Fast light-curing 3D printer cartridge and 3D printer

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of printers, and to a fast light-curing 3D printer cartridge and a 3D printer. The fast light-curing 3D printer cartridge comprises a resin tank side wall and a curing inhibitor transfer layer, the bottom of the resin tank side wall is connected to the upper surface of the curing inhibitor transfer layer to enclose the resin tank, and the fast light-curing 3D printer cartridge has a curing inhibitor supply unit for providing the curing inhibitor to the curing inhibitor transfer layer. The present invention provides a curing inhibitor to the curing inhibitor transfer layer well and continuously by setting a curing inhibitor supply unit, and the curing inhibitor enters the resin in the resin tank, and part of the resin in the resin tank is mixed with oxygen to form an oxygen inhibition phenomenon, and the solid and liquid separation of the solidified resin and the uncured resin is performed, the pulling force is significantly reduced, the resin reflow speed is accelerated, and the printing speed is significantly improved. The 3D printer provided in the present application has a fast resin reflow speed and a significantly improved printing speed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of printers, and in particular to a rapid light-curing 3D printer material box and a 3D printer. Background Art

[0002] PDMS is also a frequently used material in the design of photocuring printer cartridges. Its advantages are low friction coefficient, good elasticity, good oxygen permeability and oxygen storage rate. These characteristics enable PDMS to provide better release properties in the cartridge design of a fully enclosed system. However, in the fully enclosed PDMS cartridge design, PDMS cannot continuously replenish oxygen, and low release force generally only exists in the first few layers of printing. The pull-out force between the subsequently formed print layer and the bottom surface of the cartridge increases, resulting in slow printing speed and poor printing effect of the photocuring printer in the prior art. Summary of the invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention, for example, includes providing a fast light-curing 3D printer cartridge, which has a fast resin reflow speed, and can reduce the pulling force between the printed layer and the bottom surface of the cartridge, increase the peeling speed, and significantly improve the printing speed.

[0004] The present invention also aims to provide a 3D printer with a fast printing speed.

[0005] In order to achieve at least one of the above purposes, the embodiments of the present invention adopt the following technical solutions:

[0006] The present invention provides a rapid light-curing 3D printer material box, which comprises a resin tank side wall and a curing inhibitor transfer layer, wherein the bottom of the resin tank side wall is connected to the upper surface of the curing inhibitor transfer layer to enclose the resin tank, and the rapid light-curing 3D printer material box has a curing inhibitor supply part for providing the curing inhibitor to the curing inhibitor transfer layer.

[0007] The present invention provides a curing inhibitor supply unit to provide a curing inhibitor to the curing inhibitor transfer layer, and the curing inhibitor enters the resin in the resin tank well and continuously from the curing inhibitor transfer layer, thereby significantly improving the printing speed.

[0008] The present invention does not impose strict restrictions on the structure and arrangement of the curing inhibitor supply part, as long as it can well provide the curing inhibitor (gaseous, such as oxygen, air, etc.) to the curing inhibitor transfer layer.

[0009] In one embodiment, the curing inhibitor supply portion includes a transfer layer extension portion, which is formed by the curing inhibitor transfer layer extending out of the resin tank along the bottom of the side wall of the resin tank, that is, the transfer layer extension portion is a part of the curing inhibitor transfer layer. In the present application, the transfer extension portion is used as a curing inhibitor supply portion, which can be in good contact with the air. The air can freely enter the curing inhibitor transfer layer through the transfer layer extension portion and diffuse into the resin in the resin tank well and continuously.

[0010] In another embodiment, the curing inhibitor supply unit includes a curing inhibitor supply bin, which contacts the curing inhibitor delivery layer to deliver the curing inhibitor to the curing inhibitor delivery layer. At this time, the curing inhibitor is delivered to the curing inhibitor delivery layer through the curing inhibitor supply bin so that the curing inhibitor can be well and continuously delivered to the resin in the resin tank.

[0011] It is worth noting that in other embodiments of the present application, the curing inhibitor supply bin may also be in contact with the conveying layer extension portion, so that the curing inhibitor can be transferred through the conveying layer extension portion.

