A system with a dynamic variable size nozzle orifice for three-dimensional printing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021069789-A1
Application number	US-201917052804-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 3, 2019
Priority date	May 4, 2018
Publication date	Mar 11, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

This invention relates to three-dimensional printing. This invention particularly relates to a system with a dynamic variable size nozzle orifice for three-dimensional printing of objects based on crafting and molding techniques, and a method thereof. The present invention provides a dynamic variable nozzle orifice, where one embodiment uses a nozzle made of a soft flexible material. The soft flexible material, such as rubber, latex or silicone, is such that when the extrusion pressure is high the orifice will enlarge and allow wider extrusion volume for filling large or wide voids. In another scenario, when the extrusion pressure is lower the orifice will be narrower and give precise narrow extrusion to fill smaller voids. Another embodiment uses a method of controlling the orifice size which is by a mechanical means independent of the pressure in the nozzle. Such a method can utilize an iris device for controlling the size of the orifice. By utilizing the function of a dynamic orifice size of the nozzle when depositing a crafting material inside a mold structure as described herein, the printing time can be reduced without a reduction in detailing abilities. Subsequently, the systems and methods of the present invention are useful for fabricating high-quality three-dimensional objects using a crafting paste and molding techniques.

First claim

1 . A system for three-dimensional printing of an object comprising a dynamic variable size nozzle orifice.

2 . The system according to claim 1 for three-dimensional printing of an object from a crafting medium.

3 . The system according to claim 1 wherein said nozzle orifice comprises a soft flexible material.

4 . The system according to claim 1 wherein said nozzle orifice comprises a soft flexible material selected from the group consisting of rubber, latex or silicone.

5 . The system according to claim 1 for extruding a crafting medium from said nozzle orifice at a pressure from about 200 kPa to about 10 MPa.

6 . The system according to claim 1 wherein said nozzle orifice has a variable diameter from about 0.2 mm to about 5 mm.

7 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the variable diameter of said nozzle orifice is controlled by a mechanical function independent of the pressure of the crafting medium being extruded at the nozzle orifice.

8 . The system according to claim 7 wherein the diameter of the nozzle orifice is controlled by an iris device.

9 . The system according to claim 2 wherein the crafting medium comprises:
(i) from about 40% to about 80% by volume basis of a powder selected from metal powders, ceramic powders, and combinations, thereof;
(ii) from about 0.5% to about 10% by volume of a binder; and
(iii) from about 15% to about 60% by volume of an aqueous solvent.

10 . The system according to claim 2 wherein the crafting medium comprises:
(i) from about 40% to about 80% by volume basis of a powder selected from the group consisting of metal powders, ceramic powders, and combinations, thereof;
(ii) from about 0.5% to about 10% by volume of a binder; and
(iii) from about 15% to about 60% by volume of a non-aqueous solvent.

11 . The system according to claim 10 wherein said nonaqueous solvent is selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, acetone, acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate, C2-C4 diols, glycerol, acetonitrile, C4-alcohols, 2-ethoxyethanol, 2-ethyl hexanol, 1,2-dichloroethane, diisopropyl amine, isoamyl alcohol, propyl acetate, isopropyl acetate, and mixtures thereof.

12 . The system according to claim 9 wherein the metal or ceramic powder comprises particles having a size in the range from 0.1-100 micrometers.

13 . The system according to claim 9 wherein the metal powder is selected from the group consisting of silver, gold, copper, tin, nickel, chromium, zinc, tungsten, cobalt, aluminum, molybdenum, boron, iron, titanium, vanadium, niobium, silicon, manganese, steel, metal alloys, and combinations thereof.

14 . The system according to claim 9 wherein the ceramic powder is selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, boron carbide, aluminum carbide, tungsten carbide, titanium carbide, tantalum carbide, silicon nitride, boron nitride, aluminum nitride, titanium nitride, zirconium nitride, steatite, forsterite, alumina, zircon beryllia, magnesia, mullite, cordierite, aluminum titanate, zirconia, and combinations thereof.

15 . The system according to claim 9 wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of organic binders, inorganic binders, and combinations thereof.

16 . The system according to claim 15 wherein the in organic binder is selected from the group consisting of epoxy, polyurethane, agar-agar, starch, cellulosic materials, arrow root, Agar (E406), Alginic acid (E400), Sodium alginate (E401), Carrageenan (E407), Gum arabic (E414), Gum ghatti, Gum tragacanth (E413), Karaya gum (E416), Guar gum (E412), Locust bean gum (E410), Beta-glucan, Chicle gum, Dammar gum, Glucomannan (E425), Mastic gum, Psyllium seed husks, Spruce gum, Tara gum (E417), Gellan gum (E418), Xanthan gum (E415), polyethylene oxide, polycarboxylic acids (polyacrylic acid), polycarboxylates, polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose gum (Aquacel GSA and Aquacel GSH), hydroxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and combinations thereof.

17 . The system according to claim 15 wherein the inorganic binder is selected from the group consisting of magnesium oxide, magnesic, cement, sorel cement, inorganic salts, and combinations thereof.

18 . The system according to claim 9 wherein said aqueous solvent is selected from the group consisting of water or water in combination with a non-aqueous solvent selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, acetone, acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate, C2-C4 diols, glycerol, acetonitrile, C4-alcohols, 2-ethoxyethanol, 2-ethyl hexanol, 1,2-dichloroethane, diisopropyl amine, isoamyl alcohol, propyl acetate, isopropyl acetate, and mixtures thereof.

19 . A method of three-dimensionally printing an object using the system of claim 1 .

20 . A method of three-dimensionally printing an object from a paste-based crafting medium using the system of claim 2 .

21 . A three-dimensional object printed using the system of claim 1 .

22 . A three dimensional object printed using the system of claim 2 .

Assignees

• Addleap Ab
• Desktop Metal Inc

Inventors

• Moosberg Mats
• Barbati Alexander C

Classifications

• B22F3/24 Primary

  After-treatment of workpieces or articles {(B22F3/1146 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B22F12/90

  Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors · CPC title

• B22F12/55

  Two or more means for feeding material · CPC title

• B22F12/10

  Auxiliary heating means · CPC title

• B22F10/50

  Treatment of workpieces or articles during build-up, e.g. treatments applied to fused layers during build-up · CPC title