Nozzles, nozzle assemblies, and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12485609-B2
Application number	US-202217713161-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2022
Priority date	Apr 7, 2021
Publication date	Dec 2, 2025
Grant date	Dec 2, 2025

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to nozzles for three-dimensional printing and related nozzle assemblies and methods. An example nozzle includes at least one top surface, at least one bottom surface, and at least one lateral surface extending from or near the top surface to or near the bottom surface. The nozzle includes at least one conduit surface defining a conduit. The conduit surface extends from or near the top surface to or near the bottom surface. In an embodiment, at least a portion of the conduit surface proximate to the top surface is non-vertical (e.g., defines a non-cylindrical or non-rectangular shape). The non-vertical conduit surface may be positioned such that it is not parallel to a central axis of the nozzle extending from the top surface to the bottom surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A nozzle for three-dimensional printing, the nozzle comprising:
at least one planar top surface; at least one bottom surface opposite the at least one planar top surface; at least one lateral outer surface having an at least partially conical shape, an interface between the at least one planar top surface and the at least one lateral outer surface defining a convexly curved surface extending from the at least one planar top surface to the at least one lateral outer surface; and at least one conduit surface extending from the at least one planar top surface to the at least one bottom surface, the at least one conduit surface defining a conduit through the nozzle; an inner rounded surface at an interface between the at least one planar top surface and the at least one conduit surface; an outer rounded surface at an interface between the at least one planar top surface and the at least one lateral outer surface; wherein at least a portion of the at least one conduit surface extending to the at least one top surface is non-vertical, the at least a portion of the at least one conduit surface defining a conical portion of the conduit, the conical portion of the conduit defined by the at least a portion of the at least one conduit surface extending radially outward at a common angle to gradually increase a cross-sectional area of the conduit; wherein an entirety of the nozzle is at least one of polycrystalline diamond, polycrystalline cubic boron nitride, or a cemented carbide substrate bonded to polycrystalline diamond; and wherein at least about 70% of the lateral outer surface is non-vertical.

2 . The nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the at least one conduit surface that is non-vertical extends along an axis that is transverse to a central axis of the nozzle.

3 . The nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one conduit surface is a laser ablated surface.

4 . The nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one conduit surface exhibits a first conduit surface defining a first conical portion of the conduit and a second conduit surface defining a second conical portion of the conduit, the first conduit surface and the second conduit surface collectively extending from the at least one planar top surface to the at least one bottom surface, the first conduit surface extending from the at least one planar top surface to the second conduit surface, the second conduit surface extending from the first conduit surface towards the at least one bottom surface, the first conduit surface extending at an angle θ relative to a central axis of the nozzle and the second conduit surface extending at an angle ϕ relative to the central axis, wherein the angle ϕ is greater than the angle θ and the angle θ and the angle ϕ are non-zero degree angles.

5 . The nozzle of claim 4 , wherein the angle θ is about 4° to about 10°.

6 . The nozzle of claim 4 , wherein an edge between the first conduit surface and the second conduit surface is curved.

7 . The nozzle of claim 4 , wherein the at least one conduit surface further includes one or more additional conduit surfaces extending from the second conduit surface to the at least one bottom surface.

8 . The nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one conduit surface defines an orifice, the orifice exhibiting a non-circular shape.

9 . The nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one conduit surface defines an orifice, the orifice exhibiting a maximum lateral dimension that is about 1 mm or less.

10 . The nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle exhibits a volume greater than 7.5 mm 3 .

11 . The nozzle of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the at least one conduit surface comprises at least one of polycrystalline diamond or polycrystalline cubic boron nitride.

12 . The nozzle of claim 1 , further comprising one or more recesses extending inwardly from the at least one planar top surface.

13 . The nozzle of claim 1 , further comprising one or more protrusions extending outwardly from the at least one planar top surface.

14 . The nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the inner rounded surface extends from the at least one planar top surface to a first non-vertical portion the at least one conduit surface, and wherein the first non-vertical portion of the at least one conduit surface is adjacent to and offset from a second non-vertical portion of the at least one conduit surface.

15 . The nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one planar top surface exhibits a first surface area and the outer rounded surface exhibits a second surface area that is equal to or greater than the first surface area.

16 . The nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one planar top surface is oriented and configured to be non-parallel to a printed material dispensed from the nozzle.

17 . A nozzle assembly for three-dimensional printing, comprising:
a base including an attachment portion configured to be attached to a printing device; and the nozzle of claim 1 attached to the base.

18 . A method of using a nozzle in a three-dimensional printing process, the method comprising:
flowing a printing material through the nozzle of claim 1 ; and directing flow of the printing material through the conduit of the nozzle.

19 . A nozzle for three-dimensional printing, the nozzle comprising:
at least one planar top surface; at least one bottom surface opposite the at least one planar top surface; a lateral outer surface; and at least one conduit surface extending from the at least one planar top surface to the at least one bottom surface, the at least one conduit surface defining a conduit through the nozzle; wherein at least a portion of the at least one conduit surface extends to the at least one planar top surface along an axis that is transverse to a central axis of the nozzle, the at least a portion of the at least one conduit surface defining a first frustoconical portion of the conduit and a second frustoconical portion of the conduit positioned adjacent to each other, each of the first frustoconical portion of the conduit and the second frustoconical portion of the conduit extending radially outward to gradually increase a cross-sectional area of the conduit; and wherein at least a portion of the at least one conduit surface is a laser ablated surface; wherein an entirety of the nozzle is at least one superhard material; wherein a first convexly curved surface extends between the at least one planar top surface and the lateral outer surface at a distal end of the nozzle and a second convexly curved surface extends between the at least one planar top surface and the at least one conduit surface at the distal end of the nozzle; and wherein at least about 70% of the lateral outer surface is non-vertical.

20 . A nozzle for three-dimensional printing, the nozzle comprising:
a top surface; a bottom surface opposite the top surface; a lateral outer surface; a convexly curved surface extending between and connecting the top surface and the lateral outer surface; and at least one conduit surface extending from the top surface to the bottom surface, the at least one conduit surface defining a conduit through the nozzle; another convexly curved surface extending between and connecting the top surface and the at least one conduit surface; wherein at least a portion of the at least one conduit surface extends along an axis that is transverse to a central axis of the nozzle; wherein an entirety of the nozzle is at least one of polycrystall

Assignees

• Us Synthetic Corp

Inventors

• Taylor Harris
• Crockett Jacob
• Meier Jarrett
• Schmidt Scott
• Gleason Michael James
• Shuey Brian

Classifications

• B29C64/106

  using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

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

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B22F12/53

  Nozzles · CPC title

• B29C64/209 Primary

  Heads; Nozzles · CPC title