Plasticizing device, three-dimensional modeling device, and injection molding device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022363007-A1
Application number	US-202217663497-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 16, 2022
Priority date	May 17, 2021
Publication date	Nov 17, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A plasticizing device includes a drive motor, a flat screw, a barrel, a heater, a cooler, and a controller, wherein the controller executes a plasticizing step of controlling the drive motor, the heater, and the cooler to plasticize a material fed between the flat screw and the barrel to make the material plasticized outflow from a communication hole, a stopping step of stopping at least the drive motor and the heater after executing the plasticizing step to stop the plasticizing step, and a start-up step of starting up the heater and controlling at least one of the heater and the cooler so that the outer circumference of the flat screw becomes at a temperature no higher than in the plasticizing step when resuming the plasticizing step after a predetermined time elapses from the stopping step.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A plasticizing device comprising:
a drive motor; a flat screw which has a groove forming surface provided with a groove, and rotates with the drive motor; a barrel which has an opposed surface opposed to the groove forming surface, and is provided with a communication hole; a heater configured to heat a material fed between the flat screw and the barrel; a cooler configured to cool an outer circumference of the flat screw; and a controller configured to control the drive motor, the heater, and the cooler, wherein the controller executes
a plasticizing step of controlling the drive motor, the heater, and the cooler to plasticize the material fed between the flat screw and the barrel to make the material plasticized outflow from the communication hole,
a stopping step of stopping at least the drive motor and the heater after executing the plasticizing step to stop the plasticizing step, and
a start-up step of starting up the heater and controlling at least one of the heater and the cooler so that the outer circumference of the flat screw becomes at a temperature no higher than in the plasticizing step when resuming the plasticizing step after a predetermined time elapses from the stopping step.

2 . The plasticizing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller rotates the flat screw after a predetermined time elapses from when starting up the heater in the start-up step.

3 . The plasticizing device according to claim 2 , wherein
the controller rotates the flat screw in the start-up step at a rotational speed lower than in the plasticizing step.

4 . The plasticizing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller controls the cooler in the start-up step so that a temperature at the outer circumference of the flat screw becomes no higher than in the plasticizing step.

5 . The plasticizing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller controls the heater in the start-up step so that a temperature of the material becomes no lower than a plasticization temperature of the material, and no higher than in the plasticizing step.

6 . The plasticizing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the opposed surface has a region which becomes at a temperature no lower than the plasticization temperature of the material due to the heater, and the controller controls at least one of the heater and the cooler so that an area of the region in the start-up step becomes no larger than the area of the region in the plasticizing step.

7 . The plasticizing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the groove forming surface or the opposed surface, wherein the controller controls at least one of the cooler, the heater, and the drive motor in the start-up step based on a detection value of the temperature sensor.

8 . The plasticizing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure in the communication hole, wherein the controller controls at least one of the cooler, the heater, and the drive motor in the start-up step based on a detection value of the pressure sensor.

9 . The plasticizing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller changes the temperature at the outer circumference of the flat screw in accordance with a type of the material.

10 . The plasticizing device according to claim 9 , wherein
the controller makes the temperature at the outer circumference of the flat screw higher when the material is a crystalline material compared to when the material is a non-crystalline material.

11 . A three-dimensional modeling device comprising:
a plasticizing device configured to plasticize a material to obtain a plasticized material; and a nozzle configured to eject the plasticized material fed from the plasticizing device toward a stage, wherein the plasticizing device includes
a drive motor,
a flat screw which has a groove forming surface provided with a groove, and rotates with the drive motor,
a barrel which has an opposed surface opposed to the groove forming surface, and is provided with a communication hole,
a heater configured to heat a material fed between the flat screw and the barrel,
a cooler configured to cool an outer circumference of the flat screw, and
a controller configured to control the drive motor, the heater, and the cooler, and
the controller executes
a plasticizing step of controlling the drive motor, the heater, and the cooler to plasticize the material fed between the flat screw and the barrel to make the material plasticized outflow from the communication hole,
a stopping step of stopping at least the drive motor and the heater after executing the plasticizing step to stop the plasticizing step, and
a start-up step of starting up the heater and controlling at least one of the heater and the cooler so that the outer circumference of the flat screw becomes at a temperature no higher than in the plasticizing step when resuming the plasticizing step after a predetermined time elapses from the stopping step.

12 . An injection molding device comprising:
a plasticizing device configured to plasticize a material to obtain a plasticized material; and a nozzle configured to inject the plasticized material fed from the plasticizing device into a molding die, wherein the plasticizing device includes
a drive motor,
a flat screw which has a groove forming surface provided with a groove, and rotates with the drive motor,
a barrel which has an opposed surface opposed to the groove forming surface, and is provided with a communication hole,
a heater configured to heat a material fed between the flat screw and the barrel,
a cooler configured to cool an outer circumference of the flat screw, and
a controller configured to control the drive motor, the heater, and the cooler, and
the controller executes
a plasticizing step of controlling the drive motor, the heater, and the cooler to plasticize the material fed between the flat screw and the barrel to make the material plasticized outflow from the communication hole,
a stopping step of stopping at least the drive motor and the heater after executing the plasticizing step to stop the plasticizing step, and
a start-up step of starting up the heater and controlling at least one of the heater and the cooler so that the outer circumference of the flat screw becomes at a temperature no higher than in the plasticizing step when resuming the plasticizing step after a predetermined time elapses from the stopping step.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Zhang Junhua

Classifications

• B29C45/464

  using a rotating plasticising or injection disc · CPC title

• B29C45/54

  and plasticising screw {(B29C45/532 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B29C45/74

  of the injection unit · CPC title

• B29C45/78

  of temperature · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title