[0012] Furthermore, the curing inhibitor supply unit further includes a pressurizing unit for conveying the curing inhibitor to the curing inhibitor transfer layer under pressure. The pressurized conveying method further ensures that the curing inhibitor is well conveyed into the resin.

[0013] Optionally, in other embodiments of the present application, the upper surface of the curing inhibitor transfer layer of the above-mentioned fast light-curing 3D printer cartridge is further provided with a curing inhibitor distribution layer that is permeable to oxygen and light, and the curing inhibitor distribution layer is located in the resin tank.

[0014] Optionally, in other embodiments of the present application, the curing inhibitor distribution layer of the above-mentioned fast light-curing 3D printer cartridge is a fluorine-containing film that is oxygen-permeable and light-permeable, preferably a Teflon AF 2400 film.

[0015] Optionally, in other embodiments of the present application, the curing inhibitor transfer layer of the above-mentioned rapid light-curing 3D printer cartridge is a silicon-based thin film material layer, preferably a PDMS film.

[0016] Optionally, in other embodiments of the present application, the curing inhibitor of the rapid light-curing 3D printer cartridge is oxygen or air.

[0017] Optionally, in other embodiments of the present application, a rigid ultraviolet light-transmitting layer is further provided on the lower surface of the curing inhibitor transfer layer of the above-mentioned rapid light-curing 3D printer cartridge.

[0018] The present invention can support the curing inhibitor transfer layer by providing a rigid ultraviolet light-transmitting layer. At this time, the curing inhibitor transfer layer will not be deformed due to the gravity of the resin or the pressure of oxygen, and the printing error is small, the precision is high, and the printing effect is good.

[0019] Optionally, in other embodiments of the present application, the ultraviolet light-transmitting layer of the rapid light-curing 3D printer cartridge is made of quartz or transparent acrylic.

[0020] A 3D printer comprises the above-mentioned rapid light-curing 3D printer material box.

[0021] When the above 3D printer performs 3D printing, resin is poured into the resin tank, the resin contacts the curing inhibitor transfer layer, and the contact portion between the resin and the curing inhibitor transfer layer is mixed with oxygen to form an inhibitor layer.

[0022] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present invention include, for example:

[0023] The fast light-curing 3D printer cartridge provided by the present application forms a resin tank by setting an oxygen-permeable and light-permeable curing inhibitor transfer layer at the bottom of the side wall of the resin tank. The fast light-curing 3D printer cartridge has a curing inhibitor supply unit for providing the curing inhibitor to the curing inhibitor transfer layer. The curing inhibitor supply unit can provide the curing inhibitor transfer layer with good and continuous curing inhibitor (such as oxygen, air, etc.), so that the curing inhibitor is continuously transported to the resin tank. When the resin is poured into the resin tank to form a resin layer during the printing process, the lower surface of the new print layer contacts the curing inhibitor. Since part of the resin in the resin layer is mixed with oxygen to form an oxygen inhibition phenomenon, the part mixed with oxygen and resin does not undergo a curing reaction, so the lower surface of the new print layer is difficult to adhere to the bottom surface of the cartridge, and the pull-out force between the new print layer and the bottom surface of the cartridge is low, the resin reflow speed is accelerated, and the printing speed is significantly improved. The resin reflow speed of the 3D printer provided by the present application is fast, and the printing speed is significantly improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the embodiments are briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0025] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a structure of a rapid light-curing 3D printer material box provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2Another schematic diagram of the structure of a rapid light-curing 3D printer cartridge provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of another structure of a rapid light-curing 3D printer cartridge provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the rapid light-curing 3D printer cartridge after resin is injected into the cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Icons: 100- fast light-curing 3D printer material box; 101- curing inhibitor transfer layer; 102- resin tank side wall; 103- curing inhibitor distribution layer; 104- curing inhibitor supply bin; 105- ultraviolet light-transmitting layer; 106- resin tank; 107- transfer layer extension; 200- resin layer; 201- polymerization inhibition layer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Generally, the components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the drawings here can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0031] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the invention claimed for protection, but merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, further definition and explanation thereof is not required in subsequent drawings.

