System and method for moving a rod of build material using a pusher in a 3d printing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020016835-A1
Application number	US-201916580785-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 24, 2019
Priority date	Apr 24, 2017
Publication date	Jan 16, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and corresponding method to move a rod of build material in a three-dimensional (3D) printing system uses a pusher. The rod of build material has distal and proximal ends relative to an extrusion head. The distal and proximal ends having distal and proximal end surfaces, respectively. The pusher engages with the rod and applies an axial force to at least a portion of the distal end surface of the rod for at least a portion of a path the rod travels toward the extrusion head. The axial force actuates the rod of build material without alteration, such as by shaving, fracturing, or otherwise deforming the rod of build material.

First claim

1 - 30 . (canceled)

31 . An assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the assembly comprising:
an extrusion head configured to receive a rod of build material along a longitudinal axis of the extrusion head; and an actuator movable relative to the extrusion head and configured to exert a force on the rod of build material along the longitudinal axis, wherein the actuator is configured to be transitioned between a first configuration, in which the actuator intersects the longitudinal axis, and a second configuration, in which the actuator does not intersect the longitudinal axis.

32 . The assembly of claim 31 , wherein the actuator includes a body and a protrusion extending outwardly from the body, wherein the protrusion intersects the longitudinal axis in the first configuration, and wherein the protrusion does not intersect the longitudinal axis in the second configuration.

33 . The assembly of claim 31 , further comprising a cam configured to transition the actuator from the first configuration to the second configuration.

34 . The assembly of claim 31 , wherein an interaction between a surface of the cam and a surface of the actuator causes the actuator to transition from the first configuration to the second configuration.

35 . The assembly of claim 31 , further comprising a guide channel configured to receive the rod of build material, wherein the guide channel defines a slot that is configured to receive at least a portion of the actuator.

36 . The assembly of claim 35 , wherein, in the first configuration, the at least the portion of the actuator is received by the slot, and wherein, in the second configuration, the at least the portion of the actuator is not received by the slot.

37 . The assembly of claim 31 , wherein the actuator includes a body and a protrusion extending outwardly from the body, and wherein the protrusion includes an interface surface configured to contact the rod of build material.

38 . The assembly of claim 37 , wherein the interface surface is configured to exert the force on the rod of build material when the actuator moves in a first direction, toward the extrusion head, and wherein a surface of the body extends further in the first direction than the interface surface does.

39 . An assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the assembly comprising:
an extrusion head configured to receive a rod of build material; an actuator movable along an axis from a first position to a second position and from the second position to the first position, wherein the actuator is closer to the extrusion head in the first position than in the second position; and a cam configured to interact with the actuator as the actuator moves from the first position to the second position to cause at least a portion of the actuator to move in a direction transverse to the axis.

40 . The assembly of claim 39 , wherein the actuator includes a body and a protrusion extending outwardly from the body, and wherein the cam is configured to interact with the actuator as the actuator moves from the first position to the second position to cause at least a portion of the protrusion to move in a direction transverse to the axis.

41 . The assembly of claim 39 , wherein the axis is a first axis, and wherein, when the cam interacts with the actuator as the actuator moves from the first position to the second position, the actuator transitions from a first configuration, in which at least a portion of the actuator intersects a second axis extending longitudinally through the extrusion head, to a second configuration, in which the at least the portion of the actuator does not intersect the second axis.

42 . The assembly of claim 39 , further comprising a guide channel configured to receive the rod of build material, wherein the guide channel defines a slot that is configured to receive the at least the portion of the actuator.

43 . The assembly of claim 42 , wherein, in the first configuration, the at least the portion of the actuator is received by the slot, and wherein, in the second configuration, the at least the portion of the actuator is not received by the slot.

44 . The assembly of claim 39 , wherein the actuator includes a body and a protrusion extending outwardly from the body, and wherein the protrusion includes an interface surface configured to contact the rod of build material.

45 . The assembly of claim 44 , wherein the interface surface is configured to exert a force on the rod of build material when the actuator moves in a first direction, toward the first position, and wherein a surface of the body extends further in the first direction than the interface surface does.

46 . An assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the assembly comprising:
an extrusion head configured to receive a rod of build material along a longitudinal axis of the extrusion head; and an actuator movable relative to the extrusion head along an axis, wherein the actuator includes a body and a protrusion extending outwardly from the body, wherein a surface of the protrusion is configured to exert a force on the rod of build material, and wherein the protrusion is configured to move relative to the body in a direction transverse to the axis.

47 . The assembly of claim 46 , further including a cam, wherein the cam is configured to cause the protrusion to move relative to the body in the direction transverse to the axis.

48 . The assembly of claim 46 , further comprising a guide channel configured to receive the rod of build material, wherein the guide channel defines a slot that is configured to receive at least a portion of the protrusion.

49 . The assembly of claim 48 , wherein, when the protrusion moves relative to the body in the direction transverse to the axis, the protrusion transitions from a first configuration to a second configuration, wherein, in the first configuration, the at least the portion of the protrusion is received by the slot, and wherein, in the second configuration, the at least the portion of the protrusion is not received by the slot.

50 . The assembly of claim 46 , wherein the surface of the protrusion is configured to exert the force on the rod of the build material when the actuator moves in a first direction along the axis toward the extrusion head, and wherein a surface of the body extends further in the first direction than the surface of the protrusion does.

Assignees

• Desktop Metal Inc

Inventors

• Burnham Richard
• Laplante John
• Preston Aaron

Classifications

• B33Y30/00

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

• B29C64/321

  Feeding · CPC title

• B29C64/118

  using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM] · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C64/227

  Driving means · CPC title