

• B22F12/53

  Nozzles · CPC title

• B22F12/50

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

• B22F10/14

  by jetting of binder onto a bed of metal powder · CPC title