[0033] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "up", "down", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside", etc. indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, or the positions or positional relationships in which the product of the invention is usually placed when in use, or the positions or positional relationships commonly understood by those skilled in the art, which are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are only used to distinguish the description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0034] In addition, the terms "horizontal", "vertical", "overhanging" and the like do not mean that the components are required to be absolutely horizontal or overhanging, but can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" only means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical", and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.

[0035] In the description of the present invention, it is also necessary to explain that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "set", "install", "connect", and "connect" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0036] Example

[0037] Please refer to Figure 1 The present embodiment provides a rapid light-curing 3D printer cartridge 100, which includes a curing inhibitor transfer layer 101, a resin tank side wall 102 and a curing inhibitor supply portion.

[0038] Specifically, the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101 is located at the bottom of the resin tank side wall 102, so that the resin tank side wall 102 and the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101 form a closed resin tank 106. The curing inhibitor supply unit can provide a curing inhibitor (in this application, specifically oxygen, which can be mixed with the resin to form an oxygen inhibition phenomenon) to the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101. The curing inhibitor enters the resin in the resin tank 106 well and continuously from the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101, and the resin in the oxygen inhibition part will not be cured. At this time, the cured resin and the uncured resin are separated into solid-liquid, which significantly reduces the pulling force and accelerates the resin reflux speed, thereby significantly improving the printing speed.

[0039] The curing inhibitor delivery layer 101 is an oxygen-permeable and light-permeable material. In this embodiment, any material with high oxygen permeability, high light transmittance, high mechanical properties, and arbitrary formability can be selected. The material of the curing inhibitor delivery layer 101 is a silicon-based thin film material layer, including but not limited to Dow Corning PDMS, which has an oxygen permeability of 600 Barrer, a UV transmittance of 95%, good mechanical properties, and can be arbitrarily formed on a variety of surfaces.

[0040] The present invention has a variety of structures and arrangements for the curing inhibitor supply unit. For example, in one embodiment of the present application, see Figure 1 The curing inhibitor transfer layer 101 can be extended along the bottom of the resin tank side wall 102 to form a transfer layer extension 107 of the resin tank 106. Specifically, the transfer layer extension 107 can be extended along the length and / or width direction of the resin tank 106. The transfer layer extension 107 is used as a curing inhibitor supply part. Since the transfer layer extension 107 extends from the resin tank 106, it can directly contact with the air, and the contact area is large. The air can freely enter the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101 through the transfer layer extension 107, so that the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101 diffuses and enters the resin in the resin tank 106 well and continuously.

[0041] In another embodiment of the present application, please refer to Figure 2 The curing inhibitor supply unit includes a curing inhibitor supply bin 104, and the curing inhibitor supply bin 104 contacts the curing inhibitor delivery layer 101 to deliver the curing inhibitor to the curing inhibitor delivery layer 101. This allows the curing inhibitor to enter the resin in the resin tank 106 well and continuously. In this embodiment, the curing inhibitor delivery layer 101 may be flush with the resin tank 106, that is, it does not extend out of the resin tank 106.

[0042] In addition, in another embodiment of the present application, please refer to Figure 3 The curing inhibitor supply part may include a curing inhibitor supply bin 104 and a transfer layer extension part 107 at the same time. In this case, the curing inhibitor supply bin 104 is in direct contact with the transfer layer extension part 107 to realize the transfer of the curing inhibitor.

[0043] Furthermore, the curing inhibitor supply unit further includes a pressurizing unit (not shown) for pressurizing and conveying the curing inhibitor to the curing inhibitor transfer layer. The pressurized conveying method further ensures that the curing inhibitor is well conveyed into the resin. There are many ways to set the pressurizing unit, for example, by sealing the transfer layer extension 107, and then using the curing inhibitor supply chamber 104 to convey oxygen or air to the sealed transfer layer extension 107, so as to use the pressure of the curing inhibitor itself to achieve good delivery of the curing inhibitor into the resin.

[0044] In the actual printing process, please refer to Figure 2 , it is necessary to pour resin into the resin tank 106 to form a resin layer 200 , and the resin layer 200 is directly in contact with the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101 . In this embodiment, the resin of the resin layer 200 is a free radical initiator photosensitive resin.

