Extrusion device for 3D printer and 3D printer
By setting the air nozzle outside the nozzle in a 3D printer and optimizing the air outlet direction by adjusting components and deflecting components, the vibration and space occupation problems of the heat dissipation system in the prior art are solved, and the heat dissipation effect and accuracy of continuous fiber printing are improved, ensuring that Print quality.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202311737519.3
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-12-18
- Publication Date
- 2024-12-13
AI Technical Summary
The existing 3D printers' heat dissipation systems have vibration problems, large space occupancy and low control accuracy in continuous fiber printing, resulting in poor printing accuracy and material uniformity, especially difficult to achieve effective cooling under fiber offset and glass transition temperature.
An extrusion device for 3D printers is designed, in which the air nozzle is arranged on the outside of the nozzle, and the air outlet is adjusted along the printing path by adjusting the components to ensure that the heat dissipation fluid acts forward behind the nozzle and is distributed through the multiple air nozzles. and deflection components optimize heat dissipation.
It realizes an extrusion device with low vibration, small size and light weight, improves heat dissipation effect and printing accuracy, ensures continuous fiber printing quality, and makes the printing model consistent with the design model.
Smart Images
Figure CN119116363A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of 3D printing, and in particular to an extrusion device for a 3D printer and a 3D printer having the extrusion device. Background Art
[0002] 3D printing technology, also known as additive manufacturing technology, usually requires proper cooling of the extruded material after extruding it according to a preset path during printing, so that it can solidify on the preset path as quickly as possible to ensure the geometric shape and achieve consistency between the printed model and the designed model. In the prior art 3D printers, a cooling fan is generally installed on the extruder head to supply air to the directional air duct fixed around the nozzle to dissipate heat from the printed workpiece. This is widely used in most FDM printers due to its good cooling effect and low cost.
[0003] However, continuous fiber 3D printing has an additional extrusion material, fiber, on the basis of traditional FDM printing. If the printing effect needs to be guaranteed, higher requirements are placed on the heat dissipation capacity during the printing process, such as the straightness of the limit in the printed straight line segment and the offset of the fiber at the corner. These require the resin in the extruded material to drop below the glass transition temperature faster to fix the limit. In other words, the heat dissipation system needs to have a higher ability to remove heat from the resin, which can usually be achieved by increasing the size or speed of the fan or increasing the number of fans and air ducts.
[0004] However, on the one hand, the rotation of the cooling fan blades can easily cause vibration of the entire extrusion structure. The higher the speed, the larger the blades, and the more obvious the vibration, which will cause ripples on the surface of the printed model, thereby affecting the printing accuracy. At the same time, increasing the size or number of fans will occupy the space of the original print head and increase the inertia of the end of the motion mechanism, which will reduce the control accuracy and maximum printing speed of the printer. At the same time, too large a fan air supply range will cause excessive cooling of the extrusion nozzle, resulting in uneven material extrusion. These will have an adverse effect on the final printing effect.
[0005] On the other hand, the fixed air duct will cause the continuous fiber printing equipment to achieve the maximum heat dissipation effect only when printing along the direction of the air duct outlet. When printing sideways or reversely, part of the heat dissipation fluid is reheated through the nozzle, making it more difficult for the extruded resin to reduce to the glass transition temperature, reducing the printing accuracy of the continuous fiber. Using multiple cooling air ducts at the same time may cause the heat dissipation fluids sent from different air ducts to interfere with each other, and ultimately reduce the heat dissipation capacity that the extruded material can receive. In addition, the close distance between the air outlet and the extrusion nozzle will also have a certain impact on the temperature of the extrusion nozzle.
[0006] In view of this, there is an urgent need to provide an extruder for a 3D printer with low vibration, small size, light weight and high stability to ensure the quality of continuous fiber printing.
[0007] It should be stated that the above background technology content is only used to assist in understanding the inventive concept and technical solution of this patent application. It does not necessarily belong to the prior art of this patent application. In the absence of clear evidence that the above content has been disclosed before the filing date of this patent application, the above background technology should not be used to evaluate the novelty and creativity of this application. Summary of the invention
[0008] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the defects of the prior art and provide an extrusion device for a 3D printer.
