Methods and apparatus for compressing material during additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018236722-A1
Application number	US-201715435408-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 17, 2017
Priority date	Feb 17, 2017
Publication date	Aug 23, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An additive manufacturing device and method for delivering a flowable material from a nozzle of a programmable computer numeric control (CNC) machine, and compressing the flowable material with a compression roller. In one embodiment, the device includes a nozzle configured to deposit a flowable material on a surface; and a roller configured to compress the deposited flowable material, wherein the roller comprises: a flat center portion having a constant diameter; and opposed end portions, wherein each end portion extends outwardly from the flat center portion, and wherein a radially outermost surface of each end portion is angled relative a rotational axis of the roller.

First claim

We claim:

1 . An additive manufacturing device, the device comprising:
a nozzle configured to deposit a flowable material on a surface; and a roller configured to compress the deposited flowable material, wherein the roller comprises:
a flat center portion having a constant diameter; and
opposed end portions, wherein each end portion extends outwardly from the flat center portion, and wherein a radially outermost surface of each end portion is angled relative a rotational axis of the roller.

2 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 1 , wherein the radially outermost surface of each end portion extends at an angle of approximately 1 degree to 15 degrees away from a surface of the flat center portion.

3 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 1 , wherein each end portion comprises a diameter that varies over a longitudinal axis of each end portion.

4 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 1 , wherein the flat center portion and opposed end portions are formed integrally.

5 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 1 , wherein the radially outermost surface of each end portion tapers away from a radially outermost surface of the flat center portion and towards the rotational axis of the roller.

6 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 1 , wherein the flowable material is a thermoplastic material.

7 . An additive manufacturing device, the device comprising:
a nozzle configured to deposit a flowable material; and a roller configured to compress the deposited flowable material, wherein the roller comprises:
a cylindrical center portion having a first diameter; and
opposed first and second end portions having second and third diameters respectively, wherein the first and second end portions extend from the center portion, and
wherein the first diameter is greater than the second and third diameters.

8 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 7 , wherein the first diameter is constant over a substantial entirety of the cylindrical center portion, and the second and third diameters vary over the second and third end portions, respectively.

9 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 7 , wherein a radially outermost surface of each of the first and second end portion extends at an angle of approximately 1 degree to 15 degrees away from a surface of the cylindrical center portion.

10 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 7 , wherein a radially outermost surface of each of the first and second end portion tapers away from a surface of the cylindrical center portion and towards a rotational axis of the roller.

11 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 7 , wherein the cylindrical center portion and opposed end portions are formed integrally.

12 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 7 , wherein the flowable material is a thermoplastic material.

13 . An additive manufacturing method, the method comprising:
depositing a layer of a flowable material on to a surface; and compressing the layer of the flowable material with a roller, wherein the roller comprises:
a flat center portion having a constant diameter; and
opposed end portions, wherein each end portion extends outwardly from the center portion, and wherein a radially outermost surface of each end portion is angled relative a rotational axis of the roller.

14 . The additive manufacturing method of claim 13 , wherein the radially outermost surface of each end portion tapers away from a surface of the flat center portion and towards the rotational axis of the roller.

15 . The additive manufacturing method of claim 13 , wherein the radially outermost surface of each end portion extends at an angle of approximately 1 degree to 15 degrees away from a surface of the flat center portion.

16 . The additive manufacturing method of claim 13 , wherein each end portion comprises a diameter that varies over a rotational axis of each end portion.

17 . The additive manufacturing method of claim 13 , wherein the flat center portion and opposed end portions are formed integrally.

18 . The additive manufacturing method of claim 13 , wherein the flowable material is a thermoplastic material.

Assignees

• Thermwood Corp

Inventors

• Susnjara Kenneth J
• Vaal Scott G

Classifications

• B29C64/106 Primary

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

• B29C64/218

  Rollers · CPC title

• B29C64/194

  during lay-up · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

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

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title