[0045] Part of the resin in the resin layer 200 is mixed with the oxygen entering from the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101 to form oxygen inhibition (i.e., the inhibition layer 201). Since the part where oxygen and resin are mixed will not be cured, the remaining part of the resin layer 200 that is not mixed with oxygen will only be cured on the inhibition layer 201. At this time, the cured resin and the uncured resin (i.e., the inhibition layer 201) are separated into solid and liquid, the pulling force can be significantly reduced, the resin reflow speed is accelerated, and the printing speed is significantly improved.

[0046] In addition, in other embodiments of the present invention, a curing inhibitor distribution layer 103 is provided on the upper surface of the curing inhibitor delivery layer 101, and the curing inhibitor distribution layer 103 is located in the resin tank 106. The curing inhibitor distribution layer 103 can well disperse the oxygen in the curing inhibitor delivery layer 101 into the inhibition layer 201, so that oxygen continuously enters the resin to form an oxygen inhibition effect.

[0047] In the present application, the curing inhibitor distribution layer 103 is also made of an oxygen-permeable and light-permeable material, and any high oxygen-permeable, high chemical-resistant, and high light-permeable film can be used. The curing inhibitor distribution layer 103 is an oxygen-permeable and light-permeable fluorine-containing film, including but not limited to DuPont Teflon AF 2400 film, having an oxygen permeability of 990 Barrer, good chemical resistance, and 95% UV light transmittance.

[0048] The curing inhibitor distribution layer 103 is arranged on the upper surface of the curing inhibitor transport layer 101, so that oxygen first passes through the curing inhibitor transport layer 101 and then enters the curing inhibitor distribution layer 103. The curing inhibitor transport layer 101 can transport and store oxygen well, and the curing inhibitor distribution layer 103 can disperse the oxygen well, so that it can evenly enter the resin layer 200 to form an oxygen inhibition effect.

[0049] In addition, in other embodiments of the present invention, a UV-transmitting layer 105 is further provided on the side of the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101 away from the resin tank side wall 102. The UV-transmitting layer 105 can be made of any material with excellent UV light transmittance, and is required to have good rigidity. For example, quartz, transparent acrylic, etc. Since the UV-transmitting layer 105 has good rigidity, it can effectively support the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101, the curing inhibitor distribution layer 103, the inhibition layer 201, the resin layer 200 and the resin tank side wall 102, and can effectively prevent the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101 and the curing inhibitor distribution layer 103 from being deformed by the gravity of the resin. In addition, the curing inhibitor distribution layer 103 is provided on the surface of the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101, and oxygen first passes through the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101 and then enters the curing inhibitor distribution layer 103, which can effectively alleviate the pressure of oxidation and cause the curing inhibitor distribution layer 103 to deform. This ensures the stability and precision of the various layered structures in the present application, and the error can be effectively controlled within 10 microns.

[0050] The preparation method of the fast light-curing 3D printer material box 100 provided in the present application is as follows: using the ultraviolet light-transmitting layer 105 as the bottom layer, forming the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101 on the surface of the ultraviolet light-transmitting layer 105, and before the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101 is completely formed, the resin tank side wall 102 is connected to the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101 to form a closed resin tank 106, and before the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101 is completely formed, the curing inhibitor distribution layer 103 is connected to the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101 to improve the chemical resistance of the resin tank, improve the life of the resin tank, and contact the curing inhibitor supply part with the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101. After the resin tank 106 is made, the resin is poured into it to form the resin layer 200, and printing begins. During the entire printing process, the curing inhibitor (oxygen) in the curing inhibitor supply chamber 104 continuously enters the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101 through the part of the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101 that is in contact with the air, and is then distributed to the resin of the resin layer 200 by the curing inhibitor distribution layer 103, forming an oxygen inhibition polymerization effect in the part of the resin layer 200 close to the curing inhibitor distribution layer 103.

[0051] In addition, the present application also provides a 3D printer, which includes the above-mentioned fast light-curing 3D printer material box 100. When the above-mentioned 3D printer performs 3D printing, the resin is poured into the resin tank 106 to form a resin layer 200, and the resin in the resin layer 200 contacts the curing inhibitor transfer layer 101, and the contact part between the resin and the curing inhibitor transfer layer will mix with oxygen to form an inhibitor layer 201. The design of other parts can refer to ordinary light-curing printers, and will not be repeated in this application. The resin reflow speed of the 3D printer is fast, and the printing speed is significantly improved.