[0009] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: an extrusion device for a 3D printer, the extrusion device includes a heating module, a nozzle with a jet port, and a molding module, wherein the molding module includes a wind nozzle with an air outlet, the air outlet is facing the nozzle, and the molding module also includes an adjustment component, and the adjustment component is configured to adjust the air outlet direction of the air outlet while the nozzle moves along the printing path.
[0010] Preferably, the air nozzle can be movably arranged on the outside of the nozzle along an adjustment path, the adjustment path takes the center line of the injection port as the rotation center line, and the adjustment component is configured to adjust the position of the air nozzle on the adjustment path.
[0011] In some embodiments, the adjustment path is a circle with a center line of the injection port as a rotation center line.
[0012] In some embodiments, the adjustment assembly includes an annular mounting seat, which is arranged on the outside of the nozzle and can be rotatable around the rotation center line. The wind nozzle is installed on the annular mounting seat. The adjustment assembly also includes a driving mechanism for driving the annular mounting seat to rotate around the rotation center line.
[0013] In some embodiments, the driving mechanism includes a driving motor and a driving wheel driven to rotate by the driving motor, and the driving wheel is drivingly connected to the annular mounting seat.
[0014] In some embodiments, the driving wheel is a gear, and a tooth portion is provided on the outer periphery of the annular mounting seat, and the tooth portion and the driving wheel are meshed with each other.
[0015] In some embodiments, the adjustment component is further configured to cause the air outlet to follow the movement of the nozzle along the printing path.
[0016] As another preferred embodiment, there are multiple air nozzles, each of which has the air outlet, and all of the air nozzles are distributed circumferentially at intervals on the outside of the nozzle. The adjustment component is configured to open and close the air outlet according to the printing path of the nozzle.
[0017] In some embodiments, an angle is formed between the air outlet direction of the air outlet and the printing platform, and the molding module further includes a deflection component for adjusting the position of the air nozzle to change the angle.
[0018] Another object of the present invention is to provide a 3D printer.
[0019] To achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a 3D printer, comprising the extrusion device as described above, and a supply device for supplying a heat dissipation fluid, wherein the supply device is connected to the air nozzle via a pipeline.
[0020] Due to the application of the above technical scheme, the present invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art: the extrusion device for a 3D printer provided by the present invention has an air nozzle arranged on the outside of the nozzle, is light in weight and occupies a small space, and only blows out the heat dissipation fluid from the air outlet of the air nozzle during operation, with high stability, and the air outlet direction of the air outlet can be adjusted during printing, so that the heat dissipation fluid can be kept as far as possible to act in a positive direction on the rear of the nozzle, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect, ensuring the printing quality of continuous fibers, and making the printed model as consistent as possible with the design model. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] Attached Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an extrusion device for a 3D printer according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;
[0022] Attached Figure 2 To Attachment Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the air outlet in the extrusion device of Example 1 when it is adjusted along the printing path;
[0023] Attached Figure 5 To Attachment Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the deflection adjustment of the air outlet in the extrusion device of Example 1;
[0024] Attached Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the relative position between the air outlet and the nozzle in the extrusion device for a 3D printer according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;
[0025] Wherein: 1. machine body; 2. heating module; 3. nozzle; 31. injection port; 4. wire cutting module;
[0026] 5. Air nozzle; 51. Air outlet; 6. Adjustment assembly; 61. Ring mounting seat; 62. Driving wheel; 63. Driving motor; 7. Deflection assembly; 71. Fixing seat; 72. Deflection motor;
[0027] 10. Printing platform. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, so that the advantages and features of the present invention can be more easily understood by those skilled in the art. Obviously, the embodiments described in this application are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0029] Example 1
[0030] See also Figures 1 to 6 An extrusion device for a 3D printer is shown, which is suitable for 3D printing processing using continuous fiber composite materials as printing consumables. The extrusion device includes a body 1, a heating module 2 arranged on the body 1, a nozzle 3 with a jet port 31, a wire cutting module 4, and a molding module, and an extrusion mechanism (not shown in the figure) is arranged in the body 1. During printing, the movement path of the nozzle 3 is pre-planned according to the model to be printed to form a printing path. In the process of the nozzle 3 moving along the printing path, the printing consumables are extruded by the extrusion mechanism and heated by the heating module 2, and then ejected outward from the jet port 31 of the nozzle 3 and formed on the printing platform 10 under the action of the molding module, thereby forming a printing model on the printing platform 10. During the printing process, after completing the entire planned path or part of the path, the wire cutting mechanism 4 performs a wire cutting operation, so that the printing consumables at the jet port 31 are separated from the printing model.
