Methods and apparatuses for additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016361868-A1
Application number	US-201415119044-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 13, 2014
Priority date	Feb 13, 2014
Publication date	Dec 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Extrusion heads, methods of forming an extrusion head, and methods of forming an object are disclosed herein. An extrusion head may include a plurality of nozzles. Each nozzle may include a first opening configured to receive a solid material therein, a second opening configured to eject a molten material therefrom, a bore extending through the nozzle and connecting the first opening and the second opening, and an actuator positioned adjacent to the first opening and/or the second opening. The solid material may be heated to form the molten material. The additive manufacturing apparatus may further include a control device configured to signal each actuator to adjust an amount of the solid material received in the first opening and an amount of the molten material ejected from the second opening.

First claim

1 . An extrusion head for an additive manufacturing apparatus, the extrusion head comprising:
a plurality of nozzles, each nozzle comprising:
a first opening configured to receive a solid material therein,
a second opening configured to eject a molten material therefrom, wherein the solid material is heated to form the molten material,
a bore extending through the nozzle and connecting the first opening and the second opening, and
an actuator positioned adjacent to the first opening and the second opening; and
a control device configured to signal each actuator to adjust an amount of the solid material received in the first opening and an amount of molten material ejected from the second opening.

2 . The extrusion head of claim 1 , wherein each nozzle further comprises a rotatable shaft retained within the bore, the rotatable shaft having a threaded surface and configured to engage the received solid material and push the molten material through the second opening, wherein a rotational movement of the rotatable shaft is adjustable to control at least one of a pressure and a flow rate of the molten material through the second opening.

3 . The extrusion head of claim 1 , wherein each nozzle further comprises a friction drive apparatus comprising a plurality of counter-rotating wheels that produce a frictional movement therebetween, and wherein the solid material is driven into the nozzle when it is passed between the counter-rotating wheels.

4 .- 6 . (canceled)

7 . The extrusion head of claim 1 , wherein at least one actuator is selected from the group consisting of a piezoelectric microactuator, a comb-drive microactuator, an S-shaped film microactuator, a tulip-shaped microactuator and an electroactive polymer microactuator.

8 .- 11 . (canceled)

12 . The extrusion head of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nozzles are arranged in a grid-like matrix or in at least one row.

13 . (canceled)

14 . The extrusion head of claim 1 , wherein the solid material is a thermoplastic resin.

15 . The extrusion head of claim 1 , wherein the solid material comprises at least one of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polylactic acid, polyphenylsulfone, polycarbonate, a polyamide, polystyrene, and lignin.

16 . The extrusion head of claim 1 , wherein the extrusion head is movable with respect to a surface upon which the molten material is ejected.

17 . (canceled)

18 . A method of forming an object, the method comprising:
providing an additive manufacturing apparatus comprising an extrusion head, the extrusion head comprising:
a plurality of nozzles, each nozzle comprising:
a first opening configured to receive a solid material therein,
a second opening configured to eject a molten material therefrom, wherein the solid material is heated to form the molten material,
a bore extending through the nozzle and connecting the first opening and the second opening, and
an actuator positioned adjacent to the first opening and the second opening; and

a control device configured to signal each actuator to adjust an amount of the solid material received in the first opening and an amount of molten material ejected from the second opening;
providing the solid material to the plurality of nozzles of the extrusion head; adjusting the amount of the solid material received by the nozzle and the amount of molten material ejected by the nozzle via the actuator; and signaling each actuator such that at least one nozzle deposits the molten material on a surface.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising rotating a shaft disposed within a bore of each nozzle, wherein rotating causes a change in at least one of a pressure and a flow rate of the molten material deposited on the surface.

20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising directing a friction drive apparatus to drive the solid material into each nozzle.

21 .- 22 . (canceled)

23 . The method of claim 18 , wherein signaling each actuator comprises signaling each actuator to adjust at least one of a pressure and a flow rate of the molten material deposited on the surface.

24 .- 25 . (canceled)

26 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising moving the extrusion head in one or more directions with respect to the surface such that the nozzles deposit the molten material in a desired manner.

27 .- 38 . (canceled)

39 . A system for directing an extrusion head to form an object, the system comprising:
a plurality of nozzles in the extrusion head, wherein each nozzle comprises an actuator; a processor; and a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium in communication with the processor, the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium comprising one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
receive at least one request to create the object, and
signal each actuator to adjust an amount of a molten material deposited by each nozzle in accordance with the at least one request such that the deposited molten material forms the object on a surface.

40 . The system of claim 39 , wherein the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium further comprises one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to determine at least one instruction for each of the nozzles to deposit the molten material on the surface.

41 . The system of claim 39 , wherein the at least one request to create the object comprises a plurality of computer aided design programming instructions.

42 . The system of claim 39 , wherein the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium further comprises one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to cause a rotatable shaft disposed within each nozzle to rotate, wherein rotating the shaft causes a change in at least one of a pressure and a flow rate of the molten material deposited on the surface.

43 . The system of claim 39 , wherein the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium further comprises one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to direct a friction drive apparatus to drive a solid material into each nozzle.

44 . The system of claim 39 , wherein the one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to signal each actuator further comprise one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to signal each actuator simultaneously.

45 . The system of claim 39 , wherein the one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to signal each actuator further comprise one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to signal at least a first actuator and a second actuator for a substantially overlapping duration.

46 . (canceled)

47 . The system of claim 39 , wherein the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium further comprises one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
determine at least one instruction for the extrusion head to move in one or more directions with respect to the surface; and direct the extrusion head to move with respect to the surface such that the nozzles are positioned to form the object.

48 .- 73 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Empire Technology Dev Llc

Inventors

• Wang James Y

Classifications

• B29C2948/92866

  Inlet shaft or slot, e.g. passive hopper; Injector, e.g. injector nozzle on barrel · CPC title

• B29C48/266

  Means for allowing relative movements between the apparatus parts, e.g. for twisting the extruded article or for moving the die along a surface to be coated · CPC title

• B29C2948/926

  Flow or feed rate · CPC title

• B29C70/545

  Perforating, cutting or machining during or after moulding · CPC title

• B29C2948/92828

  Raw material handling or dosing, e.g. active hopper or feeding device · CPC title