Three dimensional printing of composite reinforced structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022001600-A1
Application number	US-202117477102-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 16, 2021
Priority date	Mar 22, 2013
Publication date	Jan 6, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Various embodiments related to three dimensional printers, and reinforced filaments, and their methods of use are described. In one embodiment, a void free reinforced filament is fed into a conduit nozzle. The reinforced filament includes a core, which may be continuous or semi-continuous, and a matrix material surrounding the core. The reinforced filament is heated to a temperature greater than a melting temperature of the matrix material and less than a melting temperature of the core prior to drag the filament from the conduit nozzle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for manufacturing a part, the method comprising steps of:
attaching a coated continuous core reinforced filament to a surface at a point; and pulling the coated continuous core reinforced filament from the attachment point.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pulling step includes moving a printhead relative to the attachment point.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the coated continuous core reinforced filament comprises a multifilament core.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the multifilament core comprises a plurality of strands.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the multifilament core is substantially impregnated with a matrix material.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the coated continuous core reinforced filament is substantially void free.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the coating surrounding the coated continuous core reinforced filament is a matrix material.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the matrix material comprises a thermoplastic, a thermoset, a resin, or an epoxy.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the attaching step comprises applying a compaction pressure to the coated continuous core reinforced filament.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the attaching step comprises compressing the coated continuous core reinforced filament.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the compressing spreads the plurality of strands of the coated continuous core reinforced filament.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the compressing spreads the coated continuous core reinforced filament into an adjacent coated continuous core reinforced filament of a same layer and an underlying material of the part.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the compaction pressure is applied by a printhead.

14 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the attaching step further comprises heating to reflow the matrix material.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the continuous core reinforced filament is a towpreg.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the towpreg comprises a plurality of axially aligned reinforcing fibers.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the coated continuous core reinforced filament is a prepreg.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the prepreg comprises multiple continuous strands preimpregnated with a resin already wicked into the strands.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the continuous core reinforced filament is combined with a matrix material at a nozzle outlet.

20 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of affixing the pulled coated continuous core reinforced filament to an opposing section of a gap, such that the coated continuous core reinforced filament bridges the gap from the attached point to the affixed point.

21 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to the step of attaching, a step of coextruding a continuous core reinforced filament and a matrix material to form the coated continuous core reinforced filament.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the coextruding step comprises a step of coating the continuous core reinforced filament with matrix material.

23 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising extruding a coated continuous core reinforced filament from a nozzle of a printhead.

24 . A method for manufacturing a part, the method comprising steps of:
coating an outer surface of at least one continuous core reinforced filament with a matrix material at a coextrusion die of a printhead to form a coated continuous core reinforced filament; attaching the at least one coated continuous core reinforced filament to a surface; and pulling the at least one coated continuous core reinforced filament when the printhead is moved relative to the part.

25 . The method of claim 24 , further comprising, prior to the step of attaching, extruding the at least one coated continuous core reinforced filament from a nozzle of the printhead.

26 . The method of claim 24 , further comprising a step of impregnating the at least one continuous core reinforced filament with matrix material such that at least one continuous core reinforced filament is wicked.

27 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the step of coating the outer surface of the at least one continuous core reinforced filament occurs at a mixing point.

28 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the matrix material comprises a thermoplastic, a thermoset, a resin, or an epoxy.

29 . A method of manufacturing a part, comprising steps of:
impregnating at least one continuous core element with a matrix material at a first coextrusion die of a printhead to form a continuous core reinforced filament; introducing the continuous core reinforced filament within a second coextrusion die of the printhead; coating an outer surface of the continuous core reinforced filament at the second coextrusion die of the printhead to form a coated continuous core reinforced filament; attaching the coated continuous core reinforced filament to a surface; and pulling the coated continuous core reinforced filament when the printhead is moved relative to the part.

Assignees

• Markforged Inc

Inventors

• Mark Gregory Thomas
• Gozdz Antoni S

Classifications

• B29C70/20

  oriented in a single direction, e.g. roofing or other parallel fibres {(B29C70/083, B29C70/226 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B29C2793/0081

  before shaping · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

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

• B29C64/295

  Heating elements · CPC title