[0031] See also Figure 1 As shown, the molding module includes a nozzle 5 having an air outlet 51, and the air outlet 51 is toward the nozzle 3. When the printing consumables pass through the ejection port 31 of the nozzle 3 and are formed on the printing platform 10, the air outlet 51 sends a heat dissipation fluid toward the position of the ejection port 31 to reduce the temperature of the ejected printing consumables, so that the printing consumables can be quickly solidified after being formed on the printing platform 10.
[0032] The molding module also includes an adjustment component 6, which is configured to adjust the air outlet direction of the air outlet 51 when the nozzle 3 moves along the printing path, so that the heat dissipation fluid delivered by the air outlet 51 can act on the printing consumables in an optimal posture, so that the printing consumables can be quickly cooled and further solidified to form on the printing platform 10, so that the printing model is as consistent as possible with the design model.
[0033] In this embodiment, the air nozzle 5 can be movably arranged on the outside of the nozzle 3 along an adjustment path S, and the adjustment path S takes the center line of the injection port 31 as the rotation center line. Here, the adjustment path S is a circle with the center line of the injection port 31 as the rotation center line. The adjustment component 6 is configured to adjust the position of the air nozzle 5 on the adjustment path S, and can adjust the air nozzle 5 to any position on the circumference of the nozzle 3.
[0034] See also Figure 1 As shown, specifically, the adjustment component 6 includes an annular mounting seat 61, which is arranged on the outside of the nozzle 3, and the annular mounting seat 61 can be rotatably arranged on the body 1 around the above-mentioned rotation center line (that is, the center line of the injection port 31), and the air nozzle 5 is installed on the annular mounting seat 61. The adjustment component 6 also includes a driving mechanism for driving the annular mounting seat 61 to rotate around the rotation center line. When the annular mounting seat 61 rotates, the air outlet 51 of the air nozzle 5 changes position accordingly.
[0035] In this embodiment, the driving mechanism includes a driving motor 63 and a driving wheel 62 driven to rotate by the driving motor 63, and the driving wheel 62 is connected to the annular mounting seat 61 by transmission. Here, the driving wheel 62 is a gear with gear teeth arranged on the outer periphery, and the outer periphery of the annular mounting seat 61 is also provided with a gear portion, and the gear portion of the annular mounting seat 61 and the gear teeth arranged on the outer periphery of the driving wheel 62 are meshed with each other to form a transmission of motion. When the driving motor 63 rotates, the driving wheel 62 drives the annular mounting seat 61 to rotate, and accordingly adjusts the position of the air outlet 51 of the air nozzle 5 in the circumferential direction of the nozzle 3. Of course, the specific structural form of the driving mechanism is not limited to the above-mentioned gear transmission mode. In other embodiments, the transmission can also be realized by means such as a synchronous belt assembly, a sprocket assembly, etc., but the gear transmission structure adopted in this embodiment is more accurate in control during adjustment.
