Plasticizing device, three dimensional molding device, and injection molding device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12576593-B2
Application number	US-202418419864-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2024
Priority date	Jan 24, 2023
Publication date	Mar 17, 2026
Grant date	Mar 17, 2026

Abstract

A plasticizing device includes a material storage section having a first input port and a second input port and storing plasticization material; a plasticizing section having a supply port to which the plasticization material is supplied and plasticizing at least part of the plasticization material to generate a molding material; a connecting pipe having a connecting path connecting the first and the second input port to the supply port; and a controller, wherein the material storage section includes a first supply mechanism configured to adjust the supply amount of the plasticization material from the first input port to the connecting path and a second supply mechanism configured to adjust the supply amount of the plasticization material from the second input port to the connecting path and the controller controls at least one of the first and the second supply mechanism to supply the plasticization material to the connecting path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A plasticizing device comprising:
a material storage section having a first input port and a second input port and storing plasticization material, the first and second input ports being arranged side by side in a plan view; a plasticizing section that has a supply port to which the plasticization material is supplied and that plasticizes at least part of the plasticization material to generate a molding material; a connecting pipe having a connecting path connecting the first input port and the second input port to the supply port, the first and second input ports being connected to the connecting path at a same location; and a control section, wherein the material storage section includes a first supply mechanism configured to adjust a supply amount of the plasticization material from the first input port to the connecting path and a second supply mechanism configured to adjust the supply amount of the plasticization material from the second input port to the connecting path, the control section controls at least one of the first supply mechanism and the second supply mechanism to supply the plasticization material to the connecting path, the first supply mechanism has a first slide member having a first hole through which the plasticization material passes, the second supply mechanism has a second slide member having a second hole through which the plasticization material passes, and the first slide member and the second slide member are connected to a slide drive section that slides the first slide member and the second slide member via biasing members.

2 . The plasticizing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first supply mechanism includes a first slide drive section configured to slide the first slide member, the second supply mechanism includes a second slide drive section configured to slide the second slide member,
the control section is configured to control at least one of the first slide drive section and the second slide drive section to switch between a first state in which the plasticization material is supplied to the connecting path and a second state in which the plasticization material is not supplied to the connecting path, and
the first and second holes of the first and second slide members respectively communicate with the first and second input ports in both the first state and the second state.

3 . The plasticizing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the material storage section has a partition plate extending upward between the first input port and the second input port.

4 . The plasticizing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the control section is configured to control the first supply mechanism and the second supply mechanism such that at least a part of an operation of supplying the plasticization material from the first input port and at least a part of an operation of supplying the plasticization material from the second input port overlap each other, and the control section is configured to, when an operation failure of one of the first supply mechanism and the second supply mechanism is detected, increase the supply amount of the plasticization material by the other of the first supply mechanism and the second supply mechanism in which an operation failure is not detected.

5 . The plasticizing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the control section is configured to control the first supply mechanism and the second supply mechanism so that an operation of supplying the plasticization material from the first input port and an operation of supplying the plasticization material from the second input port do not overlap, and the control section is configured to, when an operation failure is detected in one of the first supply mechanism and the second supply mechanism, increase the supply frequency of the plasticization material by the other of the first supply mechanism and the second supply mechanism in which an operation failure is not detected.

6 . A three dimensional molding device comprising:
the plasticizing device according to claim 1 , and a nozzle configured to eject the molding material toward a stage.

7 . A plasticizing device comprising:
a material storage section having a first input port and a second input port and storing plasticization material; a plasticizing section that has a supply port to which the plasticization material is supplied and that plasticizes at least part of the plasticization material to generate a molding material; a connecting pipe having a connecting path connecting the first input port and the second input port to the supply port; and a control section, wherein the material storage section includes a first supply mechanism and a second supply mechanism, the first supply mechanism is configured to adjust a supply amount of the plasticization material from the first input port to the connecting path, and the second supply mechanism is configured to adjust the supply amount of the plasticization material from the second input port to the connecting path, the first supply mechanism has a first slide member having a first hole through which the plasticization material passes, and the first slide member is spaced apart from the connection pipe, the second supply mechanism has a second slide member having a second hole through which the plasticization material passes, and the second slide member is spaced apart from the connection pipe, and the control section controls at least one of the first supply mechanism and the second supply mechanism to supply the plasticization material to the connecting path.

8 . The plasticizing device according to claim 7 , wherein
the material storage section has a partition plate extending upward between the first input port and the second input port.

9 . The plasticizing device according to claim 7 , wherein
the first slide member and the second slide member are connected to a slide drive section that slides the first slide member and the second slide member via biasing members.

10 . The plasticizing device according to claim 7 , wherein
the control section is configured to control the first supply mechanism and the second supply mechanism such that at least a part of an operation of supplying the plasticization material from the first input port and at least a part of an operation of supplying the plasticization material from the second input port overlap each other, and the control section is configured to, when an operation failure of one of the first supply mechanism and the second supply mechanism is detected, increase the supply amount of the plasticization material by the other of the first supply mechanism and the second supply mechanism in which an operation failure is not detected.

11 . The plasticizing device according to claim 7 , wherein
the control section is configured to control the first supply mechanism and the second supply mechanism so that an operation of supplying the plasticization material from the first input port and an operation of supplying the plasticization material from the second input port do not overlap, and the control section is configured to, when an operation failure is detected in one of the first supply mechanism and the second supply mechanism, increase the supply frequency of the plasticization material by the other of the first supply mechanism and the second supply mechanism in which an operation failure is not detected.

12 . A three dimensional molding device comprising:
the plasticizing device according to claim 7 , and a nozzle configured to eject the molding material toward a stage.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Gozu Masayuki

Classifications

• B33Y40/10 Primary

  Pre-treatment · CPC title

• B29C45/58

  Details · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

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

• B29C64/209

  Heads; Nozzles · CPC title

• B29C64/329

  using hoppers · CPC title