Automatic liquid supply apparatus for 3D printing and liquid level sensor thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9440398-B2
Application number	US-201514607779-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2015
Priority date	Nov 28, 2014
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

An automatic liquid supply apparatus for supplying liquid material during 3D printing is provided. The automatic liquid supply apparatus includes: a container including an accommodating space for containing the liquid material, the accommodating space including a recess and a trench communicating with each other, the trench having an inner bottom face, the recess being recessed to a depth below the inner bottom face; a liquid level sensor including a floater, the floater being disposed corresponding to the recess and floating to rise and fall along with a liquid level, the liquid level sensor sensing the liquid level in the accommodating space; and a liquid dispenser electrically connected to the liquid level sensor, the liquid dispenser selectively supplying or stopping supplying the liquid material into the accommodating space according to the sensed liquid level.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic liquid supply apparatus, for supplying liquid material during 3D printing, the automatic liquid supply apparatus comprising:
a container including an accommodating space for containing the liquid material, the accommodating space including a trench and a recess communicating with each other, the trench including an inner bottom face, the recess being recessed to a depth below the inner bottom face, wherein the trench includes a plurality of inner walls surrounding the periphery of the inner bottom face, and the recess is adjacent to one of the inner walls;
a liquid level sensor including a floater, the floater being disposed corresponding to the recess and floating on the liquid material to generate floating movement along with a liquid level of the liquid material, the liquid level sensor sensing the liquid level of the liquid material in the accommodating space according to the floating movement of the floater; and
a liquid dispenser electrically connected to the liquid level sensor, the liquid dispenser selectively supplying or stopping supplying the liquid material into the accommodating space according to the sensed liquid level.

2. The automatic liquid supply apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the trench includes a plurality of inner walls surrounding the periphery of the inner bottom face, and the recess is disposed in an including angle area between any two adjacent ones of the inner walls.

3. The automatic liquid supply apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an inclined slope is connected between the recess and the inner bottom face.

4. The automatic liquid supply apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the floating force is derived from the liquid level of the liquid material in the trench and the depth of the recess filled with the liquid material.

5. A liquid level sensor for an automatic liquid supply apparatus, for sensing a liquid level of liquid material during 3D printing, the liquid level sensor comprising:
a floater floating on the liquid material to generate upward and downward floating movement along with the liquid level of the liquid material;
a sensor producing a sensing signal; and
a linkage member including a holder, a first linkage and a second linkage, the first linkage and the second linkage being pivotally connected to the holder, wherein the first linkage includes a connection portion and a driving portion, the connection portion being connected to the floater, the floater driving the first linkage to move; the second linkage includes a driven portion and an interception portion, the second linkage being moved by the driving portion via the driven portion, the interception portion selectively intercepting or not intercepting the sensing signal according to the movement of the second linkage,
wherein the second linkage includes a second pivot portion pivotally connected to the holder, the second pivot portion is disposed between the driven portion and the interception portion, and the second linkage is movable about the second pivot portion as an axis.

6. The liquid level sensor for the automatic liquid supply apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first linkage includes a first pivot portion pivotally connected to the holder, the first pivot portion is disposed between the connection portion and the driving portion, and the first linkage is movable about the first pivot portion as an axis.

7. The liquid level sensor for the automatic liquid supply apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first linkage is divided into a first arm and a second arm by the first pivot portion, and a first including angle is included by the first arm and the second arm.

8. The liquid level sensor for the automatic liquid supply apparatus of claim 7 , wherein one end of the first arm is connected to the floater, the other end of the first arm is connected to the second arm via the first pivot portion, a second including angle is included by the first arm and the floater, and the second arm and the floater are substantially parallel to each other.

9. The liquid level sensor for the automatic liquid supply apparatus of claim 5 , wherein a third including angle is between a portion close to the driving portion on the first linkage and a portion close to the driven portion on the second linkage.

Assignees

• Xyzprinting Inc
• Kinpo Elect Inc
• Cal-Comp Electronics & Communications Company Ltd

Inventors

• Lin Tsai-Yi

Classifications

• B29C64/112

  using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads · CPC title

• G01F23/363

  using electromechanically actuated indicating means · CPC title

• G01F23/36 Primary

  using electrically actuated indicating means {(G01F23/38 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B29C64/321

  Feeding · CPC title

• G01F23/70 Primary

  for sensing changes in level only at discrete points · CPC title