[0036] In this embodiment, the adjustment component 6 is further configured to make the air outlet 51 follow the movement of the nozzle 3 along the printing path. Figure 2 As shown, when the nozzle 3 moves along a straight line trajectory, the air outlet 51 of the air nozzle 5 blows out the heat dissipation fluid toward the nozzle 3 from behind the nozzle 3 along the straight line trajectory; see Figure 3As shown, when the nozzle 3 moves along an arc track, the air nozzle 5 adjusts its position so that its air outlet 51 is outside the arc track and blows out the heat dissipation fluid along the tangent direction of the arc track; see Figure 4 As shown, nozzle 3 is compared Figure 2 The straight line trajectory is changed, and the air nozzle 5 is adjusted so that the air outlet 51 continues to blow out the heat dissipation fluid toward the nozzle 3 from behind the nozzle 3 along the changed straight line trajectory. In this way, when the nozzle 3 moves along the printing path to print, the heat dissipation fluid blown out from the air outlet 51 keeps acting in a positive direction behind the nozzle 3, so that the heat dissipation fluid is positively aligned with the printing direction of the fiber, and the best heat dissipation effect can be achieved.
[0037] See also Figure 1 As shown, an angle α is formed between the air outlet direction of the air outlet 51 of the air nozzle 5 and the molding plane of the printing platform 10, and the angle α is also called the pitch angle of the air nozzle 5. The molding module also includes a deflection assembly 7 for adjusting the position of the air nozzle 5 so that the above-mentioned angle α changes. Here, the deflection assembly 7 includes a fixed seat 71 and a deflection motor 72. The fixed seat 71 is fixedly mounted on the annular mounting seat 61, and the air nozzle 5 is rotatably mounted on the fixed seat 71 around a rotating shaft (not shown in the figure), and the axis of the above-mentioned rotating shaft is perpendicular to the center line of the injection port 31. The deflection motor 71 is connected to the air nozzle 5 and is used to drive the air nozzle 5 to rotate around the above-mentioned rotating shaft, so that the air outlet direction of the air outlet 51 is adjusted.
[0038] See also Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, during the printing process, according to the different positions of the printed model, especially in the printing process of the curved model, the pitch angle of the nozzle 5 can be adjusted by driving the nozzle 5 to rotate around the rotating axis through the deflection motor 72, and the air outlet direction of the air outlet 51 is adjusted, so that the heat dissipation fluid blown out of the air outlet 51 can act on the position to be cooled at the best angle, so that the printing module can be further quickly solidified. During actual printing, the pitch angle of the nozzle 5 can be adjusted so that the position where the heat dissipation fluid acts on the printed model is slightly higher than the molding plane of the printing platform 10, so that a good cooling effect can be obtained.
[0039] Example 2
[0040] See also Figure 7 As shown, the extruder for a 3D printer of this embodiment is different from that of Embodiment 1 mainly in that, in this embodiment, a plurality of air nozzles 5 are provided, each of which has an air outlet 51, and all the air nozzles 5 are distributed at intervals along the circumferential direction on the outside of the nozzle 3. The adjustment component 6 is configured to open or close the air outlet 51 according to the printing path of the nozzle 3.
[0041] The air outlet 51 mentioned here as open means that the air outlet 51 is not blocked by other components and can pass heat dissipation fluid; the air outlet 51 mentioned here as closed means that the air outlet 51 is closed by a blocking cover, or the heat dissipation fluid is not passed into the corresponding air outlet 51 through a control valve.
[0042] The movement path of the nozzle 3 is pre-planned according to the model to be printed to form a printing path. During the 3D printing process, the control system controls the opening and closing states of the air outlets 51 of the multiple air nozzles 5 according to the movement path of the nozzle 3. Specifically, one or more of the air outlets 51 are controlled to be opened, while the other air outlets 51 are closed. The heat dissipation fluid blown out of the opened one or several air outlets 51 is closer to the positive effect and the rear of the nozzle 3 than the heat dissipation fluid blown out of the other air outlets 51. When the scheme of this embodiment is adopted, the structure of the extruder is simpler and easier to control than that of embodiment 1, but the direction of the heat dissipation fluid blown out of the air outlet 51 cannot reach the most ideal direction compared with embodiment 1, and the heat dissipation capacity is inferior.