[0052] In summary, the fast light-curing 3D printer cartridge provided by the present application forms a resin tank by setting an oxygen-permeable and light-permeable curing inhibitor transfer layer at the bottom of the side wall of the resin tank, and the fast light-curing 3D printer cartridge has a curing inhibitor supply unit for providing a curing inhibitor to the curing inhibitor transfer layer. The curing inhibitor supply unit can provide a curing inhibitor (such as oxygen, air, etc.) to the curing inhibitor transfer layer well and continuously, so that the curing inhibitor is continuously transported to the resin tank. When printing, the resin between the lower surface of the new print layer and the bottom surface of the cartridge contacts the curing inhibitor. Since part of the resin is mixed with oxygen to form an oxygen inhibition phenomenon, no curing reaction occurs, so the lower surface of the new print layer is difficult to adhere to the bottom surface of the cartridge, and the pull-out force between the new print layer and the bottom surface of the cartridge is low, the resin reflow speed is accelerated, and the printing speed is significantly improved. The resin reflow speed of the 3D printer provided by the present application is fast, and the printing speed is significantly improved.

[0053] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention may have various modifications and variations. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a rapid light-curing 3D printer cartridge, characterized in that: The rapid light-curing 3D printer cartridge comprises a resin tank side wall and a curing inhibitor delivery layer, the bottom of the resin tank side wall is connected to the upper surface of the curing inhibitor delivery layer to enclose the resin tank, and the rapid light-curing 3D printer cartridge has a curing inhibitor supply portion for providing a curing inhibitor to the curing inhibitor delivery layer; The upper surface of the curing inhibitor delivery layer is also provided with a curing inhibitor distribution layer which is permeable to oxygen and light, and the curing inhibitor distribution layer is located in the resin tank; the curing inhibitor delivery layer is a silicon-based film; the curing inhibitor distribution layer is a fluorine-containing film which is permeable to oxygen and light; The curing inhibitor supply unit includes a conveying layer extension unit, the conveying layer extension unit is formed by the curing inhibitor conveying layer extending out of the resin tank along the bottom of the side wall of the resin tank, and the conveying layer extension unit is in contact with the air; the curing inhibitor supply unit also includes a pressurizing unit for pressurizing and conveying the curing inhibitor to the curing inhibitor conveying layer; the curing inhibitor supply unit includes a curing inhibitor supply bin, the curing inhibitor supply bin is in contact with the curing inhibitor conveying layer to convey the curing inhibitor to the curing inhibitor conveying layer; the lower surface of the curing inhibitor conveying layer is also provided with a rigid ultraviolet light-transmitting layer; The preparation method of the rapid light-curing 3D printer material box is as follows: using an ultraviolet light-transmitting layer as a bottom layer, forming a curing inhibitor transfer layer on the surface of the ultraviolet light-transmitting layer, connecting the side wall of the resin tank with the curing inhibitor transfer layer before the curing inhibitor transfer layer is completely formed to form a closed resin tank, and connecting the curing inhibitor distribution layer with the curing inhibitor transfer layer before the curing inhibitor transfer layer is completely formed, and contacting the curing inhibitor supply part with the curing inhibitor transfer layer. After the resin tank is completed, resin is poured into it to form a resin layer, and printing begins. During the entire printing process, the curing inhibitor in the curing inhibitor supply bin continuously enters the curing inhibitor transfer layer through the part of the curing inhibitor transfer layer that contacts the air, and is then distributed to the resin of the resin layer by the curing inhibitor distribution layer, forming an oxygen-blocking polymerization effect in the part of the resin layer close to the curing inhibitor distribution layer.

2. The method for preparing a rapid light-curing 3D printer cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The curing inhibitor delivery layer is a PDMS film.

3. The method for preparing a rapid light-curing 3D printer cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ultraviolet light-transmitting layer is made of quartz or transparent acrylic.

4. A 3D printer, characterized in that: The invention comprises a fast light-curing 3D printer cartridge prepared by the method for preparing a fast light-curing 3D printer cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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