Fused deposition model cold slurry printer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9883685-B2
Application number	US-201514707167-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2015
Priority date	May 8, 2015
Publication date	Feb 6, 2018
Grant date	Feb 6, 2018

Abstract

Fused deposition model printer system. The system prints cold slurry substances and includes a source of a cold slurry substance with a print platform supported for at least three axes of motion under computer control. An extruder head system including a nozzle extrudes a stream of the cold slurry substance from the source onto the print platform, the extruder head including a heater. A cryogen line is provided having a perforated section for surrounding the continuous stream of the cold slurry substance to spray a cryogen onto the cold slurry substance to cool it upon extrusion. A chilled compartment or freezer is provided in which the print platform, extruder head system, and cryogen line are contained to maintain those components at a selected temperature whereby the cold slurry substance is printed to form a desired three dimensional shape.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Fused deposition model printer system for printing cold slurry substances comprising:
a source of a cold slurry substance;
a print platform supported for at least three axes of motion under computer control;
an extruder head system including a nozzle for extruding a stream of the cold slurry substance from the source onto the print platform, the extruder head including a heater;
a liquid nitrogen line, including a perforated section encircling the stream of the cold slurry substance to spray liquid nitrogen in all directions onto the cold slurry substance to cool it upon extrusion; and
a chilled compartment in which the print platform, extruder head system, and liquid nitrogen line are contained to maintain these components at a selected temperature, whereby the cold slurry substance is printed to form a desired three-dimensional shape.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the source of the cold slurry substance is a hopper.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the hopper is also a churn.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the liquid nitrogen is contained within a Dewar in a freezer compartment.

5. The system of claim 4 , further including a compressor and storage tank communicating with the Dewar.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the cold slurry substance is soft serve ice cream.

Assignees

• Massachusetts Inst Technology

Inventors

• Bunker Kristine A
• Go Jamison
• Hart Anastasios John
• Hounsell Kyle N
• Kim Donghyun

Classifications

• A23G9/28 Primary

  for portioning or dispensing · CPC title

• A23P2020/253

  Coating food items by printing onto them; Printing layers of food products · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

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

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• A23P20/20

  Making of laminated, multi-layered, stuffed or hollow foodstuffs, e.g. by wrapping in preformed edible dough sheets or in edible food containers · CPC title