[0043] The present invention also provides a 3D printer, which includes the extruder as described above. The printer also includes a supply device (not shown in the figure) for supplying a heat dissipation fluid, which includes a compressor, a vortex tube (or an AC air conditioner) and an electrical proportional valve, and can output a heat dissipation fluid with controllable temperature and flow rate. The heat dissipation fluid can be compressed air, liquid or liquid nitrogen. The supply device is connected to the air nozzle 5 through a pipeline, and the heat dissipation fluid is blown out through the air outlet 51.
[0044] During the molding process, the air nozzle 5 is arranged on the outside of the nozzle 3 and moves synchronously with the nozzle 3. During the printing process, the position of the air nozzle 5 can be adjusted while the nozzle 3 moves along the printing path, or the air nozzle 5 that can blow out the heat dissipation fluid can be switched, so that the air outlet direction of the air outlet 51 can be adjusted, so that the heat dissipation fluid can be blown out in the preset most ideal direction, so that the heat dissipation fluid can be kept as far as possible to act in a positive direction behind the nozzle 3, so that the heat dissipation fluid is positively aligned with the printing direction of the fiber, thereby achieving the best heat dissipation effect.
[0045] In summary, the extruder for a 3D printer provided by the present invention has a nozzle 5 disposed outside the nozzle 3, which is light in weight, occupies little space, and can move synchronously with the nozzle 3 along the printing path. When working, the heat dissipation fluid is blown outward only from the air outlet 51 of the nozzle 5, which has high stability, and the air outlet direction of the air outlet 51 can be adjusted during printing, so that the heat dissipation fluid can be kept as far as possible to act in a positive direction behind the nozzle 3, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect, ensuring the printing quality of the continuous fiber, and making the printed model as consistent as possible with the design model.
[0046] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention, and their purpose is to enable people familiar with this technology to understand the content of the present invention and implement it. They cannot be used to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Any equivalent changes or modifications made according to the spirit of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. An extrusion device for a 3D printer, characterized in that: The extrusion device includes a heating module, a nozzle with an injection port, and a molding module, wherein the molding module includes a wind nozzle with an air outlet, the air outlet is oriented toward the nozzle, and the molding module also includes an adjustment component, which is configured to adjust the air outlet direction of the air outlet when the nozzle moves along the printing path.
2. The extruder for a 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air nozzle can be movably arranged on the outside of the nozzle along an adjustment path, the adjustment path takes the center line of the injection port as the rotation center line, and the adjustment component is configured to adjust the position of the air nozzle on the adjustment path.
3. The extrusion device for a 3D printer according to claim 2, characterized in that: The adjustment path is a circle with the center line of the injection port as the rotation center line.
4. The extrusion device for a 3D printer according to claim 2, characterized in that: The adjustment assembly includes an annular mounting seat, which is arranged on the outside of the nozzle and can be rotated around the rotation center line. The wind nozzle is installed on the annular mounting seat. The adjustment assembly also includes a driving mechanism for driving the annular mounting seat to rotate around the rotation center line.
5. The extrusion device for a 3D printer according to claim 4, characterized in that: The driving mechanism comprises a driving motor and a driving wheel driven to rotate by the driving motor, and the driving wheel is drivingly connected to the annular mounting seat.
6. The extruder for a 3D printer according to claim 5, characterized in that: The driving wheel is a gear, and a tooth portion is arranged on the outer peripheral portion of the annular mounting seat, and the tooth portion and the driving wheel are meshed with each other.
7. The extruder for a 3D printer according to claim 2, characterized in that: The adjustment assembly is also configured to cause the air outlet to follow the movement of the nozzle along the printing path.
8. The extrusion device for a 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: There are multiple air nozzles, each of which has the air outlet, and all of the air nozzles are distributed circumferentially at intervals on the outside of the nozzle. The adjustment component is configured to open and close the air outlet according to the printing path of the nozzle.
9. The extrusion device for a 3D printer according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: An angle is formed between the air outlet direction of the air outlet and the printing platform, and the molding module further includes a deflection component for adjusting the position of the air nozzle to change the angle.
10. A 3D printer, characterized in that: It comprises the extrusion device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, and a supply device for supplying a heat dissipation fluid, wherein the supply device is connected to the air nozzle via a pipeline.