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-2020016837-A1
Application number	US-201916580827-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; an actuator movable relative to the extrusion head in a first direction and configured to exert a force on the rod of build material in the first direction; and 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 as the actuator moves in the first direction.

32 . The assembly of claim 31 , wherein the actuator includes a body and a protrusion extending radially outward from the body, and wherein the slot is configured to receive at least a portion of the protrusion.

33 . The assembly of claim 32 , wherein the protrusion includes an interface surface configured to contact an end surface of the rod of build material.

34 . The assembly of claim 33 , wherein a proximal portion of the body is disposed further along the first direction than the interface surface.

35 . The assembly of claim 31 , wherein the guide channel has a tubular shape.

36 . The assembly of claim 31 , wherein the guide channel has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is closer to the extrusion head than the second end is, and wherein the assembly further comprises a funnel-shaped media loading component proximate to the second end.

37 . The assembly of claim 31 , further comprising a cam arranged to cause the actuator to transition between a first configuration, in which the actuator intersects a central longitudinal axis of the guide channel, and a second configuration, in which the actuator does not intersect the central longitudinal axis of the guide channel.

38 . An assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the assembly comprising:
an extrusion head configured to receive a rod of build material and to extrude the build material along an axis; a guide channel configured to receive the rod of build material, wherein the guide channel extends parallel to or coaxial with the axis, and wherein the guide channel defines a slot that is configured to receive at least a portion of the actuator.

39 . The assembly of claim 38 , further comprising an actuator movable in a first direction relative to the extrusion head and configured to exert a force on the rod of build material in the first direction along the axis.

40 . The assembly of claim 39 , wherein the actuator includes a body and a protrusion extending radially outward from the body, and wherein the slot is configured to receive at least a portion of the protrusion.

41 . The assembly of claim 40 , wherein the protrusion includes an interface surface configured to contact an end surface of the rod of build material.

42 . The assembly of claim 41 , wherein a proximal portion of the body is disposed further along the first direction than the interface surface.

43 . The assembly of claim 39 , further comprising a cam arranged to cause the actuator to transition between a first configuration, in which the actuator intersects a central longitudinal axis of the guide channel, and a second configuration, in which the actuator does not intersect the central longitudinal axis of the guide channel.

44 . The assembly of claim 31 , wherein the guide channel has a tubular shape.

45 . An assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the assembly comprising:
an actuator configured to exert a force on a rod of build material along a first direction as the actuator moves in the first direction; and 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 as the actuator moves in the first direction.

46 . The assembly of claim 45 , wherein the actuator includes a body and a protrusion extending radially outward from the body, and wherein the slot is configured to receive at least a portion of the protrusion.

47 . The assembly of claim 46 , wherein the protrusion includes a pusher interface surface configured to contact an end surface of the rod of build material.

48 . The assembly of claim 47 , wherein a portion of the body is disposed further along the first direction than the pusher interface surface.

49 . The assembly of claim 45 , wherein the guide channel has a tubular shape.

50 . The assembly of claim 45 , wherein the actuator moves linearly along the first direction.

Assignees

• Desktop Metal Inc

Inventors

• Burnham Richard
• Laplante John
• Preston Aaron

Classifications

• B29C64/209 Primary

  Heads; Nozzles · CPC title

• B29C64/321

  Feeding · CPC title

• B29C64/227

  Driving means · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title