Three-dimensional printer with integrated coloring system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9889607-B2
Application number	US-201514829023-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2015
Priority date	Feb 19, 2014
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

A three-dimensional printer effects color changes in an extrudate using a color-application unit applying a colorant to the interior of a filament before it is melted within an extruder. Specifically, the color-application unit may receive a filament (or portions thereof) having an exposed interior surface, where color applicators are actuated to apply one or more colors to the interior surface of the filament in order to modify the extruded color. The filament may then be coupled, collapsed, or otherwise closed about the interior surface, e.g., by a mechanical coupler, to substantially enclose the interior surface of the filament, which is then fed to the extruder for fabricating a colored object in a three-dimensional fabrication process. By enclosing the colored surface within the filament before melting for extrusion, transition effects of a color change can be mitigated and transition time for a substantially complete change in color can be significantly reduced.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A three-dimensional printer comprising:
an extruder configured to deposit a build material in a three-dimensional printing process;
a coloring system including a color-application unit disposed upstream from the extruder, the color-application unit configured to receive a filament of the build material, the color-application unit including:
a body;
a conduit extending through the body;
a motor that engages the filament to move the filament through the conduit; and
a through-hole that extends through the body and is communication with the conduit; and
a color applicator operable to selectively apply a color to an interior surface of the filament, the color applicator including an elongate member containing the color and having a color applicator tip that is configured to apply the color to the interior surface of the filament through the through-hole, wherein at least a portion of the elongate member is slidably received within the through-hole to selectively engage and apply the color to the interior surface of the filament; and

a drive assembly for moving the filament from the coloring system to the extruder for depositing colored build material in the three-dimensional printing process.

2. The three-dimensional printer of claim 1 further comprising a coupler configured to receive the filament from the color applicator and to substantially enclose the interior surface of the filament that received the color before passing the filament to the extruder.

3. The three-dimensional printer of claim 2 wherein the coupler is connected to the extruder by a conduit, the conduit including a pathway for the filament to travel between the coupler and the extruder.

4. The three-dimensional printer of claim 2 wherein the color-application unit and the coupler are integrated together as a single unit.

5. The three-dimensional printer of claim 2 wherein the extruder and the coupler are integrated together as a single unit.

6. The three-dimensional printer of claim 2 wherein the filament includes a first filament portion and a second filament portion, at least one of the first filament portion and the second filament portion including the interior surface, and wherein the coupler is configured to join the first filament portion to the second filament portion to form the filament for extrusion in the three-dimensional printing process.

7. The three-dimensional printer of claim 6 wherein the coupler includes a body that has a first channel and a second channel, wherein the first channel receives the first filament portion and the second channel receives the second filament portion, and wherein the first channel and the second channel converge within the body to form a discharge channel that guides the filament through the body.

8. The three-dimensional printer of claim 7 wherein the coupler includes a motor and a roller assembly that is actuated by the motor, and wherein the roller assembly engages the first filament portion and the second filament portion to advance the filament through the body.

9. The three-dimensional printer of claim 1 wherein the extruder and the color-application unit are disposed within a build volume of the three-dimensional printer.

10. The three-dimensional printer of claim 1 wherein the color-application unit includes a plurality of color applicators, each operable to selectively apply a different color to the interior surface of the filament.

11. The three-dimensional printer of claim 1 wherein the color applicator includes one or more of an inkjet cartridge, a thermal inkjet, a pressure inkjet, a piezo pump, a pressure pump, a spray mechanism, a microfluidic device, and a rubber applicator.

12. The three-dimensional printer of claim 1 wherein the extruder is disposed in a printer head of the three-dimensional printer.

13. A method for three-dimensional fabrication of an object using a three-dimensional printer comprising:
receiving a filament at a color-application unit of the three-dimensional printer, the color-application unit positioned upstream of an extruder within the three-dimensional printer, the color-application unit including a body, a conduit extending through the body, a motor that engages the filament to move the filament through the conduit, and a through-hole that extends through the body and is communication with the conduit;
applying color to an interior surface of the filament using a color applicator coupled to the color-application unit, the color applicator including an elongate member containing the color and having a color applicator tip that is configured to apply the color to the interior surface of the filament through the through-hole of the color-application unit, wherein at least a portion of the elongate member is slidably received within the through-hole to selectively engage and apply the color to the interior surface of the filament;
directing the filament from the color-application unit to the extruder; and
extruding the filament to fabricate the object in a three-dimensional printing process.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the filament includes a first filament portion and a second filament portion, at least one of the first filament portion and the second filament portion including the interior surface.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising coupling the first filament portion to the second filament portion to form the filament for extrusion.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein a coupler that is positioned downstream of the color applicator and upstream of the extruder couples the first filament portion and the second filament portion.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:
receiving the first filament portion in a first channel disposed in a body of the coupler;
receiving the second filament portion in a second channel disposed in the body of the coupler; and
joining the first filament portion and the second filament portion within a discharge channel formed by a convergence of the first channel and the second channel within the body of the coupler.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the color applicator includes one or more of an inkjet cartridge, a thermal inkjet, a pressure inkjet, a piezo pump, a pressure pump, a spray mechanism, a microfluidic device, and a rubber applicator.

19. A device comprising:
a color-application unit configured for placement upstream from an extruder configured to deposit a build material in a three-dimensional printing process, wherein the color-application unit is configured to receive a filament of the build material, the color-application unit including a body a conduit extending through the body, a motor that engages the filament to move the filament through the conduit, and a through-hole that extends through the body and is communication with the conduit; and
a color applicator coupled to the color-application unit and operable to selectively apply a color to an interior surface of the filament before the filament is passed to the extruder, the color applicator including an elongate member containing the color and having a color applicator tip that is configured to apply the color to the interior surface of the filament through the through-hole, wherein at least a portion of the elongate member is slidably received within the through-hole to selectively engage and apply the color to the interior surface of the filament.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the color applicator includes one or more of an inkjet cartridge, a thermal inkjet, a pressure inkjet, a piez

Assignees

• Makerbot Ind Llc

Inventors

• Haider Charles John
• Kobida Michael Joseph
• Kovacs Johnson Cedric James
• Fahey Taylor Michael
• Osswald Tim Andreas

Classifications

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C64/209 Primary

  Heads; Nozzles · CPC title

• B33Y30/00 Primary

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

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title